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It was his first week in San Francisco, and it wasn’t like he’d taken a tour. He’d graduated from the VSA only two months before and was quickly hired as a consultant at the Vulcan Embassy on Earth.
His father had been so proud when he announced he was moving to California to accept the position and his mother had even offered to give him a tour of the city, but he’d gently declined. Since then, he’d seen the spaceport, the inside of a hovercab, The Vulcan embassy, and the inside of this penthouse apartment.
The long work hours made it difficult to make time to explore the city, and it didn’t help that nothing motivated him to do so. He had no friends or connections on this planet and the idea of socializing in a place where emotions ran rampant sounded…terrifying. So Spock had stayed safe within the walls of the embassy and his home. Spock wasn’t good at socializing with Vulcans let alone with a different species.
The people at the embassy greatly consisted of Vulcans who were polite and respected his well-known reputation and family tree, but none of them attempted anything beyond niceties. The only one who made conversation with him outside of work-related topics was an intelligent human Nyota Uhura.
Other than Spock, she was the youngest employed at the embassy and worked as a translator, whether it was for documents or traveling ambassadors. It’s a wonder he hadn’t scared her off with his awkward attempts at conversation. He could talk all day about science and research and interesting facts but when it came to small talk, he was kind of terrible.
She walked into his office one day, smiling brightly as she dropped a PADD on his desk.
“Silvek’s politics translated into modern standard,” She explained, when he looked up from his own PADD.
“Punctual as always, Uhura. Thank you,” He nodded in what he hoped was encouraging.
“Of course, Mister Spock,” Uhura beamed. “I’ve heard there’s a great vegetarian restaurant down the block if you want to go sometime. Perhaps I could practice my Vulkansu with you.”
Spock opened his mouth, tugging at his sleeve before his eyes fell to his lap. “I am very busy, but I appreciate the offer.”
“Of course.”
She kept a pleasant demeanor even as she left and Spock felt a tinge of regret at rejecting her offer yet again. He didn’t know why it was so hard to say yes. She was clearly a very agreeable person and very smart, but he couldn’t imagine keeping up a conversation that wouldn’t bore her to death. His last friend was a Vulcan who was just as quirky as he was. They used to spend hours after school drawing schematics for starships, prioritizing conservation and functionality. Making a friend was statistically impossible at this point. How would he find someone able to tolerate his stoic nature while connecting with his quirky and curious nature.
It was hopeless, he was just destined to be alone. Destiny was illogical, and yet it was the only explanation. Unless Spock was just unlikeable and it was entirely his fault.
Three of the four walls of Spock’s office were entirely made of glass and offered a great view of the city. From this height, Spock felt so distant from the city. Far from home and far from the world, he stood overlooking the buildings, wanting so much to be a part of the life that existed on the ground. But how could he?
Somehow it had gotten dark and when Spock checked the chronometer, the time read 2301. The impulse to continue work into the morning and take a nap on the couch for an hour was a strong one, but he forced himself away from the monitor and gathered his things for the day along with his coat. It wasn’t even cold out seeing as it was late April, but he was from a desert planet and hadn’t quite adjusted to the colder temperatures.
He’d almost forgotten that he sent his receptionist home earlier(he almost always did considering she had a newborn at home) and went about his way into the elevator, pressing the ground floor button. He walking down the dark corridors, because the lights were motion-sensored and almost everybody had left, through the lobby, and out the doors of the Vulcan Embassy of Terra(the VET).
Even though it was nearly midnight, the city was still alive with bright neon signs and the shine of street lamps. Cities on Vulcan operated the same way, though they were cleaner and more energy efficient. Instead of taking a cab and having to converse with a driver, he just decided to walk the mile to his apartment.
For some reason, the garish light was bothering him and he turned through a dark alleyway to escape the piercing brightness. His home was only a couple of blocks away and this divergence was actually faster.
The only problem was the strange wetness of the asphalt as he walked down the dark alleyway and for a second, he thought his shoes splashed a puddle(a puddle of what exactly he’d rather not know). There were huge dumpsters that reeked of rotted food, and paired with the spring heat, were just cooking there in the alleyway. Spock tried not to recoil at the stench and was so occupied by the putrid smell he almost didn’t notice the figure lounged against the wall at the end of the alley.
