Title: Birthday Wishes

Author: Islaofhope

Rating: PG-13, m/m sex

Codes: K/S

Summary: Kirk and Spock celebrate Kirk's birthday. Yes, I know that ST:TWOK is just around the corner, but *they* don't know that.

Just a little romantic vignette in honor of William Statner's birthday. Yes, he's 69 today. Um... darn, I left that scene out....

Archive: Yes

Feedback: Both negative and positive feedback is welcome; either post to ASCEM or KirkLovesSpockFic or send to islaofhope@aol.com.

Disclaimer: All that is Star Trek belongs to Paramount. Oh, and I lifted a quote from Mary Renault's Alexander the Great Novel, "Fire from Heaven." A slice of birthday cake to whoever recognizes it. The rest of it - well, I just made it up. This is fan fiction, and I won't make any money from it.

My thanks to my betas, T'Aaneli and Jat Sapphire, but you can't really blame them for this. They haven't seen it in a while - it's really just a scene that I peeled out of something else.

For all of my K/S stories please go to my website at: http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Dunes/7382



"Birthday Wishes"
by Islaofhope

"Now that was a great party!" Jim said as he sat down on the edge of their bed to remove his boots. "But I'm not sure how your officers are going to be feeling in the morning."

"Had you not opened the Romulan ale that Dr. McCoy gave you as a birthday gift, you could have prevented some of the suffering that they will be experiencing in the morning." Spock relaxed back against a pillow, already undressed and waiting for Jim, who was dawdling as he undressed.

"Hey, is it my fault that you can't control your officers?" He flashed a grin before he pulled off his tunic.

"Technically, they were all on shore leave." Spock's voice was cool, but he was beginning to feel his heart beat a little faster with anticipation as he watched Jim undress. "And your birthday has always been an occasion for the Enterprise's officers to celebrate excessively. I have always found the tradition illogical, of course. Why is it considered a compliment to you for them to drink heavily?"

"I don't remember." He removed his pants and briefs and stood unclothed. "Any truth to the rumor that you tried to talk them out of this party?"

Spock allowed a smile to light his eyes as they lingered over Jim appreciatively. "I must confess to my guilt. The explanation I gave was that there was far too much work to be done before your inspection tomorrow. In truth, I had hoped to spend this evening alone with you."

Chuckling, Jim sat down on the bed and kissed Spock lightly. "Now, that is a compliment that I understand." Spock pulled him down for a longer kiss, and they were almost breathless when their lips parted. "I would have liked to have this evening to ourselves, too, but, at least, we have all night."

They made love to each other slowly, savoring every kiss, every touch, but it did not take all night. That day was Jim's 50th birthday, and he was not the same 33-year-old youth to whom Spock had first made love. He was no longer impatient for release and no longer counted their love by the number of climaxes that they experienced together.

Afterward, half-asleep in Spock's arms, he said, "That was my favorite birthday gift."

Knowing that Jim was quite fond of surprises, Spock was amused by this transparent hint. He kissed the back of Jim's neck and said, "Message received, Admiral. I did select a birthday gift for you, but I did not have the opportunity to present it to you. Curiously enough, I believe that it is complementary to the gift that the doctor gave you."

"Really? Don't tell me. Some good crystal for the Romulan ale?"

"Incorrect. Shall I give you your present now?"

"Not if it means stirring from this bed. You aren't going anywhere!"

"Not immediately." Spock knew that he must return to the ship, but he had calculated that he could spare another four point five hours. He nibbled at Jim's shoulder, savoring the familiar taste of his skin...and wondered if his beloved could be persuaded to make love again.

"Do you know what I was thinking about today?" It was a rhetorical question, of course, so Spock waited silently for him to continue. "Tomorrow is Saavik's Kobayashi Maru, and I was thinking about my own."

"When you cheated?"

Grinning, Jim turned over and propped himself on one elbow to look into Spock's eyes. "I didn't cheat. I came up with a unique solution - you know I got a commendation for original thinking."

"As I recall, the entire campus was debating whether it was truly a unique solution or whether you merely cheated. You may guess which side I was on in that debate."

Jim reached out to stroke Spock's hair. "You're just mad that I didn't ask you to hack into the computer for me. After all, you were acknowledged to be the brightest computer mind the Academy had ever seen."

"We did not know each other."

"We never met, but we knew each other by reputation. I still considered asking you. I wonder if you would have agreed."

"You will never know."

"A missed opportunity." Jim kissed Spock's mouth. "Not everyone gets a second chance. I'm pretty fortunate that Chris Pike gave you to me a few years later when I could really appreciate you."

"You imply that I was Chris Pike's property to give." Spock lifted an eyebrow. "And I am now yours?"

"That's not what I meant. Just that when I first met you I didn't know that you were exactly what I needed. As a first officer and a friend." He took Spock's hand and entwined their fingers. "And my love."

Spock's free hand slid down Jim's back. "As I recall, you did not appreciate me very much when first we met."

Jim laughed. "No, I was scared as hell of you. And you detested me."

"Detest? I do not think so. Rather, I was waiting for you to prove yourself to be worthy of the honor you had been given when you replaced Captain Pike as captain of the Enterprise." Spock lifted their joined hands to his mouth. "However, you proved yourself early and often." He took pleasure in the light that came on in Jim's eyes at the compliment. "It would not be an untruth to say that I am now your property."

