1.11 - New Feelings

~~*~~

It had been a week since Jim had taken the test and was now Thursday again. Cali was currently sat at his desk in the almost empty classroom doing the assignment that had been set earlier that day while Spock sat at his desk planning lessons. Frowning at the question, Cali found himself stuck.

Spock had set reading for them on this particular topic, which Cali had found quite unusual since he had never done so for a topic before. He assumed it was him trying something new to engage his students like they had spoken about previously, but he didn't think setting reading was the right way about it. It was an interesting topic, though he could understand Spock setting reading about it and not telling the class directly, imagining the reactions of his classmates as they heard the Vulcan explain mating rituals to them.

Cali set his PADD down with a sigh and looked up. "Commander?" he called, gaining Spock's attention who quickly looked up to see the confusion on Cali's face.

"Yes cadet?"

"The reading I did didn't explain question 4, could you clarify?" he asked, slightly embarrassed about having to ask about the Pon Farr, already having known it was literally Vulcan sex ritual practices.

Cali could have sworn that Spock blushed a pale green before he nodded stiffly. "Pon Farr is the biological urge that overcomes Vulcan males once every 7 years. If not satiated, it will mutate into Plak Tow and eventually lead to the death of the male."

Cali frowned with furrowed eyebrows, "Interesting. So, females do not experience it?"

"No, it is a male only infliction." Spock confirmed.

"So that's why men have all the power when it comes to divorce, cause they're the ones it will hurt. I see." Cali spoke aloud, not really directed towards Spock as he began writing down the answer to the question.

Despite this, Spock still answered, "Correct."

After typing quickly for a few more moments, Cali looked up again. "Is it possible for the male to mate with anyone during this time or does it have to be with his mate?"

Spock looked at him for a moment. "That is not a part of the question?" he stated, though his curiosity turned it into more of a question.

Blushing blue, Cali smiled awkwardly, "No, sorry, just my curiosity. If it's so different to my planet, I tend to want to know everything."

Giving a small nod, Spock explained, "It has to be completed with someone who the male is empathically bonded with. This is done between betrothed and mates at the beginning of the relationship in order to have the bond ready for Pon Farr."

"I see, is it possible to have multiple bonds at once?"

"It would not be logical to bond to more than one mate, especially if already betrothed." Spock answered logically. For some reason, the answer upset Cali. Like a small bubble of hope had been burst by the facts. He didn't understand why but decided he'd try and work it out later.

"I see, thank you sir." Cali answered distantly, looking back at his PADD.

Spock noticed the change in attitude immediately and looked at the cadet in confusion, unsure as to what had caused the sudden drop. Thinking back on their conversation, he couldn't think of anything that may have made him upset. Deciding to try and cheer him up, he asked a question to satisfy his own curiosity. "You said that Vulcan culture was very different to your own, I find myself unsure as to what culture you are a part of, would you care to clarify?"

Looking up again, Cali's lips curved upwards slightly into a little, almost shy and yet enthusiastic, smile. "Of course, sir. I'm a Polyvore. Though I understand that we are the odd ones out in the universe, I find it very unusual when cultures only ever have one mate. I find humans especially confusing since they act as if they want more than one often and yet decide to cheat on their partners rather than having healthy open relationships that would satisfy them. Though that's off topic." Cali frowned, shaking his head at himself but still keeping on Vulcan culture rather than explaining more on Polyvore like the original question asked, "I find it fascinating that you would only limit yourself to the option of one betrothed. What if she was unavailable during Pon Farr? Like you were too far away from each other to get to her in time? You would not make it. It just seems rather illogical for a culture that prides itself in being so based in logic."

Spock looked at Cali for a moment, eyes slightly widened. He had never thought of it like that. Monogamy was the norm in so many places that he hadn't considered the logic behind polyamory. "You do have a point Caliaire, one that I find myself unable to answer." He explained, "It would be logical, as you have stated, but it is not the way Vulcan culture is formed. I assume it is the way yours has?"

