A Significant Date [for losthunter]

[boldygoing]

Time is a strange thing, isn't it? The past year seemed to drag on with agonizing slowness, particularly during Jim's long recovery both in and out of the hospital last February, and again during the last few months. But looking back at it now, he'd be hard-pressed to say where the hell the time went. It's been an entire year since he first found the Nexus, and introduced himself to someone who has come to mean surprisingly much to him. How has it been a year already?

Anniversaries are not really his thing. Never have been, not romantically, or otherwise. The events he commemorates every year are not often the joyful type, usually revolving more about things he'd prefer to forget. To have something good to mark the year's passing... it's one hell of a novelty, that's for sure.

Jim arrives at Hunter's apartment in the early evening, dressed in civilian clothes that are several shades nicer than his usual casual look, incorporating a certain spy's fashion advice into today's wardrobe choice. A mixed bouquet of roses and zinnias is nestled in the crook of his arm as he knocks on the door, and though his face is a mask of confidence, there's an uncharacteristic nervousness in the pit of his stomach. Stupid to start worrying now, but apparently that's not gonna stop him.

Comments

[boldygoing]

It's so weird to think of himself as being foreign to another Terran from the same continent, but yeah, he can see why Hunter would think so. Language is a living thing, adapting as necessary to survive, taking the best bits and mashing them into a different whole.

The question makes him pause for a moment. Of course. Jim had never said anything about it, and in a place like the Nexus, it'd be easy to miss news about one person unless you were seeking it out. "Kind of. Something happened, around our birthday. Destroyed his PINpoint, and... other things." Serious as this topic is, Jim doesn't want to let it drag down the mood, or give Hunter more things to worry about when Jim ships out. "I don't know much about it, and I shouldn't, but he's fine."

[losthunter]

Hunter nods slightly. When Jim says he shouldn't know too much about the other Jim's situation, that is good enough for him. There certainly is a good reason for it.

"How are things going to prepare for your exploration mission?" Hunter focuses his question back on the man who matters.

[boldygoing]

Jim is more than ready to move the subject along too, as they finish off what's left of the gristhera. "Everything's still on schedule," he answers. The wait has been so long, and there've been some horrendous obstacles along the way, but the closer he gets to the Enterprise's launch date, the more the spirit of adventure has begun to worm its way back into his heart, the longing to get out there and learn what the galaxy has to offer. "Crew roster's been finalized and approved, and the Enterprise is due for intensive stress testing starting next Tuesday, to make sure all her upgrades work the way they're supposed to. There's four hangar bays full of supplies set aside groundside; those'll be loaded up right before the shakedown cruise in April."

[losthunter]

Hunter can almost hear the excitement in Jim's voice when he talks about the upcoming exploration mission.

"Shakedown cruise? What is that?" Hunter asks.

[boldygoing]

"It's just a milk run," Jim assures him, and it's nice that they don't have to change the subject when the waitstaff returns with their main courses, placing the dishes in front of them. Jim nods in thanks to zher, before continuing. "We load up with our full crew complement and head out for a week-long trip where we do nothing but make sure the Enterprise is behaving how she's supposed to under normal working conditions. Engineering tests can only do so much at a time, so we stick around within a stone's throw of the Sol system and run her through her paces. That way if any problems do come up, we're still in reach of help, and we can fix her up before we head out for real."

[losthunter]

"Wow..." Hunter also nods his thanks to the waitstaff when the main dishes are placed in front of him. "That is coming up fast."

And before he knows it, Jim will be gone on his exploration mission.

"I can't imagine how different your life will be... once you are up there. Exploring space, a new path that has not yet been explored."

[boldygoing]

"It'll be different, that's for sure. We've been out there before, but only on short trips, mostly to places that'd been marked for surveying before. Where we're heading has never been charted before, not by the Federation. There could be anything out there, waiting for us to find it. New civilizations we've never met, stellar phenomena that've never been seen or studied. The possibilities are endless." There's a note of passion in his voice, signs of his old self returning after months of hardship. It's been a while since Jim has really felt like himself.

[losthunter]

It is very nice to hear that passion in Jim's voice. To see the signs of his old self. The man that Hunter first was attracted to. The man that Hunter is still attracted to.

"You are going to be a wonderful Captain to that crew."

[boldygoing]

"I hope so." Jim used to think that he deserved such a position, an arrogant assumption that he belonged in the captain's chair regardless of his lack of experience or precedence. He knows better, now. Knows he has to earn it, every day, to be worthy of his crew. And this time, he feels he's up to that challenge. Proud to do it, even. "A captain is only as good as his crew, and mine's the best there is."

His nervousness has all but melted away, lost in the confidence he's regained in his crew, his mission. It's easy to forget how worried he was about tonight, seeing that fond look in Hunter's eye.

And the food is good, which helps a lot. Jim digs into his meal, familiar Andorian vegetables pairing well with the classic Italian seasonings, and he makes sure to slip a bite-size sample of the kookh alla parmigiana onto Hunter's plate, casual and easy.

[losthunter]

It is good to see Jim relax even further, that those signs of nervousness from earlier have now disappeared. Hunter is relieved to know that Jim has his confidence back.

Hunter smiles when Jim shares a bit of his meal with him, so that both meals can be enjoyed and sampled.

