Beauty of the Unbeastly Part 2
Title: Beauty of the Unbeastly Part 2
Rated: T
Pairing: Spock/Kirk
Disclaimer: disclaimed.
When Jim woke up, it was not with his usual feelings of being loved and warm all over. He was cold, even though he was under his blankets and the frosted-over window was closed. It wasn’t even the kind of cold that snow caused, falling outside.
The first snow, though, was what got him started, springing forth with new life, grabbing a thick robe from the wardrobe and sprinting down the hall, down the stairs and into the garden that was fascinatingly still in full bloom.
It felt like a fairytale dream, twirling around and dancing with the birds and the woodland creatures. Jim tried not to think about it too much, and stopped moving when he saw the doctor standing solemnly before him, grumbling in a thick jacket and generally glaring at anything white that drifted past him.
“Jim,” he called, sticking his hands in his pockets. “Come in here and get dressed, damnit! You’re gonna catch a cold!”
Jim smiled, laughed his way up the stairs and next to McCoy, giving him a big hug. “It’s snowing!”
McCoy looked at him like he was stupid. “Really?” he asked sarcastically. “I hadn’t noticed.”
It was noticeably warmer inside, even though it took a few minutes for Leonard to take the jacket off. Jim stayed in his robe, brushed snow from his hair in the doorway.
“Jim…” McCoy paused, unsure how to continue. “Well, how would you like to visit your family?”
Jim stopped, hands in his hair and eyes wide. “You mean, back to the farm? For how long?”
McCoy thought, did a few calculations in his head. “A week, maybe. You know, let ‘em know how you’re doin’. That you’re still alive,” he joked with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
Jim frowned. “Is everything okay? Last night, Spock-”
“It’s a normal thing for him, Jim, so don’t worry. Pack light, though.”
A few clothes thrown in a bag later and Jim was waiting by the front door, antsy and smiley as he gave a hug to Uhura - it took her by surprise, but she smiled back. And then grabbed his ear and shoved something into his hands. “It’s a mirror,” she whispered. “But don’t let Leonard see it.” She winked at his puzzled look. “It’s forbidden.”
He left without seeing Spock.
It seemed to take forever to get back to the farm. The horses would’ve had to struggle through the snow, he figured, but they were bigger than the ones he was generally used to, with thick manes and huge bodies. Their hooves were probably the size of his head. Jim didn’t measure though.
The doctor came with him, to the edge of the forest. They stopped, resting for a few minutes and looking out at the only place Jim had known as home.
“At least it’s still there,” he whispered against the wind. There were a lot less animals, and it almost seemed lifeless.
“It’s not going anywhere,” McCoy told him, tightening his jacket around his face and pulling his hat low.
“The banks won’t give us a loan. We’re…They’re going to lose it.”
“There’s gotta be someway, Jim.” McCoy turned his horse around, away from the draft. “You have a week. The worst of it should be over by then.”
That caught Jim’s attention. “The worst of what?” But he was alone.
He made slow pace to the barn, unsaddled the large horse, brushed out his coat and gave him a bucket of pellets and a pale of water, then made his way to the house. To say his family was surprised to see him was an understatement.
“Jim!” Sam damn near wailed, jumping up and pounding his little brother on the back in a welcoming embrace. “We didn’t think we’d hear from you again!”
“Oh, Jimmy,” Winona was teary-eyed as she hugged her baby boy. “It’s so great to have you back.”
Jim hugged them both for a long time, his bag laying forgotten on the floor. “I’m only here for a week, and then I have to head back.”
“Well,” his mother began optimistically, “At least we have that.” She noticed him looking around. “Frank’s trying the banks again, since it’s been a few months. Hopefully we’ll have better luck.”
Despite being gone for so long, he almost immediately fell back into his old routine, caring for the animals in the barn, milking the cows every morning and making sure everyone had cover, nothing was broken. And at the end of the day, he’d go out to the bench with his brother, occasionally dragging along their mother, and watch the horses go by. There were a few new additions to the herd, and Tippy and Twister seemed to be moving a bit slower than he remembered.
He’d been there five days by the time Frank came back, a storm brewing behind him as he fought his way home. He smiled at Jim when he saw him. “It knew you’d be here!” There was a large, fatherly embrace that followed, and then, “I stopped by that beast guy’s place, and they said you were here. Lot’s of roaring over there, by the way - how’d you ever get used to it?”
