The BLTS Archive - Halloweens to Remember by Acidqueen (a.q@gmx) --- Author's Note: For Roadstergal and Artemis in Cait's "Ship Tales" challenge. Thanks to Drusilla for the beta - all remaining errors are mine! Disclaimer: Others own Star Trek. My only profit is fun time. Archive: My own website, ASCEM, all others ask, please. --- It was Halloween. Not a festivity to Spock's taste, but as the first officer, a part of his duties was to keep up the morale. And tonight, this meant to be present at a party where everyone played something abstruse called "Trick or Treat", wore innovative (Spock liked this neutral word) costumes and drank more alcohol than they should. Spock was not surprised to see the ship's doctor in a corner, holding a glass that possibly contained the third or fourth load of drink, judging from the doctor's slightly slacked position. However, it surprised him that McCoy sat there all alone, instead of joining the crowd around Scott or the captain. There was something sad and lonely about the way the doctor sat there, and Spock experienced a sudden curiosity. After a brief socializing in the crowd to fulfill his duty, he retreated into the corner and sat down next to McCoy. "What're you doing here?" McCoy drawled when he noticed who had joined him. "I thought you might enjoy company." McCoy combed through his hair, his slightly erratic movements indicating his level of intoxication. "Guess I should. But I'm not really up to it tonight." He took a gulp of his bright-orange drink. "Any particular reason?" Spock inquired. "I noted that you have received a message from Earth." "Oh, that was fine, just a note from my daughter, telling me about her new school..." There was more to it, and Spock, feeling that the doctor might need only a little time to divulge more of the reasons for his unusual withdrawal, patiently waited for him to speak further. "I really shouldn't talk about it," McCoy said. "It's just that this note made me remember that it was on Halloween that everything went down the drain." "Everything?" Spock raised a brow. "My life on Earth...my marriage. Course, it had been going downhill for a while, but that was the final point." Spock remained quiet. McCoy looked at him, eyes not really focused. "There was that colleague at the hospital, Airan. He was a Letaga, intersexed species, but living as a male on Earth. Cool guy, great scientist...good friend. We spent a lot of time together. Had lots of fun, and great results too." Maybe this should have been the moment for Spock to leave because it was clear that McCoy would divulge very personal information and, considering his inebriated state, might regret this tomorrow. But Spock realized that he might regret it himself if he didn't listen to this story till the end, as his interest in McCoy had increased to the point at which he wanted to know more about the doctor's very well-hidden past. And so, he let McCoy talk further. "Then we had a Halloween party in the department...and things got a bit out of hand. Well, maybe it's the wrong word. I was drunk, but not enough not to know what I was doing." McCoy stared into the air. "Guess my wife would've ignored it, if not for everyone knowing about it...and if it hadn't been a man. She never understood how the Legata work. Well, guess she never wanted to either. Gave her a good excuse to get rid of me." McCoy looked up, as if remembering Spock's existence only now. "Shouldn't have told you. I'm sorry." He downed the rest of his glass, then went up with shaking legs. Spock was instantly there to hold him. "I can find my own way home, Spock," McCoy said, his words slurred. "I think it is better to accompany you." The Vulcan led McCoy out of the room and away from the party to a distant lift. McCoy didn't fight the support, but heavily leaned onto Spock's arm when they left the turbolift at the level of McCoy's quarters. Spock opened its door and went into it with him. "You know," McCoy murmured when he leaned against the room divider, "Actually you're not so different to him. Not only the ears...of course, Legata have some pointed ears too, though Vulcan ones are much longer...but he was just so dedicated to his work...sometimes I had to kick his ass so that he'd come and have dinner with me..." He sighed a little. "Lost contact when I left for Starfleet. He hated anything resembling a military organization." Spock acutely felt McCoy's hand on his arm; he considered breaking the contact and leaving, but much like before he knew that this was a very rare chance to get closer to McCoy. Spock made up his mind and, remembering the few moments of his life in which he had kissed women, bent forward and pressed his lips onto McCoy's. It was more a mechanical than an emotional act, and when he pulled back, McCoy stared at him wide-eyed. He could do better, Spock decided and kissed the doctor again, putting more feeling into it. And this time, McCoy answered the kiss. --- It seemed to be early morning when McCoy woke up...or maybe it was still in the middle of the night, he thought when he realized his headache and hangover. He slipped out of bed, padding to the bathroom in the almost-dark of the emergency lights to splash some water on his face and to take some blue pills for sobering. He couldn't quite remember the last evening, which was a really bad sign. He hadn't had such a blackout for ages. Never since...ah well. McCoy looked down, and found himself mostly undressed, with just his briefs left; at least he'd obviously been awake enough to bring himself to bed. It was only when he returned to the bedroom that he noticed the bulge in his bed under the covers. In fact, it was a person. And it moved and sat up to become... "Spock!" McCoy exclaimed. "Oh God." Memories fell into place, old stuff he had talked about last night, thoughts of... And Spock looked rather undressed too. Oh God. "Was I very drunk last night?" McCoy asked nervously. "Yes," Spock answered. "And I talked about...Airan?" "Yes." "Damn." McCoy rubbed his face. "Did I try to do anything...indecent?" "Not yet," Spock said. "You were too drunk." "I'm so sorry, I didn't want to -" McCoy looked up, his mind suddenly clearing. "Wait a minute, Spock. I mean...I was really drunk, but you weren't, right? So what are you doing in my bed?" Spock lifted the bed cover. "I am waiting for you to return so that we can proceed to the indecent activities." McCoy's jaw dropped. At loss for words, he went to the bed and slipped under the blanket next to Spock. "I really don't know if this is a good idea, Spock," he said, belying his very words by having his eyes right on the Vulcan's lips. "We are both without private obligations, doctor," Spock said. "There will be no repercussions for us tomorrow, only the two of us to decide possible outcomes of this experiment." A stronger man would've still said no, but McCoy felt rather weak in the face of this temptation. "Right. It's only our business." He lifted his eyes to meet Spock's. "Did I kiss you?" "You did not initiate a kiss," Spock said. "Good. Didn't want to forget such an important thing." "But I kissed you," Spock added. "Oh." "It is a memory easily reactivated," the Vulcan said and pulled McCoy into a tight embrace to kiss him very thoroughly, before moving on to other activities. --- The End