Do not mistake temptation for opportunity.
Courtesy of bookdragon01

"Why are you being such a hard ass?" Jim asked, his blue eyes bright in anger. His hands were clinched in hard fists where they rested on his hips. Spock knew that given enough provocation, those same fists could soon be used to hit him.

"I fail to see how my actions qualify as 'hard ass,'" Spock responded. He remained intentionally calm and unruffled by Jim's anger which he knew only increased Jim's agitation. He should not be taunting him in this manner but he seemed incapable of engaging in a more logical form of communication. Was it because he secretly enjoyed watching Jim become angry? Was the temptation too great to ignore? He did not enjoy the fighting in which they rarely engaged. But the making up was more than worth the aggravation that was welling up, unbidden, inside him.

"What the hell, Spock? I can't be kept a prisoner on my own ship. The planet is perfectly safe. You said so yourself. 'No native inhabitants. No poisonous animal life. No potentially harmful plants.'"

"In the past four instances during which you were a member of the away team, you were shot with a rifle and nearly died, bitten by a snake and nearly died, had a severe allergic reaction which sent you into anaphylactic shock, failed to heed the doctor's warnings and nearly died of sunstroke, and despite my cautions to the contrary, you decided that the z'nolt so closelyresembled a common housecat 'there can't be any harm in just petting it.'"

"Okay," Jim had to conceded when faced with nearly insurmountable evidence of the bad luck he inevitably encountered on an away team. "Okay. I admit some of my choices weren't the best. But there was usually a pretty good reason for my actions."

"Despite being advised, repeatedly, not to engage in them?" Spock asked, one accusatory eyebrow raised. He was starting to sense a victory and he was not going to let Jim convince him otherwise.

Jim sighed at those words and turned his body so he was no longer looking directly at Spock. Spock recognized that as a tactical retreat on Jim's part and braced himself for further arguments. The retreat would be used only to gather more verbal ammunition. "You have to understand why I can't stay on board all the time," Jim said, his tone firm and familiar to Spock.

"I do understand," Spock said, taking one step closer. He was fully aware that the physical closeness would make it harder for Jim to think clearly enough to articulate any further reasons that he should be part of the away team. It was cheating, sure. But they both won so he had no guilt over his actions. "You must understand how difficult it is for me to know that each time you beam down could be your last. What would I do without my t'hy'la?"

"That's cheating," Jim protested softly, leaning toward Spock as was his natural inclination.

"Yes," Spock admitted, wrapping warm arms around his Human. "Please remain on board so that I do not have to engage in the most human of emotions and worry about you."

"Worry isn't the most human," Jim said with a smile. "Love is."

"If I did not love you, I would not worry," Spock pointed out, knowing that was game, set, and match.

"You are such a cheater," Jim said.

"You are far too precious to me to risk losing you," Spock responded, kissing his lips so that Jim was incapable of responding.

"Prove it," Jim said in invitation. He backed up with Spock following closely until he collided with their bed. "Prove how precious I am."

"Will you remain on board if I comply?" Spock asked. It was a rhetorical question in that he had every intention of giving Jim exactly what he wanted – what they both wanted.

"Maybe. Depends on the level of skill in persuasion you demonstrate," Jim said. Spock knew he was being teased and did not mind one bit.

"I see, Captain," Spock said, divesting Jim of both his shirts at once. This gave him full access to Jim's hard chest, access he used to his advantage. Warm fingers splayed across the cooler skin as Spock kissed Jim, seeking entry and finding welcome. It didn't take long for them to both be rid of their clothes, tumbling with abandon onto their bed. Jim was beneath Spock, trying to increase the amount of contact between them, his hips lifting to seek out Spock.

"Please," Jim whispered into Spock's mouth, not sure himself what he was asking for. But he was certain that Spock would provide it to him.

And provide he did. When they were sated and breathless, Jim raised up on one elbow, using his other hand to trace Spock's eyebrows that remained slightly furrowed. "Are you still mad?"

"I am not," Spock said, his sparkling eyes providing proof of his words. "I am considering how fortunate I am."

"Mmm…." Jim sighed, kissing Spock's welcoming mouth. "We both are. Except when it comes to away missions."

"Indeed," Spock said. "Perhaps I am being overly protective. You cannot be expected to remain on board indefinitely. If you will promise to be careful, I will accompany you to the planet."

Jim laughed at that, shaking his head. "You make it sound like I go looking for trouble."

"I did not intend it to sound that way," Spock said. "However, trouble seems to inevitably find you."

"Yeah," Jim had to agree, laying tight against Spock. "I won't go. Better I stay here. Then you won't worry while you're on the planet. Just because I want to go doesn't mean I should go."

"There is a Vulcan expression which states 'do not mistake temptation for opportunity.'"

"Yeah," Jim repeated. "I'll try to remember that. Except when it comes to you."

"That will be acceptable," Spock responded before Jim silenced him with a kiss.