Thank you for the reviews and sorry for taking too long to post this chapter, I was busy with things. This chapter may contain a bit OOC-ness as expected, situations that exist here are beyond the normal that Spock and Jim face, and thus, I might put them slightly out of character, but only the slightest bit, and I try to put them in-character as much as I possibly can. CONTAINS: Slash and swearing…..You have been warned!

I am, by the way, looking for a beta… can anyone recommend one or be so kind as to volunteer to be my beta? PM me. Thanks.

Chapter 10

Jim groaned. Regardless of the relaxing, cool breeze that drifted through the open window in his room he was feeling irritatingly and inexplicably hot, even if he was sprawled haphazardly atop the bed covers, clad in boxer briefs and a thread-bare sleeveless under shirt. He knew it was highly unbecoming of him, a Star Ship Captain, proclaimed Hero and defeater of Nero and savior of Earth, but decorum be damned! His body was metaphorically on fire and nothing could or would dare stand in his way of getting cool; wearing a scanty amount of clothing is just one of them. Although it somehow helped, he knew it wasn't enough; he needed something colder. Thus he decided to head to the kitchen to meet his destiny with a nice pack of ice.

At the stairs he heard pans clanging from the kitchen, at first he would have thought it was a maid Spock hired, but in the last couple of days that he'd been staying there, it was a surprise to him that Spock actually did the cooking, as well as most of the chores around the house. In addition to his incessantly increasing list of surprising facts about Spock, despite his nature and preference for food, he went extra lengths as well to adapt to Jim's preferences. It had been quite a laugh remembering the look on the Vulcan's face brought about by the taste of meat.

Spock did not look up as Jim watched him from the doorway and while the being busied himself with pots and pans, Jim took that opportunity to admire the alien in front of him. But when urges to get cooler were getting the most of his attention, he just had to leave the admiring for later. So he walked gracelessly into the kitchen, clearing his throat to announce his arrival and bee-lined for the fridge, opening the freezer drawer.

"Good Morning." He said while rummaging through the ice box for an ice pack.

The Vulcan arched his eyebrow as his eyes travelled the length of the human's body. As odd as it may seem, he found that Jim was indeed a fine specimen. He was…is aesthetically pleasing, there was no mistake about that. But what made him more appealing was the hidden talent and power that lay underneath all that roguish and sometimes uncouth personality. His intelligence, knowledge in tactics, and hard headedness brought him to the position he has today; an appealing man both physically and intellectually, qualities of which made females of all species to flock all over the man.

Why had he not noticed this before?

Quite distracted by his thoughts, Spock hadn't realized he was staring far longer than necessary.

Only then did he start out of his intent gaze when he heard the loud thump of the fridge door closing. When their eyes met, he saw that knowing and highly irritating grin on his Captain's face and all he could do was look away.

Jim pursed his lips in attempt to stop the laugh that was threatening to escape his lips. Instead he padded to the granite top island and set himself comfortably on the high stool. He let his head rest on the granite, sighing when the counter top did wonders to his face. When he placed the ice pack on his nape, he groaned. "Holy shit, that feels good."

It wasn't that he felt suddenly shy for groaning out loud, but the silence that blanketed the kitchen after made Jim aware of how loud it was. So he cleared his throat to ease the awkwardness and sat up.

"You're up pretty late today." Jim said glancing around for a clock, in case he was wrong with his assumption. "No work?" He traced imaginary patterns on the counter as he waited for Spock's answer.

"Yes, only for today." Spock said over the sizzling and looked over his shoulder to look at Jim. "Dr. McCoy had mentioned something about cravings, anything particular you would want with your meal?"

Jim didn't look up. "Oh, yeah, come to think of it…pickles…can you add those with mine?"

"Alright." Spock said, preventing himself from arching his brow again at Jim's sudden choice for an add-on. He separated it into two bowls and added slices of pickles into Jim's share. He carried the bowls to the counter and handed Jim his share.

"Thanks. Jesus, it's hot." Jim hissed, prodding his food with his fork while holding the ice pack in place.

"Your observational skills are still exceptionally accurate." Spock said without malice but nonetheless amused at Jim's apparent glare.

Jim refrained from rolling his eyes, obviously the hobgoblin was a master of sarcasm if not blatantly acute with stating the obvious at times, and ate instead, the chilled pickles doing good to counteract the heat of the vegetables in his mouth. "So what are your plans for today?"

"I have things to talk about with Ambassador Sarek…and Selik. After that, I believe I am due for a meditation. What about you?"

Jim blinked stupidly. Didn't this situation seem very domestic? Meals together, making small talk over breakfast, knowing what then had planned that day; maybe it was appropriate to add thoughts of him waiting on Spock every night to offer him a hot meal or himself.

