Big Reveals [for losthunter]

[boldygoing]

Jim has been in Starfleet Medical for eight weeks before he's finally released. Which is not to say he's been cleared for duty, mind you. But he's recovered enough not to need that kind of constant medical supervision, able to take the rest of his treatment as outpatient. He has physical therapy three times a week, exercises to do at home, and of course Doctor McCoy is still keeping an eagle eye on his diet, something that annoys Jim to no end.

Of course, that's nothing compared to finding out that his Starfleet-assigned apartment is buried under the crashed bulk of the USS Vengeance.

Jim doesn't really give a shit about the apartment itself. Yeah, it was kind of nice to have his own place, but it's never been home. It was just a place to stay whenever the Enterprise was in port. And though it was more decorated than his quarters onboard the ship, it was all meaningless knickknacks, nothing with any real sentimental value.

No, he's more pissed about the fact that nobody told him until a month after he woke up from the coma.

He understands why, of course. McCoy gave him the whole spiel about stress being bad for his recovery, about not needing to worry himself about things he couldn't do anything about, that by the time this happened Jim was already dead, but it's a heavy blow to realize that the loss of life was far, far greater than he'd realized. Tens of thousands died or lost their homes. Yet Jim Kirk lives, when he has no right to be breathing, let alone leaving the hospital.

And it's hard not to be in a foul mood when he realizes that the only place he has to stay on Earth is in Iowa, at the old neglected Kirk homestead. At least it's not likely to be bugged by Section 31, and Jim spends two entire days sweeping the place for surveillance devices, and another three to get the house in order, before he's reassured enough to have visitors.


[OOC: Image links to replace broken ones below:
23rd century Iowa
Mind meld position]

Comments

[losthunter]

Hunter could almost swear that he is back in his own dimension. But there are those little signs -- the dark, massive shapes in the distance. The upgrades to the house. The palm scanner. All those things remind him of where he is.

He was awfully tempted to peak under the motorcycle-shaped lump under the canvas.

A soft laugh comes from Hunter at spotting that soft gray hoodie. "And here I thought you were no one's property." He manages an one-armed hug of greeting, still balancing that crate with the other arm.

[boldygoing]

Jim embraces him back, and while he's curious about the crate, he doesn't ask yet, just smiling faintly. "Everywhere except on file. Once you enlist with Starfleet, they kinda own your ass." He steps back and gestures for Hunter to follow. "C'mon in."

The interior of the house is also a mishmash of old and new, familiar features like a full country kitchen contrasted with the more modern food synthesizer set into the wall. Jim has zapped away all the dust that once covered the furniture, but there's still a sort of abandoned smell to the house, missing the scent of people. There are quite a few things missing that Hunter might expect from a twenty-first century house, as well - no television, for a start, and the kitchen is lacking all sorts of familiar appliances like a toaster or microwave - while there are other twenty-third century machines that he won't recognize, either.

It seems that Hunter is the first to arrive, as there are no signs of Jim's crew waiting inside the house as of yet.

[losthunter]

"But I still can put a claim on that gorgeous ass, right?" Hunter teases lightly.

He glances around curiously. He finds a piece of furniture where he can put down his crate. And there is an odd look on his face, as he tries to figure out the twenty-third century machines that are unfamiliar.

The food synthesizer gets his interest in particular. Hunter feels comfortable poking at things, like he has never seen them before, since the crew is not here yet. "I brought you a gift..." He nods at the crate.

[boldygoing]

"Nah, but you can rent it part time," Jim counters, still smiling slightly.

He looks at the crate with interest, and approaches to look inside. "Kind of a 'congrats for getting out of the hospital' gift?"

[losthunter]

"More of a... 'was going to give it to you anyway, but thank God you are out of the hospital gift'." Hunter chuckles lightly.

At first glance, it looks like it is a stack of lumber. But as Hunter pulls it out of the crate, and connects some joiners, it is quickly transformed into a bookcase. And yes, there are a few books stored underneath.

[boldygoing]

Jim doesn't understand right away why Hunter is giving him a bunch of boards, but once the object begins to take shape, a surprised look crosses his face. "You got me a bookcase?"

[losthunter]

"I designed it so it is portable." It is a little bit more than he went out and bought a bookcase. Hunter crafted it. "I thought that you might enjoy having your books on display, instead of in a crate."

[boldygoing]

It takes him a moment before he gets the importance of the word 'designed' in all that, and he's even more impressed because of it. It even has brackets for being bolted down on a starship. "With room for more, I assume."

