FIC: Prompt Response: Star Trek (Reboot)/Labyrinth (Part 16)
Title: I Can Never Remember That Line: Part 16
Author: 3988akasha
Fandom: Star Trek (Reboot)/Labyrinth
Pairing: Spock/Kirk
Warning: None
Ratings: R
Spoilers: 2009 Movie & 1986 Labyrinth
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these ideas/people/stories.
Beta: alanndra
Author's Note: Written in response to the prompt from bones_2_be
I Can Never Remember that Line: Part 16
Jim found himself wishing for a planet where the world around him didn’t continually morph into something different. It unnerved him that Jareth could manipulate the molecules of his planet so effortlessly. Plus, he knew Spock was no longer behind him; that just made him angry. The tethering them together idea might happen. Every part of Jim searched for Spock, called out to him. He wasn’t positive, but he thought they might have bonded. If they had, it would explain the faint presence he felt in the back of his mind and the clawing need to find Spock, to ensure his safety. He was far from an expert, but Jim had studied the Vulcan culture in some depth while he was at the academy. As a result, he knew the bond was permanent, but not yet fully realized. There had to be some form of intercourse to solidify the bond between them. Jim found himself smiling at the idea. Fear quickly replaced that feeling; he had no guarantee Spock wanted the bond, wanted him. Jim shook his head. Now was not the time to analyze the nuances of their new status…he needed to find Spock, and get them the hell off the planet.
Looking up, he noticed the room for the first time. It was cavernous and filled with staircases, archways and dead ends. With a shake of his head, Jim smiled at the sight. It was similar to the works of a Terran artist, Escher. Jim had always found his art amazing; he’d spent hours looking over the artwork trying to figure out the pattern, to find where it began and where it ended. It frustrated him that he never seemed to be able to figure out the solution. The pieces reminded him of no-win scenarios, a capricious joke on someone. He was now that someone. Knowing it would be useless to stand in one place, Jim took the staircase to his left. Unsurprisingly, the staircase put him on the opposite side of the room, about a story higher.
“I might have neglected to mention this, Jim,” Jareth’s voice echoed through the area, “but the clock is still counting down, and if you run out of time, well, you know the consequences.”
“Another game with no rules, Jareth?”
“All games have rules, Jim.”
Jim shook his head and continued his aimless journey through the corridors. He knew Jareth would only share the rules if he felt like it; Jim doubted he’d have any such inclinations. Undoubtedly, the scene Jareth had witnessed between himself and Spock had eradicated any remaining mercy the Goblin King might be persuaded to show. It hadn’t been Jim’s intention for Jareth to witness such an intimate moment; it hadn’t been Jim’s intention to have such an intimate moment with Spock - not here. He found, however, that it was difficult to muster any genuine remorse.
Jim ascended another staircase, finding himself unfocused on his surroundings. It was not the best idea for him to walk around Jareth’s funhouse in a haze of scattered thoughts, but he found it hard to focus on a puzzle he knew had no solution. He turned to walk up the staircase he’d just walked down, finding perverse pleasure in the thought - he wondered if he continued to go up and down the same staircase if Jareth would grow tired of the game and end it. As quickly as he had the thought, he dismissed it. He knew Jareth would never grow tired of this game, not when Jim was the ultimate prize.
As he lighted on the final step, something bounced against his foot. Jim glanced down; the peach rocked gently against his foot. With a shaking hand, Jim reached for the fruit. It was the one Jareth had given to him, a single bite marring the round skin. A pang made his breath catch. He didn’t need Jareth’s reminders; he knew he’d betrayed Spock. Jim’s only hope was that one day, he’d earn Spock’s forgiveness - earn his trust. His first step toward redemption would be returning Spock to his post onboard the Enterprise.
Jim felt the fuzzy skin of the peach beneath his fingers. Memories of Jareth’s perfect nightmare ghosted through his subconscious. He glared down at the offending peach, squeezing, the juice dripping between his fingers.
