L'shanah tovah [for losthunter]

[boldygoing]

Jim Kirk has not celebrated any holidays with his family for a very long time.

Sure, they started talking again after his enlistment in Starfleet made its way into several Earth newsfeeds, the usual media vultures seeking attention for their coverage of George Kirk's son returning to the fold, so to speak. Confined mostly to text-based messages, and a few short video calls, his grandparents have reached out to him over the past few years, trying to reconnect, to mend old fences, and giving a standing invitation to come visit whenever he's ready.

He's always had an excuse for not going, citing existing plans to spend time with Bones, to study for upcoming exams, or being out of the solar system on Starfleet business, among other things. But with the Enterprise still out of commission as her repairs and overhaul nears completion, and having spent several weeks sharing living space with his mother again, he can't really wiggle out of it this year.

Not that he's even sure he wants to, anymore.

His family life has never really been the poster child for well-adjusted people, but... they're still his family. And maybe it's time to stop running away from his problems and pretending they don't exist. He's not a traumatized thirteen-year-old anymore, overwhelmed and isolated in the knowledge that none of them can truly appreciate the horrors he lived through, lashing out at a world that allowed such things to happen to him. He's turned his life around, cleaned up his act, and started down a path that is far more important than just fulfilling his own wants, regardless of the legality. And this particular holiday seems like the appropriate time to try to make amends.

Fortunately, he doesn't have to deal with it alone.

Jim patiently waits just outside a public transporter terminal in the Chicago suburbs, sitting on a park bench. While still wearing civilian clothes, he's on the slightly more formal side of things today in a white dress shirt and dark pants, though he's not bothered to wear a tie. It's about mid-afternoon, and the streets are mildly busy with people out for a stroll or out running errands of some kind, a steady flow of foot traffic both on the sidewalks and beaming in and out at the transporter platforms. He idly watches them pass by, keeping an eye out for his expected guest, whose PINpoint coordinates should bring him out exactly where everyone expects people to appear out of nowhere.

Comments

[boldygoing]

It's gone a little better than Jim had expected, on his end. Hunter being here has definitely made a difference. Whether it's because he's had some good supportive arguments in Jim's favor, or simply because the family doesn't want to dig too deeply into family issues when they have company, that's up for debate. Either way, the end result is the same.

"Nah, the Jewish calendar's a lunisolar one, so days start at sundown," Jim explains. "Back in ancient times, it was easier to figure out when sunset was than midnight."

"A lot of time during Rosh Hashanah is spent in the synagogue," Winona says, feeling bolstered enough to contribute to the conversation without treading on any touchy feelings. "There are long hours of services in the morning, lots of prayer, and blowing the shofar - a kind of trumpet made from a ram's horn, meant to wake us up spiritually for the renewal of the year. It's a pretty busy time; even Jews who aren't normally very observant usually make an exception for the High Holy Days."

"There's another tradition called tashlikh that a lot of people do," James adds with a grin. "You go down to a river or some other kind of flowing water and symbolically cast off your sins to be washed away, throwing pebbles or breadcrumbs into the water. It's a great excuse to feed ducks."

[losthunter]

"There are a few synagogue's in New York. They usually have very beautiful architecture to them," Hunter smiles.

"That tradition sounds like it would be very soothing to the soul."

[boldygoing]

"If nothing else, it makes the ducks happy," Jim agrees, though he hasn't done the ritual for a long time now, like many other things he did as a child. It's still somewhat strange, returning to that even for just one holiday, like a dance you haven't done in so long that you've forgotten half the steps. But still... he feels a little more comfortable in his grandparents' house than he did when they arrived, now.

[losthunter]

"I was painting a landscape of a lake, with ducks, when I first met Verity."

"Will your family be doing that ritual tonight?"

[boldygoing]

"It's a bit late for us, but you boys can if you want," Ruth says with a smile. "We're going to go after morning services tomorrow."

Jim hadn't planned either way, so he just raises his eyebrows questioningly at Hunter. "Up to you. Nearest part of the river's a few minutes' walk though."

[losthunter]

"We don't have to do the ritual."

"Just a walk by the river would be nice." Hunter smiles softly.

