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#leonard mccoy fanfiction
Pajama Party - Star Trek
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A/N: inspired in part by this work of Art, and also by my obsession with cute pajamas. Mostly just a fic about the crew, but had to throw in a little reader x Leonard, cause you know me. Also let’s just pretend JJ is not there.
Pairing: Leonard McCoy x Reader, Enterprise crew x Reader Word Count: 2.5k Synopsis: When the power goes out in the Enterprise, the crew must navigate through the darkened halls in their pajamas to restore power.
You can find all the pajamas in this post here!
When the lights went off, you had just pulled back the covers of your bed. 
You gave it a moment. You were in deep space, after all, much farther than anyone had travelled before. Hopefully, this was just a brief glitch as the Enterprise acclimated to the new territory. 
A few seconds later, you heard the sound of machinery powering down, and the steady hum of the thrusters stopped. 
“Fuck,” you muttered. Emergency lights came on in your room, leading you towards the exit. When the door slid open, you knew that the Enterprise at least had some power. The hallway was littered with bright red emergency lights every few feet, and at every cabin door, a crewmember’s head was popping out.
“What is it, Y/N?” a crewmember three doors down from you asked. 
“I don’t know. I’ll see if I can find Jim,” you said. “Everyone just hang here for a while. When there’s an update, you’ll know.”
“Are we in danger?” someone asked.
“No, we are not.” All heads turned towards the opposite end of the hallway where Jim Kirk was strutting towards you. Also dressed in his pajamas, Jim looked as if he had just woken up, with his hair mussed at the back of his head.
“What’s going on?” you asked as he stopped in front of you. His pajamas had you doing a double take. “Is that . . . the Enterprise?” you asked, unable to hide the smile on your face. 
“What?” He looked down at his pajamas and a soft blush appeared on his face. He stammered over a response before shaking his head. “Is it wrong for a man to be proud of his ship?” 
“When that pride manifests itself like this? Absolutely. You are such a nerd.”
“Oh, come on, like yours are any better,” he said, motioning to the floral pattern of your own pajamas.
“They are. One hundred percent better than yours.”
“So you’re telling me you always dress in matching three piece sets? You weren’t expecting someone, Y/N, were you?”
“Please,” you said with a roll of your eyes. “The only thing I was expecting was a full night of sleep.”
“As was I. So what happened?”
“What, just because I work in engineering you think I know what’s going on?” 
“Yeah,” Jim said, looking at you incredulously. 
“Fine, I can figure it out. I don’t know what happened just by sound. Let’s go down to engineering.”
“Why do I have to go down, too?” Jim asked, “I really could use a good night’s sleep.”
“How can you take pride in your ship if you don’t help her in her time of need?” you asked, your eyes flashing back to his pajamas. 
“Just lead the way,” he said with a roll of his eyes. 
As you walked down the halls, you took note of what was still functioning on the Enterprise. You were still standing, so the gravity levels were still normal. Oxygen levels were normal, as was the temperature regulator.
“All necessary functions are still running, meaning that it wasn’t a complete shut down of the system,” you said. “It has to be something with the energy core, then.”
“My thoughts exactly, Ms. Y/L/N.”
You and Jim both turned to see Spock and Uhura walking towards you from the hallway connecting their sector to the main corridor. They were both dressed in pajamas, and when they stepped into the light, your jaws dropped.
“What are you wearing?” Jim asked at the same time that you said, “What’s on your face?”
“Nyota was applying an avocado based facial mask to my skin when the power went out.”
“He has very dry skin,” Nyota said as explanation. 
“Does he?” Jim considered, studying his first officer’s face. 
“Captain, as interesting as Lieutenant Uhura’s face mask recipe may be, I believe our primary focus should still be on returning the ship’s power.”
“I agree,” you said, tugging on Jim’s arm to lead him back down the hall.
“The energy core has three distinct parts, every few months, these pieces must be rotated to ensure that none of the parts are drained of their full energy, in the case of an emergency. It is my theory that perhaps one of these pieces was not rotated soon enough, and thus was drained of its power, sinking us into this darkness,” Spock explained.
“That sound about right to you?” Jim asked.
“I don’t usually deal with the energy core,” you said, “But yes, I believe Spock’s theory is correct. Once we get down to engineering, we’ll know for sure.”
