Fic: Acclimation (Kirk/McCoy)
Title: Acclimation
Pairing: Kirk/McCoy
Summary: Jim gets settled in on the Enterprise
Rating: Teen/PG13
Word Count: 4960
A/N: #34 in the Two Men & a Motorbike series. Follows Escapade. Posting early tonight! As always, thanks and ♥ to everyone who reads/comments!
Everything that Jim owns fits into a large duffel bag. He doesn’t have much besides clothes, not when he’s leaving the holocomics and exercise equipment in his dorm for whomever gets assigned the room next. He tosses his sheets in the trash, since they’ve been washed too many times to ever be useful for anyone else. The sheets he got from the laundry the other day are packed in his bag, though. Bones will want those back, if only for an excuse so Jim can visit him. Like he needs an excuse.
Jim surveys the dorm room that he’s lived in since he arrived at Starfleet. It’s funny how he never made it feel like home, not like Bones’ room. Even with his stuff packed up and the bed bare, he doesn’t really feel much of anything about leaving it behind. The thing is that he never really personalized it. He left Frank’s house when he was fifteen, and he spent the next seven years without anywhere specific to call home. Renting rooms when he could afford it, crashing with friends who wouldn’t want sex in repayment when he couldn’t.
While he does have more stuff now, little of it is anything that he couldn’t leave behind at a moment’s notice. Jess is the major thing, obviously, and she’s up in space right now with his new girl. He’ll be seeing them both soon, which is enough to make him smile, a real one and not just the slight one that’s all he’s been able to manage this week. He looks into the bag, wanting to make sure that he actually does want to keep anything he’s bothering to take with him. There’s a pile of clothes that he plans to donate, but he’s decided to keep his cadet uniforms. If nothing else, maybe he can talk Bones into role-playing one day. Doctor McCoy and Cadet Kirk could be a lot of fun, especially if Bones would be all instructor-y during it.
“Stop it,” he mutters when his mind all too easily imagines that scenario. The fantasies have been helping him sleep at night, but he doesn’t have time now to even jerk off quickly. Thoughts of naked Bones will definitely lead to his cock saying ‘hello, Jim, touch me now’, so it’s better to focus on something boring and unsexy like inventory lists or regulations.
After deciding that he’s got everything he needs from his room, he puts Mac on top of it all and zips the bag up to his collar. He doesn’t want to flatten the puppy, which means his head is going to have to hang out the top of the bag. It probably looks like he’s carrying a bag for a seven-year old girl, but he’s a captain, so fuck anyone who thinks it’s weird. It’s not like they can take away his ship for owning a toy, and he stopped caring what people thought about him, personally, long ago.
The clock tells him that it’s time to go, so he takes one last look around the room. “Computer, lights out,” he says before he leaves and doesn’t look back. Gaila and Chekov are waiting for him in the parking lot, and he realizes that he’s going to oddly miss them during the week before they’re due to arrive on the Enterprise. They’re annoying as hell, especially when they continuously interrupt his plans to work at night with food, but they’re growing on him.
“Keptin, I have made you cakes to take with you,” Chekov says when he reaches the car. He hands Jim a container that has several small, round cakes inside.
“I helped him decorate them,” Gaila points out. Jim can see the brightly colored sprinkles on top of the half dozen cakes.
“Thanks, to both of you,” he says, watching them grin and resisting the urge to shake his head. Even after nearly a week of this, he still doesn’t understand why his praise is that important. “We’ll have to make sure that the kitchen space on the Enterprise will be accessible to you, Chekov. You seem fond of cooking the old-fashioned way.”
“I am, Keptin, and would like that wery much. My mother taught me, and it is wery good to remember her this way,” Chekov tells him before he ducks into the backseat of Gaila’s tiny car.
When Jim glances at Gaila, he catches her patting Mac on the head. She just smiles when he arches a brow. “I’ll open the back for you,” she says, and he follows her so he can put his bag away.
The drive to the shuttle pad is relatively short, probably because he’s listening to them tell him about their plans for the upcoming week. He finds it somewhat amusing that an Orion and a Russian have embraced each other as siblings, especially when they chatter on like they’re little kids instead of a graduate near the top of her field and a boy genius. It’s something that he told Bones about when he sent the communication on Wednesday night, but he figures it loses its humor when written and not witnessed.
Once Gaila has parked, they all get out of her car and he picks up his bag. “No sad faces,” he mutters when he catches them both frowning and looking miserable. “You’ll both be arriving on the ship next Monday.”
“You will eat properly, Captain, yes?” Chekov asks. “It is wery unhealthy to work too hard and not eat.”
“Yeah, I’ll eat.” He reaches out and ruffles Chekov’s hair, having to laugh when Chekov slaps his hand away.
“We’ll see you soon, Captain,” Gaila tells him. She kisses his cheek and smiles. “If you look tired and skinny when we arrive, don’t think that I won’t contact your doctor so he can yell at you.”
“I’m always skinny,” he points out before he ducks his head and kisses her cheek. “Go away now, both of you. I’ve got a flight to catch.”
He walks through the shuttle terminal and goes through security before he’s cleared to step onto the pad. The shuttle he’s taking to space dock is nearly empty, so he finds a seat and gets buckled in before he pulls his PADD out of his pocket. He searches the files until he finds the all too brief communication that he received from Bones on Wednesday morning. He reads it again, hearing Bones’ voice in his head reading along.
Arrived in Capella IV safely. Pilot was an asshole. This place is hot and dusty. Hospital is empty of patients. No secure communication method discovered yet. Don’t wish you were here because I’d rather not be here, myself. Have a safe trip to your ship this weekend. Don’t worry. You’ll look pretty in gold. Miss you, you bastard.
