Swim Lessons
Title: Swim Lessons
Fandom: Star Trek XI
Pairings: Kirk/Spock/McCoy
Rating: PG-16
Word Count: 4999
Notes: For
st_xi_kink located here: Okay, being at the beach this week has inspired this prompt:
Spock/Bones(/Kirk)
(It can either be a twosome or threesome...whatever you feel more comfortable writing. :) But if its only two, then it has to be Spock/Bones.)
Enterprise has shore leave on a beautiful planet with lots of beaches.
Eveyone is having a great time relaxing and swimming-- except Spock.
The crew trys to coax him into the water, but he's too stubborn to admit he can't swim.
They try and teach him...but its not really working out. (In his own Spock-ish way, he's quite simply embarassed.)
McCoy (& Kirk-- optional) offer to try and teach him later, after everyone has left the beach.
Spock accepts-- after all, he is a scientist-- and as such, he sees it as an opprotunity to gain new knowledge. ;)
Later that night, they're on the beach for private swim lessons.
Use your imagination on how to get from point A to point B. ;)
("A" being innocent swim lessons, and "B" being, preferably, romantic beach!sex.)
I LOVE LOVE LOVE fluff, so feel free to include lots of it.
And you don't have to write anything TOO graphic-- I prefer more emphasis on the romance...but I suppose whatever you feel most comfortable writing is okay. :)
So here's my attempt. It's not that graphic but it's schoompy fluff. At least as much fluff as this gal can do. Hope you enjoy prompter.
“Spock! Come on! The water is pretty warm!”
The crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise was currently standing new deep in ocean water calling out to the first officer sitting stubbornly on the beach. No matter how hard anybody tried, they were unable to get Spock to budge from his spot under the umbrella.
Captain James T. Kirk shook his head and placed his hands on his hips. Standing next to him was his best friend and chief medical officer Leonard McCoy. He looked unimpressed with the whole situation.
“Just get in here already you green blooded hobgoblin! I know for a fact water doesn’t do anything to ya!”
Despite their best attempts and their determination, Spock was just as determined to remain where he was. As soon as he was able, he would beam back aboard the Enterprise. Until then, Spock was more than content to sit cross legged on the large beach towel, under the umbrella, and brushing off stray grains of sand that blew onto the towel’s edges. Though the beautiful hues of blue sparkled from the sunlight and was very much appealing, Spock did not care for water. However, the predominately human crew thought it was the best thing ever.
A series of long, complicated missions had been wearing the crew down. So, Kirk, great captain that he was, arranged for a period of shore leave. After scouting some nearby planets, they discovered a small planetoid well within Federation territory and friendly locals. Not having any dilithium deposits or any other valuable resource, the natives made use of their vast oceans and tropical weather. Turned out, that was the smartest choice since now, they were one of the top destinations for shore leave.
Kirk ran it by Spock who confirmed its status and arranged the rotations schedule. Originally, Spock had no intention of joining them on the surface. When a Vulcan intended to rest, he did not spend his time frolicking and expending energy in water. To rest meant to cease all activity and freakin’ rest. That seemed beyond human comprehension. Someway, somehow, the whole crew managed to drag him down to the planet. They literally had to drag him.
Montgomery Scott, engineer extraordinaire called him down to engineering to help check the nacelles where he also met up with the navigator, Chekov. The young ensign, like all the others, began pestering him about shore leave. He was soon joined by Sulu who began telling Spock of all the fascinating fauna he could find there. Spock began to be suspicious when Uhura popped in and proceeded to tell him how fascinating the natives’ language is. For some reason, they were all under the impression that if they used the word “fascinating” to describe something, it would make Spock interested. It just made him paranoid. He suddenly knew he was in trouble when the captain and CMO waltzed in with smug grins. It was a flawless plan. They had distracted him with their begging and cornered him so that there was no means of escape.
“So Spock, you coming down or are we gonna have to force ya?” Kirk smirked and his eyes sparked with that mischievous glint that indicated it was going to be very interesting.
However, it was the doctor who concerned him most. Spock knew McCoy had to have been one of the master planners along with Kirk. The man was a brilliant doctor and was not above using hyposprays to get what he wanted.
