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Jim had completely forgotten about the biannual seasonal temperature change aboard the Enterprise until he stepped out of his private quarters and came face to face with hot air and everybody in summer uniforms.
“Oh my god.” Jim recoils and closes the door. He’s already sweating in his warmer long-sleeved uniform. He immediately goes back to his closet to scour the bottom chest drawers for his summer uniforms. The first one he pulls out is a little wrinkled, so he has to run it through the cycler before it’s fit to wear.
Jim’s comm goes off and he picks up. “Sorry,” Jim says. “I forgot about the temperature shift. I’m on my way.”
Bones snorts. “Thought you slept in and forgot about us. The ambassador and I are going to get food first, then.” Jim makes a noise of assent and they both hang up.
Jim rushes to the mess hall, finding his best friend and the old Vulcan. “Sorry I’m late,” he says cheerfully.
Ambassador Spock is off shift today. He is wearing casual clothing, a short robe with a sleeveless design. Jim stares at the exposed dark skin of the older Vulcan’s shoulders and thighs and neck contrasting with his robe.
“Jim?” The corner of Spock’s lip turns up. “Did you have an inquiry for me?”
“Nah. Just thinking that summer is my favorite season.”
The ambassador shakes his head with fond exasperation and motions for Jim to sit next to him.
[The ambassador had brought breakfast to the table for them both. Jim and Spock are assigned to the landing party for a new planet.]
“A curious planet,” Ambassador Spock says, brushing aside the dense flowers as he leads the landing party through the meadow. The representatives of the planet are winged and flutter overhead, guiding them around a hill towards the city.
Jim pauses to take one of the flowers. The barely pink petals are soft and smooth to the touch. Jim tucks it behind one of Spock’s ears. “It suits you, Ambassador.”
Spock’s eyes crease in amusement as Jim’s hand wanders from the flower to Spock’s fine, greying hair, brushing the loose curls that had been combed to perfection for the diplomatic encounter. “Jim, please, not in front of the planet representatives.”
Jim chuckles and retracts his hand. “Very well, Mister Spock.”
[Jim is involved in a terrifying otherworldly ritual.]
“Deep breaths through your nose, Jim.”
Jim tries to comply, but the pain is overwhelming. The flesh of his back aches, heavy and throbbing. Even slight movements bring fresh waves of agony. Bones is arguing with the planet’s representative in a harsh voice. His fury is met with placid calm. “The ritual is already complete, Doctor.”
Jim feels a worn hand holding his, and worry pulses through the connection. Jim wants to tell the ambassador he’s alright, try to laugh off the pain, but he can barely move his lungs to take in air. Something light tickles Jim’s temple, and he opens his eyes. It’s a single tawny feather.
[Jim realizes he’s grown terrifying, unruly wings on his back.]
Jim almost laughs, seeing the shreds of his uniform falling to the Enterprise deck. Another uniform that failed to survive a seemingly pleasant planetside excursion.
Bones is less amused by the situation. “Check his vitals immediately,” he orders.
[Ambassador Spock stays close to Jim as he struggles to adjust to his new body.]
Jim can feel the texture of the ridges in his fingers. Each detail of his palms catches against the texture of the blankets, drags against the fabric of his synthesized pants. His skin is oversensitized and the drag of underwear down his thighs hurts every time he has to sits on the toilet seat to use the bathroom - he can’t stand for long or else he gets so dizzy that his vision starts to go black.
Even washing his hands is an ordeal. Jim doesn’t know if a nurse or something saw him violently flinch from the sonic setting of the sink the first time, but it remained a tepid stream of water afterwards.
Spock remains patient at his side, too patient, offering Jim small morsels of Starfleet rations, simple and easy to digest. Jim tries to take the bite-sized portions from his fingers, but each movement simply serves to remind him of his lethargic, weak grasp and inability to be anything useful.
“Don’t you have somewhere to be?” Jim finally says after gathering his strength. Or maybe he thought it loud enough that Spock heard it through his proximity telepathy.
Spock looks faintly amused by Jim’s concern. “Focus on yourself, my dear,” he says. “However, you are correct. I am late to my shift.”
“You should go. I’ll be okay.”
Spock places a gentle, frigid hand to Jim’s cheek. After adjusting Jim’s blankets and making sure he can easily exit to the restroom, he quietly exits. The room is dark and empty without him.
Jim takes Spock’s absence harder than he’d expected. God, there’s so much pain. Pain everywhere. There’s pain in every joint of his body, between every vertebrate of his spine, and there’s a throbbing pulse in the muscles of his back that scream for rest as they complain at the unfamiliarity of being horizontal for so long. Despite the pounding, aching headache extending to each strand of his hair as he lies against his pillow, Jim finds himself falling asleep while dreaming about something cool and soft between his legs.
[Spock keeps coming back to give Jim company. Jim wants to be clingy, but he feels terrible for being clingy and makes him want attention more, and it spirals in a vicious cycle.]
“Oh dear,” the ambassador says a little too calmly.
Jim narrows his eyes at Spock even as his heart rate spikes to an all-time high. “You didn’t hear that, did you?”
Spock’s hesitant hands deciding on a tentative embrace is enough of an answer. “There is no reason to berate yourself,” Spock says into Jim’s neck.
[Jim is mortified but Spock assures Jim there’s nothing to fret over. While withdrawing from the embrace, Spock accidentally touches an erogenous zone between Jim’s wings but before something can escalate, a nurse interrupts them.]
[Jim still isn’t fit enough to work, but he’s changed his room and clothing to accommodate his new body. The wings are broad and grow more powerful with each day, but he can fold and completely obscure them with a loose hoodie.]
[Some incident happens and Jim swoops in and uses his wings for the first time to fly and save Spock.]
“Most fascinating,” Spock says. He clings to Jim’s neck with a little too much force, but Jim completely understands despite the strong bridal carry he’s holding Spock in. The distance of the ground below is bewildering and dizzying as it is exhilarating.
Jim angles the tips of his wing feathers and is pleased that they go into a controlled, spiraling descent. Jim can feel Spock’s enthusiasm through the thrum of his contact, and his faded hair that tickles his neck matches the colors of the clouds in the vast sky above.
[They return to the Enterprise and Bones complains about them doing cruel things to his blood pressure. Spock laughs and kisses Jim for the first time.]