[losthunter]

"Of course. It would be nothing at all to make it bigger." Well, nothing for someone like him, who has the skills.

[boldygoing]

"I don't know what to say." But at least unlike last time, he's articulate enough to say so, and he gives Hunter a thankful smile. "Thank you."

And of course, it's not just the bookcase in the crate. He leans over to explore what books are included in the gift, wincing very slightly as the motion pulls at his back.

[losthunter]

Inside are a dozen books, each one that Hunter had read to Jim while he was recovering from the coma. There is a wide variety of Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, Ernest Hemingway, Virginia Woolf and Stephen King and poetry books of Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman.

"You okay with those?" Hunter had seen the wince.

[boldygoing]

"Absolutely." Jim gently runs his fingers over the spines of the books, recognizing each one, although he doesn't remember some of them being read to him, on account of being unconscious at the time.

"Can I get you to carry these for me? Bones won't let me lift anything heavy until my back's better." Jim rolls his eyes a bit, as if he thinks his doctor friend is being melodramatic. But lying in a hospital bed for two months means that even though the bones are repaired, the muscles in his back aren't quite back to a hundred percent.

[losthunter]

"Of course I can." Hunter had to smile. Jim vocalized that he was okay with the choices, which makes him happy.

"Where would you like it set up?"

[boldygoing]

Jim has to consider that. It's going to be relatively temporary, though he hopes it's because he's going to be reassigned to the Enterprise once her repairs are done. He hasn't heard official news from Starfleet either way, just that his performance was being 'evaluated,' whatever that means.

"I guess for right now, my bedroom's fine."

[losthunter]

"Oh good..." Hunter purrs a little. "I do want to see your bedroom."

He places everything back into the crate, to make it for easier lifting. "Lead the way... Mr. Spider."

[boldygoing]

Jim's room is on the second floor, up a relatively narrow set of stairs. And it's pretty obvious at first glance that Jim hasn't lived here long-term since he was younger. A lot younger.

The ceiling above his bed is decorated with glow-in-the-dark stars, carefully placed to mimic the actual night sky, and there are posters of musical groups that won't be familiar to Hunter, as well as one of the Beastie Boys. A few model starships decorate the sparse bookshelves already here, mostly bare of books in favor of holding a child's toys - action figures, brain teaser puzzles, even a feathered thing that upon closer inspection appears to be a more scientifically-accurate dinosaur.

There's room for Hunter's bookcase along one wall, between two of the posters. Jim smiles slightly, but it's pretty apparent he has no real strong attachment to this place. "Sorry about the decor. I didn't spend much time here after I was twelve."

[losthunter]

Hunter frowns deeply, a little concerned that Jim has to stay in a place where he has no real strong attachment. The 12-year-old motif is also very obvious.

He sets the crate down, in between the two posters. "Well, good thing you know an artist, who is available for re-decorating."

[boldygoing]

"Thanks, but I'm hoping I won't have to stay here long." Jim really does appreciate the offer. He's just not sure it's worth it to stay.

He sits down on the bed, looking contemplatively up at the fake stars on the ceiling. "It feels kinda surreal being back here."

[losthunter]

"I can't imagine..." Hunter sort of knows how Jim is feeling right now.

"It would be weird for me to have to go back to my childhood home."

[boldygoing]

Jim nods a little, looking over at him. "I could probably even stay in my mom's room. I don't think she'd ever even know, let alone care. But it's... weird. You know?"

[losthunter]

"I can guess how that would feel..." Hunter starts setting up the bookcase. His own mother had passed away when he was just an infant. So he never knew her. And his father never kept any of her belongings.

[boldygoing]

Jim, in turn, never knew his father, so he's in good company.

Fortunately, helping put the bookcase together and fill it with books is something Jim can help with, since he doesn't have to lift too much at once, so he comes over to help Hunter. "Tell you what... if I don't hear from Starfleet about alternate housing by the end of the month, you and I can give this place a makeover. Deal?"

[losthunter]

Hunter will divide up the books, so they each have something to do. He gives Jim a slight, warm smile at his offer. "That sounds like a deal."

"It is not a fitting room for seduction techniques."

[boldygoing]

Jim is hesitant to admit it, but there's really no getting around it. "I might not... be up for that for a little bit. Side effect." It's bothering him more than he's letting on, but McCoy told him it's to be expected, after all the trauma his body went through. And that he'll get back to normal before too long. But Jim's always been impatient, especially with himself.

[losthunter]

Hunter looks up, a little alarmed that Jim might have thought he was being pressured into something he was not ready for. "Hey... I am in this for more than that." He chuckles. "I can wait. I promise."