Negotiations

Rating: K

Genre: General/Romance

Summary: Captain Kirk is at a diplomatic party, and is subject to a lot of attention. However, Spock isn't feeling up to any personal negotiations...

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. If I did, Kirk and Spock would be too busy exploring each other in the bedroom rather than exploring civiliztions in space...but I guess that's just me. ;)

Never in a million years would young Captain James T. Kirk have ever thought that he would get sick of all the attention being on him. He usually craved it. But not today. Today, it was all 'peace-talks this' and 'diplomatic-immunity that'.

Not to mention these people obviously had no sense of personal space. He had lost track of how many times a wondering hand found his shoulder, caressed his arm, or brushed oh-so-innocently against his hand. Normally this wouldn't have bothered him, seeing as he was a somewhat touchy-feely person himself. To an extent, of course. But with these people, he couldn't find a spot where they weren't crowding him, and reaching out to find some way to make physical contact.

It certainly did not help that after he and his half-Vulcan First Officer had been invited to this treaty gathering, they'd also had to wear the customary robes, which consisted of a long sheet-like cloth that wrapped around his frame. It made Kirk think of the ancient Romans, and their togas. His golden toga was wrapped around him in such a way as to leave his right shoulder completely bare, as well as most of his chest. Spock had somehow managed to make his dark blue toga cover almost all of his pale skin, save for the bottom of his feet and ankles. Secretly, Kirk had been a little dissapointed, wanting to see more of his First Officer's skin, but decided it was for the best, seeing as everyone else was having trouble keeping their hands off Spock as well. Though, Kirk realized with some amusement, the half-Vulcan was exceptional at moving at just the right time, to avoid as much contact as was possible.

At the moment, Kirk was standing with a group of male diplomats, all of them older than dirt by Earth standards, but quite young by their own. All of them were wearing the toga-like garments, each a different color than Kirk's. As they laughed joyfully at some joke Kirk couldn't get the jest of, he scanned his blue eyes about the banguet hall in search of Spock, while trying to keep one ear on the conversation going on around him.

After a moment, his eyes honed in on the alien, not even twenty feet away, surrounded by diplomats much as the Captain was. Kirk was amused and slightly bewildered to see that instead of Spock seeming to pay close attention to those around him, which Kirk assumed he would be doing, the pale skinned half-Vulcan was staring intently in Kirk's direction, almost as if he were eyeing up the diplomats, his face distorted in slight disdain. Kirk had to fight down a smile; since when did Spock ever show his emotions on his face so openly? With a shake of his head absentmindedly, the Captain realized that only he could read his First's expressions so candidly; to anyone else the Officer would look just as aloof as he always did.

Seeing the slight movement in his visual, Spock turned his dark eyes to Kirk's.

Kirk wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but Spock's dark expression seemed to soften slightly once the silent alien's eyes had found his. Kirk gave a hesitant smile, and Spock gave him a stiff nod in reply. He continued to look in Kirk's direction, blatantly ignoring the diplomats trying to get his attention.

Odd, Kirk thought. Very odd.

And then all of Kirk's attention was taken off of his Officer by a heavy hand pressing down firmly on his bare shoulder. He turned to see who the hand belonged to, missing the tensing of his First Officer's body as he did so.

It was the diplomat named Ta'vaan. (Or, at least, that was what he thought his name was. Even though he was supposed to be a prime "hero" figure for the Federation, he surely had a lot to work on...) Ta'vaan smiled warmly.

"I must say it once again; it is a pleasure that you could be here with us. My people hold you in such high honor, young Captain." Ta'vaan said merrily, causing a few nearby people to look over in their direction. All of their eyes were alit, and some looked like they were...appraising him. Creepy.

Kirk gave a nervous chuckle, and ran his hand through his gold blonde hair, making the already unruly strands stick out even more obscenely. He fought the blush threatening to warm his cheeks. He was used to being admired, either for his looks (which were excellent, by the way), or his devil-may-cry attitude. But these people almost sounded like they worshipped him, and Kirk couldn't help but feel slightly humbled by it. If not weirded out, that is.

"Ah...you flatter me, Sir. I am a simple Captain trying to play my role," Kirk said after a moment, feeling very awkward. Usually, he would be sucking all the attention up for what it was worth and rolling with it like no one's business. But he had a nagging feeling that if he did that here, they'd probably put him on a throne and bow down to him, or something crazy like that.

