In celebration of the first real snowfall - a whole 2.5" baby :D I'm posting this crack *giggle* Tons of slash and intense-as the title says-kisses, but no lemon; just as a warning, so you don't get excited, disgusted, or whatever you get at the word x) So here is, probably, one of the most mature things I've ever written.

Winter had come earlier than expected for the residents of Gerdaeg, who were deep in their caves to wait out the deep cold. Though just hours ago the wind had blown fierce and strong, now the only reminder of Mother Nature's might was in the few broken branches that littered the parks and walkways along the mighty Lake Tanyuk. Snow fell lightly but had already covered Gerdaeg with a foot-deep blanket of powdery crystalized water. Exotic, hearty brown birds flew in and out of the trees, garbling their pleasure at the winter wonderland.

Having arrived at the planet the previous day, the crew of the Enterprise had conducted numerous orders of business but was now waiting in the lull that was the native alien equivalent of Christmas. If they had known there would be a break they would have timed their trip better, but as it was, members of the crew were either enjoying themselves in the local alcoholic establishments or, as a certain Vulcan was concerned, working out vital paperwork in time that he normally had little of and therefore needed to use wisely.

He was on his way to City Hall from the rooms the crew had been given, which were annoyingly far away from the central city; he realized when he found himself having to walk more than twenty minutes in the freezing atmosphere without the use of a hovercar of any kind. In response, he had been forced to don a Starfleet regulation winter jacket and use the method his father had taught him to ignore the biting cold. He blocked most of his exterior senses to do this; the functions of his body in the back of his mind as he made his way along the seawall, organizing his thoughts. Suddenly, he encountered two very human-looking legs sticking out on the path. He quickly moved to avoid the obtrusive obstacles in his way when he glanced to their possessor. To his surprise, it was his Captain who was sprawled out on the bench; looking quite dejected for Terran standards, he might add.

"…Captain?" Spock asked hesitantly. Kirk's eyes were closed and he seemed to be sleeping.

Kirk groaned and blearily opened his eyes, shutting them quickly in the blinding white. He blinked a few times up at Spock and sighed heavily.

"Hey Spock." His tone was lifeless.

Spock stared at him, trying to deduce the emotion. "You are not uncomfortable here?" he asked with confused concern.

"What? No, I'm fine. A little damp but…" he managed a light-hearted grin but it fell quickly. "I'm covered," he shrugged, his hands in his pockets; a gesture to his own coat and heavy-duty boots.

Spock did not smile. He looked at Jim, the bird chirps in the background falling silent to the misery in front of him. The Captain had been in well spirits the previous day and this change in mood was difficult for Spock to understand. He looked, quite still, judging how best to join the human to offer comfort.

Despite the depression Kirk was feeling, he noticed this indecision and made it easier for Spock, springing up from his place on the bench and to hop a few times on his toes to get the blood flowing. Spock simply looked at him. After a moment, Kirk stopped with a puff of crystalized breath and turned away, glaring out onto the lake.

"You're on your way to city Hall, right?"

Spock answered honestly, keeping the suspicion he felt out of his voice: "That is my current destination, yes."

Kirk smiled at no one and turned dramatically, pulling a hand out of his coat to gesture with a flourish; "Shall we?" This switch in mood in no way touched his eyes, which were still cold as the ice all around them.

Spock nodded slowly, going along with the captain but not trying to hide his uncertainty.

They fell into step with each other; Kirk slouching over and stuffing his hands in his pockets once again while Spock straightened a miniscule amount to walk smoothly alongside his captain. Kirk was silent and averted his eyes to the water, the dark mood slipping back in.

They walked for a few minutes, passing no one and saying nothing. Spock dared to speak.

"If I am correct… I take it you are currently disquieted, Captain."

Kirk sighed again, softly this time. He slowed slightly.

Though Kirk's ascent would be easily recognized by a human, for a Vulcan, doing so was easier said than done. Spock floundered, though wisely kept his peace. With Terrans, that course of action was seldom wrong.

