Jingle Bells came on the radio while I was reading Star Trek fanfiction, and this is what my brain came up with. Please don't take this seriously. Also, I think I may have problems. Merry Christmas!
Disclaimer: I don't own Star Trek or Jingle Bells (which is where the title comes from).
Spock heard about the captain's behavior before he saw him, since their shifts were running on separate schedules for the next three weeks. He doubted he would see Jim until they met for chess that night, which Jim insisted on calling a date despite Spock's reminders that they had done it before entering in a relationship.
Admittedly, the crewmembers' remarks made him curious.
While cruising through a completely uninhabited region of space, Spock overheard Sulu telling Chekov about the captain's clothing. "He's got this horrible red-and-green Christmas sweater and a funky hat," Sulu said, drawing the shape of the hat with his hands in the air above his own head. "He's been wearing it ever since he got off shift. And he has these jingle-bell bracelets on both hands—I guess it's supposed to look like something an elf would wear."
"He told me yesterday that it would be nice if more people decorated for the holiday. When I stopped by his room to finalize my transporter report, he had some decorations up," Chekov responded, still fiddling with the coordinates in an attempt to make their destination even more precise. "He said he wants to be festive."
That statement made Spock pause. A week previous, the captain was just shy of inebriation after a particularly hostile conversation with Admiral Komack, and in the midst of his rant about the bureaucracy he brought up his grievances with Christmas.
"Christmas used to be me, Sam, and Frank," he'd said, clutching the half-empty glass in front of him. "Then it was just me and Frank after Sam ran away, so yeah, I'm not a huge fan of Christmas. Bones has been trying to sway me for four years, since we started at the Academy, so I'm warming up to it a little. It's been okay for the past few years, I guess."
Spock had thought that meant the captain did not hold the holiday in much regard, therefore precluding the 'festive' behavior Sulu and Chekov described. Apparently, Terran holidays were more complicated than that. Ignoring the inherent illogicality in celebrating a holiday that originated in celebration of a religion that was no longer followed, it was irrational of the captain to embrace the holiday with his behavior if he did not truly enjoy it due to previous experience.
Then again, Jim was notorious for his irrationality at times. Evidently this was merely another instance of that behavior.
After shift, Spock returned to his quarters to drop off his PADD before going to Jim's room. He entered once Jim called for him to come in, and despite the decorations strewn about the cabin, Spock's attention immediately went to the captain's attire.
"Hey, Spock! Shift wasn't too boring, I hope, but…wait, are you all right?" A look of concern crossed Jim's face, but Spock was too distracted to see it.
Jim was dressed exactly as Sulu had described, and despite the vagueness of the word Spock had to agree that the sweater was most definitely horrible. But the bells Jim wore were the worst part—he had twin bracelets of bell-studded strings adorning each wrist, along with bells tied to some of the belt loops on his jeans. Every time he moved, they emitted a light sound that Spock would under any other circumstances find pleasing to hear.
However, they were the same bells used in the koon-ut-kal-if-fee, and even though Spock had not yet undergone his first Pon Farr, the sound produced the response that was programmed into every Vulcan male of breeding age. It didn't help that he found Jim desirable even without the bells.
Spock tensed, going rigidly still in the way he hadn't since the first few months of the mission, trying desperately to regain control as his body strained to move forward, to leap on top of Jim and—
He cut off that line of thought sharply, breathing becoming shallow. Despite the fact that they had been romantically involved for the past three months, two weeks, and six days, they were still in what Jim called the 'awkward stage.' They'd kissed a total of seven times, including twice in sickbay after near-death experiences and once planetside among a culture that demanded couples to show affection, but Jim had made no further advances.
Given Jim's past behavior, Spock concluded that it meant Jim simply did not want their relationship to include a physical component, and had reluctantly began to accept that fact. He tried to remember that, telling himself that Jim would not appreciate it if Spock tackled him to the bed, and he should therefore not do it.
A strange combination of a growl and a whine rumbled through his chest as he took a step back. He would not be able to control his actions if he were to remain in the captain's presence any longer, so he had to leave for Jim's sake.
"What's wrong? Shit, Spock, you look really sick," Jim said, stepping forward with another delicate jingling noise from the bells at his waist.
"Where did you find those bells?" Spock said tersely, backing away again.
"They were a present, but I'll take them off if they're annoying. I mean, I only meant to make people happy for Christmas, not give you a headache or whatever it is." Jim reached out and brushed his fingers along Spock's arm apologetically. "Why?"
The touch was too much, and with another growl-whine Spock trapped Jim against the wall and began nipping possessive marks onto his neck. Jim gulped and tilted his head back to allow Spock more access, fingers sliding through Spock's hair to clutch desperately at the back of his head. The bells jingled again, sending a brief shudder through Spock.
He paused for a minute to look at Jim, who squirmed slightly under the blown-black gaze. "Those are traditional Vulcan mating bells," Spock answered, voice rapidly approaching ragged. "I believe they are producing their intended effect in this instance."
Jim grinned, and it only shook a little. "Hey, I'm all for tradition."
Jim discarded the bells about an hour afterwards, and their effect wore off of Spock about an hour after that. "I am sorry," Spock said, the words muffled against the skin of Jim's back.
"What for?" Jim asked drowsily.
"I knew you did not wish for this, but I allowed myself to be distracted. I apologize."
"Seriously?" Jim sounded more awake now, and twisted around so he was looking straight at Spock. "I've been waiting for a go-ahead signal for a while now. I figured all those 'Vulcans do not enter into casual relationships' talks meant that we had to be engaged or something before we had sex."
Spock stared for a minute. "I believe," he said slowly, "we have both been mistaken."
"And I think we also got played," Jim remarked thoughtfully. "You know who sent me those bells so I could be festive today?"
"I do not."
"The other you. He said the other me liked Christmas and he thought I might, too, so he sent along those decorations. I figured I'd wear the bells instead of putting them up. Sneaky bastard."
…Spock decided to purchase a large box of his favorite Vulcan tea for the ambassador the next time he saw him.