tourist mingle (visitors welcome)

[universal_charm]

Who: The Folk of the Tourist + All You Funky People
Broadcast: No
Action: The Tourist
When: March 2019

<sub>[ Welcome home everyone! The Tourist is still her tiny, lovely maze-like self. The slugs are still alive and the coffee maker is still ornery, though working, and everything looks to be in place. Though their roster has changed. Their resident Russian has taken flight to another ship, but they've gained another red head in his place and a new first mate with pointy ears. So it all works out.

Let's try and get back to business as usual shall we? ]</sub>

Comments

[universal_charm]

_{[ The reaction caught him off guard. For someone as stoic and controlled as Spock, even this much was a shock, enough to make his chest tighten, though not in fear for himself. He remained still as the Vulcan approached, looking up ever so slightly at him. He reached out, taking his wrist in hand and squeezing reassuringly. ]}

Nothing I didn’t ask for. Essentially it just means it’s hard to break bones or injure me in general. I can take hits. I knew the risks and accepted them and asked for it. It felt necessary, given our circumstances.

[logicabounds]

[Spock didn't look to free his wrist. He wished he could read Jim's mind through eye contact, though. Just to make sure that all of this was true. Instead he had to do what he always had to with Jim: trust him. Sort of.]

Why would you ask an unknown collection of potentially hostile aliens to alter your body?

[Jim, you make some illogical decisions but this is pretty close to the top.]

What are the risks? Complications to be aware of?

[universal_charm]

Because this isn’t the Enterprise. Because we don’t have the same resources, not even medically. Because when we’re up against other hostiles I can’t affoed to be such a liability that it endangers the crew. That’s why I did it.

_{[ His tone is not quite a rebuke, but he clearly doesn’t like having to explain himself. Mostly because he already ran through it all in his own head so many times, and even now it still didn’t feel quite like enough. But he had done it anyways. ]}

I don’t really have a list for. I just know they’re in our heads and can alter our bodies, so I was pretty sure the standard list applied, along with whatever your imagination can come up with.

I judged it worth the risk.

_{[ His fingers shook on Spock’s wrist, the sweat turning cold on his skin. ]}

[logicabounds]

[Spock's eyes don't even blink through the explanation. Of course Jim would do something like this for the good of his new crew. It brings up memories Spock had spent many meditation sessions dealing with. Feelings that, even now, can clutch at his side.]

You judged it worth the risk with a complete lack of details as to the consequences.

[Well, that's embarrassing. For trying to keep his voice level, he's failing pretty hard.]

Have you forgotten entirely that such sacrifices have, in the past, led to your death? Because I have not. You believe the risks to be worth the cost because it is not you who will be faced with continuing on, alone.

[universal_charm]

We all take those risks every single day doing what we do. Lest we forget the time you volunteered to walk an active volcano in order to set of a cold-fusion bomb. And going out in a shuttle in the middle of a swarm? Or having a fist fight on a moving vehicle.

Yes, I read that report.

_{[ He moved his fingers to grip Spock’s hand, brushing his thumb over the back. It was, perhaps, pushing to farm in the realm of touch for a Vulcan, but it was the only way he knew to communicate this, to try and express the emotions churning inside of him. ]}

I made a choice I thought would keep people from having to feel that. To live that. Especially because I didn’t have you there either to be the one telling me not to in that infuriatingly calm voice of yours.

[logicabounds]

[Spock's eyes cut away to the floor as he hears that Jim knows about his fight with Khan. He'd nearly killed that man and had been happy to do it. It had been the one time in Spock's whole life that he'd felt the primal, predatory blood that ran in the body of all Vulcan's. That ancient history they use as the reason to lock their emotions away inside.

It had felt good. And that worried him.]

You knew what I would have said, Jim. You knew the decision was unwise. You did so regardless as you determined it to be best for your crew. You will always do what is best for your crew, regardless of my objections.

[The brush to his hand sends shivers down Spock's spine and a vivid blush to his cheeks. He keeps his eyes focused on the floor behind Jim's shoulder.]

On a...different topic which I feel is necessary to bring to your attention: the way you are holding my hand is...intimate. To Vulcans. We have been separated for three years, for you. I am aware you may have forgotten.

[universal_charm]

_{[ Kirk looked down at their hands and then back up at Spock, catching the faint green tint of his cheeks. Was he - he was really blushing wasn't he? The realization made him blink, warring between smiling and laughing and blushing himself. He coughed instead and slowly let go - reluctantly, letting their fingers linger. ]}

Sorry. I really have been away from you guys for awhile.

_{[ He leaned in though, the smile finally breaking through, a tiny bit smug. ]}

I like the color green on you though.

[logicabounds]

[Good thing you like it because he's about to turn an even deeper shade.]

Jim. [His voice comes just a little strangled so he clears it with small cough. Plays it off as coolly as a Vulcan can.]

Jim... I am pleased you appreciate my ambient coloring. However, I believe you are referring to the intensity of it caused by redirected blood flow. I am less pleased at your appreciation there.

It encourages you to continue causing it.

