Those Who Favour Fire (Star Trek: TOS story by Vivienne Rivers)

Also see Those Who Favor Fire.

Fanfiction
Title:	Those Who Favour Fire
Author(s):	Vivienne Rivers
Date(s):	1983
Length:
Genre(s):	slash
Fandom(s):
Relationship(s):	Kirk/Spock
External Links:
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Those Who Favour Fire is a Kirk/Spock story by Vivienne Rivers.

It was published in the print zine The Voice #2.

It has a sequel called With Cords of a Man.

Discussed in Not Tonight, Spock!

See Sexuality in K/S Fiction: Anal Intercourse.

Summary

"While on Organia, Spockʼs reaction to the mindsifter brings to the fore his feelings for Kirk, who, reciprocating the feelings, takes Spock as his lover."

Reactions and Reviews

1994

A very beautiful, sensitive story. Fine writing, lovely subtleties.

The Organian episode. Spock is extremely shaken after his session under the mind-sifter and does not try to hide it from Kirk. Spock had been thinking of Kirk, and that's what Kor extracted from his mind. So he was forced to tell Kirk of his feelings. A very beautiful hurt/comfort scene in their room at the inn; they end up in bed.

Very fine, sweet erotica, their making love...

Really excellent, the points they venture to discuss - who they are already to each other and how being lovers would change that.

Back on the ship, a very interesting and relevant scene, Kirk's wondering how to approach their first intimacy together on board, to assure parity in their relationship. Who should come to whom first, and where. Kirk being careful not to manipulate the situation to where he is in a dominant position. Meanwhile, Spock in his own quarters had been pondering the same dilemma.

A very beautiful coming together then. Guess who comes to whom and where?

Oh yes, and a good plot too. Kirk's and the Klingons' power struggles and the Organians machinations. I love Kirk's bit about "It must have been the tights." Tell me about it.

2000

I keep my favorite K/S stories by my bedside, so that I can reread at my craving. One of them is "Those Who Favour Fire" by Vivienne Rivers from The Voice 2, and English fan zine.

"Those Who Favour Fire" takes place during the events in "Errand of Mercy". The story starts just as Spock and Kirk have been released from Kor's office, after Spock has undergone the mind sifter.

They have gone up to the "rooms", and Kirk notices Spock is not doing well, and helps him into his room and onto his bed. And well, one thing leads to another, as they are wont to do, especially in K/S stories!

Here's one of my favorite paragraphs: (This is Kirk) I must, he thought, make myself clear. He can interpret...this...in any way he chooses and he won't, in his modesty, fear, whatever, go for the real meaning...at least I assume...For a moment he eyed the corner of Spock's mouth thoughtfully then, leaning over, carefully, precisely, pressed his lips there. Spock lay quiescent, his breath coming fractionally quicker; Kirk did not pull back but remained close, his mouth just a whisper away from the Vulcan's and as he kissed him again, longer this time, Spock turned his head talking incoherently against Kirk's lips and seeking...searching. They lay on the same pillow intent on each other. The human tried to quell the rush of protectiveness that rose within him; a more gentle need to enfold than a moment ago. It was not the first time he'd had to curb the tendency to regard Spock as an innocent abroad; yet he was ingenuous at times and it couldn't all be for his Captain's benefit. He looked into the Vulcan's face again. One could see what one liked in that tranquil expression but Kirk didn't fear that; he knew the light kindling in the dark eyes was solely for him. He couldn't recall how long it was since he'd realized that he had stopped regarding his First Officer as his closest friend, thinking of him instead as a potential lover. He did remember, however, his calm acceptance of the discovery; whether anything came of it he had left in destiny's care and now... Anyway, the story is quite lovely.

I was packing my favorite bedside fanzines, and picked up Voice 2, and decided to read 'Those Who Favour Fire" by Vivienne Rivers. This story takes place during "Errand of Mercy" and adds a few extra scenes while Kirk and Spock are down on Organia. One of my favorite lines is toward the end of the story, right after the Organians have revealed their true nature, and Kirk and Kor have had shouting match. Kirk and Spock became lovers while they were down on the planet, and Spock is a little more possessive than usual. Kor, when he threatened to turn Spock into a "Vegetable", indicated to Kirk that if Kirkwould accept Kof's advances, Spock could be saved. Kirk mentioned this conversation to Spock while they cooled their heels in the dungeon. Now, as they are leaving the Organian council chamber, Spock puts "a casually proprietary hand on Kirk's shoulder" and earns himself a strange look from Kirkand a hard glare from Kor. I read that paragraph (for the first time back in the eariy 90's), and thought to myself, "I don't remember Spock touching Kirk on the way out of the council chamber." Weeks later, I visited Audrey and mentioned that, and our delightful Audrey immediately went downstairs to her basement and retrieved her copy of that episode, and we watched that scene. And no, Spock didn't touch Kirk! But the way the story is written, it worked so well, and "sounded" right, that I had to check the episode to make sure!