When he realizes that he’s been staring at the message long enough that the shuttle is actually in flight, he carefully closes it and then begins reviewing information that Pike has forwarded him from Starfleet. It’s a lot of boring protocols that he already knows, but whomever is in charge of that seems to fail to understand that he completed his command training in three years, so he’s not an idiot. He knows that there are those who think he’s just been given this ship because of a fluke of luck, so he’s even more determined to do the best job possible and make them regret ever doubting him or his crew.
The shuttle is scheduled to make a stop on a starbase, so Jim closes his PADD and tries to remember what he planned to get during the layover. He can’t remember anything specific, since he made sure he had everything important before leaving Earth, so he just walks around with his bag over his shoulder and explores while they’re stopped there. Mac makes an impression on the locals, and Jim flirts with the women who stop to admire the puppy. Bones is right about it being second nature to him, and he has to admit that there are a couple of them who definitely fall into the ‘potential sex’ category in his mind.
It’s only been five days since Bones left, but Jim already misses being touched. The casual hugs from Gaila helped, in an entirely non-sexual way, but one of the primary reasons that he’s always liked sex is because of the whole touching thing. It’s tempting to accept one of the invitations that the sexy smiles are obviously offering, if only to work off a little energy and be touched. When he finds himself picturing sex with a blonde with nice tits, she morphs into Bones in his head, and he feels a little sick to his stomach.
It hasn’t even been a full week, yet here he is thinking about possibilities that would mean nothing at all. It’s just thoughts, of course, since he hasn’t accepted any of the offers, but he’s still slightly disgusted because he feels like he’s betraying Bones somehow just thinking about it. He isn’t used to this monogamy thing, even if he’s happy being with only Bones and really doesn’t even have to try that much to stick with it, so he doesn’t know if random thoughts matter or not. He isn’t going to be acting on them, and his mind always brings Bones into anything sexual within seconds, it seems.
It isn’t anything he can ask Bones about, obviously, since he seems to be skeptical that Jim can last a year with only a few arranged meetings between them. He’s wrong about that. Regardless of needs and occasional mental images, Jim cares about Bones in ways that aren’t just sex, that are more important than sex, and that means he’s going to be able to do this, even if he has doubts in himself along the way. Really, though, the things that are most important in his life didn’t come easy. Sure, he got to be captain sooner than anyone, including himself, expected, but it required nearly getting killed more times than he cares to count and the responsibility of not reacting fast enough to save a billion people, so, yeah, not as effortless as his detractors want to believe.
After getting something to eat, he returns to the shuttle. There are more people on-board now, and he overhears some talking about another ship that he assumes must be docked with Enterprise. It’s hard to tell time in space, but he knows that it’s Saturday morning now on Earth. When he gets settled into his seat, he opens the container from Chekov and has one of the small cakes for dessert. It’s good, with creamy icing that is definitely not from a replicator. Maybe he can add ‘make cakes’ to Chekov’s list of duties. It seems practical to him, even if Starfleet probably wouldn’t agree.
He finishes the cake and licks icing from his fingers before he gets his PADD back out. The message from Bones is the first thing he reads, as has become habit since he received it. It isn’t enough, just a few sentences sent in some attempt to sound platonic since it wasn’t secure, but it’s something, which is better than nothing. He eventually moves on to the reports again, making notes and working on a list of things that he needs to do during the upcoming week. The crew will be arriving next Monday, so there won’t be a whole lot to keep him busy until then, but there should be enough. Besides, he doesn’t feel so restless now that he’s going back to his ship.
As they approach space dock, he closes his PADD and looks out the window, beaming with pride when he sees the Enterprise waiting for him. The shuttle docks and some of the passengers gather their belongings and leave with him. He’s the only one who goes to the Enterprise, and he has to be processed and show his credentials before they let him pass their checkpoint. Security is doing a good job, which he tells them, and he boards his ship knowing that he’s got capable personnel keeping the place safe.
“I’m back, girl,” he murmurs as he touches the wall. He shifts his bag over his shoulder and walks the quiet corridors, stopping occasionally to peer out a window. Instead of going to Engineering immediately, he makes a stop at the captain’s quarters. He hasn’t yet seen his new space and wants to drop his bag off. He also needs to piss before he starts roaming around his ship.
The captain’s quarters are keyed to his code, and he is impressed when the door slides open. It’s a lot bigger than his dorm room, that’s for sure. He puts his bag down by the sofa in what appears to be a lounge area and notices the large bed on his way to the toilet. Once he’s finished, he examines the room more closely. It’s comfortable, with enough space to live in without feeling like the walls are pressing in, and he’s really glad to see a small kitchenette type of area by a replicator. He plans to have most his meals in the mess with the crew, but he knows that there are times when he’s going to just want to be alone.
He goes over to the bed and falls back on it, bouncing a little and wiggling against the mattress to see how it feels. It doesn’t squeak, which is a plus for whenever Bones manages to visit or comes on-board eventually, and it’s got good support without being too firm. Jim approves and considers exploring that Doctor and Cadet fantasy a little more in-depth now that he’s got privacy. It can wait, though. He needs to check on Jess and let Scotty know that he’s arrived and then start exploring his ship.
When he goes down to the storage area to see Jess, he notices that the tarp is askew. He put it on neatly, so it either moved during flight or Scotty’s been in here talking to her. The latter thought makes him frown slightly, but it might be good, since he’s going to be busy with the ship and doesn’t want Jess to feel neglected or unloved. “How do you like space, girl?” he asks as he straightens the tarp. “Did you miss me? We’ll have to go somewhere with lots of open space so you can get some exercise someday soon. Unfortunately, I’ll have to follow orders and go wherever I’m told, but I’m sure we’ll work something out.”
Jess seems to be in good condition, so he leaves the storage area and goes to find Scotty. The office is dark, and he realizes that he might still be sleeping. If he’s on Earth’s schedule, it is early morning still. Jim figures that he should be more tired than he is, but it isn’t like he’s been sleeping much lately anyway. Since Scotty isn’t there, he puts that off until later. He can explore now, learn every nook and cranny of his ship. First, though, he wants to go to his chair. He needs to sit down and just look at the view of space because he’s been thinking about that since his assignment.
