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Spock stared blankly at his mate standing before him. Jim’s expression was radiant, a smile wide on his face, his sapphire eyes sparkling. On his mate’s cheek, a smiling pumpkin, painted on by one of the workers of the Halloween festival just outside of San Francisco. On Jim’s hip, sat their eighteen-month old son, Ethan. His cute, chubby face had a spider web on the upper half around his eyes.
“No.”
“Just a pumpkin,” Jim insisted. “So we’ll match.”
“I would rather not.”
“A spider then? Match with Ethan?”
“No.”
“Skull and crossbones?”
“No, thank you.”
His mate’s radiant expression faded into a frown and slight pout. He would not cave to the pout. He would not cave to the adorably lost puppy expression.
Spock shifted his gaze to Ethan. Ethan was turned slightly away from them, looking behind Jim with a little arm on Jim’s shoulder.
Jim stepped closer and loosely put his free arm around Spock’s neck. Spock swallowed and looked to a sign past Jim that read ‘fried twinkies’. Ethan turned his head back towards them, blue eyes wide.
“Spock,” Jim said sweetly.
He would not cave. Spock shook his head and continued staring at the sign.
“Spockums.”
Spock was a strong willed Vulcan. Face painting was illogical.
Jim huffed. “Ethan, tell dad to get a pumpkin on his cheek.”
He would not cave. His child was cute but....
“Sa-mekh, pumpkin!” Ethan shouted before leaning forward and kissing Spock’s chin.
Spock internally sighed as he stood up from the face painting chair and approached Jim and Ethan. His captain was looking quite pleased with himself while Ethan was staring at a balloon vendor nearby.
I think a punishment later is in store, Spock told his mate.
Of course. “Now we match,” Jim said with a grin.
“Indeed we do.” Spock tugged down the ends of his knit sweater. “What else would you like to do while we are here? We have been in the house of mirrors.” Ethan turned back and made grabby hands to Spock. Spock took him into his arms and held him close.
Jim stepped to his side and put his arm around his waist. “Yeah, that was fun.”
“You ran into four mirrors.”
Jim rubbed his forehead with his other hand. “Fun, but hurt. Ethan liked it though. The fun mirrors that made us look short and stout had him giggly up a storm.
“Indeed.” Spock had been worried about a concussion, but Jim said he was fine, so Spock let it go. And Ethan had been a bundle of adorableness in the house of mirrors. Spock kissed the side of Ethan’s face. The boy grinned then ducked his head into Spock’s neck.
“We’ve been in the haunted house,” Jim said.
“Where you screamed at every turn.”
“Hey...shut up. I just don’t like jump scares. Scary stuff is totally cool just don't jump out at me. You were scared."
"I was not."
"Well...You may have not screamed, but you sure tensed up.”
“I tensed because someone kept screaming into my ear every few minutes.”
“Yeah, that sucks. Wonder who that was?” Jim pulled Spock along and the Vulcan fell into step beside him. “At least Ethan didn’t seem fazed by it.”
“Vulcans do not scare easily.”
“Sure, Spock,” Jim chuckled. “How about I win my boys a prize at the bean bag toss?”
Spock looked at his mate and shrugged. “If you wish.”
“I do wish. I’ll win you the biggest prize there is.” Jim tickled Ethan’s tummy. “You want daddy to win you a big prize?”
“Yeah!” Ethan agreed.
“Then so be it!” Jim changed their course and they headed towards the games area. They quickly found the bean bag toss and Jim spent several credits more than he should have to win a small, white stuffed bunny whose body was a pumpkin.
“Fascinating,” Spock said when Jim handed it to Ethan. Ethan stared at it. “What do you say, Ethan?”
“‘ank oo,” Ethan replied before tossing the bunny a few feet away.
Jim retrieved it and shoved it into Spock’s pocket. The boy would want it later. “Do you want one, Spock?”
“No, thank you. Do you wish for me to win you one?”
“Do you want to play a festival game?”
“I do not.”
“Then it's fine.” Jim took hand and then went back to walking around.
They bought a fried twinkie. Jim and Ethan shared bites while Spock ate a cinnamon pretzel. After eating, they took Ethan to the petting room where their son tried to pick up a baby goat and take it with them. After a small tantrum, they were able to leave the animal area and distract their son with a balloon sword.
Afterwards, they made their way to the opposite end of the festival and to what was claimed to be ‘the area's largest corn maze’. A map of the maze sat at the front entrance. Spock started to walk towards it so know the layout but Jim pulled him away.
“Don’t need a map, Spock,” Jim told him.
“A map is useful so we may not become lost.” Spock glanced back at the map as he let Jim lead him into the maze. Ethan sat peacefully on Jim’s shoulders, waving his little sword around.
