Fic: Aphrodisiac
Title: Aphrodisiac
Series: STXI
Rating: R
Word Count: 3765
Disclaimer: They're not mine, unfortunately.
Notes: Names of flowers & holidays (and the descriptions) are taken from Memory Alpha.
Thanks to darkqueenmeg for helping me figure out the allergic reactions :)
Written for ksvalentine.
Summary: From the prompt: Five times Spock was allergic in one way or another to the flowers that Jim tried to give him on a holiday (birthday, anniversary, etc (mistletoe at Christmas?)) and one time he wasn't (Valentine's day). And of course bonus points if Spock proceeded to eat the flowers because roses are a delicacy on Vulcan. Extra bonus points if there is minor handsex with getting pricked by the thorns on the rose stems?
1.
Their first date was when Spock first became aware of Kirk's penchant for old-fashioned Earth courtship rituals.
They arranged to meet for dinner on their first available shore leave, and Kirk had insisted on meeting Spock at his hotel so they could travel to the restaurant together.
There was a knock at Spock's hotel room door at precisely 19:00 hours, and he could barely contain his look of surprise when the door opened to reveal Jim Kirk, clad in proper street attire, holding a bouquet of flowers.
“Hey Spock,” he said softly, a hint of nervousness in his voice. Kirk ran his hand through his hair before making eye contact and thrusting the flowers towards Spock. “I.. got these for you. Silly, I know, but I thought... it might be nice.”
Spock stared at the flowers for a moment before taking them from Kirk, sensing the slight tremble in his Captain's hand.
“Ahh yes. A traditional Earth courtship ritual.” Spock said, as he motioned for Kirk to enter.
“Yeah, like I said, it's silly,” Kirk replied quickly, shaking his head.
“Negative, Captain. It is a pleasing gesture.”
“Spock, we're off duty. Call me Jim.”
“Jim..” Spock said quietly, as if pondering the name for a moment. “I appreciate your gesture.”
Kirk smiled and let out a sigh of relief.
“They're Antarian moon blossoms,” he explained as he watched Spock fill a glass with water. “They're apparently pretty rare. I owe Sulu a million favors for helping me find them.”
“Indeed?”
Spock placed the flowers in the glass, and appeared briefly confused as he searched for a proper place to set them.
As Kirk watched Spock move about the room, he continued his ramble.
“They're mentioned in that song, Beyond Antares. Have you heard it?”
“Negative.”
“Oh.. Well, it talks about a lunar flower blooming,” Kirk explained, running his hand through his hair again. “I thought it was sort of fitting.. You know, for a first date.”
“Indeed Jim.”
After placing the flowers on a small table, Spock remained motionless for a few moments, his back towards Kirk.
“Everything alright?” Kirk asked, as he stared at the back of Spock's head.
“Yes- A-Affirmative.”
Kirk's brow furrowed in confusion at Spock's stutter, and he quickly crossed the room to check on his First Officer. He reached for Spock's shoulder, ignoring the Vulcan's slight jump at the contact, and swung Spock around to face him.
Spock's eyes appeared to be wet.
“Spock..” Kirk said softly, staring at him in disbelief. “Are you crying?”
Shaking his head, and pulling away from Kirk's grip, Spock reached a hand up to brush the apparent tears from his eyes.
“No Jim, I am not.”
“Spock!” Kirk exclaimed, moving closer again. “You're crying! I thought the flowers would be nice, but I didn't expect a reaction like this! I'm.. touched.”
“Jim..” Spock said softly, reaching up to wipe his eyes again. “I do not wish to hurt your feelings, but I must explain. My reaction is not what you assume.”
Kirk stared at him in confusion. “Explain.”
“I am experiencing some form of allergic reaction.”
“You're allergic to the flowers I brought??”
Spock nodded, “I believe that to be the case, yes.”
Kirk laughed loudly, before reaching over and yanking the flowers from the glass. He marched to the window, his laughter continuing as he pressed a button to slide the pane open.
“Lunar flower blooming, my ass!” Kirk proclaimed as he tossed the bouquet out the window and watched the flowers fall to the street below.
He closed the window before heading back towards Spock.
“Come on,” he said, raising his hand to wipe the wetness from Spock's face. “Let's go eat.”
2.
Kirk had never given much thought to Earth's annual celebration of First Contact Day before he started dating Spock. After a month of dating a Vulcan, however, the holiday suddenly seemed to hold much more significance.
He enlisted Uhura and Chekov's help in planning a special celebration on board the Enterprise. The festivities included a performance of traditional Vulcan music in the recreation hall, and for one full day replicators were set to produce nothing but traditional Vulcan cuisine.
“Illogical,” Spock had stated, upon hearing news of the festivities. “Such pomp and circumstance on a day as ordinary as any other.”
“An ordinary day??” Kirk laughed. “Spock, if first contact between Humans and Vulcans had never occurred, then we would have never met!”
Spock pondered that for a moment, before responding. “You make a valid point.”
Kirk smiled at him. “So I think it's a day worth celebrating, don't you?”
“Indeed, Jim.” Spock replied quietly, the corners of his mouth hinting at a smile.
Kirk arranged to meet Spock at his quarters shortly before the evening's musical performance. He arrived ten minutes early, clad in his dress uniform, and clutching another bouquet of flowers.
“Broadway Lilies,” he said, handing the bouquet to Spock as he entered. “They're native to Earth. With all this celebration of Vulcan culture, I thought it might be nice to give you a piece of my planet too.”
