InsaneJournal

Since Jim had offered to help grill, Chris had invited him over early so he could make sure they had everything Jim would want. And so they could finish the discussion from earlier. Once he'd showed Jim the outdoor kitchen and the grills, he sent off a message to have the additional supplies delivered.

He passed Jim a cold beer and headed towards his study. Once they were inside, he closed the door and decided to stop beating around the bush. "What with this Hawaii thing, Jim?"

What Jim really wanted to ask and point out is the fact that the general had seemed to make herself right at home and he was pretty sure other people were going to notice. Not that it was any of his business. “What's with what Hawaii thing?” he asked innocently, sipping his beer. “There's a trip, I'm going, you should go too. Isn't that enough?”

Chris took a seat in one of the armchairs, running his hand over his hair and taking a swig of his beer. He studied Jim, and couldn't help but smile. "Sometimes I think you take after me too much. I played that game, you know…"

“I learned from the best,” Jim said with a grin. He scratched the side of his neck and shrugged. “Seriously, admiral, you're not needed at headquarters and it's fine if you want to stick around out here, but it's a free vacation, and it's Hawaii. Paradise, beaches, good food, great company…”

"You talking about yourself or the general?" Chris asked, raising an eyebrow at Jim. He rubbed at a sore spot on his leg. "I'm not really the vacation type." That might have been the understatement of the century.

“I'm not the vacation type either but there is literally nothing for us to do. Sure you can work,on your book or side projects but can't you do that just fine on the beach instead of holed up in an office somewhere?” Even if that office was here at the ranch, it still wasn't the beach. Him swallowed another sip of beer and shrugged. “Good company with me and Mary, and the general, sure. I'm sure we can convince her to go if she hasn't already decided to.”

Christopher wasn't sure he was ready for warm weather paradise with other people around. Not to mention there were still a few friends in San Francisco he should probably see and he could use the time to get ahead on paperwork.

"We'll see, Jim.." he said, leaning back in the chair.

Jim shrugged. “Sure. But I hope you’ll actually think about it, sir, and you’re not just telling me you’ll think about it because it’s what I want to hear.”

Chris chuckled. "You definitely have been hanging around me too much. I liked it better when I called you on your bullshit, not the other way around."

“If I don’t get to call you on your bullshit, who does?” Jim didn’t feel one hundred percent comfortable with calling Pike on his bullshit, so he didn’t have a really great explanation as to why he was suddenly doing that. But here he was, doing that.

Chris opened his mouth to respond that generally Marcus took care of that before closing it and taking a few swigs of his beer. He didn't want to think of Marcus right now. "Right now, it's a short list of you, Phil, and Leia."

He got to his feet and went to stand by the bookshelf. "I keep boundaries for a reason, Jim. And maybe I don't take enough vacations, but… " Chris wasn't sure how to admit that going on vacation with the crew and civilians made him uncomfortable. "Most people only ever see the Admiral. And maybe that's how it should be. Plus, I doubt anyone really wants to see me in swimtrunks."

Jim frowned, his beer halfway to his mouth. He knew, from his own experience, how lonely he often felt as a captain, how to straddle that between too familiar and too distant. “I don’t think that’s how it should be at all. It’s like going to the mess hall versus eating in the captain’s quarters,” he pointed out. “And besides, I bet the general wouldn’t mind seeing you in swim trunks.”

It was a good analogy, and Chris often made a habit of eating in the mess, wanting to get to know the crew and be more than just captain. After all, they were a family on board ship. Had he lost some of that when he'd been promoted and put behind a desk?

Chris flushed slightly at the mention of Leia and swim trunks, still not sure how he'd ended up skinny dipping in Phil's hot tub with her.

"I will consider it, Jim. Some of it just depends on some family things as well. And what the general minds or doesn't mind is irrelevant."

“I’m sure she wouldn’t think it’s irrelevant,” Jim muttered into his beer but he nodded. “Considering it is all I ask, sir,” he said. And hoped that that consideration would end up with Pike relaxing on a beach in Hawaii with a mai-tai in hand.

Chris raised an eyebrow at the muffled comment. "Hmm? Has she been telling you stories?"

He shook his head, his eyes wide. “Uh, no sir, I haven’t spoken to her about you at all.” Not like Pike had apparently been talking to Mary about him. Or, rather more like, how Mary had been talking to Pike about him."Wasn't sure if she said anything to you since you've been here. Still trying to keep it quiet for the time being while we figure it out," Pike said with a glance at the door. Leia seemed at home here and Pike couldn't help but admit that it felt, well, nice… to have her around.

Jim held up a hand. “Hey, I get the keeping it quiet thing. Honestly, sir, I think she’s good for you. And - she seems to really like it here, being here with you.” He had no idea what that meant moving forward or if that was even something Pike wanted, but he said it anyway.

"You know you don't have to call me sir, here, right?" Chris said with a smile as he scratched the back of his neck, unsure of what he wanted from the relationship, or from any of this. "It's… nice… having her around."

“Hard to break a habit, don’t you think?” Jim said, nodding to Pike, inferring that there were other habits that they had already been talking about that they both knew were hard to break as well.

"Or to teach an old dog new tricks," Pike quipped, giving Kirk a smile. "Maybe we should go see what the general is up to. Make sure she's not causing too much trouble."

Jim smiled right back. “Sure, and I bet the shuttle will get here before too long. Maybe once you’ve got a houseful of guests you’ll see how much of a vacation you really need.”