“Roaring?” Jim was confused. “There was never any roaring.”
“Oh,” Frank frowned, rubbing the graying stubble on his chin. “Must’ve been some kind of temper tantrum then. The doctor did seem pretty preoccupied.”
Spock was on Jim’s mind for the rest of the day, and only after he’d settled into his old bed did he remember the mirror Uhura had slipped to him. When he looked into it, he expected to see his own reflection, but what he saw was Spock, sitting beneath a wilting tree, surrounded by dying roses, looking almost as gloomy as his plants.
He’d suspect it was normal. After all, it was winter, and plants usually died in the cold. But he’d been there long enough to know that Spock’s plants were anything but normal, and to see the bright green leaves turning brown before his eyes...
There was something wrong, something wrong with Spock, and Jim suspected it was his fault. He’d said something, did something to upset the man that he knew wasn’t a vampire.
He didn’t stop to think about it as he threw himself out of bed and hurriedly dressed, not even minding that what he had on probably wouldn’t be warm enough to keep the cold out. He didn’t saddle the large horse he’d come on, either - just jumped on his back and headed into the blizzard.
Halfway to the forest and Jim’s cheeks were stung red, his nose completely numb. Maybe he was jumping to conclusions, but - damn it! - he didn’t even know what Spock was. Besides, he didn’t have anyone else to play chess with, and definitely no one as good as Spock.
Flurries of ice and snow swept past him, biting into his skin, driving him forward desperately as he urged the horse onward.
The pace slowed as he entered the forest, following the trail that seemed only to appear to McCoy and on occasion Frank.
Everything around him was white, including the wolves surrounding him that he didn’t notice. The horse knew they were there, and whinnied and stomped when they growled. One bit at the horse’s flank, another at his withers, moving like phantoms as they blended into the snow, the sound of their attacks covered by the wind whistling in Jim’s ears.
The wolves chased them in circles, ruling them with fear until they were lost and Jim had no clue where to go next. The snapping jaws of the alpha male bit into the thick mane of the horse, causing him to throw Jim off his back. Now, he was left to defend himself against dangerous animals in a place he knew nothing about, and no one even knew where he was.
Sometimes he really hated his bravery.
Teeth and nails mostly just ripped his clothes, a few hooking his flesh, but luckily nothing serious. Jim was so busy fighting them off, he didn’t realize the large man behind him bedecked in a black cape that was fascinatingly familiar.
There was a spray of green before the wolves left with a few strangled yelps and a chorus of whimpers, a sharp glare turned on Jim as he brought the horse back and tired to calm him.
“You are a fool.”
Jim sniffled and rubbed his nose on a torn sleeve. “Yeah, well, I thought you were in trouble.”
The eyes only narrowed further. “And what would lead you to believe that?”
“The mirror,” he said without thinking. Maybe he had brain freeze, because he was pretty sure no one was supposed to know about that.
“The mirror?” Spock seemed to be speaking more to himself than to Jim, so Jim climbed back on the horse, watching Spock curiously. “I will have to talk with Nyota about this.”
He didn’t know why, but it surprised Jim when Spock leapt up behind him, grabbing the reigns and taking the lead of the horse. So he settled back, watching the green ooze slide off of Spock’s arm before sitting up and poking it.
“Is that blood?” He pretended not to hear Spock’s hiss of pain and annoyance, removing the sleeve and examining the deep wounds the wolves had left. “You’re not human, and I guess vampires wouldn’t bleed green, so…”
Jim trailed off, turning to look at the man he now noticed to have pointy ears and very sharp eyebrows.
“What are you, exactly?”
Too bad Spock seemed to think that it was an opportune moment to pass out.
-
Spock, it seemed, had lost a lot of blood, so was out a good part of the day and half the night. Jim watched his transformation with rapt curiosity, wondering at the possibility of changing from human to whatever the hell else Spock was. He awoke to the feel of Jim’s fingers tracing his upswept eyebrows.
“Good, you’re awake,” groused the doctor, standing behind Jim. “How do you feel?”
Jim didn’t allow him to answer. “We were all worried about you, you know? Were you trying to get yourself killed?”
Spock looked momentarily taken aback. “I could ask the same of you, James, going into a blizzard in your bathrobe. What were you thinking?” It was a simple question, without emotion in Spock’s typical way, but Jim smiled nonetheless.
