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Doctor Leonard H. McCoy has never claimed to be a saint and is by no means free of all human errors; but he does try his best to do everything to the point of perfection. And sometimes he fails like every other soul having ever lived on the planet he's from. and those little failures live with him forever, become a part of him, gnawing at the corners of his mind whenever he feels particularly vulnerable. Like when he can't sleep after an overly exhausting gamma shift and spends hours tossing and turning on his cold lifeless bed. And then there comes the migraine; oh the migraine.
Sometimes a hypospray or two goes missing and no one bothers to look for them. hypoing himself into unconsciousness is definitely not of his proudest choices, but one out of desperation. The man is responsible for physical well-being of almost four hundred people on the starship Enterprise and needs to rest in order to be of any use, so cut him some slack if some of his reports on missing medical tools are not very detailed.
It is to be said that he never takes his job lightly and drags every single crewman to sickbay by the collar of their uniforms if he has to go that far to get the work done.
Despite all, that having a Vulcan aboard as the second in command often manages to make him ask himself if he's doing enough.
Of course he has passed numerous courses on xenophysiology and Vulcan anatomy and his knowledge might not even come in handy since Dr M'benga is an actual expert on the matter. But still as the chief medical officer he has his responsibilities; and he worries. You'd expect Vulcans with that logic propaganda of theirs to seek professional medical help immediately if needed. yes?
Not really. At least not in a certain CSO's case. Proud bastards, these pointy eared cat-apes, Never asking for help unless they absolutely have to.
Without finding a way to figure the first officer out, He just makes his way around through guessing, and honestly, that's not how being a doctor works. He should know that, he is one.
So really, no one can blame him when he tries to get a reaction out of the lanky officer every once in a while just to make sure he snaps back at Leonard's insults just fine. That's their way of communicating now, throwing around witty remarks they both know they don't mean. It's exhausting sometimes, but he's so used to it he barely worries if it's a professional way of handling things anymore. The answer is obviously not to his favour, so he has long decided to ignore it.
That is all up until the time Spock decides to avoid him for unknown reasons the little turning cogs in his brain have deemed logical.
When he interrupts Jim and Spock playing chess in the rec room-like he always does-and the hobgoblin (McCoy's favourite Vulcan related insult) rushes out muttering about forgetting to complete his report log, Leonard finds it very weird. Because Spock does not forget. Spock does not mutter either. But he doesn't dwell on it for long, since there's a bottle of bourbon he's managed to smuggle from Delta IV in front of him.
But then he starts noticing Spock not only act differently when he absolutely has to interact with the doctor, but actively avoiding him at any other time.
He's pissed. He goes to Jim first, thinking maybe none of it is personal. Maybe Spock is avoiding everyone, because it would make no sense to avoid Leonard personally, right?
But Jim sounds surprised to hear anything he has to say on Spock acting unusual:" Bones, are you absolutely sure that's the case? I mean you know how he is, a bit distant and all-"
Leonard doesn't even try to stop his eyes from rolling all the way back into his skull:"I KNOW how he is after having shared the same living space as him for a good few years, Jim, thank you very much. That's why I know when he acts weird, around me at least."
The captain's features soften a little bit and the air of uncertainty around him disappears. This is how Leonard knows he is trusted and taken seriously, even though he appears to be the only target of Spock's recent eschew. After a few seconds of pondering, Jim's face lights up with a clearly stupid idea:" hey you want me to talk to him? See if anything's wrong?"
Leonard is not one to blush frequently, but is too embarrassed to not seize the opportunity at the moment:" Jim, if I wanna have a heart to heart with a Vulcan, which is the last thing I want, I think I can handle it myself."
The blond bursts out with a laugh:"of course you can, but if you ever need me to meddle in as the captain or something, let me know."
Leonard just waves him off looking annoyed and heads back to the sickbay; where he belongs and people actually respect him instead of ignoring him or suggesting he lacks the ability to communicate with other ranked officers of the ship without help.
After a few more days of Spock turning the other way by the sight of Leonard, and simply becoming silent in his presence, the doctor decides that he has had enough. This one problem is not going to solve itself. Not that the other ones do, but regrettably, this isn't a typical inconvenience he can ignore and pray away like he does with the others.
He cares about his job, and deep down, a very small part of his being that he usually chooses to ignore, actually cares about the pointy bastard.
Also, he has to make sure whatever he's done to offend Spock, won't interfere with any of their jobs. Only, no matter how much he rummages his brain for a memory of having hurt the other in the past week, he can't find anything out of ordinary, and therefore finds no way of approaching the subject. Maybe the guy is just being an illogical prick. Who knows what goes on in that supposedly big brain of his?
The doctor loses all his sense of tactfulness when he finds out the Vulcan has rearranged his regular physicals to fall outside of his shift hours. Of course doctor M'benga is more than capable to run the tests, but enough is enough. Spock is being ridiculous.
