#about k'diwa

[branwyn-says]

me, age 21, driving around my college campus in a rattling old vintage Chrysler, wearing a scarf, big sunglasses, and a 10 in cigarette holder: what did you do today?

me, age 41: went shopping with my girlfriend

me, 21: omg we have a girlfriend??

me, 41: and we quit smoking

me, 21: oh yeah of course

me, 41: and pretty much like 98% of our trauma is resolved

me, 21: nervous I don't know what you mean

me, 41: you're gonna post that Buffy fanfic and it's gonna change your life. you meet your best friends and the love of your life through fandom. a looooooot of people read your writing and say nice things to you about it. during the worst crises of your life, when your safety net dissolves, fandom has your back.

me, 21: ok that's awesome, what about the novels?

me 41: you reached your arbitrary goal of writing a professional manuscript and landing and agent before you were 30

me, 21: ok

me, 41: but the book didn't quite get published and after that you were busy being homeless. But you went on a journey, you had lots of life experiences, and now you're part of a found family with a platonic life partner, a kid you unofficially adopted, and a girlfriend.

me, 21: ....sooooooo

me, 41: yeah, we're happy. it feels really weird.

me, 21: ok, yeah, cool.

me, 41: ...

me, 21: ...

me, 41: yes, obviously, I still want to publish a novel.

me, 21: no, I...we've really been writing fanfic for twenty years? I just kind of assumed I would move on.

me, 41: you did get over the thing where you couldn't think about anything but your blorbos all day

me, 21: what the fuck is a blorbo

me, 41: but you got addicted to reading and writing as partnof a community, so. *shrug*

me, 21: ok, I get it. last question: who do you ship now

me, 41: lots of things, but I've been on a Kirk/Spock thing lately.

me, 21: [recoiling] You betrayed Bones.

me, 41: Forgive me

me, 21: ...no

[serpentsnestpress]

Finally remembering to share my binding of K'diwa: a Steamy Novel of Interspecies Romance by Jim Kirk, by @branwyn-says.

I'm really happy about the way this book came out; the spine rounded super nicely, and the matte gold HTV titles worked well with the Duo Polar to give it a very clean Science Division aesthetic.

I also worked really hard on an LCARS inspired typeset, making headers and footers to accommodate different sizes of text as the page and chapter numbers increased. The text is set in Liberation Serif, and titles and decorations are in Roddenberry and Swiss 911 Ultra Compressed.

I really enjoyed this fic, and I'm so glad I was able to do this and send an author copy!

[affixjoy]

I’ve been trying to bookmark the fics that I like more often so I can actually remember where to find things, but I like the idea of talking about them here more too. I’ve been blown away by the talent and creativity in this fandom and I want to shout it from the rooftops!

With that in mind, here are some Spirk fics that I’ve loved lately!

Time After Time by spaceisgay (ChancellorGriffin)

Summary:

Sam Kirk’s younger brother James is posted to the Enterprise on a six-month rotation. Spock, preoccupied with thoughts of his sister, regards this as an unique opportunity to study another pair of adult siblings in their natural habitat.

That is very much not what happens.

My thoughts: guys I feel absolutely insane about this one. It’s just so, so good. It was one of the first Spirk fics I read when I started getting into it a few months ago, and I just reread it last week because I wanted to know if it was as good as I remembered. It very much is!!!

Highlights: sibling feelings, horny mind melds, THE DINNER TABLE SCENE, dungeons and dragons.

Entering Orbit by museaway

SUMMARY:

Jim escapes to Iowa to avoid the media frenzy following the Narada incident, but a late-night miscommunication results in Spock turning up on his front porch.

My thoughts: this was great to read after watching Star Trek (2009) a few weeks ago. I don’t love the Abrams movies but there is some really spectacular fic out there for them that almost makes up for it.

Highlights: Bartender Jim and cooking for each other.

Not in Front of the Klingons by @android-and-ale

Summary: Our beloved Old Married Spirk have been sent off on yet another diplomatic mission. They’re an (in)famous presence in Federation politics, so really, everyone should know what to expect from them. If you bug their rooms you deserve what you see and hear.

Enjoy canon level “diplomacy,” the eternal mediocrity of conference centers, and lighthearted middle aged sex.

My thoughts: this is DELIGHTFUL and I adore it. Old married Spirk has become one of my favorite things to read lately and this nails it.

Highlights: the way they banter and laugh during sex. They’re so comfortable and happy together, it’s lovely.

The recitation of names by Moreta1848@jennelikejennay

Summary:

Two hundred crew members died in the attack on the USS Farragut by a sentient cloud creature. Now the ship has to limp home with traumatized survivors and a borrowed crew. Lieutenant James T. Kirk is doing the worst of anyone, but he won't admit why and doesn't want help.

One of the borrowed crew is Lieutenant Commander Spock. He feels a strange magnetism toward the troubled lieutenant, but the chain of command and his duty to the ship must always come first.

My thoughts: I haven’t been able to stop thinking about the idea of the recitation of names. It’s a beautiful way to grieve, and having Kirk and Spock do it together here is such a moving way for them to get to know each other.

Highlights: unplanned roommates, a lot of feelings about therapy/healing, just a lot of FEELINGS.

the yeomen of the garden (and laundry) by @cicaklah

Summary:

“So you and El-Tee Kirk?” Greig said as Spock came to collect his clothing again after yet another incident. “Is something going on there?”

Spock just blinks. “Which Kirk brother are you referring to?”

Greig shrugs. “I didn’t know there was more than one of them.”

Spock nods. “I am not in a relationship with Sam Kirk, if that is what you are asking.”

Greig gives him the finger-phasers. “Oh cool, cool, that's what I thought. Sweet. Tell your buddy to get better okay? His chest must be so raw after everything he’s been through to damage so many tops.”

My thoughts: this whole series has been a blast to read, but this is probably the one that has stuck in my head the most. There’s something about seeing what other people are up to on The Enterprise that hits me in the right way, and I love the laundry guy here.

Highlights: the garden, laundry workers having all the best gossip

K'diwa: A Steamy Novel of Interspecies Romance, by Jim Kirk by branwyn

Summary:

Jim wrote a romance novel just to prove he could. Then someone leaked it on the public Starfleet server, and suddenly his embarrassingly smutty and sentimental Human/Vulcan love story is all over campus. Luckily for Jim, no one knows that he’s the author. Unluckily for Jim, someone forwarded the novel to the staff of the Vulcan embassy. Now, every Vulcan in San Francisco is reassessing the logical merits of taking Human bondmates.

Spock reads a Human/Vulcan romance novel because he can hardly avoid it. Suddenly, he is consumed by the need to locate the author, ascertain their wellbeing, and instruct them in the way of Vulcan mating bonds. Luckily for Spock, it doesn't take long to identify the author as Jim Kirk. Unluckily for Spock, Jim is unconscious and surrounded by interested Vulcans who also read the book.

My thoughts: this was so fun to read! I love Jim writing a romance novel, I love how they set up all his friends at the Academy, and I love Spock falling in love with him through reading his work.

Highlights: all the Vulcan culture stuff was interesting, and I really love Gaila in this one.

[ensignsimp]

Cute Romantic Taurik HCs: 1/?

A/N: There is not enough about these cute Vulcan background characters! I know they're background characters but still! I got super carried away with this.

Prompt: General Cute Romantic HCs

The two of you meet on the shuttle going to the Enterprise.

You looked around trying to find someone to talk to but the only one who wasn't already mid-conversation.

You turned to the Vulcan sitting next to you. Before you could think of something intelligent to say you opened the conversation with,

"I like your ears."

He looked at you slowly, his eyes cold and void of emotion. At the time you wanted to throw yourself out of an airlock.

However, it didn't turn into a complete disaster as you expected.

After that day the two of you became inseparable.

You would follow him around like a lost puppy for the first few weeks.

"I am surprised you have not developed some emotional disdain for me."

Then after Taurik would follow you around practically attached to the hip.

"Your presence is far more agreeable than to others."

The two of you would spend hours together, from work to off hours.

During work, the two of you were always working on your tasks together each helping the other to check things off the to-do list.

Geordi would find the two of you crammed underneath a console or squeezed into a crawlspace.

During your off-hours, the two of you would occasionally have breakfast, lunch, and dinner together.

Sometimes the two of you would play some kind of board or card game in the Ten-Forward with other ensigns.

"Another win for me, Ensign."

It wasn't as if you two didn't have separate lives, it was just more comfortable being around someone you knew.

"I would rather not spend time on such frivolity however, if you are interested I shall attend with you."

At first, you thought that the two of you were just really good friends.

That was until Tauvik asked you if you wanted to meditate with him after work before dinner.

A few of your friends said that it was a Vulcan's way of asking you on a date. You brush it off not really thinking about it.

Soon, the invitations became so frequent that you decided to leave a meditation mat in his quarters. He seemed (in his own strange way) to be excited by that.

He started to call you by different Vulcan names. You thought it was sweet that he was sharing his culture with you.

"Ashaya, K'diwa, Tal-kam." Seems to be his favorite when calling you.

It wasn't long after he asked if it was appropriate to hold your hand while in public.

"Tal-Kam, I know that humans enjoy physical contact with those they see as close to them. May I perform such a display?"

Thinking nothing of it, (because friends on Earth hold hands all the time) you agree.

He was practically holding your hand any chance he could. Green would dust his cheeks slightly as he would intertwine his fingers with yours.

"I never realized how warm human hands are, Tal-kam."

[sachiko6243]

Known as the Commanders whore

Summary: Finally, Lucys rapist is trialed. But as Vulcan laws command it simply does not stop with a simple prosecution.

Word count: 6823

Warnings: violence, blood, pain, primitive fight, sass, fluff, smut at the end, Minors DNI! this contains adult content

Disclaimer: Spock and Lucy have a permanent mind meld, so they can feel and see each others thoughts and communicate through it.

Served hot for: @mystery-star

We then stepped together into the stands of the arena. Jim, Bones and Sarek surrounded me like a protective wall. Following Sarek, we walked through the narrow corridors and went straight to the balustrade that separated us from the arena. Thank God the sun had already sunken pretty low, that it disappeared behind the trees, otherwise I wouldn't have recognized what was happening in front of my eyes.