“Your roses are back,” he said smugly, then squeezed the warm, green-tinged fingers beneath his own. “Just get better, okay?”
He left with a small smile to the patient in the bed, slipping out the door quietly before running down the hall and around the corner.
Next to Spock, McCoy grumbled about stupid kids, then stomped his foot in realization. “Damn it, Jim! Get back here and take your medicine!”
An echoing laugh was the only response he got.
-
Spock wasn’t the only one unwell, as a few days later a feverish Jim was brought in to lay in the bed next to Spock’s.
McCoy gave him something to knock him out, and it worked until he heard Spock moving in pain.
It was dawn, Jim thought, so it was from human to something else. “It looks painful,” he said quietly, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.
“The…transformation,” Spock began haltingly, “is increasingly…difficult. It seems to become more so the more time I spend in your presence.”
“Ah, Spock, I didn’t know you felt that way,” Jim teased. He thought he was staring at Spock, but it could’ve been a shadow.
“Feelings are something human. I have no emotions.”
Jim laughed. “Well, you’re half human.” The air suddenly became tense and Jim wasn’t sure what he’d done wrong. “Spock, are you okay?”
There was a shift of cloth against cloth, but no answer.
“Spock?” Jim tried again, trying not to notice how meek he sounded. Kind of like a mouse. And those were not tears he felt in his eyes. “Spock, are you okay?”
“Sleep, Jim.”
It was a cold statement, but Jim obeyed with a nod. At least Spock was still there.
It felt like a dream when he finally woke up. His body felt too stiff, too sore, his eyes were itchy, and he couldn’t breathe through his nose. Moaning pitifully seemed to be the only thing he could do.
“Stop whining,” the grumpy doctor told him through a yawn. “If you’d taken your medicine like you were supposed to, it
wouldn’t be so bad.”
“I saw the garden dying, through the mirror, and he was just laying there. I didn’t even stop to think, I just acted. Stupid, I know, but I was worried.”
McCoy sighed, rubbed his temples. “Well, you’re both alive. And it is pretty funny seeing that bastard so flustered around you.”
Jim looked disbelieving. He would’ve snorted, but he wasn’t sure how appealing he’d be after, so he settled for rolling his eyes. “I don’t think you’ve got to worry about that anymore. I might’ve pissed him off last night.”
“Last night?” McCoy looked confused.
“Yeah. I was joking, but I didn’t think he’d take it so seriously.” Jim was suddenly sheepish, his voice lowering considerably. “I called him half human and basically told him that he had feelings and emotions. If I’d known he would react that way, I wouldn’t have said anything.”
“Why would you say that Jim?” McCoy didn’t sound accusing, just curious.
“During the night, he’s human, you know? During the day, he’s…whatever he is. So it’s kinda like he’s half-human, since he spends half his time as a human. I didn’t mean to offend him.”
McCoy was frowning, mind piecing things together. “And you said this happened last night?”
Jim nodded. “That’s what I said.”
McCoy shook his head. “It couldn’t have been last night, Jim. I was with him last night, trying to play chess-”
“Which you suck at, by the way.”
“Well, I’m a doctor, damn it! Chess wasn’t a requirement for my medical degree - besides, I said I was trying. And Jim, you’ve been unconscious for a week. I think Spock’s over it.”
Jim sat up in bed too suddenly, holding his head and cursing Spock while glaring at the doctor. “Damn bastard! He put me out for a week? He told me to sleep, but I didn’t think he’d turn me into Sleeping Beauty!” Something occurred to him then.
“He didn’t try to kiss me, did he? Did you?”
McCoy looked genuinely affronted. “Neither of us did anything, and it was your fever that kept you out, not Spock!”
“You haven’t kissed him yet? I have a theory he likes tongue, but I haven’t been able to test it yet.”
Jim and McCoy stared open-mouthed at each other before turning to the green-skinned woman in too-revealing clothes. “Gaila!” they said in unison, one in annoyance and the other in surprise.
“Oh, Jimmy!” He winced when she leaned into him, draping herself across his back. “Was Spock too rough with you? Is that why you’re not walking?”
McCoy stared in abject horror as Jim was struck speechless, face turning so red he looked feverish; he doubted it was the fever - it had broken sometime the day before.
“Or was it your fault? If I remember correctly, you were pretty rough…or was that the cute, underage Russian?”
