A Meal to Remember
| Fanfiction | |
|---|---|
| Title: | A Meal to Remember |
| Author(s): | kira-nerys |
| Date(s): | 2000 |
| Length: | |
| Genre(s): | slash |
| Fandom(s): | |
| Relationship(s): | Kirk/Spock |
| External Links: | A Meal to Remember, Side by Side Collection on AO3 |
Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
A Meal to Remember is a Kirk/Spock story by kira-nerys.
It was published in the print zine Beyond Dreams #2 and an extensively edited version[1] was also in Side by Side #9.
Summary
"Kirk knows he isn't supposed to want to make love with his first officer, but when in the privacy of their hotel suite, Spock starts eating strange cucumber-like Vulcan vegetables, whole and with his fingers, well, what is a poor starship captain to do?"
Reactions and Reviews
I love the images in this story, for instance, the long, green things to be eaten with the hands, that Spock introduces Kirk to.But I just don’t care for first person, and especially when it’s present tense. It lacks veracity, in my mind. I think the feelings of a character can be presented fully in third-person narrative and with less obviousness. This way, Kirk’s every feeling is spelled out, not to mention the artificialness of following along with movements and events in the words of the person’s mind. And back to the sexy images. Yes, indeed. Kirk licking the juicy sauce off Spock’s fingers. I love that Kirk can just about make Spock come just from sucking his fingers.
Then we get Spock’s first person present tense, and the problems I have with that. But I can appreciate his angst, that he lost control so easily. And back to the sexy images. I love to envision Kirk encouraging Spock to let go during sex. A gorgeous thing, this letting go, for a controlled person like Spock.
Sweet-talk in afterglow ending is nice.[2]
A delicious, gourmet meal precipitates Kirk and Spock to make love and begin their relationship.They’re in a hotel suite on shore leave and Kirk is increasingly uncomfortable because it’s such an intimate setting with Spock—sipping wine, having food, lights are low. Spock is very untalkative and Kirk is very attracted to him, but tries to hide it. I love the idea that they’ve been going to different restaurants and trying different foods. I thought Spock unable to eat pizza because of the hot peppers was very cute (he doesn’t like spices) and Kirk doesn’t like mushrooms. (Hey! Wait a second. One of my favorite things is pizza with hot peppers and mushrooms! Oh well, what do they know?) Spock orders room service of a special Vulcan dish. He says it’s to be eaten with one’s hands and describes it as “messy” which amuses Kirk. I very much appreciated the “scented cloth” to wipe their fingers. (A moist towelette!) The food is long, green and you’ll get it when Spock picks it up and eats it while Kirk watches. Very sexy when Kirk leans over and licks Spock’s fingers. Spock protests weakly, but Kirk continues. Uh, oh— he says: “Trust me, Spock.” (No, no, Spock! Don’t listen!) Kirk takes him to bed and when he sucks his fingers, Spock comes. The subsequent scenes switch to each point of view which is a good idea. What’s not such a good idea is the use of first person, present time. It is very disconcerting and makes it somewhat confusing which “I” is being referred to. I enjoyed the scene of Kirk lying on the bed, naked, while Spock watches him play with himself— definitely one of my favorite things. A very sexy scene occurs when Kirk teaches Spock how to make love. Those of you who are “virginal Spock- aficionados” will appreciate this! I wished the story had ended with this scene because the last one with mostly Spock’s inner thoughts was not as successful of an ending.
But I really enjoy stories like this that involve food and Kirk and Spock.[3]
I love the thought of them going on an exploration tour of each other's cuisine. I can't shake the thought that subconsciously, Spock chose that Vulcan dish on purpose. And then Kirk making love to Spock's fingers. Oh boy, he couldn't have picked a better spot to start with. Then Spock runs away. The tale of his life, it seems, and then Kirk goes after him, the tale of his life, it seems, and all's well that ends well, of course.[4]
At first, this story seems like it's going to be a somewhat gimmicky first time story. Kirk and Spock are sharing a meal of a Vulcan delicacy, a cucumber shaped vegetable. The proper way to eat this vegetable is to eat them whole; watching Spock do this gets Kirk very aroused. I expected this beginning to lead to a hot sex scene and very little else.However, I should have had more faith in kira-nerys. I have never read a story by her (or recommended by her) that I haven't liked. She goes from the expected extremely hot sex scene to Spock's reaction to the flood of emotions and his loss of control. Spock's reaction of fear and shame, and total retreat, is very sensitively handled, as are Kirk's efforts to show Spock that loss of control in sex is a good thing.