“Thank you, Jim.” Spock replied, examining the blooms. “It is a thoughtful gesture.”
Kirk continued to talk while Spock opened a cabinet to retrieve a vase. “I'm not sure what the music will be like. Uhura organized it, so I'm assuming it'll be as authentic as possible.”
“I am sure it will be perfectly acceptable.” Spock replied quickly, placing the vase of lilies on his desk.
“I just hope it'll meet your expectations. I'd hate to plan all this and have you be disappointed. And yeah, disappointment is an emotion, I know--”
“CHHH”
Kirk turned to stared wide-eyed at Spock. “What the hell was that?”
Spock shook his head. “Nothing. Shall we make our way to the recreation hall now?”
“Nothing!” Kirk nearly yelled. “Spock, did you just sneeze?”
“No, Jim.” Spock replied, again a little too quickly.
“Bullshit.” Kirk said with a grin.
Spock gestured to the door. “Please, we will be late.”
Kirk eyed him suspiciously as he backed towards the door. Suddenly Spock's body heaved and he whipped his head to the side.
“CHOOO”
Kirk grinned at him with something akin to glee. “Spock! You're sneezing!”
“Obviously.”
“Is this another allergic reaction or something?”
“I presume that to be the case.”
Kirk snatched the flowers from the vase, and disposed of them in one of the corridor chutes as they made their way to the recreation hall.
The music that night was beautiful, and exceeded Spock's expectations, despite the occasional barrage of sneezes which emanated from somewhere in the crowd.
3.
Spock had always preferred to keep his date of birth a secret, refraining from mentioning it to people, and attempting to dodge the question when asked.
“Jim, please. I do not wish to celebrate the anniversary of my birth. It is--”
“Don't tell me it's illogical, Spock, I don't want to hear it.”
Kirk had consulted the computer database and made note of Spock's birthday, hoping to plan a special day for him. Spock protested at first, but finally resigned himself to the fact that Kirk would not take 'no' for an answer.
“I'm just sorry we're not on shore leave for this,” Kirk mumbled apologetically, as they rode the lift together.
“As I have stated, my date of birth is not important, and surely not significant enough to require shore leave.”
“Still, it would've been nice to celebrate it somewhere else. Just the two of us.”
Spock cocked his head at Jim, “you have arranged dinner in your quarters, have you not?”
“Yeah.”
“Then clearly it will be just the two of us. Your quarters are more than adequate for such an occasion.”
Kirk smiled at him. “At least you're not hard to please.”
They exited the lift, and made their way to Kirk's quarters. As the door slid open Spock became aware of the effort Kirk had put into planning the evening. The lighting was dim, and candles decorated the room. A table had been placed in the middle of the room, and was fully set with a tablecloth, ceramic plates, and silverware. Domes covered the plates, presumably to keep their food warm.
“This is a charming arrangement, Jim.” Spock said as he took his seat.
Kirk lifted the cover off Spock's plate to reveal a plate of colorful vegetables. He then removed the cover from his own plate, revealing steak and potatoes, before sitting across from Spock.
“I'm having steak, I hope that's alright.”
“Of course.”
“Just wanted to check, I didn't want to offend you on your birthday.”
Spock nodded at Kirk. “An admirable but unnecessary concern.”
They ate in silence for a few moments, chewing thoughtfully, before Spock noticed the small vase of flowers on the left side of the table.
“You are continuing with the Earth customs, I see.”
Kirk swallowed a bite of steak before responding. “Yeah, cheesy.”
Spock shook his head, taking another bite of food.
“Sulu told me about that one. It's called a Keela flower. Apparently their stems are flexible, but impossible to break. He said occasionally you'll get one whose stem isn't flexible and it breaks easily.”
“Intriguing.”
“Yeah, he seemed to think it would suit you for your birthday.”
Spock raised an eyebrow at him, before reaching over to touch touch the plant. He gripped a stem gently and bent it towards himself, then let go and watched the flower spring upright again.
“Fascinating.”
Kirk laughed and pulled at a few stems, before finding one which snapped. He grinned at Spock, reaching across the table to hand him the broken flower.
“Not surprising,” Spock said as he took the stem from Jim's hand.
After finishing their meal, Kirk stood quickly and pulled Spock from his chair.
“I've been thinking about you all day.”
Spock raised an eyebrow again. “Jim, according to you, you think about me every day.”
“Well, yeah,” Kirk groaned, pulling Spock closer. “But today's your birthday, and I've been trying to figure out what to give you.”
Spock sighed softly as Kirk placed kisses along his jaw, moving his mouth down to lick at Spock's neck.
“You're hot.”
“Another fact of which you are constantly reminding me,” Spock said, his particular brand of dry humor bleeding through the words.
Kirk took a step back. “No, Spock, you're actually hot. I mean, hotter than normal. Do you have a fever?”
Spock's brow furrowed for a brief moment before realization hit him. He reached his hands up to cup his face, looking at Kirk with as much fear as he could muster.
“You're sweating!” Kirk exclaimed, running his hand over Spock's forehead.
It wasn't unusual for Kirk to sweat, but Spock breaking a sweat without any sort of overt physical activity was something which simply did not happen.
“The flowers..” Spock groaned.
“You have got to be kidding me. Again?”
