Hello all! In light of the holidays I decided to write a one shot for my Star Trek story. You don't have to read the main story to understand this but just so you know this takes place after the second movie before the five year mission. And Spock and my OC are not together, they are just weird friends that like each other but Georgie doesn't know it etc. And the setting is New Vulcan, a bunch of Starfleet scientists plus Spock helping rebuild but honestly you can make the setting be anywhere if you don't like New Vulcan.
It was like any other blistering hot dusty day on New Vulcan. The work was just as monotonous and the food just as prepackaged as any average day. Or at least that's how it was for the Vulcans. For the humans in the Terran compound the day hummed with a special excitement, for today was Christmas Eve. The compound's Anthropologist Georgiana was especially excited, her job did not involve an excessive amount of busy work which had allowed her to help make decorations for their small piece of Terra. For the past month she had been clipping snow flakes and stringing garland, all while reading some text or writing a paper. And now she could fully enjoy her hard work. It wasn't by any means like Christmas on Earth, but it had brought the spirit of it to the first New Vulcan Christmas.
Georgie was idly hanging decorations around the common room when Spock came in. He had been very much against 'defacing' Starfleet property when she had first brought the idea to him, but had eventually come around when he saw how vehemently everyone wanted decorations and a tree. He had told Georgie in a moment of confidence that he had always avoided celebrating Christmas for the years he had been with Starfleet. He had explained it with some logic, Vulcan ideologies excuse, but Georgie secretly thought he was afraid of adopting too many human traits. And Christmas was a big one.
"You know that it will never snow on this planet, correct?" He asked looking at the paper snowflakes in her hand.
"Yes I know that, but it snows on Earth and we are trying to remember a Terran white Christmas." She explained patiently. She had answered millions of these questions from the Vulcans she came in contact with. She couldn't tell if they were honestly confused or just being smart asses. She really suspected the later though. She was about to hop up onto the latter to hang the strand when Spock stopped her. They silently switched places. Her on the floor and him on the latter.
"You know that if you wanted to decorate you could've just asked. Instead of pretending to come down here to point out flaws and ask questions." Georgie said sarcastically.
"You have fallen off far too many platforms, latters, and hover cars for me to allow you onto another one." Spock said evenly. She knew he was right. The gravity on New Vulcan was a lot heavier then she was used to and she had taken to falling and tripping for the past few months on Vulcan.
"Well if I can't put up those decorations you're going to have to do it the right way. Which means listening to me!" Georgie said sharply up the latter.
"I listen to you when I know my own experience does not exceed yours." He said in his logical Vulcan way. He extended a hand for her to hand him one of the tacks.
"Well I happen to be an expert in Christmas." Georgie pointed out. At least compared to him she was. He just replied with the flick of his eyebrows. "You're coming to the party tonight right?" She asked after a few moments of silence.
"Yes." He said as he climbed down from the ladder, the snowflake garland tacked safely in place.
"Good, I'll see you then." Georgie said grabbing a box of ornaments for the tree.
"Oh come on Spock, it harmless! All in the spirit of the holidays!" Georgie's friend Josh protested while disentangling himself from a female colleague. The evening party had been going pretty well, the food was decently festive considering they had made it almost entirely out prepackaged products. They had done the holiday thing of reminiscing and singing songs and watching movies. Georgie wasn't exactly sure when most of the Vulcan scientists had left, but she was sure it was sometime after the alcohol had been brought out. Or perhaps it was when Leo had started comparing Vulcans to elves. Alcohol never did wonders to Georgie's mind, but she couldn't very well pass up eggnog on Christmas Eve.
"The rules on displays of affection between Starfleet officers still stand, even in light of your holiday." Spock replied unrelentingly. Poor Josh couldn't catch a break, he and Spock weren't exactly the best of friends and Spock never missed the opportunity to quote Starfleet's rule book.
"It's a Terran tradition to kiss under the mistletoe. You can't tell me that I shouldn't practice tradition!" Josh exclaimed drunkenly. Just as Spock never failed to quote rules Josh never failed to break them. Georgie believed they did it purely to annoy each other.
"Any 'tradition' in violation of Starfleet regulations will not be practiced. Now if you will see yourself out of the room." Spock instructed. All but pushing him out of the room.
Before they could reach the door though Josh bent over Georgie who was sitting in her chair and leaned in to kiss her. Georgie in her inebriated state froze. Spock however did not freeze and grabbed Josh by the back of his shirt and pulled him roughly away right as he was about to kiss her. He was all but dragged out of the room by Spock. Spocks back was rigid and jaw clenched tightly. Astonished Georgie looks at Candace, Josh's previous mistletoe buddy. For a few seconds they were just silent, taking in the bizarre exchange. And then they burst out into raucous laughter.
Later that evening Georgie was walking back to her quarters when she ran into Spock again. Their quarters were right next to each other so it wasn't abnormal to see him at the end of the day.
