Archive of Our Own ^beta

"I believe this to be an amenable solution to most of our current dilemmas. We all desire to be left in peace and my suggestion provides this. The paparazzi, to which they are commonly referred, are nearly nonexistent on New Vulcan. Starfleet would also be less inclined to disturb your rest, since you would no longer be in close proximity to Headquarters," Spock studied their confused faces, "Do you not concur?"     

"Concur?!" Bones said, seeming almost dazed, "You spring something like that on us and just expect us to agree that it's an 'amenable solution?' And we'll just hop on a shuttle with you without an argument?" McCoy couldn't fathom what had brought this idea on.

"Now, hold it, Bones. I know it seems far fetched but I think Spock's really onto something," Jim said quickly growing excited, a curious gleam in his eyes, the one he always had when plotting something mischievous. He had a penchant for troublesome behavior.

McCoy could practically see the gears in his brain working and groaned, "Oh, no, you don't! You are forbidden from participating in any tomfool ideas with Spock until I declare you medically fit." 

"You could always accompany us on this tomfool idea to make sure I don't hurt myself," Jim said, trying to appear charming. Hospital gowns never did much for him, especially if the butt hadn't been cut out. Boy, were those some interesting stories. "I mean, Spock did say the invitation is open to you too."

Spock nodded at the Captain and McCoy, "Doctor, as you presumably know, New Vulcan has highly advanced medical facilities and, based on the data recorded in previous weeks, any regression in Captain Kirk's condition would be highly unlikely. However, if such an incident were to occur it would be beneficial to have your advanced medical knowledge as the Captain is still not fully recovered." 

"You see, that's exactly why we shouldn't go! What with the gravity and the heat, the whole thing will only upset his internal functions. Not to mention, New Vulcan isn't exactly the ideal human vacation hotspot," McCoy huffed in irritation, "I don't want to spend the next month in the desert, needing a tri-ox compound every time I want to go for a run."

"Bones, the only time you run is when we're being chased by natives," Jim interjected teasingly, "The rest of the time, it's only a light jog."

"You're missing the point, Jim!" the doctor groaned. He was determined not to be dragged into doing this. For once, he was going to win and make Jim do the sensible thing..

"And the point is?" Jim leaned his head on the heel of his hand, gesturing patronizingly for Bones to continue. He appeared bored but there was a twinkle in his eyes that said differently. 

"The point is you're not going and that's final!" McCoy hated to argue with the Captain whenever he had it set in his mind to do something because Jim always won out, especially if Spock was there to back him up. That's why they were a political death machine when it came to negotiations and treaties. Between Jim's natural charm and Spock's hard logic, they were practically impossible to stop. McCoy could already tell he was fighting on the losing side.

 Two hours later, Bones was angrily jamming underwear in his suitcase. "Idiotic, double-teaming, reckless dumbasses," he grumbled as his apartment door slid open and Jim walked in. The Captain had finally changed out of his hospital gown and put on some jeans. Denim had never felt so good. The late morning light was streaming in from the windows, illuminating Jim's face in a way that the bright lights of the Enterprise's bridge just couldn't do. He looked healthy and excited, though a little tired.

"What was that, Bones?" Kirk asked, grinning as he leaned against the door frame. It instantly began to screech at him and he scrambled away from it. Ah, the wonders of modern technology. 

"That's what you get for trying to be smug," McCoy grinned, zipping up the suitcase, "Where's Spock got up to?"

"He's waiting downstairs with the taxi," Jim answered, gesturing vaguely in that direction. 

"You know, you could still tell him you don't wanna go," McCoy began half-heartedly, pulling the suitcase off the bed.

Jim sighed in exasperation, "Bones, I-"

"Are you sure you don't see any problem with this convoluted scheme?" McCoy cut him off, "Like, oh, I don't know, the fact that we only decided to go two hours ago and have had absolutely no time to plan for the trip? Or maybe that you died a few weeks ago?!"

"Bones, it's going to be fine!  We don't need a plan for a little fun in the sun. I'll go stir-crazy if you keep me locked up any longer. It'll be alright," Jim said, placing a firm hand on his friend's shoulder and looking at him with reassuring eyes, "Trust me. If it's Spock's idea, it'll be okay."

McCoy sighed, looking older than he was, the tired wrinkles around his eyes showing more than ever. He knew Jim was almost back to normal but the aftermath of Khan still weighed heavily on all of them. Perhaps he was mother-henning a bit too much. "Just promise me that you won't overdo it, Jim. You know, get some real rest. Slow down a little, just this once."

"I promise, Bones," Kirk said, face splitting into a wide grin, "Now, c'mon! Spock won't wait all day." McCoy didn't even try to argue with him but, he knew full well that the Vulcan would have stood there for a month if Jim asked him to.

 The shuttle ride went fairly quickly for Jim, considering he slept most of the way through it. He only woke up once to Spock and Bones arguing on either side of him.  He mumbled something along the lines of "Shut up. That's an order." and promptly went back to sleep. What he didn't realize was that the comfortable spot where he snuggled back into was the shoulder of his First Officer, who minded less than most would assume.

