Kirk's mind snapped into sharp focus as he slammed a fist down on the transporter console. The spores were gone, and he felt determined, but lonely. He knew it had been necessary. It was necessary. And he understood now why he hadn't been affected before. He was such a passionate person, and felt things very strongly. Seeing Spock, the man he held a secret love for, with that woman, looking so magnificent and so happy, had filled him with strong feelings of jealousy and frustration. Feelings powerful enough to counteract the spores. Emotion was the key. And on the bridge, his crew gone, he had given up, and tried NOT to feel, so when he was sprayed by the spores he was supremely susceptible.

Now, he needed Spock to beam up, to release him from the spores, and retrieve his drugged, mutinous crew. He called Spock and (shudder) Leila and asked the Vulcan to beam aboard the ship, crafting a half-ass excuse about equipment.

Kirk debated with himself about how to trigger an emotional reaction in Spock, and startled at the sneaky, warm blanket of an idea that was wrapping around his brain. A solution. He grinned at himself. The idea was insane, but it was sure to cause some sort of emotion, whether anger (most likely, thanks to HER) or passion (although Kirk tried to not get too excited about the possibility, however slight). Yes, this would work… most likely… hopefully… If it failed, he would probably have to resort to violence or taunting to create a strong emotion.

He set his shoulders in determination as Spock appeared on the transporter pad.

"Jim?" Spock looked confused as Kirk stared at him, momentarily transfixed. The man was even more adorable and gorgeous when he was happy, his face open and alive, his eyes bright. Nodding to himself, Kirk strode forward and placed both his hands on Spock's shoulders. His intense stare made Spock's cheeks blush a light green.

Before he had time to comment, however, Kirk's mouth had come crashing down on the shocked Vulcan's lips, kissing him passionately, hungrily. As a reflex, Spock wrapped his arms around Kirk's neck, while Kirk laced one arm around Spock's waist and placed the other on the small of his back. Spock returned the kiss maybe a little too eagerly, lips moving against his captain's, tongues tangled together.

Kirk felt Spock snap out of his spore-induced cheerfulness and delusion. He froze, hands intertwined in Kirk's hair, lips a fraction of an inch apart. "I… captain…" he stammered, glancing nervously at the beautiful man in his arms, Kirk's chest rising and falling, pressing against him as he breathed heavily. "Captain, the spores are gone. If this was a charade for that purpose, I recommend that you… release me." Spock finished the sentence softly, his voice conveying his hope that Kirk would still be holding him.

Kirk groaned softly and nuzzled his face into the Vulcan's neck. "That kiss might have been for another purpose, Spock, but my feelings are no charade."

"But Spock" Kirk continued, looking down, refusing to meet Spock's eyes, "what about Leila? Do you… I mean…"

Spock cocked an eyebrow, making Kirk fall head over heels in love with him again, and said "Captain. Jim. Leila was a love of mine. A past love, when I would never have shown my feelings toward her. Those feelings had left me. I took her now because… the spores, because you were not there, not available. And she gave me the love I was longing from you, Jim."

Silence.

"God, I love you, Spock."

"And I, you… Jim."

Spock's smile was genuine, not the product of spores, but a true smile, and they had nothing else to say. There was silence, and the two stared into each other's eyes, occasionally pressing lips to lips, cheeks, necks, chests. Hands exploring the valleys and planes of the other's body, gripping hair, tongues trailing along skin. "…Spock…" "…James…" And another, passionate kiss, full of the same emotion now understood and accepted by both parties.

Spock unlaced one hand out of the mussed-up hair and pressed it against one of Kirk's hands. "Did you know," he whispered into Kirk's ear, feeling the hot breath on his neck and hearing his own breath quicken, "that this," and he rubbed his fingers against Kirk's palm, "is a Vulcan kiss?" Kirk moaned into Spock's shoulder, his other hand pressed against Spock's hip.

Kirk tried to speak through kisses, through mouths and tongues.

"Spock."

Lips.

"You know."

Neck.

"I want."

Cheek.

"To stay."

Ear.

"With you."

Collarbone.

"Like this forever."

Chest.

"But we have a ship to care for."

Lips again.

"And a crew to save."

Gasps for air.

"And god I don't want to."

Passionate kiss, tongues wrestling and massaging each other, hands roaming the other's body.

Spock sighed softly, and backed away, his eyes dazzling. "Jim. We really must go. You have an idea. I can see it in your eyes. Speak, Jim." And he straightened up, backing away, slightly. "Excuse me. I meant, of course, Captain." He said his voice teasing as he led Kirk down the hall, hands still linked. Kirk's voice echoed through the silent, empty corridors.

"Okay, so, I was thinking we should use a subsonic transmitter to broadcast…."