#even Spock's spots and reactions are based off one of her headcanons

[dreamthinkimagine]

A Ticklish What?

For @the-spooky-lee - I saw her headcanons and had to do something!

https://the-spooky-lee.tumblr.com/post/185361979927/spock-calmly-bursting-into-kirks-room#notes https://the-spooky-lee.tumblr.com/post/185374062442/sulu-and-chekov-are-talking-sulu-anyway

Spock’s footsteps could be heard through the corridors, with two more pairs of feet gaining up. As he ran, his breathing rate increased and sweat covered his face. The feeling of his green blood pumping through his veins got faster and  and his stomach was in knots. He figured he could outrun them, or just plain escape somehow.

Through these thoughts, which he would be - ashamed? - to say that they were illogical, he noticed the corridor was silent - they’d stopped running. He skidded to a stop and waited - not giving away a single sound as time slowly ticked away.

That’s when he felt it. A tingling in his nose growing stronger and stronger until...

“Achoo!” The footsteps started again faster than before. Spock dashed through the halls, swiftly avoiding any crewmen in his way. He had to hide, those crewmen would certainly tell his chasers which way he’d gone. He’d been running so long and so hard that it was becoming more difficult to breathe. Considering his strength, that was saying something

He ran down a few more halls when he caught sight of Chekov and Sulu having a conversation. He saw the Helmsman smirk and whisper something to Chekov, but even with his superior hearing, he couldn’t make out what he said for the life of him.

Chekov though? Chekov he could make out.

“Nyet! But I’d like to,” the Ensign practically exclaimed. Suddenly, poor Spock was on the floor and the sound of running feet got louder and louder.

He knew he shouldn’t have listened to Kirk’s illogic - something in that Vulcan mind told him it would be a bad idea. Now here he was, on the floor, about to face the consequences for his mistake. He knew it wasn’t going to end well the moment he stepped on the Bridge and Kirk pulled him over.

“Mr. Spock.” He said, gesturing to his chair. As soon as the First Officer arrived, Kirk continued. “Dr. McCoy is telling me that you have not been to his office once for a physical.”

“Quite correct, Captain.”

“Why?”

“It is illogical. I am part Vulcanian; Dr. McCoy is a human doctor. He knows very little of how to treat or examine a Vulcan.”

“But the doctors on Vulcan know much about humans?”

“More than he about my people. We function on logic alone. Vulcan doctors successfully make connections between both parts of me and are able to do so quite efficiently; whereas Dr. McCoy’s logic is not as strong and is clouded with emotion. It is only logical to contact Vulcan if I were to have a medical emergency.”

“We can’t always do that. I want you to report to Dr. McCoy now for a physical.”

“Captain-”

“That’s an order, Mr. Spock.”

***

“Well, Spock, I’ve finally got you in here,” Bones smirked. “Let’s get this over with, shall we,” he said and patted the examination bed. Spock followed the doctor’s orders, but only because his orders from Kirk were to listen to the illogical physician. “Now this won’t hurt a bit, Spock.”

“There is no reason for reassurance, Doctor. Especially when it is untrue.” McCoy sighed and got to work checking everything. His throat, heart, reflexes, everything. Then he asked Spock to lay down so he could examine his stomach. As soon as McCoy pushed down, Spock felt a strange feeling. A sensation he’d never felt before and he didn’t know why, but against his own will, his body jerked away.

“Are you alright, Spock?”

“I believe so, Doctor,” he said hoping that he hadn’t smiled. He had felt the sudden urge to laugh at the sensation and that was something the doctor did not need to know. McCoy went back to work, but the same thing happened again. And then a third time.

McCoy started to grin. “Spock,” he asked chuckling. “Ahahare you ticklish?” Before Spock could even answer, Bones went for his stomach again. “I’m sorry, Spock, but I really do have to check your stomach.” But the last time Spock was this close to laughing. So, instead of staying there, Spock jumped up and ran through the door and down the hall.

Zooming past crew members, he tried to think. Where could he go? What would protect him?

