Work Text:
Stardate: 2263.2
There was always a need for more medical supplies due to Jim’s escapades and getting hurt anytime they went to a new planet. It always meant they needed to stock up on more at the next port, luckily, Dr. McCoy was taking inventory tonight. He normally worked late though at this point, he really didn’t know if it was day or night or neither. He didn’t care either at the moment, he still hated it. Jim being there made it less… awful. In a sense. The Captain was his best friend and he would go to the ends of the galaxy for him but he would absolutely never tell the man that. Jim didn’t need his ego to be any bigger.
He shook his head as he continued to check boxes on his pad. It wouldn’t take too much longer. He raised a brow when the doors slid open and then the steps headed off to his room. Who was coming around this time of night? He wondered as he sat the pad down and headed to his cabin. He wasn’t too surprised to see a head of blonde hair in his bed. The doctor also wouldn’t admit it but he softened. He had been having worse nightmares as their time progressed and Bones often did find Kirk in his bed. He would also never admit any of this but he liked having the man in his bed and he did hate sleeping alone too. He knew Jim did. He sighed softly as he sat his pad down and then went to shower. He figured that he might as well go to bed because the last thing he wanted was a whiny Jim Kirk. It didn’t take the man long to come back out in his briefs with his wet hair. He ran a hand through it as he turned off the lights and then crawled into bed. Jim didn’t look peaceful, he also didn’t look asleep either.
“Jim?”
“Hm?”
“Nightmare?”
“Yeah.”
The doctor frowned, there was nothing between them here. They didn’t have to be anyone else when it was just the two of them. He knew Jim wasn’t in the mood for banter, most likely, he just wanted to be held. Jim had always loved affection and Bones would never admit it, but he did too. “You want to be a big spoon?” He asked quietly as the man grinned tiredly at him before moving closer and wrapping his arms around him. Jim buried his face in between the man’s neck, breathing in the scent that was distinctly Leonard McCoy. He smelt like fresh air with a hint of the woods. It made Jim relax and having Jim hold him made Bones relax too. He felt his body nestle into the other man as Jim held him tighter. It was easy to get attached this way when they both ended up finding their way into the other’s room. It had been going on for months at this point but they seemed to be the only ones able to calm each other’s nightmares and get the other to go to sleep too.
“You know we could just start sharing a cabin.” Jim started, brushing his lips against Bones’ ear and the doctor shivered as he rolled his eyes but he placed his hand on top of Jim’s and let himself get comfortable.
“Not on your life, Kirk.” He grumbled and Jim grinned against his skin. At least there was something positive from the night. Jim was smiling and that gave Leonard a sense of fulfillment knowing he caused that but once more, he was never going to tell him that. “I don’t need to wake up to a cranky toddler for a captain every morning.”
Jim laughed at that and held the man tighter, slipping his leg between his so he was trapped. “You secretly love waking up to me in the mornings.” He told him and Bones grunted, rolling his eyes again. But he was right. He did love waking up with him in the morning.
“Nope. Now shut up and go to sleep, Jim.”
“Yes, doctor.”
It didn’t take long for either of them to fall asleep but at that point, it didn’t matter, their dreams were filled with happiness and warmth (maybe a little naughty) rather than the cold and dark that they were surrounded by for the next two years.