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It had been hours since Jim's heart had beat back to life but Leonard was only just retiring to his room. Even then, it was only because Chapel had bullied him out of the room, insisting that he couldn't help Jim if he needed it in this condition. He probably would not have left unless Spock had given him that silent nod, letting Leonard know that the Vulcan would remain by the Captain's side. He didn't want Jim left alone for even a moment and Spock, he knew, wouldn't.
Leonard set his alarm to go off in two hours and had just dropped himself onto his bed when he was startled by a sudden cooing noise. Confused, he sat upright and finally noticed a small, brown creature atop the desk on the other side of his room. It trilled again and shuffled about on his desk, nudging a paper bound book that Jim had lent him weeks earlier.
"How the hell did you get in here?" he murmured and got up from his bed to scoop the tribble up in his arms. It purred happily. "Chapel brought you, didn't she?"
The tribble cooed.
"That’s just like her. Giving me something else to care for like I need it for my well being or some nonsense."
Another purr was all he got in response.
"Damn ridiculous. I don't need some little furball with a homicidal man's blood in it running around," he told it despite its insistence on purring contently.
Leonard sighed and glanced down at the book the tribble had nudged. Half the front cover was gone, as well as the bottom of the first two pages. At least the bloodlust was contained to unfortunate books so far, though Jim would be upset when he woke up. He swallowed hard, trying to convince himself that it was only a matter of when Jim would wake up and not if.
"Let's get you some actual food," he said, trying to force his mind away from his worries.
The tribble was set down on his table with a small pile of fresh greens. He sat down at the table with it, stroking its fur as it gobbled up the food at an alarming rate. Damn Chapel giving him more things to care for. As if he needed some other clingy creature. Jim was more than enough. At least it didn’t yammer away. The purring wasn’t unpleasant really. Hell, he supposed he owed it for playing a part in saving Jim. He’d keep the little creature around.
“Guess you need a name,” he mumbled, “You’re certainly no Fluffy with the way you went after that book. Hardly a fitting name for a hero.”
He scratched lightly along the tribble’s back as it kept munching away at it’s food.
“I’d call ya Jim after rising from the dead and all but he sure as hell doesn’t go after a salad like that,” Leonard scoffed and then pursed his lips thoughtfully, “But you did have a hand in savin’ the kid.” It made his stomach turn thinking how close he’d been to losing Jim for good. As frustrated as the Vulcan made him sometimes, he was more thankful for Spock than he could possibly express.
“How ‘bout it? Wanna be named after a hobgoblin?”
The last leaf of salad disappeared and the tribble continued to purr as it snuffled around the empty plate. Well, it didn’t seem disagreeable to the idea.
“Spock it is.”