“You’re a horrible person,” Jim mumbled, eyebrow twitching. McCoy decided it was a very Spock thing to do.
“How’s the farm?”
McCoy blinked. She sure could change subjects. Jim shrugged hopelessly.
“The banks still won’t work with Frank, so no loan. They give us a year, tops, before we lose it completely.”
“Well, look at the bright side,” Gaila smiled devilishly. “At least you can give them a place to stay until they get back on their feet.”
Jim looked confused, as did McCoy. “What do you mean?”
And again with that goddamn devilish smile. “Let them stay here. I’m sure with certain…persuasive techniques, Spock will happily oblige.”
“Persuasive techniques?” Jim echoed hollowly.
Gaila sadly smiled with false sorrow, set her hand against Jim’s cheek. “Oh, poor Jimmy… How long has it been since you were last laid?”
It was quite possible the doctor was choking on his own saliva, mimicking the actions of Jim.
“Sex? You want me to sleep with him so that my family has a place to stay? I’m not that shallow! And you’re insane! He doesn’t even like me.”
“Have you asked?”
“It’s obvious!”
“Kiss him and see what he does.”
“I’d rather live!”
“Uh…Jim, Gaila?”
“Spock’s a pacifist, Jim, he wouldn’t kill you.”
“He would if I kissed him!”
“You don’t know until you try!”
“He doesn’t like me!”
“But you like him?”
“That’s not the point!”
Silence descended on the three of them, Jim wide-eyed, Gaila grinning like she just won the Kentucky derby, McCoy with his head in his hands.
“Like I was trying to say… Spock’s here to see you, Jim.”
And there he was, standing in the doorway, looking decidedly amused if slightly aloof, and he’d just heard Jim’s confession of apparent like, if not love. Oh, was that embarrassing.
Jim was quite possibly turning into a human shaped tomato hybrid. “I…ah…you weren’t supposed to hear that,” he said lamely, trying to ignore the gleeful giggles of Gaila.
“Should I return at a later time then?”
Gaila didn’t give Jim the chance to speak his mind. “Yes, please, Spock - I’m still trying to convince him to kiss you.”
Spock’s eyebrows quirked at that. “Indeed,” he said simply. “I will return later, doctor.”
Jim was speechless, mouth agape, uttering unintelligible things until, “Did you have to do that?”
“We still have more to talk about. And you - doctor - you need to stay so there’s a witness if he decides to kill me.”
Jim huffed. “What if I decide to kill both of you?”
Gaila laughed at him. “You’ve obviously never seen him move with his needles, then, Jimmy boy. He’s a lethal killing machine.”
Jim tried not to chuckle at the image that put in his mind, but didn’t succeed. “So… you were saying?”
Everyone was suddenly serious. “Okay, he’s half-human. You know that.”
Jim nodded. “Sort of, yeah.”
“Well, his mother was human. She married a Vulcan. No one thought it was possible for Spock to be born, but alas, he is here,” she sing-songed. “Miracle baby, that one is. Anyway, he followed the Vulcan path of life, choosing to repress his emotions and almost everything human about him. He never dated, never had sex, just led a very boring existence.”
“How is this helping me?” Jim wondered, crossing his arms.
“You know how I am, right?” Gaila asked him. “Get what I want, when I want? Well, I wanted Spock, he said no, I threw a hissy and the next thing I know, I’m cursing him. It’s a classic curse, really - very simple. Somehow, I screwed it up.”
McCoy sniffed. “Yeah, no kidding.”
“Who’s telling the story here? Shush!” She brushed her red curls over her shoulder, smiling innocently. “Instead of a beast, he turned out split - during the day, he is Vulcan, during the night, he is human. He can’t choose between them, and until he finds true love, the curse can’t be reversed.”
Jim frowned. “Well, how long does he have?”
“End of the year, tops,” McCoy told him. “I’ve been monitoring his progress, and it seems the changes are getting worse.”
“More painful, yeah, he told me that last night…er, last week.”
Gaila gave the doctor a look. “At least he’s talking about it.”
Jim’s mind was working overtime, absorbing the information. “What does this have to do with… Wait a minute, you think I’m…”
Gaila nodded, McCoy shrugged. Jim cursed.
“True love? Seriously?”
“That’s why you have to kiss him.”
“Because obviously that’s the way true love really works, right? One kiss and you automatically know?”
They nodded at him.
“Bullshit.”
*Part One*
*Part Three*