Spock and Hanesh both wore the same loose black pants. The rest of their body was naked and now covered with runes written in red paint. The highest minister L’Vor and the judge Avarak both stood in a circle with them, an easel of weapons behind them. My gaze was fixed on Spock, who appeared to be bandaging his hands. Avarak said something to the two of them that I didn't understand because of the distance and the murmur in the arena, but they both nodded once.

L'Vor took a few steps from the center and addressed the audience. Well, probably more likely me, since I was one of the few that did not know what was about to happen: “At the request of the condemned Hanesh, today's court verdict becomes a puk na' ha'kiv il tevak. Commander Spock acts as the defender of his K'diwa receives the right to first choice of weapon. As our law states, it is a fight to the death. The winner decides on the type of execution. Whether by own hand or by someone else's. A suspension of this rule is essential.” He turned slowly in a circle and gave the crowd a heavy look.

When Avarak then nodded to him, L'Vor spoke up again: "Choose your weapons." That was the moment when I subconsciously clung to Jim's arm. I stared fixedly at Spock, who walked slowly down the easel and finally decided on a spear and two daggers. To my amazement, Hanesh did the same. At Avarak 's signal, Spock and Hanesh went to their assigned fields in the arena. Avarak raised his arms, looked between the two fighters one last time, and then lowered his hands. “Begin.”

Simultaneously both men grabbed their spears and stalked towards each other. The daggers clattering at their hips. Spock was the first to reach out. With a low whistle, his spear pierced towards Hanesh's upper body. But he easily repelled the first blow with a crack. Spock attacked again, took a few steps and then jumped. This time his attack was faster. The tip of the spear aimed at Hanesh's neck. He missed it by a hair's width and a few seconds later the first blood dripped to the ground.

I breathed a sigh of relief. Spock seemed up to the task.

But now it was Hanesh who attacked. His tactics were more brutal and less subtle. He tried to hit Spock with quick swings, using both the tip of his spear and the end of the handle. Spock dodged it again and again, rolling across the ground and deftly blocking his opponent's swings. When Hanesh began to stagger from a particularly powerful blow, Spock counterattacked.

He rolled his spear over his shoulder, narrowly missing Hanesh. But the next blow caught my tormentor unprepared on the flank. With a loud growl, Hanesh fell to the ground. Blood seeping from between his fingers. The ease with which Spock had already injured him twice seemed to make him even angrier. With a loud scream, Hanesh threw himself at Spock, throwing him over his waist to the ground. Spock dropped his spear in surprise, which was promptly broken by Hanesh.

My grip on Jim's arm immediately tightened. I held my breath and watched with increasing fear as Spock rolled several meters across the ground before he caught himself. His fingers were quick on the hilts of his daggers and he barely managed to block another thrust from Hanesh spear. Wood splintered onto the ground and for a brief moment I thought I could sense fear through our connection.

But as quickly as the feeling had come, it was gone again and Spock lunged at his opponent with an indignant growl. After just a few hits, Hanesh also switched to his daggers. Probably because Spock was always careful to be close enough and not give him a chance to use the full power of his spear. Now, alongside the violent gasps, the clatter of blades filled the arena.

I bit my tongue and forced myself to keep looking, even though everything inside me was now filled with pure panic. The sharp blades clashed again and again. Often only a few inches away from sensitive parts of the body. In my panic, I hadn't realized how hard I was now clawing at Jim's arm. Only when he made sounds of pain and tried to remove my fingers from his arm did I relax my grip a little.

The battle before us had now become an indescribably deadly dance. In the low sun I could clearly see the sweat glistening on Spock's back and was fascinated for a few seconds as the red color began to run down his back in thin lines. It had an almost picturesque calming effect.

But then it happened. Hanesh scored for the first time. Spock hadn't been quick enough to block the incoming blade and so he had no choice but to dodge. Anyone else would probably have been dead, but Spock was skilled enough that the blade barely glided across his ribcage, only catching him in a small spot just before his armpit. Still, I could clearly feel the pain through our connection. Burning hot, it dug into my chest and I instinctively reached for the spot where Spock had been injured. A few meters in front of me, Spock fell to his knees and let out a pained growl. Hanesh, however, didn't give him time to think. He lunged for Spock relentlessly, forcing him across the arena floor and catching him again. This time on the back.

A shrill scream of pain escaped me when I felt the wound on my back. Both Vulcans' eyes were immediately on me. Hanesh eyed me hungrily. A smile on his lips as Spock realized with shock what was happening. Without a second's hesitation, Spock threw himself at Hanesh and lashed out with the dagger in his right hand. He narrowly missed, but instead his left hand hit Hanesh's thigh and slashed it across.

In his anger, Spock placed a foot on Hanesh's chest and kicked him across the arena. Slowly and fixated on his prey like a hunter, Spock followed Hanesh's path. His gaze was cold and full of hate. It was the first time I had seen him express his feelings so openly. Hanesh had now hoisted himself back to his feet and was standing slightly hunched over, balancing his weight on his right leg in front of Spock.

Both men breathed heavily and stared at each other for a few seconds, as if waiting for the other to react. Hanesh attacked again, but his movements were slow and uncoordinated. The wound on his left leg was bleeding crazy. Spock let him have his way, blocking his blows easily before pushing him away again. He assessed Hanesh again and watched as he staggered backwards. With an almost desperate scream, he lunged at Spock again, but he dodged the blades, turned around and sank one of his daggers up to the hilt into Hanesh's right shoulder.

All the breath I had been holding was released. And relief washed over me immeasurably. Without even meaning to, I rose from my seat and clutched the balustrade with my hands. Even from here I could hear Hanesh's rasping breath as he fought desperately against the blood that was slowly beginning to fill his lungs.

Hanesh raised his head and looked up at Spock. His eyes were full of pain and fear of what was about to happen. Pointing the dagger at Hanesh, Spock stepped behind him and turned him so that he was facing me directly. I put my hands over my mouth and stifled the sound that would otherwise have escaped me. Spock's entire posture was one of hatred. The otherwise loving eyes assessing me darkly, his hands trembling on Hanesh.

Only then did I notice the murmur that echoed through the stadium. Like a buzzing swarm of bees, the noise spread across the dusty square and filled the arena to the last corner. All that stopped as the chief minister rose from his seat.

He looked at Spock with an inscrutable look before speaking, "What are you waiting for?" End it.” But Spock shook his head. "No."

“No? It is your duty. Your responsibility to your K'diwa." L'Vor was visibly irritated by Spock's refusal. He just lowered his weapon slightly and looked at me. “Let my K'diwa decide. She is the injured party. She should do justice.”

“This is treasonous, Commander!” The Chief Minister let his booming voice echo through the arena. “A long time ago you swore to follow the Vulcan path. Now finish what you started. It is the law and not a game!”

Spock looked at him for a while before answering, "I also vowed to never become what my wife fears most. A violent man. She is the one who commands me. No minister, priest, or the law. If she demands, I will kill Hanesh. However, should she refuse, the execution of the sentence will be the responsibility of the executioner.” His gaze was icy and full of defiance directed at L'Vor. He took a visibly indignant breath before turning to me: “That’s how it should be. Decide.”

I looked at Spock impassively as I thought. Then I decided to ask him, "What do you want?" As usual, he didn't visibly react, but in my head, I heard his gentle voice: "Whatever you want." I suppressed a sigh. “You already said that. But that doesn't answer my question. Do you want to kill him?”

The answer came without any hesitation. “That and so much more. I want him to suffer. Make him feel what you felt before his miserable life seeps out of him. I want him to rot forever, disfigured beyond recognition, without ever finding peace. And even then, I will never be completely satisfied. He touched what was mine. Tried to destroy what is most sacred. No amount of torture in the world will ever make up for that.”

I felt that everyone's eyes were on me. I slowly sat up, my hands clasped behind my back, my gaze neutral. “Kal-tor wuh to-gav skil.” My words carried through the arena without difficulty. And before anyone could react, Spock slid his blade across Hanesh's body one last time.

His dagger slid through Hanesh's throat like a hot knife through soft butter. Without paying any further attention to him, Spock stepped back from Hanesh's body and simply dropped the daggers. However, I stared transfixed at the dark green waterfall that bubbled from Hanesh's neck. He had now tipped over and was twitching in his last fight. Over time, his convulsions became softer, his rattling breath slowed until he finally stopped completely. I took that as my sign.

Without waiting for any instructions or permission, I clumsily climbed over the balustrade and ran to Spock. I jumped into his arms with full force and clung to him. He reacted instinctively and wrapped me in a tight, sweaty hug. I tried my best not to touch his wounds, but I couldn't help but cling to him tightly and cry bitterly. All the tension that had built up in my body over the last few weeks had suddenly left me.

" Shhh, t'hy'la. It's over. He can't hurt you anymore." Spock's quiet voice in my ear calmed me down a little, but I didn't let go of him. Even when he tried to get me back on my feet, I remained clinging to his upper body. He just sighed and I knew he was wearing a smug grin.

Beside me, I heard several people approaching us and instinctively clung to Spock even tighter, but he remained relaxed and took a few steps to the side. And when I opened my eyes, I saw two Vulcans lifting Hanesh's lifeless body from the ground and carrying him away, while another collected the weapons and hung them neatly back in their place. “What will happen to him now?” I asked quietly and looked thoughtfully after the small group.

“He will be burned according to custom and buried in the desert.” Was the short answer I received. L'Vor's slightly arrogant throat clearing made me understand why. I wanted to climb out of Spock's arms, but this time he was the one who kept my feet from touching the ground. He adjusted my position with ease and then unashamedly let his hands rest on my thighs under my dress. Then he took long strides almost directly to the balustrade and looked the highest minister directly in the eyes. “Minister. It is finished. My task is done. I now wish to withdraw with my K'diwa."

"But of course. Nobody will bother you until you leave tomorrow. Live long and prosper.” L'Vor's voice was calm and firm, but by now I had learned quite well to perceive and interpret the Vulcans' slightest fluctuations. And by the way he spat out the salute at the end, I knew Spock had taken it too far.

