Title:  Marked Men

Author:  Ster Julie

Codes:  S/Mc; written for Spiced Peaches XX

Rating:  PG

Summary:  The boys wanted to do something special for each other.

A/N:  This is not to be confused with my "McCoy with a hickey" story "A Marked Man."  Not even a sequel, nope, nope, nope.

--ooOoo--

Spock touched his side furtively.  The sensation was starting to fade, the slight pain, the burning, tingling feeling.  Spock was warned that the area would be sensitive for a few days, but in a strange way he liked the way the constant physical sensation reminded him of their inward reality.  He realized with surprise that he would miss that tenderness.

Would his Leonard appreciate his gesture?

-

McCoy rubbed his chest.  The area still stung like a sumabitch.  What was he thinking?  Spock wouldn't appreciate such a blatant gesture.  Spock'd probably make him reverse the procedure and all the itching and burning would be for nothing.  In fact, the reversal procedure would hurt even worse.  The doctor shook his head with disgust at himself.  "A little suffering is good for the soul," his Grandpappy McCoy taught him, but this?  This was a rash, fool thing to do. 

Spock would never appreciate this kind of gesture!

-

Spock noticed more overt expressions of affection in the mess hall at breakfast that morning.  The reason escaped him.  Only seven weeks prior, hanging springs of mistletoe caused such behavior, but there were no such branches of the parasitic plant in evidence.  Then, when a red paper heart appeared on his meal tray, Spock remembered the reason.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Darling,'" McCoy whispered behind him.  Spock turned around, paper heart still in hand.  "Is that for me, Sugar?" the doctor asked, sotto voce.  "You don't really want to out us to the whole crew, do ya?"  McCoy looked around nervously.  "Here?"

Spock slipped back into his I-am-not-supposed-to-like-you role.  "What is the meaning of this, doctor?" he barked.

"Now, Spock," he said in his best Why-do-I-have-to-tolerate-this-hobgoblin gruff manner, "it's just a tray favor.  The rest of the crew is celebrating Valentine's Day, not that you would have anything to do with something so emotional."  McCoy snatched the paper from the Vulcan's hand.  "Here, I'll take this.  At least I have a heart."

McCoy dared the slightest of wink at Spock to take the sting out of that last exchange.  As their fingers brushed, Spock sent, I have something for you.  McCoy replied through the link, So do I, he said.  I'll show you later, to which Spock answered, Until this evening.

McCoy put on his best scowl as he took the heart and left.  He made it al the way to the lift before his face broke out into a sloppy grin as he pressed the heart over his own.

-

Spock arrived at McCoy's quarters that evening as promised.  The doctor was disappointed to see that the Vulcan's hands were empty.

"I thought you said you had something for me," McCoy pouted.

"I do," Spock said simply.  "Would you like to see it now, or would you prefer to eat first?"

McCoy wondered if Spock realized how suggestive that sounded.

"I was told that it would be healed up by now…" Spock continued.

McCoy started at that.  "What do you do, Pierce your … pierce something?"

Spock looked up sharply at that.  Modern Vulcans wouldn't dream of mutilating their bodies in such a fashion.  Well, except for women's earlobes.  His mother once said that pierced earrings seemed to be a universal trait.

"Not exactly," Spock replied as he reached for the hem of his shirt.  He lifted it from his side to show a line of Vulcan script at the base of his ribcage.

McCoy looked at it with fascination.  "What does it say?" he breathed.

"Len-kam," Spock replied.

McCoy looked up with dewy eyes.  "You tattooed my name over your heart?" he asked incredulously.

Spock merely nodded, concerned that his Leonard was near tears.

"Damn fool Vulcan," McCoy groused gently as he picked up his own shirt to show Spock his own half-healed tattoo.  There, nestled in his Leonard's chest hair, as if protecting it, was Spock's name in a very stylized script. 

Each man had tattooed his beloved's name close to his own heart.  It was a markedly special Valentine's celebration for them both.

END