Home from Eden

K/S Fanfiction
Title:	Home from Eden
Author(s):	Vivian Gates
Date(s):	1985
Length:
Genre:	slash
Fandom:	Star Trek: The Original Series
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Home from Eden is a Kirk/Spock story by Vivian Gates.

title page

It was first published in the print zine Act 5 #1.

Reactions and Reviews

I'm generally a pushover for any Vivian Gates story (or any pen name used by this author). I wouldn't rank this particular story as one of her best, but it is written in that unmistakable, unflinching style that makes any work by Gates memorable. Its my belief that no one captures Kirk and Spock's essentially masculine character like this author.

What brings me back to Home from Eden is the fantastic sex scene, and the unsparing dialogue as the two men discuss initiating a sexual relationship. There's a wonderful tension as Spock applies his logic to the situation, as Kirk struggles to understand his own newly-awakened passions and find a way to present them in an acceptable fashion to the object of his regard. Try this. "Kirk ignored the embarrassment, shrugging off Pon Farr as something that was not an immediate problem. "But do you want to go to bed with me? Do you want to try at all?" "Yes." One syllable, passionless.

And there aren't any double ridges in this story! Refreshing! "It is not... like yours," Spock said uncertainly, his eyes searching Kirk's. "In appearance and... response, you will find it different from your own..." I love" Kirk emphasized, "exploring new worlds. Don't you?" Wow. what a great line.

I'm a major Vivian Gates fan and "Home from Eden" takes place right after "The Way to Eden". Kirk is still a little taken aback at being called "Herbert", and he and Spock have a discussion in Kirk's quarters, in which Kirk's "needs" are discussed. Immediately thereafter, Spock leaves for his quarters, Kirk has a nightmare that involves Spock dying, and upon waking up, discovers that he loves Spock. So, Kirk goes and gets two apples, and offers them to Spock, ("I find apples nutritionally acceptable"), and Spock immediately realizes that there is something else being offered. And accepts.

Several of my favorite paragraphs are at the end of this story:

"Hungry?" Spock asked softly after a few minutes of quiet. He bent his head to whisper in Kirk's ear, "I have an apple...". He raised an eyebrow as Kirk burst into laughter, and with fine instinct, smothered the laugh with his own lips. Considerably later, their lips parted, and Spock pulled himself out of muscular arms that did not wish to let him go. It was only a few steps to the desk where he had left the apple, but when he approached the bed with it in this hand, he found that Kirk had fallen asleep. The flushed, attractive Human face was turned up, and the long lashes against the pink cheeks and the mouth slightly parted. Spock smiled. Carefully he eased into bed, setting the lax figure against him. Propped up one elbow so that he could see the sleeping man, Spock proceeded to carefully devour the apple. All he wanted of paradise was here at his side, and the apple tasted very, very good.

And Kirk, in his dreams, stood on the bridge of the Enterprise in a pool of stars. Spock was there, and the bridge crew, all gathered around to watch the main screen, where a hard, grasping planet of green jungles and unnatural seasons exploded. Slowly, slowly, the essence of the planet dissipated, drifting off the screen into dark space until there was nothing to see...Kirk, in his sleep, cuddled closer to Spock.

Spock ate every bite of his apple, even the core and the seeds, and then spoke the word that dimmed the lights, gathered Jim Kirk to his breast...and slept."