When he reaches the bridge, he can’t help but smile. He types in the code and is relieved when it works. He might have had a small fear that he’d arrive only to find out that none of the codes would work and that this was nothing but a big joke that Starfleet decided to play on him. The view from the bridge is wonderful. Nothing but space, and he can feel a restless need begin to stir as he imagines traveling all over and discovering new places and exploring the far corners of the galaxy.
He starts to walk to his chair when it slowly begins to move. What the fuck? Jim frowns and begins to prepare a warning for Scotty that includes ‘keep your ass out of my chair, damn it’, but the chair spins around and he can’t think of anything to say. Instead, he stares but forgets to stop walking, which he realizes isn’t a good thing when he trips and falls to the ground. He catches himself before he falls on his face, fortunately, but keeps staring at the chair as he gets back to his feet. He blinks and closes his mouth when he realizes that it’s hanging open.
“Morning, Jim,” Bones drawls as he moves his gaze over Jim in a way that can only be described as hungry. “Okay there?”
“Bones?” He clears his throat and tries to think of something else to say because he must look ridiculous standing here staring dumbly. He runs his fingers through his hair before he pinches his arm hard. “Damn it, that hurt.”
“It usually does,” Bones points out. He arches a brow. “You alright from the fall?”
“I’m fine. What are you doing here?” Jim asks as he takes a step towards the chair. “Are you really here? I know I felt the pinch, but you’re on Capella IV, which isn’t my chair on the damn Enterprise.”
“I’m really here.” Bones stands up and licks his lips. “I was on Capella IV until yesterday. Got here a few hours ago, though. I knew you’d be arriving soon, so I decided to surprise you. It was either your chair or draped naked across your bed. I figured the chair was safer. Besides, I don’t know the code for your quarters.”
“Don’t talk about being naked when I’m in shock, asshole,” he mutters, running his fingers through his hair as he stares at Bones. “What’s going on, Bones? If this is just some brief visit and you plan to leave me again, I’m going to kick your ass.”
“It’s a long story.” Bones steps closer to him. “God, you look so good.”
Jim smiles smugly. “You say that it’s like surprising.” He frowns suddenly. “Stop distracting me, damn it. Give me the abridged version if it’s too long.”
“I find that I can’t help myself. It’s been a week, and I’m a doctor, not a saint,” Bones murmurs before he grips Jim’s face and kisses him. Jim whimpers softly before he tugs on Bones’ hair and returns the kiss, curling his tongue and sucking and pressing closer because Bones is really here and it doesn’t even matter why, not when he’s kissing him so desperately.
When they break apart, Jim touches Bones’ jaw. “How are you here?” he asks quietly. “Not that I’m complaining, but I’d like to know if security is going to suddenly bust in here to take you back or something.”
Bones drags his thumb over Jim’s bottom lip. “Why? You plan to fight them to keep me?”
“If I say yes, will you think it’s charming or will you smack me for being an idiot?” He arches a brow and licks Bones’ thumb.
“I’d probably smack you anyway, but I’d secretly find it charming,” Bones says thoughtfully. “That is not, by the way, permission for you to do stupid, reckless things.”
“Don’t need permission for that. I do well enough on my own,” he points out before he pushes on Bones’ chest. “Now, sit down and tell me what the fuck you’re doing here. Since this is my chair, I’d be aware if it’s been renamed Capella IV instead of Jim’s Captain Chair of Envy, so explain it to me.”
“Captain Chair of Envy?” Bones repeats slowly as he sits down. Jim smiles as he straddles Bones’ legs, sitting on his lap and touching his face as much as possible in case this does turn out to be a temporary reunion. “Really, Jim. That’s what you’re calling the chair? Also, what is with your fanatical need to name everything?”
“It’s not a need, and it’s not everything. Just the important things,” he says. “And what’s wrong with that name? Everyone definitely envies me having this chair, so it’s appropriate.” He smirks, just a little, before he looks at Bones seriously. “How long do I get to keep you before I have to give you up again?”
“Why don’t we say five years, to start?” Bones moves his hand down Jim’s back. “Looks like you’re going to be stuck with me for your entire assignment, if you’ll have me.”
“Wait, what?” Jim blinks down at Bones. “What about Capella IV?”
“That assignment is complete,” he says simply. “I’ve been approved for my next one, which is CMO of the Enterprise for its five year mission. I was told that the paperwork has been filed and authorization was granted yesterday. The whole thing has happened kind of fast.”
“How is it complete? They said a damn year.” Jim is torn between being relieved and happy about it and being angry and frustrated that they’ve had to go through so much shit recently because of it.
“It was supposed to be a year. However, it was cut,” Bones tells him. “Did I ever tell you about my recruitment?” Jim shakes his head, and Bones nods. “I didn’t think so. I was personally recruited by Admiral Archer, whom I met during my inoculation work. He kept after me for a few years to give Starfleet a try, and he got me on the first shuttle to San Francisco when I finally agreed, which is how I ended up in Iowa that fateful day three years ago.”
“Admiral Archer?” Jim shifts slightly and hopes the man hasn’t heard about him ‘rescuing’ Scotty and giving him a job. “What’s he got to do with this?”
“He’s the one who arranged for me to leave Starfleet so soon after graduation.” Bones smiles wryly. “Let’s just say that he wasn’t happy when he heard about my assignment to Capella IV since, in his opinion, it was a waste of time and poor allocation of experience and resources. He took the shuttle with me that morning, and, well, we owe him.”
“You sent me word from Capella IV and didn’t say anything about the assignment being over,” Jim points out, not entirely sure that he wants to owe Archer anything. If he had something to do with Bones being here now, though, it might be worth it.
