[Risa, Day 3] -- [Suraya Bay] -- [Spock and Kirk]

[kirktastic]

After making plans with Spock and definitely having worked on his tan, Kirk showered, got himself cleaned up, and dressed. A casual sort of button up shirt and dark jeans, something simple and easy for vacation, but if the place was a little fancier, it'd be fine buttoned up fully. He left the top buttons open, for now.

Without the cycle swiped by Bones, Kirk left early so he could walk into town. Not a long walk, about fifteen minutes, but it was made easy by getting a ride from a group of very lovely ladies. He made his goodbyes (not before slipping them his comm information with a promise for fun), and walked along the boardwalk. Almost on intuition, thinking about the dream last night, he stopped in a store briefly and made a quick purchase. With the bag in tow, he headed for the bay proper and looked for Spock.

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[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

He felt a small trickle of amusement bubble up in his mind, spiraling through his thoughts that were so far anchored on this difficult topic. It wasn't the chocolate necessarily, though he was counting down the seconds until that would start to hit him full-force. It was something else, something about being off-duty, the sunset, the ocean, the quiet atmosphere and just being alone with...Jim. And perhaps a peace of mind that he was starting to get reacquainted with. "No, we will not, but that does not erase it, or its consequences, from the past."

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

"...or the future." Kirk spoke quietly, turning his gaze away. Nothing would be able to erase it, but it didn't matter. He had to do what needed to be done for the safety of his crew and his ship, even if it meant making a decision like this.

So, he did what he normally did. He changed the subject. "I wanna get everyone together before we leave Risa. Just... you know. An off duty night of everyone hanging out."

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

It probably showed a lot about his opinion of the crew that his first idea is that all of the crew--the bridge, the core--in one room would lead to raucous drinking, questionable sexual maneuvers, and horrible singing, and that maybe he should withdraw his obligation from attending as soon as possible. He had already eaten two strawberries under a mere offer from Jim, and he knows for a fact that a certain Risan bar offers a melted dark chocolate drink topped with native fruit and something else he arched an eyebrow at. It wasn't that he didn't trust himself. He didn't trust Jim (or even Nyota, if she was in a mischievous mood).

"I suppose." It's the least he can say to hide his personal apprehension.

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

"Sure you hate the idea and want to find an excuse to get out of it as soon as possible." Kirk laughed, not looking at Spock, his tone far from serious. "No one has to come. We'd just like if you came." Kirk rolled his shoulder, drinking again but more as a method of something to do then wanting to get drunk.

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

"I shall consider it." And he will. Nothing about his schedule was set in stone and if he decided that it would be the best way to spend the evening, then he would. Spock eyed the bottle, and then looked out across the ocean. One of the two suns was starting to set into the horizon.

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

Kirk went silent, staring out across the ocean. Together, silent, they watched the setting of the suns. Finally, the corner of Kirk's lips twitched and he lifted a hand, pointing out into the sky. "Hey, look."

He glanced over to see Spock eying the sky in the area he was pointing to, and clarified. "...First star of the night. Kinda alone, all by itself. Easy to forget all the other stars are there, just hidden by the sunset. Soon, it'll see that its not alone." He said in a quiet voice, eyes not leaving the Vulcan's face. "Not alone in the sky. Other stars are all just waiting for the first star to see them."

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

He focused on the star through these words, one hand slowly curling into a loose fist against the rock on his side away from Jim. Two chocolate-covered strawberries weren't nearly enough for him to miss what Jim was implying, and most of all, what he seemed to imply that he knew about things Spock was sure he had never told him directly. His expression remained carefully thoughtful, and not revealing anything else.

"The light of the sun must diminish, before that is possible."

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

Kirk turned his head back to that single star that hung on the horizon, so faint against the dying sun but it would be brilliant set in the night time sky. "But the stars are still there, always there, even if we can't see them. We still have to trust that they're there." Words were coming, ones that he didn't even fully understand but meant. A bright smile touched his lips.

"Even when the sun rises and blots out the stars and they can't be seen anymore, we have to believe they're there. Just when it seems like there's nothing to guide us, the night time comes and we can see them again. Never completely alone... just gotta trust the stars are there, even when we can't see them."

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

He felt that amusement coming up again, as he glanced sideways to Jim. That smile. It held his attention for a moment or two, and then he glanced back up at the evening sky.

"You have never been more correct, Jim." Spock folded his arms loosely over his chest, hand wrapping over his elbow. He can accept this truth, here, where there wasn't anyone else to hear it.

