2004 Golden Orgasm Award: Second Place Best Slash Advent Calendar

A Kingdom for a Bit of Mistletoe

T’Len

2004

Fandom: Star Trek TOS/Sci-Fi

Pairing: K/S, Sc/Mc and Su/C impl.

Rating: PG-13

Summary: As the title said, there is mistletoe needed.

Disclaimer: Paraborg/Viacom owns the whole Star Trek universe. I only borrowed a little part of it for some fun. No moneymaking or no offence of copyrights is intended. The story is mine and it is just fanfiction. If you are under age, please stay away. If you have a problem with m/m-sex and relationships, then look elsewhere for your entertainment.

Feedback: tlen11@freenet.de

Advertisement: Part of the SAC-2004 at: http://www.kardasi.com/Advent/2004/SAC-2004.htm

Beta: English is not my native language, so please be patient with my mistakes. PhenDog did a really great job correcting my errors. My greatest gratitude to her. For all remaining errors, blame me.

“Now, Mr. Spock, how does it look?“ Expectantly Jim Kirk bent over the station of his first officer.

“A class M planet, similar to earth,“ the Vulcan reported. “Breathable atmosphere. 78.45 percent of the surface is covered with water. The climate zones on the single continent extend from polar ice-caps to tropical zones at the equator. No signs of intelligent or higher animal life.”

“And does it have there what we’re seeking for? “ Jim asked impatiently.

“It would take more intensive scans to verify whether visum album or similar plants exist on this planet or not, Captain,” Spock answered. “That would take several hours.“

Jim sighed. This was now already the third planet they searched for it. If they didn’t find it here, they would have a problem. First, it was the last planet in this sector that appeared suitable. Secondly, even if there was another one, they would run out of time. Starfleet command expected that they would end the actual mapping mission in this sector and report as quickly as possible to star-base 8 for new orders.

“How are our chances?” he asked.

“I cannot give you a concrete prognosis, Captain,” Spock answered. “But in the moderate climate zone, both foliage forests as well as needle forests exist. If I had to speculate, I would say the chances are that a parasite at least similar to visum album could exist.”

“Thanks, Spock. That’s all I need,” Jim returned. He well knew that Spock’s speculations usually were more precisely then the concrete statements of other people. “Please order a search from the Orbit and assemble landing parties to beam down and search on the surface.”

Kirk stepped to his chair and activated a key. “Bones, are you interested on a little walk in the fresh air?“

///

Shortly after that, they materialized in a forest glade. Jim looked around. The grass was not green; rather red, somewhat strange for his eyes. The colors of the trees varied from yellow to blue to the usual green. In any case they didn’t look very much like a terrestrial trees, which Jim regretted. And they were unusually high, which would impede the search even more.

He nodded to the women and men of the landing parties. “You know what we’re looking for. Go on the search but be careful.”

After all had gone into different directions and only he, Spock, and McCoy still stood in the glade, Jim pointed into one direction. “We’ll look there.”

Spock walked immediately in the indicated direction but McCoy held Jim back from following the Vulcan. “Giving old Christmas traditions all due respect, Jim, but why have you become so obsessed this year with mistletoe? It looks like you want to search the entire galaxy for it if necessary.”

Jim smiled. “Do you know what one does under the mistletoe?”

“Naturally.”

The smile became wider. “And a certain Vulcan will not be able to avoid this tradition.”

Now McCoy also smiled. “I understand. Do you want to start an ‘attack’? It’s already over time.” He, of course, had finally realized Jim’s growing interest in the Vulcan. But Spock, the walking computer, had to have help understanding certain things. Well, he for his part wished both the best. They deserved it.

He laid a friendly hand on Jim’s shoulder. “Then we shall seek out a branch of mistletoe for you. I’m sure we will find one.”

///

“That’s unbelievable.” Disappointed, Jim set down on a large, yellow stone. “There isn’t any mistletoe anywhere.” They had searched for three hours into all directions. Now his feet hurt terribly. His neck hurt too; because of the large trees, he had look upward all the time. And to make things worse, the local mosquito species had obviously found him very attractive as numerous unpleasant bites proved.

“Why doesn’t it exist here?” he asked Spock.

”Captain, there exist many reasons why a certain species exists on a planet or not. For example..”

Kirk declined to hear the rest. ”Thanks, Spock. I really have no nerves for a scientific explanation right now. The question was just rhetorical.”

He picked up his communicator and asked for reports from the other groups – after their search had turned out to be harder than expected, he had ordered more teams down. Then he also asked Uhura how things went with the search from orbit.