“You know, this wouldn’t be such a long story if you’d stop interrupting.” Bones leans up and kisses him. “I didn’t say anything in my communication because it wasn’t secure and, honestly, I wasn’t sure if it’d work. Basically, the entire thing was pointless. The hospital was empty. Capellans have no interest in medical help, and Archer predicts that they’ll be pulling the few people there in a couple of months anyway. All I had to do was be myself, since the head medical staff is an asshole with a superiority complex who felt threatened by my youth and experience. It took three days before he was calling Archer to complain about me, and Archer used it as a reason to pull me out. So, here I am. Next assignment starting immediately since a CMO needs to be familiar with the ship and personnel and everything.”
Jim slowly smiles. “It’s official, then? You’re my CMO?”
“Signed off on by your team at base. Archer spoke to Pike personally, since you were in transit,” Bones tells him. “I was so damn relieved to hear that the position was still open. I didn’t know if you’d already offered it to someone else or not.”
“I couldn’t. None of them were even half as good as you,” Jim says seriously. His lips quirk slightly. “Besides, none of them would look as gorgeous as you do with my cock in your mouth.”
“Professional versus personal, Jim. Learn the difference,” Bones mutters. “I don’t care what we’re doing in privacy. The medbay is my responsibility, and I’m here to keep the crew safe and alive, including your reckless ass. There’s not going to be any of that sycophantic ‘yes, captain, whatever you say, captain’ bullshit from me if you’re wrong or pushing yourself. Got it?”
“I know the difference, so I don’t have to learn anything,” he points out. “The whole ship is my responsibility, and I’m not going to do anything deliberately that might require me to write letters to a crew member’s family explaining why they’re not coming home alive, so you don’t have to worry about that. As for the rest, you can save your ‘yes captain-whatever you say captain’ for the bedroom, because that sounds hot.”
“Damn it, Jim. Be serious.” Bones moves his hand up Jim’s spine before he strokes the back of his neck.
“I am, Bones.” Jim frowns slightly. “I’m the captain. You’re welcome to your opinions, and I will listen, but the ultimate responsibility for this ship and everyone in it falls on my shoulders. If I wanted someone who’d just kiss my ass while running the med bay, I’d have chosen someone else as my CMO. However, that doesn’t give you liberty to outright question me in front of my crew or attempt to undermine my authority. Like you said, our professional and personal lives will be separated. Got it?”
Bones licks his lips and shifts beneath Jim. “Got it, Captain,” he drawls before he pulls Jim’s head down and kisses him thoroughly. Jim can feel Bones tug on the collar of his shirt before he moves his thumb over the smooth skin that’s no longer covered with bites.
Jim pulls back and reaches down, gripping the hem of his shirt and pulling it over his head. He tilts his head slightly and moves his fingers into Bones’ hair. “Do it,” he urges, rolling his hips slightly when Bones growls. When Bones bites his shoulder, he moans and closes his eyes. It’s a deep bite, enough to break the skin, and he pulls Bones’ hair when he licks and sucks, marking Jim again.
“Mine,” Bones growls lowly, gripping Jim’s hips and pulling him down hard as he arches up into him. Their next kiss is almost violent, all tongue and teeth and biting as they move their hands, tugging on clothes and touching bare skin.
The cracking sound of static suddenly pieces the air before Jim hears Scotty. “Captain, you in there? I’m in my office now, ready to debrief over a glass of a whiskey, if you’re feeling thirsty this fine morning.”
“Damn it,” Jim mutters as he pulls back from the kiss. He glares at the communicator before he pushes the button. “I’ll be down in a minute, Scotty.” He releases the button and looks at Bones. “We’ll finish this later.”
Bones groans. “Just ignore it.”
Jim has to smile when he remembers a similar situation a few weeks ago, only reversed. “Sorry, I can’t. It shouldn’t take that long, though,” he says, kissing Bones again because, fuck, it’s so good to be able to do that again, especially without worrying about him going anywhere.
“You choose now to be responsible.” Bones rolls his eyes even as his lips quirk into a crooked smile. “Fine. I’ll go check out my new office then.”
“I’ll find you when I’m done. We can christen your office later, but the chair’s first,” he decides. He reaches between them and grips Bones’ erection. “Keep this ready for me.” He smiles mischievously as he repeats what Bones told him before. “No taking care of it yourself.”
“Brat,” Bones grumbles. “Also, what do you mean first?”
“Honestly, Bones. Do you really think that question’s necessary?” Jim grins. “We have a week before the crew gets here, and this is a very big ship. We’ll start here and work our way through it, obviously.”
“Oh, obviously,” Bones says dryly. “Somehow, I expect we’ll be so tired from working and setting up everything that we won’t make it very far through that list before next Monday.”
“We have five years to get through it, which means we can even do repeats,” Jim points out. “It’s nice to have goals, isn’t it?”
Bones snorts. “Yeah, real nice. Now run along, Captain, before I decide not to let you go.”
“God, I’ve missed you,” he whispers before he kisses Bones again. He reluctantly pulls back and gets to his feet, reaching down to pick up his shirt from the floor. “I’ll make this meeting short. We have unfinished business.”
“Missed you, too,” Bones admits in a gruff voice.
“I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but I’m glad that Archer’s a crazy old man with an interest in your career.” He studies Bones and can’t help grinning because, damn, it’s so good to have him back where he belongs. “Things aren’t the same without you around, Bones. Kinda felt like something was missing, in a weird way.”
“Same for me,” he says quietly, reaching out to stroke Jim’s belly. “And Archer’s old, but not crazy. He knows how to play the system, and I’m relieved that he’s on my side in this.”
Jim tugs his shirt over his head and leans down to kiss Bones again. God, he’s missed this. How can it seem like it’s been ages when it’s only been a few days? When he ends the kiss this time, he takes a step back. “Right. Going now before Scotty comes looking for me. I’ll meet you in your office when I’m done and we can finish this reunion, preferably with nakedness and lots of kissing.”
He winks and dashes out before Bones can distract him with those beautiful lips again. As he walks down to Engineering, he grins and plots what he’s going to do with Bones when he gets back.