They were now standing in the middle of the path. Jim's eyes had become red again as he tottered on the edge of control.

"I just… you have Nyota and I..." he gestured aimlessly, his arms falling to his sides when he couldn't finish.

"Jim," Spock said, slipping into the informal, "I do not have Nyota." He paused before continuing, "Lieutenant Uhura is a very illogical human. I find her attentions tiring at times."

And what, he was less of an illogical human than she was? Kirk thought with a bitter noise of disgust. He kept his eyes on his boots, swallowing hard. But Spock was the master of silence. Kirk glanced up to see him patiently standing with his hands behind his back, respectfully averting his eyes. Kirk trained his gaze on the Vulcan.

"Then what are you two..."

"She and I are no more than colleagues. I have made that quite clear to her. Although you are... as illogical as they come," his eyes twinkled in a suspiciously human way, "It is a part of who you are and I would not wish to change that for the answer to the one question asked by anyone and everyone who as ever taken a breath."

Kirk stared at Spock, who looked out into the water. In disbelief or confusion, Spock could not tell out of the corner of his eye. And what happened next Spock could have never have anticipated.

Kirk's eyes went as wide as moons. What Spock had said; he had heard it all before. But he had been the stupid human he was and hadn't even noticed. Stupid, stupid, stupid! His mind flashed back to the many, many times… and he hadn't even been aware... More self-accusations and wild cursing were on the tip of his tongue but before he could comprehend the reason behind it, they died away. Melted away like spring snow. Like the ending of a harsh opera… the silence was oppressive and stifling. He felt dizzy.

Snow fell like feathers on his head and melted in his hair, but did no good to calm what was brewing just underneath the surface of this one ardent being.

Because moments later, it was all the human could do not to tumble them both backwards as he flung himself at the Vulcan; pulling Spock into a desperate kiss. He grabbed the Vulcan's shoulders and gripped them as hard as he could to stop any attempts at escape. He couldn't—wouldn't be able to handle it if Spock made any move at abstain from the passionate embrace.

On the other side of this two-way communication, and shocked as if he has just stuck his hand in electrically charged water, Spock gaped into Kirk's mouth, though was quickly bid to close it and reciprocate. He did, holding his PADDs tight with his right hand and reaching up to cradle Kirk's neck with the left. He tasted peppermint, Romulan ale and a heaping aftertaste of banana. A strange combination it was; though indescribably wonderful when mixed.

Heated breath escaped their hot, tasting, pulling lips in frozen clouds like ice-blue cotton candy. The air mixed with both of their hair, coating it in a fine mist. Spock's silky raven hair prickled at the base of his neck as Kirk's gasps and moans dug into his subconscious, and his fingernails into his shoulder.

More, more, MORE. Now, now, NOW.

Kirk's heart was racing as he went again and again, his head moving in time with Spock's as they rocked with tiny motions, right there on the path. They might be in danger of falling into the lake… and he would have been happy; happy to go into the deepest parts of this planet until he died of frostbite or hypothermia… as long as Spock was with him. Here, like this. He moaned again in deep satisfaction, pressing Spock to him, the folds of the Vulcan's jacket getting in the way. To compensate the loss of grip, Spock clenched his hand in Kirk's hair, the warm, cleanness of it twisting around his hand as he gently but firmly held the warm, pulsing Terran by the base of his scalp.

"Spock I…"

"Wait." Spock spoke as if he was interrupting a cadet talking during an exam, not his lover in the throes of passion on a frozen ice planet. Abruptly, he parted from Kirk, leaving the human trembling and limp, breathing hard and staring blindly into nothing, feeling the world spinning fast. He really hoped he wasn't going to be sick.

He grinned when Spock came back and grabbed his arm, pulling him into a park with a wide, demanding stride; the labyrinthine forest of trees quickly hiding them from the road. He noted the Vulcan was now coat and PADD-less, too. Oh, that was considerate of him, Kirk thought with the last strands of any rational thought, the Vulcan's firm grim on his upper left arm.