“Nothing.” Jim shook his head disappointedly.

“Why don’t we just take something from this pink bush that is everywhere around here. It looks pretty lovely,” McCoy offered.

“But it has no berries,” Jim said with regret.

“Then take the yellow; it has some. Perhaps they are edible.”

“I would attempt to dissuade you from testing that theory, Dr. McCoy,” Spock reciprocated. “These fruits would be poisonous for the human organism.”

“Captain,” the Vulcan turned to Kirk. “If I may, I would remind you of the fact that in 32.57 minutes the twilight will began. It would be advisable that we go to the nearest glade. It is difficult to beam us out of this dense forest.”

Jim sighed and commented, “Then that was it? Farewell, Christmas.“

“Captain, I do not understand why mistletoe has such an important meaning for you at Christmas.”

“Spock, there are a few more things you don’t understand.” Jim quickly turned away so that the Vulcan couldn’t see the sadness in his eyes. If only he could find another way to explain to Spock his feelings for him. And if Spock just would reciprocate them. He had became so fixed with the idea of kissing Spock under the mistletoe and then taking his further steps depending on the Vulcan’s reaction, that the others must think he had really gone crazy.

“You should do some research about earthly Christmas traditions, Spock. You can learn a few things,“ McCoy advised him.

“Just a moment,” Jim interrupted them, excited. “What is that? There, above us?“ He pointed at one of the trees, then took the binoculars he had had beamed down because of the height of the trees, in hand and looked toward the top of the tree. “It is even green and has some berries,“ he confirmed firmly.

Spock aligned his tricorder. “It has a quite large resemblance with the earthly visum album, and the berries are indeed edible,” he reported.

Kirk radiated. “Finally!”

“But how will you get it down from there?” McCoy asked sceptically. The tree seemed to be almost 100 meters high.

“We could try to separate it with an aimed phasershot,” Spock suggested.

“And burn it at the same time, or the berries will fall off. No, this is not an option,” Jim considered. “I will personally climb the tree.”

“You can’t do that,“ McCoy said as he examined the tree. The first 30 meters were completely smooth; no person could find any hold there. “Perhaps Scotty can simply beam it on board.

“I would suggest another method, Captain,” Spock offered.

///

“These new antigrav-boots are really a good invention.” Jim grinned as he landed safely back on the ground, the branch securely in his hands. “Thank you, Spock. Now Christmas can come.”

///

“I wish you a merry Christmas,” hummed Jim cheerfully while he was climbing on his chair, trying to tie the mistletoe over the divider between the living and sleeping area. What luck that they finally had found some. It really looked almost like what grew on Earth. It had only five berries, but that was better than nothing. After Christmas he either had Spock won - or he knew that he could give up all his hopes forever.

“Jim, I’ve got a...” McCoy only got a scream as answer as he stepped through the door.

Rowing with his arms, Jim finally found his balance again. Then he jumped out of the chair. “Are you crazy to frighten me so? Do you want that I break my neck?” he scolded.

“Of course not, but what are you doing there?” the doctor answered.

Jim pointed upward. “I tied the mistletoe. Tonight I will invite Spock for a chess game, and when he stands here...”

“That’s what about I wanted to speak with you, Jim. I mean...” Leonard hemmed “can I borrow the branch for awhile?”

“Borrow?” Kirk stared at his friend. “What do you want with the mistletoe?”

“Do you think you are the only one who has a private life?” McCoy growled. “I’m not that old yet.”

“Of course not, but my branch...” After the long search, Jim wasn’t really willing to give it away, not even to Bones. He couldn’t risk that something would go wrong. Not so shortly before the goal.

“I wanted to take one for myself, but you know how things went. Please.”

Jim sighed. He badly wished he could deny Leonard this favor but he just couldn’t. “Okay, but tonight I need it back and be careful with it.”

”I promise.”

///

“I wish you a merry Christmas,” Jim hummed again when he packed Spock’s gift. It hadn’t been easy to find this special artefact – and rather expensive. But for Spock nothing could be too expensive, and he was sure the Vulcan would love this little, antique figure with her perfect beauty.

“Come in!” he called when the door chimed. “Bones, are you already bringing…”

“Captain,” Scotty interrupted him.

He turned around to his visitor. “Oh Scotty, do we have any problems?”

“Err, actually…” the chief-engineer hemmed. “I wanted to ask if I could perhaps borrow the mistletoe for awhile?”

Jim shook his head. “Sorry, but I already gave it to Dr. McCoy.”

