Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā THEREāS A TENSENESS to his own body Spock had forgotten, that had gone unnoticed while trapped against Riddickās directness, almost confused, blindsided even. But itās there, he realizes, parting his mouth to breathe or refuse itāas if Spock were so confident Riddick was mistakenāthis coiling akin to anticipation under his skin thatās yearning to break free, to be known, because it is.
The Furyan knows. He says as much. And Spock wants to tell him it does in return, that it does matter, because he can feel its reaction to being recognized at the back of his skull, that it, too, recognizes something all too similar to its untamable boundlessness for all Spock denies it.
Vulcanās brutal past is engraved in his DNA, and Spock knows the seductive, intoxicating call of it, could feel it in his blood his entire life. The fear that he might not come back from it if he gives in. The dark whisper in his ear, pitched low and sincere, that he doesnāt have to.
Spock comes from a culture whose mating rituals are based on bloodshed, and his people might be peaceful now, but they will never forget.
It is the Vulcan heart; it is the Vulcan katra. It is what history has never had to teach him.
He doesnāt break eye contact, āYou have not answered my question,ā Spock retorts, and with it his gaze narrows, āAnd neither can you expect me to believe your suggestion stems simply from any empathy to my nature. There is more.ā
āi donāt do deception, spock.ā riddick says simply, flat and true and unembellished. he isnāt looking to leak the vulcan astray. he isnāt looking to lure him from the enterprise, from starfleet, out of purely selfish desire and whims. he knows spock thinks otherwise, though.Ā
but the core of his spirit reaches out to something in spockās own. and that core is lonely, and yearns for a kindred companion, as much as riddick would like to say otherwise, and as much as riddick likes to be solitary. what he desires and what his instinct desires are so very different. it sickens him as much as it intrigues him.
he has never needed anyone. he has prided himself on that and found strength in it. a lone wolf, an apex predator, poised at the top of a mountain occupied only by himself. the idea of severing himself from his connection with spock, though, fills him with something he has no words to describe, other than he doesnāt want it to happen.
āyou want more, i donāt got that answer for you.ā riddick steps closer. they do touch now. he searches spockās expression, and his gleaming eyes still do not break their contact, either.Ā āsaid sentimentās illogical, but youāre gratified i chose to stay.ā the furyan pauses, as if heās trying to think of what to say next.Ā
he decides, even if his skin wants to crawl. he isnāt usedĀ to this. but he might be able to get used to it, with the vulcan, with s'chn t'gai spock. maybe his mere presence would not bring death to spock as it had so many others.Ā
riddick hopes it wouldnāt. and he does not hope for anything.
ā...be gratified if you chose to stay with me.ā he admits, finally.