Ta'vaan shook his head.

"Come now! No need to be modest!" he boomed, and Kirk fought the strong urge to squirm as Ta'vann, (whose hand had yet to leave Kirk's shoulder), began rubbing the Captain's skin with his thumb. His gray eyes peered into Kirk's and though his face was smiling, there was a subtle glint there. Kirk knew that look. It was the 'let's-find-a-private-place-where-we-can-get-to-know-each-other-better' look. And he knew that look because he'd used it himself plenty of times before. Now he dreaded having it aimed at him.

This can't lead to anything good...Kirk thought, his eyes darting about, trying to find a reason to leave. To escape was more appropriate, actually.

"Surely we can go to the balcony and discuss further delegations and negotiations, yes?" Ta'vaan said, moving towards the balconies on the far side of the banguet hall. His hand stayed firmly on the Captain's shoulder, making the young man stumble after him. Feeling panicky, Kirk's eyes darted to Spock's and he was relieved to see that the half-Vulcan was walking towards them, his face looking almost...pissed off.

Spock smoothly stepped in front of Ta'vaan and Kirk, cutting off their route. The Captain was hard pressed not to let out a sigh of relief.

"I regret to inform you that the Captain and I will no longer be here; we are needed back onboard the Enterprise." he said tonelessly, his face giving away nothing.

"Oh? Surely you cannot stay for awhile longer?" Ta'vaan said, his fingers digging into Kirk's skin, making him wince. Kirk was five seconds away from decking him in the face, but he restrained himself because he didn't want to make the Federation look bad.

Spock's face grew dark as his sharp eyes caught Kirk's flinch. When he spoke again, it was hard to miss the underlying threat in his voice.

"No; we are needed elsewhere. I ask that you let go of the Captain so we may attend to our duties." Ta'vaan reluctantly let go of Kirk, who hurriedly went to Spock's side. He tried to smile at Ta'vaan but failed.

"I guess we will have to discuss further negotiations at another time?" Ta'vaan inquired, looking very hopeful at the Captain. Kirk nodded hastily, anything to leave. Spock's strong, warm hand clasped around Kirk's arm, startling him, and began to almost drag him out of the room to the hall that held transporter pods. This culture believed in the upmost hospitality, and felt that it was their obligation to provide Kirk and Spock with a means to travel back and forth between their ships...even though they had their own transporter.

Before Kirk could get to the pods, Spock suddenly turned him around to face him.

"Sp-what...?" Kirk's protest was caught off as Spock's warm, tantalizing mouth was upon his in earnest. Kirk let out a groan as his eyelids fluttered shut. Good lord, Spock's mouth was deliscious. It had been a long time since he and Spock had been together intimately since their arrival to this planet, what with all their attention being with the diplomats. Now he was eager to get back to the ship...because they really did have "duties" to attend to now. Kirk caught a hold of himself and yanked back when he heard a slight intake of breath.

Still a little flustered from Spock's oral assault, his eyes went wide as he saw Ta'vaan at the entrance of the hall, looking at them with a wounded expression. Spock's hand came to gently rest on Kirk's right shoulder- right where Ta'vaan's had been previously.

"Thank you for your hospitality," Spock said, his voice carrying a slight lilt to it, almost as if he were gloating. "But we need to see to our obligations aboard the ship." Spock looked at Kirk as they both stepped into the pods.

"What was that for?" Kirk hissed as the pods began to light up, charging energy. Spock's face was unreadable.

"I can tolerate many things that most cannot." he said. "But I will not tolerate someone inappropriately handling you-"

"We were just talking of negotiations, Spo-" Kirk was caught off once again as Spock's mouth captured his. The alien pulled away, satisfied at the Captain's dreamy dazed look.

"I will not allow him to negotiate with you any longer." he said simply, and Kirk just decided to let it go. Besides, if he did, it meant he could kiss Spock sooner. And he did.

A/N: This was just a little something that tickled my conscious, that I wanted to write down. Tell me what you think! (By the way, this is my first 'slash' fic, so sorry if it's horrible.) I will work harder on my next one. Promise! ^_^