“And you can fix it?”
“Like I said, I’m not an expert on the energy core. Mr. Scott should be able to, though.”
“Let’s hope Scotty’s awake then,” Jim said.
The turbolift was apparently not deemed a necessity, because when you tried to use it to bring you down to engineering, there was only a hum that came from the doors that never opened. 
“I don’t think I’ve ever been this far down here,” Nyota said. “Never walked down here at least.”
“I have,” Jim said. He stopped in his tracks, looking around at the number of doors around your group. He followed the numbers back a few doors before knocking loudly on a door.
“No,” a voice yelled from the other end. Leonard.
“Come on, Bones, I know you heard us.” The door slid open and Leonard stepped out, dressed in a long nightshirt that made your jaw drop. 
“How the hell could I not?” he asked. “I’ve heard you coming since you were three levels up. What happened to the power?” he asked, looking at you.
“What are you wearing?” 
“Pajamas.”
“You look like Ebenezer Scrooge,” Jim laughed. 
“Why did you wake me up if you were just going to make fun of my pajamas?”
“Because I had no idea you would be wearing a dress.”
“It’s not a dr--”
“Gentleman,” Spock said, stepping between the captain and his CMO. “Instead of making comments about each other’s nightwear, perhaps our time would be better spent bringing power back to the ship.”
“Yeah, alright,” Leonard said, rolling his eyes as he stepped away from Jim. “It’s not like yours aren’t even more embarrassing.” 
“How are mine more embarrassing than a dress?” Jim asked. “And speaking of pajamas,” he said, turning to Spock, “What are you wearing?”
“My sleepwear falls under Starfleet regulation, as does Dr. McCoy’s. Not only are your pajamas out of regulation, Captain, they are also, by far, the most embarrassing.”
“Okay, okay,” Uhura said, “Let’s just get down to engineering. Clearly, we’re all a little sleep deprived.” You exchanged a glance with her and found the same smirk on her face. 
“I never would have taken you as a nightgown person,” you said to Leonard as the rest of the group fell into step around you. He seemed annoyed when he looked at you, but there was a soft smile on his face. You also never would have thought you could be attracted to a man in a nightgown. 
“What should I be wearing? Colorful, floral pajamas like you?” he asked.
“Well, mine are a lot cuter.”
“They are,” he said. A slight blush rose in your cheeks, but thanks to the dim red light from the emergency lights, no one noticed it. 
“If you two are done flirting,” Jim called. “Can we please just get to engineering.”
“You’re the one who stopped to pick him up,” you said, pointing a thumb at Leonard.
“And you’re the one slowing us down to flirt with him,” he said, “We can blame each other all day.”
“Whatever, let’s just--”
“Captin! Captin!” 
The entire group turned to see Chekov and Sulu rushing towards the group. Chekov had been the one to yell, and when he reached the group, he was panting, and sweat was slicking his skin. This was easy to see, because despite a pair of plaid pajama pants, Chekov wasn’t wearing anything. A quick glance at the group, you saw that you weren’t the only one surprised by Chekov’s muscles.
Conversely, Sulu was wearing the exact opposite. Fully clothed, Sulu's pajamas were designed to look like a penguin.
“Ha!” Jim said, pointing to Sulu. “His are more embarrassing than mine!”
“My husband, daughter, and I all got matching ones last Christmas,” he said, “I like to wear them. They remind me of home.”
“Yours are still more embarrassing, Jim,” you said. He waved a hand to shut you up. 
“Why did you guys run all the way down here?”
“The ship has dropped out of warp,” Sulu said.
“Are we in friendly space?”
“We’re in unknown space, Captin,” Chekov said with a sigh. “As far as we can tell, there are no nearby life forms.”
“Either way, shields up,” Jim ordered.
“Already done, sir.”
“Good. Now, no more interruptions,” he said. “Let’s go figure this out.”
“All of us?” Leonard asked.
“We’ve all made it this far,” Jim said with a shrug. “I guess we’re all going to engineering.
You were not aware that the ship even had stairs, the thought never crossed your mind that one day you might have to go down twenty flights of them. When the group finally arrived in engineering, you all took a moment to catch your breaths.