[universal_charm]

_{[ It was a very pretty color, especially the deeper it went. He liked it more when he heard the slight cough, pleased to have unnerved him in any manner. It was rare, especially in conjunction with the blushing. ]}

Well, it's a bit late now that I've seen it. Cat's out of the bag, as they say. And it's green.

[logicabounds]

Jim. [Spock isn't sure what to do with this conversation. His eyes stay on Jim's, trying to figure out where this is headed. His friend is many things but predictable isn't one.]

You have seen my face at this shade before. The cat, as you say, has long been out of the bag. I believe you may have simply forgotten due to the time apart.

[universal_charm]

Perhaps. That does not lessen the fact that I enjoy that color on you.

_{[ He resists the urge to touch said blush, knowing how Spock felt about such intimate gestures. ]}

[logicabounds]

[Spock's lip twitches up into his non-smile. His face is soft as he watches his friend closely.]

You indeed must have missed my company if you have a preference now for the color of my blood.

[universal_charm]

I never said I didn't have a preference for it. I am merely voice it aloud now.

_{[ So there, Spock. ]}

[logicabounds]

And I am to believe you capable of concealing such a thing from me for years?

[Fat chance, as the humans say.]

You may have secrets, Jim. This is not one of them.

[universal_charm]

_{[ He laughed, his eyes shining, some of his earlier melancholy fading in the face of their familiar sparring, in the other's presence alone. ]}

That is one of the more annoying parts about you - you know all my secrets.

[logicabounds]

Not all.

[Spock pauses, remembering the fight he'd had with James.]

For instance, your intent to leave The Enterprise. Years ago, for you. [Months for him. But after the last fight the whole subject deflates him a bit.]

[universal_charm]

_{[ He draws back, surprised by that, but he doesn't bother denying it. It was the truth, and Spock deserved truth from him. He never liked deceiving Spock, and made a habit of not, unless absolutely necessary. He took a steadying breath, rubbing the back of his neck. ]}

It was only something I was thinking about. I turned down the offer after everything with Krall. I just... at the time I felt lost. The stars were eating at me. But after what happened with Krall, I realized that was where I belonged, on the Enterprise.

_{[ His mouth twitched, clearly not pleased with himself. ]}

You know us humans. We have our moments of weakness.

[logicabounds]

[It's not fair but most of his anger regarding this has already dissipated from his argument with James. In its stead--and in the light of Jim's discomfort--Spock can't bring himself to the same level of irritation.]

I wish you could have discussed the matter with me. However, I would be dishonest if I did not inform you of my own moment of human weakness.

I too had been intending to leave. I had planned to return to Vulcan after our mission.

[universal_charm]

Looks like we both got good at keeping secrets from each other.

_{[ There is a touch of sadness and hurt in his voice, though it’s not aimed directly at Spock so much as their situation at the time. How far has they drifted? If not for Krall, for this events, would they have remained by each other’s side? What had he even been thinking, thinking he could make it without everyone there who had supported him even after his truly horrendous job as a captain during the Khan incident? ]}

[logicabounds]

I do not believe that to be accurate. [Spock holds his hands behind his back already in lecture mode.]

In the timeframe we both made our decisions, our interactions decreased by 64% [Yes. He did that in his head right now. It's a rough percentage but it's close enough if you don't count forced interactions on the bridge.]

I believe this due to the fact we both would have observed a change in the other and discovered the concealed information. Likewise, I believe both of us were aware the other was capable of changing our decision.

So we avoided the risk.

[universal_charm]

_{[ If one did not know Spock as Kirk did, they might find the lecture patronizing. But Kirk knew better. Lecture, data, science, facts - these were things that a Vulcan would find comfort in. Things that were made of logic, rather than the irrationality of a human heart. His lips twitched, smiling just a fraction, stepping in so their chests were inches apart. ]}

You had faith in me.

[logicabounds]

[Spock looks at Jim warmly as he moves closer. The space between them is scant but Jim has always been able to move inside his personal area. It's the allowance made for Jim and Jim alone.]

I have faith in you, Jim. And I always will.

[universal_charm]

Being charming is my thing, Spock.

_{[ But he didn't move from his position, looking at him ever so slightly, that fraction of an inch that had bothered him at first, and he had come to enjoy over time. The smell of him, always so clean and nondescript - pure. Every little bit of him brought into sharper contrast after so long away, all his senses wanting to drink the other in, to burn him into his memory even deeper. ]}

If you take that, what will that leave me?

[logicabounds]

[The air feels charged, suddenly. It's not an unfamiliar feeling. If anything, it's more confirmation that this is truly his James Kirk; this is a feeling he's experienced with him many times before.

Spock takes in Jim's face and words, listening beyond them. His lip twitches up, more of a smile than he'd allow with anyone else.]

Me?

[universal_charm]

_{[ Sauve. It was fucking suave and charming and charged the air so much his hair stood on end. His lips parted a fraction, sucking in a breath even as his cheeks warmed. He wanted to lean in. To lean in and see what the other would do, but he refrained in case he snapped the moment and the recoil cut them both to deep. Instead he placed his hand on Spock’s chest, where a human heart might be. He knew it wasn’t so in a Vulcan, but placing it elsewhere just felt odd in the moment. ]}

Well that doesn’t sound so bad at all.