But he didn't seem to be irritated in the slightest. Just as calmly, he returned the greeting: "Live long and prosper." He removed his right hand from my leg and raised it in the Vulcan salute, but instead of putting it back, he reached into the back of my neck and untied the only knot that tied my dress held together reasonably adequately. I wanted to lean back in shock and ask him what that was about, but Spock just held me close as he was dismissed from the arena with a mixture of Vulcan indignation and two human stifled laughs.

***

On the way to wherever, he finally allowed me to move. “You did that on purpose!” I hissed accusingly, but Spock just grinned sarcastically. "What exactly? I break a lot of rules because of you.”

“You…” I uttered and tapped him on the chest. “I’ll be known around town as the commander’s whore.” My feigned indignation didn’t seem to bother him in the least. Rather the opposite. As he carried me through the paths of New Vulcan, his grin grew wider and wider: "What a shame." He mused, looking at me diabolically. “And since you have now come to this conclusion yourself, I can tell you without a guilty conscience that you have already received this reputation from many.”

“Please what?” My face fell. “And since when have you had a guilty conscience? Normally you always insist on sharing news as quickly as possible because it's 'logical’." I drew marks in the air to further emphasize my indignation. By now we had arrived in front of Sarek's apartment. Spock had moved back in with his father after his mother's death, arguing that otherwise it would be a waste of space. Naturally…

He slowly let me slide to the floor and entered the apartment after me. It was a strange feeling to be here. Everything was so different from how I knew it on Earth and the Enterprise. The rooms were decorated in warm earth tones and only the most necessary furniture was available. However, I recognized some decorative elements that were obviously Amanda's style, and the fact that Sarek couldn't bring himself to not have them, gave me a little pang in the heart. It was rare to get a glimpse into the ambassador's emotional world, but when we did, it usually had to do with his late wife.

"That is correct." Spock simply continued the conversation. “My statement was just to annoy you a little. I only found out about your assessment today.” I turned to him and looked at him critically. “And what exactly does that mean? It will hardly be my clothes. I either wear my uniform or whatever traditional clothing was chosen for me.”

Now a small smile crept onto his lips. “It's not your clothes, t'hy'la. But your manners on how to speak and tendency towards body decoration probably makes one or two minds wander...” He winked at me and leaned with his back against the door, obviously waiting for something to click for me. “What…?” I looked down, confused. It was more by chance that my eyes landed on my fingers. I wore many rings... Then my hands flew to my ears. My piercings... And when I looked at Spock again, he looked like he was trying to suppress a laugh.

I put my hands over my mouth, “Oh my God… How bad is it?”

Still leaning against the wall, he let his eyes wander unabashedly over my body until he stopped at my hands. “Well… The most apt comparison would be to a sexy set of lingerie. And your piercings... I think the equivalent would be nipple piercings on Earth?" He slowly came towards me. I was still too stunned to even react to him. Only when his hands gently touched my shoulders and untangled the cords of my dress did I find my speech again: “And why did you let that happen? You could have warned me!”

With a quiet hum, Spock dropped the top two pieces of fabric onto my hips. Now I was standing half naked in front of him. His eyes were dark and hungry as he answered: “Why should I? There's nothing sexier than seeing what you inspire in other men and knowing that only I will ever have you." His hands went to my waist and untied the elaborate wrap that was still holding my dress to my body.

“And who cares what they say about you? The envy you inspire is what makes me happy. My entire childhood I was pitied for who I am. That part of me is human. And now I see all these oh-so-logical and controlled Vulcans talking about my wife. My human wife, mind you. They would never admit it, but they envy me. Envying what I have and how willingly you give yourself to me.” His voice was rough and full of hunger as he stalked around me like a predator circling its prey.

When he stopped behind me, I took a deep breath so as not to completely lose my composure. His warm lips were on my neck, kissing me in a hot trail up to my ear. “You are my whore and they know it. And that hits them harder than anything else. A human who took control of a Vulcan like that. They hate it. You are what they swore to suppress. Lust and desire. But they cant. And to see how blatantly I deal with it; how easy it is for me... It eats them up. That's why you won't change a thing. You will wear your jewelry with pride. I want everyone to see what you are to me. Do you understand?” He murmured in my ear and a shiver ran through me. "Yes, Commander." I whispered, barely able to contain the excitement in my voice. But a knock on the door ripped us out of our little bubble.

"Spock? It's Bones. Yes, I know, I'm probably interrupting your little victory celebration, but I've come to look at your wounds." Bone's muffled voice came from the other side of the door. I looked at Spock in fear, but he just smiled diabolically: “You will go to the bathroom. Kneel in front of the shower and wait for me.”

***

POV Spock:

I waited until Lucy disappeared into the bathroom and took a few deep breaths to clear my head. Then I opened the door and let Doctor McCoy in. He looked around the apartment curiously, but I pulled his attention back to me before he saw too much: “You are correct in assuming you are disturbing us. I'd rather have you hurry up." McCoy gave me a reproachful look. "In moments like these, I seriously wonder what Lucy sees in you." His voice sounded angry as he set about cleaning and healing my wounds.

"Lucy certainly appreciates my efficiency, unlike you, Doctor." I suppressed a growl as he pressed a little harder on the cut on my back. "Well, for the sake of your marriage, I sincerely hope you'll put aside that idea of efficiency in the bedroom, Commander." Doctor McCoy growled.

“You can be sure of that.” Was all I replied before turning back to him with a slight grin on my lips. McCoy looked like he was about to implode and to my surprise he managed to keep his usual emotions under control: “Try not to push yourself too hard for the next few days. They are purely superficial wounds and I am relatively confident that they will not cause any further problems. But better safe than sorry.”

“Of course, Doctor.” I replied, getting up from my spot on the sofa to escort him to the door. Relieved to be able to leave the situation, Doctor McCoy strode forward to the door and literally flung it open. But before he left, he turned to me again: “I may have misjudged you, Commander. But after today... Seeing how much you're willing to risk... You have my uttermost respect and maybe we'll be able to put our differences aside at some point. “Assuming you stop being an ungrateful know-it-all.” He added.

I held back a smile and tilted my head. “I understand how difficult it must be for you to express your respect. But I also have to admit that your work on the Enterprise should not be underestimated." Then I simply pushed him out the door and left him to his thoughts.

The whole time I was just thinking about her kneeling naked and waiting for me and I practically ran for the bathroom.

***

POV Lucy:

I knelt on the warm tile floor in front of the shower, as Spock had ordered me to do. On the other side of the door, I heard the muffled conversation between Spock and Bones, but I couldn't make out what they were saying. Some time later the door opened and Spock stood in front of me. My eyes immediately went to the place where there had been a bleeding wound just a few minutes ago. Now a thin pink line adorned his chest and probably his back as well.

He looked at me for a few moments as if he had to catch himself before entering. With his finger he motioned for me to come to him and I followed as quickly as I could. “Good girl.” He whispered close to my ear. “You will lie on the floor in front of the shower with your legs wide apart. And if I tell you to touch yourself, you'll do exactly what I want you to do, got it?" I nodded breathlessly, but that didn't seem to be enough for him because he grabbed me hard by the chin and shook my head. “Words, little one.”

"Yes, Commander," I breathed, receiving a satisfied growl. Then he pushed me away slightly and took off his clothes. As if mesmerized, I stared at his muscular body and let my gaze roam over him. As I expected, he was hard, and the evidence that the whole thing was affecting him the same way made me want more.

“What did I just say?” He growled, looking at me with dark eyes. His gaze broke me out of my paralysis and I sank to the ground. I quickly descended into the position he asked of me, my hands folded neatly on my stomach. Spock looked at me and slowly walked towards me. He stood over me with his legs apart. "Good girl. Why do you always need a prompt first?” His question was rhetorical. He knew exactly what effect his behavior had on me.

I shuddered under his hard gaze and didn't take my eyes off him as he naturally got into the shower and began to wash the red paint, sand, and sweat off himself.

The whole time he didn't take his eyes off me. I felt his gaze cause the familiar fire in my core beginning to blaze. Because of our connection, it didn't take long for Spock to realize this and he looked between my legs with a grin. “Look at you… All this without even touching you at all. Come on, little one. Give in. Show me what you would do if I didn’t exist.”

My jaw almost dropped to the floor. What the hell had happened to Spock? Not that I had anything against it, but where on earth did he get all this matter-of-factness?

“Do I have to repeat myself?” He hissed, splashing some water on me to get my attention back to him. But when he read in my mind why I was distracted, he let out a satisfied growl. “It’s my nature, little one. And the more time I spend with you, the harder it is to control that. I know you said I shouldn't, but if I didn't, I wouldn't get anywhere except taking you in every position imaginable."

I moaned softly at his words and let my hand wander between my legs. I collected my moisture with my fingers and spread it everywhere. Spock's gaze was immediately focused on my middle again. “It seems to me that the thought would satisfy you rather than disturb you. Interesting.” Guided by his words, I began to stroke myself. I let my fingers slide over my most sensitive spot again and again and didn't hold back the twitches it caused.

But when I wanted to push a finger into myself, Spock interrupted me: “Stop!"

I opened my eyes and stared at him in surprise. His breathing was heavy. He had his hands pressed convulsively against the wall. His cheeks and ears were covered in a green complexion, while red paint from his body mixed with the water and disappeared gurgling down the drain. Knowing full well that I would probably regret it, I looked deep into his eyes and sank the first finger into me. A second followed just a little later. Now I began to unabashedly massage my walls while with my other hand I spread my moisture over my clit and stimulated it in gentle circles.

I guess I was lucky that Spock was more or less trapped in the shower, because the look he gave me chilled my bones. He looked like he was ready to jump on me at any moment and take what he wanted. "T'hy'la…" he uttered, turning off the water.

Ignoring his objection, I just looked at him and gave in to the pulling feeling inside me. My knees fell to the side, my back arched and I knew I was close to coming. I pulled my fingers out of myself, looked at them briefly, then put them in my mouth while my left hand continued to bring me to an orgasm. Before I had even licked my fingers clean, my orgasm hit me with the crashing force of a derailed train.

