[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]

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."

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

Kirk thought about that for several moments. "I don't get it. If its two people, wouldn't the winner always be the person who went second?" A quick calculation, "And three people, the person who went first?" At least, that was how it seemed in his head. Wouldn't it be like en-nee-miny-mo, where if you went back and forth with two people, the second person pointed at always won?

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

Spock realized that he had consumed too much chocolate already to be annoyed at him for simplifying the game. He took another small bite of the strawberry he held in his hand, pushing his potential bad mood farther and farther away. "You are assuming that there is only one method to construct the shape. That is similar to assuming there is only one set of steps available to achieve checkmate, and that whoever choices black is the certain winner."

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

"You find one of these things, you teach me how to play, then you can show me." Kirk just gave a little grin, still completely relaxed. "I'd like to learn. And if we can't find out... we'll replicate up the pieces."

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

At first he doubted whether the rods for the game can be so easily replicated, but he has the entire science division of the Enterprise at his disposal. If he couldn't manufacture several dozen steel rods that were able to hook together through magnetism and then some, he should just resign his post now. "...of course." He wondered how much patience Kirk would have before he got frustrated with the game. The light of the two suns began to disappear fully behind the horizon, leaving a smattering of bright stars across the sky and two emerging moons.

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

Probably wouldn't take long.

"Hey, Spock?" He asked quietly, but continued right on. "...remember how you told me you could teach me how to shield myself? Would you still be willing to teach me? ...Later, and what not. When we're back up on the ship and everything."

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

Another bite of the strawberry. "I would be willing," He agreed (and he wondered, for a moment, whether he even has the capacity to refuse, after--this was his third, strawberry, right?). "You are already aware that it is more matter of you finding the time to concentrate on learning. Though it would be an useful skill for you to have, as a captain, on this mission, even to the most basic degree." The entirety of the five-year mission. Not all species were conveniently psi-null.

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

"I'll make time. This is important." Kirk said with a small shrug. "...thanks, though. I just hope I don't end up driving you nuts." A laugh came with that - he had no idea how he'd take to this mental work out.

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

"Doubtful. I have already survived this long." He remembered what he had been taught on Vulcan as a child, so he wouldn't be teaching blind. Not all of it would be applicable, of course, but they would be helpful guidelines.

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

"Hey, another joke." Kirk teased just a little, but his voice was warm, almost affectionate. "I'm glad. I think... well, it'll be damn useful if I can manage it. If nothing else, I'd like to learn more about it."

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

As he finished off his third strawberry, he wasn't sure if that warm feeling curling in his stomach is from the chocolate or from Jim being surprisingly reasonable, because that was attractive in its own way. "You shall, though I am of the opinion that practical applications would provide the most benefit to you."

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

"Probably because I tend to learn best through practical applications." Kirk agreed with a lazy grin on his lips. "Books and I never get along unless I'm reading them for my own enjoyment. I'm a hands on guy."

Surprisingly, said without a trace of double meaing.

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

In his state, though, Spock considered it anyway. The thought briefly flickered through his mind before being shooed out. "...I am of a similar disposition myself, though our definitions of leisure reading appear to differ." People thought he read research reports just because he was a science officer. Not really.

Spock motioned to the remaining strawberry, sitting alone in the container. "Jim?"