“Oh no, you’re not getting away that easily,” a voice said. Spock turned his head and McCoy was running after him. The only logical thing to do at that moment was to increase speed. Jim, he thought. The Captain’s Quarters! I’ll be safe there!.

Dodging Sulu, Spock didn’t wait to run in to Kirk’s room as soon as the doors opened. As the doors closed, Spock straightened out his uniform and spoke.

“Captain, I require assistance.”

“With what, Mr. Spock?”

“Doctor McCoy is chasing after me, with the intent to test if I am ticklish.”

“Say no more. Get in the closet,” Spock ran in and eagerly pulled the door shut behind him, letting the uniform shirts drape over him. But that didn’t matter because he heard the door open. He couldn’t see who it was, but all logic pointed to McCoy as being the unwelcomed visitor. What he also couldn’t see was Kirk’s grin.

“Jim, have you seen Spock?” Kirk’s grin grew into a smile.

“Well, he’s definitely not in my closet,” he said louder than he would have if he was actually trying to protect his Vulcan friend. Spock raised an eyebrow.

“Well then,” McCoy started. “I guess you wouldn’t mind me looking in your closet,” he said with a wink. Behind the door, Spock’s face dropped, his jaw hanging slightly open. As soon as he heard the knob jiggle as McCoy grabbed it, he swung that door open with all the Vulcan strength he could muster and dashed for the door - almost slamming Bones into the wall.

“He’s really gonna get it now, Jim!”

Spock’s footsteps could be heard through the corridors, with two more pairs of feet gaining up. As he ran, his breathing rate increased and sweat covered his face. The feeling of his green blood pumping through his veins got faster and and his stomach was in knots. He figured he could outrun them, or just plain escape somehow.

Or so he thought until the sound stopped, so he stopped. Then he sneezed and was on his way again. He noticed that he had been running so long and so hard that it was getting more difficult to breathe. He dodged the people filling the corridors until he came across Chekov and Sulu - who stuck his leg out causing the half-Vulcan to come to an abrupt stop on the floor.

“This I’ve got to see. You ever heard of or see a ticklish Vulcan, Pavel?”

“Nyet! But I’d like to!” As Sulu grabbed his arms and held them up, Spock saw the shadows of Kirk and McCoy rounding the corner and gave up trying to fight. Nowhere to run and certainly nowhere to hide; it was illogical to struggle.

He laid there as his heart pounded against his side and tried as hard as he could to not show any emotion; but he couldn’t even lie to himself that he felt something. He took back control of his mind, his inner scientist took command - he no longer felt fear, but curiosity.

What exactly was this feeling? McCoy called it “ticklish,” but what did it mean? Why did he feel the need to laugh? To run? Especially since it was light touches? He was stronger than they were, so light sensations should not be overwhelming. There was nothing like this on his planet, so it must be a human thing. It certainly seemed to be when Chekov sat on his shins, looking him in the eyes as he practically bounced with excitement.

That prompted another question - why were humans so fond of the activity? Why did they want to take advantage of it? What made it entertaining for them?

McCoy and Kirk rounded the corner and slowed down at the sight, approaching their victim. Spock himself was almost glad that they were there - almost glad - now he could get some answers.

“How - “ Kirk started.

“I might have been passing by your Quaters and overheard everything.”

“I was going to ask how you two pinned him.”

“Sulu tripped him and grabbed his arms.”

“But he’s got three times human strength,” Bones said.

Spock paid no mind to their words as he laid on the ground, still thinking things over.

‘He was winded when we got him,” Sulu answered.”Must’ve been running for a while. I think he’s alright now.”

“I’ll be the judge of that,” Bones said and knelt down next to his side. He started feeling different parts of the half Vulcan’s body and, while Spock was sure he was actually checking - especially since he never did finish his physical - it was still ticklish.

He found himself twitching once McCoy began. The others were grinning, but Spock couldn’t focus on that. He had to analyze this thing - but it was much harder than he had thought it would be. It was difficult to focus when an inescapable physical sensation verberated against his skin - which he never knew was so delicate until now.