Spock's name was on my lips as my moans rang through the room. Sharp bolts of lightning shot through my body and I subconsciously felt myself twitching on the ground. Everything in me tensed up and then lost all strength and stability.

Strong hands on my arms pulled me off the ground and then forced me back to my knees. This time on wet ceramic. A hard grip on my chin forced me to open my eyes and I looked into the dark eyes of my Vulcan. I should have been scared. Begging him not to hurt me, but the anger with which he looked at me shot straight between my legs and I felt myself becoming aroused again. “Open your mouth!” Came the cold command and I did as I was told.

He didn't give me any freedom of movement. Easily held my head while he pushed his member down my throat. He began to fuck my mouth ruthlessly. His thrusts were hard and controlled, forcing me to gag, but I managed to suppress the urge to vomit. “I warned you, little one. Forbid you to finish it.” He growled. "And what are you doing? Disobeying my instructions like a naughty child. Forcing me to punish you.” I moaned with my mouth full and closed my eyes in pleasure. His words were just too wonderful not to enjoy.

“Look at me!” A sharp pain shot through my cheek and my eyes opened again. I actually expected his punch to make me flinch, but the opposite was the case. My body was screaming to be hit again. So, I closed my eyes, not without first giving him another wink.

I immediately felt his hand land on my cheek again. And this time I didn't hold back. I let out a strangled sound and clutched the hand holding my head. "Don't tell me you like this..." Spock muttered in shock, jerking my head back so I could respond. I looked away guiltily. "I do… More than I should…"

“Fuck…” His grip on my hair tightened and something between a growl and a moan shook him. But he got himself under control again pretty quickly. He pulled me to my feet and looked at me for a moment. "Maybe the others were right after all... You're a little whore who wants to be used, aren't you?" Without thinking about it, I played along in his game: "Yes, Commander. Please…"

“Please what?” He asked. “What do you want, little one?”

“I want you to use me. I want to be your little whore. That you take me at your will, please, Commander.” I begged, looking at him with wide eyes. My answer made him hesitate for a moment, but then he pushed me in front of him right into the sink faucet in the bathroom. He arched my back, forcing me to look at him through the reflection. “Are you sure?” Concern flooded my mind, but I was sure. “Absolutely, Commander.”

He didn't need to be told twice. Without giving me any warning, he pushed my legs apart with his knee and thrusted into me. I cried out in shock as I was stretched so unexpectedly, but Spock didn't react. He forcefully pushed my hips into the position he wanted and held me tight. "If you're going to test my patience, then you should be able to live with the consequences." He growled in my ear and set a reckless pace. “You will take what I give you. And don't you come again without my permission, understand?"

"I... I'm sorry, Commander." I whimpered, trying to escape his hard grip. Tears formed in my eyes and ran down my cheeks. But he didn't even think about giving me any chance. "Good girl. Apparently, it helps to put you in your place.” When his cock hit me as deeply as he always held it back, I bucked up again. “Stay here, damn it. You know your safe words. Red Yellow. Green. I will treat you the way you deserve. So don’t expect me to feel sorry for you just because you’re crying.” He hissed close to my ear, arching my back further with a strong tug on my hair.

The resulting angle allowed him to take me deeper and more intimately than usual. His grip kept me on my toes while my hands tried to hold my upper body in the position he wanted me to. It was anything but comfortable, and yet it gave me a kind of release I had never experienced before.

“I love you.” He whispered in my ear and kissed my neck. "More than anything in the world, you hear me?" I whimpered in response and pressed myself closer to him, too overwhelmed to speak clearly. Until now, I had not realized how much Spock's dominance turned me on and how much my body responded to being so desired. “You are the most important thing in the universe to me and I will always protect you. No one will ever be able to harm you again, I promise.”

His words triggered a strong wave of emotions and I began to cry uncontrollably as my body continued to respond to his touch. The difference between relief and excitement completely threw me off course. My arms and legs gave out and my whole body began to tremble. But it wasn't trembling out of fear. I was shaking because my synapses were completely overwhelmed by what I was hearing and feeling. "Spock... I... Please..." Unable to formulate a straight sentence, I tried to make him understand that I wanted to come.

Luckily, Spock understood what I wanted from him and loosened his tight grip. He slowly lowered my upper body onto the faucet and stroked my back. “Come, K’diwa. Come for me." As soon as he said the words, my orgasm shook me to the core. I screamed his name, tried to find somewhere to hold onto, but there was nothing. Just Spock holding me, drawing gentle shapes on my back. I was his instrument and he played me as he pleased. I laid beneath him, twitching and trembling, my head full of confused feelings and things I wanted to say but was unable to formulate.

And Spock didn't seem to have had enough. His thrusts kept the same pace as before, the grip of his hand still hard on my hip. But when I was finally able to open my eyes again and look at him in the mirror, I saw that he was also much more worn out than he first indicated. A strained crease had formed between his eyebrows. The ears glowing dark green, biting his lower lip.

The way he held back for me sent new desire through my body and I reached blindly for his free hand. Without really thinking about it, I brought it to my neck and placed it firmly around my throat. Spock looked at me wildly and only raised an eyebrow. I nodded and closed my eyes in pleasure as he slowly grabbed my neck.

“Oh God…” I gasped as the familiar tingling sensation spread through my body and the throbbing in my head grew stronger. At varying intervals, Spock cut off my air and let me breathe again. This meant that my field of vision began to rotate and I felt like I was perceiving everything more intensely. In addition to the hand on my neck, he released my hips and placed two fingers on my most sensitive spot. I jumped back in shock, but he just left it there and looked at me.

With his eyes fixed on me, he began to paint circular movements on my clit and watched with a fulfilled grin as I began to twitch and spasm around his member again. “Fuck… How I love this.” He murmured, lost in thought. “How I love how your body reacts to me. How you twitch under me without even having a chance to avoid me. Just thinking about it makes me hard and makes me want to fuck you. And I know that in a moment like this, all I have to do is give a quick command and you'll kneel before me, ready to take what I give you..."

I whimpered against his hand and tried to press myself even closer to him. But he held me back. “Take it easy, little one. Trust me.” And I did. I let him guide me completely and just focused on the feelings he made me feel. The hot ache in my core slowly spread. Flowed down to my fingers and toes. I clenched around his member in a bout of renewed oxygen deprivation, causing him to momentarily lose the rhythm of his fingers.

He too was visibly influenced by what he did to me and, accordingly, to us. His breathing was now so shallow that I wondered how he was still able to take me so powerfully. Although his movements had lost their methodical rhythm, his member still hit my sweet spot and, in conjunction with his fingers on my clit, drove me further and further towards the abyss. When he removed his hand from my neck once more, I let him know in a strangled voice that I was close: “Spock... I can't take it anymore. Please…let me come…”

“Look at me.” He demanded, ignoring my words. I turned my head to the side and looked at him. A tap of his fingers on my lips made me open my mouth. He slowly pushed his middle and ring fingers into my mouth and watched as I gagged on them. Only when he had sunk it up to his palm did he nod with satisfaction. “Now, K’diwa. Come for me one last time.”

I closed my lips and sucked on his fingers with pleasure, letting my orgasm wash over me. Whimpering and twitching, I came for the third time. My body was completely drained. I collapsed weakly and only Spock's arm around my waist kept me upright. In the edge of my mind, I noticed him twitching and pouring himself into me and then leaning over me. Gentle kisses on my back brought me back to reality.

"Thank you, T'hy'la." Was all he said before he carefully pulled out of me and let me sink to the ground. I just laid there and didn't answer. But I didn't have to. I knew that Spock knew how much I loved him.

I watched Spock neatly fold our clothes and place them in a woven basket. Then he wetted a rag and knelt in front of me. He gently began to clean me and then wiped away the remaining traces. When he turned around and opened a cupboard, I frowned.

But he pulled out two long tunics, threw one over himself and then knelt in front of me again. "Come here, little one." he said gently, holding out his arms to help me. I let him pull me to my feet and just stood there while he dressed me. Then he took me into a warm, long hug. “I love you, T'hy'la. Forever.” I replied softly against his chest, “I love you too.”

“Can you walk?” He asked out of nowhere and I shook my head. "I don't think so." My answer made him smile. He took a step back, placed his arms at the back of my knees and under my shoulders, and lifted me effortlessly. I was far too dazed to even react and allowed myself to be carried out of the bathroom without protest.

It was only when we were standing in the living room, where Sarek was sitting naturally on the sofa, his nose buried in a book, that I realized my surroundings. Panic and embarrassment rose within me and I felt myself turning red. But neither Spock nor Sarek seemed to react much to the unpleasant situation. Sarek put down his book and looked at us for a moment: "Am I correct in assuming that your retreat went pleasantly?"

My jaw dropped at his words, but Spock was quicker to find an answer than I was. "Indeed, father." Sarek just nodded and was silent for a while before continuing: "The people are talking, Spock."

“I know what they are talking about, father. And I don't care." Spock interrupted him and lifted his chin cockily in the air. Sarek just smiled. “I know, sa-fu. You have always followed your own path. Although, I must point out that your behavior in the arena today was marked by emotions. Your mother would be proud of you.”

I saw Spock smile slightly at his father's words. “Well, Lucy is my wife. My K'diwa. To expect anything else would be illogical.” With that he walked to the door, still carrying me in his arms. Without really paying attention to our surroundings, Spock carried me to the appointed meeting point. Jim and Bones were already waiting and I wondered who had summoned them. But Jim just raised an eyebrow and tapped his PADD while Bones shook his head with a smile.

“Well then… off to new adventures.” Jim said and looked at us. "Our next mission will be a five-year reconnaissance mission and I swear, if I'm informed that the first Enterprise baby is going to be born during it, I'll throw you out in an instant."

His words made us all laugh and Spock cocked his head. “Don’t worry in that case we’ll call it James.”

[cookiemom6067]

Chapter 14 of @branwyn-says's "K'diwa: A Steamy Novel of Interspecies Romance, by Jim Kirk" is up!

For a long moment afterwards, Jim does not reply. He takes several deep breaths; to Spock, it appears that he is attempting to gather his nerve.