“Jim, you’re making a mess. Your fingers are sticky. Covered in sweet juices,” Jareth whispered from behind him.
Involuntarily, Jim shuddered as the liquid voice caressed his senses. He felt Jareth’s fingers close around his wrist, turning him to face Jareth. The Goblin King’s eyes were lidded as he brought Jim’s fingers to his lips. He felt Jareth’s lips close around his first finger, felt the sensuous slide of his tongue against his finger. Biting the inside of his mouth was the only way to keep from moaning. Feeling Jareth suck the juice from his fingers was erotic; no amount of denial, of wanting it to be otherwise would negate the fact. Jareth knew his buttons.
“Do you think it felt like this for Spock? Do you think he enjoyed the feeling of your mouth around his fingers the way you enjoy the feeling of mine?”
Jim yanked his hand out of Jareth’s. “I’m sure it felt nothing like that, Jareth. Spock isn’t disgusted by the mere sight of me.”
Jareth’s mouth formed a cruel smile. “Are you sure of that, Jim?”
Before he could think better of it, Jim landed a right hook to Jareth’s face. He felt the hot pain shoot up his arm, but it was satisfying because Jareth’s head swung back (only slightly, but it was enough for Jim).
With a chuckle, Jareth wiped the green blood from the corner of his mouth. “You’re not sure, are you, Jim? You’re not sure he doesn’t look at you with a bland look on his face while feeling nothing but contempt for you. You’re not sure he’s not just waiting for you to betray him again, to reveal your weakness again.”
Jim continued to glare at Jareth; he refused to acknowledge the validity of those statements. He would not allow his fears to be compounded by Jareth’s taunts.
“You’re determined,” Jareth began, “to leave this planet with Spock. I admire that tenacious attitude of yours. I have one final gift for you. A chance for you to say your goodbyes.”
Jim waited silently for Jareth to elaborate.
A glass ball appeared in Jareth’s hand. He moved it around his fingers, watching it with his eyes. He balanced it on top of three fingers, ensuring Jim was focused on it. Then, he tossed it across the room. When it came to a stop, Spock stood looking around the area.
“Fascinating.”
Jim raced to the ledge, stopping just in time - arms flailing wildly to help him maintain balance. He’d simply needed to reach Spock. He wondered at the instinctual reaction, which even for him had been abrupt. It must be tied to whatever bond had formed between them; he and his First Officer would be having a detailed discussion once they were back onboard the Enterprise.
“Captain, are you alright?” Spock called.
“I’m fine, Spock.”
“Sir, I would advise against any attempt to leap across. I calculate your chances of success would not be favorable.”
“Understood, Mister Spock.”
“Ever feel this frustration before, Jim? Ever had what you want so close - but just beyond your reach?”
Jim smirked at Jareth. “Spock is not beyond my reach, Jareth.”
Spock raised an eyebrow upon hearing Jim’s statement. He calculated the distance between Jim’s place on the far side of the room and his own. Once again, he concluded the gap was well beyond Jim’s capacity to span it. He wondered at the paradox Jim’s statement presented. In any other human of Spock’s acquaintance, he would attribute a metaphor to the illogical statement, but Jim failed to fit any normal human patterns.
Without sparing another glance for Jareth, Jim moved back to the far wall. He refused to allow himself time to analyze the possible outcomes as he sprinted toward the edge.
“Jim!”
“Captain!”
Their cries barely registered as Jim ran toward the gap between himself and Spock. He felt weightless as the ground beneath his feet disappeared. His rate of descent felt strange, he should be falling more slowly. Glancing around, he saw the walls break apart; another one of Jareth’s illusions crumbling around him.
His feet landed gently. The scene around him reminded him of Tartarus, Jareth being a warped god of chaos. From the archway in front of him, Jareth came striding out, puffs of smoke adding an ethereal affect to his entrance. The clock materialized next to Jareth’s head; Jim had minutes to end this nightmare. There were no second chances and no margin for error.
“Give me Spock.”
“Jim, think about what you’re asking. I can give you everything you’ve ever dreamed of - everything you’ve never thought to dream.”
“Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City to take back the Vulcan that you have stolen.”
“I stole no one, Jim. You know this.”
“Semantics, Jareth. Regardless, you’ve imprisoned and tortured an officer of the Federation. I cannot ignore that.”
“I did all that was asked of me, Jim.”
“And then some, Jareth. No one asked for your…embellishments.”
“Come now, Jim. I’m not alone in my creative maneuvers.”
“Then I’ll stick to the script to avoid further misunderstandings. Where did we leave off?” Jim paused.
The clock next to Jareth began to chime.
“For my will is as strong as yours, and my kingdom is as great - ”
“Jim,” Jareth pleaded, “look at what I’m offering…your dreams. I ask so little.”
“My kingdom is as great - ” Jim faltered.
Jareth smirked. “We mustn’t neglect the formalities, Jim.”
“Damn,” Jim turned away. He felt Jareth move closer.
“Just let me rule you, and I’ll make your dreams a reality.”
Jim turned. With his steel gaze, he walked towards Jareth, forcing the Goblin King to retreat.
He smirked at the nervous look on Jareth’s’ face. “You didn’t really think I’d forget that line, now did you?”
Tink tink tink. The crystal ball fell from Jareth’s hand.
“You have no power over me.”
The final chime struck.
Jareth’s departing, “What a pity,” echoed as the world disappeared once again.
“This is getting really old,” Jim groused, waiting for - whatever came next.
“Captain?”
“Spock!” Jim ran to where his First Officer was standing.
“Where precisely are we, Captain?”
Jim forced himself to look away from Spock; the effort took more than he cared to admit.
“We’re outside the labyrinth, Spock. There - ” Jim pointed to a spot along the wall, “is the entrance to the labyrinth.”
“Fascinating.”
“Indeed, Mister Spock. Now we need to figure out a way back to the Enterprise.”
“I was relieved of both my phaser and communicator upon arriving in the throne room.”
Jim patted his pockets, and pulled the communicator Jareth had given to him from his back pocket.
“Captain - ” Spock said as Jim opened his mouth to activate the device.
“Spock?”
“Are you sure using Jareth’s device is safe?”
Jim shook his head. “Not at all, Mister Spock. I don’t have a better idea, though. Do you?”
“What makes you believe such a device will return us to our ship?”
“Jareth said it would reveal the desire of my heart. When I activated it the first time, it showed me you. You’re here with me now, and the strongest desire I have is to return to the Enterprise. Logically, then, asking to see the desire of my heart now would reveal the Enterprise.”
While Spock remained unconvinced of the soundness of Jim’s logic, he could find no obvious flaw. In addition, Jim’s illogical plans had a habit of working precisely as he had anticipated. He had no logical reason to doubt Jim’s success rate.
“You don’t believe it will work,” Jim stated.
Spock moved closer to Jim. He reached out and ran the back of his hand down the side of Jim’s face, savoring the feel of Jim’s skin against his own.
“I have faith in you, Jim.”
Warmth infused Jim at Spock’s words. He surged up, his lips capturing Spock’s. Jim felt Spock’s hand move to cradle the back of his head, holding him close. This time, Spock ran his tongue along the seam of Jim’s lips. With a fond smile, Jim parted his lips, allowing Spock’s tongue entrance to his mouth. For long moments, they stood there, tongues sliding against each other, each savoring the taste of the other. Soon, Jim felt a stirring in the lower regions of his body and pulled back.
“This is hardly the place to get carried away, Spock.”
“Of course, Captain. We should return to the Enterprise presently.”
“You just had your tongue down my throat and it’s still Captain?”
When Spock didn’t say anything, Jim shook his head and moved back a couple of steps, the communicator between the two of them. The odd formality Spock displayed troubled Jim. He shook the thought from his mind. Nothing could be allowed to keep him from the Enterprise, not now, not after he’d finally defeated Jareth. Jim closed his eyes, focusing all of his being on his ship.
“I want to see the Enterprise.”
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