The color seemed to drain from Spock's face as he moved to sit on the edge of Kirk's bed. “Jim, please page Doctor McCoy.”
Thirty minutes later they found themselves in sickbay, Spock in a bed, and Kirk sitting next to him in an uncomfortable chair. Nurses came and went, continually checking Spock's temperature and his vital signs.
Finally Spock turned to Kirk. “Please refresh my memory. What was it you said earlier? 'Just the two of us'?” Kirk squeezed his hand and laughed.
4.
Kirk was determined to make up for the disaster that had been Spock's birthday. During a few particularly uneventful shifts he combed through information on his PADD, researching Vulcan holidays.
Finally one caught his eye - Rumarie.
He called in a few favors, managing to acquire the necessary supplies, and scheduled a few days of shore leave for the crew.
Spock hadn't questioned him when Kirk insisted upon making their hotel arrangements himself, and Kirk figured Spock was aware of his mild guilt over the birthday fiasco.
They arrived at sundown, and Kirk tossed their bags in a corner of the room before pulling Spock towards him.
“I have a surprise for you,” he whispered, slipping his hands under Spock's shirt.
“I suspected.” Spock replied, gripping Kirk's hips and pressing their bodies together.
Kirk grabbed the fabric of Spock's shirt and tugged it up over his head, before he reached down to unbutton his pants. They undressed each other, pausing occasionally to kiss and pant against each other's mouths. When they were completely naked, Kirk motioned to the bed.
“On your stomach, I just have to grab something.”
A hint of amusement in his eye, Spock followed his orders making himself comfortable on the bed while Kirk retrieved something from his bag.
Climbing onto the bed, and straddling Spock's legs, Kirk removed the lid from the container he held in his hand. He tipped the container and an oily substance dripped onto Spock's back.
“A massage?” Spock asked, curiosity in his voice.
“Not exactly,” Kirk replied, and Spock turned his head in an attempt to see what Kirk was doing.
Kirk allowed the substance to pool on Spock's back, and dripped some into the palm of his hand, before he began rubbing the oil across Spock's skin.
Spock hummed softly as Kirk's hands traveled over his body.
Finally Kirk spoke again, “would you like me to explain now?”
“Perhaps not immediately,” Spock replied.
“Are you enjoying this?”
“Of course, Jim.”
Kirk ran his hands over the flesh of Spock's ass and over the back of his thighs, dipping between them for a moment which caused Spock to let out a soft moan.
“Okay, turn over,” Kirk instructed, and Spock quickly maneuvered himself onto his back.
Kirk opened the unmarked container to drip more oil onto Spock's chest. He watched Spock's face as he smeared the oil across his chest, the dark chest hair glistening, and grinned as he moved his hands down, bypassing Spock's cock.
“Jim..” Spock groaned softly, bucking his hips towards Kirk, begging for touch.
“Wait,” Kirk said. “It'll make sense in a second.”
Spock looked at Kirk with mild amusement, as Kirk reached up to smear the oil across his own body and then grabbed Spock's wrist and tugged him off the bed.
“Perhaps an explanation would be helpful now.” Spock said, his erection straining as he eyed Kirk.
“Alright, so I unintentionally ruined your birthday--”
“It was not ruined,” Spock interrupted.
“Okay, not ruined, but you know what I mean..” Kirk continued.
“Yes.”
“Right, so to make it up to you I researched Vulcan holidays.”
Spock glanced down at his oil-slicked body, and raised an eyebrow at Kirk.
“I found this one called Rumarie,” he explained. “It hasn't been celebrated since the 14th century or something.
Spock slowly nodded in recognition, reaching up to absentmindedly scratch at his arm.
“Apparently Vulcan men and women covered themselves in Rillian grease and chased each other around,” Kirk continued with a wink.
Spock's eyes widened in what appeared to be shock. He glanced down at his left hand, which was still scratching at his right arm.
“Rillian grease?” he whispered.
Kirk nodded. “Yeah, Scotty helped me get it. I owe him a ton of favors now too.”
“Jim..” Spock said slowly, his hand now reaching down to scratch at the back of his left leg. “Do you know how Rillian grease is made?”
Kirk shook his head, still not comprehending.
“Rillian grease is obtained from the leaves of the Rillian plant.. The Rillian plant, Jim.”
By this time, Spock's right hand had moved across his body to scratch as well.
Kirk eyed Spock's body, watching as he scratched, and he squinted as red bumps seemed to appear on Spock's skin.
Suddenly realization set in. “Spock! You have hives!”
“Yes, Jim.”
“I'm calling Bones!”
“Please do.”
5.
After so many disasters, Kirk had decided to play it safe for awhile, and had refrained from giving Spock flowers for special occasions. Federation Day, Kirk's birthday, and Thanksgiving had all passed quite uneventfully.
As Christmas approached, Kirk made sure to ban Poinsettias and other traditional plants to personal quarters only. When Chekov appeared on the bridge one afternoon with a sprig of Holly in his curls, Kirk barked at him to get rid of the offending object.
“Sorry Keptin,” the ensign had stuttered. “I was in the greenhouse with Lieutenant Sulu. I do not know how it appeared on my head.”
Kirk softened, realizing he had overreacted. “It's fine, just get rid of it please.”
Spock continued his work, seeming to suffer no ill effects, and the shift continued as normal.