"Ensign." Spock said stopping her as she got her key card out. It always threw her for a loop when he called her that, she considered them friends but she didn't think he'd ever called her by her first name. "Are you...harmed from the encounter earlier this evening?" Spock asked almost awkwardly. Georgie was taken aback by the question. It wasn't that abnormal for him to ask her if she was okay, but that was usually after she had fallen off of something or like when she burned herself once cooking something. Josh hadn't even touched her so it was her emotional well being he was asking after. Which was weird.
"Oh no, I'm fine. You can't mix alcohol and mistletoe without expecting something like that to happen." She explained quickly. Spock's eyebrows came together at that.
"I do not understand Terran traditions at times." Spock admitted. Georgie shrugged.
"I don't get them either sometimes." She swayed slightly as she looked up at him. She felt herself lean a little too far over (damn eggnog) but before she could fall Spock grasped her upper arm and pulled her back up to him. For moment they stood like that, he was warmer than humans, all Vulcans had a higher temperature she knew that, but it never seemed so relevant until now. His hand on her arm, she hadn't felt this close to someone since she'd left Terra to come to New Vulcan. Before it could go any further though she took a step back and ended the moment.
"Thanks." She murmured as she turned to her door.
"Of course." He replied doing the same.
She could've sworn she heard dissapointment in his voice.
The next morning was slightly deflated for everyone. After waking up to a hangover and not be surrounded by family people were in a sour mood. Some of her colleagues shed silent tears when they opened cards from their children back on Terra. Even Georgie was sad after she logged off her video chat with her family, it was a strange feeling to see them all together but not be there with them.
She had to admit her family did a pretty awesome job with what they sent her. It was all of her favorite stuff that couldn't be bought on Vulcan. Chocolate and sodas and her favorite soap, stuff like that, and her Starfleet sweatshirt that in gigantic letters said 'only a few get the blue'. It was a gift her mother had given her when she graduated from the science program. When she donned it over her uniform she noticed immediately that it smelled like home.
Before leaving her room she opened a drawer in her desk and grabbed a little wrapped package. This was going to be awkward. She went next door and knocked loudly on the door. When Spock opened it he looked ever so slightly surprised. Of course that emotion was wiped away a second later.
"Ensign is there something you require?" He asked looking her up and down to see if she was injured.
"Yes. This is for you." She said handing him the box. "Merry Christmas." He took the box in surprise.
"Ensign..you are not required to give me anything." He said looking an edge uncertain.
"I know but I had to give you this." She explained. "Open it you'll see."
As he unwrapped it he did it almost awkwardly, it was obvious he'd never received a wrapped gift before. When he pulled out the gift she could tell he didn't know how it was significant. It was a small flat reddish purple stone hung on a leather cord.
"It was recovered from the rubble of Vulcan. The earth scientists were comparing it to stones here and I asked for it when they were done with it." She paused and looked at him. He was rolling the stone around in his palm. "Do you like it?" She finally asked. He nodded.
"I will carry this with me." He stated standing up straight and placing his hands behind his back. "I believe tradition dictates that I return the favor." He said in his normal stiff way.
"Oh no. You don't-" Georgie began slightly horrified about the idea of Spock giving her gift. He was so logical she was afraid of what he would think up.
"I am returning the favor. Follow me." He said leading her into his room. "Wait here." he said once they were in the living room. His room was like twice as gigantic, a perk of being a commander was that you got a living room and kitchen instead of a studio dorm room sized apartment. She watched him disappear into a bedroom and unabashedly looked about the room. It was void of any decoration, which was expected. His kitchen was spotless and his bookcase was organized. The only 'cluttered' spot was his desk which held a few books and computer monitor. She heard Spock return to the room, so she swiveled her body to face him.
"I must admit it is not much, but you gave me a piece of my planet so here is a piece of yours." He said handing her small potted plant. It was a pot so small that it fit into the palm of her hands and the plant was a spotted leafy fern. "This varietal is specific to San Fransisco, I took the clippings with me before we left for New Vulcan."
Oh god what if she killed it?
"Thank you. This means a lot. It's nice to see something green after so much red dust." She said turning the pot around in her hands. She looked up at Spock and she saw a tenderness that she didn't think Vulcans could posses. Embarrassed she looked away, she was positive she was blushing profusely.
"Thanks are illogical." Spock stated. Georgie looked up and grinned at him. She could practically predict what he would say in any situation.
"Merry Christmas Commander." Georgie said half laughing. He flicked an eyebrow at her before replying.
"Merriment is not an emotion I'm capable of, but I will return the same sentiment to you since you are capable of such emotion; Merry Christmas Ensign." Spock professed awkwardly.
Really cheesy I know! Let me know what y'all think! I'm contemplating doing an installment for every holiday! If you want to check out my main story it's called Lost in Time and Translation.