End
#33: Escapade | #35: Reprimand
Pairing: Kirk/McCoy
Summary: Jim gets settled in on the Enterprise
Rating: Teen/PG13
Word Count: 4960
A/N: #34 in the Two Men & a Motorbike series. Follows Escapade. Posting early tonight! As always, thanks and ♥ to everyone who reads/comments!
Everything that Jim owns fits into a large duffel bag. He doesn’t have much besides clothes, not when he’s leaving the holocomics and exercise equipment in his dorm for whomever gets assigned the room next. He tosses his sheets in the trash, since they’ve been washed too many times to ever be useful for anyone else. The sheets he got from the laundry the other day are packed in his bag, though. Bones will want those back, if only for an excuse so Jim can visit him. Like he needs an excuse.
Jim surveys the dorm room that he’s lived in since he arrived at Starfleet. It’s funny how he never made it feel like home, not like Bones’ room. Even with his stuff packed up and the bed bare, he doesn’t really feel much of anything about leaving it behind. The thing is that he never really personalized it. He left Frank’s house when he was fifteen, and he spent the next seven years without anywhere specific to call home. Renting rooms when he could afford it, crashing with friends who wouldn’t want sex in repayment when he couldn’t.
While he does have more stuff now, little of it is anything that he couldn’t leave behind at a moment’s notice. Jess is the major thing, obviously, and she’s up in space right now with his new girl. He’ll be seeing them both soon, which is enough to make him smile, a real one and not just the slight one that’s all he’s been able to manage this week. He looks into the bag, wanting to make sure that he actually does want to keep anything he’s bothering to take with him. There’s a pile of clothes that he plans to donate, but he’s decided to keep his cadet uniforms. If nothing else, maybe he can talk Bones into role-playing one day. Doctor McCoy and Cadet Kirk could be a lot of fun, especially if Bones would be all instructor-y during it.
“Stop it,” he mutters when his mind all too easily imagines that scenario. The fantasies have been helping him sleep at night, but he doesn’t have time now to even jerk off quickly. Thoughts of naked Bones will definitely lead to his cock saying ‘hello, Jim, touch me now’, so it’s better to focus on something boring and unsexy like inventory lists or regulations.
After deciding that he’s got everything he needs from his room, he puts Mac on top of it all and zips the bag up to his collar. He doesn’t want to flatten the puppy, which means his head is going to have to hang out the top of the bag. It probably looks like he’s carrying a bag for a seven-year old girl, but he’s a captain, so fuck anyone who thinks it’s weird. It’s not like they can take away his ship for owning a toy, and he stopped caring what people thought about him, personally, long ago.
The clock tells him that it’s time to go, so he takes one last look around the room. “Computer, lights out,” he says before he leaves and doesn’t look back. Gaila and Chekov are waiting for him in the parking lot, and he realizes that he’s going to oddly miss them during the week before they’re due to arrive on the Enterprise. They’re annoying as hell, especially when they continuously interrupt his plans to work at night with food, but they’re growing on him.
“Keptin, I have made you cakes to take with you,” Chekov says when he reaches the car. He hands Jim a container that has several small, round cakes inside.
“I helped him decorate them,” Gaila points out. Jim can see the brightly colored sprinkles on top of the half dozen cakes.
“Thanks, to both of you,” he says, watching them grin and resisting the urge to shake his head. Even after nearly a week of this, he still doesn’t understand why his praise is that important. “We’ll have to make sure that the kitchen space on the Enterprise will be accessible to you, Chekov. You seem fond of cooking the old-fashioned way.”
“I am, Keptin, and would like that wery much. My mother taught me, and it is wery good to remember her this way,” Chekov tells him before he ducks into the backseat of Gaila’s tiny car.
When Jim glances at Gaila, he catches her patting Mac on the head. She just smiles when he arches a brow. “I’ll open the back for you,” she says, and he follows her so he can put his bag away.
The drive to the shuttle pad is relatively short, probably because he’s listening to them tell him about their plans for the upcoming week. He finds it somewhat amusing that an Orion and a Russian have embraced each other as siblings, especially when they chatter on like they’re little kids instead of a graduate near the top of her field and a boy genius. It’s something that he told Bones about when he sent the communication on Wednesday night, but he figures it loses its humor when written and not witnessed.
Once Gaila has parked, they all get out of her car and he picks up his bag. “No sad faces,” he mutters when he catches them both frowning and looking miserable. “You’ll both be arriving on the ship next Monday.”
“You will eat properly, Captain, yes?” Chekov asks. “It is wery unhealthy to work too hard and not eat.”
“Yeah, I’ll eat.” He reaches out and ruffles Chekov’s hair, having to laugh when Chekov slaps his hand away.
“We’ll see you soon, Captain,” Gaila tells him. She kisses his cheek and smiles. “If you look tired and skinny when we arrive, don’t think that I won’t contact your doctor so he can yell at you.”
“I’m always skinny,” he points out before he ducks his head and kisses her cheek. “Go away now, both of you. I’ve got a flight to catch.”
He walks through the shuttle terminal and goes through security before he’s cleared to step onto the pad. The shuttle he’s taking to space dock is nearly empty, so he finds a seat and gets buckled in before he pulls his PADD out of his pocket. He searches the files until he finds the all too brief communication that he received from Bones on Wednesday morning. He reads it again, hearing Bones’ voice in his head reading along.
Arrived in Capella IV safely. Pilot was an asshole. This place is hot and dusty. Hospital is empty of patients. No secure communication method discovered yet. Don’t wish you were here because I’d rather not be here, myself. Have a safe trip to your ship this weekend. Don’t worry. You’ll look pretty in gold. Miss you, you bastard.
When he realizes that he’s been staring at the message long enough that the shuttle is actually in flight, he carefully closes it and then begins reviewing information that Pike has forwarded him from Starfleet. It’s a lot of boring protocols that he already knows, but whomever is in charge of that seems to fail to understand that he completed his command training in three years, so he’s not an idiot. He knows that there are those who think he’s just been given this ship because of a fluke of luck, so he’s even more determined to do the best job possible and make them regret ever doubting him or his crew.