“Everyone alright?” Leonard asked. Everyone grumbled in the affirmative. 
“What are you all doing down here?” Scotty asked, walking up one of the metal staircases that led deeper into engineering.
“We’re here to fix the energy core,” you said, your eyes widening as he reached the top of the stairs. He was wearing red plaid pajamas, which would have been normal, if not for the matching nightcap on his head.
“If you had one of those you really would be Scrooge,” you muttered to Leonard. He let out a breath of laughter but shook his head.
“What?” Scotty asked.
“What are you wearing?” Jim asked.
“What are you wearing?” Scotty asked, putting his hands on his hips, “I know the Enterprise inside and out, and I wouldn’t even wear those.” The group all tried to stifle their laughter, especially when Jim glared at them.
“Scotty, the energy core.”
“I’m working on it,” he said.
“What’s the holdup?”
“I am missing a piece,” Scotty said sheepishly. “I have Keenser looking for it now, seeing as he is the one who lost it!” he yelled over the railing. “But so far--”
“What does it look like?” Uhura asked. “We can all look for it.”
Scotty described what he was looking for, then set all of you off in different directions of engineering to see who could find it first. You were walking through a section of machinery, all still humming quietly, with lights blinking every few seconds, when you heard a muttered curse. 
Turning the corner, you spotted Leonard rubbing his toe as he glared down at a box of supplies. You laughed softly, and he looked up.
“You alright?”
“I’m fine. Just can’t see anything in this mess, even if I knew what I was looking for.”
“Want to search together?” you asked. “I can point out boxes of supplies to you.” He smiled weakly at you but nodded his head.
“Thank you.”
“Of course, anything for--”
“Do not call me Scrooge again,” he said, following you to another shelf of supplies.
“I wasn’t. I was just going to say you,” you said. Leonard kept your gaze for a moment longer than expected. “So, um, I think it might be in this mess here.”
“Mess is right,” Leonard said, jumping on the change of subject. “Who keeps their stuff like this?”
“Oh, that would be me.”
“Ah hell, Y/N, I’m so--”
“Don’t be,” you said, “I know how I work. Maybe if I kept my stuff more organized we all wouldn’t be stuck searching in the dark.”
“You don’t know it’s here,” Leonard said, “Besides, it’s nice.”
“What is?”
“Tonight. I’ve always wanted to have a pajama party with the crew.” You laughed and crouched down to check the lower shelf.
“Found it!” someone called. You looked towards the sound and your eyes locked with Leonard’s.
“Shall we?” he asked, holding out his hand. You took it and let him pull you to your feet. As the two of you walked back towards the group, he didn’t let go of your hand until you were in view of the crew.
“Keenser had it the whole time,” Nyota said, leading Spock and the alien in question into the gathered group. Everyone’s jaws fell open when they saw what Keenser was wearing.
“Where the hell did you get those?” Scotty asked, his face reddening with annoyance as Keenser walked up to the group with the missing piece and a matching pair of pajamas to Scotty’s.
“Scotty, please, it has been a long night,” Jim said.
“Right.” He took the piece from Keenser and within a few minutes, had the energy core back up. It hummed and started to rotate normally again.
“No power though?” Sulu asked.
“The core takes a little while to heat up,” you said, “Unless in emergency situations, the core should be given twenty minutes to return to proper functioning.”
“Why did this even happen in the first place?” Jim asked.
“We switched models last year,” Scotty said. “This one doesn’t need to be swapped every few months, except it wasn’t updated in the ship’s programming. The Enterprise turned it off as a security precaution.”
“So this won’t happen again?” 
“No, sir.”
“I’ll make sure the ship is updated first thing in the morning,” you said. Jim let out a sigh and nodded his head.
“Alright. Thank you all for your help. I’ll see you in the morning.”
The group made their way back up the stairs. Jim followed Chekov and Sulu onto their level, muttering something about getting a drink with Chekov. Nyota and Spock said their goodbyes at their level, until it was just you and Leonard.
“Thank you for helping us look,” you said. “Sorry Jim dragged you out of bed.”
“Don’t be,” Leonard said with a wave of his hand. “He usually finds a way to ruin my night one way or another.”
“Did you have plans tonight?”
“No. I intended to make some, but . . .”
