Wanna bet? 1/1
McCoy was sitting at his desk. His arms were folded across his chest and he had a frown between his eyes. Kirk was sitting on the other side of the desk. He was leaning back in his chair and did not take his eyes off of McCoy.
With a sigh Kirk leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees.
“What am I gonna do with you, Bones?” He rubbed one hand over his face and looked over at McCoy again.
McCoy glanced at Kirk and then quickly looked back at the wall again. His frown only became more prominent.
“Christ, you’re like a child, you know that?!” Kirk exploded. “Fuck it, I don’t know what to do anymore. You and Spock are always bitching and fighting with each other. It’s driving me crazy. Not to mention the rest of the crew.”
“I’m fine, Jim,” was the mumbled reply.
“Yeah, you may be fine. I’m not!!” Jim was really getting worked up. He did not particularly enjoy fighting with Bones but at times like these it was inevitable.
McCoy pressed two of his fingers against the bridge of his nose.
“Just… can’t you stay out of it, Jim?”
“I have been staying out of it. Since we started on this mission I’ve been staying out of it. I thought the two of you were grown up enough to sort your bullshit out. Apparently I was wrong.”
Jim got up from his chair and started pacing.
“Bones, you’re my best friend. But this is getting out of hand. As the Captain of this ship I have to tell you that this has got to stop. And I don’t want to have to choose between you and Spock.”
“Why? Because as the captain of this ship you’ll choose him?” McCoy was getting more that just a little bit pissed off as well.
“No, Bones!! Because the two of you are my friends. For fuck’s sake, man. I’m tired of always listening to the two of you bickering. It got old after the first month. No, scratch that, the first fucking week.”
Jim turned to look at McCoy and pointed his finger at him. “If you and Spock don’t stop this NOW I am going to lock the two of you up in a room. With no replicator so you can fucking eat each other.”
Jim fell back in his chair and squeezed his yes shut. He sighed again. “I bet the two of you won’t be able to get along for one month if your lives depended on it.”
“Pffft. Yes, we can.”
Jim had said that softly, not thinking anything about it.
He looked up at McCoy in surprise. “What?”
“You heard me.”
Jim narrowed his eyes at McCoy. “Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah. What are the stakes though?” McCoy asked seriously.
Jim snorted with laughter. “You’re serious? You’re willing to bet that you can get along with Spock for one month, no cussing at him, no fighting with him. God, you’re actually gonna have to be his friend. You’re willing to do that?”
“Jim, as you said just now, you are my best friend. And you are my Captain. I take that seriously. And if being friendly with Spock for one month is what it takes, then I’m willing to do that. Now, what are the stakes?”
Jim looked thoughtful for a moment with his two index fingers pressed against his lips.
“Okay. Here it is. If you can be friendly with Spock for one month, maybe even become his friend, then I will give up sex for a whole month.” McCoy snorted. “But, if you lose this bet, then I am firing both you and Spock. So help me God, because the two of you are my best officers. And then I will fucking have someone kill you, because it will be a bitch to find someone to replace the two of you. Deal?”
He held his hand out to Bones who looked at it with a raised eyebrow. McCoy took Jim’s hand in his and shook it firmly.
“Deal.”
--
It was poker night in the Captain’s quarters. They were still waiting for Spock and Uhura to arrive. Chekov and Sulu were on a team, Scotty and Jim were on a team and McCoy was hoping to be on a team with Chapel who he knew was a fine poker player.
When Spock and Uhura arrived, Uhura immediately made herself at home next to Chapel. McCoy frowned at her and glanced at Spock who was standing behind Jim’s chair. He looked a little lost - even for a Vulcan - so McCoy decided to make good on his bet. After all, it had to start at some point.
“I suppose you and I are on a team, Spock?” McCoy said while taking a sip from his drink. “You might as well sit next to me.”
Spock looked at McCoy with a raised eyebrow and moved around the round table to sit next to McCoy.
Jim glanced at Scotty and immediately looked away out of fear of bursting into uncontrolled laughter. It was going to be interesting night.
As it turned out, Spock wasn’t half bad at Poker. In fact, what really pissed McCoy off was that Spock was better than him. Now that really sucked.
McCoy was nursing a glass of bourbon.
“Doctor, do you think it is wise to drink so much? You are on the next alpha shift and will need to be wide awake for it,” Spock said while collecting his newly won chips.
McCoy slowly turned his head towards Spock and blinked slowly. He was slouching in his chair and looked decidedly drunk.
Jim held his breath while waiting for Bones’ answer.
“Why, yes, Spocky. I do think it is wise,” McCoy answered way to friendly. To the trained ear it would sound sarcastic.
Jim was trying his best to hide his grin behind a hand. He did not make any eye contact with Scotty.
Spock stopped what he was doing when McCoy had called him Spocky and was looking at the doctor with a raised eyebrow. His eyebrows really worked themselves out around the doctor.
