Decade 1
_**A/N: I'd like to thank TalonRider for his hard and perceptive work throughout editing this chapter. Thank you!
I'd also like to thank CJ, Dargon and Librent for their exceptional skill and sound suggestions when beta reading this chapter. Thanks guys!
**_
**A Vulcan's Love: Decade
**-By Emulated
Part I
The year was 2383. Around two years had passed since Starfleet battled against the Romulan terrorist cell, and for the most part, the Alpha Quadrant was at peace. Sure there was the odd engagement or a slight misunderstanding that would lead to a small firefight, but nothing that wasn’t easily resolved.
I myself was very satisfied during that period. Shortly after having dealt with said terrorist cell, the Titan’s mission became one of peaceful exploration. This of course led to my qualities as an Astrophysicist being expanded and improved upon at every star system we came across. It finally gave me a chance to do exactly what I had always wanted: to explore the galaxy and unravel its secrets.
But beyond all of that, beyond Starfleet, I still had the best discovery in existence all to myself. Lieutenant T’Luk, my perfect partner and soul mate. If anything, those two years brought us together in ways I could never have dreamed of.
But it was the following years that were really special...they would forever hold a place close to my heart…
*
USS Titan
I watched as he leant over, gently kissed her cheek and pulled back. Looking up at him through dark brown eyes, a light pink hue tinged her face as she bit her bottom lip.
“I’ll see you tomorrow?” He asked hopefully.
She smiled, giggling softly, “Of course.”
He hovered there for a moment, “Goodnight, Laia.”
“Goodnight, H’Jan.”
She then turned and entered her quarters, the door sliding shut behind her. H’Jan stood there, watching the door, before he turned around, a huge grin on his face until he noticed me standing further down the corridor.
“Kai?”
I headed over, “H’Jan.”
“What are you doing here?”
“Heading to Astrometrics...” I spoke as I stood before him, tapping his chest gently, “What are you doing here?”
That same pink hue appeared on his face, “Just...uh...” He noticed my expression and cocked his head. “How much did you see?”
“Enough.” I grinned, trying to remain calm.
He sighed, “You want to hear everything don’t you?”
I threw an arm around his shoulders, pulling him in the direction I was heading, “Not everything...just stuff like, why the hell haven’t you told me about her before?”
“I just...I don’t know. I didn’t think that anything would happen. I asked her out to the holodeck...she said yes and-”
“Now you’re dropping her off to her quarters after a fantastic evening.” I concluded.
“Right.”
I squeezed his shoulder, “The perfect gentleman.”
“I thought you’d say that.”
“It’s true.” I stopped walking, “And I’m really happy for you, Mate. I hope this one works out well for you. Both of you.”
He laughed, “You make it sound like I’ve had terrible luck.”
“Not terrible luck...just not many people.”
He held up his hands, “What can I say? An engineer’s life is a lonely one.”
“Try saying that to Commander Librescu. Both of them.”
He laughed again, “Very true...” He paused for a moment, “I like Laia, she’s a really nice person, you know?”
“She did look quite nice. Very good-looking too.” I replied, recalling my image of the Bajoran.
“Oh, she is! She’s very smart as well!” He smiled, his head nodding quickly, “You should’ve seen us earlier Kai. We were realigning the dilithium matrix and wow, some of her ideas were sound!”
I smiled at him. It wasn’t often that H’Jan dated someone. Not because of who he was, as I’d often told him that he could have anyone he wanted, but rather that he was very enriched in his work. That wasn’t a bad thing at all. Being as young as we were, our careers were very important to us back then. If H’Jan preferred to be single during that time, I certainly had no qualms about it.
But it was his small display of enthusiasm in the corridor about Laia that really got me excited. Perhaps he had found someone he could relate to- a fellow engineer no less. I wasn’t sure, but I was happy for the guy. He deserved everything special that headed his way.
It didn’t take us much longer before we found ourselves entering Astrometrics. It was early evening on board Titan, and I was just going to get T’Luk when I bumped into H’Jan in the first place. I stifled another yawn as my eyes roamed the room. T’Luk was sitting there at his console, slowly sipping a drink as he looked down at his display. We headed over towards him.
H’Jan tapped my arm, “Hey, are you two all packed for your little get away?”
“Yep. We’re all packed. Ready to beam down tomorrow.”
The Titan had just finished an assignment in the Beta Quadrant that lasted a little under two months. Fortunately for us, that involved many opportunities for exploring regions of space that had only been scanned from a distance. While we didn’t come across any intelligent life, there were a couple of M-class planets that were sustaining a living ecosystem.
Anyway, once we had finished that assignment, the Titan headed back to Earth, mostly to let the crew have a bit of shore leave while the ship could get restocked and any repairs/upgrades could be completed.
