prismatica | Video; un: Spock

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Video; un: Spock

[ The picture shown to the audience is not a half-naked half-Vulcan. Rather, it's of the very luxurious bath house, carefully showing a view with no other people and just the lovely scenery.

Clearly, this is being taken from inside one of the pools surrounded by bamboo walls with little waterfalls and probably-fake rocks and it's just generally nice. Even the steam coming up from the bath is clearly inviting. Well, according to the guy taking the video, anyway.

Oh, and there's a voice. ]

Either there is a nefarious plot afoot that has left me unwilling to be without this establishment for any reasonable amount of time or this particular bathhouse is gratifying in a way that none have been in all my experiences across my galaxy. This may be considered out of character for me- [ Haha, meta. ] -but I implore any who are interested to please visit the Four Penguins. It is quite a relaxing and soothing experience.

[ A pause... ]

However, if this is a type of ploy devised either by the moons' whims, the proprietors of the Four Penguins, or an unconsidered or unknown entity - the likelihood of which I deem is uncomfortably high - then I believe now is an appropriate time to ask for assistance.

Regardless, I would not be adverse to company. Spock, out.

[ Hope you got all that. Mr. Social isn't one to repeat himself. ]

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[ Nyota was not forgotten and was definitely part of those turbulent emotions mentioned earlier. Because, even if he were to take Fjord's advice and allow himself to be close to someone because he cannot be close to her, this is Jim. Not someone from another planet or reality or dimension.

This is a lot of Feelings. The meditation's going to be intense. The fact that Jim wanted to kiss him??? Not helping the weird emotions. He does feel a little less awful about it, though. ]

... Regardless of desire, there were multiple factors interfering with inhibitions that we were both subjected to. [ How long has this "desire" been a thing, though??? When did Spock start feeling all this?? ] If you are to blame for your actions, which you are not, then I would have to be blamed in equal measure.

[ Spock's not wrong, there. They both played their parts in this, and while Jim may have leaned in for that first kiss, Spock definitely reciprocated. So he gets that, he really does. Still doesn't do much to ease the guilt he feels.

But he'll try. Spock's the only person from home he has here, and one of his closest friends. He doesn't want to alienate him or avoid him because of something like this. ]

Alright, okay then. So no blaming. Agreed?

[ He'd offer a hand for a shake, but... yeah. Probably for the best they're not touching each other right now. ]

We're okay. Right, Spock?

Agreed. We are... okay.

[ Or does it remain to be seen? Unclear. It's all unclear.

A pause. ] Perhaps we should discuss this after the water's effects have worn off further. [ Because surely they can't ignore it... Can they? ]

[ Eyes fixed on the surface of the water, Spock's suggestion pulls him out of his own thoughts, and he looks over and nods. ]

Right. Yes, we should. We can... ah, maybe meet to talk in a few days?

[ That should give them both some much needed time to think about all of this. ]

[ Spock paused... and nodded. His idea, after all. ]

I believe that would be the logical course of action.

[ Probably. The human part of him was screaming to fix it now, but Jim's willingness to favor patience put the ice on Spock's heels. They would wait.

Now he just had to figure out a logical way to leave without creating animosity in their shared fragile state. Was it fragile? Felt fragile. ]

[ Both his eyebrows raise at that comment, and he glances over at Spock. Suddenly amusement crawls up his throat and a laugh slips out, a hand covering his mouth for different reasons now. ]

Why thank you, Spock. I'm flattered.

[ Yeah, they're alright. And no matter where their relationship goes after this, he's sure they'll be fine. ]

[ ... He... hadn't meant to be funny... Spock rarely does, to be fair.

But the laugh makes him relax, realizing just how tense he had actually been just then. Yeah. They are all right. ]

There are times when you make the most logical decisions. I wouldn't have asked to serve under you otherwise.

[ Sometimes he's just naturally funny like that. Maybe the fact he didn't mean to be funny only amuses Jim all the more. ]

And here I was expecting that you joined me because you liked my wild, unpredictable side.

[ Honestly? ] Perhaps that, as well.

[ Jim keeps him on his toes. Just look at their current position. ]

Thank you, I'm glad to hear.

[ Nice to know he manages a good balance between logical and unpredictable. He'd hate it otherwise. Then again he'd also argue that Spock can be plenty unpredictable himself. ]

[ Spock? Unpredictable? Perish the thought. He has a good enabler, though.

