Rating: PG-13
Genres: romance
Keywords: bond
This story has been read by 955 people.
This story has been read 1526 times.
This story is number 2 in the series Singularity
Summary: There's a first time for everything. No, not *that* kind of
"first time" story... (Takes place sometime before my story "Tripling
Point," but stands alone.)
In the instant before T'Pol's fingers touch his temples, Trip remembers that Captain Archer had described the first moments of a meld as like falling.
It isn't like falling, he finds out a moment later. It's more like looking down and realizing that the ground isn't where you thought it would be, like that half a second of hanging in the air before you realize you're falling. And in the next instant, he's not falling because he's surrounded by T'Pol. She's in him and around him and she is him, and he knows exactly how she feels, because he feels it as well.
They think about what Trip said in the bond's nascence, but they don't want to visit the Fire Caves again — ever — and while a beach would be nice, no scenery compares to each other, so they keep exploring.
The entire universe is T'Pol-flavored now, except for the part of it that is Trip-flavored. It has been reduced to the lack of space -- in any sense of the word -- between them, the feel of his cheek under their hands (he feels it too, as if it's his own hand), the taste of her mouth under his.
(Neither of them knows when that happened. It doesn't matter. It's only logical.)
They are lost in each other. Sensation, memory, emotion all run together like ink and water on an invisible page.
(Her free hand shoots under his shirt to draw looping tracks across his body and she feels it — he feels her feel it — in her fingers and in her chest and in her brain.)
They merge more deeply into each other, inextricably linked now. They are truly one. No him, no her, just them, and it's not a loss of self like they may have thought earlier. It's an expansion, two halves joining. The only loss is the concept of otherhood, and they know they should have gotten rid of that long ago.
(He reaches around her, runs his hand through the hair on the back of her head, discovers exactly why she likes that so much.)
The need is becoming overwhelming -- need to go deeper, need to touch, need total intimacy — and if there were just one of them, there would be only fear. Perhaps, they think, that's why this particular act requires more than one.
(They have reached a holding pattern of sorts, intertwined physically as well as mentally. Clothing is the greatest barrier between them. Neither of them care that it exists.)
Love, their hearts beat, and they have no choice but to be caught up in the sound of it. Love. Love. Beloved. Need. Love. Joy. The universe constricts around them again; there is only pleasure now, vibrating in them and around them, binding them into a more cohesive whole.
(They collapse onto the floor, T'Pol atop her bondmate, and separate just enough to breathe. Her hand slowly detaches from its place on Trip's skull, but they are both too exhausted to protest.)
The first thought that Trip recognizes as definitely his own is that if he weren't so comfortable, he'd get up and put some new pants on. He smiles, wraps an arm around his t'hy'la, and plants a kiss on her forehead. He closes his eyes, and as one, they sigh contentedly.
Loved it! I can only imagine how intense and satisfying (well...until the next time ;)) such an encounter would be, when you can literally feel all these emotions and experiences fully and completely between both - or, really, between the two-become-one. With all the uncertainty stripped away, such a union of minds and bodies must be so incredible and the epitome of fulfillment, which is exactly how you described it. Excellent story.
There's a passage in the Bible where it says "A man will leave his father and his mother and he will stick to his wife and the two shall become one flesh" I've always envied that Vulcans can actually do this. I love the idea that there is no "Trip" and there is no "T'Pol" there is just them! And frankly both in a metaphorical way and in a physical way it's the only thing that will make their relationship successful. So this was beautifully done.
The result in the ending makes prefect sense to me, not only because they are lovers, but because I imagine all sorts of things are happening in Trip's brain, physically and chemically--synapses firing like crazy, hormone production skyrocketing, etc.
Good, because that's exactly what I was going for.
There's not going to be a Decon version of this for a couple of reasons. Number one is that the sex really isn't the point (and it wasn't for TnT until they got to that point, at least in my mind). Number two (and the real dealbreaker) is that whenever I try to write anything more explicit than this, it turns out awful. It's why I've learned to stick to fade-to-black or (like this) implying more than I state outright.
My goodness...this was just so lovely! I don't think I could ever write about the bond and do it such justice.
It's hard to pick out just one or two standout lines, because every word is beautiful, but I zeroed in on this as defining...everything:
The only loss is the concept of otherhood, and they know they should have gotten rid of that long ago.
Alelou touched on the eroticisism at the end: I like that it doesn't define the piece, but I, too, wondered how great a Decon version of this would be, if only to give us a little bit more. The result in the ending makes prefect sense to me, not only because they are lovers, but because I imagine all sorts of things are happening in Trip's brain, physically and chemically--synapses firing like crazy, hormone production skyrocketing, etc. So I'm not saying this from the standpoint of "hey, let's make this all about the sex," or from the standpoint of "hey let's ruin this moment by making it all scientific" (because I'm SO not saying that)...just...pushing a tiny bit harder there cold've been really cool.
As it stands, though, I read something like this and I say "THIS is why I'm a shipper." ;) Thank you for such a lovely gift to the fandom.
That's a very vivid sequence. I can really sense the disorientation, but that's not quite the right word - I think I mean reorientation, that occurs as they join. "The entire universe is T'Pol-flavored now". Wow! I can see that neither of them are going to be quite the same after this.
Thanks for such colourful and charming depiction of the meld!
I love this line: "No him, no her, just them, and it's not a loss of self like they may have thought earlier. It's an expansion, two halves joining."
This was nice. Present tense adds a greater depth and sharing of the emotion evoked. Really touching!!
Lovely and poetic. I have to admit I was puzzling a bit about the pants and wondering whether that changed my whole impression of the piece or not...but then I just decided to let it go (or wish, pruriently, that there was a version of this one in decon.:p)
And now I know exactly what a meld is like.
Thank you, everybody! I'm really glad you like this.
Honeybee: Glad you like the present tense. I've been in a present-tense kind of mood, and I don't think I could have made this work without it.
Crystalswolf: Hee, the title. Usually I suck at titles, but this one (as with Tripling Point) kind of popped out at me. I guess I'll have to complete the series with "Singularity" or something.
Marvelous writing. I love this.
I love this. Poetic and intense to the point of making it seem more attainable. I disagree with the comments that they would feel something different than humans or other couples. I truly believe that any couple in love can feel this way and the bond is the how the normally unemotional loner Vulcans deal with love and all the emotions and closeness associated with it.
Wow! This is a great description of the bond between TnT! So poetic and so descriptive!
Beautiful! :D
This was beautifully done and I absolutely love the title. It fits perfectly with the story, at least in my opinion.
Very nicely done! :D You went a long way to explaining how a bond must feel, and did it in very few words.
I especially liked: "...if there were just one of them, there would be only fear. Perhaps, they think, that's why this particular act requires more than one." I could see how this experience could be frightening, especially for a Human. This is something that is so completely alien to us. It is also understandable how this would truly bind two people together. They would share an intimacy that would be unimaginable to other couples.
Congratulations!!
ASTOUNDING!
Absolutely astounding!
So short, and so... Words fail me.:s
A lovely little gem. I really liked your use of present tense - something that would get annoying in a long fic - but really helps evoke the dream-like tone you are going for here. Really beautiful job!