T’Luk noticed us and stood up, “I have almost finished.” He began, walking past us over to one of the consoles aligning the sides of the room, “I will only be a moment.”
“That’s fine.” I replied, watching him go about, before focusing on H’Jan, “Are you going to be spending some time with Laia during your week off?”
“I think so. She is on shore leave too.”
“Perhaps you could show her off to your buddies up at Lake Armstrong.” I suggested, earning a light punch to my arm.
“She’s not a toy, Kai!”
“Indeed.” Spoke T’Luk as he stood before us, “Laia is quite an abled engineer.”
H’Jan faced him, “You know her?”
T’Luk nodded, “She has assisted me many times during my visits to Main Engineering. A very outgoing person.” He replied, “Are you…romantically involved with her?”
H’Jan shrugged.
“What?!” I called out, “You just had a date with her on the holodeck! I’d call that romantically involved, H’Jan!”
The Trill pointed at me, looking at T’Luk, “I don’t know how you deal with him sometimes.”
“Kai behaves well around me.” Remarked the Vulcan.
I rolled my eyes at them.
H’Jan focused on him, “Kai was telling me you have everything all set to beam down tomorrow morning.”
“Yes. We will be departing the ship at an early hour so we packed our things this morning.” He spoke, “When are you beaming down to Chicago?”
“Not until later in the day. The time difference isn’t too bad in my case.” He paused, “Well, I’ll let you guys get off then and have an early night.”
“Sure.” I smiled, “We should meet up sometime.”
He ever so briefly glanced at T’Luk, and then back to me, “Sounds good.”
“Great, we’ll see you soon then.”
“Sure thing, Guys.” He waved, as he headed over to the doors, “See you later.”
“Bye.” I called out, before the doors closed behind him.
We were silent for a few seconds until T’Luk spoke, “We should go to bed soon if you are to get up early, Kai.”
I sighed, “You Vulcan’s have it so easy.” I replied, making reference to him not needing to sleep as much as I did.
“I will sleep too.” He replied, as if to sweeten the deal.
I smiled and flicked my head towards the door, “Come on then, let’s go.”
About half an hour later, after T’Luk and I had eaten a small meal, we climbed into our bed. While I had been sharing a bed with him for just over two years, every time felt as magical as the first. We shut off the light as I shifted backwards. T’Luk wrapped his arm around me and held me close. A few minutes of listening to his rhythmic breathing was all it took before I was fast asleep.
*
“Sleep well?” Asked a grinning Alexis Cauchon.
I put my drink down on the table and took a seat opposite him, facing towards the large windows in the mess, watching the stars streaking past. I nodded and gave a smile of my own, “Yep, I did. You?” I asked, before being overcome by a yawn, causing Alex to laugh.
“Yeah, you look well-rested.” He smiled, “I slept well, thanks. Where’s T’Luk?”
“He’s preparing the shuttlecraft for us.” I replied, “I assume Trey is with him.”
Shaking his head, Alex let out a small laugh, “He’s in the shower. He got up late.”
I nodded. While that was nothing new, as Trey was usually against getting up at unspeakable hours, I couldn’t blame him. Glancing across at a console built into a nearby replicator, I caught the time, 02:29. As the time onboard the Titan was synchronised with San Francisco, we had to get up at an early hour if we were to spend the whole day in our respective countries of England and France. I’d asked Alex out right a few days before about his plans with Trey. During their week of shore leave, they were to spend two days of that in France, visiting Alex’s parents, two days in Ohio, spending time with Trey’s parents, and finally they would spend the rest of their leave together in Kenya, wanting to see some of the wildlife native to that region.
“I’m sure you will both have a fun time.” I said, “Be sure to take some photos.”
“Mmm, we will.” He replied, before his eyes took on a devilish gleam, “And you take some photos of whatever you end up doing.” He spoke, “Unless T’Luk is planning on keeping you inside a bedroom for the next week. In which case, keep the pictures. I’d rather hear the gritty details.”
I loved Alex. It was weird to describe, but we shared this sort of bond. Very different to the one I shared with T’Luk, the bond with Alex transversed that of a typical friendship. Although we had never been together sexually, and never intended to be, neither of us had any reservations about being close physically.
T’Luk and Trey were both aware of the type of relationship that we had and if anything they celebrated it, happy that we each had someone who we could be that close with outside of our romantic and intimate lives. With this in mind, Alex was also an amazing and loyal friend. And with the both of us having a male partner, our moments alone together often lead to some interesting conversations to say the least.
Bringing myself back to the present, I smiled, “Sure…I’ll tell you all about it.”
