Because sometimes oranges can brighten a dark day, or create just a little bit of warmth in the cold corners of space.

Oranges

Try not thinking of peeling an orange. Try not imagining the juice running down your fingers, the soft inner part of the peel. The smell. Try and you can't. The brain doesn't process negatives.
Doug Coupland ~

Jim plopped himself down in the mess hall with an orange and Spock for company. The Vulcan sat gingerly down and proceeded to fold his hands on the cold surface of the table and watch his captain "chow down" as Terrans were fond of saying. The season on Earth being the time for a certain small variety of orange, Kirk had taken it upon himself to see that there were bowls of the mandarins within easy reach along the serving line. He dug a finger in and ripped the soft outer peel off whole, then took slices and stuffed them in his mouth with relish. Spock noted the sweet juice of the fruit dripped onto Kirk's hands and the human hadn't a care in the world if it did. That in turn, found its way onto the table creating what would surely leave a sticky mess for Cleaning to deal with. Spock raised an eyebrow in disapproval.

"What?" Kirk asked innocently with a mouthful of orange. Spock only stared at him.

"Are you aware that you are accumulating a plethora of liquid and pith that is going to be quite an annoyance to the clean-up crew?"

Kirk looked down, moving the peel out of the way and seeing the problem. "Oh." He looked up, embarrassed, and laughed guiltily. "I probably should have gotten a tray for that…" he looked away, "but I'll clean it up before we go." He placed another in his mouth, chewed slowly, and swallowed with satisfaction. He was just about to take another when he saw Spock looking at him. It wasn't abnormal for his first officer to take interest in him and 'observe' his human nature for large amounts of time, but there was something missing from this particular picture…

"Spock."

"Yes, Captain?" Spock said without a twitch. His eyes found Kirk's from where they had been trained on the orange and he waited for an order or topic of conversation. When none was forthcoming, Spock blinked uncertainly.

"You… you've had an orange before… right?" His face twisted in horror at the thought of never having tasted the sweet nectar that was basically a staple food back home.

"If you are referring to the consumption of the Citrus reticulata, I must say I have not. The fruit is widely eaten on Earth but I do not find the opportunity appealing as it is quite a messy endeavour," he observed, inclining his head in the general chaos under the captain.

What could only be called an evil grin was spreading on Jim's face, and Spock hadn't the slightest idea why. It became apparent however, as the human sprung up, the pile forgotten, and came back with a sizeable mandarin orange held firmly in his hand. He placed it in front of Spock with a flourish and leaned back, pushing his pile away and folding his arms on the table to smile smugly at his first officer.

"Eat it." He ordered good-naturedly, relaxing his face to an easy smile. "I mean," he stopped, hoping he wasn't crossing a line, "you don't have to… if you don't want too." he led off, "but I think it would be a… a good chance for scientific analysis." His eyebrows rose, seeing if Spock would accept the challenge.

Spock looked at the orange once, and then up at Jim from under dark lashes. His mouth opened slightly in hesitation and then closed, the corner tensing in obvious distaste. He unfolded his hands and dropped them to his side.

"Your request is illogical; as I have seen you consume this fruit. I do not see how my eating it would requisite a divergence from the norm."

"Slight anomalies in each person, as people are imperfect as you well know—humans at least—guarantee that each time an orange is eaten it'll be in slightly a different way even if the technique used is the same. Do you agree?"

Spock's eyebrows drew together in consternation that bordered on adorable betrayal. Kirk smirked as he waited to see what the green-blooded alien would do, and watched the lovely face contort.

Giving a tiny sigh of defeat, Spock took out his hands—precise tools to be used for scientific study, not the dissection of Terran fruit—and hovered them just over the lopsided orange sphere. Not one to hesitate for longer that he found himself capable of; Spock placed his hands on the orange and slid a pale finger just under the soft skin. The faint sound of breaking cells met Kirk's ears and he saw the slight puffs of juice enter the air around the experiment. His mouth began to water, though he wasn't going to try to figure out if it was because of the orange… or Spock's hands.

He gulped.

Spock quickly removed the peel; an attractive curly shell of its former self. He then took the utmost care in breaking the orange over the peel in order to avoid the same puddle Jim had created.

Kirk rolled his eyes.

Two halves now in his hand, Spock took one and, making sure it was clean and dry, placed it on the table to the side. He gently stripped the different sections apart, setting the remainder aside until he held a single piece in his right hand.

Painfully aware of past scenes, Kirk avoided his subconscious need to move forward by opening his eyes as wide as they would go, still not wanting to miss a thing.

Spock looked at Kirk in fascination, the balmy orange jewel held in one perfectly svelte hand. He held his captain's face in his mind and analysed it for future reference. This particular fruit could hardly evoke such visual reactions in all humans, yet Jim Kirk seemed to be one of the few for who that was not the case. He was practically salivating. Something in the orange perhaps? A certain hormone or vitamin? He would study the molecular structure later.

But for now and in order to appease his commander, Spock gently placed the piece of fruit in his very green mouth. The flash of contrasting colours made Kirk grin widely, before the Vulcan closed his mouth and quickly made light work of what was once a pristine piece of orange. He swallowed and his Adams apple methodically bobbed down and up again. He looked at Kirk again, folding his hands once again in front of him on the table.

"Does this satisfy you, Captain?"

"Oh yeah. I just—one thing; did you like the taste of it, Spock?" he wiggle his eyebrows in a slightly suggestive fashion. Perhaps "slightly" was not the correct word.

A blank stare was all Kirk got before the Vulcan repeated, "I do not 'like' things, Captain. The taste of this fruit was sweet and its texture fibrous. If I had eaten a sufficient amount, I would assume it would satisfy hunger. As it is, I calculate it has lessened by need for nourishment by a percentage of 0.073."

Kirk couldn't help but laugh, grinning at his first officer.

"Well spoken, my friend."

His eyes moved on to somewhere behind Spock, probably Scotty or Sulu who had his attention, as he got up to join them. Spock stayed where he was for the tiniest portion of a minute, frozen in surprise.

The usage of the term 'friend' was not often used by the Captain in their daily exchanges. Here it had been said almost offhandedly. Though said before, its uncommon nature made it such as it was to tuck away in his vast memory banks. Such informality in humans was something he had come to learn as a display of comfort. Of knowledge that the recipient would not abuse the privileges informality offered them. It was a sign of trust. So Spock held onto that one little word, but let not an ounce of the warmth he felt colour his face. For though oranges satisfied the body, words satisfied the mind.

Yes, yes, I have a fetish for hands. My horoscope was right; what's a girl to do? Please read and review ;)