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In the fourth year of the USS Enterprise's five year mission, shore leave and Christmas coincided. The Enterprise arrived at Earth's spacedock on December 20th and was scheduled to leave on the 31st. Many of the human crew members went home to their families for the holidays, including Dr. McCoy and most of the bridge crew.
Captain Kirk and his First Officer (slash bondmate) Mr. Spock were going to Iowa, where Jim had bought a small cottage where he could go if he ever wanted to spend time in his hometown (he wasn't going to stay at his family home, for obvious reasons.)
They had been at the cottage for three days when Jim awoke one morning to an empty bed. Jim shivered as he pushed the covers down the bed. It had turned off cold over night, so no doubt spock was bundled in at least five layers of clothing while trying to figure out the old fashioned thermostat. Jim smiled to himself at the thought as he pulled on a sweater and a pair of thick denim jeans.
Jim had warned Spock about the cold weather weeks before, but Spock had said that he would be able to handle it. He knew how much Jim wanted to spend the holidays on Earth.
Jim had figured he'd find Spock messing with the thermostat in the hallway or perhaps making tea in the kitchen or bundled up on the couch. So he was naturally surprised when he found the Vulcan standing in front of the large picture window in the living room, a steaming mug in his hands.
Jim didn't make his presence known at first, choosing instead to watch his bondmate watch out the window with a look that could only be described as awe. Jim's smile grew as he realized that Spock was staring at the snow that was falling from the clouds that hung in the sky, slowly collecting in drifts across the plains that surrounded their small house.
Jim knew that Spock had never seen snow before. Growing up on a desert planet, any type of precipitation was rare but snow was pretty much inconceivable. He hadn't realized, though, that this shore leave would have been his first time seeing it.
He left his spot at the far side of the room and approached Spock, not fearing startling him because he knew that the Vulcan's superior hearing would pick up his foot steps. He wrapped his arms around Spock's slim waist and hooked his chin over his shoulder.
“What do you think?” He asked, tucking his nose into the curve where shoulder met neck. He felt Spock lean his head minutely against Jim's as he contemplated his answer.
“I find it...fascinating. My mother...” Spock paused, fighting down the swell of emotion that he felt whenever he talked about his mother. “She had always wanted to come to Earth during the winter months. She wanted me to see the snow. She had said that the snow was always beautiful where she grew up. I...I find her sentiments to be correct.”
“How come you never did? Come to Earth in the winter, I mean.”
Spock leaned back into Jim's embrace. Jim knew it was hard to talk about his mother sometimes, but it was healthy for him to do so occasionally. “My father does not favor cold weather, and he always found it illogical to subject one's self to uncomfortable climate.”
“Well, you don't like cold weather, either. But you're still here with me.”
“I find it easier to bear the cold when you are here to keep me warm, t'hy'la.”
Jim hid his grin in the swell of Spock's shoulder, watching the snow fall outside through his lashes.