Knowing they would be working late on Christmas Eve, Kirk had spoken to his yeoman and asked her to decorate his quarters. He wanted to surprise Spock with a traditional Earth Christmas, and he left the yeoman with specific orders: candles, stockings, wrapped boxes with ribbon, and an artificial Christmas tree.
As they stepped into the lift at 01:00 hours, Kirk grinned happily.
“You seem particularly upbeat Jim.”
“Of course I do! It's almost Christmas!”
Spock didn't reply, but allowed Kirk to slip their fingers together as they stepped off the lift and made their way through the deserted corridors.
Kirk punched in the code to his quarters, and they stepped into the dark room together. Their eyes slowly adjusted to the dim light provided by a few strategically placed candles, and Kirk wrapped his arms around Spock's waist.
“It's technically morning now,” he said softly. “So, Merry Christmas Spock.”
“Merry Christmas Jim,” Spock replied as their lips met.
They stood in the doorway for a moment, kissing each other and enjoying the quiet darkness.
Finally Kirk pulled back and pointed to a corner, where a tiny artificial tree sat atop a table.
“I asked my yeoman to decorate for Christmas.. What do you think?”
Spock turned to look at the tree, and the small pile of gifts underneath.
“It is quite festive.”
Kirk laughed. “I knew you'd appreciate it,” he teased.
He pulled at Spock's wrist, as he made his way towards the sleeping area. “Come on, let's go to bed.”
Kirk toed off his boots as he went, yanking his shirt over his head, and unbuttoning his pants.
He turned, expecting to find Spock directly behind him, and was surprised to see Spock standing near the door.
“Spock? What're you doing?”
Spock stood for a moment, his hand over his mouth. Finally he spoke. “THHIM?”
Kirk laughed. “What? What the hell does that mean?”
Spock didn't reply.
“Lights, 100%” Kirk commanded quickly, and the room was suddenly flooded with light.
Spock still stood with his hand over his mouth, and Kirk watched as Spock's eyes drifted towards the ceiling.
Spock's eyes expressed as much sheer horror as a Vulcan could possibly convey.
“MITHLETHOE!” Spock exclaimed, as he pointed at the ceiling.
Kirk's eyes followed Spock's finger, and he gasped. Hanging from the ceiling were at least twenty to thirty sprigs of mistletoe.
Kirk bolted towards Spock, and grabbed at his wrist, attempting to uncover his mouth.
“You're allergic! What's happening?”
Spock lowered his hand briefly, and opened his mouth. “MA THONGUE!” he said before slapping his hand back over his mouth.
Kirk sighed, reaching for the button to page McCoy.
“Bones is going to kill me for ruining his Christmas.”
They spent Christmas in sickbay. At some point Kirk had fetched the small artificial tree from his quarters, and plunked it on the bedside table. Kirk told Spock about the traditional Earth holiday, while Spock listened silently with an amused gleam in his eye.
+1
“Spock, are you crazy? I am not getting you roses.”
Kirk had learned his lesson when it came to Spock and flowers. He was never making that mistake again. Even though the Christmas fiasco hadn't really been his fault, he still blamed himself.
So, he was shocked when Spock requested roses for Valentine's Day.
“When I asked you what you wanted for Valentine's Day, I didn't think you'd request another trip to sickbay.”
“I am not requesting a trip to sickbay. You asked what I would like, and I would like roses.”
Kirk rolled his eyes before planting a kiss on Spock's lips. “Roses it is.”
Kirk managed to leave his shift an hour early on Valentine's Day, and he took the time to fill Spock's quarters with roses. Six dozen to be specific. If Spock wanted roses, he was going to get roses.
The doors swished open and Spock stepped in, and Kirk eyed him expectantly as he walked around admiring the flowers.
Finally Spock paused to kiss Kirk, before lowering his head to lick at his collarbone. “Thank you Jim. They are quite favorable.”
“You like them? They're not.. making you sick?”
“Yes, I like them,” Spock whispered. “And no, they are not making me sick.”
He pulled his mouth away from Jim's neck long enough to pluck a flower from the nearest vase. He jolted slightly as his index finger met with a sharp thorn.
Kirk reached for Spock's hand and examined it. A tiny dent was apparent in Spock's skin, but no blood escaped. Kirk slowly raised the finger to his mouth, and sucked gently.
Spock's breathing hitched, as he closed his eyes, and his head tilted back.
“Jim..” he moaned softly as Kirk ran his tongue over the pad of Spock's finger, before taking a second digit in his mouth.
Kirk hummed gently, watching as a shudder ran through Spock's body, before he let the fingers fall from his mouth.
“I want to give you your real present,” he teased, pulling Spock against him, their erections rubbing against each other through their pants.
“Yes..” Spock replied, raising his head.
Kirk reached down to pull off his boots, setting them by the door as Spock preferred. When he turned back around he noticed Spock examining the bouquets again. He watched silently for a moment, before he realized Spock was pulling petals off some of the flowers. Spock raised his hand to his mouth, before reaching to pull off more petals.
“Spock..? What're you doing?”
Spock turned to him, a mild look of guilt on his face. “Jim.. roses.. are an aphrodisiac for Vulcans.”
Kirk's jaw dropped. “You're eating them??”
Spock nodded, and that was when Kirk noticed that Spock's pupils were blown wide.
Kirk grinned, whipping his shirt over his head, before reaching out to rid Spock of his clothes.
“That's it. Every holiday, from now on, you're getting roses.”
Spock simply nodded, a slight smile on his face, as Kirk pulled him towards the bed.