In reality, T’Luk and I didn’t have a lot planned. We did want to spend some time at my home to see my parents, and then some time in London, perhaps visit some other countries while we were on Earth, but our schedules were mostly open. I preferred this, as the last thing I wanted was to have a list of things that had to be done. All I wanted was some time to relax, with T’Luk, my family, and our friends.
“T’Luk to Lieutenant Taylor.” Came that sexy voice through my combadge.
I tapped on it, “Taylor here.”
“Kai, our pre-flight checks have been completed and our luggage stowed away. We are ready to depart whenever you are ready.”
I raised an eyebrow at his efficiency, “Alex is here in the mess with me, and Trey should be along shortly.” I replied, noting Alex nod in agreement, “Do you want to come down and grab something to eat now while we wait?”
“I am fine at the moment. I will remain here with the shuttlecraft and keep it powered up.”
“Okay, I’ll be up there in a few minutes. Taylor out.” I finished, tapping my badge again. I shot a look at Alex, “Ask Trey if he’s almost ready.”
He giggled, “I’ve been trying. I don’t think he’s reading my mind at the moment.”
“That makes a change.”
“He probably knows I’m talking to you. He doesn’t like to intrude on our conversations.”
“Or so he says.”
I heard the doors to the mess open and in stepped a fresh looking Trey. He headed over and narrowed his eyes at me, “Or so who says?”
I looked at Alex, “So he was listening.”
“I only listen when Alex wants me to,” he replied, massaging Alex’s shoulders gently.
“How are you babe?” Moaned Alex softly.
Trey stared down at Alex’s blond head, no doubt communicating telepathically.
“Hey, it’s too early for those kind of thoughts, Trey.” I warned, looking at him.
“I think it’s too early for those kinds of thoughts.” He laughed, “But, ok, I’ll behave…for the moment.”
“Good. Are you two ready to head to the shuttle bay?”
“Yep.” Smiled Trey, “I have all our stuff ready in our quarters. I can pick it up on the way.”
“Ok,” began Alex, standing up, “Let’s get going.”
Several-minutes later, and the four of us were onboard the shuttlecraft, sealing the door and getting ready to depart. T’Luk, while having gotten the shuttle ready for flight, allowed Alex to take the helm. Trey sat next to him at the front, with T’Luk and myself sitting behind them.
“Sit back and relax, Alexis. I’ll take care of this one.” Remarked Trey, his fingers flying over the controls.
Alex shifted in his seat, “Oh no you don’t! I’m in command of this vessel.”
“It’s ok, I’ll fly us down there.” Continued Trey.
“Wait, I thought we agreed last night that I would take the helm.”
Trey frowned, “A lot happened last night…” He began, noticing T’Luk raising an eyebrow, “No, I’m not talking about that, I meant with packing and stuff…”
“Uh huh, sure.” Spoke Alex before he tapped his combadge, “This is shuttlecraft Zodiac, requesting clearance to depart. Flight plan has been submitted and accepted.”
A few seconds passed before someone responded, “Zodiac your departure has been granted. Have a safe trip.”
“Thank you, Titan. Zodiac out.”
Trey flopped back against his seat, folding his arms comically, “Fine, you can fly us down there.”
Alex grinned at him, “Thank you.”
I leant over to T’Luk, “Next time we’ll take the transporter.”
“Indeed.”
*
We landed outside my home in England at 02:52 hours, or rather, 10:52 local time. Alex and Trey, still in the shuttlecraft, flew it down to Alex’s home in Rouen, France, before someone from Titan beamed down to fly it back up to the ship. Once they dropped us off, T’Luk and I waved a goodbye as the shuttle ascended through the air, before accelerating out of sight.
It was a beautiful day. The sun was high in the clear blue sky, and the scent of recently cut grass filled the air. Looking up at my house, I eyed the modern, two-storey structure with content, happy to be home. As we walked up the path, taking in the lush green surroundings, someone called out my name. Glancing up at my front porch, I saw Dad standing there, waving at us.
“Hi, Guys!”
“Hi, Dad!” I called back, as T’Luk and I closed the distance between us. It had been many months since I’d seen either of my parents, so I instinctively leant in and gave him a hug. “It’s great to see you, Dad.”
“You too, Kai.” He smiled, just in time for Mum to appear at the door.
“Oh, you’re here!” She called out, before rushing towards T’Luk and hugging him, “Aww, it’s so good to see you two. How are you, T’Luk?”
“I am quite well, thank you, Mary. How are you?”
“I’m fine thank you. I’m just making an early lunch.” She held up her hands, covered with a reddish liquid that wasn’t familiar until the aroma of strawberries drifted towards me. Mum quickly surveyed the back of T’Luk’s shirt, “I hope I didn’t drip anything on you, T’Luk.”
I smiled, I doubt he would’ve minded having the juices of a strawberry stuck to him, as he was still as fond of that fruit as he was the day I met him.