“But?”
“I sort of chickened out,” he said, looking at you with a smile. 
“What kind of plans? Not a different pajama party?”
“No,” he said with a laugh. “I wanted to ask someone out.”
“Oh.”
“But it’s alright, I got to spend the night with them anyway.”
“Oh,” you said again, your eyes locking with his as he stopped in front of his door. 
“Not my idea of a first date,” he said, “But still an enjoyable evening.”
“I agree. So when are you going to get the courage to ask for a second date?”
“Right no--” He stopped talking when you were plunged into darkness, even the emergency lights going out. “What’s the matter now?”
“Nothing. When the core starts up, everything is shut down for two minutes.”
“Really? In that case . . .”
If anyone had been left out in the hall, when the lights came on, they would have found you and Leonard entangled in each other’s arms, in the middle of a hell of a kiss. You broke away with the lights and looked at him, breathless.
“So? A second date?” he asked.
“Yeah, yeah, I’d love to.”
“Me too. Goodnight, Y/N.”
“Goodnight, Leonard.”
488 notes · View notes
crazyk-imagine · 1 year
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Leadership and Mended Relationships
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Pairing: Leonard “Bones” McCoy x Ex-Captain! reader Characters:  Leonard “Bones” McCoy, Ex-Captain! reader, James T. Kirk, Spock Warnings: Fake aliens, bad alien biology (author created), mentions of crew mates dying or being dead, Kirk and reader interactions, Kirk and Bones interactions, classic Spock behavior, fighting, mentions of stabbing Word Count: 3,357
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You sigh, staring up at the sky as you think about everything that’s happened to lead to this moment; you in a tree, so your friends don’t harm you. 
Can you even call them friends if they’re constantly trying to kill you? 
You shrug off the idea and return your focus onto nothing and stare at the sky with an empty head, no thoughts running around. 
It’s almost… peaceful, even if there are times where you wish you still had someone to talk to. 
-
The annoying whispers of people below you, draw your attention onto them. 
They clearly don’t know who resides on this planet now and certainly won’t know how to protect themselves. 
You sigh and climb down from the tree branch. You stand behind the two. “Would you two shut up?” 
The blond male raises his phaser, aiming it at you. 
He looks familiar but you can’t focus on that. “What are you two doing here?” 
The two men glance at one another, each with a raised brow. “Where’s your ship? I need to get you two out of here.” 
The darker haired one furrows his brows, unable to tell if you’re being honest or not. “How do we know we can trust you?” 
‘That voice is familiar?’ You roll your eyes, shaking your head. ‘Absolute idiots.’ “Those things you’re hiding from, are infected with an unknown disease. They were once people I knew but now, they will severely harm anyone that gets in their way. Now, I’ll ask you again, do you want to live?” 
“Which way.” The captain interrupts before the darker haired man could interject. 
“Good.” You jerk your head to the side, “follow me.” As you slowly move away, you listen to their complaints and sketchy attitude towards you. 
-
“I don’t think this is a good idea.” 
James glances back towards you, rushing ahead of Leonard. “Yeah, well, we don’t have a lot of other options, huh.” 
“How do we know we can trust her?” 
He stops, barely having enough time to keep distance between you and him. The lighter haired man turns around to face his friend and loyal shipmate with a questioning look. “Do you see anyone else willing to help us?” 
You shush the two, not wanting either of them to draw anyone closer. 
The man in blue continues to make unhelpful comments. 
You can’t take it anymore and decide to do the only thing you can and cover his mouth with your hand, needing him to shut up. “You need to shut up, okay?” 
Your gaze travels up from his hand, leaving you to stare into his eyes. “If you don’t, you two will not make it out alive. Do you understand?” ‘These eyes…’ 
A vulcan runs through the bush blocking you three from the rogues. “There seems to be a tribe of- oh. Hello.” 
“Both of you keep,” you stare at the two who seem to be the most compliable. “’complains too much’ quiet and stay here. Do. Not. Move.” 
-
You push the push aside, needing to see where they are and come up with a plan. You turn back, glancing over your shoulder, “when I say run. You run.” 
“Wait,” the captain begins to argue. 
You shush him, “don’t speak another word. Do as I say when I tell you to, okay?” 