He requests to change shifts with M'benga for the day and the man accepts without reluctance; because honestly, who wants to be awake at 8 A.M? He also maybe forgets to change the medbay digital personnel timetable. On purpose. Because the surprised look on Spock's face would worth it, not that a stranger could discern his eyes widening a millimetre or two as surprise, but he knows better. Leonard's seen that look a few times and okay, maybe him trying to get a reaction out of Spock isn't solely based on medical reasons, but no one needs to know about that. Maybe he just enjoys being the reason to the other's amusement; how one of his already upward eyebrows jumps higher, or the lines around his lips tighten. Or how he's left speechless for a few seconds.
He likes the speechlessness so much; that he sometimes thinks of different ways to make it happen. Like gripping the short neat dark hair on the nape of his neck and kissing him. Although he'd rather crawl a thousand light years back to Earth than ever admit to having fantasized about kissing Spock. Or stroking his stupid soft hair. Or touching the tip of his ears. Because that's very unprofessional of him, and that's why he needs to go wait in the sickbay and smooth things over with the Vulcan.
The said man arrives precisely at 8:30 and Leonard is waiting there, ready. And if he feels satisfied at how Spock's eyes go a bit round at his presence, he doesn't show it.
"What are you standing there for, Spock? It's not your first time doing physicals, get on the bed."
Spock looks like a kid who got caught stealing chocolates:"Doctor. I assumed doctor M'benga was going to check up on my physical health this time."
"yea well, he had something to do so we changed the schedules for today. Why, don't you trust me with your health anymore?"
Spock is taken aback, just as planned. For the first time in a long while he struggles to choose the right words:"That's... Simply not true. I am aware of your high abilities as a doctor and would not dare to question any judgment you will make as a medical professional."
Knowing he's cornered with no way to back out and run away from Leonard this time around, he sits hesitantly on one of the biobeds. The older man grabs a tricorder, moving it down along the other's body:"I would've thought otherwise, considering you've been trying to avoid me lately, and apparently at all costs."
Spock's head jerks up with surprise. Even Leonard is kind of surprised at his own straightforwardness.
"You are somewhat right doct-" He corrects himself because apparently he feels guilty enough to turn this into one of those rare first name calling occasions: "Leonard. I suppose I owe you an apology."
Leonard cannot believe his eyes, but the commander is blushing. Green. It takes him a short second to recover from finding out about Vulcans' ability to blush and hop back on his train of thoughts.
He decides to mess around a little, that prickly feeling of wanting a reaction activated inside him:"Well? "
Spock stares back at him, bewildered and waiting for further explanation.
"I thought you said you were going to apologize?"
And boy, does the other look... Almost Sheepish:"I- was my apology not sufficient?"
Leonard throws his head back with laughter and saves him from his misery, patting his back in a friendly manner. Spock jumps a little at the touch.
"Ok now you mind telling me what it's all about or..." He trails off, busy with reading details on the tricorder:" scratch that, why the fuck is your heart rate 330 beats per minute? Spock, are you okay?"
He reaches for his stylus and PADD immediately to file in a report, because 330 beats per minute is not normal even for a Vulcan, but cooler hands of his patient stop him from doing so:" I believe that is not something you'll have to worry about." He pauses, then adds thoughtfully:"Medically."
"What do you mean? This is definitely 60 beats more than normal. Are you stressed? Wait, let me check your blood pressure."
But Leonard already starts kicking himself mentally for not picking up on the first officer's problem sooner; even though he had a perfectly valid reason to; if not being able to get a glance on Spock because the man keeps running away is a reason enough.
Spock finally stands up and forcefully drags his PADD out of his grip to make the the doctor divert his attention back on what he has to say:" We need to talk, Leonard. It would be helpful if you could pay very close attention to my words because I have no desire to repeat myself."
If anything, Leonard is slightly more worried, because Spock is acting weird and unpredictable and his heart rate is too high and nothing makes sense, but he's silenced momentarily and Spock takes advantage of it: "I have been avoiding your company for-" he sighs like spewing out the words is physically hurting him: "For emotional reasons. I am ashamed of having let my... Emotions take over my actions and my relationship as the first officer with you as the chief medical officer."
He kept turning greener and greener by second: "And as for my heart, I shall put the blame on you, Leonard."
Leonard keeps staring up completely dumbfounded; not knowing what he is supposed to take out of all this: "What?"
Spock looks disappointed and the doctor wants to tell him to shove that look up his ass because what the fuck. Maybe the Vulcan is delirious. Yup, it's definitely that:" I'm gonna check your body temperature now."
He tries to grab for the tricorder and is stopped again, the Vulcan's hand holding on to his. Which is shocking because he knows how these species detest physical touch: "Doctor, I have a confession to make, part of my embarrassment throughout the past week is rooted in the fact that I had a dream, involving you."
"Wait, Vulcans dream? And you've been hiding for a whole week because you had a dream?" The human exclaimes, practically shouting in the other man's face and Spock is wearing an expression that looks a lot like regret; Perhaps rethinking every single life decision he's made to have him end up here, in front of Leonard McCoy who does not stop glaring at him in confusion with his eyes nearly dropping out of their sockets.