After we finished greeting each other at the door, my parents led us inside where we stored our belongings in my room, and then headed downstairs to eat the lunch they had made. It was a very pleasant experience, especially to savour some fresh produce, rather than something replicated. While they were similar enough in quality, they were simply imitations of the real thing.
We spent much of the early afternoon at home with my parents, before we then decided to go into our local town to eat out for dinner. We settled on an English restaurant, where the four of us had some classic Fish and Chips. As Vulcans were technically pesco-vegetarians, in that they ate seafood but no other meat, T’Luk had no problems indulging in the delicious feast.
Once we’d finished, and had a dessert, we headed back home and lounged about. Knowing that T’Luk and I had gotten little sleep the night before, my parents were understanding that we didn’t want to do too much, and would rather spend the time talking to them and relaxing at home. Therefore, I was quite surprised by what occurred in the hours following.
It was late in the evening when T’Luk announced that he wanted to take me somewhere. With the time nearing eleven o’clock, I was naturally suspicious of what he had planned.
“It is a surprise.”
I looked across at my parents sitting opposite me, but their expressions were as clueless as mine, I rose to my feet. “Ok, I’m ready.” I said, completely unaware of what he had in mind.
“We will need to get changed.” He spoke, “And we will require the Titan’s transporter.”
That certainly piqued my curiosity and pushed any thoughts of tiredness out of my system. “What should I wear?”
“I have some suitable clothing in our suitcase.”
I thought for a moment, before facing my parents, “Do you guys mind?”
“Oh, no not at all.” Remarked Mum, “Enjoy yourselves while you’re here.”
I smiled at her, “Thanks.”
Turning away from them and heading to the stairs, I followed T’Luk up to my room where he promptly unpacked one of our suitcases and rummaged through it until he found the clothes he was looking for. He pulled out two pairs of long 3/4 length shorts, handing one to me.
“Your should remove your socks too.”
I looked at him and then at the white shorts again, “Will we be getting wet?”
He paused, “There is a slight possibility.”
Once again he caused a myriad of thoughts to spin through my mind as I swiftly let my trousers drop to the floor before pulling on the shorts. Perching on the edge of my bed, I then lifted my right leg up and removed my right sock, before repeating on the left. A few seconds later and T’Luk had also finished getting himself redressed for our little excursion. Ensuring that he had his combadge with him, T’Luk led me downstairs where we bid a brief farewell to my parents, informing them that we’d be returning soon. Shortly after that, we requested a beam-out from the Titan’s computer, to which T’Luk specified the destination as ‘Kai-One’. I gave him another curious look, before he gave the final order,
“Energise.”
*
Expecting to materialise on solid ground, I was momentarily alarmed to find my feet ‘sinking’ slightly. I anxiously looked down at the ground before the realisation flowed through me as my mind came to a quick rest. Overcoming that brief moment of shock, I grinned at the feel of the warm, golden sand against my skin, watching as the small, fine grains spread between my toes.
The light crash of a wave caused me to straighten up as I looked about. A smile painted my face as I took in the sight before me. We appeared to have been beamed to a beach. To my left was a clear blue ocean, reflecting the azure of the overhead sky. To my right were a few small, white buildings, but for the most part, the area was covered with a dense growth of trees. Given the height of the sun, and the hue cast in the sky, I guessed that it was late afternoon wherever we had arrived.
“Where are we?”
“A beach...on Earth.”
I smiled, “I know that, but where?”
He remained silent and held out his hand. I looked at him quizzically, wondering why he ignored my question, before I outstretched my hand and interlaced my fingers with his. He led me forwards, our direction parallel to the coastline. I was about to ask him where we were heading when it quickly became apparent that we weren’t heading to anywhere in particular but rather just enjoying a leisurely stroll along the beach. I looked over at T’Luk and marvelled at the gesture. It was such a beautiful and considerate thing, he’d probably been thinking it over for a while at least.
Surveying my surroundings again, there were very few people on the beach. A few couples here and there, and the odd family were also present. Given their attire, it was clear that it was a holiday destination, or at the very least, somewhere where people could find escape. But overall there was not a large mass of people. It was nice, quiet, and intimate.
Tightening his grip on my hand, T’Luk slowly led me inland a little. Walking around ten metres or so further, he came to a stop. Turning around, his dark eyes came to rest on mine, “Do you recognise this place now?”
I took another moment to look about, “I don’t think so...”
“This location was where we shared our first kiss.”
I cocked my head, recalling the moment in my mind.
“On the holodeck...this is the real-world location of the showers in the changing rooms. At least, they used to be built here.”
I remembered that. It was during one of Casey’s ancient Earth sport holoprograms. We were kite surfing somewhere in the Caribbean…at least that’s what I could recall. “Where are we?”