The shuttle is scheduled to make a stop on a starbase, so Jim closes his PADD and tries to remember what he planned to get during the layover. He can’t remember anything specific, since he made sure he had everything important before leaving Earth, so he just walks around with his bag over his shoulder and explores while they’re stopped there. Mac makes an impression on the locals, and Jim flirts with the women who stop to admire the puppy. Bones is right about it being second nature to him, and he has to admit that there are a couple of them who definitely fall into the ‘potential sex’ category in his mind.
It’s only been five days since Bones left, but Jim already misses being touched. The casual hugs from Gaila helped, in an entirely non-sexual way, but one of the primary reasons that he’s always liked sex is because of the whole touching thing. It’s tempting to accept one of the invitations that the sexy smiles are obviously offering, if only to work off a little energy and be touched. When he finds himself picturing sex with a blonde with nice tits, she morphs into Bones in his head, and he feels a little sick to his stomach.
It hasn’t even been a full week, yet here he is thinking about possibilities that would mean nothing at all. It’s just thoughts, of course, since he hasn’t accepted any of the offers, but he’s still slightly disgusted because he feels like he’s betraying Bones somehow just thinking about it. He isn’t used to this monogamy thing, even if he’s happy being with only Bones and really doesn’t even have to try that much to stick with it, so he doesn’t know if random thoughts matter or not. He isn’t going to be acting on them, and his mind always brings Bones into anything sexual within seconds, it seems.
It isn’t anything he can ask Bones about, obviously, since he seems to be skeptical that Jim can last a year with only a few arranged meetings between them. He’s wrong about that. Regardless of needs and occasional mental images, Jim cares about Bones in ways that aren’t just sex, that are more important than sex, and that means he’s going to be able to do this, even if he has doubts in himself along the way. Really, though, the things that are most important in his life didn’t come easy. Sure, he got to be captain sooner than anyone, including himself, expected, but it required nearly getting killed more times than he cares to count and the responsibility of not reacting fast enough to save a billion people, so, yeah, not as effortless as his detractors want to believe.
After getting something to eat, he returns to the shuttle. There are more people on-board now, and he overhears some talking about another ship that he assumes must be docked with Enterprise. It’s hard to tell time in space, but he knows that it’s Saturday morning now on Earth. When he gets settled into his seat, he opens the container from Chekov and has one of the small cakes for dessert. It’s good, with creamy icing that is definitely not from a replicator. Maybe he can add ‘make cakes’ to Chekov’s list of duties. It seems practical to him, even if Starfleet probably wouldn’t agree.
He finishes the cake and licks icing from his fingers before he gets his PADD back out. The message from Bones is the first thing he reads, as has become habit since he received it. It isn’t enough, just a few sentences sent in some attempt to sound platonic since it wasn’t secure, but it’s something, which is better than nothing. He eventually moves on to the reports again, making notes and working on a list of things that he needs to do during the upcoming week. The crew will be arriving next Monday, so there won’t be a whole lot to keep him busy until then, but there should be enough. Besides, he doesn’t feel so restless now that he’s going back to his ship.
As they approach space dock, he closes his PADD and looks out the window, beaming with pride when he sees the Enterprise waiting for him. The shuttle docks and some of the passengers gather their belongings and leave with him. He’s the only one who goes to the Enterprise, and he has to be processed and show his credentials before they let him pass their checkpoint. Security is doing a good job, which he tells them, and he boards his ship knowing that he’s got capable personnel keeping the place safe.
“I’m back, girl,” he murmurs as he touches the wall. He shifts his bag over his shoulder and walks the quiet corridors, stopping occasionally to peer out a window. Instead of going to Engineering immediately, he makes a stop at the captain’s quarters. He hasn’t yet seen his new space and wants to drop his bag off. He also needs to piss before he starts roaming around his ship.
The captain’s quarters are keyed to his code, and he is impressed when the door slides open. It’s a lot bigger than his dorm room, that’s for sure. He puts his bag down by the sofa in what appears to be a lounge area and notices the large bed on his way to the toilet. Once he’s finished, he examines the room more closely. It’s comfortable, with enough space to live in without feeling like the walls are pressing in, and he’s really glad to see a small kitchenette type of area by a replicator. He plans to have most his meals in the mess with the crew, but he knows that there are times when he’s going to just want to be alone.
He goes over to the bed and falls back on it, bouncing a little and wiggling against the mattress to see how it feels. It doesn’t squeak, which is a plus for whenever Bones manages to visit or comes on-board eventually, and it’s got good support without being too firm. Jim approves and considers exploring that Doctor and Cadet fantasy a little more in-depth now that he’s got privacy. It can wait, though. He needs to check on Jess and let Scotty know that he’s arrived and then start exploring his ship.
When he goes down to the storage area to see Jess, he notices that the tarp is askew. He put it on neatly, so it either moved during flight or Scotty’s been in here talking to her. The latter thought makes him frown slightly, but it might be good, since he’s going to be busy with the ship and doesn’t want Jess to feel neglected or unloved. “How do you like space, girl?” he asks as he straightens the tarp. “Did you miss me? We’ll have to go somewhere with lots of open space so you can get some exercise someday soon. Unfortunately, I’ll have to follow orders and go wherever I’m told, but I’m sure we’ll work something out.”
Jess seems to be in good condition, so he leaves the storage area and goes to find Scotty. The office is dark, and he realizes that he might still be sleeping. If he’s on Earth’s schedule, it is early morning still. Jim figures that he should be more tired than he is, but it isn’t like he’s been sleeping much lately anyway. Since Scotty isn’t there, he puts that off until later. He can explore now, learn every nook and cranny of his ship. First, though, he wants to go to his chair. He needs to sit down and just look at the view of space because he’s been thinking about that since his assignment.