The captain sees the fire in your eyes and nods. 
You run forward heading towards a tree, knowing it’s your only means of safety. 
-
James glances over at his buddy. “Are you happy, Bones? Our one chance of survival just ran away.” 
“Shut up, Kirk.” 
-
You jump down onto the first one that moves closer, tackling it to the ground. 
You two battle with one another, struggling to dodge the punches coming your way, only to succeed when you punch it in the nose and it proceeds to fall to the ground, no longer moving. 
Your head snaps up as two others stomp, rushing towards you. 
You pull out your handmade dagger, swiping at the closest one. 
It lets out a shriek, holding its arm as if it’s in pain. 
“Run!” 
-
None of them could move. 
Spock tries to get you to move but neither of them listen as he tries to persuade them away from here. 
The other rogue comes up behind you, wrapping their arms around your waist, pulling you into their grasp. 
The two of you struggle before you manage to get the upper hand, thrusting your elbow up, hitting its nose. 
There’s one thing you’ve come to realize and won’t hesitate to teach the others, wanting to save lives. Maybe make up for the lives you saw lost today. 
The rogue that got away from you shrieks, most likely upset that its two companions are now dead. It isn’t much of a fight between the two of you once you get the upper hand. 
-
You take a deep breath, holding your side at the sharp pain that comes with every breath you take. ‘Slowly inhale. Exhale.’ 
You push the bushes aside, showing the three your tired expression. “Now,” you huff. “I ask again, where’s your ship?” 
“Why do you want to know so badly?” James asks you. 
Leonard chimes in before you can answer. “What did you do to those-” 
“Rogues. Can I get a captain, a doctor, and a Vulcan back to their ship because that’d be great.” 
“And what of you?” Spock asks. 
You shrug, “whatever you see fit.” 
“I don’t believe I understand the term “you see fit”. There is no reason to see why things are fit. Are you referring to your camouflage attire?” 
The three males have been unable to see your face this entire time, but you simply answer his question with a stare. 
“Call your crew. They’ve waited long enough. I want to get you out of here. The longer you stay here, the more at risk you all are at becoming a rogue.” 
“Is that what happened to you and your crew?” The captain asks. 
You sigh through your nose, “yes.” 
Leonard grits his teeth. “We can’t contact our crew.” 
You pinch the bridge of your nose, “what’s the last thing you remember seeing before being chased over here?” 
“It was really colorful.” 
“Well, isn’t that helpful. Can any of you tell me something else? Something distinct?” 
“We were near a camp or what looked like an abandoned campsite,” the dark-haired man chimes in. 
“Oh.” Your voice doesn’t come out as comforting as they could have hoped. 
“You know where it is?” The captain asks, surprised by your answer. 
“Yes,” you say, with a sigh. “Get up, it’s time to start walking.” 
“How do you know there aren’t going to be anymore coming after us?” 
You take a deep breath. “Those three were the last of my crew.” 
“Who are you?” The Vulcan asks. 
“Someone trying to help you. Now you can either sit here with a high risk of being infected or you can follow and be quiet while I get you out of here safely.” 
“Why’re you talking like you’re never getting out of here?” James asks. 
“I never thought it was going to happen... still don’t. I also don’t expect you to invite me aboard. You have a crew to protect and look out for. I understand.” 
“You went through the same thing.” 
“… look at where that got me.” 
“I’m sure you did everything you could.” 
“It wasn’t enough.” 
“You seem like the kind of person who would do everything they could to protect those they care about and, in some cases, even complete strangers.” 
“Is this how you get girls into your bed?” 
“Well- not mine- but- that doesn’t matter. How- how would you know?” 
“You have a quality.” 
“A quality?” 
“I bet you use those blue eyes to reel them in.” You push plants aside, giving the three more space to walk through. 
“Am I wrong?” 
“I don’t find this to be necessary regarding our escape, captain.” 
The corner of your lips tugs upwards. “That’s correct, Spock.” 
“Wait- wait. You two know each other?” Leonard asks, shocked at the interaction between the two of you. 
“We were all in the academy together.” 
“If I’m not mistaken, at one point, we were in the same class.” 
You stop, looking up at the sky as you take a deep breath. “We’re here.” 
“Cap- Capt- Captain.” The captain pulls out his comm. 