Don't go there, Jim. Do not go there!

"Oh, well, just here, around the house, the clearing, library…around, I guess." Jim bit the insides of his cheeks, mentally cursing himself for delving on his thoughts longer than usual.

Spock's brows furrowed and he nodded slowly. "I will be here if you need me." He furrowed his brows again.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Jim said, concerned.

"I'm sorry, Jim, I cannot talk to you seriously when you are dressed as you are."

Jim sighed exasperatedly letting a small smile grace his lips. "Idiot."

And here he thought it was something serious.

Spock had retreated to his study after their meal. It was the only place he could be alone with his thoughts if anywhere. The clearing would be a good place to meditate but it was Jim's place of refuge now.

He would have stayed a bit longer in the kitchen, watch Jim do the dishes or talk to him while he drank his coffee. But being with him was not the best choice at the moment. He had been out of the house before Jim woke up and back when he was fast asleep and that had been going on for days. And now that he was there when Jim woke up, he had not the slightest idea of what he could do with the man.

It was illogical for him to feel this way, but he was. They have been friends since Nero, enjoyed each other's company through a game of chess, they even made small talk. Nothing's changed much, not really.

He smoothed a hand down his chest, a gesture that calmed him down just as much as pulling his follicles from his scalp.

He waved a hand over console and sat down with a sigh. "Computer, contact Ambassador Selik."

In an instant the withered face of the Vulcan he longed to see appeared on the screen.

"Young Spock, greetings."

"Selik," Spock returned the Vulcan hand gesture and stared at his older self on the communicator screen in the confines of his room. "It has been too long."

"Yes, I do agree." The elder's lips quirked upward slightly in a small smile. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

There was a pause and a troubling expression on the younger's face. Selik furrowed his brows slightly. "You are troubled. What is it?"

"I have never been conflicted about things. And it makes me…distracted if not dysfunctional at times." He furrowed his brows more, looking down on the desk top as he spoke.

Selik nodded. "It is in our blood, Spock. Despite adapting the Vulcan culture, our human emotions would surface eventually. That is one thing that we cannot control being half human." There was a small pause. "Does this conflict have to do something with Kirk, perhaps?"

Spock's eyes darted to the screen. "And you come to this conclusion, how?" he knew he was evading the obvious, but he wasn't sure he was ready to face it just yet.

"Most conflicts I had in my time were, shall we say, Jim-central." There was that small smile that appeared in his face again. "Where he is, problem follows."

Spock swallowed thickly and nodded earnestly. He felt the exact same thing. "Well, yes. It is true that I have contacted you because of Jim. I find myself often preoccupied with thoughts that I am unfamiliar with."

Selik nodded affirmatively. "And this thoughts?"

Spock exhaled. This was turning out to be difficult than he normally expected. "Selik, during our expedition, something happened to Jim. I feel that I have become compromised since that day. Excuse me for being vague, but I still feel that talking about emotions would tend to be more difficult as I thought it would be."

"Take your time Spock."

"Also, the reason I'm calling has something to do with my refusal to return to New Vulcan during my shore leave."

There was a pause. "Yes, that was quite surprising. I was expecting you to come here immediately as you've said the last time we had a conversation. Have you told our father about this?"

"I'm afraid not. That's why I contacted you first."

Selik furrowed his brows. "This seems like a grave situation. Did something unfortunate happen to Jim?"

The slightest facial shift was enough to tell Spock the Selik was distressed. He knew Jim more than him, and even if the Jim he knew was in Selik's own alternate universe, the Jim now was as important. "Nothing extreme, I assure you."

"What happened then?"

Spock hesitated for a second. He could trust Selik, he knew he could. And he did. Without much further hesitation he told Selik everything he needed to know, minus the emotional stuff.

"But weren't you and Lieutenant Uhura involved?"

"We decided that with Jim like this, things would not work out." He found himself saying. This was one of the things he would not discuss in detail, especially since it didn't quite ended that way.

Spock paused hoping to get something out of his older self but when a simple 'I see' came from the Vulcan, he stared blankly. If he were human again, he would have gaped at him.

"You're taking this calmly than I expected."

Selik smirked. "Yes, well, it comes with experience. So, tell me more about this pregnancy."

"As of the last night, we have just found out that we are somewhat synchronized emotionally and physically. Regular tactile contact is needed so that the fetus can survive and to avoid uncomfortable signs and symptoms. Dr. McCoy stated as well that it would eventually need intimate…sexual contact." Spock inwardly cringed. "There are many things that I do not understand about this pregnancy. It seems very taboo to talk about emotions and sexual situations as ours is different from the humans, there is more touching, more involvement." He swallowed.

