Losers Weepers

Fanfiction
Title:	Losers Weepers
Author(s):	Patricia Laurie Stephens
Date(s):	1991
Length:
Genre(s):	slash
Fandom(s):	Star Trek: TOS
Relationship(s):	Kirk/Spock
External Links:
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Losers Weepers is a Kirk/Spock story by Patricia Laurie Stephens.

It was published in the print zine Way of the Warrior #4.

Summary

"An A/U, After the 5 year mission, Kirk and Spock get a place together but Kirkʼs infidelities and the problems brought up while searching for a missing David Marcus cause Spock to leave Kirk and return to Vulcan."

Reactions and Reviews

1991

I couldn't make up my mind whether this was meant to be funny or serious. If it was supposed to be funny, the beginning was too somber, if it was supposed to be serious, the ending was too broad a parody of the gay community. The theme, that Spock was driven to Vulcan by Kirk's infidelity and inability to commit, could have been handled either way. The presentation here, however, was uneven.

This is a fascinating, repelling, disgusting story. Down beat despite the epilogue. And I will probably read it every time I read this zine.

1992

I probably would have enjoyed this story completely if it had been purely sarcastic. But both Kirk and Spock's smart-assed-ness contained an underlying sadness and poignancy that prevented this story from being 'just for fun'. I didn't recognize any of these characters: yet, I did enjoy the way Kirk and Spock acted like an old married couple, because it felt so real. I also applaud Spock's decision to leave in the end because Kirk was such a jerk.

At first I thought I was going to get a mood mystery and in an interesting setting, gay San Francisco, with David Marcus. I wished it was a longer story; I didn't feel there was a real resolution of the David situation or solution to the murder mystery. The ending was abrupt, it was not a very auspicious beginning to Kirk and Spock's relationship, but it went perfectly with the mood of the story. I didn't like Kirk's compulsive fucking around, though it was written amusingly. I laughed out loud at some of Spock's jive. I did enjoy them like this, off their pedestals, and the grittiness of the whole scene, just for fun. I'm glad Spock left, glad they came together again three years later — makes sense Kirk would have wound down from his wildness.

2009

I must admit that I was not very keen on this story, mainly because I do not agree with the characterisation of Kirk here. The story takes place after the end of the five year mission when Kirk and Spock are both posted on Earth, Spock as a lecturer at Starfleet Academy and Kirk in a Admiralty position which (in his words) was just a glorified PR job which he hates. Unlike the Kirk we know, this Kirk is expressing his boredom with the job by indulging in a wide variety of vices, including drink, and sex, despite being in a relationship with Spock at the time. I really cannot see Kirk this way at all, I like to think that Kirk had enough respect and love for Spock to want an exclusive relationship and would not hurt him in this way, knowing the Vulcan has very strong feelings for him as he does, nor do I agree with this author’s statement that Kirk seduced Spock out of “boredom” – this is quite simply not how I see Kirk at all, even if he is discontented with his current job in Starfleet Ops.

This story starts with Kirk’s agreeing to help an old friend (Carol Marcus) to search for her missing son who is wanted for questioning in connection with a murder. Although reluctant to get involved, Kirk eventually does agree and of course Spock is right there as well just as we would expect, in spite of the difficulties in their relationship at the time. Whilst Kirk has some sympathy for David, who has been having problems with his relationship with his mother because she is unable to accept he has a distinct preference for relationships with men after catching him and with a male lover. This particular version of Carol is rather different to the one we saw in the films, she comes from a very old and wealthy family and has a strictly conventional viewpoint about how she wants her son to be and a tendency to blame Kirk for what she sees as his flaws. While it is not clear whether David is guilty or innocent, his mother is taking advantage of the situation in order to force her son to be committed to an institution where he can be “cured” of his current sexual preferences. something Kirk obviously disagrees with which is a strong motivation for him to find David before his mother does to allow him to have a choice about how he wishes to spend his life which is more like the Kirk we normally see. Unfortunately, as he and Spock set off to find David, visiting one sleazy nightclub after another, he becomes more and more disenchanted with Kirk, who seems incapable of restraining himself from (as Spock perceives it) flirting with everyone he meets, which has an impact on their relationship and forces the Vulcan to make a difficult decision especially when he learns the truth about who David actually is. I have to admit that while Kirk’s characterisation may be slightly “off” in this story, Spock’s character is very well described, especially his slowly growing frustration with Kirk and his flirtatious attitude which comes to a head when he eventually catch up with David Marcus and Spock learns who he is and the fact that Kirk never told him about David before this.

The story finishes on a slightly more positive note with a nice look at Kirk and Spock’s relationship three years later, after he has returned from Gol. This part is quite well written and more in keeping with the characterisation of Kirk which is more familiar to us. However, whilst I appreciate that it was necessary to portray Kirk’s behaviour earlier in the story in order to demonstrate how he changed as a result of his breakup with Spock, and to show how this affected him, I still cannot really see Kirk this way, although not everyone will agree with me. However, it was nice to know that in the end, Kirk learned his lesson not to take the Vulcan for granted.