“Spock,” he says. “That’s…not really necessary.”

Both of Spock’s eyebrows arch to his hairline. “What is not necessary?”

“Persuading me.” Jim does not meet his eyes. “I’m, uh, pretty persuaded already. I mean, I still need time—we’ve only known each other for a week. But…you don’t have to make any kind of effort to win me over.” His laugh, this time, is self-deprecating. “I never worried about Ophelia changing her mind, you know?”

[leopardcoffee]

You’re the ghost in the room

Soval/reader

🫧Warnings: none

🫧Notes: Translations under the cut

🫧Soval had just wanted a brief walk before returning to his work at the embassy, it had not been his intention to rekindle things with his old flame.

🫧Translations:  

 Taluhk- precious

Ashalik- darling I ashau du. I ashau du heh du losrak me. Du nem-tor t'nash-veh khaf-spol heh t'nash-veh katra k' du heh losrak me wanting. I ma vesh' hollow opi' du losrak me, k'diwa. I vesh' pok tor nem-tor du u' t'nash-veh ko-telsu heh du threw t'nash-veh storilaya pla' svi' t'nash-veh limuk, ni uf dare du leralmin nash nam-tor t'nash-veh lafot lu wuh lafot nam-tor kling's tonk'peh ish-veh?- I loved you. I loved you and you left me. You took my heart and my katra with you and left me wanting. I have been hollow since you left me, beloved. I was ready to take you as my wife and you threw my advances back in my face, so how dare you say this is my fault when the fault is no one's but yours? K’diwa- beloved

Dim rays of sun shone down on the Vulcan embassy in San Francisco through the heavy fog. Overcast weather had been the norm since Soval had arrived here on Earth after a brief visit to Vulcan. He could understand how it might bog one down after a while, but for the moment it was a nice reprieve from Vulcan’s scorching summer skies. Small puddles dotted the streets, remnants of last night’s rainstorm. It had been an interesting experience for him, rain on Vulcan was nearly unheard of.

Laughing Human children dashed in front of him as he walked, splashing in the puddles but careful not to muddy the ambassador’s robes. Soval watched them as they went on their way. Children of all races were seemingly predisposed to the same behavior, though Vulcan children tended to prefer sand banks to puddles. Fondly, he remembered his own childhood, now long ago. He couldn’t bring himself to chastise them, he had certainly tracked sand in the entryway of his parents home when he was their age.

Soval continued on his way, taking in the scenes of humans going about their lives. Having lived here as long as he had, he was not as easily irritated as some of his fellow Vulcans. For all their perceived faults, Humans certainly had a way of endearing themselves to you. Returning back to Vulcan had been a bit more of a shock than he had been expecting, he was far more expressive than he had been when he had lived on Vulcan permanently. As much love as he did have for his home planet, Earth was more his home than anywhere else. He knew other Vulcans looked at him like he was an eccentric, but so long as they respected his wisdom and authority, it didn’t bother him.

As he walked, he was greeted by many a friendly face. Sometimes it crossed his mind that he wished he could smile back at them, but not always. Laughter and the sounds of life filled his ears. Tree leaves rustled in the wind and colorful leaves crunched beneath his feet. ‘Fall’ as he had learned it was called, was on its way, bringing with it the promise of the cold kiss of winter.

Between the colored trees, Soval thought he saw a familiar face flit by. He narrowed his eyes and walked a little faster. There they went again, slipping by at the edges of his vision, a woman. How did he know her? He was almost certain he’d seen her before, but who was she? He rounded a corner and she came into view. Her hair blew in the wind, her cheeks tinged pink from the cold. Indignantly, she pulled her scarf up a little higher to shield her face, yet to notice his presence.

But he had noticed her, and now there was no way he could continue without pretending he hadn’t. Her once lustrous hair was streaked with gray, it had been so long. The memory of their last meeting forcibly invaded his mind. She stood at the corner of the street, waiting for something. This was not the place where he had wanted this to occur. It was too late now, she had seen him. At once she seemingly forgot whatever she was waiting for and her eyes widened at the sight of him. For a moment, they were both stock still as they registered what was happening. All at once, she broke the trance with her shrieking voice.

“YOU!”

She stormed towards him, Soval could do nothing but watch. Her hands reached out and grasped the lapels of his robes and dragged him closer.

“How dare you show your face here? How dare you invade my peace with your presence?”

“I do not understand. Y/N, it has been so long, taluhk…”

Rage invaded her gaze that had once been filled with adoration. She shoved him back as hard as she could. They were beginning to attract attention from people as they passed by,

“Don’t you speak to me like that!”

“Y/N, ashalik, people are staring. We should discuss in private.”

For a moment she seemed to come to her senses and glanced around and all the people staring at them. With a reluctant grunt of agreement, she grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him with her. They turned the corner into a small space between buildings and Soval felt himself be shoved up against a wall.

“What do you want from me? Why are you here? Answer me!”

“Again, I do not understand. Have I upset you? It has kept me awake for many nights trying to figure out why you left.”

Her eyes grew unfocused as she processed his words. Soval breathed heavily, the cold wind whistled past them and blew his bangs.

“What makes you think you have the right to say that to me?” There was no anger in her voice now, only confusion and sadness. Soval didn’t, couldn’t understand what was happening. As far as he remembered it had been her who had left him on his own, simply quit her job at the embassy one day with no explanation and left him alone. He hadn’t lied to her, he had spent many nights awake trying to figure out where it all went wrong. In the coming weeks after she left, his home had become a mess, his days unfocused and his nights lonely and wanting. He had all but fallen apart in her absence, but as the days passed and the years went by, he started to recover. But even then, he had never found another woman he’d take as a mate.

“I-I still don’t understand ashayam. What have I done? It was you who left me."

“WHAT?! IT WAS YOU WHO CHASED ME AWAY, DON’T COME CRAWLING BACK TO ME NOW! YOU LOST ANY CLAIM YOU HAD OVER MY HEART YEARS AGO!” Y/N screeched at him, her face once again wild with rage, eyes filled with tears.

Soval’s ears rang and his head spun, what? What was going on? She blamed him? But, she had left one night with no explanation and left him yearning. One day they had been as close as mates, so near to the threshold of finally being together, and the next day she had vanished without a trace.

“I did no such thing. There was no one closer to me than you, and then you left. You gave me no explanation, no warning, you simply vanished from my life and took everything with you. I ashau du. I ashau du heh du losrak me. Du nem-tor t'nash-veh khaf-spol heh t'nash-veh katra k' du heh losrak me wanting. I ma vesh' hollow opi' du losrak me, k'diwa. I vesh' pok tor nem-tor du u' t'nash-veh ko-telsu heh du threw t'nash-veh storilaya pla' svi' t'nash-veh limuk, ni uf dare du leralmin nash nam-tor t'nash-veh lafot lu wuh lafot nam-tor kling's tonk'peh ish-veh?” Soval spit at her, forgetting himself and converting to his mother tongue. As composed as he had been, he felt his emotions creep out beyond the bounds of his control. He had thrown himself from against the wall and gotten into her face, his words formed not with love and care but with hatred and violence.

She stumbled, taken back by the intensity of his emotions. For a moment it seemed as though she might cry, and worry spiraled in his stomach. Just as he was about to reach out for her in an act of comfort, she found her footing and spat back at him with tenfold the intensity.

“Spare me your Vulcan eloquence. Tell it like it is. YOU PUSHED ME AWAY! Left me on my own to pick up the pieces of my heart. I thought you wanted me too, clearly I was mistaken, clearly I underestimated your cruelty and your hatred of us pitiful humans. How could I have been so stupid? To think someone like you would ever stoop so low as to be with someone like me? Tell me why you did it, tell me why I got a transmission from Starfleet command on the night where I finally thought we might become something more, posting me on the other side of the country. Stop stalling. SAY IT IN ENGLISH COWARD, TELL ME WHAT YOU REALLY MEAN!”

Soval breathed deeply, and chose his words carefully. “I did not send you away. Your transfer was completely unknown to me. I was under the impression that you had quit and left because you were disinterested in my advances-”

“Advances? What?” You sounded incredulous, almost like you didn’t believe him. “What are you saying?” You stepped closer, so near now that your chests brushed. Soval could hear your breathing, see the dried tear tracks on your beautiful face.

“I am saying, ashayam, that I love you. I have loved you from the moment we met, there is no one else in the world for me. I can never take another mate, you are the only woman I have ever and will ever pledge myself to. So please, k’diwa, please say you love me too.”

“I love you too.”

-

Before you could get your bearings, begin to comprehend what was happening, you felt the world blur around you. Soval turned you around so you were the one shoved against the wall, his hand cradling your fragile head and taking the brunt of the impact. His breathing was labored, his body tense. The look in his eyes was a mix of intense love, desire, and lust. Having his hand brace you against the wall and his much larger body pressed against yours made your stomach flutter. He had always elicited such feelings in you.

“Do not tease me ashayam, do you mean it?” Soval’s voice was husky, it was clear he was barely containing himself from taking you then and there. The very thought made your heart lurch.

“I mean it.”

Soval’s lips were not harsh against yours. His kiss was tender, inexperienced. Even so, his lips were soft and caressed yours gently. His hand reached up and cupped your face, everything he did he did as softly as he could. You reached up and took his head in your hands, clutching him to you so you would never have to part. It was clear he had never kissed before. You moved your lips against his and he followed. He quickly grew more and more earnest as he learned what he was doing, and forced you harder against the wall and kissed you hungrier.

When you broke apart, you panted and stared at his flushed face. His cheeks were green and his lips were parted, ready to begin again. Soval leaned back in to kiss you again, but you placed your hand on his chest to stop him. At once his face grew serious and he stepped back.

“I am sorry Y/N, I should not have done that, I-”

“Soval, stop. You did nothing wrong, that was the best kiss of my life. And as much as I’d like to do nothing but kiss you until I die, we need to talk about this. We have things to resolve, kissing in an alley won’t solve our miscommunication. But know this, I love you, I want you, and I always have and always will.”

