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When Jim meets Spock they are decorated officers of Starfleet, professional and ready for their next assignment. The Enterprise is a big name and they’re both eager to do it justice. They meet and Jim smiles, smiles like the sun and Spock’s eyebrows furrow because he didn’t expect this joyful, golden Human to be his captain. And yet, he cannot find any fault in it.
“I have a good feeling about this mission, Mr. Spock,” Jim Kirk says.
“I am inclined to agree, Captain,” Spock replies.
This is the beginning of the story we know, but it is not the only one.
--
When Jim meets Spock they are ten and thirteen years old. Spock is on Earth and Jim sees him across the street in San Francisco. He bounds up to Spock, all questions and exclamations, excited to see a Vulcan in person and delighted he’s so close to his age. Spock is taken aback by Jim’s loudness and splendor, and shrinks back into his mother’s side. He can feel the disapproval his father projects. That night, his mother asks if he enjoyed his day. Spock lies for the first time. “I did not enjoy the young Terran boy who interrogated me. I am hopeful our paths do not cross again.”
Spock is pleased, some years in the future, that his lie did not come to fruition.
--
When Jim meets Spock, one of them is Vulcan and the other Human, and it’s not the way you would expect. Jim has never seen a Human look so composed and serious. Spock has never seen a Vulcan so emotive and bright. They both silently agree that they would be better suited in each other’s places, and build a life that is a mix of both.
--
When Jim meets Spock, Spock hides his ears under a slouchy hat and is careful not to speak too freely. But secrets never stay secrets in high school. Jim Kirk is determined to know what makes his quiet new boy so compelling to him. Spock thinks if any Human could be trusted to know his secret, it would be James Kirk. Jim is thrilled that his boyfriend is an alien, and Spock’s mother, less so that he knows. Even in this world without Humans in Starfleet, Kirk is destined to take on the stars with Spock at his side.
--
When Jim meets Spock, they are both old. They have lived long, long lives. Lonely lives, though both had life-companions and both had children. Despite their years and experiences, their lives have never crossed until today. There is pain and recognition in both of their eyes. They say, “I am glad to have finally found you,” and “How sad that this is our meeting, so close to the end of our lives,” and “now that I have you, I will never let you go.”
--
When Jim meets Spock, Vulcans hate humans, humans hate Vulcans, and Vulcans hate Spock. He escapes the oppressive atmosphere of Vulcan for Earth, in search of his mother. The first human to show him kindness is a young man in a Starfleet uniform. The rest is history.
--
When Jim meets Spock, Jim hates everything about his life. He runs away from home on a stolen ship and finds a Vulcan similarly on the run. They find a home in each other. This is the simplest of their lives together, and maybe one of the happiest.
--
When Jim meets Spock they are young and untested and, oh, so volatile. They fight and fight and think they hate each other. The crew knows better, and they drop enough hints for Jim to finally get it. “You know we don’t actually hate each other,” he tells Spock one day, in the aftermath of a mid-deck screaming match.
“I am aware,” Spock replies.
“Then why the hell are we doing this?” Jim asks.
Spock does not have an answer. Eventually, he says, “I believe we met at the wrong time. If we were children, your nature would have bent to meet mine, and mine to meet yours. If we were older, we would know ourselves well enough to adapt to each other’s presence. Perhaps we could have been friends.”
“Maybe we still could,” Jim says. There is a light of hope in his eyes, and Spock is captivated by it.
“Maybe,” he concedes. He does not listen to the voice in his head that tells him that maybe they could be so much more.
--
When Jim meets Spock, his is days away from death. Spock cannot stop staring at the boy’s protruding ribs, his cracked lips, his labored breathing. Tarsus IV is in ruins around them. Spock cannot believe anyone could have survived this, let alone a young Human boy on his own. He offers him a nutrition bar.
“Eat, James Kirk,” Spock commands. Jim shrinks back.
“No. I had my food already for today. You just want to poison me, get rid of me! You want to kill me! You want to keep all the food for yourself!”
“Be calm, James,” Spock says, the image of calm himself. He sits on the dusty ground next to the boy, still holding out the nutrition bar. “I would not gain anything from your death.”
“Then why are you offering me food?” Jim asks suspiciously.
“I wish to see you recover. I am strong and well-fed. You are not. Therefore, it is only logical that I give you what I do not need.”
Jim does not move, aside from the shivering that wracks his body. Spock unwraps the bar and takes a bite. He chews, swallows. Jim tracks the movement with his eyes, his moth watering. This time, when Spock offers the bar to Jim, he takes it. He eats, and Spock ignores the tears that fall from his eyes. Instead, he scoots closer and wraps his arm around Jim’s shaking form. To keep him warm, he reasons to himself. After all, it wouldn’t do to get attached to an emotional human.