And with the general mood finally being lighter- ]

I believe it would be wise to take advantage of the momentary pause on our obsession with the water and leave the bath house.

[ He says it while getting out of the bath and everything. ]

[ Jim's eyebrows raise and his eyes widen in slight surprise when Spock so quickly gets out of the water. He's right, of course. It just feels a little weird to be getting out now and being completely naked in front of his First Officer after he's just aggressively made out with him.

But okay. He can deal with that, totally cool. He climbs out of the pool next, being completely casual as he makes his way over to his towel and wraps it around his waist. He can't figure out if it's just him who's feeling self-conscious or if the towel was always this tiny.

Anyway, off to the showers he goes, making sure Spock's coming with. (Not that he's going to ask Spock to join him there or anything, obviously. God.) ]

[ Considering that this is a bath house, it'd be illogical to care about nudity in this scenario. But care he does, as he wraps a towel around himself. Just... not really showing that he cares. His intention to make a quick exit out of an awkward but cooled off situation superseded further awkwardness.

But then he catches Jim's eyes and realizes that the other expects him to join him in the showers. Spock couldn't say why he follows. To avoid misunderstandings, perhaps, or to continue easing whatever tension that situation did or did not cause between them. Or maybe just because he wants to.

A shower right now would be the logical choice, after all. So, of course. He follows.

Naturally, because it's a public bath house there is no privacy to be found here either. Not in the form of curtained of shower stalls, anyway. It's all open and the area is actually made nicer and more relaxed for it. But given- Whatever.

He picks one quietly and removes his towel. Perhaps a shower would rid them of the water's effects that much quicker or make it all come back worse than before since... water. ]

[ Well, okay, maybe he didn't think this far in advance. A gross oversight on his part, admittedly, but he looks almost surprised when he finds the showers are communal, just like the pools outside.

Still, he slips off his towel, seen as Spock does the same, then settles for a shower that's one or two away from Spock's. Because being too close to him right now doesn't sound like a great idea, especially when they're naked, but he also doesn't want to make things even more awkward by actively and picking a shower literally across the room.

Turning the water on, he closes his eyes and lets it wash down his body, before his fingers start to comb through his hair, pulling it back on his head. ]

[ Spock does not look at him. He can see Jim clearly from the corner of his eye and doesn't wish to draw attention to this fact by completely turning his back on him (making things worse, probably), so he does nothing. So... not looking at him but definitely seeing him and sort of not really definitely watching him, too.

Until he shuts his eyes, anyway, because this whole bath house adventure is just so stupidly illogical. Jim brought up several good points earlier when he was apologizing for the thing that was not his fault, and Spock runs his mind through all of them as if he could meditate on that alone. Still, Fjord's words of letting go of past attachments, of allowing himself to be physically comforted here regardless, still sits with him.

He combs his fingers through his hair, quickly and efficiently washing it with the provided shampoo and rinsing it out. It's the whole show. Water and suds running down his body and everything. His eyes open again, totally not looking at Kirk. ]

[ It's a tricky balance, indeed. Not too close so there's no awkwardness or temptation, not too far so it doesn't seem like they're purposefully avoiding each other. For the same reasons, neither looking at each other nor looking away. Jim tries to pour his focus into washing his hair, ignoring how he can practically feel Spock's attention on him, even if he might not be overtly staring.

Jim's only human, alas. Certainly more human than Spock. Despite his best efforts, his gaze ends up drifting, and the eyeful he gets is more than enough to sort of turn his brain off, and he ends up staring at the way suds and water wash down Spock's form. It's not fair that all that smooth skin and toned muscle looks so good, this is absolutely not his fault. ]

[ Spock senses it instantly, Jim's gaze a weight against his skin. Against his better judgement, he looks back. Instead of wandering, though, he looks him in the face, in the eye, but that's not much better. His face, water streaming down with hair every which way and a hungry gaze lingering on Spock of all things, is just as distracting as the rest of him.

His movements have paused while he looks back, as if he's catching Kirk in the act, but he's not turning himself away or calling attention to it either.

Later, he'll wonder what the hell has gotten into him, aside from the water. Things between them weren't awkward enough? He's clearly not thinking too logically in this place. ]

[ And now Spock's staring at him. Directly, intently, and he knows there's no way of acting as though he wasn't just openly ogling his first officer and friend. He feels his whole body heat up when Spock fixes him like that, sucking in a breath, that heat crawling up to his face until he can feel the flush on his cheeks.