“It is illogical for you to force me into shore leave. I shall remain on the Enterprise and rest. There is no appeal-“
Spock was interrupted by a hiss and a sharp sting in his neck. As his vision began to swim, he managed to turn his head and see McCoy’s triumphant grin before everything went black.
When he woke up, Spock was aware of a balmy breeze lightly ruffling his hair. Slowly opening his eyes, he finally focused his sight and saw the underside of some sort of material. He propped himself up on his elbows to better assess his new location.
Far as the eye could see, clear blue water extended towards the horizon. To his left and right was black sand. Lave from ancient volcanic activity cooled almost instantaneously when it flowed into the sea water where it shattered into fine grains and remained part of the beaches ever since. That was the first thought passing through Spock’s mind with the second thought consisted of Vulcan nerve pinching every crewmember involved in his abduction.
“Finally awake, huh?”
“That should be obvious, Captain.” Spock ground out.
Kirk flinched when his first officer turned his angry glare on him. He knew that look. That was a look that Spock reserved for those times he indulged his desire to strangulate the offending person.
“So most of it was Bones’ idea.”
If all else failed, blame it on somebody else. Besides, the chances of Spock choking the doctor were a lot slimmer than himself considering he had already experienced it once before. McCoy sauntered up when he heard his name. The same triumphant grin he had when he drugged Spock was still on his face.
“I’m a genius. Just admit it. After laboring the past year, I’ve finally made a sedative tailored to that green blood of yours.” he proudly stated for all to hear.
Adjusting his position so he was sitting up straight, Spock cocked an eyebrow and responded sulkily,
“There are other occasions in which you could have tested your new drug.”
In other words, he wondered why the hell he had to actually use it on him now of all times. Filing reports was a more desirable activity than participating in the outing.
“Oh come on, Spock. Lighten up a little. Beaches are fun and the water is better than any ocean I’ve ever seen on Earth.” Kirk tried to change the subject. “So let’s just enjoy ourselves some ocean!”
“I shall decline your offer.” Spock immediately snapped.
Kirk and McCoy shared a questioning glance with each other. Spock, though still ramrod straight and formal as ever, somehow gave off the feeling not unlike a pouting child. Realizing that they were going to have to fight him, Kirk and McCoy grabbed Spock’s arm on either side with the intention of picking up or dragging him into the water. They should have considered that they were no match for his Vulcan strength.
It took little to no effort for Spock to disengage his arms from their grips and lightly shove them away. The two humans landed face first into the heavy black sand. Spock felt that only a fraction of their just punishment. McCoy wiped at his face frantically and continually made spitting noises.
“I’ve got sand in my mouth! Do you know what kind of bacteria live in sand?! I knew it! I knew I should have brought all my supplies!”
By the time Kirk managed to calm the doctor down, the other beach patrons, mainly being the ship’s crew, were all staring at him.
“What are all ya’ll starin’ at?! Mind yer own damn business!” McCoy growled, the Southern twang becoming more noticeable.
Everybody knew that it was best to listen to the doctor. Every other month for physicals meant that every other month, they were at the doctor’s mercy. Kirk was out right laughing and he was about to give him a piece of his mind when he noticed the look Spock was giving him. A single eyebrow was arched upward and the corner of his mouth curled upward a mere fraction.
“Oh great. Now the evil elf is laughing at me. I’m doomed.” complained McCoy with mock indignation. In truth, he was glad that Spock appeared to be marginally more relaxed.
“Hey! You guys coming or not?”
All three men looked over to the others romping around in the water. Uhura was waving at them and completely unsuspecting of Chekov and Sulu sneaking up from behind. They both carried plastic buckets filled with water. As they were about to toss the water on her, she held up a finger and wagged it at them over her shoulder.
“You better not be trying to do what I know you’re trying to do.”
The tone of her voice caused the two men to drop their buckets and droop their shoulders in disappointed. It was a long shot, but they had to try. Kirk was sitting in the sand laughing and immediately stood up and bounded towards the water. McCoy and Spock watched as he charged full on and grabbed the communication officer by the waist. His momentum carried her and himself into the water. Chekov and Sulu cheered their captain on. Where all others failed, he would succeed.