Spock had learned early on that, while Kirk understood the concept of personal space and tried very hard to respect it, he was simply a very tactile being. He gained the same emotional security from a simple pat on the back or a hug that most could find in words of reassurance. Most of the ship's crew had respectfully given Spock a wide berth and he was secretly grateful for this. He had no wish to be privy to the thoughts and emotions of other beings. However, like always, Kirk was the exception and popped in and out of his personal space frequently. Touches that were casual and friendly to him, like an arm slung around Spock's shoulders after they returned to the bridge from a successful mission, were normally abhorrent to a Vulcan due to the extreme intimacy but once again, Spock found himself simply not caring. He wondered for a time if he had slowly adjusted to humanity's rampant emotional need for physical contact. This was not the case, he discovered, when Ensign Sycolla hugged him in a fit of joy after her experiment had successfully proved her initial hypothesis. He had felt an immediate desire to remove himself from the situation and spent several hours in meditation to cleanse himself of the overwhelming amount of foreign thoughts and emotions that had been thrust upon him.

There were few people whom he allowed to come in physical contact with him on a regular basis. Among these individuals was Nyota. Nyota had always been steady and constant, a pillar of strength to Spock. She was someone he considered to be similar to a sibling; this had been one of the reasons culminating in the mutual agreement to end their romantic relationship.   Whenever initiating a touch, Nyota would reach slowly, always giving him an easy way out. She never forced him to express affection or pushed her emotions upon him. Nyota never demanded more than Spock could give but, in the end, they both agreed that it was an unsatisfactory match and neither could meet the other's needs in that way. They did indeed love one another but it was a different kind, more like that of a familial bond than a romantic one. 

Another person was Leonard McCoy. This was partially due to the fact he was a doctor and would occasionally perform Spock's physicals. However, Doctor M'Benga was his primary physician so this wasn't a frequent occurrence. As a general rule, Leonard didn't touch him often but he was usually in Spock's personal space. An accusing finger pointed at him or a pair of tired eyes glaring was an everyday event. During particularly heated arguments, McCoy would stand mere inches from him and lean forward on his toes so that he was on eye level with Spock. On some occasions, specifically when no one else was looking, he would show affection for the Vulcan. It was mostly a quick pat on the back here and there, accompanied with the fond undertone of 'hobgoblin.' Spock had long since stopped taking this as an offense as the doctor often insulted those he cared for. It was illogical but a fact, nonetheless.

Once, after a mission had gone terribly wrong, Spock had woken up late at night in Sickbay. The room was dark and relatively cold. There were no other patients to be seen. However, he was not the only person in the room. Jim snored quietly at the foot of his bed, his body twisted uncomfortably to accommodate the chair he sat in. The occasional mumble or twitch came from him. His eyebrows were knitted together closely in a frown and his fists clutched at Spock's bedsheets, a PADD beside his hands. Spock would often find his Captain in a similar position whenever his close friends were injured, though all the previous times he had been awake. He never stayed very late, mostly because Spock would remind him he had Bridge duty in the morning. The sound of depressurization cut through the quiet, signaling the opening of a door. McCoy walked into the room looking haggard. He spied Jim and sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. He strode over to the sleeping form, lifted him out of the chair by the armpits and dragged him over to one of the beds next to Spock's. 

"C'mon, kid. Work with me here," he muttered as he hoisted Jim up and rolled him over on his side, careful to avoid the ribs he had bruised during the mission. Jim pulled at his shirt with a small whine, trying to drag his friend into bed with him. Bones gently removed his hands and tucked the Captain in, pressing a short kiss to his forehead. Spock felt as though he was intruding upon a private moment and quickly looked away, feeling ashamed. As McCoy turned to leave, he immediately spotted the now awake Vulcan. He stared blankly at Spock for a moment, looking a bit dazed, then held up a single finger as the human sign to wait. He quietly rushed out of the room and returned minutes later, carrying two extra blankets. He always had a particular sensitivity to people and could usually interpret what they needed before they asked. This was part of what made him such an excellent physician. Bones tucked Spock in at top speed, the same way he had done with Jim, easily avoiding all sustained injuries. When he was finished, he stood haltingly and stared at Spock with an odd look. He leaned slightly forward, taking in a breath as if he were preparing to speak, paused for a beat, and then pressed a gentle kiss to Spock's forehead in the same manner as he had with Jim. McCoy left promptly after, the smell of alcohol and a cologne that only contained hypoallergenic ingredients lingering in the air. Spock knew which brand of cologne the doctor used, down to the chemical formula, because Leonard had painstakingly informed him of what Jim could and couldn't come in contact with. Fortunately, the incense Spock used during meditation passed the doctor's inspection. Neither of them ever spoke of it, to each other or to Jim, but did privately acknowledge that, for all the bickering and disagreements, they were extremely close friends.