The Blending of Two

Fanfiction
Title:	The Blending of Two
Author(s):	Charlotte Frost
Date(s):	1989
Length:
Genre(s):	slash
Fandom(s):	Star Trek: TOS
Relationship(s):	Kirk/Spock
External Links:	on AO3
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

The Blending of Two is a Kirk/Spock story by Charlotte Frost.

It was Frost's very first fanfic.

It was published in the print zine Matter/Antimatter #7.

Summary

"Waking from a shared precognitive nightmare, Kirk confronts Spock when he realizes that Spock had planned to deny him a full bond out of fear that Kirk would die when he does."

The Author Comments

2005

I was surprised to see how far down the list of K/S stories, in order of publication date, this novella ended up. It was actually my very first K/S story – and, therefore, my very first fanfic story. Of course, it included horses, complete with a detailed mating between equines. *g* I remember that, by the time it saw print (I think I first sent it to editors for a zine that never actually came to fruition, and back then it took many months, and sometimes years, for zines to happen), I felt apologetic about how “stupid” it was. I wanted the editors to put something in the editorial, saying it was my first story. They did, but made the point that they felt “no such apology is necessary”.

2014

I got into fandom via Star Trek ,and I made my first attempt at a fanfic story by writing the K/S novella The Blending of Two over Christmas break, when I was in college. That was in 1985, going into 1986, and I spent the holiday break in the one dorm that was kept open. I know I typed one rough draft of over 100 pages (nearly 28,000 words) -- on a typewriter, of course -- then edited it by hand, and then re-typed the whole thing for a final draft. I'm thinking the process took two to three months.

My recollection is that I saw an ad in Datazine, which was sort of a Writer's Market of fandom, about a pair of fans that were putting together their first fanzine. So, I sent my story to them. I think they got back to me fairly quickly that they loved the novella and wanted to publish it. As was typical of the time, when there wasn't an internet and a personal computer was a luxury, they didn't have any set publication date, and were waiting for further submissions. So, I moved on to writing other stories, and they got published in zines that had editors that were writing plenty of their own stories, albeit under a variety of pen names, so the zines filled up quickly.

Three years went by. (This was actually pretty typical of fanzine production at the time.) I wrote the editors, to which I'd submitted "The Blending of Two", on occasion, and they said they were still waiting for more stories. Finally, I requested the manuscript be returned, and they did so readily, because they had decided to cancel their zine, due to lack of submissions. I remember them saying something like, "I hope you don't mind that we've kept a copy of the story, because we enjoyed it so much." Certainly not.

So, I submitted "The Blending of Two" to a zine that had been around awhile, but I'd never given a story to before. It was published within a year. I had asked that the publishers please note in their editorial that "Blending" was the first fanfic story I'd ever written, so readers would hopefully understand if they found it to be rougher or more immature than my contemporary writing. I remember the publisher responding back that they would do so "but we don't feel the story needs any such apology."

So, the story was published in 1989, the editors graciously forwarded a few nice feedback comments, and such was the anti-climax of having my first fandom story ever written finally see print.

Jump to 2011, and the novella is posted to the K/S archive. I got a sporadic slew of brief, very sweet comments, continuing into this year. I've said it before and I'll say it again -- I'm just floored by how much modern fans love and gush over old Trek fic.

And am floored yet again. Just a short while ago, I got a notice that another comment had been posted about "Blending". This was such a lovely, lovely comment -- relatively lengthy and full of enthusiasm for the story...

[snipped]

I knew, from the very beginning, that I wanted to write stories with loving warmth and intimacy and, however willing I was to write explicit sex, I wanted sex to serve no other purpose than to be the expression of those feelings and that intimacy. It's quite gratifying to know that my first attempt at such was a success. And even more gratifying to know that, after nearly 30 years, new readers are still reacting the way I'd originally hoped, and are finding emotional value in something I wrote. , posted October 39, 2014, accessed November 3, 2014 </ref>

Reactions and Reviews

1989

I enjoyed the feeling of love running throughout this story. I liked the frankness of Kirk and Spock's conversation about Kirk's reluctance to live up to his "rep"; and that of Spock's proposition to Kirk. I thought Spock's reaction to watching the horses - making him feel self-conscious about "fumbling around" - was both poignant and believable. And a big WOW! for the explicitness!

This was a very sweet, gentle tale of Kirk and Spock's gradual coming together. I have always admired the way Ms. Frost's stories develop so reasonably and-with no rush -- they seem very real. That this is her first story amazes me. Very well done.

This story does exactly what the title says, a slow, well-discussed, adult decision to blend two lives together into one. I was relieved when the initial sex scenes were neither too perfect nor the end of the story. Given the facts in this story, that Kirk and Spock are both inexperienced with men, the "fumbling" was quite natural.

1990

It's odd, I thought I'd seen every possible lead-in to K/S, but this was quite possibly the most natural and uncontrived beginning I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Kirk neither pouted nor begged nor teased when he stated "I get lonely, Spock." That it was such a honest, forthright statement made it ring with truth. But even more memorable for its tender sincerity was the moment, "If you weren't a Vulcan...."