"Yes, it is. But you do have knowledge—"

"Yes, but I would rather not discuss it. Even if you are me, it is strange."

"That is understandable." Selik said. "But I do want to know about this synchronization. Are you emotionally connected to Mr. Kirk, then? I assume that was what you want to talk about, your emotions?"

Spock nodded. "The synchronization has only been physical, so far."

Selik paused in contemplation. "Indeed it has." There was a pause. "But of course! Fascinating!"

"What is fascinating?"

"I'm sure you are aware that everything has started because of emotions?" there was this glint in Selik's eyes that screamed excitement. Spock knew the elder Vulcan had pieced something together.

"Not that I know of… what are you saying?"

"Spock…what do you think of Jim?"

Spock was slightly taken aback. This was definitely the topic he didn't want to talk about.

"Why ask this question?" he found himself saying instead, a crease forming between his eyebrows as he once more contemplated on the subject matter.

"It's simple. The need for contact, emotion, involvement; the fetus feeds on that, and that is what brought it into the world in the first place. Has Dr. McCoy explained this to you? In order for the fetus to have come to be there must be a strong emotional attachment of the donor to create it."

"It feeds on Jim's happiness, his lust, his love…" Selik trailed off, looking at Spock meaningfully hoping that he would get the message for himself.

"Are you saying that Jim 'likes'…me?" Spock felt his throat closing on itself, only enough to feel a haze in his head and a flutter in his abdomen.

At this, Selik smiled genuinely. "It is more than that, if my assumptions are correct."

Spock sagged in his seat.

Jim loves me?

Jim's head buzzed with thrill as hands held his head in place. Strong hands, a man's, most likely. He panted onto the man's open lips, releasing a shuddering breath as the other moved close enough to feel but not touch. Jim moved tentatively, hoping that shifting could earn him a graze of the man's lips, a taste. But the man was quicker, moving back slightly and chuckling deeply when Jim hissed.

What a tease. Jim thought as he bit his lower lip, stopping himself from releasing so much as a groan of frustration.

He felt one of the hands slip down to his neck and back to his nape, curling long nimble fingers into his short cropped hair and tugging it back, tilting his head backwards so he could look at the man while he ghosted his lips against Jim's once more.

Jim closed his eyes. God, this was infuriating, he was already on the edge as it is, holding on to the last bit of control he had before it snapped.

He opened his eyes slightly, staring into those pink sensual lips before looking up into the man's dark brown orbs.

He took in a sharp breath when there was a tentative touch on lips, but not even that could take away his attention from the man – or rather, alien – that loomed in front of him. He kept on looking as the Vulcan increased his pressure on his lips, prying his mouth open.

After a few seconds, he could feel himself giving in, feeling his lips lax and feeling something else that sough entrance to his mouth. He gripped the Vulcan's wrists, digging his dull fingers into his skin impatiently as he pushed his lips insistently against the alien's chapped yet soft lips. He opened his mouth more and breathed hotly into the Vulcan's mouth. Fuck, he can fucking taste him.

He groaned when he felt the slick muscle brush his, coaxing it after a few minutes into sliding, twirling and other entirely filthy and wicked ways it was meant to do in situations like this. Shit, this was too good. He never knew Spock could kiss like this, no wonder Uhura kissed him every moment she could get.

A whimper escaped him when Spock pulled back, kissing the corner of his mouth his temple, his forehead, his jaw, his neck – holy fucking shit.

"Jim…"

He whimpered again as hands traveled down his chest.

"Jim…"

He arched his back to feel more of the Vulcan's touch, tipping his head back to give him access as he plundered his neck.

"Jim—"

Jim opened his eyes and groaned when light flooded his vision. Despite the rude awakening, his body was rigid and trembling and his heart thudded painfully inside his chest.

Fuck. He just dreamt of Spock manhandling him… God, he shouldn't have thought of that. It was so vivid his body was responding treacherously because of it. Now there was no way getting out of this without wanking himself raw. He rolled on his back gingerly, hissing slightly when the fabric of his boxers grazed his sensitive flesh.

It had been months…no, a whole fucking year when he last had sex, and combined with that, sexual frustrations, damned transfusions that make you heat up and hormonal changes, he was as horny as hell. He scrubbed his face with his palms and let out a long exasperated breath.

Well, if he wanted some, then maybe he should get some. But in order to do that he had to leave the house, which meant talking to Spock… He groaned.

Honestly, he wasn't in the talking mood.

"Are you going somewhere?"