Series: STXI
Rating: R
Word Count: 3765
Disclaimer: They're not mine, unfortunately.
Notes: Names of flowers & holidays (and the descriptions) are taken from Memory Alpha.
Thanks to darkqueenmeg for helping me figure out the allergic reactions :)
Written for ksvalentine.
Summary: From the prompt: Five times Spock was allergic in one way or another to the flowers that Jim tried to give him on a holiday (birthday, anniversary, etc (mistletoe at Christmas?)) and one time he wasn't (Valentine's day). And of course bonus points if Spock proceeded to eat the flowers because roses are a delicacy on Vulcan. Extra bonus points if there is minor handsex with getting pricked by the thorns on the rose stems?
1.
Their first date was when Spock first became aware of Kirk's penchant for old-fashioned Earth courtship rituals.
They arranged to meet for dinner on their first available shore leave, and Kirk had insisted on meeting Spock at his hotel so they could travel to the restaurant together.
There was a knock at Spock's hotel room door at precisely 19:00 hours, and he could barely contain his look of surprise when the door opened to reveal Jim Kirk, clad in proper street attire, holding a bouquet of flowers.
“Hey Spock,” he said softly, a hint of nervousness in his voice. Kirk ran his hand through his hair before making eye contact and thrusting the flowers towards Spock. “I.. got these for you. Silly, I know, but I thought... it might be nice.”
Spock stared at the flowers for a moment before taking them from Kirk, sensing the slight tremble in his Captain's hand.
“Ahh yes. A traditional Earth courtship ritual.” Spock said, as he motioned for Kirk to enter.
“Yeah, like I said, it's silly,” Kirk replied quickly, shaking his head.
“Negative, Captain. It is a pleasing gesture.”
“Spock, we're off duty. Call me Jim.”
“Jim..” Spock said quietly, as if pondering the name for a moment. “I appreciate your gesture.”
Kirk smiled and let out a sigh of relief.
“They're Antarian moon blossoms,” he explained as he watched Spock fill a glass with water. “They're apparently pretty rare. I owe Sulu a million favors for helping me find them.”
“Indeed?”
Spock placed the flowers in the glass, and appeared briefly confused as he searched for a proper place to set them.
As Kirk watched Spock move about the room, he continued his ramble.
“They're mentioned in that song, Beyond Antares. Have you heard it?”
“Negative.”
“Oh.. Well, it talks about a lunar flower blooming,” Kirk explained, running his hand through his hair again. “I thought it was sort of fitting.. You know, for a first date.”
“Indeed Jim.”
After placing the flowers on a small table, Spock remained motionless for a few moments, his back towards Kirk.
“Everything alright?” Kirk asked, as he stared at the back of Spock's head.
“Yes- A-Affirmative.”
Kirk's brow furrowed in confusion at Spock's stutter, and he quickly crossed the room to check on his First Officer. He reached for Spock's shoulder, ignoring the Vulcan's slight jump at the contact, and swung Spock around to face him.
Spock's eyes appeared to be wet.
“Spock..” Kirk said softly, staring at him in disbelief. “Are you crying?”
Shaking his head, and pulling away from Kirk's grip, Spock reached a hand up to brush the apparent tears from his eyes.
“No Jim, I am not.”
“Spock!” Kirk exclaimed, moving closer again. “You're crying! I thought the flowers would be nice, but I didn't expect a reaction like this! I'm.. touched.”
“Jim..” Spock said softly, reaching up to wipe his eyes again. “I do not wish to hurt your feelings, but I must explain. My reaction is not what you assume.”
Kirk stared at him in confusion. “Explain.”
“I am experiencing some form of allergic reaction.”
“You're allergic to the flowers I brought??”
Spock nodded, “I believe that to be the case, yes.”
Kirk laughed loudly, before reaching over and yanking the flowers from the glass. He marched to the window, his laughter continuing as he pressed a button to slide the pane open.
“Lunar flower blooming, my ass!” Kirk proclaimed as he tossed the bouquet out the window and watched the flowers fall to the street below.
He closed the window before heading back towards Spock.
“Come on,” he said, raising his hand to wipe the wetness from Spock's face. “Let's go eat.”
2.
Kirk had never given much thought to Earth's annual celebration of First Contact Day before he started dating Spock. After a month of dating a Vulcan, however, the holiday suddenly seemed to hold much more significance.
He enlisted Uhura and Chekov's help in planning a special celebration on board the Enterprise. The festivities included a performance of traditional Vulcan music in the recreation hall, and for one full day replicators were set to produce nothing but traditional Vulcan cuisine.
“Illogical,” Spock had stated, upon hearing news of the festivities. “Such pomp and circumstance on a day as ordinary as any other.”
“An ordinary day??” Kirk laughed. “Spock, if first contact between Humans and Vulcans had never occurred, then we would have never met!”
Spock pondered that for a moment, before responding. “You make a valid point.”
Kirk smiled at him. “So I think it's a day worth celebrating, don't you?”
“Indeed, Jim.” Spock replied quietly, the corners of his mouth hinting at a smile.
Kirk arranged to meet Spock at his quarters shortly before the evening's musical performance. He arrived ten minutes early, clad in his dress uniform, and clutching another bouquet of flowers.
“Broadway Lilies,” he said, handing the bouquet to Spock as he entered. “They're native to Earth. With all this celebration of Vulcan culture, I thought it might be nice to give you a piece of my planet too.”
