Title: Given
Author: Nightshade sydneylover150
Beta: None (Would you like to apply?)
Series: STR
Rating: PG
Length: 1,738 words
Warnings: Biased Uhura
Summary: Jim had been waiting weeks to give Spock his Christmas gifts.
Link to Fic:
Title: Given
Author: Nightshade sydneylover150
Disclaimer: I don't own them. They belong to Paramount Studios, Gene Roddenberry, JJ Abrams, and all the other entities that created these lovely characters
Rating: T for Teen
Pairing: James T. Kirk/Spock pre-slash; friendship
Summary: Jim had been waiting weeks to give Spock his Christmas gifts.
Warnings: Biased Uhura
Prompts: 55- The greatest gifts aren't ones found under the tree.
77- Spock has almost nothing of Vulcan. Kirk searches the galaxy for things to give him.
-/-/-/-/-
Jim has waited weeks to give Spock his Christmas gifts. Yes Jim knew that Spock, being raised completely Vulcan, probably did not celebrate Christmas. However, Jim had learned when he hacked Starfleet's and Vulcan's database as a 25-years-old student who dreamed to take on the creator of the Kobayashi Maru that Spock's mother Amanda had both Jewish and Catholic heritage, so technically Spock should have some appreciation for the human holiday season. (Though, the amount of times within the last month that Jim had been told that many of the two faiths' holiday traditions were illogical might nix Jim's argument.)
Still, Jim could not wait to give Spock his Christmas present. In reality, Jim's present to Spock was a series of gifts rather than one or two big presents. However a bunch of little presents were just as worthy as a few large presents, right?
Jim had searched high and wide to find the perfect presents for Spock. Jim, for one, believed that any good gift or gifts needed to have a meaning for the people giving and receiving them, whether that meaning was symbolic, sentimental, and or practical. Jim just hoped that Spock would appreciate the gifts that Jim was giving him.
Needless to say Jim was nervous. He still hadn't asked Spock whether he would be open to spending time with Jim on either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
'Here goes nothing...' Jim thought to himself as he approached his stoic friend
"Hey Spock, how are you doing?" Jim stated as he briefly clapped his friend on the shoulder before backing off. To Spock's credit, he did not flinch like he did during Spock's and Jim's first mission together.
"I am functioning within normal parameters Captain. I believe it is customary for me to ask you how you fair at this time?" Spock asked without even twitching an eyebrow, but there seemed to be a glint of something in the half-Vulcan's eye.
Jim laughed. As much as Spock liked to pretend he did not feel any emotions, the half-Vulcan was downright playful if a person paid close enough attention to the Vulcan's words and actions.
"You are getting better at this Spock. I almost could have believed you sounded like a stuffy British person." Jim stated in a teasing tone.
"There is no need to be insulting, Captain." Spock said in a monotone voice, but Jim could see that the Vulcan's lip quirked a little.
"Look Spock, I was wondering if you'd be willing to come to my cabin either on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day."
"For what purpose are you asking me Captain to come to your quarters?"Spock was now standing with his hands behind his back and his legs shoulder width apart. Jim could not help but think what a dashing figure his friend made.
"I have something that I have been meaning to give you for a while." Jim said in a quiet but strong voice which belayed the human's clammy palms. " I thought that the holiday would be appropriate to give it to you."
"Very well Captain." Spock said with a nod. "I will see you on Christmas Eve. Is there a specific time that you would like me to come to your cabin?"
"When do you get off of shift that day Spock? I don't want to interrupt your work." Jim certainly did not want to Spock to feel obligated to come to the Captain's quarters before the half-Vulcan had completed his mandatory tasks.
"I will be off of shift at 1835 hours. I would be able to meet you in your rooms at 1840 hours"
"Perfect." Jim grinned brightly at his friend. "I will see you then!"
"Until then Captain," Spock said with a nod before the Vulcan retreated to his station.
-/-/-/-/-
Jim was nervous when Spock arrived that Jim's quarters at 1840 hours. This was the first year that Jim and Spock had spent together as a command team. Jim felt their relationship had been growing from a strictly professional relationship into something more, but he did not want to push things too fast.
The computer announced there was someone at Jim's door saving the Captain from his thoughts.
"You wanted to see me Captain?" Spock asked as soon as he was admitted into Jim's rooms.
"Yes Spock. Please come and sit." Jim stated with a small smile, gesturing to the sofa near his entrance way.
"I would prefer to stand." Spock stated without moving an inch.
Jim had a funny feeling that something had altered Spock's mood or perception of Jim's requested between the time the Command team had last spoke and the time that Spock entered into Jim's quarters. Still Jim had to try, "Spock really I insist…"
"I'd prefer to get this farce over with as soon as possible so I may return back to my experiments." Spock stated without any form of emotion in those chocolate eyes. While the Commander's posture was a textbook example of professionalism, Jim felt the half-Vulcan's emotionless eyes were attempting to bore holes through Jim's head. "Lieutenant Uhura as already informed me that you are going to attempt to, in her words, 'buy me with expensive gifts.' I would prefer to bring this process to a conclusion as soon as possible."