“The island of Grenada.”
I smiled, “How did you remember?”
“I had to do some research…and ask Casey for the holoprogram.”
“It’s beautiful. Thank you for bringing me here, T’Luk.”
“You’re most welcome.”
I stood there for a second, beaming at him, before T’Luk slowly stepped closer and took my hands in his. At first I thought he was going to kiss me, but instead he stood there watching me. Everything around us seemed to fade out as his brown eyes pierced into my soul. The warmth and love radiating from his touch caressed my heart. It was just us, hovering there in a moment of euphoria and serenity. He opened his mouth and spoke to me gently,
“Two years ago you entered my life, Kai, and everything changed. You gave me friendship and companionship. You showed me love, and you expressed that love with me. You let me experience things that Vulcans cannot even dream of…With you I am complete.”
I stared at him, my eyes filling with tears as he reached into his pocket, producing a small white box. He stood there for a second, before slowly lowering down. And then he was looking up at me with one knee in the sand.
“I love you, Kai. You are my heart, my everything…” He opened the box, displaying the jewel inside, “Kai Ryan Taylor, will you marry me?”
My heart exploded in my chest and my mind spun wildly. With my mouth agape and my eyes locked on his, I found myself muttering a single word, “Yes.”
Rising off the ground, T’Luk again took my hands in his, and kissed me softly. Pulling back, I inhaled and breathed steadily for what seemed the first time in hours. He looked down at my trembling hands, taking hold of my left one and asking me to spread my fingers. He took the ring and slowly pushed it down on my finger. A perfect fit. Sharing a look of pure love, I leant in and kissed him gently. “I love you T’Luk.”
“I love you too, Kai.”
Overcome with emotion, I threw my arms around him as tears leaked from my eyes. We held each other for a few moments, before I pulled back, focused on his face, and leant in to give him a proper kiss. His soft and tender lips parted slightly as the passion increased. Briefly tasting him, the kiss was over soon after it started, aware of us being in public.
T’Luk reached out, taking my right hand, and then tugged me further along the beach. Flashing him a toothy grin, I giddily followed him across the sand. As we walked in silence, I just couldn’t remove that smile from my face, neither did I want to. I looked across and watched as he moved with such grace. My heart squeezed again, reminding me how lucky I was that I found him, not only that, but coupled with the ring on my finger and I was on top of the world.
After a few minutes of walking further, he led us towards what seemed to be a hotel, set back before the beach and partially embedded in the green of the trees.
“Where are we going?”
“In here.” He replied, “We have a room booked.”
“We do?”
“Indeed.”
“What about Mum and Dad?”
“They are aware of our arrangements.” He paused, “But no one is aware of the occasion.”
It was quite a low building, and as we entered inside, it became apparent that it was only the reception. The rooms must have been located behind it. After a quick chat with one of the reception staff, we were shown to our room, or rather, our little section of seclusion. All the rooms appeared to be in their own free-standing structures, but all built and laid out in such a manner that kept them out of eyesight and earshot of each other. Approaching the door of our room, I eyed the outside veranda area that was solely for our use, as was the small swimming pool that was there. Given the level of privacy offered through the use of trees and unobtrusive fences, had T’Luk and I wanted to bathe naked, we’d have had no problems doing so.
Entering the structure that belonged to us, we were met by a beautiful contemporary design to the place, which was heavily accented with wood. Many of the fixtures were possibly from local origin, or replicated to give that look and feel. Exploring the generous sized building further it was clear that it was more than one room, but rather a small bungalow. There was a lounge, a bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom. It was larger than the quarters we had on the Titan, yet it still retained a cosy ambience to the place.
Upon entering the bedroom, I was somewhat surprised to see our suitcases over to one side. Seemingly T’Luk had ensured that they were to be beamed there as we beamed to the beach. Either way, we had everything we’d need for at least a week alone together. The double bed was large and inviting, with the dark red cover oozing romance. Glancing across at T’Luk, it was clear we’d be spending an appropriate amount of time in between those sheets together. Watching him further, as he washed the sand from his feet in the shower - a water powered shower - I shed off my clothes and strolled into the bathroom.
I’d already washed myself when we came into the room so I stood there, leaning against the doorframe as he dried himself. He looked up in the mirror and saw me standing there nude. He turned around and scanned my body with his eyes.
“I love you, T’Luk.”
“I love you too, Kai.”
He walked over to me and stared into my eyes. I reached down with my hands and hooked my fingers around the hem of his shirt. He raised his arms and let me pull it over his head, revealing his tanned, toned goodness underneath. Dropping his shirt to the floor, I then knelt down, undone the waistband of his trousers, and pulled them to the floor, along with his underwear. He stepped out of them as I straightened up, back at eye level.