Jim jumped at the voice and swiveled around too quickly making him dizzy in seconds. "Shit." He held his temples and supported himself before looking up to meet concerned eyes, yet he did note a hint of confusion laced with curiosity bubbling away inside those brown orbs.

He managed a smile – a rather forced one at that – before straightening his coat and said. "Out."

"Specifically?" the Vulcan pushed, arching a well-defined brow in question.

"Out…" Jim repeated, ignoring how nosey Spock was when the situation called for it. "I'll be back soon."

He turned to walk into the foyer and outstretched his hand to reach for the door when he found his wrist clasped tightly around Spock's hand, stopping it midway. "And where would this out be, if I may ask."

"Jesus, Spock." Jim said, wrenching his hand out of the alien's vice-like grip. "Just out, okay. Meet with people, get together, have a few drinks…"

"Drinks?" there was an edge to Spock's voice that had Jim wincing. "Drinks in your situation? Are you not aware of the complications it can give to the child?"

"Drinks can be non-alcoholic Spock." Jim replied exasperatedly. "God, it's not like I'm gonna kill the thing that lives inside me."

Spock reeled back slightly and narrowed his eyes. "You have been complaining that you don't want others to see you, but you insist on going out to have drinks with your acquaintances."

"It doesn't even look like I'm showing anyways." Jim grounded out; attempting to extract his hand a second time. "I've been cooped up in here too long, alright. I miss the outside. I know it was my decision to lay low but now, I can't take it. You're rarely here; Bones rarer, and fuck, I need to get laid!"

Jim successfully removed his wrist from the Vulcan's grip.

Confusion was now evident in the Vulcan's face. "But you are only in your first trimester, it clearly states in the book Dr. McCoy gave me, it is expected that libido is significantly low because of the adaptation of the body and the manifestations—"

Jim rolled his eyes. "Oh, please, Spock, you sound like you're stating regulations that I can't deal with right now. It's the transfusions and the hormones all right! I feel sick right now but I need a good fuck right now."

"If that was what you needed then why not come to me?" Spock placed his hand on the door and thwarted Jim's effort in opening the door yet again.

At that, Jim didn't know if he should jump at the opportunity or scream obscenities at the Vulcan. Of course the offer was more than welcomed, but he felt as if Spock felt like giving him sexual gratification was an obligation, like he was laughing at him for no longer having the freedom to fuck whoever he wanted now that he was pregnant and he was rubbing his metaphorical wound with a lemon wedge by offering himself, the very subject of his every fantasy.

Tears sprang to his eyes at the thought. He scolded himself for even coming up with stupid conclusions, but the die has been cast and all he could do was swallow his wounded pride. Even if it meant he had to push Spock away, literally.

"What the hell are you saying?!" he found his voice trembling with all the hurt and anger. "UGH! Fucking hormones! Just get out of my way, you hobgoblin!"

"Jim, your hormones has made you emotional but please, listen to reason. Suggesting the inevitable is a proper solution. Dr. McCoy has stated that our relationship would come to that conclusion, so why not accustom ourselves to the possibility."

He sniffled and turned away as the tears fell from his eyes. "Fuck you for even suggesting that! At least I have a semblance of emotions in me! Just leave me the fuck alone and let me go!"

"Calm down." Spock's voice had hardened substantially in the past seconds. "Involving personal attributes into petty arguments would not solve anything. I am giving you a reasonable choice all you have to do is say yes or to deny it, either way, it would be the only solution left lest you choose the latter."

Jim let out a sob. He was exhausted and hard, the time they spent talking only made him harder, to his surprise, thanks to Spock's commanding tone. But he had more fight in him; he wouldn't give in easily even if Spock was right. He turned around to give Spock the deadliest glare he could manage behind his tears. "No Spock–"

There was a twitch in Spock's face that Jim later realized as irritation and that twitch had become a full blown grimace as Spock's face manifested the frustration that mirrored Jim's. "You are infuriating me. I am not listening to your reasons any longer."

"The hell you aren't—"

"Just shut up Jim, shut up." Spock interrupted, holding Jim's face in his hands. "No more talking."

Jim thought that fighting a little was worth the feel of Spock's lips on him a second later. This time, instead of fighting, he gave in. Just like Spock wanted him to.

A/N: I think I may have annoyed you guys. To be honest the OOC-ness annoyed me a little. I tried re-writing it to make sense for you guys and to annoy me less. But it had its purpose in this chapter. And I'M SORRY FOR TAKING TOO LONG TO UPDATE BACK! This chapter has been sitting in my laptop, but I do add a few things and remove stuff but real life needs tending to!

I hope this chapter makes sense to you guys.