--
When Jim meets Spock, it’s through a dream. They meet time and time again inside the haze of sleep. They both think the other is a figment of their imagination, a childhood wish come back to keep them company. They sit and talk, or they go on adventures, or they build new worlds for each other—all in the safety and comfort of dreams. They wake to the ache of loneliness and both hold out hope for another night of companionship in dreams. Then they meet on the hot sands of Vulcan, young men on a diplomatic mission of peace. Jim’s mouth falls open. “It’s you,” he breathes. Spock does not say anything, but his eyes shine with recognition, with relief, and with love. Jim nearly ruins the whole peace treaty mission when he grabs the leader of the Vulcans by the shoulders and kisses him soundly on the mouth. Spock responds by caressing Jim’s hands with his own. Their unexpected audience watches, shocked and silent.
“I can’t believe I found you,” Jim says.
“I always believed we would.”
“But I was just a dream to you. You didn’t even know if I was real,” Jim protests.
“I had no doubt. My mind could not invent anyone like you.”
--
When Jim meets Spock, it’s too late. He wasn’t even supposed to be here, but Uhura, for all her strength and bravery, can’t attend her ex-boyfriend’s funeral alone. She’s his best friend in this world, and so he goes. Spock’s widow, T’Pring, stands tall and proud, her face shrouded by a veil and tremors in her hands. Uhura weeps silently. Jim stares at the dead man and cries for the person he did not know, that he never knew, that he will not know. He feels a sense of loss that does not belong to him.
--
When Jim meets Spock, it can’t be more obvious. Soulmates of different species are tricky things since most species don’t share soulmate identifiers. When Jim meets Spock, he sees color for the first time. When Spock meets Jim, his mind reaches out and finds a home.
“T’hy’la,” Spock says.
“Jim,” Jim replies, beaming. “I’ve never heard the name t’hy’la before.”
Absurdly, Spock almost laughs, but contains it to a warm smile. “No, Jim. You are my t’hy’la. My friend, my brother, my lover.”
“I thought Vulcans weren’t supposed to be romantics,” Jim comments, stepping closer. Spock allows himself to succumb to the gravity that pulls him towards Jim.
“I am half human.”
“Ah, that explains it,” Jim says with good humor.
“I am Spock,” Spock says.
“Spock,” Jim repeats. His name has never sounded so right before.
--
When Jim meets Spock, neither of them belong to Starfleet. One is a pirate and one is an outcast. Both are searching for meaning, and both for revenge. They find meaning together and revenge apart. When they break, it is not clean. The wound festers and rots, and both wish they had not met at all. Jim sees him years later, and they spend one more night trying to find comfort in each other. The effort falls flat.
“Maybe in another world,” Jim says.
“If things were different,” Spock agrees. They have no idea how right they are.
--
When Jim meets Spock, it’s during Spock’s final year of Academy. Jim is a good student. Spock is a good student. Two nosy professors push them together for a project and watch the sparks fly. They get a high grade on the project and when they graduate, they serve on the same ship. After all, not even Starfleet would separate a bonded couple.
--
When Jim meets Spock, it’s at Academy. Jim is a bad student. Spock is a good professor. They spend hours debating and classes arguing and evenings playing chess together. It’s not a perfect relationship, but it’s theirs. Uhura will never forget that Jim stole the man she loved, but she will forgive him. Bones will never let Jim forget the bet they made, and Jim is paying the fallout for years to come. It’s worth it though, to have Spock in his arms.
--
When Jim meets Spock, neither of them remember it. In this world, Winona moves as far from Earth as she can get and ends up on Vulcan. She is welcomed by the Vulcan ambassador’s family. Spock is three and Jim is a baby. They grow up a house apart rather than a world apart, and the fierce love and loyalty that defines them in nearly every universe begins at birth. Jim and Spock hear about the tragedy of Tarsus IV on the news and huddle together for the rest of the day.
“I cannot help but feel relieved you are here. I feel as if we have escaped some terrible fate,” Spock says.
“Me too,” Jim says. “My mom was thinking of sending me to Tarsus for the summer if I didn’t get into your school. Thank you for petitioning the principal.”
“You are a worthy addition to the Vulcan Science Preparation Academy. I simply had to inform Principal T’Rain of that fact.”
“Well, thank you,” Jim says. He rests his head against Spock’s shoulder. “You saved me.”
“I will always save you,” Spock says. He means it.
--
When Jim meets Spock, he tries to kill him. When Jim fails at his attempt, he smiles jovially and slaps Spock’s back. “I’m in need of a new First Officer,” he says.
“Why should I accept that offer?” Spock asks. He straightens his tunic, ruffled from the fight. Jim’s eyes glint with the promise of violence. It sends a shiver of passion down Spock’s spine, and he knows he will follow wherever Jim leads.
“I’ll make it worth your time,” Jim says. “Hey, you know what? You’d look a bit scarier with a beard. Maybe a goatee.”