“I grew up around corn stalks. I know them like the back of my hand.”
“A curious expression. I have no doubt that you know about corn and corn stalks. But mazes are unique. There is no pre-defined template path that they all have in common.”
The stalks of these corn were about a half a foot taller than both of them. They could hear the laughter and amusement of others around them in the maze. Jim led them around another corner and at a crosspath, he stopped and faced Spock.
“I know how to get us out of the maze. We don’t need no stinking maps.”
“Grrr!” Ethan said, hitting Spock on the head with his sword.
Spock arched a brow at his son and mate but said nothing.
Jim grinned and gave him a kiss. After stepping back from Spock, Jim raised both hands and pointed left with his right hand and right with his left hand. “Which way, Mr. Spock?”
“I thought you knew the way through the maze and please keep one hand on Ethan.”
Jim dropped one hand but raised the other to hold onto Ethan’s leg. “He’s not going to fall and yes, I do know the way. Left it is.”
“Lead the way then, t’hy’la.”
Jim nodded and did just that, leading them right into a dead end. Jim made a face then said he meant to do that before pulling Spock back the other way.
Ten Minutes into the Maze
“Jim…”
“I know the way, Spock, it's fine.”
“Fine has variable definitions and you have led us into four dead ends in a row.”
“All a part of the plan, Spockums! Gotta throw off the stalks.”
Spock wanted to question that line of reasoning but let it go and continued to follow the human.
Thirty Minutes Into the Maze
Jim groaned as they came to yet another crosspath. This time with three passages. Left, right, and straight ahead.
“Which way, Jim?” Spock asked.
Jim glanced back at him, giving him a look. “Don’t look so amused, Mr. Spock.”
“I am Vulcan. We are never amused.” Spock stepped closer and took Ethan from Jim. The boy had started to yawn.
“Uh-huh, sure.” Jim scratched the back of his head. “Um...straight. Straight ahead is...is the way.”
“If you are sure.”
“I am sure,” Jim muttered and continued on with Spock and Ethan following close behind.
Two Hours Into the Maze
Spock stared at the back of Jim’s head. They seemed to have gone in a big circle. Jim hadn’t quite figured that out yet, but Spock had. From the brief glance at the maze’s map, he knew it was huge and they could spend another few hours in it. The sun was starting to set and the noises from the festival were starting to die down.
Ethan was curled against Spock, head resting on his shoulder, snoring softly. The balloon sword tucked between them.
“Jim…”
“Spock, I know where we’re going.” Jim told him. The blonde sighed and looked down the left path before him then turned and looked down the right.
“You keep saying that you know how to get out of this corn maze, but I think we are lost, ashayam.”
“We’re not lost.”
“We have been in the maze for approximately two hours and…”
Jim whipped around and faced Spock. His eyes wide. “Two hours!”
“Yes. And three minutes. Four minutes, now, actually.”
Jim stared at him in silence for a few more moments then slowly sat down on the ground. “Well, fuck. We are lost.”
Spock didn’t want to wake Ethan so he stood above his mate. “Indeed we are.”
“I’m sorry I got us lost,” Jim said with a sigh. He put an elbow on his leg and propped his head up in his hand. “Did you by any chance get a good look at the map?”
“The brief glimpse I had, it showed many paths. I am not surprised we are lost.”
Jim looked up “It’s starting to get dark.”
“There are some lanterns every few feet.”
Jim looked around. “Yeah, there are. Wonder why?”
“I do not know. But it is late and near time for dinner.” Ethan yawned and picked his head up from Spock’s shoulder. He rubbed his blue eyes and looked around.
“Corn.”
“Yeah, buddy, corn.”
Jim stood up. “Set Ethan on the ground for a moment and let me up on your shoulders so I can see where to go.”
“That is cheating.”
Jim shook his head. “It's creative problem-solving, Mr. Spock.”
Spock chuckled. He was quite aware of Jim’s creative problem-solving ways. He gently placed Ethan down on his feet next to them then knelt down before Jim who climbed onto his shoulders. Spock stood and lifted Jim up so he was above the stalks. He kept one hand on Jim’s leg and the other on top of Ethan’s dark head of hair.
“What do you see?”
“I see the festival back that way.”
Spock looked up and saw Jim pointing south from their direction. “And the exit?”
“Looks like the exit is just over there.” Jim pointed northeast of where they were. “It's actually not too far. Left, right, right, left, right, straight, left, then a right.” Jim patted Spock’s head. “Got it?”
Spock repeated the directions back and Jim confirmed. He knelt back down and Jim hopped off.
“Such a strong Vulcan,” Jim cooed before giving Spock a kiss. When Jim stepped back he said, “I saw a lot of rustling in the stalks though, so we’re not the only one’s lost I think.”