Spock nearly made it out of the alley when a soft, sultry voice stopped him.
“Hey baby, are you new in town?”
If Spock were human, he would’ve jumped out of his skin. Luckily, he just turned sharply, ready to fight off anyone who wanted to steal his credits. Amanda had warned him not to trust humans so openly, but then again she was a worrying little hen.
The man who’d spoken was partially hidden in the shadows, but the way he was leaning against the wall showed his legs which were…mostly bare. The jean shorts the man was wearing were ripped on the sides, revealing even more skin, and the shorts-shorts hugged his figure very well. He also had a little bag slung around his shoulder. The sleeveless red tank-top the guy was wearing had deep cuts for the arms so big, they revealed all of his sides. And to top it off, Spock was pretty sure the guy was wearing a thong. Nothing wrong with that of course, Amanda had also warned Spock about the way other species tended to dress.
“I am, yes,” Spock said evenly, still trying to process the logic behind wearing a shirt that did nothing. Why wear a shirt at all-
“Maybe I can give you a tour,” The man smiled, and his smile was beautiful and attractive. “I know my way around here like the back of my hand.”
The man stepped into the light and Spock realized that everything about the man was beautiful. His hair was golden, his cheeks angular but not sharp, and his eyes. His eyes were bluer than any sea, any ocean. They were enchanting.
“What do you say? I could make this a night you’d never forget, baby.” The enchanting man took another step forward, only a few inches away from Spock now. He smelled like cheap cologne that would’ve been nice if it wasn’t so potent.
“I am not an infant,” Spock answered, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. That seemed to catch the guy off guard and he let out a soft chuckle, backing up again.
“You’re a Vulcan aren’t you? I’ve heard you guys are all stoic in public but wild in private. Tell me, is it true?”
“I would not know.”
“Well you could find out. For just 300 credits, I’m yours all night. Besides, I need a place to stay.”
Spock considered this for a moment. This man did not carry any weapons(there was nowhere to hide them anyway) and he did not seem to pose a threat. There was no trace of alcohol in his breath and his eyes showed no signs of drugs. If the man tried to attack him, he was 68.9% likely to defeat him considering Vulcans being 2.62 times as strong as humans. Not to mention he didn’t have any valuable belongings in his apartment(nothing of true value anyway) considering he was still moving in.
There was something about him that was irreplaceable. If Spock were to decline and leave now, he would never forget this man whose eyes were as bright as stars.
“My apartment is down the street,” Spock nodded, beckoning the man to follow, who lit up. At this pace, they would reach his apartment in 2.73 minutes.
“So, have you done this before?” The man asked after a moment, practically skipping alongside Spock. He seemed to possess a great amount of energy.
“Pardon?” Spock asked lightly. Humans were so complicated, perhaps this was a good opportunity to study behavior.
“Picked up a stranger?”
The Vulcan nodded. “It is how I met my closest childhood friend.”
He was in a hovercar coming home from school when he saw a Vulcan child, Virek, waiting for public transit by himself. He had offered him a ride home and they had been close ever since.
“Since childh --wow,” The human gasped. “Well, you’re my first Vulcan.”
“I hope I will not be the last you know,” Spock looked at him warmly. “It is good to acquaint oneself with a diverse group of people.”
The human just raised his eyebrows. “Oh yeah?”
Something about the heat in that man’s gaze made Spock’s reply falter. Thankfully, they had made it to his apartment building, which was polished with golden doors accompanied with doormen and valet. The doormen gave his human acquaintance strange looks and Spock could feel the human lean against him.
“I can’t believe you live here,” The man whispered as Spock waved to the man in the lobby, who waved back. “You must be so rich.”
“It is my father’s apartment,” Spock said quickly, which was a half-truth.
“What do you do for a living?” The human asked and when they entered the elevator, he visibly relaxed. Spock tried not to think about how the human’s side was pressed against his. It was the most contact he’d had in a while. The Vulcan pressed his fingerprint against the pad, then typed in his code.
Spock didn’t want to lie, but he had gotten quite attached to this human he’d met on the street ten minutes ago. “I am an intern at the Vulcan embassy.”
If interns had offices and receptionists.