Spock looked around quickly, his head whipping from side to side as he sought a safe, dry shelter. Ah, under that one tree; a halo of only slightly-moist ground circling around the base. Snow crept in after that, but it would do. He gently pushed Kirk down, taking the human's hand in his to help him to the ground.

Getting a slightly better hold of himself, Kirk looked up and shuffled his body a bit in anticipation with his hands pressing into the soft dirt. In a flash quicker that he was ready for, Spock swept down beside him, pulling the human into his arms and nuzzling his head. He almost purred. Kirk was left with nothing to do as Spock had both of his hands and snuffed his nose in Kirk's ear and hair, breathing in and breathing on him, in him, all over him. He began to hyperventilate, the hot air and cold climate contrasting in a deadly fashion. They all began to mix, swirl in the intense confusion and pleasure…

Everything cut off. Blackness. Headache. Cold. He was cold. No warm. Alone; Spock. Spock. Spock!

"Jim. Jim." Spock was gently shaking him. The Vulcan knelt on his toes, an expression as close to worry as Jim might expect marring those gorgeously sharp features. Eyebrows like the night sky, creased just slightly in the middle. Eyes like a vortex of pain and relief and intelligence. Locked on his. He had the Vulcan's sole attention. Spock's hands were on his shoulders now, gentle and assuring. Shaking slightly. He grumbled at that, wanting but not wanting to shake them off. He shut his eyes tightly and the hands released him. Thank. You. "Spock," he exhaled the name.

"Captain—"

That sounded slightly hilarious coming out of Spock's mouth just then, but thinking about it only made Jim want to throw up. He swallowed a mouthful of freezing air, practically choking on it when Spock stopped mid-sentence, his eyebrows rising to his hairline and his mouth parting slightly.

That was not-

Breathe.

—helping—

Breathe.

—At all!—

Finally, finally, he was able to look away from Spock, and up, into the mass of branches and trees and whiteness that was not Earth, but certainly clean, fresh air. He sighed in relief. Sometimes. Sometimes… having a Vulcan first officer this willing to indulge him in these kinds of things was not such a good idea. But damn it was worth it. He rested his head against the hard bark, ignoring the pinch on his scalp. His hands he held loosely on his bent knees, his feet firmly on the ground a few feet apart.

Spock himself balanced on the toes of his boots, his forearms situated loosely on his thighs, relaxed yet tense and ready for anything at a moment's notice. Jim had passed out thirty-six-point-four seconds after he had initiated the scrambling contact. He had sorely overestimated Kirk's tolerance to intense physical stimulation in the harsh climate. Thankfully, his quick actions to revive the human had proved successful. He would keep all of that in mind for later; as Kirk seemed to be almost glowing now that he was conscious again. Though Spock was not at all a supporter of the phrase 'the ends justify the means', in this case, it held true; even if it had not been intentional in the slightest.

Kirk opened his eyes and tilted his head forward, smiling almost smugly at the Vulcan.

"You sure know how to cheer a guy up." He chuckled at Spock's bewildered expression.

"You… feel no adverse effects?"

"Naaaaah. I'm totally… fine…" his grin widened and his eyes took a wicked gleam. "And now that I'm cooled off…" he pushed himself up and grabbed Spock's collar with one hand, taking a millisecond to revel in the Vulcan's surprise, and flopped back down, yanking the Vulcan down with him. Spock shot his arms out in time to catch himself, though now he was on his hands and knees and practically in Jim's lap. His own heart increased in rhythm tenfold, his eyes huge black orbs concentrating on Kirk's fiery ones.

The Captain's fingers rippled tightly on the fabric now taught around Spock's neck, getting a better grip on his First Officer.

"And that's what you get…" he leaned in slightly to breathe on Spock's nose, "when you make me pass out. You have to make up for however long I wa—"

"Exactly one minute and for—"

"Spock..." Kirk growled warily. Spock did not get this game.