At one point when the story gained momentum a bit faster than I liked, I steeled myself for disappointment — I could easily have withstood 300 pages of this gentle discovery -- but the letdown never materialized. At one point I was so afraid of things happening too quickly that I looked at the table of contents to see if the end was near. Hy delight when there were 51 or more pages indicates how enamored I was.

While managing to avoid flowery and unnatural descriptions, the author continued to spin her story with perfect style. There were none of the romance-novel phrases to describe a first kiss, but I've never "seen" one more clearly nor been touched by it any more. This "blending" (look up the definition) was perhaps the only one I've seen that could survive being acted out before the cameras and remain believable.

1999

If you like a slow pace, a cautious step-by-step acknowledgment of a changing relationship, this is for you. I found this of particular interest in light of a recent KSP topic: Spock’s own admission of his “experience”. Not a virgin, though he never used those words. He did confess to coitus with Leila and intercourse with Zarabeth. To which Kirk asks “is that it?”

In the beginning, because of Kirk’s determination to avoid misunderstandings, their lovemaking lacks spontaneity, but is still plenty satisfying to both the participants and the reader.

2009

On shore leave with Spock, Kirk opens up to his friend about his loneliness and how tired he his of trying to assuage it with one meaningless woman after another. Spock offers a logical alternative. I loved the quietness of this story, the long talks between the two friends, the maturity in their approach of their relationship and the slow but easy progression towards the physical. Even if it was planned and deliberately developed step by step, it never got tedious or mechanical in the least and didn't lack emotion either. Deep caring and complicity between K&S right from the beginning.

2010

"While on shoreleave, Kirk complains of women’s expectations of him and why he goes along with it, until Spock gives him another alternative." An uncomplicated ‘first time’ in which Kirk and Spock realize what they mean to each other, and tentatively want to take it further. One word: beautiful.

2011

Charlotte Frost was a prolific writer in K/S fandom, writing over 40 stories from the mid-80s to the early 90s, winning an award for one of them.

Over the last year, six of her stories have been posted to the K/S archive, the latest one being The Blending of Two that first appeared in the zine Matter/Antimatter #7.

The story is an uncomplicated 'first time‘ in which Kirk and Spock realise what they mean to each other, and tentatively want to take it further.

The story begins on the planet Trazar. Here the author does a great job of painting the picture of a beautiful, unspoilt planet where Kirk and Spock are taking shoreleave, beginning with a hike. In the opening scene, the back and forth dialogue between Jim and Spock is so perfectly in character, I can hear Shatner and Nimoy‘s voices as I read! During the course of their talk, it transpires that Jim is not looking forward to their next mission, as the ambassador they are to transport has made it clear she‘s expecting more than just the captain‘s official hospitality and while that was once an exciting prospect, it‘s no longer of interest: I’m tired of it, Spock. Of playing all those games, of being Stud Kirk. he tells his friend.

When Spock points out he‘s under no obligation to follow through, Kirk says he doesn‘t want to rock the boat by possibly offending her. As the story progresses, this leads Spock to wanting to understand the situation more and eventually Jim admits to feeling lonely, even on a ship of 400+ crew. And that‘s when Jim learns that Spock feels lonely too...

By the time they begin their new mission, after tactfully rebuffing her advances, Kirk is finally forced to politely decline the ambassador, telling her his heart‘s given to another.

McCoy has only a cameo role in this, but his characterisation feels really authentic and there‘s some wonderfully familiar by-play between the three of them: "You both look smug," McCoy replied, as though he shouldn’t have to explain himself. "You look like you know something I don’t. Spill it."

Kirk wiped his mouth with a napkin. "I haven’t the vaguest idea of what you’re talking about." He sent a brief, corner-of-his-eye appeal to Spock, asking for help.

"Doctor," Spock began, "if you truly believe us to be hiding something from you, would it not therefore be logical to assume that we have chosen not to share it with you? Otherwise, there would be no point in hiding it from you in the first place – if indeed there were anything we were attempting to conceal."

The nice thing about this story is the way they take things slowly, gradually building up the closeness and then the intimacy – very much in keeping with the characters as the author portrays them. Make no bones about it, this is very much an NC-17 story, with the reader being the fly on the wall as Jim and Spock continue to explore this new facet of their relationship, learn more about the other and their feelings begin to deepen. Since neither has had sex with another male, and Spock is largely inexperienced, there is much exploration to be done and each step is taken so lovingly. None of these intimate scenes feels like a pre- programmed menu: there is dialogue, and thoughts and emotion to go along with their actions, making the scenes feel authentic and loving – and occasionally humorous: "That was beautiful, Spock," Kirk told him. "Absolutely the most beautiful blow...um, oral sex experience I’ve ever had."

The story is nearly 29,000 words and still seems to end too soon! If you like great characterisations, a slow- build up of intimacy and some really hot and loving sex, then this is the story for you.

2021

4.5/5. This was a very wholesome story, with lots of fluff. There was some horse sex, which I feel the need to warn you about but I don't have a tag for that. The sexual assult was very quick and had no real baring on the story. Overall, it was a pleasant read.