Despite all of this, he noticed his body making small twitching movements instead of pushing Sulu, Checkov, and McCoy off and running again. He could do it, he knew he could. He had three times the strength of humans, and McCoy wasn’t even pinning him. But that just raised a new question - why? Perhaps his body was in a defensive mode? That must be it, because no matter how hard he tried to do anything, he couldn’t - other than twitch of course.

Well, even if he could do something, he couldn’t now - as the doctor finished, Kirk had just leaned down at his other side. He did not have the strength of four humans. And the only way to prove or disprove his hypothesis, was to be free to move.

“If I am to study this phenomenon, it would be most beneficial if I were not held down.”

“What?”

“I have many questions concerning this anomaly. The most efficient way to study it is without restriction.”

“You’d just run,” McCoy said. “Now I just finished your physical. You’re fine, but I want in on this, so stop stalling.”

“I am not, stalling, Doctor; but it is my ability or inability to escape that I should study first as per this current situation.” He looked to Kirk, “Captain.” Kirk paused, and then let go; the others following their leader.

“What are your questions, Spock?”

“Whether I can control my body to escape or not, Captain. As well as what it is, why it does what it does, and why it is so captivating to humans.” There was a beat of silence.

“Only Spock,” McCoy sighed, rolling his eyes.

“As a scientist, Doctor, you should understand curiosity.”

“If he wants us to tickle ‘im, we’ll tickle ‘im,” Kirk said. “Even if it is for science. Besides, we could learn; we don’t have all the answers.”

“Such as?”

“Well, Spock, we don’t really know how it works. We don’t know what causes it. Why it’s fun. Everyone is different with tickling, so it’s kind of hard to answer.”

“So even if you do discover something, it will only most likely be for you specifically,” McCoy finished. Spock took a moment to think. When presented the opportunity to learn, and to not take it would be illogical. Even if it was just about himself, it was still learning. He had no other choice.

“You may commence.” Immediately Bones, Sulu, and Chekov squeezed, prodded, and poked everywhere they could reach. Kirk took a moment to look at Spock trying to keep laughter in by holding his breath as he squirmed with each new touch. Kirk smiled his little smirk, the one he showed at Spock whenever he thought he was funny.

Kirk thought the whole thing was really funny honestly. He laughed himself when Spock almost got up, but was stopped by Sulu digging into his stomach. Spock’s eyes closed even tighter and his legs came up to protect himself, so Sulu moved to his hips. All the while, Chekov kept up at his underarms. He kicked his feet, trying to ease the feeling.

Spock jumped and scrunched his shoulders up when McCoy scratched the backs of his ears. A sound definitely came out and it was at that moment that Kirk knew he couldn’t hold off any longer. He reached out and, ran his fingers up Spock’s ribs. He was not disappointed. He squealed.

Spock squealed.

Kirk kept at it, forcing laughter out of his half-Vulcan friend. They all paused for a moment, and listened to the sound. A sound that until a few minutes ago, they didn’t even know existed. Spock included. His laugh was nice, relaxing. It sounded human.

Spock was taking mental notes throughout though. He realized that sometimes he could control himself, and other times not. He noticed his laughter eventually had to come out, and when it did, it wouldn’t stop.

But soon they were all at it again and Spock laughed even harder. He noticed that this time he folded up into a ball to try to shield himself, but that that only left his right side vulnerable. That spot wasn’t too bad, not as bad as his ribs or stomach, but bad enough to make him straighten out. Spock sat up and tried to bolt, but Kirk just squeezed his ribs gently and Spock went down and landed on his stomach.

He tried to crawl away when they attacked again. The backs of his ribs and neck were attacked and had his squirming and ineffectively clawing at the metal floor. What really got him was when someone touched his shoulder blades. The screaming laughter’s sound waves bounced against their ears, but they kept it up for another minute as he lay there - completely not in control of his movements. Well, he definitely had one question answered. By the time they stopped, Spock was out of breath.

“Fascinating,” he, with as much air as he could, whispered to himself.

That night, after he was back at his quarters, he thought about what he had learned. He analyzed every single thing he’d discovered. Especially how to tickle.

He would have a lot of work to do tomorrow.