Spock stopped, and was yanked again in irritation by human hands, this time falling forward. Gravity did the rest; his green lips once again pressed against Kirk's. Keeping with the kiss, for it really was a pleasurable sensation and far gentler this time, Spock moved like a ghost to reposition himself. He knelt on his knees in the space between Kirk's legs, brushed his hands off quickly and took the human's head this time, locking him in, as it were.

Kirk relaxed, moving his hands to Spock's firm waist; taught and vibrating slightly with the beating of his fast as lightning heart.

After several seconds of this erotic display—for their eyes only, thank you very much—they broke. Kirk took a breath of the frigid air, which seemed only to drive the pleasure up. In his own time, Spock very gently let go of Kirk, trailing his right hand along the flaming human's skin—which, for the Vulcan, just about touched his own external body temperature and was an interesting sensation in itself. They were almost equal. But then Jim's skin began to cool, too quickly, he thought. The human shuddered beneath his touch.

"Jim. You should not have stayed out in the cold. You might have succumbed to hypothermia."

Chilly words. Breakable, too.

"Well thank God you came along."

"I was in error for attempting to warm you too quickly. The result was your unconsciousness. This was due to my miscalculation."

Kirk took a second to process that.

"Spock… are— are you apologizing for kissing me?" He bit back a laugh, seeing the stony barrier slip onto Spock's face. He didn't want to see that. "Spock, don't ever apologize for doing that," he reprimanded, his eyes steady but with mischievous spark to them and a twitch in his smile.

"Yes, Captain."

To Kirk's incredulity, Spock look slightly abashed.

"Dammit, Spock," he said gently, "you don't have to call me 'Captain' all the time you know..." he sighed warily, and despite what he'd said, felt a strange sort of satisfaction at Spock's loyalty. The contrition in his eyes was more than Kirk deserved. He had been made Captain on a fluke; Spock had been Captain before him. In lieu of that, Kirk took it with the utmost care, smiling to himself.

And plus, he thought, leaning back on the tree, Spock kneeling in front of him, his hands pressed to the chilly dirt; hair slightly mussed; Starfleet shirt rumpled; and eyes downcast in what could only be called compunction… was ever so slightly erotic. Just slightly. But what he really wanted was Spock's eyes up; at him, now.

Haltingly, he reached out one exposed hand, pink in the cold, and curled it to press lightly under Spock's chin. The Vulcan tensed, but moved his head in time with Kirk's hand as his Captain lifted firmly. Kirk's hand was freezing on his jaw, yet the pressure assured him in ways he was unfamiliar with. Protection and guidance from more than just his Commander trickled through him. Spock looked into those blue eyes, cold as the sky yet sparkling like ice crystals that dripped from the trees. Such a natural, content face.

"T'hy'la…" he whispered with an unnatural . Such a natural word. So correct in its placement. Not a substitute for 'Captain'… something more; something indescribably like Christmas kisses, golden hair and pale, peach skin.

Kirk hadn't heard him, only sighed again in wonder at the beauty of a Vulcan's form against perfect, crisp snow. There was more of a comparison than contrast. Strong, and delicate at the same time. Perfectly calm when they wanted to be, and fiercely dangerous an instant later.

How one evening could change his outlook on snow, he would never understand. He had always loved the snow, but there was something about it now, he thought as he looked into Spock's bright eyes which held a world of tradition and deep understanding in their depths.

As he did so he thought of what had transpired and what secrets a world dictated from deep with the bowels of its society. Unable to love… no. That couldn't be right. How could it when Kirk saw clearly the love shining out from those unfathomable eyes. Hidden to the casual observer, but clear as day to him.

A whisper caressed his ears, light and golden with just a hint, only a hint, of passion and desire; fire and brimstone hidden in a passing breath. And then it was gone.

Whisked away from the pair; up into the treetops and then father, to mingle with the northern air currents billowing with eddies of snow, the whisper went. Silent and true; rich with past history, and kissed with promises of the future, a whisper went.