“As do I ashayam. I have died everyday without you, the severing of our bond humbled me more than I can express. I need you Y/N, I fear I can no longer live without you.” In a moment completely devoid of logic, Soval grabbed your waist in desperation and dragged you in for another kiss. You were completely at his mercy, helpless against the sensation of his lips devouring you. He dipped you and pulled your body closer, hiking your leg up to his waist. His sharp Vulcan teeth dug into your lip, careful not to draw blood. You wrapped your arms around his neck and leaned into it. After a long moment, he regrettably released you.

“You are right, we must discuss. Would you prefer my home or your own?”

“Mine.”

-

Soval settled down on your plush couch, your borderline garish home decor was surprisingly aesthetically pleasing to him. The walls of your home were filled, art covered every available surface. A homemade quilt was draped over his legs. In the heat of the moment, the both of you had failed to realize that Soval had been out in the cold for far too long. Upon arriving at your house, you had flown into a fit of worry. He had been trying to hide his shivering from your keen eye, but nothing escaped you. You had thrust him down onto your sofa and smothered him in your throw blanket. He gazed at you as you puttered around in your kitchen, you had insisted on making him tea to quote “warm his insides.” He had tried to explain to no avail that that was not logical, tea did not increase internal temperature, but you had insisted, and he couldn’t bring himself to deny you.

The oriental carpet beneath his feet was patterned in a floral motif, as was the rest of your home. Everything simply screamed you, he noticed some of his gifts to you prominently displayed as well. But what had caught his attention was a framed photo on your side table that you must have forgotten was directly in his line of view. It was a photo of the two of you outside the embassy in summer, you were leaning on his shoulders from behind, a wide smile on your face. In contrast, he looked perfectly put together. Admiral Forrest had taken that photo on the day you were promoted to Captain. The pride radiating from you had been infectious, so much so that he had not bothered to explain to his flabbergasted Vulcan colleagues why he was letting you be so physical with him.

Drawing him out of his pensive trance, you walked in with two steaming mugs of tea. He gladly accepted one. Earth teas were different from Vulcan teas, much more aromatic and flavorful, but he liked them all the same. You took a seat across from him in one of your luxurious armchairs. Leaning back with a sigh, you closed your eyes and tilted your head up to the ceiling. Soval admired the column of your throat and the subtle curve of your jaw. You were truly divine, there was just something about human women that had always enticed Vulcan men. Perhaps it was the fire, Vulcan women tended to be cool and impassive, but human women burned bright with passion. Whatever it was, it had certainly worked on him.

“So,” she began, “I want to know exactly what happened from your point of view.” She snuggled back into her chair, legs tucked gracefully under her, ready to hear what Soval had to say. Brushing a lock of hair from her face, she blinked expectantly at him as he collected himself.

“I had thought I was making my advances quite clear, that you were prepared to reciprocate my affections and bond with me. When you left, I thought it was my feelings that had driven you away, that perhaps I had overstepped my boundaries that night. I have lived every day since trying to figure out what it was that I had done wrong to have you ripped from me.”

Y/N took a deep breath, placing her mug down on the table and running a hand across her forehead. In the dim lighting, Soval could see the gray in her hair, the subtle creases on her face. They had wasted a lot of time. He’d like to kiss her worry lines away, but after his uncontrollable outburst of emotion earlier, he thought a subtle approach might be better for the both of them. He could still see his own teeth marks on her lip.

“I was ready to reciprocate your advances, but I couldn’t tell if they were merely friendly or romantic. I thought you had requested a transfer for me because I had been too open about my feelings that night. I was completely heartbroken at the thought that you’d sent me away.” She rose from her chair and crept over to where Soval was sitting and curled up next to him.

“I have always loved you, and I’d love nothing more than to be your wife, if you’ll still have me.” She placed her hand over his, lacing their fingers together. Soval leaned closer to her, a few more inches and their lips would brush.

“Of course I will have you ashayam. The question, my dear one, is whether or not you will have me?” He said huskily. Her eyelids drooped and her eyes strayed down to his lips, her own parted in want.

“I am yours.”

“Yes, you are, and I am yours.” Soval pressed their lips together fervently. He pushed her down onto the couch and climbed on top of her, intent to take her in mind and body, to finally make her his.

[thiawen]

So this list took forever to compile. I have like 400 Star Trek fics saved, so wading through them all to pick out what I find best for sharing was really hard. But I did my best. This is a mix of one shots, short fics, and some novel length works. I’ve not placed them in any particular order. Most are AOS. I’ve only just started exploring TOS fic so I don’t have many of those but I will specify the verse. Also, so far as I remember, all the authors tagged their works appropriately.

Tangled Destinies by Keira Marcos

AOS - Spock convinces his father that his mother’s happiness is the most important consideration and the family moves to Earth where they meet Captain Christopher Pike and his adopted son, James Tiberius Kirk.

- Novel Length. Epic. Best young Jim and Spock story I’ve ever read. I probably reread it at least once a year. Can’t recommend it enough.

i got my swim trunks (and my flippie-floppies) by amosanguis

AOS - Jim celebrates his newly awarded captaincy with, what else? A cruise. And a cruise is exactly the last place Jim thought he’d ever find a Vulcan.

Spock, the victim of a prank, decides to spite his tormentors and treat the cruise as a training exercise to prepare himself for the Enterprise’s upcoming deployment under its new captain – whoever that may be.

- Meeting on vacation. Instant chemistry.

A Series of Realizations by BlueBioluminescence

AOS - A Story about the people in Jim and Spock's lives finding out that they are married and have been for a while now.

Featuring:

Academy AU

Secret Relationship

Vulcans get married in 2.5 seconds after finding a compatible mind

Spock following the proud family tradition of being a slut

- Funny Fic. Like the future inter-species equivalent of having a drive thru marriage with the stripper you picked up that night in a bar in Vegas. Except neither of them is a stripper and the bar was in Iowa.

This Is Not A Game, This Is Science by yaoichan12

AOS - Spock comes back to Yorktown after spending time on New Vulcan. He starts designing a new tracking device for the crew to have that can't be jammed and enlists Jim's help to test the new device. Spock insists it is not hide-n-seek as Jim and their friends keep saying it is. It is science.

Bones just wants them to stop being babies about their feelings and confess that they love one another.

- Super cute. Jim running around Yorktown while Spock has to find him.

K'diwa: A Steamy Novel of Interspecies Romance, by Jim Kirk by branwyn

Jim wrote a romance novel just to prove he could. Then someone leaked it on the public Starfleet server, and suddenly his embarrassingly smutty and sentimental Human/Vulcan love story is all over campus. Luckily for Jim, no one knows that he’s the author. Unluckily for Jim, someone forwarded the novel to the staff of the Vulcan embassy. Now, every Vulcan in San Francisco is reassessing the logical merits of taking Human bondmates.

Spock reads a Human/Vulcan romance novel because he can hardly avoid it. Suddenly, he is consumed by the need to locate the author, ascertain their wellbeing, and instruct them in the way of Vulcan mating bonds. Luckily for Spock, it doesn't take long to identify the author as Jim Kirk. Unluckily for Spock, Jim is unconscious and surrounded by interested Vulcans who also read the book.

- Human obsessed Vulcans. Protective Spock. Jim getting the family he deserves.

Celestial Bodies in Motion Series by fakinbrilliance

AOS - Part One - In which Jim and Spock’s shuttle crash lands on an ice planet, possibly due to a misunderstanding with a hyper-intelligent sponge.

Part Two - Listen, it wasn’t Jim’s fault that he got kidnapped. At least, not the first time.

Or: The one in which Jim gets kidnapped by a series of aliens, Spock is less than pleased by his bondmate's abduction, and then pon farr sets in and makes everything even more...interesting.

- Fun series. Author says you can read the second part by itself by I recommend reading the prequel so you can see how they get together. And it’s just a good story.

Sudden Insight by falsepremise

AOS - Jim experiences a sudden insight- he is in love with Spock. Fortunately, Spock Prime foresaw this eventuality and has ensured that Jim will have access to the knowledge that he needs to seduce his t'hy'la.

- Matchmaker Spock Prime being the ultimate wingman from beyond the grave.

Jim the (Not-So) Virgin Series by yaoichan12

AOS - Jim is able to become pregnant and is accidentally inseminated with Spock's sperm during a routine exam and becomes pregnant.

- Epic series. Goes from Academy days to after Khan. Cute. Fun.

Take This Sinking Boat (And Point It Home) by sinestrated

AOS - In which Spock pines, Jim isn’t stupid (except he kind of is), and Christopher Pike has had enough of this bullshit.

- Pike survives Khan and plays matchmaker

Miscommunication by sinestrated

AOS - Jim's brain gets scrambled during an away mission gone wrong, with interesting results.

- Jim can only call people things he’s nicknamed them in his head. This proves to be hilarious and revealing.

Finding Paradise by Schattengestalt

TOS - Bones convinces Spock to court Jim.

"You know,” one side of the Doctor’s lips tilted upwards, “he might want someone at his side who loves him. Someone who goes out of their way to show him how much he means to them, someone who proclaims their love to him every day.” McCoy paused, but Spock got the distinct impression it wasn’t out of necessity. “Someone who woos him instead of taking his affections for granted.”

- Spock seduces Jim. Respectfully.

cast out fear by s0mmerspr0ssen

AOS - Kirk saves Vulcan from Nero at high cost to himself. It falls to Spock to pick up the pieces.

- Jim saves Vulcan but Nero makes him pay for it. Healing. Overcoming suffering. Jim really goes through the wars in this one and I think the author portrays the trauma and response to it very well.

Maybe Once, Maybe Twice by Regann

AOS - While on medical leave after his miraculous recovery, Jim is plagued with dreams -- dreams of another James T. Kirk, the one from the same alternate reality that the other Spock hails from. At first, Jim's dreams are dismissed as a psychological symptom of his latest trauma, but when he starts talking about a place called the Nexus, the answer no longer seems so cut-and-dried. But disturbing dreams aren't the only thing Jim's struggling with -- there's Starfleet's concern over his mental stability, the repairs of his beloved ship and the little matter of the fact that his First Officer seems to be intent on ignoring him.

