Strength of Men, chapter 3.2

[1lostone]

Title: Strength of Men
Author: 1lostone
Pairing/Characters: K/S, mentions of other relationships
Rating/Category: NC-17
Universe:  ST Reboot
Wordcount: 15,978/ a shitload
Disclaimer:  I don't own any of this. *eyeballs mortgage* Clearly.
A/N:  Yep. It's my first fic for the Star Trek Reboot. I think I was one of the last people on the planet to see the damn thing... which is odd as I've been a fan of TOS and TNG for .. um...ever. Anyway, this is what happens when my brain started to play "what-if". It started with a conversation with ostia2006  and then sort of blew up. Thanks hon for holding my hand and giving me the swift kick in the ass to actually write it. Also thanks to ladyblahblah   for the absolutely unprecedented beta read and for not killing me when I completely randomly msged her out of the blue and asked her if she'd give it a whirl... and to faithsummers80  for helping me out with the first chapter. :) 
Warnings:  H/C, Angst, Longfic, Attempts To Write Plot, Use Of Every Fandom Cliche Since The Dawn Of Time

A flicker of memory :

“Spock? Are you busy this evening? Maybe after shift?” The Captain stood there, shifting his weight from one foot towards the other.

“I have a number of experiments that need my attention, captain.” Spock entered a few key sequences on the PADD, not paying particular attention to the conversation, the bulk of his awareness on the preliminary results of the experiment he was running.

“Oh.” Spock looked up briefly in time to see some emotion flicker over the captain’s face. “Uhura had mentioned that you enjoy a game of chess every once in awhile.” He quickly looked back down.

“Chess, captain? You play?” Spock raised an eyebrow, looking up from the PADD again, interested despite himself.

“Yeah. A game here and there. But I can see you’re busy. Sorry to have interrupted. Well, maybe some other time.” The captain clapped him on the shoulder and walked off down the corridor, heading for his quarters.

Spock stood there for a moment, looking after the captain’s retreating back, surprised at the stab of disappointment he felt.

The memory flickered and changed.

“And then… the Elloran said…. I don’t know! I can’t tell!”  The captain stared for a moment, as though waiting for Spock to dissolve in giggles. “Get it?? I can’t … tell!!”

“Perhaps you should concentrate less on your sophomoric attempts at humor, and more on your chess game. Check.”

The captain shot him a dirty look before turning his attention to the game. “Well, hell. If you’re going to be that way about it….” The younger man managed to rescue his king and continue the game, staring at the board in concentration, brow wrinkled slightly as he thought. They were silent for several moments until Spock distinctly heard the captain make a rude sound under his breath, shooting a look at him from under his eyelashes.

“Was there something, sir?”

Kirk leaned back in his chair, balancing  in a way that seemed to absolutely defy gravity. “Oh.. I was just thinking.”

“Fascinating.”  Spock kept his voice absolutely inflectionless.

“See! That’s what I mean!” The chair landed on its legs with a small thump. “I know you have a sense of humor buried in there somewhere. You say the damndest things sometimes.  Bones thinks I’m nuts, but I think that you really get sarcasm. You certainly seem to give it out well enough.” The captain took a sip of his beer.

“Is it not better to give than to receive?”

There was a sputter, and Kirk choked on the beer he had just sipped. He coughed a few times, eyes tearing up, trying unsuccessfully to hide his mirth.

“I do not understand. What did I say to garner such a response?”

“Ahh. Nothing. Nothing, Spock.” There was a beat of silence, and a wholly wicked look in the captain’s eyes. “Although I bet Uhura can explain it. In detail.”

“As I am not currently with the Lieutenant at this time, I would appreciate it if you would explain. Details are always pertinent.”

The captain’s eyes widened momentarily, and Spock noticed that his tanned complexion turned slightly redder as he flushed. Spock watched him for a moment, strangely disappointed. “It would seem as though I have disproven your theory as to my sense of humor, captain,” he said quietly.

“Oh! No, I’m sorry Spock. I was just teasing you.”

“Indeed. Checkmate.”

“Aw, balls.”

The boy seemed to be thinking as he and Spock stood side-by-side, watching the memory.  Another flicker…

“James T. Kirk."

Spock could see the captain, looking at the man before him as though he had done something exceptionally shocking. "Excuse me?!"

He recognized the voice, of course, as his counterpart spoke. "How did you find me?" They looked to be in a cavern of some sort, with flickers of firelight just barely highlighting their features. Spock was ashamed as always at the fleeting feeling of guilt. This must have been on Delta Vega, where Spock had abandoned Kirk without caring whether or not he survived, infuriated at the gall of this human upstart who would speak to him utterly without respect, completely defying his orders.

 He heard the suspicion in the captain’s voice when he responded. "How do you know my name?"

His response, when spoken, caused Spock to hold his breath. "I have been… and always shall be…your friend." The simple words, spoken with such a depth of feeling made Spock feel as though the very universe had somehow tilted, changing his perception of everything that had happened.  He could clearly remember his own turmoil and disbelief when Spock advised him that he had the unique ability to be in two places at once. “I could not deprive you of the revelation of all that you could accomplish together. Of a friendship that will define you both, in ways you cannot yet realize.” The words had seemed prophetic. He could now glean the meaning; understand how yes, a relationship with one person could indeed start to define another. Had he not done everything in his power to get his captain to the doctor that could help his failing, fragile body? Was he not willing to defy Starfleet, and indeed the very Federation in order to get answers?

If that wasn’t friendship… what was?

 The younger Kirk gave Spock a funny sort of smile and flickered once before disappearing completely. Spock turned around, looking for where the boy had gone. “Captain!”. Spock turned his head again. There was nothing for him to hide behind.  No rocks or boulders- nothing that would shield him from view.  The strangely muted colors had a strange sort of shimmer to them. “Jim!”

 In an instant, Spock was snapped out of the meld and back into reality.

 Chapter 4 (Monday or Tuesday. :D)

Comments

[1lostoneficspot.livejournal.com]

lol@ the Spocks. I had a helluva time not confusing 'the ambassador' and 'Spock' and 'his counterparts... gah!!! :D