[boldygoing]

Jim nods. While this evening has gone better than he'd hoped, he still feels somewhat like a break with just the two of them would be nice. To say that being around his family is still awkward to an extent is an understatement.

"Will you be coming back afterwards, dear, or are you heading home?" Ruth asks.

[losthunter]

Hunter smiles at Jim, since it will be up to him to answer the question. "Whatever you decide, if you want me here, I am able to stay longer."

[boldygoing]

It's encouraging that Hunter hasn't decided that Jim's family are too strange to be around, or any other reason why he might want to run away screaming. So Jim smiles a little and nods. "We'll be back."

If nothing else, they won't have to worry about managing their leftovers.

"All right, you boys have a good walk," Ruth says, smiling somewhat knowingly at them.

[losthunter]

The somewhat knowingly smile from Jim's grandmother makes Hunter chuckle lightly. He offers his arm to Jim. "Take me for a tour?"

[boldygoing]

Jim takes his arm, and throws a casual wave towards his mother as they head out the door. It's getting a little late, though it's not quite sundown, and the streets are even quieter than they were when Hunter arrived.

Once the door closes behind them, Jim visibly relaxes a little, some of the weight off his shoulders of having to be on his best behavior in front of his grandparents and his mother. "I think my grandma likes you."

[losthunter]

"I like her." Hunter laughs softly. "I really enjoyed meeting them tonight, Jim."

[boldygoing]

Jim scrubs his free hand through his hair, relieved to be out of the house. The sidewalk will lead them along the road in the direction of the river, the walking path planted with decorative shrubs, some of them alien in nature, in bloom even so late in the year.

"It wasn't too different, then?" Jim had noticed a couple of times where Hunter had looked uncertain or confused, though he'd expected as much.

[losthunter]

"Not too different." Hunter replied. He takes careful note of some of the alien blooms that are blooming right now.

"There were a few times, I didn't want to ask questions, because it might have resulted in them having too many questions for me."

[boldygoing]

The weather, at least, is cooperating with their outdoor plans, bringing only a slightly cooler breeze as the evening deepens. It's nice to be able to just stroll along at their own pace, without needing to rush anywhere or worry about someone waiting for them to arrive.

"Because of technology?" Jim guesses.

[losthunter]

"Because of the technology. And the time when I was asked if any of my family was in Starfleet." Hunter shrugs. "I am glad they didn't press why I am not close to my father either. My answer wouldn't really fit with what is typical in your timeline."

This new autocorrect is awful

[boldygoing]

"We know what it's like to have strangers prying into our private lives," Jim says quietly, glancing over at him as they walk along. "So we try not to do it to other people if they don't wanna talk about it."

lol

[losthunter]

"I can't imagine how difficult it is for your family." Hunter notes softly.

"The only reason my dad was not hounded by the media... was because he owned the majority of the media businesses in the State."

[boldygoing]

In Jim's case, it's far more than just the media. But in the spirit of the holiday, he doesn't really want to drag down the mood by discussing it in too much depth.

"I think the weirdest part of dinner for me was realizing I legitimately outrank everybody at the table," he says instead, trying to lighten the mood a little.

[losthunter]

"No one else in your family ever reached the rank of Captain?" Hunter asks, curiously.

[boldygoing]

"Not besides my dad, but he wasn't captain for very long." Twelve minutes, according to official record. Long enough to do what had to be done. "Promotion usually takes a while."

[losthunter]

"I think it is pretty remarkable that you have so many generations of your family who served in Starfleet."

[boldygoing]

"It doesn't go back much further than that... my parents met at the Academy, though, so it's a little less coincidental than it looks."

[losthunter]

"I imagine that a lot of close bonds are made at the Academy."

"And I think that you making things work with your family is great. There was those few moments when there was slight tension... but at least you can sit down together and have a meal. And a conversation."

Hunter frowns. "It sort of sucks that my dad... would never be comfortable with that."

[boldygoing]

"Yeah, my mom was on her best behavior tonight." It doesn't always happen that way, of course. But a family that doesn't like to air their dirty laundry in public doesn't want to do it behind closed doors with a guest, either.

Jim frowns too, sympathetic. "You don't think he'll ever come around?"