McCoy pushed himself forward and threw an arm around Spock’s shoulders. With a breath laced with alcohol he spoke into Spock’s ear.
“Come on, Spocky. You don’t think it is wise? I bet you like me better when I’m drunk.” McCoy smile goofily. “I know I like you better when I’m drunk.”
Jim’s shoulders were shaking with silent laughter. Scotty was staring in a completely different direction than McCoy and Spock were sitting. Chekov and Sulu were looking at the two officers with wide eyes, expecting the worst and Uhura and Chapel were discussing their nails.
McCoy then patted Spock on the head and pushed his chair backwards.
“I’m off then, lads and lasses. It seems that Spock’s got everything under control.” McCoy blew a kiss at Spock and left the room.
Spock looked as confused as a Vulcan could and stared at the door through which McCoy had just disappeared.
“I’m not sure I understand what just happened,” he said to no one in particular.
Uhura rolled her eyes and sighed, “Sometimes you men can be so clueless. It is obvious that McCoy was coming on to you, Spock.”
“Coming on to me?”
“Yes, hitting on you. Flirting with you.”
When Spock still looked confused Scotty leaned forward and stage whispered, “I’m pretty damn sure that what the lass means is that the good ol’ doc wants to have sex with you.”
“The doctor wants to have sexual intercourse with me?” Both Spock’s eyebrows disappeared in his hair.
Scotty nodded. Spock looked thoughtful for a moment before he pushed his chair out in a similar fashion as McCoy had just done.
“I believe I am going to retire for the night. I wish you all a pleasurable evening.” And without a backwards glance Spock left the room as well.
--
Spock was standing in front of McCoy’s door. He had chimed, knocked and called out but received no response. He was contemplating whether or not he should use his code and override McCoy’s to gain access to the room.
He was just about to turn around and go to his quarters when the door opened and a still drunk McCoy stood there. He was half asleep and only had on a pair of red silky boxers. He blinked his eyes in the sharp light then turned around and walked back to his bedroom. Spock took that as an invitation and walked in after McCoy.
When Spock entered McCoy’s bedroom the doctor was laying on his stomach on the bed. The blankets only covered part of one of his legs and the pillows were strewn across the bed. Spock stood in the door. He wasn’t sure what to do.
McCoy lifted his head and squinted at Spock. Then he thumped his head back down in a pillow with a huff and patted the space next to him.
“Get ye’r ass ov’r h’re.”
Spock slowly walked over to the bed and lied down next to McCoy. He was lying stiffly on his back and stared at the ceiling. Before long a snore reached his ears. Spock turned on his side and looked at McCoy for a long time. Eventually he reached out and softly touched McCoy’s face. He slowly rubbed his fingers against McCoy’s cheek then his eyebrows and lastly his lips. When his fingers touched the doctor’s lips, McCoy pursed them and sleepily kissed Spock’s fingers.
Spock sucked in a breath and pulled his fingers away. McCoy was still asleep. Spock drew his hands in under his chin and continued to stare. After almost an hour he fell asleep like that.
--
It was a month to the day that Jim had made the bet with McCoy. A whole month in which McCoy had come to realise that Spock was nice. Really nice. So nice that he might even go so far as to say that he was ridiculously, illogically head over heals in love with the Vulcan. It did not make any sense at all.
The previous night Jim, McCoy, Spock and Scotty were having drinks in the Captain’s quarters. Scotty had done some more illegal tests down in engineering and came up with a damn good whiskey.
They were all being merry and happy. Even Spock was occasionally smiling, although not because of the alcohol. McCoy was sitting next to Spock with his head resting on the Vulcan’s shoulder. He was pleasantly buzzed.
Jim looked over at them and smiled, “To think, all it took for the two of you to realise you were in love was a stupid bet. Now I’m gonna have to go without sex for a whole month.”
Spock frowned but said nothing.
“I feel sorry for the cadet lasses. I heard whispers down in engineering that some of the girls were betting who could bed you the most,” Scotty said drunkenly.
“Yeah. I’ve noticed the traffic in my room’s been busy.” Jim sighed before gulping the rest of his drink down. “Oh well. All is well that ends well, right, Bones.” Jim slapped Bones’ leg which made him pull his head off of Spock’s shoulder with a start.
“What?”
Before Jim could answer him Spock stood up. He looked down at Bones and then at Jim and Scotty.
“I’m sorry. I just realised that I have reports to write. I’ll take my leave now. Good night.”
And then he left.
“What’s crawled up his arse?” Scotty asked.
Jim shrugged and filled his glass. “Maybe he feels just as bad as I do about me not having sex for a whole month?”
McCoy looked at Jim with wide eyes. “What did you just say, Jim?”
“Well, you know, the bet we made. You won. Now I’ve got to go celiba… Hey, where are you going?”
McCoy had jumped up before Jim could finish and ran out of the room.
He spotted Spock just as he rounded a corner and ran after him.
