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Leonard 'Bones' McCoy couldn't help but notice a couple of things about Jim Kirk after arriving at the Academy. One, the kid was annoyingly persistent. For some reason, Jim got it into his head that not only was his name.. not his name but he was going to Leonard's best friend. The kid literally followed off of the shuttle and into the registration offices than to a dorm which was supposed to be a single dorm.
Because of this Lenoard wasn't surprised when his single dorm suddenly because a double. Jim showed up, members of the housing department behind him hauling a bed and a dresser. Jim might be annoyingly persistent but Leonard was pessimistic enough to know there was no sense fighting him, on the Bones thing or the roommate thing. Then later the 'let's drag Bones out to a bar at every chance' thing or the 'brag about all the sex I'm getting' thing. There were a lot of Jim things he came to realize.
The second thing he came to realize is that, despite the bragging, Jim didn't actually sleep around as much as the rumors claimed. Oh, he didn't do relationships at all but he was surprisingly discreet when it came to sex. He never brought anyone back to their dorm, never told Bones to not bring anyone back. Not that there was anyone he wanted to bring anyone back. He was a doctor, not a damn college student. He'd been there and done that. Leonard still threatened to hypo his ass to the next world every time he complained of one STD or another but that was more of an empty threat than an actual threat.
Third? Jim was smart as shit. He was like some kind of sponge, he literally soaked up information. He only had to see something once and he would remember it, damn eidetic memory. He was at the top of his classes, something that was the source of a lot of bar fights started by jealous cadets. Bar fights that Lenoard would have to patch his ass up from. Leonard was a genius in his own right but generally towards medical-related subjects. Jim was a genius across the board.
But mostly the thing that Leonard noticed about Jim? He was tactile as shit. He was constantly touching or brushing against someone, like an oversized cat. Fellow cadets got shoulder pats and bumps, potential love conquests got teasing touches to the hand, consensual hip squeezes. Friends were constantly being hugged or dragged around by a hand or wrist. Jim seemed fond of poking people gently in the middle of the head. Well... most friends.
Jim didn't touch Leonard unless he had to. Oh sure there were times when Leonard was patching him up but that was more Leonard touching Jim than Jim touching him. Leonard supported Jim's weight when they drunkenly stumbled back to their door but Jim kept his hands to himself. At first, he was puzzled, then confused then straight out pissed. Oh, not pissed enough to say something. He was hurt, he hadn't suddenly gotten in touch with the more sensitive side of himself or any nonsense like that.
But if there was something that Leonard was good at it, it was obsessing over things. So he did exactly that, hawing and hemming which progressed into throwing himself into clinic shifts to avoid seeing Jim touch literally everyone but him. Jim noticed, of course, he noticed every damn thing. Leonard avoiding him pissed Jim off which made Leonard avoid him even more. The fight they had was a conclusion that couldn't be avoided for long.
He'd just gotten off a twelve-hour shift, aching all the way down to his bones. It was a Friday night so he thought he was in the clear. He couldn't remember the last time Jim spent a Friday night at their dorm. His plans for the rest of the night involved a hot meal, a shower, and a bottle of Bourbon. He hummed happily as he walked through the door only to stop like he hit a brick wall.
A hand flew up to his chest as if he could quiet the rapid beating of his heart. "Jesus Christ, Jim. What the hell? You trying ta give me a heart attack." He squinted at the blond who was sitting on a couch in the dark. "Why.. what are you doing?" The shock of stumbling across Jim alone in a dark room was fading and he was able to observe certain details once he called the lights up to 50 percent. Jim's form was vibrating with tension, his arms across his chest and a dark frown was on his face.
"Did.. did something happen?" While he thought his question was innocent enough Jim didn't and exploded off the couch. "Yeah, it did! What the fuck, Bones? Why are you avoiding me?"
Instantly hazel eyes slid to the side and he couldn't help but shuffle his feet. "I'm not.." He didn't even get to finish denying it because another burst came from Jim.
"Bullshit! We haven't hung out in almost two months now. We only see each other in passing or in class. You've said ten words to me in that time."
And there was the guilt he knew would eventually hit him. He pinched his nose. "That has .. nothing to do with you. I'm just.. dealing with some shit right now." His hand dropped away. Shit, the expression on Jim's face didn't change. And.. he, shit he was getting closer. Why was he getting closer?
Leonard found himself leaning backward which just caused the dark expression on the blonde's face to get darker. Shit, shit. What should he do now?
"Don't fucking lie to me, Bones." For a brief second Leonard was worried that Jim was going to vibrate out of his skin. Concerned he reached out only to get his hand slapped away. That was it! He was going to get to the bottom of this right fucking now.
"What the fuck? What is your issue with me, Jim? Why won't you touch me? Am I disgusting in your eyes or something?" Jesus, he needed to keep a better hold on his tongue when he got pissed.
To say Jim looked shocked was an understatement. "What.. what are you talking about?" He wasn't sure if the look of honest surprise on Jim's face made him more or less angry.
"You. Don't. Touch. Me." He wasn't sure how to get his point any clear than that. He was pretty sure he was the one that looked like they were going to vibrate out of his skin now.
Jim looking guilty didn't help. Not one single bit. Biting off a nasty remark that would only make things worse, much worse, Leonard gave a mental fuck it and twisted on heel to head back out the door. He was only a step away when a hand landed on his wrist. That was enough to make him pause. Jim didn't stop there though. An arm was wrapped around his waist a moment later. If the hand surprised him he absolutely didn't know what to think about the arm.
"Don't go." He'd heard Jim be a lot of things-smug, confident, angry, sultry. He'd never heard him so.. soft and pleading. "It's fine. Just.. let me go." If anything that made the grip tighten.
"You know why I never touched you, Bones?" There was a pause there. "Because I knew I wouldn't be able to stop. I'd touch you all the time. And I didn't know how you'd feel about that, if you'd want me to touch you."
Jesus, this was not how he expected his night to go at all honestly. "I.. wanted you too. I was jealous of everyone you were touching." If he had been facing Jim he'd never be able to admit that. But with Jim's chest pressed to his back, one warm arm around his waist, and one hand clutching to his wrist the words just flowed out of his mouth. "Jim. I love you. Of course, I want you to touch me." The grip Jim had on him only tightened before it completely disappeared.
He only had a moment to panic before arms were wrapping around him again and he was getting tugged in close enough to Jim he almost went blind from the brightness of his smile and he could smell the mint on his breath. "I love you too, Bones."