“Scotty.” 
You smile when you hear the classic sigh of relief from a crewmate. “How’re we lookin?” 
“Good. Better now. Ready to beam up, Sir?” 
“Yes. Beam up the four of us.” 
Your head snaps in his direction. 
“Four?” Leonard leans closer to his captain, “Jim, are you sure about this?” 
-
Before you know it, you’re on the ship and find a few others giving you strange looks. “Are you sure you want me here? I don’t even know your names.” 
“You never told her our names?” Spock asks, although he's sure you know their names. He knows you were always one to try and remember people’s names, reason unknown to him. 
You cross your arms, “does it matter?” 
“It will when we have you checked out?” James says, unsure of what he’s suggesting. 
“I’ll pass,” you assure him. 
“Pass? You’ll pass...” Leonard chimes in. “On a visit to the doctor which you haven’t been to in how long?” 
You avoid his gaze. “A while.” 
“Exactly.” 
“Nope. I’m not doing this” you spin around to walk away. “Bye.” 
“Hey! Wait up!” The captain shouts, running after you. 
-
“I’m Jim.” 
“As in Kirk?” 
He tilts his head. “How’d you know?” 
“I went to school with you.” 
His expression doesn’t change. 
“You definitely did not pay attention the first time this was mentioned.” 
He scoffs, “that’s rude of you to assume.” 
“It’s not assuming if I’m right. Now, go get me a new uniform and we’ll talk.” You raise a brow when he doesn��t move. 
“O- okay. Follow me.” He shows you where the spare uniforms are (after asking one of his crew members where to go) and grabs one for you. 
You take it, examining it. “Is there anything else besides a dress?” 
“Not at the moment.” 
“Could I get a red one? Gold just- it’s not my color anymore.” 
“Yeah, no problem.” He switches the uniforms for you. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.” You unwrap the scarf from your head and remove your goggles, followed by the rest of your attire. 
His eyes widen at the sight of you stripping down. “Wow, your just-” 
“It’s skin, not a new undiscovered planet. If you can’t handle this, turn around.” 
“I think I’m good.” 
He squints when he sees your tattoo. “Have I met you somewhere?” 
You pull the dress up, slipping your arms through the sleeves. “I did mention we went to school together.” 
“Yeah, I know. I meant besides that.” 
“I’ve been everywhere so it could have been a number of places.” 
“Okay. It’s just- I’ve seen that tattoo somewhere before.” 
“I’ve had to change on the way to class before. Could have been then.” 
He nods. “Follow-” He’s cut off when the ship shakes, you fall against the wall. 
-
“Captain on the bridge.” 
“What’s going-” 
“You need to get power and you need power now,” you tell the two men who sit in front of the captain’s chair. 
“There’s too little power. We can’t leave.” 
“I’m getting us out of here. Jim, I need your permission to-” 
“Captain, they’re trying to make contact,” a woman in a red outfit says, holding her headset in one hand. 
“Let them.” 
“Isn’t this a surprise?” 
You turn to see the man who did this. “Krealigah. (kr-ee-leh-gah) Taking my crew wasn’t enough. You’ve decided to steal this ship’s power. Still trying to continue with your torture plan?” 
“I wouldn’t say that. You know what happens to those who bad mouth me.” 
“And you know what I can do. Seems to me like we know hardly enough about each other so how about you and I beam down so we can have a proper talk?” 
“As nice as that sounds, I’m going to pass.” 
“Why do you need their ships power? You have enough to leave.” 
He chuckles, “who says I want to leave. Maybe I want to see how long you think you can survive with this crew.” 
“The only thing you want to do is see innocent ships become tainted and ruined by whatever poison you have on you.” 
“We’ll see about that.” 
“He’s scanning us,” the dark-haired man sitting in front of the captain’s seat says. 
“His shields are down, right?” You ask. 
“Yes.” 
“Put yours up now. Jim, you need your shields up now and someone to go down to engineering. One of his men came aboard and messed with your systems. I know who. If you give me your permission, I can stop him and make sure the same thing that happened to me doesn’t happen to your crew.” 
He nods, “Mr. Sulu, shields up. You and I are going down to engineering and stop this guy.” 
“You should be-” 
“Let’s go.” 