They had seen it pull them through countless missions that should have resulted in their destruction. The Captain’s indomitable spirit of no defeat was legendary. The greatest tale ever told was how he managed to not only form an unbreakable bond with the first officer, but also how he managed to make peace between Spock and McCoy. There was always some sort of tension between the two that often resulted in them butting heads on more than one topic.
Of course, nobody expected that the peace would be the result of a three way with the captain. Despite the unorthodox method, it began the first step towards a more stable relationship. It still took time and more death defying situations, but eventually, Kirk’s presence and initiation were no longer a necessity. The beginning of their relationship consisted of their mutual need to lecture Kirk and keep him from doing anything too stupid. Now the three of them shared the most resilient and permanent bond.
“Come on Spock. We went through all that work getting you down here and now you’re just going to sit here?” McCoy asked a bit more softly.
“I actually intended to beam back aboard the Enterprise.” Spock informed him without making eye contact.
“Not going to happen. Doctor’s orders you know.” McCoy retorted smugly.
Shaking his head slightly, Spock met the doctor’s smug expression with a challenging one.
“Odd, as I have yet to see a doctor. I have only seen a human with an unnecessary tendency to overreact to fragmental volcanic debris.”
His jaw dropped as he stared incredulously at the Vulcan sitting calmly on the beach towel. Crossing his arms with a huff, McCoy scuffed his foot in the black sand so that a small pile fell across the edge of the towel. He was satisfied when he saw Spock frown at the now less than perfect towel.
“Fine. Be that way. But you’re staying. I’ll drug you if I have to.” he threatened menacingly.
“Very well. I know the extent of your human grudges and dare not cause another.” Spock primly answered as he brushed the stray grains off the towel.
Shaking his head and throwing his hands in the air in exasperation, McCoy stomped off towards the water, not before kicking more sand on the towel. He could not suppress a fond grin when he looked over his shoulder and saw Spock intent on removing every grain of sand off his towel. However, he made sure Spock could not see it. A couple of years ago that argument would have resulted in so much tension every crewmember would try their hardest to keep them apart. Now, there was nothing there except fond amusement. He was still a little disappointed that Spock would not join them in the water, but right now, he figured he would let him join them on his own time.
Spock knew that the doctor really wanted him to join them in the water, but Spock was determined to avoid it. Though, as he sat there, he managed to smooth every wrinkle and remove every grain of sand and was becoming bored. Of course the others would not have considered bringing something for him to do. They had expected him to go in the water with them. Spock debated with himself for a while before grudgingly standing up and straightening out his shirt, except he finally realized he was not wearing one.
Whipping his head back and forth in a very un-Vulcan like way, Spock searched for something to put on. It was not like he had never been in a state of undress in front of somebody before. The only difference between then and now was that he was usually in the privacy of his quarters. Even though it was logical to go without a shirt on the beach, Spock was overly conscious of himself.
Noticing the captain’s bag a short distance away, Spock grabbed it and began looking through it. He was relieved to find a plain white shirt sitting innocuously at the bottom of the bag. Putting it on gave him a sense of relief. Finally recognizing a pattern, Spock took a deep breath and reluctantly looked down.
“…Illogical…”
Bright blue and purple hibiscus formed a complex and busy pattern on the swim trunks he was wearing. Resisting the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose in a human manner, Spock took a deep breath and mastered his emotions. They may try to dress him like some sort of doll, but he still had his pride. Setting his resolve, he began walking towards the water. However, he calculated the exact distance he would need to stand in order for the water to be no higher than his ankles. After he was satisfied with the results, Spock began walking alongside the water observing everything and everyone.
It turned out to be more pleasant than he initially thought it would be. The water was not too cold and what chill it did cause him was offset by the heat of the sun. He observed small, sparkling aquatic creatures that fled when he came near but curiously followed him. Crewmembers and locals alike mingled and played.
Soon, he came to a rocky outcropping. It was a large formation jutting out into the water. Just like the sand, it too was black. Spock noticed the height and width of the formation and the few individuals sitting along its edges. Having nothing better to do and in the pursuit of his scientific curiosity, Spock walked over to the rocks and carefully maneuvered up and around until he was standing on the top. The breeze was a little more noticeable at this height but it was no cause for concern.
