Title: Drink One For Me (1/4)
Author: klmeri
Fandom: Star Trek TOS
Pairing: Kirk/Spock/McCoy
Summary: In the past, Leonard has been more than willing to attend a Spring Fling or two as his captain’s wing man. But when Spock starts tagging along, Leonard realizes he may have been assuming some things he shouldn’t have.
Or read at AO3

Prologue

Leonard Horatio McCoy is by no means a slow-witted man. He ranks in the top of his profession. He has published more revolutionary medical articles in two decades than most of his senior colleagues have in their lifetimes. While his name may sometimes be said with dislike, it is always coupled with an underlying respect for his intelligence and his empathetic insight.

How is it, then, that he has come to be in this situation and not realized until a moment ago this is where he has been heading all along?

Two people stand before him. Leonard owes them his life a hundred times over. He has nearly given his life for them as many times. What they want from him is a simple answer, an honest explanation—one that they deserve.

While they look upon Leonard, expectant, he comes to understand two things almost simultaneously: first, at the root of a simple answer lies a messy stew of feelings; and second, he has no idea when a platonic kinship became an intimacy he is deeply afraid to lose.

In this situation can he afford to be honest with them? Is he capable of dishonesty?

He thinks not, which is why when Leonard opens his mouth, he regrets what he is going to say even before he says it.

“I was jealous.”

Beyond a slight, curious tilt of his head, Commander Spock offers none of the usual comebacks. Captain Kirk’s face does not change expression at all.

Oh yes, Leonard regrets his answer. But, as hard as he may try, he cannot bring himself to regret the feelings behind it—and that is the true explanation he fears to give them.

Of course, in that moment Kirk, Leonard’s longtime friend, finds his voice and demands, “Explain.“

There is some backing up one has to do in order to truly trace Leonard McCoy’s explanation back to its origins. The beginning could very well start at his commission aboard the USS Enterprise, or perhaps even farther back to the day McCoy and Kirk first met. That was an interesting event, with a twenty-something Jim Kirk (an eager junior officer from the USS Republic) encountering the sharpest-tongued medic he had ever had the ill fortune to meet. Or so Kirk would think at the time. But after a day or so under McCoy’s care while his injury from a firefight with a penal colony fugitive healed, a tentative, if somewhat short-lived, friendship formed between the two men. Years later and promotions abound, Jim specifically requested the transfer of Dr. McCoy to replace Piper, the Enterprise’s retiring CMO. He had always been known to be the kind of man whose hunches were never wrong, and had expressed that very sentiment to McCoy in a personal missive accompanying the paperwork.

Leonard is remembering that moment from the past, his first steps aboard the Enterprise, while his friend pours him a drink.

“You’re the only captain I know who has a wet bar in his quarters,” he says.

Kirk hands him a mint julep and a napkin. “Then you don’t know very many captains.”

Leonard accepts the napkin with a raised eyebrow.

Jim answers the unspoken question. “In case it’s awful.” There is a touch of humor to his mouth as he smiles. “I spent more of my days as a student in the Academy Archives than I did learning to make drinks.”

“Awful or not, thanks,” drawls Leonard. Then he tastes the beverage, and a significant pause ensues while he decides whether or not to swallow his mouthful of the horrible stuff.

“Told you,” Jim says ruefully. “What did I forget?”

Leonard swallows with a slight grimace and replies, “The mint, I think.”

The man turns back to his bar and picks up a packet. “I thought that was included. The directions are fairly simple. They say ‘Stir.'”

Leonard takes the packet from his friend and throws it in the recycler. “Jim, if I have to explain to you why you can’t make a decent drink from a mix, then you really did spend your days with your head buried in a pile of books.”

Jim winks. “On the upside, I taught myself Klingon.”

Leonard barks out a laugh and, without thinking, takes another sip of the offensive mint julep. His expression must be truly comical after that, because Jim breaks into a broad grin and slaps his shoulder.

The man takes the drink out of Leonard’s hand and disposes of it, promising to make a better version next time around.

Leonard isn’t certain he wants to endure a second round, but for Jim’s sake he supposes he will.

Jim lifts a purple, gourd-shaped bottle with the offer, “Brandy?”

Leonard nods. “Straight. That way, even you can’t mess it up.”

“Don’t challenge me, Bones,” his friend replies mildly, pouring each of them a small tumbler’s worth of the liquor. “I might just have to take you up on it.”

“Color me surprised. Now give over that glass, Jim-boy. For some reason, I have this horrendous taste in my mouth!”

“You wound me, Doctor.”

“Funny, my taste buds feel the same way.”

Their light banter continues on good-naturedly until they are settled at a round table large enough to accommodate a group of four. Yet even with just the two of them, they don’t optimize the space by sitting across from each other. Leonard’s elbow is close enough to brush against Jim’s.

“So,” he steers the conversation into more practical territory, as he is originally there by formal invitation, “is something on your mind, Captain, or did you just call me here as a guinea pig?”

“Have you heard of the Aurelis Moon Gala?”

“You mean that fancy shindig the Aurelians throw every year in hopes of improving their political backing?”

Jim’s mouth quirks. “That’s not the official description, Bones, but yes. That one.”

“Frankly, it sounds like more trouble than it’s worth.”

“I wouldn’t disagree.” But the man next to Leonard sighs. “Unfortunately I’ve been told attendance is mandatory for the captain of the Federation flagship this year.”

“Joy,” Leonard mutters into his glass.

“I’m glad you think so, Bones, because you’re going with me.”

“Wait, what? Why me!”

Jim just looks at him.

Leonard sighs, then grumbles, but inevitably agrees. “Huh, won’t that give those high-collared popinjays a stir? Captain Kirk brings his CMO along as his date.”

Jim suddenly looks uneasy. “Do you think Spock would consider going?”

That’s a strange question to Leonard. “You and I both know he has an aversion to, well, any type of social function—especially the kind that requires tedious diplomacy and vapid conversation.” Leonard hesitates. “But if you want him with us, there’s an easy-enough solution.”

“I don’t want to make it an order.”

“Then ask, Jim. The worst he can do is turn you down.”

Jim sighs again and drains the brandy from his glass.

Leonard taps his finger against his own tumbler before asking, “Is there a particular reason why you need Spock?”

Jim doesn’t give a proper explanation, simply shakes his head and says, “Reinforcements.”

I’ve always been your reinforcement, Leonard argues silently.

He raises his drink to his mouth and swallows the rest of it. “Make sure you convince him, then.”

“Thanks, Bones.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Leonard changes the subject.

Heheheh. I’m allowed to write this, aren’t I? And drown you in feels later on? Because that’s what I totally intend to do. :)

Next Part

Related Posts:

• Drink One For Me (7/7) – from May 22, 2015
• Drink One For Me (6/7) – from May 22, 2015
• Drink One For Me (5/6) – from April 29, 2015
• Drink One For Me (4/6) – from April 23, 2015
• Drink One For Me (3/5) – from April 10, 2015