There are many different ways to characterize Kirk and Spock and to envision their relationship, as can be seen from the huge variety of K/S stories. I really liked kira's vision of Kirk and Spock in this story. Kirk is sensitive, persuasive, and passionate. This Spock is a particularly brilliant creation. He wants Kirk, wants to love and make love. However, he is too well trained as a Vulcan to do anything. And his humiliation at the experience he shares with Kirk leads him to retreat in shame and confusion. He gives the impression for a bit that he's ashamed of his sexual inexperience, but it becomes clear that he's talking about emotional inexperience.
This story wound out being much more emotionally involving and substantive than it appeared it was going to be from the first two pages and wound out being a very beautiful exploration of how Kirk shows Spock that sex and love are beautiful and good.[5]
In BD2,1 was especially fond of "A Meal to Remember" by kira-nerys. She captured Spock's devastation and embarrassment at losing control and Kirk's passion and hesitancy (amazingly she made both these emotions come across at the same time and seem appropriate together!). And her technique of alternating the 'Voice" between Kirk and Spock throughout the story is very effective.[6]
This was a surprise. It began as one of those meals we’ve all imagined and read about where Spock and Kirk are indulging in a long, fleshy vegetable that custom dictates is eaten whole. Making it wholly predictable, right? Wrong, wrong, wrong.The difference lies in the way the following events are depicted. This is an intriguing and thorough examination of Kirk and Spock’s feelings as the evening progresses. Kirk is as you would expect, and while his innermost reactions, hopes and uncertainties are well defined, it is the encounter as seen through Spock’s eyes that captivates me.
Spock struggles with his lack of experience – of anything to even use as comparison. His very real fear of letting go, of losing control, are put under a microscope by an author who appears to understand what it is like to be a naturally reserved person who does not easily show emotion, and who is going to feel absolutely mortified by his actions if he does respond. This is not portrayed as a fault, but as a bridge to be crossed. When Spock does react, it sends him into a vortex of conflicting feelings that he is ill equipped to handle. He is tossed back and forth like a dinghy in a strong sea. He recognizes how much he wants to respond to Kirk, but that thought is quickly submerged by a very strong fear of doing so. Having held himself in check his entire life, it cannot be a simple task to change, no matter how much he loves Jim Kirk, and this is made crystal clear. You cannot restructure who you are in a matter of minutes – and basically this is what must happen for Spock to be the person Kirk wants and needs him to be.
A Spock who becomes overly demonstrative or sexually aggressive with the flip of a switch is always difficult for me to fathom. Maybe that’s why this story seemed to have such a ring of truth to it – no easy answers.
Kirk is well envisioned also, and the POV switches back and forth between them, which really pulls the reader into the dilemma. Both are trying to find the right path and the love that is never in question enables them to discover it together.[7]
Kirk and Spock have developed a habit of dining together now and then. Spock chooses a traditional Vulcan meal to tell Kirk how he feels about him and they end up (of course) by making love. A short, but enjoyable, if slightly predictable story.[8]
I love the writing in this story. The setting in the beginning with Kirk and Spock sharing a meal together on shore leave as friends. Their conversation is perfectly within character, including the fact this has become a tradition for them.The Sa’tai-is is easily visualized, a six inch long, pale green that is eaten with one’s fingers When trying to get a handle on his unexpected response to Spock eating the Sa’tai-is, I love Kirk’s thought, ‘This is food, not a sexual overture’. The sexual tension is well written and resultant loss of control by Spock is within character. His reaction is to retreat and Kirk’s response is sensitive and intuitive, realizing that a sexual relationship was completely new for Spock. The intimate scenes between them is both sweet and erotic.
I have reread this story many times and enjoy it just as much each time.[9]