Love Is

K/S Fanfiction
Title:	Love Is
Author(s):	Kay Wells
Date(s):	1987
Length:
Genre:	slash
Fandom:	Star Trek: The Original Series
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Love Is is a Kirk/Spock story by Kay Wells.

It was published in the print zine Fever #1.

Summary

"Just as Kirk and Spock go into seclusion to get through Spockʼs pon farr, the Enterprise is attacked by a Romulan ship, forcing them to continue behind a privacy screen in the auxiliary bridge."

Reactions and Reviews

LOVE IS by Kay Wells answers some of the questions about what would happen if pon farr struck at an inopportune tune. In this tense story, Kirk and Spock are forced to command the Enterprise from behind a privacy screen in Auxiliary Control while they're...you get the picture, right? This story is well-done and it made me squirm with embarrassment a couple of times - which mean* that the author did her job well.

This story is one of the most loving I've read in a long time; the perfect blend of wonderful, warm feelings without getting mushy or syrupy. This was accomplished with a multitude of sex scenes, none of which usurped the underlying love, and all of which were fresh enough that they never got tedious. A rare accomplishment! There is a part of the story that I couldn't accept, no matter how much I would have liked to. When the Enterprise was first attacked, I can't believe that Kirk would not have immediately run to the bridge, regardless of Spock's circumstances. Also, the ending with the Romulans was a little too pat and perfect. Still, I liked this story very much, including the way Uhura was depicted. A very pleasant read.

This is one of the best Pon Farr stories I've ever read. It is also much my favorite of Kay Well's stories. This one has structure, characterization and a well-developed plot. And it deals with the Spock-in-Pon-Farr in a highly original manner. In this story, Kirk and Spock have been lovers for a while. Spock goes into Pon Farr; the two of them treat this as a health matter rather than as rape. The actual Pon Farr is handled in an intense but loving manner. The complications arise when Romulans, believing that the Neutral Zone has been violated, mount an attack. Uhura, in command, handles the situation in a calm way, coming up with a plausible solution. I don't want to spoil it.

I giggle when I think of this story. It's finely- crafted, interesting to read, boasts a genuine plot, has hot sex, but I still giggle. "Love Is" is the sort of story that I consider a guilty pleasure, since it also sports public sex, voyeurism, embarrassment, and a somewhat improbable denouement. But what the heck! When I re-discovered it in Fever I the other day, I said to myself: Oh, great! Who can argue with honest pleasure? (Note: Does this ever happen to anybody else? There's a story that you enjoyed, but you lose track of in what zine it was in. Years later you pull out the zine and there it is, like a gift.)

"Love Is" begins with Kirk and McCoy discussing Spock's imminent pon farr over lunch in the mess. The command team has been bonded for a few years. The plan is to isolate them in Spock's cabin for the several days that they'll need for consummation, turning command of the ship over to Scotty. Since they are on a boring star mapping mission, it seems a good plan. (Thank goodness for those star mapping missions; half of all the K/S written wouldn't exist without them!)

The isolation is necessary because Spock will be extremely possessive of Kirk during the duration of pon farr, not being able to tolerate the presence of any other person, especially another male. (I must confess that though this scenario doesnt always make a lot of sense to me, I like it.)

The story continues with some pretty enthusiastic sex between Kirk and Spock as they "begin early." Spock becomes inarticulate as the fever progresses, but at no time does he become violent. Just more enthusiastic! And Kirk sort of "catches" the fever from him, so that he is a willing participant, being more sexually aroused and capable than should be humanly possible. An interesting occurrence is that Spock does allow Kirk to penetrate him during this time, it's not just Vulcan-dominant all the time, which I like quite a bit.

Halfway through the story the real plot kicks in. The ship shudders and lists to the side just as our fellows are completing an especially satisfying act of love. Kirk instantly wants to go to the bridge, but is easily-—a bit too easily, I think—convinced to remain with Spock. I do see the point, that Spock would literally die if Kirk were to leave him at this point, but I would have preferred to see Kirk a little more anxious than he is.

Eventually they are contacted by McCoy. There is a nice scene where McCoy actually enters their cabin. Kirk and Spock dress in Vulcan robes and retreat to a sofa at the far side of the room, and Spock wraps his arms around Kirk possessively. The point is made that it's just their genuine friendship with McCoy that allows Spock to tolerate his presence in the same room.

The situation on the ship is bad, McCoy reports. The bridge is destroyed (!) by an unknown ship stalking them, Scotty, Suiu, Chekov are in intensive care, Uhura is in command, presiding over a group of inexperienced junior officers.

This is where the story really gets interesting! Our heroes naturally realize they must return to duty, but they still have the last third or so of the pon farr to get through. Something like sex every few hours is still necessary. So they move to the auxiliary bridge where Uhura and two other officers are serving. A screen is erected between the two senior officers and everybody else, one that can be "opaqued," so that when the urge overcomes Spock, he and Kirk can screw around right there in the auxiliary control room. And though they might be out of sight because of the screen, they sure are definitely within earshot, and they certainly arent out of Uhura's mind.

What a neat set of scenes! A voyeur's delight. When Kirk and Spock decide to do it, they do so enthusiastically, not just once to get the edge off the urgency, but several times, and with lots of verbal appreciation. That makes for a wickedly delightful sex scene or two, but it is rather improbable if you're trying to be realistic. With half his ship blown away, lots of casualties, and danger lurking just out of photon torpedo range, I really doubt that Kirk would quite so casually screw with Spock, nor do I think that he'd yell "Oh, Spock!" at critical times when he knows other are listening.

But, oh, isnt it neat that the author ignores reality and gives us this instead?

This is a fun story all the way, one of Kay Wells' best, written with the best of her flair. I recommend it.