Jim felt his heart break. That explained Spock's quick behavior change between the time they were on the bridge together and the time Spock arrived at Jim's cabin.
Of course Uhura had "warned" Spock about Jim. Granted the woman had never talked to Jim for more than twenty minutes total over the three year period preceding their assignment on the Enterprise. Even now their contact was strictly professional and was only done on the bridge despite Jim's attempts to make their interactions more lighthearted. It hurt Jim to think that Uhura had already poisoned a person's heart against Jim without allowing Jim the chance to have the benefit of the doubt.
Still Jim trekked on. "If that is your preference Commander, I will just go get the items and you can take them with you."
"I would prefer that Captain."
Jim fought to keep his broken heart and hurt emotions from showing on his face. He was almost glad that he had hidden the presents in a box behind the divider in his room. It gave him time to regroup before facing his could-have-been friend.
Carrying the heavy box out to Spock, "Here you go Commander. Please let me know if anything in there is useful for you."
Spock nodded starring at the heavy, but small box. "I will Captain. If that is all?"
"Sure, sure Commander. Best wishes with your experiments."
"Captain," was all Spock said before he departed the room. Only then did he allow his heart to break.
-/-/-/-/-
Despite Nyota's assurances that Ji… the Captain was only giving Spock items to "buy him," Spock found that he could not resist looking into the box. Call it scientific curiosity as the original plan was to wait for Nyota to come to Spock's cabin so they could, in the Lieuntant's words, "laugh at Kirk's pitiful attempts to buy you Spock."
So Spock opened the box and quickly realized he should not have listened to Nyota's counsel.
Inside the box was multiple items, nothing to large or even extravagant by human and or Vulcan terms. It seemed that Nyota had misjudged the Captain.
Spock pulled out the first item from the box, a small, ancient carved idol from Vulcan's past. Attached to it was a note stating where the Captain had obtained the idol, the contact information of the collector, and information from the collector about locations where other ancient artifacts could be obtained.
The next object Spock removed from the box was an IDIC amulet made from what appeared to be Terran Silver. The Captain again had documented where he had obtained the object, the collector's contact information, and a separate note with information about the amulet itself. It seemed that the necklace had originally been made for Spock's great-grandmother T'Pau by the founding planets of the Federation for her role in establishing the organization despite the female Vulcan's refusal to take a seat on the Federation Council.
The third object Spock pulled out of the box was what appeared to be a leather bound book. When Spock opened the book he found a copy of Surak's original writings. Jim's note documented that the copy had been created by Admiral Jonathon Archer after the former Captain had the honor of carrying Surak's katra. Spock gently placed the book on his bed before returning to the box.
The fourth object was another book, but this one was scenes and poems from pre-Surakian times. The book initially confused Spock because it appeared to be too new to be too authentic. Upon looking at Jim's note, Spock discovered the answers to his questions about the book.
It appears that human artists and historians from various Terran universities, colleges, and art centers were using scanned images that had been illicitly obtained a century prior to Vulcan's destruction when Vulcan was being ruled by the High Command. Jim documented in his note that the human artists and historians were attempting to recreate or at least utilize the illegally obtained images of Vulcan's pre-reformation art and literature to "give back" a part of Vulcan's lost culture. Jim wrote in his note that humans had practiced similar techniques throughout their history as a way to preserve ancient knowledge. The note also documented more information about the project and begged Spock not to inform his father or other Vulcans so "the surprise won't be ruined. This book joined the copy of Surak's teachings on Spock's bed.
The last object appeared to be the strangest. It was a wooden box maybe nine standard inches wide by 11 standard inches long by 11 standard inches deep. Spock slowly opened the box and found something he would treasure more than anything else. Inside the box lay 15 rows and 12 columns old fashioned photographs of Spock's mother. Some of the photos looked like they had been printed out and cut from newspapers, magazines, and news broadcasts. Taped to the upper lid of the box was Jim's note which stated Jim had requested photographs from Amanda's friends, acquaintances, family members, and from some of Jim's discreet friends from school who now worked in the intergalactic media. In the note Jim stated, "I know you have a photographic memory Spock, but I thought you might appreciate having something a little more tangible.
Spock would forever deny that the box caused him to show any emotion.
It was only after Spock removed the wood box from the bigger box that Spock noticed the handwritten letter at the bottom of the original box. Moving in an illogically slow and careful manner, Spock opened the letter.
Dear Spock,
Hopefully you will find the contents of this box to be meaningful and useful to you. I apologize if I have overstepped the bounds of our relationship by presenting this to you on Christmas Eve. I know it is xenocentric of me to even assume that you would enjoy receiving a Christmas present, but I wanted to make sure you know how much your friendship and your partnership means to me. I know the contents of this box are not extravagant, but I hope that you will appreciate what they stand for and the spirit in which I am giving them to you.
Merry Christmas my friend,
Jim
Spock realized then how big of mistake he had made. All the items in this box may have been small and non extravagant, but worth all the riches in the Universe to any Vulcan. Hopefully Jim would be receptive to Spock's apologizes.
The End