I took a moment to examine the ring on my finger. It was a true work of art. It looked like gold, yet it was somewhat darker in colour. And there were several gems embedded in the top. Their colour was similar to that of latinum in liquid form, in fact, I was certain that it was latinum, yet it was suspended within a clear gem.
“It is from Vulcan.”
I looked up at him, “Oh?”
He nodded, “The shop I procured it from is known for its unique designs.”
“What are the gems?”
“They are diamonds from Earth. There is latinum suspended inside them. The gold is from Vulcan.”
“It’s so beautiful.” I remarked, “Thank you so much.”
“You are most welcome.”
A grin broke out onto my face, before shaking my head slightly.
T’Luk’s hand caressed my cheek, “What?”
I gripped his hand, “I…I’m still in shock. I never expected…”
“The time is right.” He replied, his eyes meeting me, “I want you to be my Husband.”
“And I want you to be mine.”
He stepped closer, pressing our nude bodies together and leant forwards, resting his forehead on mine. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
*
Waking up in T’Luk’s arms didn’t feel any different to how things usually did, at first that is, before I regained more consciousness and began to recall events from the day before, most importantly the events explaining the ring on my finger. T’Luk shifted against me as he planted a kiss on my shoulder.
“Good morning.” He rasped in my ear.
I moaned in response as I shuffled backwards against him. I was so happy and content in that moment that nothing could have disturbed me. It was perfect, and I didn’t want to move.
We remained in bed a while longer, T’Luk gently kissing me from time to time, before we decided to get up. Noting how we were in seclusion, we didn’t bother to put on any clothes. In fact, we remained naked for much of the day.
Sitting opposite him at breakfast, a breakfast that he had made for us, he began to tell me about the evening arrangements that he had planned.
“Arrangements?” I asked, “Like an engagement party?”
“No.” He replied, “I did not think you would like an engagement party.”
I smiled, “You’re right. So what do you have planned?”
“Dinner. I have booked a table in a nearby restaurant for us, and the guys.”
I giggled at his use of ‘the guys’, before frowning, “So they all knew about this?”
“They only know about the dinner, however I told them not to tell you.”
“Oh, I was wondering how I didn’t know.” I paused, “They must have suspected something.”
He raised an eyebrow, “Perhaps, but I am sure there will be some questions when they see the ring.” He spoke, nodding towards the golden object that I was touching absentmindedly.
I looked down at the sacred item, grinning, “Yeah, I bet they’ll be surprised too.”
After finishing our breakfast, we headed out onto the veranda before going into the pool. It was quite an exhilarating experience to be swimming naked outdoors. While I’d swam naked before in our pool at home, it was quite interesting to look up at the sky, or hear the birds chirping in the tree as I swam a few lengths with T’Luk.
We pretty much spent our day alone together, opting to replicate our lunch rather than eat out. It was nice, tranquil, and just a genuine pleasure to not have to worry about work or the busy life of living onboard a starship brings.
At six o’clock, T’Luk and I finally put on some clothes for the first time in almost twenty-four hours, and got ourselves ready to go out to the restaurant. While I loved having a wet shower, it did cause my hair to revert back to its natural curly state. Fortunately, thanks to the wonders of modern technology, notably some hair straighteners, it wasn’t something that plagued me for longer than a few seconds.
After we checked each other over, ensuring that we both looked good, we stepped out of our room and headed to a road that led to the local town where the restaurant that T’Luk had booked was located. It wasn’t an especially long walk, perhaps around ten to fifteen minutes, but it was a nice one. From the route we took you could see the sea and beach on our right, with some homes on our left. I imagined that it would’ve been quite the treat to have lived there, waking up to such a beautiful view every morning.
A few minutes later and we reached the restaurant, already finding H’Jan and Laia sitting on a nearby bench.
I gave T’Luk a sideways glance, “Are we late?”
“No. They appear to be early.”
They both stood up when they saw us heading over. “Hey guys!” Greeted H’Jan.
“Hi!” I replied, reaching out and shaking his hand, careful to keep my left hand out of sight.
H’Jan then stepped back and gestured to Laia, “Guys, I’d like you to meet Laia, Laia, these are my friends, Kai and T’Luk.”
She reached out with her hand, “It’s nice to meet you both. I hope you don’t mind me coming along.”
“Of course not, it’s good to meet you.”
We made small talk for a few minutes, nothing serious just stuff like asking H’Jan how he was spending his time in America while on vacation, but it did give us an opportunity to speak to Laia and really begin to gauge what kind of person she was. While it was too early to define her, she really did give a very good first impression.