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

Kirk fell silent again, glancing down between them. He eyed the strawberries and smiled slightly to himself, snagging one and biting into it with the near-obscene enjoyment from before. "...you ever used to sit out and watch the stars?" Kirk asked after he had swallowed. "Or is that too illogical for a Vulcan to do?" A gentle tease, but also giving Spock a way out of the personal question.

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

Two left. At least he managed to keep his attention away from Kirk as he ate it, this time, though his memory provided the visual in absence of his observation. "I could observe them clearly from my home on Vulcan." It was less painful to regard it now, as the sky he carried with him lessened the feeling of the planet actually being gone. "It was logical to become acquainted their layout and the locations of various Federation planets. However, they lack the mystique humans commonly attribute to them. A star is recognized for what it is."

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

"...She used to sit outside and watch them. Vulcans might not find anything mystical about them, but she did. On the balcony..." And sometimes, fath--Sarek would join her. There was a very clear memory of that in his mind. She would look for Earth. It was the first star Spock had memorized the location of.

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

To hear Jim bring up a memory of his own was strange, to say the least, but in this situation, not entirely unwelcome. "How often did you survey the stars?" He inquired. He had little knowledge of the activities of kids out in the Iowan countryside.

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

"I hated the stars." Kirk answered honestly. "...Stole my Dad from me, then stole my mother too." No anger in those words, just acceptance. "That didn't stop me from looking up at them. Trying to see if I could find something that wasn't there." A tiny smirk touched his lips, but it was sad at best.

"...tell me about your mother?" He asked almost softly, feeling the wind briefly kick up a bit of salt water droplets in their direction.

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

His thoughts paused on the subject. He hadn't put any conditions on his inquiry; he could pick any particular detail he wanted.

"She remained human, despite all of her years on Vulcan," He murmured, but it lacked any derisive tone, instead, there was a hint of expected fondness. "She learned our customs, but she applied them uniquely to our household, integrating Earth customs as well." Spock took another strawberry in his hand, but didn't eat it just yet, only admiring the smooth curve of the chocolate over the fruit.

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

"What kinda customs?" Kirk asked out of curiosity, trying to add information to the mother-woman that he would have given anything to have as a child. He took another bite of the strawberry that was slowly oozing pinkish juice down his fingers.

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

Slowly, between his thumb and his fingers, he turned the strawberry counter-clockwise. "Culinary, mostly. There is a sandwich she often made using a peanut spread complemented by a fruit jam. She would also give me material gifts on my birthday."

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

The so-simple memories just made Kirk's smile return full force. "...Peanut butter and jelly." He could have laughed, but it was surprisingly sweet that that was what Spock thought of. "...must have been wonderful." He said warmly, meaning it.

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

"She would make it if I otherwise did not want to eat during the day." He turned the strawberry clockwise between his fingers, still not eating it yet. "I recall working on a research project, during which she was particularly insistent that I consume it."

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

The smile only grew in size and in warmth. It showed a human side to Spock to hear him talk about that sort of thing. "...its the little things people do to show they care." Kirk said quietly, watching as the other stars slowly started to appear.

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

"Yes." A small agreement, barely murmured. For the briefest moment, it felt as if his head was elevated, before it settled on a just-distinguishable float. He brought the strawberry to his lips and took a small bite.

"...She taught me how to play chess, as well." Spock looked up at the sky.

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

"Hmm." A tiny sound of surprise. "I would have assumed it was your father." He admitted, thinking about it. "Does he play?"

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

"He does, on occasion, though he was more concerned with teaching me kal-toh." He wondered for a moment whether he could purchase a set around here, or commission one on short demand, though he doubted if he would ever play it on this ship. With his counterpart, perhaps, and maybe if Jim was particularly masochistic. "She claimed that I needed to learn a simpler game to set the foundation of my understanding. We began with a two-dimensional set."

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

"Mmm, I did too." Kirk murmured thoughtfully. "What's kal-toh?" Asked in curiosity, which definitely seemed to be a theme for the night. "Sam... that's my brother... he taught me how to play."

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

He blinked, and glanced over to Jim; he hadn't heard him mention his brother very often, if at all--but he knew one did exist. Starfleet files could come in handy like that, as well as A7 computer degrees. "...It is a puzzle between two or more people, where you begin with a pile of metal rods and endeavour to place them into the shape of two icosidodecahedra, one nested inside another. The person to place the last connecting rod wins."