[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.

Comments

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

At first, he had watched him open the container because of his innate curiosity, and now he was watching Jim because he simply could not turn away. The dark chocolate he recognized. The strawberry he recognized. The chocolate on said strawberry he definitely recognized and with something he wouldn't quite call fondness or yearning. He had eaten it before. He had enjoyed it. But he was not ignorant of its effects on his mind.

Now he was mentally stuck, watching Jim move his lips over the succulent fruit and chocolate, eyes closed as if that was something else entirely than what it was. Spock also knew that Jim didn't do things like this, totally at random, targeting the one physical weakness he actually had--unless someone told him. With a little bit of thought, he compiled a list of suspects, now slightly annoyed, almost a little defensive.

But he still wanted one.

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

Kirk pulled the strawberry away from his lips and licked them, letting out a breath. "Would you believe?" Chew, chew, swallow, "I had a dream about these? Seriously, I had this dream about chocolate covered strawberries and a buncha other weird shit, and saw them when I was coming here... fate conspiring me to get them." Meaning it very seriously, too. He laughed and glanced over to Spock (Whoa, he was being watched with a very strange look).

"Sorry. You want one?" He lifted up the container and offered it over.

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

He shouldn't. He really shouldn't. He hadn't eaten anything since breakfast and the chocolate was sure to hit his bloodstream immediately upon swallowing, and it would only take another eight point two seconds for it to get to his brain.

But here they sat, both of them making an honest effort not to kill each other, annoy each other, point out each others flaws. Not engaging in blackmail or extortion, or pulling rank, and while Jim was still making strange sexual comments and gestures, Spock had told himself to accept it as an immutable part of the man's very fibre of his being. It would be illogical to destroy this fragile attempt through some worry that he could not hold his chocolate.

"Yes." That came out softer than he intended. Spock reached down and took one from the container. Once he had it in his hand, he could divert most of his attention away from Jim, eyes focused on the fruit held between his fingers. He did not eat it in the way that Jim had--sucking, eyes closed, chocolate on his lips--a combination of movements that was...unnecessary. No, Spock took a little bite, enough to get the chocolate and the strawberry underneath, but leaving plenty left for subsequent bites. Taking it slow.

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

"...so, plans?" Kirk said quietly, watching only for a moment as Spock ate before turning his attention to his own strawberry. The next bite he chewed more slowly, enjoying the mixture of chocolate-sweet and fruit-sweet. He had seen, heard it in a dream.

Just wasn't sure if he was crazy and this was all bullshit.

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

Spock didn't answer his question immediately, preferring to savour the chocolate taste on his tongue, mixed with the cool sweetness of strawberry. "...I do not have a clear itinerary planned out, though I do plan to visit the subterranean gardens before we leave." Scientific things--though Spock wouldn't look at it in that way. "My counterpart has also expressed a desire to have dinner with me, either with Nyota and perhaps his bondmates." It did not sound as odd, given what the man had done for him since their last conversation. "Decisions for the remainder of the time will be left until later." Playing it by ear.

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

"Actually, Spock contacted me too about dinner." Kirk thought about it, rubbing the back of his neck after putting down the beer bottle. "Need to talk to him and Jim." A hesitation. Did Spock even know that ... shit, he hoped Spock didn't know about that night.

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

His casual bite of the strawberry, without any outward recognition to his words mentioning the elder Jim, suggested he did not know about the awkward evening between the two captains. Though the memory of the last time he had seen the elder Jim did coil a warmth in the pit of his stomach that was not entire simple. He blamed it on the chocolate, which by now--yes--was metabolizing through his body.

"Perhaps it would be more efficient if our dinners occurred on the same evening?"

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

Kirk's immediate reaction was to agree, but then he actually thought about it. Did he want to go and speak with them with Spock there? With Uhura there? So instead of ready agreement, he chose to say, "I guess we'll have to see how it plays out."

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

A noncommittal response. Spock was enough of a diplomat to know what was behind that tone and those words. "We shall." He finished the strawberry, since the last bite of the fruit did not have as much chocolate as the ones before.

He reached for another strawberry treat without asking, and his first bite was slightly larger than the last one. Dark chocolate always seemed to get better with progressive bites, a strange phenomenon which, in turn, required more trials in order to draw a conclusion from it.

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

Kirk's eyes did not leave the ocean beyond them, frowning a little. "...I've made my choice on Pike." His tone said it was definitely the one in the brig. "...No matter what, it's the wrong choice. There is no right choice."

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

His next bite of the strawberry was slower, almost pausing half-way through, lips around the chocolate and fruit, before his teeth drew back and chewed the piece slowly. He kept gazing at the rolling tide, though he wasn't really seeing it. "Then what is your decision?" Not that he already knew.

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

The beer beside him was sweating, curving a ring of wetness on the stone below them. He looked down at it, as if he had forgotten, and took a long draw from the bottle. A breath fell heavy from his lips when he was done.

"...he won't be leaving that brig alive." Kirk said very quietly, too quietly for a human to hear.

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

Just as he thought.

Spock took another silent bite of the strawberry, the chocolate taste lingering in his mouth now even if he swallowed. There was nothing that he should, could, say to change his mind. The captain had made his decision, with no small consideration, and as first officer he had to support that decision. Jim was right: there was no right choice here, which is why this felt wrong. It was not a matter of rationalizing murder, but simply accepting it. He still...wished (illogical to hope without plan or possibility--), that there was something he could do to amend the situation.

"When do you plan to execute him?" Not that he would try to sabotage Jim's plan. He just wanted to know.

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

"...before we leave Risa, if I can." Kirk said very softly, his eyes closing. "So that it's dealt with before everyone comes back to the ship. I almost want to lie, say that he is Starfleet's problem instead of ours." His shoulders slumped slightly; this was not something he wanted to do. Taking a man's life, no matter the danger the man faced....

Killing someone took part of the person doing it, if the person had any morals.

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

As Jim talked, he looked down of what was left of his second strawberry, and after a pause for thought, popped the remaining bit of it into his mouth. A larger bite, for sure, but he wanted to chew on as he mulled over other thoughts. Spock glanced at Jim, saw his shoulders slump and wanted to...perhaps comfort him. If he were human, he would extend a hand to his shoulder, but he wasn't. So he didn't.

"Jim..." He kept his voice above the sounds of the sea, the water hitting the rocks, the local gulls flying out from the jungle at dusk--but just barely. "Despite the difficulty of it...you must. And lie, as well, if it is needed to maintain your command."

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

The tip of pink tongue extended, wetting lips that tasted like hops and salt. The bottle dripped slowly in his hand, falling to his leg, darkening the jeans like a tear. The sun played with his hair, dyeing it an even more brilliant gold then its normal tones, doing the same with his lightly tanned skin.

"...The lie isn't needed to maintain my command." Kirk said after a long silence. He wet his lips again, "...I don't want the crew to worry. That's all." He knew he had to deal with Pike. He was the only person that could.

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

"It ultimately originates from the same action." Spock made a casual gesture with his hand, and then looked down at the container with the three remaining strawberries. Jim looked more intent on finding comfort in that beer, so he did not doubt the continuing existence of the treats. He had indulged some already; there was no need to finish off the rest. Yes. No need.

"...though it is hardly the crew I am concerned about, at the conclusion of this."

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

The beer wasn't really helping Kirk pick up on the subtly the Vulcan was using. His brows furrowed and he looked over at Spock, confused for a moment. "We're not going to tell Starfleet what happened or anything." He finally said, figuring that was the only other thing that could come to mention.

[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."