Puddles of water gathered every so often as a result of waves from high tide. Some children were splashing around in one of them as Spock walked by. He carefully traversed the length of the formation until he was at the far end. The sun was beginning to set and the blues began to gradually blend into oranges and pinks. So caught up in the serene beauty, Spock failed to notice a certain captain sneaking up behind him. With a single shove to his back, Spock found himself plummeting into the water.
It was an ungraceful flop into the water, very uncharacteristic of Spock, but Kirk and McCoy thought it was hilarious. Of course, they began to wonder where the Vulcan had gone to when he did not reappear. They waited a few more moments before McCoy pursed his lips and patted Kirk on the back.
“Congratulations, Jim. You just drowned your first officer.”
Suddenly worried by the doctor’s sarcastic statement, Kirk did what he did best. He threw himself haphazardly into the water without thinking about what he actually planned to do. Worried as well, but more in control, McCoy calmly made his way back to the sandy beach and stood by the foamy edge with his arms crossed as he waited for his two lovers to appear again. Finally, Kirk broke the surface along with Spock. The first thing McCoy noted was the stiff way Spock’s hands were latched onto Kirk’s shoulders. There would definitely be bruising in tomorrow. Next, he noted the way Kirk seemed to be doing most, if not all, of the work swimming.
“Bones! Just don’t stand there, help me out!” Kirk yelled right as he sunk underwater again.
McCoy shook his head and waded into the water where he helped pull Kirk upright. It turned out to be more difficult than he anticipated since Spock was stiff as a board and still gripping the captain’s shoulders tight.
“Spock, we’re on land…You can let go now.”
In a most mechanical manner, Spock let go of his shoulders and stiffly managed to stand up. McCoy had to grab his arm as he stumbled a little bit before marching off like a robot.
When he made it back to his initial starting point on the towel, Spock sat down and began staring intently at the beach towel. By this time, the rest of the bridge crew saw what happened and rushed over to see if they could help.
“Spock? Are you okay?” Uhura asked as she kneeled in front of him.
Nodding his head stiffly, Spock answered,
“Yes. I am physically unharmed.”
“What happened? Can ye not swim, Mr. Spock?” Scott asked merely out of concern.
Despite that though, Spock could not help but tense even further upon hearing that question.
“…No.”
His reply came out curter than he intended, but he could not help it. It was embarrassing and the fact that he could feel the warm blood rising in his cheeks and tips of his ears made it near unbearable. Seeing his discomfort, Scott began rapidly speaking.
“Well that’s just fine. There’s plenty o’ folk who cannae swim. Each at his own pace.”
The others were quick to agree and immediately offered to help him learn. While Spock truly appreciated the care and concern he could feel from them, it was just too much for his Vulcan sensibilities to accept this deficiency in his abilities.
“Hey, uh, sorry about that, Spock.” Kirk apologized as he walked up.
“There is no need to apologize. It was my fault for not telling you previously.”
“Spock,” Kirk grabbed his chin and forced him to look up and make eye contact. “It’s definitely not your fault. So don’t apologize.”
“He’s right. Just blame, Jim. He’s an idiot.” McCoy said gently as he sat down beside him.
One of the things that made the crew of the Enterprise so great was the ability of the crew to understand. This was one of those private moments they came to recognize and made sure the three of them got their privacy.
“Well I’m hungry.” Sulu suddenly declared. “Let’s get something to eat.”
They meant well, but they would never win the award for subtlety and fine acting.
“Agreed. How about we try that lovely little bar over there?” Scott added enthusiastically.
“I heard they make a great mojito.” supplied Uhura helpfully.
“You know, mojitos were inwented in Russia.” Chekov stated in his matter of fact tone.
The three men listened to their bantering as they left and began ushering the other crewmembers away from the beach and towards the liquor. They all appreciated their efforts and they all agreed it would not hurt to extend their shore leave a little bit.
When the beach cleared out a little more, Kirk and McCoy finally felt it safe to talk again.
“So how about Bones and I teach you how to swim?” Kirk offered.
“Not only does it expand your knowledge, but also gives you a potential survival skill.” McCoy added.
They patiently waited for Spock to process the offer and information at his own pace. It took a while and a lot of effort, but eventually, they were able to read the Vulcan and his supposedly non-existent emotions. Emotions were there, and both Kirk and McCoy had been helping him deal with them rather than suppress them. There was still a long ways to go, but they knew Spock was trying and it would never be simple for him. So they let him have the time he needed to accept what he was feeling.