Hearing some familiar voices behind me, I turned around to see Alex, Trey, and Laura heading towards us. We quickly greeted them as well, with H’Jan introducing them to Laia and vice-versa. However, when it came to Trey shaking my hand, he pulled me into a hug and placed his mouth near my ear.
“I could sense your excitement a light-year away. You’re lucky I’m a good betazoid who isn’t searching your mind for the reason why.” He whispered.
I pulled back and gave him a wink, “Thanks. I think.”
“No problem.” He smiled, patting my shoulder as he stood next to me, leaning in again, “Nice ring, by the way.”
Instinctively I hid my hand from him further, causing him to laugh. I shook my head, “I thought you said you were a good Betazoid.”
He winked at me, “I have eyes too.”
Casey arrived a few minutes later with his girlfriend, Julie. It was a little odd at first, weird even when Casey and Laura told us that they were no longer dating. They always seemed to get on so well. They ended the relationship but not their friendship. That meant the most to us, as it would have been impossible for us to have chosen between the two. But Julie seemed nice. She worked in the mess onboard the Titan as one of the ship’s many chefs. Apparently they met because Casey was unhappy with the way she cooked his steak. But as soon as he laid eyes on the petite brunette human, his tone quickly changed. That was about three months ago, and they’d been together since.
With everyone having arrived, we entered the restaurant and were seated to our table. They decided to seat outside on their patio, right next to the beach overlooking the sea. It was gorgeous.
At first T’Luk and I kept everything quiet, but once everyone was settled, and the food ordered, we stood up, grabbing their attention, “Guys, we have something to share.” I began, looking over at T’Luk.
“I asked Kai to marry me.” He spoke.
“What?”
“Wow!”
“Really?”
“What did you say?” Asked Alex, struggling to contain himself.
“Yes! Of course.” I smiled, holding up my left hand, showing the jewel to them.
The following five-minutes comprised of everyone rushing over, congratulating us, hugging us, shaking our hands, looking at the ring…It was a fantastic feeling, knowing how they all celebrated our special relationship.
The food came shortly after, and the meals were huge to say the least! My plate of half a spit roast chicken with fries and a salad was massive. T’Luk’s plate of Nular, a somewhat ‘spicy’ vegetable from Trill, was equally as large. Looking around the table, everyone seemed to be enjoying decent-sized meals.
Of course, that wouldn’t have mattered if the food was bad, but it all tasted great. Casey was quick to tell us that the steak that he was biting into was delicious, as was Trey and his ‘incredible’ haddock.
Our conversation touched on many topics, whether it was telling Laia or Julie embarrassing stories about H’Jan and Casey, or how Alex used to use the computer to translate his voice to ‘save us’ from his accent. T’Luk and I didn’t escape this either, with Casey opting to remind everyone of how we first met.
“So we were walking out of the holodeck and teasing Kai about some hologram on there that he was checking out.” Began Casey, looking at Julie. Seemingly she hadn’t been told about that story.
Alex nodded, “Blake.”
“Huh?”
“The hologram, his name was Blake.”
“You seem quite certain about that, Alexis.” Noted Trey, as he focused on Alex. I watched them closely, seemingly in some telepathic exchange, before Alex bit his bottom lip and blushed lightly. Trey’s smile widened, “No way! You serious?”
“Shhhh!” Alex warned, but everyone was already focused on him.
“Why don’t you tell them, Alexis?”
The blond human shook his head madly, “Nope.”
I leant over, “What? Did you do something with Blake?”
H’Jan looked over, “Tell us, Alex!”
Finally after being pushed a little further, Alex confirmed what we were all thinking, “Okay, I might have made out with Blake once.”
“And…” Smiled Trey.
Alex sighed, “I went back to his house.” He shot us a look, “And that’s ALL I’m saying.”
“I think you’ve said enough.” Spoke Laura, causing laughter to erupt around the table. Alex ignored us, picking up one of his ketchup-covered fries and munching on it slowly.
Trey leant over and kissed his cheek, “I still love you…even if you have a bad taste in holographic characters.”
“Come on!” I spoke up, “He wasn’t that bad looking.”
Alex shot me a ‘thank you Kai’ look for taking the heat off him, but it didn’t do me any favours as they instantly began to resume the story of how I met T’Luk, or how I wouldn’t stop ogling him.
“It is true.” Noted T’Luk, “Kai could not take his eyes off me.”
I gasped at him as everyone laughed, Laia especially as she was not expecting such a comment from a Vulcan. Leaning across, I placed my mouth to his pointed ear, “I’m going to get you back for that later.”
“I look forward to it.” He teased, before winking at me!
That Vulcan had no limits.
