"Latin"
Kirk/Spock by Lux
Spock is sitting in his room reading Ovid. It's love poetry, which he finds overly sentimental. However, he likes reading in Latin. There's a kind of logical beauty to it and he admires the clever way Ovid uses elegiac meter. He has just reached secttion I.1. "Quae me nuper praedata puella est", the girl who has recently captured me as plunder. He smiles faintly. For him, "puella" should read "puer", but that would ruin the meter. His musings are interupted by the door chime. He uncurls himself and assumes a more dignified position."Come in."
"I just thought I'd drop by," Jim says. "I finished early. Care for a game of chess?"
"I accept, and thank you for the offer" Spock starts to set his book aside, but is interrupted by Jim.
"What's that? It doesn't look like a science journal..."
"Ovid's Amores." Spock hands Jim the book.
"Why, Spock, I didn't know you could read Latin." Jim has more than a little admiration in his voice as he examines the volume. "I've forgotten what little I knew. What does this say?"
Jim points to a place a couple of lines down from where Spock had stopped.
"Accipe, per longos tibi qui deserviat annos; accipe, qui pura norit amare fide," Spock reads.
Jim looks thoughtful. "It's kind of pretty. A shame people don't really speak it. What does it mean?"
Spock looks up at Jim. "Accept one who would serve you through the long years; accept one who would know how to love you with a pure trustworthiness," he translates.
There is silence.
Jim breaks it. "You know," he says sheepishly. "now that I've found out you know Latin, will you translate something for me?"
Spock's answer is affirmative.
"Da mi basia mille," Jim recites.
Spock raises an eyebrow.
"I got it on a Valentine's Day card once. What does it mean?"
Spock's complexion grows greener. "It's from Catullus. It means- 'give me a thousand kisses'."
"Is that really what it says?"
Spock, now very green, nods.
"Well, then...I suppose I ought to honour the request."
There weren't a thousand kisses. But there was one. And it lasted a very long time.
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