“Ah cool,” The human smiled.
Spock remembered he had to return the conversation and it was polite to ask questions. “What do you do?”
The human blinked, just staring at him oddly. “I’m a student at Starfleet academy.”
“That is very interesting. What are you studying?”
The human seemed to brighten as if no one had ever asked him that before. “I’m on the command track.”
“Fascinating.”
The doors of the elevator opened right into Spock’s apartment. It was the penthouse suite, with two walls made of entire glass, angular monochromatic colors, and simplistic furnishings. With the little decoration, it felt a little cold and lifeless.
“Wow,” The human said next to him, stepping out of the elevator with wonder swelling in his ocean-like eyes. “I can’t believe you live here.”
“Yes well, it is in need of a warm touch,” Spock managed with nothing short of a sigh. He remembered his manners just in time and turned to the human. “Would you like something to eat?”
The human smiled seductively. “Oh I could eat.”
“Good, I will prepare spaghetti,” Spock turned right into the full kitchen, rifling through the cupboard for a box of angel hair. With the creation of replicators, actual food became less common on Earth and more expensive. It was just easier to use the replicator even though it may not taste authentic. Having grown up on Vulcan, Spock valued agriculture and homegrown food. He had never had food from the replicator.
“You’re not going to replicate something?” The human looked confused and stood in the living room awkwardly as if he didn’t want to sit down on the white couches.
“I prefer real food,” Spock said over his shoulder, filling a pot with water. “Would you like to shower?”
“I--sure. I don’t have to shower alone though,” The human stalked over to the kitchen, resting his elbows on the island counter that separated him and Spock.
Spock froze from where he had opened the fridge to look back at the human. “Why would you not shower alone?”
“Oh uh nevermind. Yeah I’ll shower,” The human gave him another odd look.
“Very well. The bathroom is up the stairs, first door on the left. There are fresh towels in the cabinet, as well as other toiletries if needed.”
The blond’s eyes were impossibly wide as he stood there before nodding and going off. It was like that even after he came out of the shower wearing the same clothes and when they ate at the dining table.
“I have just realized I did not ask your name,” Spock had said.
“Call me whatever you want,” The human winked. “Friends call me Red.”
“I am Spock.”
And throughout the night, the human would just stare at him expectantly, waiting for something to happen. What did he want? Was he being a bad host?
The Vulcan could feel eyes on his back as he scrubbed at the plates. The human was sitting on the other side of the counter, cradling the lemonade Spock had offered him.
“So are we going to do it?”
Spock set down the clean plate on the drying rack, setting the cloth to hang on the faucet. He turned to look at the human who was just staring at him expectantly again.
“To what are you referring?”
“Oh don’t play coy,” The blond scoffed, rolling his eyes. He actually looked nervous. Spock just observed him blankly, and when he didn’t answer, the human sighed. “I thought we made a deal in the alleyway.”
“Yes.”
“So??”
The Vulcan opened his mouth, then closed it again. “I do not understand.”
“Spock, I’m a prostitute,” The blond squirmed uncomfortably.
He was not familiar with the word. “A prost-”
“A sex worker. You pay for my time.”
“Oh.”
“What did you think I was?” Now Red looked really uncomfortable.
“I assumed you needed a place to stay,” Spock offered, hoping to lighten the mood.
“Look,” The blond pushed himself out of the chair, gathering his things. “I should go. I don’t want to cause trouble. Clearly things have been misinterpreted-”
“Wait,” Spock said a little too quickly. Almost before he could stop himself. “Do you have somewhere to go?”
“I--I’ll find a place,” The human offered half-heartedly.
“Will you at least stay the night? I have a guest bedroom.”
“I don’t want to be trouble-”
“You would be no trouble at all.”
And Red agreed after a moment. He was pretty tired, so they both went right to bed. The human practically screamed when he saw the guest bedroom and Spock had to admit it was a pleasing sound. The way those blue eyes lit up like stars was an incomparable sight.
“Goodnight, Red.”
“Goodnight, Spock,” The human was already under the covers, and Spock closed the door quietly, smiling just a tiny bit but no one saw it of course.
Red’s bag was still in the kitchen, and Spock transferred 3000 credits to his PADD.
His time was very valuable after all.