“Thank you, Jim.” Spock replied, examining the blooms. “It is a thoughtful gesture.”
Kirk continued to talk while Spock opened a cabinet to retrieve a vase. “I'm not sure what the music will be like. Uhura organized it, so I'm assuming it'll be as authentic as possible.”
“I am sure it will be perfectly acceptable.” Spock replied quickly, placing the vase of lilies on his desk.
“I just hope it'll meet your expectations. I'd hate to plan all this and have you be disappointed. And yeah, disappointment is an emotion, I know--”
“CHHH”
Kirk turned to stared wide-eyed at Spock. “What the hell was that?”
Spock shook his head. “Nothing. Shall we make our way to the recreation hall now?”
“Nothing!” Kirk nearly yelled. “Spock, did you just sneeze?”
“No, Jim.” Spock replied, again a little too quickly.
“Bullshit.” Kirk said with a grin.
Spock gestured to the door. “Please, we will be late.”
Kirk eyed him suspiciously as he backed towards the door. Suddenly Spock's body heaved and he whipped his head to the side.
“CHOOO”
Kirk grinned at him with something akin to glee. “Spock! You're sneezing!”
“Obviously.”
“Is this another allergic reaction or something?”
“I presume that to be the case.”
Kirk snatched the flowers from the vase, and disposed of them in one of the corridor chutes as they made their way to the recreation hall.
The music that night was beautiful, and exceeded Spock's expectations, despite the occasional barrage of sneezes which emanated from somewhere in the crowd.
3.
Spock had always preferred to keep his date of birth a secret, refraining from mentioning it to people, and attempting to dodge the question when asked.
“Jim, please. I do not wish to celebrate the anniversary of my birth. It is--”
“Don't tell me it's illogical, Spock, I don't want to hear it.”
Kirk had consulted the computer database and made note of Spock's birthday, hoping to plan a special day for him. Spock protested at first, but finally resigned himself to the fact that Kirk would not take 'no' for an answer.
“I'm just sorry we're not on shore leave for this,” Kirk mumbled apologetically, as they rode the lift together.
“As I have stated, my date of birth is not important, and surely not significant enough to require shore leave.”
“Still, it would've been nice to celebrate it somewhere else. Just the two of us.”
Spock cocked his head at Jim, “you have arranged dinner in your quarters, have you not?”
“Yeah.”
“Then clearly it will be just the two of us. Your quarters are more than adequate for such an occasion.”
Kirk smiled at him. “At least you're not hard to please.”
They exited the lift, and made their way to Kirk's quarters. As the door slid open Spock became aware of the effort Kirk had put into planning the evening. The lighting was dim, and candles decorated the room. A table had been placed in the middle of the room, and was fully set with a tablecloth, ceramic plates, and silverware. Domes covered the plates, presumably to keep their food warm.
“This is a charming arrangement, Jim.” Spock said as he took his seat.
Kirk lifted the cover off Spock's plate to reveal a plate of colorful vegetables. He then removed the cover from his own plate, revealing steak and potatoes, before sitting across from Spock.
“I'm having steak, I hope that's alright.”
“Of course.”
“Just wanted to check, I didn't want to offend you on your birthday.”
Spock nodded at Kirk. “An admirable but unnecessary concern.”
They ate in silence for a few moments, chewing thoughtfully, before Spock noticed the small vase of flowers on the left side of the table.
“You are continuing with the Earth customs, I see.”
Kirk swallowed a bite of steak before responding. “Yeah, cheesy.”
Spock shook his head, taking another bite of food.
“Sulu told me about that one. It's called a Keela flower. Apparently their stems are flexible, but impossible to break. He said occasionally you'll get one whose stem isn't flexible and it breaks easily.”
“Intriguing.”
“Yeah, he seemed to think it would suit you for your birthday.”
Spock raised an eyebrow at him, before reaching over to touch touch the plant. He gripped a stem gently and bent it towards himself, then let go and watched the flower spring upright again.
“Fascinating.”
Kirk laughed and pulled at a few stems, before finding one which snapped. He grinned at Spock, reaching across the table to hand him the broken flower.
“Not surprising,” Spock said as he took the stem from Jim's hand.
After finishing their meal, Kirk stood quickly and pulled Spock from his chair.
“I've been thinking about you all day.”
Spock raised an eyebrow again. “Jim, according to you, you think about me every day.”
“Well, yeah,” Kirk groaned, pulling Spock closer. “But today's your birthday, and I've been trying to figure out what to give you.”
Spock sighed softly as Kirk placed kisses along his jaw, moving his mouth down to lick at Spock's neck.
“You're hot.”
“Another fact of which you are constantly reminding me,” Spock said, his particular brand of dry humor bleeding through the words.
Kirk took a step back. “No, Spock, you're actually hot. I mean, hotter than normal. Do you have a fever?”
Spock's brow furrowed for a brief moment before realization hit him. He reached his hands up to cup his face, looking at Kirk with as much fear as he could muster.
“You're sweating!” Kirk exclaimed, running his hand over Spock's forehead.
It wasn't unusual for Kirk to sweat, but Spock breaking a sweat without any sort of overt physical activity was something which simply did not happen.
“The flowers..” Spock groaned.
“You have got to be kidding me. Again?”
The color seemed to drain from Spock's face as he moved to sit on the edge of Kirk's bed. “Jim, please page Doctor McCoy.”
