Summary: Kirk has second thoughts about an impending "surprise" as Spock leads him deep under a Vulcan mountain.  A response to the ASC online/swimming challenge. 

Disclaimer: Yea, yea, and verily, Paramount and Viaborg doth own the whole kit and kaboodle.  I don't have a claim to it and I certainly don't intend to make a penny off of it.  This is rated R for language, mainly.  There is implied m/m sex, so if ya can't handle that, ya best shove off now. 

Comments:  A response to a challenge on ASC:  write a story about your favorite pair, online with nothing but a spellchecker, today, and include swimming.  (Kinda like "Look, Ma, no hands!") 

* * * * * * * * *
SPELUNKING
 

"Where exactly are we going?" 

I guess squeezing my hand is supposed to reassure me. 

"Nervous, Jim?" 

Hell, yes, I'm nervous, and of course, he already knows this.  But, I'm not about to give him confirmation, not verbally, at least. 

"Not at all." 

I can hear Bones saying 'in a pig's eye'.  After all these years, I can't tell if that's an echo from my memory or Spock's.  It probably doesn't matter.  Either way, it's a pretty accurate assessment. 

Damn, we've been walking for a long time.  It's probably just the blindfold that's giving me the jitters.  Still, the last time I had a surprise on Vulcan, it wasn't exactly a picnic. 

Oh, shit.  I forgot.  He's holding my hand.  How could I forget that?  Don't think about it.  Don't think about him standing over you waving that lirpa.  Don't think about the elephant.  Hmmmm, I wonder if he knows that reference.  Oh, he's squeezing my hand again. 

"History does not always repeat itself.  Trust me." 

Damn him!  Reads me like a book.  I'll bet he's smiling, too. 

"I do, Spock, I do." 

Of course, I do.  It's really funny, isn't it?  The one person, who would follow me into the mouth of hell if I asked him, is the only one I'm willing to follow without question.  Even here.  In a Vulcan cave.  In a blindfold. 

How long have we been walking?  Probably not that long, really.  Time just seems longer when you can't see what's passing by.  I can tell we've been going down; the temperature's been dropping for awhile now.  I expected a walk in a cave would be more rough and tumble.  A bit of crawling.  Get to wear one of those neat hats.  This is an easy stroll.  I wonder why he wanted me to wear this blindfold? 

He said this place has been in his family for thousands of years.  I'm beginning to wonder if there's any Vulcan real estate that hasn't been in his family for thousands of years.  Maybe that's what the blindfold's all about.  Yeah, I'll bet that's it.  Family secret.  Not to be shared with outworlders.  Oh, god, where have I heard that before?! 

Relax, Kirk, relax.  You're getting as bad as McCoy.  Ooo, there's a lovely thought.  Try getting him to go for a walk in a cave in a blindfold!  Actually, I'd like to see that.  Lead him blind down into the depths of the planet.  Whip off the blindfold and shove him out in front of a bunch of hooded Vulcan Masters of Whatever.  That would sure scare the willies out of him.  Shit, I hope there's not some matriarch at the end of this walk. 

It seems to be getting warmer again.  But we're still going down.  I'm probably just a little overheated from the walk.  Or having Spock hold my hand like this.  I could get used to having him lead me around by the hand.  We could ditch the blindfold, though. 

What's that sound?  Is that water dripping?  Water?  On Vulcan?  Where the hell are we any way?  I guess I could ask, but that would just give him another chance to be cryptic.  'I have a surprise for you.'  Yeah, right.  This had better be good, Mister. 

I can feel a bit of breeze now, warm and damp.  We must be deep under the mountain now.  That's definitely dripping water.  It must be condensation.  There seems to be an echo now and the ground's leveled out. 

"Wait here." 

"Spock?" 

Oh, damn, he's let go of my hand.  Oh, I don't like this.  I'm blind and I don't know where I am and...  What's he doing now?  What's that rustling sound?  A splash?!  What the hell is going on?! 

"Spock!" 

"It's alright.  You can take off the blindfold now." 

Well, it's about damn time.  I can't believe he's wasted all this time dragging me down into the bowels of Vulcan and...  Oh, my god! 

It's a hot spring!  And it's incredible!  Look at the crystals!  They're everywhere, as far as I can see.  This place is a storehouse of semi-precious stones.  Amethyst and quartz, agate, jasper, sardonyx, calcite -- it's like standing inside a geode.  And the bioluminescence -- running down like a green waterfall over the stalactites.  It almost seems to be pulsing.  I've been in caverns before, but this is amazing!  It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. 

"Surprised, Jim?" 

I'm wrong.  Seeing him there, swimming naked in the steam with a twinkle in his eyes that's as bright as any gem -- the cave is definitely not the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. 

I'd better lose these clothes. 

END