Eyes wide and bright, he closes them and sighs. Well, more of a groan, as he dips his head in and rests his forehead against the shower wall. What the hell is with this place? ]

[ Well, that felt like a bucket of cold water.

Spock blinks, swallows whatever he was thinking, and goes back to his quick shower. This time, instead of allowing distractions to wade in, he takes the time to collect himself and slip into a mild state of meditation while he works.

Whatever this planet or its moon or its water wants to do with him, he won't let it take control. It's been more difficult for Spock throughout his life to gain that control and even more difficult to prove he had it. It won't be made undone by a shower.

But it's not about Jim, not really. It's not even the temptation. It's the part of that temptation that isn't his own, rearing up when it's hardly appropriate.

He finishes, shuts the water off, and walks away to collect a towel. ]

[ He'd love to say that this has nothing to do with Spock, but at least in part he knows it has something to do with Spock. They've always gotten along and been close, understood each other better than most people. If he's never indulged in fantasies is only because he knows Spock's dedicated to Uhura, and she loves him equally, and Jim would hate himself to even think about coming between that in any way.

Actually, he hates himself already, just watching Spock with his hungry gaze, allowing his mind to drift and wander into images and fantasies a little too vivid.

When Spock turns off the water and walks away, he closes his eyes, covering his face in genuine shame, not daring to look at Spock again. ]

Sorry.

[ When Jim speaks, it almost surprises Spock, as if he forgot he was there. The surprise isn't shown aside from a brief pause as he dries his hair, but it still takes him a second to actually reply. ]

The fault is mine. [ Jim was looking. Spock was inviting. And besides all that, resisting this sort of temptation is supposed to be on his shoulders, what with the Vulcan mindset and the girlfriend.

He wonders what Nyota would say and, worse yet, what she would think. Not as much about all this but about he and Jim. About how he feels for Jim. Considering how wise she is, he figures she may have a clue far longer ago than he's had one. And really, it's not different from what he's known. It's just... closer? Perhaps? ]

I must endeavor to gain more control.

[ Is it Spock's fault, really? He wasn't exactly making a show out of showering, just like he hadn't been necessarily tempting Jim into that kiss before. Granted, he may have encouraged both his kissing and his staring, but that can easily be blamed on the water.

Can't it? It has to. He's sure Spock would feel very differently if it weren't for that. As for himself, he's not so sure.

But that's neither here nor there, really. ]

You and I both, I think.

[ He chuckles weakly. Maybe he won't be so tempted under normal circumstances, but with how this place works... yeah, he's almost scared of what might come next that'll play with their senses, and their inhibitions.

He just tries not to think about that for now, turning off his own water and grabbing a towel quickly, wrapping it around himself before there's any further temptation to look. ]

[ He sighs quietly, no more than a breath of air to steady himself a little better. ]

We should reconvene at a later date before another moment escalates further. You should know, at least, that I do not wish our friendship to falter.

[ How often does he use the word 'friend' in regards to Jim, like really? It doesn't make it any less true, of course, but it feels like he's baring himself just that much more.

He doesn't want this to hurt them, though. And he's almost certain that things will happen, that something will eventually go further than intended. It's not just this place, but the planet is nudging them to something that Spock's only just now noticing. It worries him, makes him hope they can find some common ground or boundaries before what they have does falter. ]

[ Jim looks up, almost surprised by Spock's words, then promptly nodding at him. ]

Yes. I know that, Spock. And neither do I.

[ No matter what might happen (or how, when or why), that at least will remain a constant. Spock's one of his closest friends, and this, whatever it is, won't change that.

He musters a small smile, something hopefully reassuring as he adds. ]

Hit me up whenever you want to meet again. We can— take some time to think. and then we'll talk. Sound good?

[ He gives Kirk a once over, not checking him out this time but studying him, making sure he's okay with all this. He doesn't seem not okay which isn't totally reassuring but the smile does help.

Nod. ] That would be agreeable. I will be sure to contact you within the next few days. [ Just as soon as he gets his head on straight, anyway.

He turns to leave. ]

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winscenario - 2020-08-21 12:27 (UTC) - Expand

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