"And I am yours," Jim said before he closed his eyes and lifted his mouth for another slow, sweet kiss. When he broke the kiss, he said, "Where was I? I wanted to tell you what I was thinking about the Kobayashi Maru test."

"I am sure that your insights will prove valuable."

"I hope you're not planning to give Saavik any hints." He smiled at the indignant lift of Spock's eyebrow, but then he turned solemn. "I was thinking about the fact that it's a test of character really. When I was younger, I thought that it was only about how we handled defeat, but I've since realized that our character is tested whenever we face death - the deaths of both our friends and our enemies."

Spock did not respond, wondering at the direction Jim's thoughts had taken him. Although Jim had not tested his character in the face of death during the Kobayashi Maru, he had faced many deaths. That of many that he loved: Captain Garrovick, Gary Mitchell, Edith Keeler, his own brother. Also, he grieved whenever anyone under his command died. He had also been responsible for the deaths of many enemies; Spock could not recall him ever gloating over those deaths. Rather, he frequently castigated himself for not finding a way to avoid killing.

Jim's voice was very quiet when he said, "Spock, I don't know what I would do without you. I don't know what your death would do to me."

Spock was startled that Jim had been thinking about this, and he automatically gave his beloved words of reassurance. "Fortunately, you are unlikely to ever have to discover that."

His expression very serious, Jim said, "Is that a promise? Do you promise that you'll never leave me?"

Even though he knew it was illogical, Spock kissed the pulse point on Jim's wrist and said, "I promise. I will not leave you."

Jim smiled and relaxed with his head on Spock's chest. It was late, past time for both of them to be sleeping, but Spock wished to change the subject of their conversation. The current one was hardly one that would guarantee a restful sleep for either of them.

Spock stroked his fingers through Jim's hair. "Will you tell me why you and the doctor were arguing when I came home?"

Jim ran his hand down Spock's side. "He caught me at a bad time. I should have been in a good mood after I took the afternoon off for my 50-kilometer bike ride." He lifted his head slightly to meet Spock's eyes. "Remember I told you I was planning it to celebrate my birthday? I didn't expect Bones to put in an appearance early. I was also hoping to have some time with you before everyone else showed up. Anyway, between my bad mood and the fact that you tried to cancel the party, he got it into his head that I was having some sort of mid-life crisis. He told me that I should get my ship back. Something about me turning into part of our antique collection if I didn't get back my job as starship captain."

"And how did you react?"

"I was surprised that he thought that I wanted the Enterprise back."

"Do you, Jim?"

"Are you offering it?" Jim's laugh was sweet music to Spock's ears.

Spock felt an odd, gloating pleasure that Jim had said "it" instead of "her." Jim loved Spock to a degree that astonished him, but there was a part of Jim's heart that would always belong to that ship. To be jealous of a ship was not logical, but long association with humans, particularly the one to whom he was bonded, had damaged Spock's logic somewhat. "If you wish it, the ship is yours."

Jim laughed again. "Nogura would be apoplectic if he heard you and I talking about the Enterprise that way. As though, it were our property to be shared between us."

"Although we do not hold legal title to the Enterprise, we have shared command of it for much of the last twenty years. It is what brought us together. And I believe that most of Starfleet still considers it 'your' ship."

"Spock, you are the captain of the Enterprise. You don't really think that I resent that, do you?"

"No, I merely ask what you want."

"You, Spock. I want you!" And, as if to demonstrate this fact, he tightened his arms around Spock.

Spock, grateful for the gift of Jim's love, said, "You have me, of course. However, I remind you that 'love is the true food of the soul, but the soul was created not to eat but to do.' What is it that you wish to 'do' with the rest of your life?"

"You and Bones are determined that I suffer a mid-life crisis, aren't you?"

"I did think that you were unusually reflective when I wished you a 'happy birthday' this morning. You may insist that you are 'happy' with your life, but I have never known you to settle for happiness for very long."

Jim rubbed his cheek against Spock's collarbone. "I suppose you're right. I doubt anyone else realizes that you're the one with the enormous capacity for happiness. You've been content with the status quo between us for the last 15 years - once I came to my senses and agreed to formalize our bond. I'm the one who always seems to need to shake it up."

"You have my permission to 'shake it up.'"

"I'm pretty content right now. In bed, with your arms around me." Jim smiled. "Bones wants me to get the Enterprise back. Nogura wants me to succeed him as head of Starfleet. You want me to retire and move to Vulcan with you, so you can accept that position at the Vulcan Science Academy."

Yawning, Jim nestled himself more firmly into Spock's arms. "Go to sleep, Captain. We don't have to decide anything now. We'll go on this training cruise, and, when we come back, we'll take a long, pleasant shore leave together. Just you and me, love. Maybe we can go to Yosemite. Then we'll decide what we want to do with the rest of our lives."

He kissed Spock's mouth again. //I love you, Spock.//

//I adore thee, Jim.//

Two hours later, Spock slipped out of bed, careful not to wake his mate. After showering and dressing, he placed the book that he had chosen for Jim's birthday gift on his bedside table, and brushed his lips against Jim's mouth. Jim stirred in his sleep but did not wake.

Spock walked out into the pre-dawn San Francisco fog. Because his mind was wholly occupied with the many tasks ahead of him, he did not look back as he walked out the door.



-finis-