- I don’t want to spoil anything, though I’m sure we all can guess what happens. But Love Conquers All.

A T'hy'la Delivered From The Stork Series by NightOwl1

AOS - Spock is lonely and wanted a baby brother, after a misunderstanding and an accident a baby Jim is dropped into his lap courtesy of a stork. Taking this to mean that Jim is his new baby brother he takes Jim out for a day of fun.

- Another epic series. Starts with young Jim and Spock all the way to adulthood. Cute, Funny, but with serious moments too.

The Walls Between Us by museaway

AOS - They have been imprisoned for thirteen hours, ten minutes, and forty-two standard seconds.

- Jim and Spock are imprisoned together offworld and Spock melds with Jim to comfort him.

M'aih Series by Lalaith_Quetzalli

AOS - What if there was more to James Kirk than anyone knew? What if there was someone in his past that pushed him into making different choices? How much can the existence of two women, a human and a vulcan, two mothers, change the universe through their sons?

Because in the end there is no truer love than that of a mother for her child; nor greater first love than that the same child has for their mother.

- Great series. Jim had an adoptive Vulcan mother and that changes a lot of things.

The Perils of Shore Leave by Ophelia_just

TOS - After a repeat visit to the shore leave planet, Kirk is pictured locked in an embrace with an unknown Vulcan. The picture is seen across the Federation, but the captain is concerned with reactions far closer to home...

- Feelings realization. Supportive Bones and Crew. The entire Federation shipping Kirk/Spock.

Political Maneuvers by fangirlandiknowit

AOS - When the Admiralty calls to tell Jim he has to get married for political reasons, Spock (logically) offers himself up as a candidate. He'd feel less guilty about accepting if Spock actually, you know, loved him back...

- Funny. Cute. Multiple planets fighting over who gets Jim and Spock doesn’t hesitate for a damn second to lock that down.

once more with feeling by indeedcaptain

AOS - Jim Kirk loses Spock, and then finds him again. And then loses and finds him, and loses and finds him, and loses and finds him.

- Groundhog Day. Jim stuck in a time loop.

Emergency Sex Pollen Contact by TheShinyLizard

AOS - The Enterprise has encountered many oddities while traveling through space on her five year mission. Some of them were strictly on one planet while others seemed to thrive on many planets. One of the strangest and yet most prolific of these oddities was affectionately dubbed ‘Sex Pollen’ (a very unscientific and unspecific name as said by the Enterprise’s First Officer, Mr. Spock to a smirking Dr.McCoy): a pathogen (coded under the name MDM-Alpha2b) that strips the subject of their inhibitions and induces a euphoric and aphrodisiacal release of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine that ultimately leaves the subject in a libidinous, primal state until sexual release (generally of a penetrative nature) and the release must be with a partner, manual sexual stimulation has so far been unsuccessful. As the infected person is typically severely impaired it is up to their emergency sex pollen contact (not sex buddy, Jim, stop calling them that) to ensure release and gratification.

- Hilarious. One of the best sex pollen fics.

Keira Marcos’s other Star Trek Fics are also great. They are all AOS. There’s five of them and they are all one shots or short fics. You can get through them in an hour.

To be honest I have more. The original list I made to share was like thirteen pages long, but as I started actually making this post I cut it down some more. I might share the others later but I’ve been at this a while and I need a break. I hope everyone enjoys. Let me know what you think.

💛💙SPIRK FIC REC - MY FAVOURITES💙💛

As a follow up to my recent post about how few fics make it to my favourites list, and how special they are to achieve that distinction, I decided to share my current list.

I’ve shared some of these individually in the past but here you’ll have them all together. 

If you've read any of these already then I'd love to hear your thoughts on whether you loved them as much as I did! 🥰

(NB: these are not listed in any order of preference. Mostly it’s the reverse order in which I read them)

Leave No Soul Behind by whochick Words: 258,951

AOS, AU Canon-Divergence. Spock, Kirk and the other valiant members of the Emergency Personnel Ambulance Service fight to save lives and turn the tide of the ongoing war against Nero and his fleet before it’s too late. Such a beautiful slow burn for Spock and Kirk.

Atlas by distractedKat Words: 135,529

AOS. Follow on from 2009, Kirk, Spock and the rest deal with the aftermath of Nero’s attack and rebuilding after the decimation of the ‘Fleet and Academy. An exciting tale with twists and turns involving black ops, bad-mirals, action, love and fierce loyalty.

The Lotus Eaters by aldora89 Words: 93,594

AOS. Stranded on a planet together, with multiple dangers and very little hope of rescue, Jim and Spock have no choice but to rely on each other to survive. Spectacular plot, amazing world building, fabulous original character and an epic slow burn Spirk love story!

With Your Feet on the Air and Your Head on the Ground by flippyspoon Words: 39,188 @flippyspoon

SNW. A phenomenal Spirk fic in which Kirk is stuck in Spock's mind while the crew work to find a way to retrieve his body. A wonderful getting to know you/falling for you hard tale. Wonderfully written and highly entertaining.

Evolution by Rhaegal (RhaegalKS) Words: 149,293

AOS. Covering the first year of their 5 year mission, this is totally flawless. The character voices are perfection, the prose spectacular. The whole thing plays like an AOS movie. It’s phenomenal.

Emotions by LadyRa Words: 35,569

TOS. Spock gets drugged on a shore leave and is overwhelmed with its effects. Kirk tries to pick up the pieces. A beautiful, and wonderfully grounded, story of realising how much they mean to each other.

And When the Bond Breaks by LadyRa Words: 24,631

TOS. Spock takes out a shuttle to investigate an anomaly and returns to an Enterprise that’s not his own. Time travel shenanigans with such emotional depth that it will traumatise you in the best way. Stunningly good!

All Our Tomorrows Come Today by flippyspoon Words: 18,156 @flippyspoon

SNW. A newly introduced Jim and Spock accidentally get a glimpse into the future and see what they’re going to be to each other (a.k.a. Spirk’s Greatest Hits). A stunningly told story about finding the great love of your life. 

I Won't Make That Mistake Again by Moreta1848 Words: 69,402 @jennelikejennay

SNW/TOS. An epic story detailing Spock and Kirk’s love throughout their lives, beginning from their meeting on Pike’s Enterprise (SNW) and continuing on to an eventual  Generations fix-it happy ending. Wonderful!

No Going Back, No Before by spirkme Words: 78,486 @spirkme915

SNW/TOS. Timeline shenanigans, spies, twists & turns, pining, angst, sacrifice and so so much love!

The 1,000 Hour Sleep by spqr Words: 27,227

SNW. Jim’s been infected with a pathogen that means he can’t sleep, but it he doesn’t he’ll die. Cue Spock and his Vulcan telepathy helping Jim to achieve the sleep he needs, while they get to know each other within their shared mindscapes. A sweet and exciting story about falling in love and overcoming your own inner demons.

First Best Destiny by Ophelia_j Words: 387,733

TOS/TNG. Such a very special fic. Epic in its scope, it covers the entire timeline of Spirk from their very first meeting through to a  clever and satisfying Generations fix-it ending. It provides extra scenes, additional dialogue and internal monologues to expand on existing canon in a really compelling and effective way. Truly this is my new TOS canon.

The Steadfastness of Stars by itsnatalie Words: 61,566

AOS. After Beyond, The crew investigate sudden climate change on a frozen planet and find more than they bargained for. The perfect mix of great plot, fun original characters, action, mystery, world building and deep deep love.

Let Forever Be by gunstreet Words: 43,446 @gunstreet

TOS. A really compelling character study of James T. Kirk. An excellent companion piece to City on the Edge of Forever. Exploring what Jim and Spock got up to, and all they had to overcome, while trying to find Bones and their way back home.

Time After Time by spaceisgay (ChancellorGriffin) Words: 138,921

SNW. Kirk spends a 6 month rotation on the Enterprise as part of his command training. OK, if there’s a favourite of my favourites then this may be it. It’s such a stunning version of their love story, with a beautifully constructed plot. It runs the emotional gamut from moments that will have you laughing out loud to moments that will have you in floods of tears. 

milk and honey by spaceisgay (ChancellorGriffin) Words: 28,651

SNW. Kirk and Spock meet for the first time when they wake up in a prison cell together. A really fun, and extremely clever, version of the ‘aliens made them do it’ trope. It’s intriguing and funny with a real depth of feeling throughout.

The Promised Land by gunstreet Words: 58,260 @gunstreet

TOS. A story that explores the time Jim and Spock spent apart between the end of the 5 year mission and TMP. It’s a beautiful story of reunion and renewal of love. Sometimes achingly sad, but it’s worth it for the happy ending.

Again, if you've read any of these already then I'd love to hear your thoughts on whether you loved them as much as I did! 🥰

[curearainyday]

.

[branwyn-says]

Dear K'diwa readers

The K'diwa epilogue will be up by the weekend probably.

A handful of people reread K'diwa last week for comfort and left comments about it, and so to comfort all of us including me, I'm writing that last piece of it I always meant to write. The background of K'diwa, as many of you intuited, is steeped in my own trauma and more importantly my recovery journey. The message of K'diwa is that deep healing and comfort are possible even if you've survived devastation. The trick is to stay alive long enough.

I haven't slept in several days. The election put me into the worst PTSD regression I've ever experienced. I'm American. The people who just hijacked my country raised me. I escaped a predestined life of jean skirts and submission when I was a teenager. Coping with the fact that these people have managed to regain a form of authority over me has been impossible to take in without falling apart somewhat. As a survivor of rape and sexual abuse, the air stings with an ambient threat these days. And as a woman with a girlfriend I want to marry, there is a lot of immediate uncertainty in my life and community. But PTSD works like it works. I know its tricks pretty well by now. Once the adrenaline and the cortisol cycle out, what's left will be me, and the hugeness of my resolve. For the last year I have been training as a community organizer. Community is our safety now. I wanted to make it known that if you are an American in the mid-Atlantic (DMV) region and if you have an interest in attending a trauma writing workshop that I teach in Baltimore, message me privately and I will give you details.

I am not despairing and I hope you aren't either. We're going to look after each other. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness does not overcome it.