“Hey, Spock. Wait up!” Spock did not wait. In fact, he actually quickened his pace.
“Spock, goddamnit. Wait.”
Spock entered the turbo lift then and punched in the code to his quarter’s level. He watched as McCoy ran towards the lift, but the doors closed before McCoy could reach it.
“Fuck,” McCoy was breathing heavily. He was a bit more unfit than he liked.
--
It was impossible for McCoy to get Spock alone after that. He had tried everything.
He was becoming his moody, grouchy old self again and everyone knew to stay out of his way. Unless of course they were suicidal.
Apparently the Captain was suicidal.
“Bones, there has got to be something we can do about this.”
“Jim, please. I think you’ve done enough. Just let it go, okay?!”
A raging headache had started in McCoy’s head over an hour before and he was not in the mood for more of Jim’s schemes to get him and Spock together again. It was his own stupid fault for screwing things up. He should have told Spock about the bet sooner then maybe they could have talked about it and worked things out.
“But you’re in love with him, for god’s sake. Doesn’t that mean anything to you??!!”
“Of course it does!! Do you honestly think it doesn’t?!! This past month is probably the happiest I’ve ever been in my entire life!! And now he doesn’t want to talk to me!! Fucking hell, he doesn’t even want to look at me.”
Through it all tears started running down McCoy’s cheeks and he tried desperately to wipe it away. Jim walked around the desk and put his arms around McCoy’s shoulders. He gave McCoy a kiss on his forehead before whispering, “I’m gonna sort this out, Bones. My god, if it is the last thing I do, I’m gonna make this right.”
And then he left.
--
“Spock, a word please?” Jim was standing behind Spock who was sitting at his station in the bridge.
“Captain,” Spock got up and walked behind Jim into his ready room. It was times like these that Jim was glad he was Spock’s superior officer.
When they were both seated Jim looked Spock in the eyes.
“I know you are angry at Bones for keeping secrets from you but…” Spock got up and turned to leave.
“I do not believe it is any of your business, Captain. Please excuse me.”
“No, you are not excused, Spock. Sit down.”
Spock stood still in front of the door and then slowly turned around to look at Jim. He was looking really angry.
“Spock, please. Let’s talk about this. I’ve got things to say.”
Spock inclined his head.
Jim sighed.
“Little over a month ago I made a bet with Bones. I told him that if he could be friendly with you for a month then I would stop having sex for a whole month. I don’t know everything that happened between you and him, but I know that it was real. Bones is in love with you and you are killing him by avoiding him.”
Spock slowly moved to his chair and sat down.
“I know you are angry with him, Spock. I can understand why. But it is not worth it. You can have something here with Bones. Something good. Something real. Don’t just throw it away like that. I’m begging you.”
Jim looked at Spock with his pleading blue eyes. He reached out and touched one of Spock’s hands. “Please, Spock.”
Spock looked at Jim and nodded. Then he got up and left the room.
Jim fell back in his chair and sighed.
--
McCoy was peering down Chekov’s throat when Spock entered the sick bay. When McCoy spotted him he stopped what he was doing.
Chekov glanced over his shoulder and when he saw Spock standing in the doorway he quickly hopped off of the biobed and made himself scarce.
Spock walked over to McCoy and stood silently in front of him.
“Something wrong, Spock?” McCoy asked when Spock didn’t say anything.
“I just had an interesting conversation with the Captain.”
“Oh, God, what did Jim say to you?”
“I pleaded with me to stop avoiding you.”
“You didn’t avoid me, Vulcans don’t avoid people.”
“I think you’ll find that I was avoiding you, Leonard,” Spock whispered.
McCoy looked at Spock’s face. There was a faint green tainting his cheeks. Spock looked at McCoy as well and when they made eye contact McCoy could not help himself.
He lunged forward and grabbed Spock’s head. He kissed him fiercely and passionately. Hard and fast. He poured all of his emotions into that kiss. Spock clung to McCoy’s back and kissed back. Eventually the kiss softened and became more tender although still filled with as much emotion.
When they stopped kissing McCoy pressed his forehead against Spock’s. He still pressed soft kisses against the Vulcan’s mouth.
“I love you, Spock. God, do I love you.”
Spock pulled back and looked at McCoy’s face.
He pressed his hand against McCoy’s cheek and even though he did not do a full on mind meld he could still sense that the doctor’s emotions were real.
He smiled at McCoy, then. Genuinely smiled. McCoy could not help but smile back just as broadly.
And then they kissed again.
--
Meanwhile back on the bridge Jim, Scotty, Uhura, Chekov - still in scrubs - and Sulu were watching the security camera feed.
“God, is it irony or what? I’ve known Bones for fucking years now and never saw him smile like that. And along comes a fucking Vulcan and look at the man!! Unbelievable!!” Jim threw his hands in the air and sat in his chair. He’s smile was just as damn broad.
THE END!!!