The meal is absolutely delicious. That there is no need to find new conversation starters. And Hunter makes those little yummmmmm sounds as he enjoys the food, the wine. Of course, the company means the world to him.

"This is amazing."

[boldygoing]

Jim mops up the remnants of the sauce with a breadstick, washing it down with the last of his wine before he casually leans back in his seat, softly smiling at the man across from him. "How's it compare to the Bajoran place?" he asks, curious for Hunter's twenty-first century perspective on it all. Whether something with Earth-inspired elements would be more comforting in its familiarity than something entirely foreign, no matter how delicious.

[losthunter]

"I honestly don't think I could compare the two meals. Both were delicious. And I am glad you thought of bringing me here." Hunter grins.

[boldygoing]

Jim returns the smile, glad that Hunter's enjoying himself. If dessert back at his apartment gets his approval, then Jim can really call this evening a success. No pressure, right? "San Francisco's got all sorts of great food. I had trouble picking just one," he says with a small laugh.

[losthunter]

"Plenty of opportunities to try other places, before you leave on your mission." Hunter grins.

[boldygoing]

"I'll have to have you over again then," Jim agrees, the thought putting a warm feeling in his chest. The people who suggested sharing parts of his world with Hunter were right on the money, and thank fuck for that. He'd had no clue how to try to make this special for him.

"Ready to head out?"

[losthunter]

"I am." Hunter has cleared his plate completely. He reaches over the table to take Jim's hand in his own.

"Are we going to your apartment next?"

[boldygoing]

"Yeah. I cleaned up the place for you and everything," Jim says with a teasing grin. Can't deny that he's a little concerned Hunter will think his apartment is pretty basic, though. He hadn't really been picky when he chose it, and even though it looks way better than it had, it's not as nice as Hunter's place.

Oh well. No point in delaying, and if nothing else, maybe he can make up for it with dessert.

The walk to Jim's apartment will take several minutes, heading away from the San Francisco Bay. The winter fog is thicker than it was when they arrived, city streetlights glowing softly through the haze to guide them along. The building itself is nothing special either, just a basic apartment block, and Jim has gotten used to the routine of riding the lift to the fourth floor and scanning his palm at the door to get in.

When the door slides open, they're greeted with scents of cinnamon and ginger and warm apples, like something has been baking just recently. The apartment is relatively small, but decently furnished, the walls sparsely decorated with artwork both from his century and a few pieces that Hunter has made.

[losthunter]

Hunter enjoys the short walk to Jim's apartment. The city streetlights seem to light the way for them.

He was not sure what to expect, in all honestly. The ride up in the lift is quiet. And soon they enter the apartment.

Hunter takes a deep breath of the welcoming scent of baking. He glances around the sparsely decorated apartment. He smiles at seeing some of his artwork on the wall.

"This is a nice place, Jim." He finds a place to hang up his coat.

[boldygoing]

"I'm still working on it," Jim answers, though he doesn't miss the smile when Hunter sees his own artwork on the walls. "Make yourself comfortable and I'll get dessert."

The food stasis unit has kept everything hot and fresh while he was gone, and the baked apples are still lightly steaming as Jim transfers them onto a pair of small plates.

There's a sofa in the living room, a table nearby holding a pair of wineglasses and a bottle of hard cider. An unlit candle sits in the center, waiting to be kindled to complete the atmosphere. Jim sets down the plates on the table and lights the candle, the warm orange glow small but enough to cast deeper shadows on the walls. "It's my first time making this, so I hope it's good," he says with a slightly nervous laugh.

[losthunter]

Hunter has made himself comfortable on the sofa, near the table holding the pair of wineglasses. He uses his PINpoint to teleport his gift to Jim to him, so that he can place the package and a card onto the table.

He takes a deep breath of the baked apples as Jim places the plates on the table.

"I never knew I was dating a baker...." Hunter grins. He can't wait to try it.

[boldygoing]

"Old Kirk family recipe," Jim tells him, pouring them each some of the cider to go with dessert. The cider is sweet and rich, and the apples are flavorful and soft enough to cut with a spoon. Despite his worries, the dessert tastes pretty damn close to how he remembers it, vague childhood memories of the few times he visited his paternal grandparents. "One of my grandma Margaret's best-kept secrets."

[losthunter]

"Mmmm you bringing out the old family recipes for me." Hunter grins. The dessert is delicious. He closes his eyes at the flavorful taste.

[boldygoing]

Jim's no stranger to providing food for others, but making it himself... not something he does very much these days. Seeing Hunter enjoy his cooking, a dish that Jim always enjoyed in his childhood... it's definitely worth all the effort he went through.

"Seemed fair," he says, smiling at Hunter over the rim of his glass. "Now you've had a taste from both sides of the family."

[losthunter]

"That is so cool, that you now have a connection to both sides of your family." Hunter should really look into his own family background today.

[boldygoing]

"The parts that I like, anyway." Family is... complicated, to say the very least. Especially when it comes to Jim Kirk's family. But this is a part of it that he doesn't mind sharing, not with Hunter. There's no bad history to wade through here. Just an old favorite dessert, a legacy left behind by someone who cared.

When his plate is cleared, Jim produces an envelope and hands it to Hunter. There's no card inside, but there are two concert tickets, the words VAN HALEN stamped across the top, dated for next week.