Cali nodded, "Yeah, only having one partner is seen as very weird on my planet." Spock thought back on the fact that he knew Cali had a partner. He had only ever seen the man with the one. An emotive part of him wanted to question it, but his logical side decided that it was too personal of a question and dismissed the idea. He watched as Cali got on with his work during their pause in talking and decided to do the same, letting the conversation drop off there.

~~*~~

Looking back on their Thursdays later that night, Cali realised that the little bubble of hope was because he had started to like his Vulcan commander. It made sense, he thought. He felt very comfortable around him and found himself able to open up much like he had with Jim.

He also noted that Spock was similar, able to talk about things he may not of otherwise with his other students. He already knew that Spock had an obvious favouritism for him. Thinking about it, he couldn't believe the Vulcan would have openly displayed this. It was highly illogical of him. But then again, he was rather illogical around Cali, often showing emotions even if Cali purposefully tried to ignore them for the Vulcan's sake.

Perhaps that little bit of hope he had for a relationship with Spock was prematurely abandoned.

Either way, he couldn't start trying for a relationship with Spock without talking to Jim about it first.

~~*~~

On Saturday, Jim and Cali were hanging out in the latter's apartment. It was rather late at night, but they had decided against going out and getting drunk, instead having Cali make food from Domum for his partner. Jim was surprised how nice the food was.

Cali had explained that his people didn't really eat meat, not being hunters, with the exception of the Bandersnatch, a large docile animal that lived alongside their people. He explained that the animal was similar to dogs in their loyalty and playfulness with the children, but also like cats in their passive temperament. He had found out that, when the animals die a natural death, their bodies are harvested, and everything is used for something. The fur for blankets, explaining the large dark leopard-like fur covering his bed, bones for instruments or toys for the children, and meat for eating.

After they had finished, they had ended up laying together on Cali's bed, snuggling. They had been like this for a while, enjoying comfortable silence. Cali had been trying to think about how to ask Jim about Spock, knowing that humans often got especially jealous when it came to their partners having other long-term partners father than just one-night stands. Eventually, he spoke up, quietly, still unsure, "Love?"

"Mmm?" Jim hummed, not bothering to open his eyes.

"I've found someone I might want to pursue romantically." Cali confessed anxiously, looking up at his partner's face from his place resting on his shoulder.

"Really?" Jim questioned in slight shock, now opening his eyes to look down and meet Cali's anxious blue eyes, "Who?"

"My professor, Spock." He admitted before explaining, "We've started to become friends and I quite like him."

"He's a Vulcan, do they even do romance?" Jim queried, his brows furrowed in both confusion and worry, not wanting his angel to get hurt falling for someone who couldn't love him back.

"Yeah," he nodded slightly, though not very successfully due to their close position, "although it is rather different to humans, since its often based on logic and not emotions, but it can be either."

"So, what would be different?" Jim questioned, already agreeing in his mind, knowing how Cali would be happier with a second partner, but not wanting this to affect their relationship that he had grown comfortable in.

"Very little," he answered, "it would be the same as now except I'd hang out with and be romantic with him more."

Jim smiled reassuringly down at his lover, "Then yeah, whatever will make you happy." It was true, he had fallen so hard for the angel in his arms that he would do anything for him if it made him happy.

The anxiety disappeared from his eyes immediately and he smiled brightly back up at him, "Thank you Jim," he whispered gratefully, he should have known he would say yes. Jim was nothing like his past partners, he actually felt comfortable in the openness of their relationship. "I love you."

The small words made Jim smile brightly and he easily let the words finally roll off his tongue genuinely, "I love you too, Cali."

~~*~~

The Bandersnatch from Cali's planet is based on that from the Alice In Wonderland 2010 movie, specifically the original concept art of him (refer to picture at the beginning of the chapter). The Bandersnatch are a native creature to the planet. They actually do not have a name on Cali's planet, only ever referred to as their friends (Amicus), however have been nicknamed Bandersnatch by humans after having seen the creature due to its apparent likeness to the creature from Through The Looking-Glass.

However they are not as violent as the one in the movie, their temperament more like that of a sleepy kitten. They are very playful creatures and often enjoy playing with the children of the planet, who love climbing on and riding the large creatures.