About an hour later, once we’d finished our desserts, well, those of us eating desserts, we left the restaurant after thanking the owners for a fantastic meal, and then headed down to the beach. We set up a few towels on the sand and sat down. The sun was starting to set, and everyone was starting to get a lot more relaxed. Casey was almost certainly going to wake up with a hangover the following morning, and T’Luk would have been in a real state had a human drank the amount of wine he consumed. But the rest of us stuck to synthehol, deciding it was a happy medium.
A short while later, Alex wandered over to me with an outstretched hand. I reached out and gripped it as he pulled me to my feet. He then tugged me down towards the sea. We were both still dressed so I didn’t think he was going to go for a swim, a fact made clear when he stopped once the surf gently lapped at our feet. Once there he extended his arms, and wrapped them around me, hugging me tightly. He held the touch before he pulled back and kissed both my cheeks, “I’m so happy for you Kai, for both of you.”
“Thank you, Alex.”
He smiled, took my hand, and we walked across the sea front, “You two really are made for each other.”
Looking up the beach, I caught sight of my pointed-ear beauty, “Yeah, yeah we are.” I glanced over at Alex, “Now you have to marry your Prince.”
“I guess I’ll just have to catch your bouquet then.”
I laughed, “I’d better throw it then. There might not be much left if I let T’Luk do it.”
“You throw it and I’ll catch it.”
I watched him closely, seeing the small smile on his face. I pulled him close and kissed his blond head, “You’re such a treasure, Alex.”
*
Sitting in my lounge at home, I watched on as the scene before me began to unfold. While they had met several times before, it still felt a little odd having them together. T’Luk’s parents, T’Kal and Volak, had arrived earlier in the day. This was of course an extension to T’Luk’s surprise, one that he seemingly shared with my parents, as they seemed to be expecting the enlightened guests.
T’Luk and I were quite fortunate to have been born to some very special parents. Not only were they both outgoing towards us, but they were equally as cordial with each other. Being in an interspecies relationship, specifically that of a Human and Vulcan, we weren’t quite sure what to expect from a union of the two couples. But true to their kind natures, they all got along just fine.
It was the day following our gathering at the restaurant in Grenada. T’Luk hadn’t told me about our plans to go to my home until early that morning. Of course it made sense, as we had to tell my parents what happened, but I was very surprised to find his parents there too. So after a brief greeting, we told them the news. To say my parents were ecstatic would be an understatement, and T’Luk’s… well, they managed to contain themselves, although they both seemed to be as equally thrilled in their own way.
After the big announcement, they asked us a few questions, notably if we’d discussed any early plans for the wedding. T’Luk and I had actually shared a few small words, mostly the desire to get married as soon as possible. We’d been together for over two years, and from the way we were around each other, it was clear that it wasn’t going to end anytime soon. So with that in mind, over the next few weeks and months, T’Luk and I set about beginning to plan the wedding.
While the process of planning a wedding could be seen as an easy one, I was instantly astounded when I found out how much really had to be thought about. It wasn’t just a simple question of the venue, the guests and the dining arrangements, no, there was a lot that needed our attention.
Fortunately, my headaches were minimised thanks largely to my then Husband-to-be and his mastery of logic. Clearly having thought about the wedding itself for a while before proposing, T’Luk quickly set about making a plan…of the planning. He made a note of all the things we needed to do, a checklist of tasks, and put them in order of priority. To say he was on top of everything wouldn’t have done him justice. He really was making it our wedding.
But before we even thought about specifics, one thing that kept running through my mind was the fact that we were an interspecies couple. Namely that of two very different cultures. After speaking to T’Luk, who agreed with me fully, we had decided on having two ceremonies: one on Earth and one on Vulcan. That idea was met with support from both our families, and our friends, who soon made it clear that they all wanted to help out in any way that they could.
T’Luk and I took them up on that offer, especially after debating on a date for the wedding. We soon realised that it would be much easier if we had the wedding on Vulcan in the winter, which was around October on Earth. Vulcan, while always very hot compared to Earth, was relatively cooler in its winter season. Seeing as there would be a large variety of species there, it made sense to hold it then, where the temperature would be more bearable. This did, however cause a few problems. Notably Vulcan only has its winter every year and a half. As we were in February, we could either have waited twenty-six months, or had the wedding later that same year in October, eight months away. Our conversation lasted all of thirty-seconds, and we decided that we would go ahead with October that year.
So tasked with planning one wedding, two ceremonies, both eight months away, T’Luk and I started to get things done. It was a long and sometimes arduous process, but the outcome was well worth the effort. Just looking at T’Luk, or the ring on my finger instantly made me smile, imagining the day when we’d be together as a married couple…
Thank you for reading Part One of A Vulcan's Love: Decade. I hope you enjoyed it.
Any comments and constructive criticisms are greatly appreciated.
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Each part also has a short analysis, which will be available on my blog later this week.
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Thanks again!
Emulated