“Dr. McCoy? Oh, that’s good. Excuse the interference, Captain.”

Scotty hurried out.

///

“I wish you a merry Christmas.“ Jim was preparing the table for the chess game he planned with Spock after the Christmas party when a new visitor buzzed.

“Captain,” an evidently embarrassed Chekov said. “If it would be possible... err to borrow your mistletoe... Sulu and I…”

Kirk interrupted him. “Sorry, Pavel, but I gave it already to the doctor.”

///

“I wish you a merry Christmas,” sounded it through the loudspeakers of the whole ship as Jim approached the mess hall an hour later for the traditional Christmas party with the crew.

“What happened?” He stopped, surprised, when he saw his crew standing in a long line through the entire corridor up to the next turbolift.

“We’re wait to stand under the mistletoe,” transporter chief Kyle explained to him.

“What!?!” Kirk stared at him then pushed past the people.

“I want to know what’s going on, immediately,” he commanded as he reached the door.

“Captain, I tied the mistletoe over the door so that anyone can use it,” Uhura explained.

Jim needed all his self-control not to scream at the communications officer. Instead he turned to McCoy, who was standing with Scotty a few steps away. “Are you crazy to give my branch away? “ he shouted.

“I’m sorry, Jim,” a contrite McCoy answered. “Scotty had already given it to Checkov before I could bring it back to you.”

“I just wanted to do Pavel and Hikaro a favor,” Scotty excused himself. “But they must have given it to Nyota.”

“Take it positively, Jim. Now the entire crew can enjoy it,“ Leonard tried to calm Kirk. “After all you nearly had everyone involved it the search. Don’t you think they deserve it?”

“Yes,” Jim grumbled. “And the berries are of course already gone.”

“You can kiss someone without them,” the doctor noted.

“And how shall I get Spock over here?” Jim hissed then trailed off so someone else wouldn’t hear him.

And from the loudspeakers it still sounded, “I wish you a merry Christmas.”

///

“I wish you a merry Christmas.”

“Shut your mouth,” Jim growled as the door to his cabin closed behind him.

“Please specify your order,” reciprocated the computer with its monotonous voice.

Jim took a deep breath; otherwise he probably would have screamed. “Turn the music off,” he commanded then.

Quiet – finally! He sighed. What a damn Christmas.

Well, the party had gone – and was still going - well as every year, only he hadn’t been able to enjoy it. Spock had only shown up briefly – he had, as always, preferred to remain on duty in order to escape the whole hurly-burly and to enable his human colleagues to participate. So there hadn’t been any chance to kiss him under the mistletoe.

Jim sighed again, and cursed himself mentally as a fool. ‘You can’t continue like this, Jim Kirk,’ he thought. ‘Either you take your courage, confess your feelings to Spock, and wait to see what will happen, or you bury your dreams for all times. Bit don’t behave further like a fool.’

“I wish you a merry Christmas, Captain... Jim.”

The deep voice interrupted his musings. Jim looked up and saw Spock standing in the door to their joined bathroom. He wore one of those black gowns; to Jim, he always looked enormously sexy in it.

“Thanks, Spock,” Jim answered. “I fear I’ve had better ones.”

Spock arched an asking eyebrow. “Did the party not fulfilled your expectations?”

“Sure, but, it’s just…“ Jim sighed. “Forget it. Perhaps I’m really too old to hold on all these old customs, and you are right that this all has lost the meaning of its existence centuries ago.”

“I would not say so, Captain. I only said that I personally cannot see much logic behind most of the customs. By the way, you are standing under the mistletoe.”

“What?”

Jim looked up surprised. And really at the divider to the sleeping area hung a branch of mistletoe. A new sprig with berries!

“Spock, how...?” Jim couldn’t speak from surprise.

“I allowed myself to produce in the laboratory a duplicate of the branch that we found on the planet. It is of course only artificial, but the berries are edible.”

“But why?” Jim asked, yet still rather speechless over this gesture of the friendship.

“I noticed how much that particular characteristic of the branch meant to you, Jim,” the Vulcan explained quietly. “„May I remind you that you are right standing under the branch? As far as I understand the earthly tradition dictates that we should kiss now.“

“What?” Jim asked again. Before he really could think about it Spock had stepped up to him

And then Jim felt soft lips, as warm as he ever had imagined, tenderly on his own lips. He asked no longer about the why and what; he just reciprocated in the kiss. That surely was a moment he wanted to save forever. Obviously sometimes Christmas wishes still became true.

End