Spock agrees, and the United Federation of Planets gains a terrifying and effective command team.
--
When Jim meets Spock, it’s nothing out of the ordinary. Jim is serving on the Farragut and Spock is still serving under Captain Pike. They meet at a party, some formal shindig for new officers in the ‘Fleet. Jim starts to make his rounds, fully intending to hobnob and network the whole night. The first person to catch his eye is a beautiful Vulcan man standing as inconspicuously as possible in the corner near the buffet. Jim grabs and plate and casually introduces himself. Spock replies in kind, and they discuss their current assignments. This leads to hopes for future assignments, the majesty of the flagship Enterprise, and Jim’s approaching captaincy exam. Words and emotions flow easily between them. Spock has never felt this kind of comfort outside of his bond with his mother. He only realizes how animatedly he’s talking when he sets down his plate to gesture with his hands. He flushes, catching himself, and tucks his hands behind his back. Jim grins and touches his shoulder.
“I shouldn’t keep you all night,” he says, despite the fact that half the night is already gone. “It was great to meet you, Spock. I hope to see you again soon.”
“As do I,” Spock replies. His shoulder tingles where Jim’s hand is. Jim smiles again and leaves. Neither of them realizes they are accidentally bonded until years later when Spock’s pon farr leads him to Jim instead of T’pring.
--
When Jim meets Spock, it’s at daycare. Jim is dropping off his nephew and Bones’ daughter before catching a shift at the garage. He’s in his mechanic’s uniform already, still streaked with grease from the day before. Spock raises an unimpressed eyebrow at him.
“Sorry, sorry,” Jim says hurriedly. “I wish I had time to chat—I always like to know who’s looking after my kids—but I really have to get to work. Can I take you out for coffee sometime?”
Spock narrows his eyes and considers the good that could come of it. On one hand, he could learn valuable information about the young boy in Jim’s care. Orphaned children are always difficult to care for, and the knowledge of Peter’s emotional state that Jim undoubtedly possessed would be useful in ensuring Peter’s continuing recovery. On the other hand, Spock finds the general messiness of Peter’s guardian displeasing. Surely such a man is an unsatisfactory parent for a traumatized boy.
“I do not drink coffee,” Spock says truthfully, hoping this non-answer will satisfy the man.
“Dinner, then,” Jim says, his smile growing. Spock does not have a chance to answer. Jim takes another hurried glance and his watch and suppresses a swear.
“Ok, Jo, Pete, give Uncle Jim a kiss and pray that Uncle Scotty doesn’t fire me,” he says. The children both cling to his legs and beg him not to leave. Spock watches with growing interest as Jim kneels on his level and whispers quiet words to Peter. It seems to be a mantra, because Peter mumbles the words with him—possibly a children’s story, given the cadence of the sentences. After a few moments of this, Peter nods and lets go of Jim’s hand.
“Love you, kid. See you this afternoon.”
Peter nods. Jim kisses his cheek and ruffles Joanna’s hair.
“Be good for Mister Spock now, okay?” He gives Spock a wink and heads for the door.
“Dinner tonight, 8:00. No excuses!” he calls over his shoulder. Spock spends the rest of the day rebuffing Peter and Joanna’s questions about when he’s going to marry Uncle Jim.
--
When Jim meets Spock, it’s because his pod crashes on Vulcan. Very few humans have made it to Vulcan and survived. A cruel and primitive race, Vulcans are highly territorial and rumored to be merciless. Jim is rescued by a Vulcan who seems, above all other things, reserved. He nurses Jim back to health and hides him from the other members of his clan. Jim learns to speak his harshly beautiful language and read the flowing script inscribed on the walls. He learns to love the oppressive heat of Vulcan, the strange flavors of the food, and Spock. When Jim is found out, he is thrown in an arena with the other prisoners, Spock alongside him as a betrayer of the throne. He sees firsthand the legendary passion of Vulcans when Spock protects him from le'matyas. He protects Spock in kind, and together they survive. More than that, they bond through ritual combat, and Jim becomes a true member of the clan. They secure a ship and some supplies and leave Vulcan behind, restless to see the wonders of the universe together.
--
They meet as inquisitive children, as angsty teenagers, and as middle-aged men. They meet as old men or young men or college students. They meet as officers and teachers and parents and chess players. They meet because they both run away to join the circus. They fall in love at first sight, or they hate each other, or they feel an encompassing sense of familiarity that grows into loyalty and adoration. It takes hours sometimes, and sometimes years. Occasionally it takes decades and, once, memorably, it takes three trips into alternate universes and a kick in the ass for them to get the hint. They meld and bond and marry and commit. They fight and break up and return to each other. They meet because they’re meant to and they fall in love because it’s their most natural state of being. The universe brings them together and the times when it doesn’t, they find a way regardless.
No matter the universe, Jim meets Spock.