[transxfiles]

📚Longest fic you've read in one sitting?

Okay so I just went through my AO3 history and I’m pretty sure it’s K'diwa: A Steamy Novel of Interspecies Romance, by Jim Kirk at 98,398 words! I normally don’t read long fics because I don’t have the time/attention span but ever since quarantine I've been reading a bunch.

[android-and-ale]

It's so neat to know I'm not the only person here who was sucked into a 60+ year old fandom in the last few months!

Star Trek in its many iterations has been my comfort show for years, but I didn't read my first Spirk fanfic until September 2023.

After watching the Strange New Worlds/Lower Decks crossover, I saw a bunch of jokes about "hahaha I bet somebody wrote some Spoimler fanfic!" For giggles, I opened AO3 for the first time since 2018 and there was The Time Of Neither by @gunstreet - and holy shit that fic was so fun and sexy! It was exactly the reminder I needed that fanfic scratches a very different itch from the novels I'd been reading.

I started clicking on random tags, just browsing around to get a feel for the contemporary Star Trek fanfic landscape, no specific pairing or series in mind, and landed on the amazing Sha Ka Re by @therebewhaleshere. From there, I started inhaling Spirk long fics. (I seriously need to write a real rec post for them!) By the time I finished K'Diwa, Time After Time, Veritas and The 1000 Hour Sleep the brainworms had burrowed in deep.

Now, in addition to reading about our beloved Space Husbands I'm also writing again, which I haven't done in earnest in a couple of years. It feels so good! I had a couple major injuries in a row back in 2021, and since then I've been locked so deep into Survival Mode that I haven't let myself create anything just for the joy of it. If you'd asked me in August I would've said that part of my brain was permanently broken. I'm genuinely shocked and delighted to feel words flowing out of me again. It's like fanfic rooted around in my mind's junk drawer and offered me a part of myself I thought was lost forever.

Jumping into a decades old fandom is so different from being there at the start of a show. If you'd asked me before I stumbled into it sideways I would've said oh no, something with that much legacy is WAY too intimidating. Instead, I'm finding it really cozy! This fandom is older than any of us. No matter how weird we think our ideas are, someone's grandma wrote much stranger stuff in the 70's. It's delightful.

Just posted ST fanart number 19, I started TOS in June 2023 and I had seen no ST ever before. After a break, because I had a thing with stranger things this summer, first fanart is from October.

This fixation is unexpected but very fullfilling. I'd like to thank this old fandom and wish everybody a good year!

Sending you space love and purring tribbles!

[cookiemom6067]

Chapter 15 of @branwyn-says's "K'diwa: A Steamy Novel of Interspecies Romance, by Jim Kirk" is up!

“I chose this location for our outing due not only to its aesthetic qualities, but because of its proximity to the grounds of the Vulcan Embassy. If all of you will follow me, there is a concealed gate nearby leading directly to the Embassy gardens, which will provide us with both privacy and security.” He hesitates. “Gaila, you are welcome to remain at the Embassy as long as you require, but I feel I should warn you that my mother is presently in residence, and you are therefore unlikely to escape her attention, or her—I believe the expression is, ‘fussing’.”

Jim’s heartrate accelerates, because Spock’s mom. He did not wake up this morning prepared to meet Spock’s mother, the one Human Spock freakin’ idolizes.

“I don’t know about anyone else,” says Bones, his voice gruff, “but I reckon Gaila could use a little motherin’ right now.”

[twakiju2]

I am having. SO much fun. I’ve already written,,uh,,,,,a lot. They have a kid. 

dude I accidentally started shipping T'Spirk (Spock/T'Pring/Jim; she's also dating Uhura) and now I've written like 10 fics send help-

SHDAJHS, that's an interesting ship idea. Can't say it's for me, but i hope you're having fun!! 😂😂😂

[nautilicious]

fic love

Fanfic has gotten me through These Trying Times (tm). Hope this fic brings you joy.

K'diwa: A Steamy Novel of Interspecies Romance, by Jim Kirk by @branwyn-says

Since the story is set at the Academy, before the events shown in the recent movies, it does not require much canon knowledge.

Jim Kirk writes a Human/Vulcan romance novel, and then it gets anonymously leaked. Most Vulcans who read it suddenly have ideas about wooing humans. Spock, however, responds differently. He relates strongly to the events and emotions presented in the novel, feeling seen and understood in that way that one does when engaging with powerful stories. He also gains insight into the mystery author. Spock is captivated, and desperately wants to find and befriend whoever wrote this book.

This story is funny, in a number of places (McCoy is done especially well) but it's not a humor fic. The release of the smutty novel begins the action in an amusing way, but then events unfold which rapidly and profoundly impact both Kirk and Spock.

@branwyn-says uses the tastiest parts of Kirk's AOS backstory and then expands on it with some of my favorite Kirk tropes, including Tarsus IV trauma and an extra shitty childhood (none of which is shown explicitly). Kirk has Survived Some Shit and really, he Don't Need No Man. Yet he keeps finding himself in trouble and needing help. At one point he actually does swoon! -- and Spock, of course, is there to catch him. (Spock is just lovely in this fic. Also, very protective. Not controlling, but like, Gold Star, I will protecc)

I love the way that Kirk gets taken care of in this story. Not just by Spock, who treats him with wisdom and gentleness, but by everyone else who cares about him, as well. So we get Pike as a mentor, and Bones as a devoted bestie, and Gaila as a soul-sister/fellow survivor and Uhura as a smart and staunch friend. Kirk is loved by these people, despite his certainty that he doesn't deserve it (because we recognize that brainweasel, don't we?) You can't love someone out of their trauma, but gosh darn it, it sure helps.

Another thing I loved is that Kirk has a familiarity with Vulcan language and culture that works great in this story (and which is one of my favorite things in Star Trek fic, full stop -- rec me your faves!! (Yes, I've read Graduate Vulcan for Fun and Profit, and Linguistic Ambiguities in Vulcan Ethical Codes -- I could read Vulcan-influenced Kirk all day)).

Speaking of Vulcan business going on, there's also cool telepathy, worldbuilding about bonding and courtship, and a delightful look at Vulcan society. Not to mention the moments of Surprise Competence when a characters reveals hitherto unknown skills or baddassery -- that, too, is my jam.

Overall, this is a gentle story where Kirk comes to a place of comfort and healing through his unexpected connection with Spock. It's a fantastic read for when you want a plot that moves along nicely but doesn't cliffhanger you at every turn, to see hurt people find caring, and lonely people find connection.

Ship: Kirk/Spock

Word Count: 103,987

AO3 tags under the cut.

secret romance author Jim Kirk

Smart James T. Kirk

Possessive Behavior

Non-Consensual Drug Use

Past Abuse

fanboy Spock

Academy Era

Secret Identity

fake novel excerpts

Vulcan Language

Vulcan Culture

Protective Spock (Star Trek)

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD

Jim is a sweet sad bottom and Spock can't stand it

Past Rape/Non-con

Vulcan foster family

Chris "Captain Dad" Pike

BAMF Gaila (Star Trek: Alternate Original Series)

BAMF Leonard "Bones" McCoy

telepathic assault

black Vulcans

Adoption

past intimate partner abuse

[chikabika]

Getting To Know You Meme!

Tagged by @fractal-baby and because this is a non-reblog one, I'm inclined to do it and thank you!

Rules: tag a few people you want to know better; make a new post, don't reblog!

Favorite Color:

Yellow! I like a lot of colors, usually in combination, but yellow is sunshine and mustard and lichen, so I like it best.

Currently Reading:

Swordheart by T. Kingfisher aka Ursula Vernon. Thank you for my bisexual rights, Miz Vernon. She writes men good, my brain go brr.

Last Song:

Uhh, lofi hiphop playlist on youtube XD Listening right now because I'm supposed to be drawing a comic. Alternatively: The Barrel by Aldous Harding.

Last Movie:

Also Turning Red! I just read K'diwa, the fanfic, and as a piece of writing it really got me thinking about how the emotions and experience of a writer can be so close to the surface when you're reading something. I've long been aware to pay attention to a writer's values, but emotions, not so much. Turning Red felt really personal in some respects, and I loved it for that. Also I really vibed with it, having grown up in Seattle.

Last Series:

Making my way through Our Flag Means Death : )

Sweet, Savory, or Spicy:

Combos, every time. Maybe all three at once, as a treat, but usually I like two of the three together.

Coffee or Tea:

I enjoy the taste of coffee, but am in the habit of tea. Generally herbal or green though because I am also sensitive to caffeine.

Three Ships:

1. Kirk/Spock, natch

2. Zoro/Sanji, double natch

3. Trying to think of literally anything more interesting, but Buck/Eddie from 911 don't @ me

First Ever Ship:

I think Sango/Miroku was the first one I got chest pains for, but Sarah/Jareth (YES, I KNOW) from Labyrinth was the first I really got into fanfic for. There's a prolific writer who I can't remember the name of. She is why I use yellow hearts, as a reflection of yellow roses, which mean platonic affection and respect.

Currently Working On:

A comic about Spock's stallion line from Star Trek 2009.

Favorite Piece of Clothing:

Hard to choose because I have become very particular about what I end up buying these days, but probably this red knit sweater with embroidered sheep all over it, and little sheep heads with tiny bells as the button covers.

Comfort Food:

Soupy mac and cheese with peas.

Favorite Time Of Year:

Spring! Getting warmer, but before the bugs come out in force.

Fave Fanfic:

Hhhhhhh how could I choose???

Okay you know what. A Beginner's Guide to Communing with the Dead

It introduced me to something I've wanted from urban fantasy and never knew was out there. Namely, magic in a modern world without the smoke and mirrors to keep it hidden. Dean has to fill out paperwork to summon a familiar. There's a giant wall of magic that has to be maintained, and it's newbie work. It was at one point going to be an Abhorsen fusion fic, and you can see elements in there, and I love that because I also love Garth Nix's trilogy.

It does feature the S5 main Supernatural characters primarily as cops though, so if that's not your deal, totally respectable.

Folks! @ruskaina @jaspertheshark @anyone who wants to : )