“…Very well. I agree that it is necessary for me to learn to swim before it affects my abilities on a mission.” Spock reasoned.
Well, nobody could fault the Vulcan for trying. Kirk and McCoy took it for what it was though, and smiled.
“Great! Let’s get started…” Kirk suddenly paused and furrowed his brows. “Uh, so I don’t actually know how to teach somebody to swim.”
Rolling his eyes dramatically, McCoy stood up and extended his hand towards Spock.
“C’mon, guess that means I’ll have to be the brains this time around.” He led Spock towards the water and had to tug just a bit to get him to actually move into the water. “I taught my daughter how to swim and I think if a six year old can do it, you can do it.”
“Hey, what do I do?” Kirk asked.
“You…just make sure Spock stays afloat.” McCoy told him with an absent wave of the hand.
Now it was Kirk’s turn to roll his eyes.
“Gotcha covered.” he made a mocking salute as he agreed. But then, he suddenly became serious and asked, “Hey, Spock…why haven’t you learned how to swim? Not that there’s anything wrong with it, but that just doesn’t seem to fit your M.O.”
Spock was about waist deep in water and clutching the doctor’s hand almost painfully as he chewed the inside of his bottom lip. McCoy gave the hand he was holding a light squeeze of encouragement.
Gentle waves lapped against his stomach as Spock idly noticed the rising tide with the approach of the planet’s forever full moon. At long last, he finally answered in a soft voice.
“It is…an illogical fear.”
With the physical contact, McCoy and Kirk were able to feel embarrassment and shame at feeling it in the first place. It must have been fairly strong if they were able to detect it. Normally, they could only feel Spock when he lowered his guard enough. Kirk looked over at McCoy and the two shared a glance before the doctor imperceptibly nodded his head.
“When I was eight years old, I accompanied my parents to Earth. Since there are…were no large bodies of water on Vulcan, my mother thought it would be ‘fun’ to visit a place humans refer to as a ‘water park.’” Spock further explained. He did not realize he was slowly inching forward deeper into the water. “At one point, a pair of older children cornered me in one of the pools. At the time, I did not realize they had ill intentions. However, upon answering their inquiries, one of them grabbed me while the other pushed me under the water. It was…unpleasant.”
By now, Spock was no longer touching the bottom of the ocean. McCoy was now taking advantage of the water’s buoyancy to half carry and half drag Spock along. A little bit to his was Kirk who gradually began to force Spock’s lower body into a more horizontal position. It was then that Spock snapped out of his memory and noticed his position. In his usual response, he stiffened and immediately began to sink.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Take it easy and relax, Spock. I gotcha.” comforted Kirk.
“Staying above water is a lot easier when your loose.” added McCoy.
Closing his eyes, Spock found his control and began to force his body to relax. He trusted these two men he bonded to, but that little dark part of his mind kept reminding him about the two bullies holding him underwater. It took some effort, but he was eventually able to focus on the hands supporting his body and the familiar warmth they brought.
“Good…And don’t think anything about those two. Things are different now. You got us.” McCoy declared confidently.
Kirk eagerly nodded his head. Spock was filled with relief, warmth and trust. From there, everything else was easy.
Though the swimming at first was awkward at best, Spock was if nothing else, a fast learner. After receiving instruction from McCoy and oddly helpful bits of information from Kirk, Spock was able to apply his genius mind to the basic mechanics and determine the motion that created the greatest output.
“Congratulations Spock. You’re a certified swimmer now. Actually,” the doctor noted playfully as he pointed at Kirk. “You’re better than this spazzy swimmer.”
“The dog paddle is not spazzy. It keeps my beautiful and well done hair above water.” defended Kirk. As he spoke, irony seemed to be against him because he slipped and fell under the water. When he broke the surface, his hair was soaking wet and hung limply in his face.
“Don’t say anything…either of you.”
Spock and McCoy just shook their heads. Then, McCoy thought of something.
“Oh wait. The freestyle stroke is more suited for the surface, what about underwater?”
“A logical concern, but unnecessary. Applying the mechanics behind one stroke, I am able to determine the correct course of action below water.”