When he reaches the bridge, he can’t help but smile. He types in the code and is relieved when it works. He might have had a small fear that he’d arrive only to find out that none of the codes would work and that this was nothing but a big joke that Starfleet decided to play on him. The view from the bridge is wonderful. Nothing but space, and he can feel a restless need begin to stir as he imagines traveling all over and discovering new places and exploring the far corners of the galaxy.
He starts to walk to his chair when it slowly begins to move. What the fuck? Jim frowns and begins to prepare a warning for Scotty that includes ‘keep your ass out of my chair, damn it’, but the chair spins around and he can’t think of anything to say. Instead, he stares but forgets to stop walking, which he realizes isn’t a good thing when he trips and falls to the ground. He catches himself before he falls on his face, fortunately, but keeps staring at the chair as he gets back to his feet. He blinks and closes his mouth when he realizes that it’s hanging open.
“Morning, Jim,” Bones drawls as he moves his gaze over Jim in a way that can only be described as hungry. “Okay there?”
“Bones?” He clears his throat and tries to think of something else to say because he must look ridiculous standing here staring dumbly. He runs his fingers through his hair before he pinches his arm hard. “Damn it, that hurt.”
“It usually does,” Bones points out. He arches a brow. “You alright from the fall?”
“I’m fine. What are you doing here?” Jim asks as he takes a step towards the chair. “Are you really here? I know I felt the pinch, but you’re on Capella IV, which isn’t my chair on the damn Enterprise.”
“I’m really here.” Bones stands up and licks his lips. “I was on Capella IV until yesterday. Got here a few hours ago, though. I knew you’d be arriving soon, so I decided to surprise you. It was either your chair or draped naked across your bed. I figured the chair was safer. Besides, I don’t know the code for your quarters.”
“Don’t talk about being naked when I’m in shock, asshole,” he mutters, running his fingers through his hair as he stares at Bones. “What’s going on, Bones? If this is just some brief visit and you plan to leave me again, I’m going to kick your ass.”
“It’s a long story.” Bones steps closer to him. “God, you look so good.”
Jim smiles smugly. “You say that it’s like surprising.” He frowns suddenly. “Stop distracting me, damn it. Give me the abridged version if it’s too long.”
“I find that I can’t help myself. It’s been a week, and I’m a doctor, not a saint,” Bones murmurs before he grips Jim’s face and kisses him. Jim whimpers softly before he tugs on Bones’ hair and returns the kiss, curling his tongue and sucking and pressing closer because Bones is really here and it doesn’t even matter why, not when he’s kissing him so desperately.
When they break apart, Jim touches Bones’ jaw. “How are you here?” he asks quietly. “Not that I’m complaining, but I’d like to know if security is going to suddenly bust in here to take you back or something.”
Bones drags his thumb over Jim’s bottom lip. “Why? You plan to fight them to keep me?”
“If I say yes, will you think it’s charming or will you smack me for being an idiot?” He arches a brow and licks Bones’ thumb.
“I’d probably smack you anyway, but I’d secretly find it charming,” Bones says thoughtfully. “That is not, by the way, permission for you to do stupid, reckless things.”
“Don’t need permission for that. I do well enough on my own,” he points out before he pushes on Bones’ chest. “Now, sit down and tell me what the fuck you’re doing here. Since this is my chair, I’d be aware if it’s been renamed Capella IV instead of Jim’s Captain Chair of Envy, so explain it to me.”
“Captain Chair of Envy?” Bones repeats slowly as he sits down. Jim smiles as he straddles Bones’ legs, sitting on his lap and touching his face as much as possible in case this does turn out to be a temporary reunion. “Really, Jim. That’s what you’re calling the chair? Also, what is with your fanatical need to name everything?”
“It’s not a need, and it’s not everything. Just the important things,” he says. “And what’s wrong with that name? Everyone definitely envies me having this chair, so it’s appropriate.” He smirks, just a little, before he looks at Bones seriously. “How long do I get to keep you before I have to give you up again?”
“Why don’t we say five years, to start?” Bones moves his hand down Jim’s back. “Looks like you’re going to be stuck with me for your entire assignment, if you’ll have me.”
“Wait, what?” Jim blinks down at Bones. “What about Capella IV?”
“That assignment is complete,” he says simply. “I’ve been approved for my next one, which is CMO of the Enterprise for its five year mission. I was told that the paperwork has been filed and authorization was granted yesterday. The whole thing has happened kind of fast.”
“How is it complete? They said a damn year.” Jim is torn between being relieved and happy about it and being angry and frustrated that they’ve had to go through so much shit recently because of it.
“It was supposed to be a year. However, it was cut,” Bones tells him. “Did I ever tell you about my recruitment?” Jim shakes his head, and Bones nods. “I didn’t think so. I was personally recruited by Admiral Archer, whom I met during my inoculation work. He kept after me for a few years to give Starfleet a try, and he got me on the first shuttle to San Francisco when I finally agreed, which is how I ended up in Iowa that fateful day three years ago.”
“Admiral Archer?” Jim shifts slightly and hopes the man hasn’t heard about him ‘rescuing’ Scotty and giving him a job. “What’s he got to do with this?”
“He’s the one who arranged for me to leave Starfleet so soon after graduation.” Bones smiles wryly. “Let’s just say that he wasn’t happy when he heard about my assignment to Capella IV since, in his opinion, it was a waste of time and poor allocation of experience and resources. He took the shuttle with me that morning, and, well, we owe him.”
“You sent me word from Capella IV and didn’t say anything about the assignment being over,” Jim points out, not entirely sure that he wants to owe Archer anything. If he had something to do with Bones being here now, though, it might be worth it.