Thirty minutes later they found themselves in sickbay, Spock in a bed, and Kirk sitting next to him in an uncomfortable chair. Nurses came and went, continually checking Spock's temperature and his vital signs.
Finally Spock turned to Kirk. “Please refresh my memory. What was it you said earlier? 'Just the two of us'?” Kirk squeezed his hand and laughed.
4.
Kirk was determined to make up for the disaster that had been Spock's birthday. During a few particularly uneventful shifts he combed through information on his PADD, researching Vulcan holidays.
Finally one caught his eye - Rumarie.
He called in a few favors, managing to acquire the necessary supplies, and scheduled a few days of shore leave for the crew.
Spock hadn't questioned him when Kirk insisted upon making their hotel arrangements himself, and Kirk figured Spock was aware of his mild guilt over the birthday fiasco.
They arrived at sundown, and Kirk tossed their bags in a corner of the room before pulling Spock towards him.
“I have a surprise for you,” he whispered, slipping his hands under Spock's shirt.
“I suspected.” Spock replied, gripping Kirk's hips and pressing their bodies together.
Kirk grabbed the fabric of Spock's shirt and tugged it up over his head, before he reached down to unbutton his pants. They undressed each other, pausing occasionally to kiss and pant against each other's mouths. When they were completely naked, Kirk motioned to the bed.
“On your stomach, I just have to grab something.”
A hint of amusement in his eye, Spock followed his orders making himself comfortable on the bed while Kirk retrieved something from his bag.
Climbing onto the bed, and straddling Spock's legs, Kirk removed the lid from the container he held in his hand. He tipped the container and an oily substance dripped onto Spock's back.
“A massage?” Spock asked, curiosity in his voice.
“Not exactly,” Kirk replied, and Spock turned his head in an attempt to see what Kirk was doing.
Kirk allowed the substance to pool on Spock's back, and dripped some into the palm of his hand, before he began rubbing the oil across Spock's skin.
Spock hummed softly as Kirk's hands traveled over his body.
Finally Kirk spoke again, “would you like me to explain now?”
“Perhaps not immediately,” Spock replied.
“Are you enjoying this?”
“Of course, Jim.”
Kirk ran his hands over the flesh of Spock's ass and over the back of his thighs, dipping between them for a moment which caused Spock to let out a soft moan.
“Okay, turn over,” Kirk instructed, and Spock quickly maneuvered himself onto his back.
Kirk opened the unmarked container to drip more oil onto Spock's chest. He watched Spock's face as he smeared the oil across his chest, the dark chest hair glistening, and grinned as he moved his hands down, bypassing Spock's cock.
“Jim..” Spock groaned softly, bucking his hips towards Kirk, begging for touch.
“Wait,” Kirk said. “It'll make sense in a second.”
Spock looked at Kirk with mild amusement, as Kirk reached up to smear the oil across his own body and then grabbed Spock's wrist and tugged him off the bed.
“Perhaps an explanation would be helpful now.” Spock said, his erection straining as he eyed Kirk.
“Alright, so I unintentionally ruined your birthday--”
“It was not ruined,” Spock interrupted.
“Okay, not ruined, but you know what I mean..” Kirk continued.
“Yes.”
“Right, so to make it up to you I researched Vulcan holidays.”
Spock glanced down at his oil-slicked body, and raised an eyebrow at Kirk.
“I found this one called Rumarie,” he explained. “It hasn't been celebrated since the 14th century or something.
Spock slowly nodded in recognition, reaching up to absentmindedly scratch at his arm.
“Apparently Vulcan men and women covered themselves in Rillian grease and chased each other around,” Kirk continued with a wink.
Spock's eyes widened in what appeared to be shock. He glanced down at his left hand, which was still scratching at his right arm.
“Rillian grease?” he whispered.
Kirk nodded. “Yeah, Scotty helped me get it. I owe him a ton of favors now too.”
“Jim..” Spock said slowly, his hand now reaching down to scratch at the back of his left leg. “Do you know how Rillian grease is made?”
Kirk shook his head, still not comprehending.
“Rillian grease is obtained from the leaves of the Rillian plant.. The Rillian plant, Jim.”
By this time, Spock's right hand had moved across his body to scratch as well.
Kirk eyed Spock's body, watching as he scratched, and he squinted as red bumps seemed to appear on Spock's skin.
Suddenly realization set in. “Spock! You have hives!”
“Yes, Jim.”
“I'm calling Bones!”
“Please do.”
5.
After so many disasters, Kirk had decided to play it safe for awhile, and had refrained from giving Spock flowers for special occasions. Federation Day, Kirk's birthday, and Thanksgiving had all passed quite uneventfully.
As Christmas approached, Kirk made sure to ban Poinsettias and other traditional plants to personal quarters only. When Chekov appeared on the bridge one afternoon with a sprig of Holly in his curls, Kirk barked at him to get rid of the offending object.
“Sorry Keptin,” the ensign had stuttered. “I was in the greenhouse with Lieutenant Sulu. I do not know how it appeared on my head.”
Kirk softened, realizing he had overreacted. “It's fine, just get rid of it please.”
Spock continued his work, seeming to suffer no ill effects, and the shift continued as normal.
Knowing they would be working late on Christmas Eve, Kirk had spoken to his yeoman and asked her to decorate his quarters. He wanted to surprise Spock with a traditional Earth Christmas, and he left the yeoman with specific orders: candles, stockings, wrapped boxes with ribbon, and an artificial Christmas tree.