"I should have approached this matter in a more proper way but unpredictable circumstances threw me off guard. Yes doctor, Vulcans do dream like any other sentient being. as you might already know, we are a species highly prone to violence according to our history and dreaming is a necessary part of our meditative practices."
He lets go of Leonard's hands, as if to give him space and a moment to process the new information before he continues:" Ninety three percent of the time, we have perfect control over our dreams. I regret to inform you that six nights ago, it was not the case for me and I experienced a very inappropriate dream involving you, therefore feeling shameful to be within your vicinity which had been a very childlike behaviour. I apologize for that."
Leonard isn't sure if this is actually happening or he's just losing the last shreds of his sanity:" You're trying to tell me that you had a wet dream. About me."
Spock raised an eyebrow, as if to dare him make fun of this whole surreal situation:" I suppose it's not a very rare occurrence amongst humans as you have a word to describe it." He sounds kind of relieved:"At first I was concerned to have caught a new fever from our last mission in Orion."
If someone told Leonard a week ago that he would be witness to a scenario in which Spock is relieved that his wet dream involving him is not a new Orion disease, he would ask that someone to give him some of what they had been smoking. just so, you know, he could analyze it in his lab. However it's happening before his own very eyes and he can't stop himself from cracking up with laughter. This would've been an awkward encounter if the person in front of him was anyone else, but the Vulcan staring at him in all seriousness after confessing to having a wet dream is just hilarious. The laughter does not stop and instead makes him double over: "Jesus on a fuckin' flying horse Spock, just every time I think you can't surprise me anymore, you show up with one up your sleeve."
The younger man is shining with a deep green color up to his ears:" I must say doctor, my subconscious didn't surprise me any less than it did you. Although, I assumed since you have shown enough levels of maturity to approach me on our fall out within our workplace, we could converse like the civilians we are, without having to put shame on anyone-"
Leonard can hear hints of fury entwined with embarrassment coloring his voice. Someone else might've missed it, but not him; who often spends more time studying the other's smallest details than he likes to admit.
And God, he doesn't seem to plan on shutting up, spitting out word after word in that robotic signature tune of his. And it's infuriating enough that Leonard just needs to take action immediately.
"-honestly I expected more understanding from a compassionate individual like you but my estimations have prove to b-"
The words slur together and then fade completely due to the doctor's choice of action. Which is, grabbing the other by the neck, standing on his tiptoes a little bit because Spock has a few centimetres on him, and then smashing their lips together. Because for the most part, that's the only way to go about it. And for the smaller part, he wants to. Only a little.
He wishes he could see the shocked look probably decorating Spock's face, but that would require breaking the kiss, and he doesn't intend to do that yet. Spock stiffens at first; but doesn't push away, which is a good sign, right? The doctor feels a tinge of panic growing in his guts after getting no response within a few seconds; the decision to actually kiss the first officer doesn't seem very reasonable right now, what if he just made things weird for the eternity? But isn't it Spock's fault, Going around talking about his dumb 'inappropriate' dreams?
As soon as he begins to pull back, strong pale hands steady him in his place, long fingers stroking his dark hair and Spock returns his kiss with a newfound force. A warm feeling starts spreading through his insides as the Vulcan takes control, pushing him until his back touches the wall and there's no more space. Spock tangles one of his hands with the doctor's and pins it to the wall beside his head as he deepens the kiss, tongue tracing everywhere in Leonard's mouth, making him stifle a moan because he still has his dignity. The commander grabs at the hair above the base of his neck, firm but not enough to cause pain, and tilts his head up a little, breaking the kiss. He stares up into dark eyes, half open crescents, bangs slightly disheveled, and cheeks flushed emerald. He looks in perfect control even right now; which is irritating but somehow attractive too. The lines around his mouth stretch the tiniest bit, as if he's trying for a smirk, or maybe trying to restrain a smirk. Who knows?
"I believe this is quite in contrast to what we are familiar with as 'professional behaviour', doctor."
"Are you fuckin kidding me?"
"-Although, I must confess that I am not at all opposing the idea of experiencing more Of these... Intimate moments with you."
Leonard feels his heart warming to Spock's way of promising more kisses. He goes on for a last quick peck on the lips, and the man let him, but then flicks Leonard across the forehead: " Not while on duty. Will meet you in your quarters after the beta shift. And I will have my physicals rescheduled with doctor M'benga, because evidently the current arrangement is not excessively practical."
Leonard opens his mouth to object because how dare he! But Spock is already out the medbay and probably out of earshot too.
"Dumbass Vulcan, just decides everything for himself." He murmurs anyway.
At least the hobgoblin is a good kisser. A really really good kisser. He tries to stop his imaginations on what other things the commander might be good at, but is not very successful on the matter.
He snaps out of it after Jim makes an emergency call through his communicator and demands him to grab a medkit and be ready to beam down on the current class M planet they're operating a mission on, because a crewman is injured. He has to remind himself that dammit, he's a doctor not a highschool boy getting distracted by kisses! and immediately accepts the kit from nurse Chapel.