“That is not surprising.” Spock picked Ethan back up, settling him on his hip. He took Jim’s hand. “Come along. It is getting darker and we must dress Ethan in his costume before we attend the party at Leonard’s.”
“We also gotta put ours on,” Jim told him.
“What are our costumes again?” Spock questioned as they began walking.
“We’re Thing One and Thing Two and Ethan is a little cat in the hat.”
“Fascinating.”
“Yep.” Jim looked at him and their son “Love you guys.”
“And we love you as well.”
“Ba-oon!” Ethan said, pointing his sword at Jim.
Jim chuckled and nodded. “Its a cute balloon.”
They turned a corner then stopped when they saw a shadow down the way. “Excuse me? We’re a bit lost.”
The shadow disappeared. Jim and Spock exchanged a look and continued on. When they came to where the shadow had been, they found a dead end.
“That was weird.”
“Indeed,” Spock agreed. He could hear some slight rustling coming from the stalks though. He ignored it as Jim tugged them around to go the other way which was the way they needed to go.
A loud ripping sound suddenly pierced the quiet behind them. Both jumped and turned just as a large bloodied man jumped from the stalks and revved up a chainsaw.
“Fuck!” Jim screamed. “Run Spock! Save Ethan!” Jim then took off running down the path.
“Bye bye, Daddy,” Ethan waved.
Jim turned left and made it a few feet before shreiking as a bloodied clown popped out from the stalks, brandishing a machete. He turned and bolted back the other away, getting several feet away before a demonic person jumped out. Jim dove onto the person, knocking them both to the ground before Jim was up and running straight through the stalks.
Spock blinked as he stared down the path where his mate had disappeared down. He turned back to the chainsaw man and arched a brow. “The maze becomes a horror one at night, correct?”
The man turned off the chainsaw and nodded. “Yeah. We didn’t think anyone was in yet.”
“Grrr!” Ethan fussed, swatting his sword in the air before the chainsaw man.
“We became lost earlier in the maze.” Spock glanced behind him as he heard another scream from his mate in the distance.
“Oh, shit. Sorry to hear that. We did have maps available at the entrance.”
“My mate decided we did not need one.”
“Ah, gotcha. Yeah, my girlfriend can be stubborn too.”
Spock nodded in agreement. The man took out a comm and hailed the other scarers in the maze. He told them about Jim, Spock, and Ethan.
“Um...roger that, but...is one blonde?” A voice came back over the comm.
Spock internally sighed as the chainsaw man replied with an affirmative.
“Okay, so, he ran out of the maze and directly into a large hay bale. He’s unconscious.”
Spock pinched the bridge of his nose. Ethan dropped his sword and made grabby hands towards the chainsaw. “Mine. Give, peas.”
Jim clutched the bunny pumpkin as he laid in a biobed a few hours later. Spock sat nearby, reading over reports on a PADD.
“I’m fine.”
“Fine has variable definitions,” Spock replied, not looking up from his PADD.
“I’m just a little confused. I don’t need to be here.”
“When you became conscious, you were unaware of your surroundings and thought we were on shore leave from the Enterprise.” Spock lifted his gaze from the PADD to Jim. “You also thought I had cloned myself and Ethan was my mini-me.”
Jim huffed. “I thought that for like five minutes and then was fine.”
“Leonard wishes for you to stay overnight for observation which I agree with.”
Turning his head and wincing slightly, Jim looked at his husband. “I’m sorry I ran off, leaving you and Ethan to fend for yourselves.”
“It is alright. You were scared.”
“But you weren’t. Hell, even Ethan wasn’t.”
“Vulcans do not scare easily.” Spock looked back to his PADD.
Jim chuckled. “I guess.” He looked up at the ceiling of the hospital room. “I can’t wait to meet the triplets.”
Spock snapped his head up and stared at Jim with wide eyes. “Pardon?”
Jim nodded, wincing again at the pain. “Oh, yeah, didn’t Bones tell you?” Jim glanced to Spock. “You knocked me up again. Triplets, he said. All girls.” Jim patted his stomach. “Just not showing that much like last time.”
Spock eyes got bigger.
“Aren’t you excited, Spock?” Jim asked. "Triplets!"
Those big brown eyes rolled back and Spock felt out of the bed unconscious. Jim snorted. “Vulcans don’t scare easily, my ass.”
Bones walked into the room a moment later with Ethan, dressed in his costume, in tow. He held his sword and a little pumpkin bucket as he was collecting candy from the nurse’s stations.
“The hell happened to him?” Bones asked, spotting Spock on the floor.
“Nothing,” Jim said before motioning his son over. “Look how cute you are.”
“I know,” Ethan said before turning and walking back out of the room. Jim heard his little voice asking someone for candy.
The End
I was messing with an avatar maker and made Ethan :)