As they stepped into the lift at 01:00 hours, Kirk grinned happily.
“You seem particularly upbeat Jim.”
“Of course I do! It's almost Christmas!”
Spock didn't reply, but allowed Kirk to slip their fingers together as they stepped off the lift and made their way through the deserted corridors.
Kirk punched in the code to his quarters, and they stepped into the dark room together. Their eyes slowly adjusted to the dim light provided by a few strategically placed candles, and Kirk wrapped his arms around Spock's waist.
“It's technically morning now,” he said softly. “So, Merry Christmas Spock.”
“Merry Christmas Jim,” Spock replied as their lips met.
They stood in the doorway for a moment, kissing each other and enjoying the quiet darkness.
Finally Kirk pulled back and pointed to a corner, where a tiny artificial tree sat atop a table.
“I asked my yeoman to decorate for Christmas.. What do you think?”
Spock turned to look at the tree, and the small pile of gifts underneath.
“It is quite festive.”
Kirk laughed. “I knew you'd appreciate it,” he teased.
He pulled at Spock's wrist, as he made his way towards the sleeping area. “Come on, let's go to bed.”
Kirk toed off his boots as he went, yanking his shirt over his head, and unbuttoning his pants.
He turned, expecting to find Spock directly behind him, and was surprised to see Spock standing near the door.
“Spock? What're you doing?”
Spock stood for a moment, his hand over his mouth. Finally he spoke. “THHIM?”
Kirk laughed. “What? What the hell does that mean?”
Spock didn't reply.
“Lights, 100%” Kirk commanded quickly, and the room was suddenly flooded with light.
Spock still stood with his hand over his mouth, and Kirk watched as Spock's eyes drifted towards the ceiling.
Spock's eyes expressed as much sheer horror as a Vulcan could possibly convey.
“MITHLETHOE!” Spock exclaimed, as he pointed at the ceiling.
Kirk's eyes followed Spock's finger, and he gasped. Hanging from the ceiling were at least twenty to thirty sprigs of mistletoe.
Kirk bolted towards Spock, and grabbed at his wrist, attempting to uncover his mouth.
“You're allergic! What's happening?”
Spock lowered his hand briefly, and opened his mouth. “MA THONGUE!” he said before slapping his hand back over his mouth.
Kirk sighed, reaching for the button to page McCoy.
“Bones is going to kill me for ruining his Christmas.”
They spent Christmas in sickbay. At some point Kirk had fetched the small artificial tree from his quarters, and plunked it on the bedside table. Kirk told Spock about the traditional Earth holiday, while Spock listened silently with an amused gleam in his eye.
+1
“Spock, are you crazy? I am not getting you roses.”
Kirk had learned his lesson when it came to Spock and flowers. He was never making that mistake again. Even though the Christmas fiasco hadn't really been his fault, he still blamed himself.
So, he was shocked when Spock requested roses for Valentine's Day.
“When I asked you what you wanted for Valentine's Day, I didn't think you'd request another trip to sickbay.”
“I am not requesting a trip to sickbay. You asked what I would like, and I would like roses.”
Kirk rolled his eyes before planting a kiss on Spock's lips. “Roses it is.”
Kirk managed to leave his shift an hour early on Valentine's Day, and he took the time to fill Spock's quarters with roses. Six dozen to be specific. If Spock wanted roses, he was going to get roses.
The doors swished open and Spock stepped in, and Kirk eyed him expectantly as he walked around admiring the flowers.
Finally Spock paused to kiss Kirk, before lowering his head to lick at his collarbone. “Thank you Jim. They are quite favorable.”
“You like them? They're not.. making you sick?”
“Yes, I like them,” Spock whispered. “And no, they are not making me sick.”
He pulled his mouth away from Jim's neck long enough to pluck a flower from the nearest vase. He jolted slightly as his index finger met with a sharp thorn.
Kirk reached for Spock's hand and examined it. A tiny dent was apparent in Spock's skin, but no blood escaped. Kirk slowly raised the finger to his mouth, and sucked gently.
Spock's breathing hitched, as he closed his eyes, and his head tilted back.
“Jim..” he moaned softly as Kirk ran his tongue over the pad of Spock's finger, before taking a second digit in his mouth.
Kirk hummed gently, watching as a shudder ran through Spock's body, before he let the fingers fall from his mouth.
“I want to give you your real present,” he teased, pulling Spock against him, their erections rubbing against each other through their pants.
“Yes..” Spock replied, raising his head.
Kirk reached down to pull off his boots, setting them by the door as Spock preferred. When he turned back around he noticed Spock examining the bouquets again. He watched silently for a moment, before he realized Spock was pulling petals off some of the flowers. Spock raised his hand to his mouth, before reaching to pull off more petals.
“Spock..? What're you doing?”
Spock turned to him, a mild look of guilt on his face. “Jim.. roses.. are an aphrodisiac for Vulcans.”
Kirk's jaw dropped. “You're eating them??”
Spock nodded, and that was when Kirk noticed that Spock's pupils were blown wide.
Kirk grinned, whipping his shirt over his head, before reaching out to rid Spock of his clothes.
“That's it. Every holiday, from now on, you're getting roses.”
Spock simply nodded, a slight smile on his face, as Kirk pulled him towards the bed.