“You know, this wouldn’t be such a long story if you’d stop interrupting.” Bones leans up and kisses him. “I didn’t say anything in my communication because it wasn’t secure and, honestly, I wasn’t sure if it’d work. Basically, the entire thing was pointless. The hospital was empty. Capellans have no interest in medical help, and Archer predicts that they’ll be pulling the few people there in a couple of months anyway. All I had to do was be myself, since the head medical staff is an asshole with a superiority complex who felt threatened by my youth and experience. It took three days before he was calling Archer to complain about me, and Archer used it as a reason to pull me out. So, here I am. Next assignment starting immediately since a CMO needs to be familiar with the ship and personnel and everything.”
Jim slowly smiles. “It’s official, then? You’re my CMO?”
“Signed off on by your team at base. Archer spoke to Pike personally, since you were in transit,” Bones tells him. “I was so damn relieved to hear that the position was still open. I didn’t know if you’d already offered it to someone else or not.”
“I couldn’t. None of them were even half as good as you,” Jim says seriously. His lips quirk slightly. “Besides, none of them would look as gorgeous as you do with my cock in your mouth.”
“Professional versus personal, Jim. Learn the difference,” Bones mutters. “I don’t care what we’re doing in privacy. The medbay is my responsibility, and I’m here to keep the crew safe and alive, including your reckless ass. There’s not going to be any of that sycophantic ‘yes, captain, whatever you say, captain’ bullshit from me if you’re wrong or pushing yourself. Got it?”
“I know the difference, so I don’t have to learn anything,” he points out. “The whole ship is my responsibility, and I’m not going to do anything deliberately that might require me to write letters to a crew member’s family explaining why they’re not coming home alive, so you don’t have to worry about that. As for the rest, you can save your ‘yes captain-whatever you say captain’ for the bedroom, because that sounds hot.”
“Damn it, Jim. Be serious.” Bones moves his hand up Jim’s spine before he strokes the back of his neck.
“I am, Bones.” Jim frowns slightly. “I’m the captain. You’re welcome to your opinions, and I will listen, but the ultimate responsibility for this ship and everyone in it falls on my shoulders. If I wanted someone who’d just kiss my ass while running the med bay, I’d have chosen someone else as my CMO. However, that doesn’t give you liberty to outright question me in front of my crew or attempt to undermine my authority. Like you said, our professional and personal lives will be separated. Got it?”
Bones licks his lips and shifts beneath Jim. “Got it, Captain,” he drawls before he pulls Jim’s head down and kisses him thoroughly. Jim can feel Bones tug on the collar of his shirt before he moves his thumb over the smooth skin that’s no longer covered with bites.
Jim pulls back and reaches down, gripping the hem of his shirt and pulling it over his head. He tilts his head slightly and moves his fingers into Bones’ hair. “Do it,” he urges, rolling his hips slightly when Bones growls. When Bones bites his shoulder, he moans and closes his eyes. It’s a deep bite, enough to break the skin, and he pulls Bones’ hair when he licks and sucks, marking Jim again.
“Mine,” Bones growls lowly, gripping Jim’s hips and pulling him down hard as he arches up into him. Their next kiss is almost violent, all tongue and teeth and biting as they move their hands, tugging on clothes and touching bare skin.
The cracking sound of static suddenly pieces the air before Jim hears Scotty. “Captain, you in there? I’m in my office now, ready to debrief over a glass of a whiskey, if you’re feeling thirsty this fine morning.”
“Damn it,” Jim mutters as he pulls back from the kiss. He glares at the communicator before he pushes the button. “I’ll be down in a minute, Scotty.” He releases the button and looks at Bones. “We’ll finish this later.”
Bones groans. “Just ignore it.”
Jim has to smile when he remembers a similar situation a few weeks ago, only reversed. “Sorry, I can’t. It shouldn’t take that long, though,” he says, kissing Bones again because, fuck, it’s so good to be able to do that again, especially without worrying about him going anywhere.
“You choose now to be responsible.” Bones rolls his eyes even as his lips quirk into a crooked smile. “Fine. I’ll go check out my new office then.”
“I’ll find you when I’m done. We can christen your office later, but the chair’s first,” he decides. He reaches between them and grips Bones’ erection. “Keep this ready for me.” He smiles mischievously as he repeats what Bones told him before. “No taking care of it yourself.”
“Brat,” Bones grumbles. “Also, what do you mean first?”
“Honestly, Bones. Do you really think that question’s necessary?” Jim grins. “We have a week before the crew gets here, and this is a very big ship. We’ll start here and work our way through it, obviously.”
“Oh, obviously,” Bones says dryly. “Somehow, I expect we’ll be so tired from working and setting up everything that we won’t make it very far through that list before next Monday.”
“We have five years to get through it, which means we can even do repeats,” Jim points out. “It’s nice to have goals, isn’t it?”
Bones snorts. “Yeah, real nice. Now run along, Captain, before I decide not to let you go.”
“God, I’ve missed you,” he whispers before he kisses Bones again. He reluctantly pulls back and gets to his feet, reaching down to pick up his shirt from the floor. “I’ll make this meeting short. We have unfinished business.”
“Missed you, too,” Bones admits in a gruff voice.
“I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but I’m glad that Archer’s a crazy old man with an interest in your career.” He studies Bones and can’t help grinning because, damn, it’s so good to have him back where he belongs. “Things aren’t the same without you around, Bones. Kinda felt like something was missing, in a weird way.”
“Same for me,” he says quietly, reaching out to stroke Jim’s belly. “And Archer’s old, but not crazy. He knows how to play the system, and I’m relieved that he’s on my side in this.”
Jim tugs his shirt over his head and leans down to kiss Bones again. God, he’s missed this. How can it seem like it’s been ages when it’s only been a few days? When he ends the kiss this time, he takes a step back. “Right. Going now before Scotty comes looking for me. I’ll meet you in your office when I’m done and we can finish this reunion, preferably with nakedness and lots of kissing.”
He winks and dashes out before Bones can distract him with those beautiful lips again. As he walks down to Engineering, he grins and plots what he’s going to do with Bones when he gets back.
End
#33: Escapade | #35: Reprimand