To prove his point, Spock ducked underwater, swam a short distance, and then popped back up again. This got Kirk thinking.
“Hey Spock…how long can you hold your breath?”
Spock considered his question as he slowly made his way inland. He paused when he was able to reach the ocean floor. Looking between Kirk and McCoy, Spock arched one eyebrow and almost smirked.
“Perhaps an experiment is in order?”
Before the other two could say otherwise, Spock once again ducked underwater. Kirk was about to ask McCoy something about Vulcan physiology when he noticed the sudden wide-eyed expression on the doctor’s face.
“Bones? What’s wrong?”
“…Nothing…nothing is wrong…unless you count…” McCoy lost his voice in the middle of a gasp.
Curious, Kirk dropped his head underwater. In the clear waters illuminated by the moon, he saw what was happening. Lifting his head again, Kirk was grinning ear to ear.
“Having fun, Bones? I think we may have created a water demon.”
Trying to suppress a groan and failing, McCoy was only able to manage a glare that lost most of its power since his eyes rolled back and he clenched his eyes shut. After some jerky movements resembling thrusting, the doctor tensed and then released a huge breath he was holding.
Looking completely unfazed, Spock reappeared above water and wiped the excess water from his eyes.
“Fascinating. I am still breathing at a normal rate and my oxygen intake is within standard parameters.”
This caused Kirk to burst out laughing and McCoy flushing ever so slightly as he was now able to shoot a real death glare at the captain.
“You think it’s funny? I’d like to see how you handle it.”
“An interesting proposal. Let us find out.”
It was McCoy’s turn to laugh. Once Spock was underwater, the cocky grin was wiped clean off his face as his jaw dropped and he inhaled a sharp breath. It did not take long before Kirk made a small whining noise and jerked his hips. A few moments later, Spock was comparing the results.
“In this instance, gentlemen, Leonard is the winner.” Spock finally declared.
McCoy let out a loud whoop and flopped onto his back. Spock watched as his body stayed afloat and the waves began to push him towards shore. He looked over at Kirk and saw that he too was floating on his back, though he was making a great show of looking put out. Assessing the variables and correct output, Spock slowly maneuvered onto his back and let himself be dragged along by the water’s movement. He spread his arms out and then pushed them to his sides. With physics once again coming through, his body was propelled into a gentle glide. Eventually, he felt his back touch sand and remained in place.
“You know…we should give Spock more swim lessons more often.” Kirk mused.
“Amen, Jim. Amen.” agreed McCoy lazily.
“More swim lessons are unnecessary as I am now fully capable of swimming.” Spock answered with his usual lecturing tone.
“You know, Bones, we should reward Spock for doing so well.”
“I think you’re right. Reward reinforces skill after all.”
A single eyebrow arched upward as Spock regarded the two humans suspiciously. He opened his mouth to say something but was effectively cut off by a mouth covering his own and a tongue invading the inside.
When Kirk released the kiss, they were both panting for breath. Once more, Spock tried to put his two cents in but was now prevented from doing so by McCoy’s body pressing on top of his and a warm mouth continuing what Kirk started. While they were occupied, Kirk sneakily grabbed the hem of the shirt Spock was wearing and began tugging it upward.
Finally breaking the kiss, Spock was left gasping for air, in a dignified manner of course. Kirk just smirked and licked at his navel. Just as he hoped, it elicited a response. The muscles in his stomach twitched under the ministrations and Spock’s breathing hitched just a fraction. Meanwhile, McCoy nipped at the tip of his ear. This time, Spock had to close his eyes to focus on breathing. He finally managed to crack open an eye and regard his two lovers.
“If indeed you are correct-“ Spock’s voice gave out on him momentarily as a hand tugged and slid underneath the band of his swim trunks. “Which you undoubtedly are. It would be logical to continue these ‘lessons.’”
Both Kirk and McCoy paused in the middle of what they were doing, much to Spock’s discomfort, and slowly smiled. Seeing and feeling the two of them so happy at his confession resulted in the only logical thing. A small smile graced Spock’s lips.
After sharing their mutual joy and love, Kirk and McCoy wasted no time. They immediately pounced onto an eager Spock. And in the end, not even Spock cared about the sand that got everywhere.