There's nothing logical about the act of playing with your food. Yet, Jim manages to make Spock somewhat curious about the act.
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The ways to eat grapes
Jim and Spock were playing chess in the captain's room, something they did quite often. Sometimes McCoy joined them too, like tonight. He'd brought some brandy and light reading with him that he and Jim were sipping as Spock and Jim played, with McCoy making the occasional comment. This time, however, there was something more than just alcohol on the table. The captain had managed to get his hands on some grapes.
"Come on, Spock, try it!" Jim was trying to get Spock to eat some grapes. He himself was playing with them, tossing them up in the air and catching them with his mouth. Or trying to. There were several on the floor from when he had missed, and they had plopped down on his nose, or cheek, or forehead. Or missed his face completely. Spock did not seem very impressed.
"Grapes are meant to be consumed, Jim," Spock said plainly. "They are not meant to be tossed around and played with."
"Awww… come on!" Jim tried to encourage him to try it just once.
"Give it up, Jim," McCoy chimed in. "The hobgoblin won't see things your way. Just play your chess and eat your grapes. And share some with me," he grabbed a handful of grapes before going back to his chair.
"Indeed," Spock agreed, moving his knight. "Check."
"Don't think I'm gonna fall for that, Spock," Jim was immediately completely focused on the game again. For a few minutes, at least. Soon he was back to his grapes, as Spock was left to think what he could do to counter the captain's completely illogical move.
"Don't hog those things, Jim!" McCoy grabbed the bowl with the grapes. "You've almost eaten all of them already!" There were, indeed, only a few left at the bottom.
"You're the one who's a slow eater!" Jim defended himself, or tried to, since McCoy's glare was rather convincing.
"Go get some more," McCoy thrust the bowl at him, and pointed toward the mess hall.
"Yes, sir," Jim replied sarcastically, saluting at McCoy. "Don't cheat," he reminded Spock, before marching down the hall, leaving behind the seven grapes from the bowl.
"Vulcans do not cheat," Spock replied, even though Jim could no longer hear him.
"Whatever," McCoy mumbled. "I'll go remind our idiot Captain to get those grapes here so doesn't eat them on the way or something. Don't do anything stupid." He was out before Spock had a chance to reply.
A few moments after McCoy exited the room, Spock looked around, first to the door to the room, and then to the grapes on the table. He picked up one of them, and flicked it up in the air. He missed completely, and it landed on his forehead. He picked up another one, did some quick calculations before flicking it into the air and catching it with his mouth. He felt an illogical feeling of satisfaction as he chewed it. Fascinating.
When he looked around again, he saw McCoy standing at the door to the room, grinning from ear to ear. Apparently, he hadn't been alone in the room as he had thought.
"I thought it was 'illogical' to play with grapes?" McCoy grinned at him.
"I was merely attempting to find out what the Captain finds so amusing about it," Spock answered, trying, and hopefully succeeding to hide his embarrassment at getting caught doing something so illogical.
"Whatever you say," McCoy didn't believe a word he said. "Vulcans don't lie, my ass," he muttered, making himself comfortable on the couch with his reading.
Soon, a comfortable silence fell between them, as McCoy was reading, while Spock was contemplating the chess game, what the Captain's next move would be most likely, and how he would be able to counter it. Jim returned just a few minutes later, with some more grapes.
"So, what did I miss?" he asked, already munching on the newly-brought grapes. He immediately noticed something had happened while he had been gone.
McCoy looked over at Spock, back to Jim and grinned. "Congratulations, Jim. You've managed to get the hobgoblin to play with his food." With that he turned back to his reading, leaving Jim staring at him, before turning to Spock.
"What?" he asked the Vulcan.
"I was attempting to find out why you eat the grapes in such a peculiar way, and Doctor McCoy seemed to find it entertaining," Spock answered calmly, still not quite looking at Jim, who was now also grinning, like McCoy.
"And did you come to a conclusion?" he asked Spock, trying to keep himself calm, and not burst out laughing at the look on the Vulcan's face.
"Not quite, it is rather illogical" Spock answered, finally looking up at Jim with a hint of a smile in his eyes. "But I have learned humans tend to find strange pleasure in even the most illogical things and actions."