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Leonard woke to the sound of his door opening. It was locked; he was sure of that, even half-awake as he was. He didn’t bother sitting up. Either someone was here to kill him, which he was frankly having a hard time being bothered about, or it was ---
Jim knelt by the bed, right in front of his eyeline. Leonard quickly closed them and hoped Jim would take the hint and leave. “Bones,” he said in a drunk mockery of gentleness. “Bones, wake up.”
“Jesus, Jim, it’s--” Leonard opened his eyes long enough to look at the clock. “It’s 0300.”
“I need to talk to you.”
“As far as you’re concerned, I’m dead.”
“I think I just met the love of my life.”
Leonard groaned and turned over. The move was a mistake, because the other side of the bed was empty. Jim crawled over his legs and laid down facing Leonard, fully clothed and on top of the covers. Leonard closed his eyes and tried to pretend he was asleep.
“I’m being serious, Bones,” Jim said, his voice earnest.
“Last week, you were serious about Eliza. A month ago, you were serious about that Andorian Ambassador, what was his name?”
“Terut,” Jim said. “And this is different.”
“How, exactly?” Leonard said without lifting his head. “Are you drunk?”
“A little,” Jim admitted. “I’m gonna make him my first officer.”
“You can’t fuck him if he’s your first officer,” Leonard mumbled into his pillow.
“I can if we keep it professional.”
“How in the hell--” Leonard sat up in bewilderment.
“Hah!” Jim said triumphantly. “I knew you were awake.”
“Fine, alright, damn you,” Leonard grumbled, turning on a light. “How the hell are you gonna fuck someone, professionally?”
Jim shrugged. “Marry him, I guess? Clear it with Starfleet first? Whatever it takes.”
“You are something else, Jim,” Leonard said, shaking his head in disbelief.
“And you love me.”
“Not of my own volition, no.”
“Love you too, Bones.”
“Don’t,” Leonard pinched the bridge of his nose and resisted the urge to get a drink. If he got out of bed, there was no way he was falling back asleep before his shift. “Don’t start with me.”
Jim settled on the bed, hands folded over his stomach, and sighed wistfully. “He beat me at chess.”
“Oh, my god.” Leonard couldn’t believe he was having this conversation. “That’s all it takes?”
“No really, it’s impressive. No one beats me at chess,” Jim said. Suddenly his eyes lit up. “Oh, and get this, he shook my hand. Twice!”
“All the love in my heart, but you had a hand in the Ambassador’s pants two hours after meeting him. This seems like a low bar for you.”
Jim barreled on, ignoring him. “I initiated, but I really didn’t think he was gonna do it, since he’s Vulcan and all.”
Something donned on Leonard like an anvil dons on an egg. “Wait,” he closed his eyes and took a breath, preparing himself to ask a question he didn’t want the answer to. “What’s his name?”
Jim’s smile became something soft and sweet enough to make Leonard gag. “Spock.”
“Spock?” Leonard asked in disbelief. “Vulcan Spock?”
Jim looked at Leonard, eyebrows drawn together in confusion. “That is what I said.”
“Science officer on the Enterprise, Spock. Son of Sarek and Amanda Grayson, Spock?”
“I didn’t ask about his parents,” Jim said defensively. He propped himself up on one elbow, his eyes searching Leonard's face. “Do you know Spock?”
“I’ve read papers on Spock,” Leonard replied. His tone was clipped, dancing the line between anger and disbelief. Of course this was the person Jim had met. “He’s the first living Human-Vulcan hybrid. He’s medically fascinating.”
“And you can meet him!” The unease faded from Jim’s face, replaced with his signature charming smile. Leonard liked to think he was immune to them by now.
“I don’t want to.”
“Someday, when you’re my Chief Medical Officer, you’re gonna have to work with him.”
“I’m not gonna be your CMO,” Leonard asserted. He hated how Jim kept bringing this topic up, like it was possible to wear him down. Five years in space was plenty for him. “I’m gonna finish this tour and take a nice, cushy job at a hospital on Earth. Maybe the moon.”
“You’d be bored on the moon.”
“Minimal aliens, little nonsense, no life-threatening anomalies. I’d love the moon.” Leonard laid back down. “Computer, lights off.”
“C’mon, Bones, don’t you want to stay up and gossip?”
“You can either shut up or get out of my bed.”
There was a long, blissful moment of silence before Jim spoke again. “Does this mean I can sleep here?”
“Tread carefully, kid, I know all of your allergies,” Leonard threatened. “At least take your damn uniform off first.”