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"I don't want you to leave.."
Jim held onto his newly-aquatinted friend; refusing to let go.
"James, I do not wish to leave either; however, I must."
Spock turned his head to look at Jim, as his body was being held in place by the arms and body of a very unhappy child.
The two were sitting on the front porch of Jim's family home. It was a quiet night, and they had finished eating dinner with the family only moments ago. The two had excused themselves in favour of ‘getting some air’.
"I'll miss you.."
It had only been a week since Spock and Jim met for the first time. Their mothers, being friends since their academy days, decided a family visit would be most beneficial to themselves, and the boys. Winona had invited Amanda and her family to the farm house. Sarek had excused himself from the visit, as there were important meetings with the high council in which he could not miss. He did, however, encourage Spock to accompany his mother. And Spock did.
Spock found Jim —in which he would eventually learn was a nickname for James— to be most peculiar at first. He suspected the human to mirror the same opinion but about himself. Spock had greeted him with the ta’al; but Jim only grabbed his hand in return and shook it in a firm manner.
“Sorry Spock, Jimmy here’s very touchy.” Spock had heard the woman close-by say —in which he would later learn was Jim’s mother.
He would discover in approximately 6.52 minutes that Jim was indeed very ‘touchy’.
Though Spock had trained himself to raise his shields to block out others’ thoughts, he was still young and at the current time he could not prevent the overwhelming feeling of sadness being emitted into his senses from Jim.
They remained quiet for a period of time, before Spock spoke up.
"It will not rain tomorrow."
Confused, Jim lifted his head.
"W-what?"
"It does not rain on Vulcan."
Jim only stared, so Spock continued.
"My mother often told me that the coming day would result in a clear sky, simply by the presence of the stars in the sky the night before."
Spock lifted his free hand —the one that was not currently crushed between his and Jim's body— and pointed up towards the night sky.
"There are stars in the sky this evening."
Jim's eyes followed the direction Spock pointed in.
"Because of this, I am certain it will not rain tomorrow."
Jim snorted, turning his frown into a small grin. "That's a bit illogical isn't it? I mean, aren't you supposed to be all about, I dunno, logic? You can't tell what the weather's like tomorrow just because the stars say so."
Spock tilted his head. "That is.. true."
Turning his gaze onto his lap, he quietly went on; "I simply wished for you to smile, as you normally do, as it indicates you are in high spirits.."
Jim did not blush.
“I do not wish to bring you sadness.”
Jim shifted around, so that he could properly face Spock. Finally letting go, Spock was able to breathe easily.
"You'll visit again soon, right?"
"I am.. not certain."
Jim dropped his head in disappointment, but then quickly recovered;
"Then we'll stay in touch, right?"
"I.. would not be opposed to the idea."
Spock didn’t have any friends, not here, and not on Vulcan. Spock was always different. Jim was the first person to treat Spock like a normal person —save the time Jim wouldn’t stop bugging Spock about his ears until Spock eventually let him touch them. Jim looked so pleased with himself, like he was the first ever person to touch a Vulcan’s ears —he probably was.
Spock had actually enjoyed the time he’d spent with Jim. He didn’t want to lose touch.
"Mum said I could call you using the videophone, we'd just have to get the timing right."
"Timing?"
"Well, I don't wanna call you when you're sleeping.."
Spock realised Jim was talking about the time differences between the two planets. "Ah. I see."
Jim then looked back into the sky, but it was a moment before he spoke. "Y'know, it's not completely illogical now that I think about it."
"Indeed?"
"About the stars and all.. I mean, mum still reads the daily horoscopes, Sam and I still make wishes when we see shooting stars." Jim lowered his head a little before saying; "And mum tells me that dad's watching over me, every night, when I feel like I'm alone. See? That’s dad over there—" And Jim pointed at the brightest star he could see.
Finally, Jim looked to Spock, "So, if the stars say it won't rain tomorrow, I guess it won't then." And Jim gave Spock the most genuine smile he had given since meeting Spock.
Spock did not blush. Vulcans do not blush. Spock had simply experienced an odd and sudden rise in body temperature.
“Hey, Spock?”
“Yes, James?”
“Are you getting cold out here?”
“I am rather content.” Spock raised an eyebrow, “Why do you ask?”
“Your cheeks are sort of.. green.”
---
Spock woke up early the next morning, in preparation for his return to Vulcan. When he had finished packing his belongings in the guest bedroom, he quietly descended the stairs in hopes of not awakening the household.
Upon entering the living room, he saw Jim curled up in the corner of the lounge chair.
“He must have attempted to stay awake.” His mother said as she entered the room behind him.
“For what purpose?” Spock questioned.
He watched his mother cover Jim with a blanket, “I believe he wishes to say ‘goodbye’.”
As his mother left and entered the kitchen, Spock approached Jim and knelt beside him. Jim looked peaceful as he slept, and Spock thought as much.
He pressed his forehead against Jim’s.
“Goodbye, James.”
---
When Jim awakened the next day, Spock and his mother were nowhere to be found. He would later yell at Spock through the videophone for letting Jim sleep instead of waking him up.
But surely, just as Spock had said the night before; outside the lounge room window, was a clear blue sky, free of rain.