“You don’t like to listen, do you? Always one to throw yourself straight into danger, huh.” 
“It’s called protecting my crew.” 
“Protecting your crew and being stupid are two different things.” 
“Now that you two have been acquainted, can we go down to engineering now?” 
“Spock, good timing as always.” 
-
You rush towards the doors and step inside. 
“She’s still here? Why is she- and you gave her clothes?” Seems like he does remember you. 
You spin around and poke his chest, “you need to shut up and know when to respect someone who’s saving lives, not in the same way as you but keeping people alive know the less. Keep talking like that and you’ll wind up with a foot up your-” 
“Okay,” James pulls you away from Leonard, making sure to keep a distance between the two of you. “You know, this would be a lot easier if you two could be friends.” 
“I don’t see that happening.” You cross your arms. 
“She isn’t making this easy.” 
You shake your head. “I swear,” you mumble. 
“What do we need to prepare ourselves for?” 
“A whirlwind of torture. When these doors open… grab anyone, you can and get them out of here.” 
“But we could-” 
“Spock.” 
“Yes.” 
“You don’t like to admit when anyone is right but if either of these two are the last ones here, you get them out of here.” 
He nods, “understood.” Leonard furrows his brows at how you managed to get the Vulcan to cooperate with you so easily. ‘She’s certainly changed…’ 
The ding makes your heart race. 
-
You know what’s coming but don’t want to experience it… again. You run out the doors, knowing exactly where he is. Placing the makeshift weapon into your belt. 
“Where are you going?” Leonard asks, from the bottom of the ladder. 
“Don’t follow me.” 
He grumbles and runs over to his captain when James calls for him. 
-
It wasn’t hard to find him, he threw the first punch. 
You continue fighting him even as you hear your name being called. 
Before he could try to escape you, you managed to grab the weapon you made for this occasion and jam it in between his ribs. 
“This is where our paths never cross again.” 
He stumbles backwards, his arms thrown out in front of him as he attempts to catch his balance. In the blink of an eye, he’s gone. 
You let out a deep breath until you cry out in pain. 
Krealigah managed to grab your ankle, pulling you with him. He uses the little amount of upper arm strength he has left and pulls himself up. 
Before you know it, all three use their phasers, giving you the opportunity to kick him off the wired path. 
James and Leonard haul you up, off the ground. “Is that it?” 
You nod, “yeah. He’s gone. It's over.” 
The captain gives you the biggest smile he could have. 
“I don’t like that look you’ve got there.” 
“Why? I’m not doing anything wrong?” 
You glance back at the other two to find Leonard shaking his head and Spock as emotionless as ever. “Start walking, I need to see a doctor or something.” 
“Then it’s a good thing we have a doctor right here.” 
You glance at him up and down. “I only see “complains a lot” standing there.” 
James snickers into his hand, “Bones… you’ve got a new name.” 
The man rolls his eyes. “I’m not going to stay here and listen to this.” 
You roll your eyes, “neither am I.” You step around James, attempting to leave until your body doesn’t want to cooperate. You slowly limp away from the three males. 
“Are you limping?” 
“No.” 
“Your ankle is hurting from when he grabbed it, is it not?” 
“Shut up, Spock.” You make it to the ladder. “I’m fine.” 
“You are not going down that ladder with your ankle being the way it is.” 
“I’m doing it. None of you can stop me.” 
“Fine. Hurt yourself more.” 
You give Leonard a sarcastic smile. “Just means you’ll have to take care of me longer.”
He shakes his head, “there’s an elevator over there. Come on.” He grabs your arms and pulls you up, keeping a tight grip on you so he doesn’t lose you. 
-
You four stand in the elevator with James and Spock in front of you as Leonard lets you lean against him. 
As soon as you get close to the med bay, people are asking questions and pulling him away. You manage to catch yourself before you can fall. 
You look around, everyone’s busy saving lives and fixing everyone’s wounds. 
You turn around to leave and sit in one of the break rooms, wondering where you should go from here. 
-
“Here you are.” He pulls out a chair and sits across from you. “I thought you managed to get off the ship.” 
“No,” you glance at the ground. “I just needed to let you all do your jobs and-” 
“I didn’t see your chart anywhere.” 
“That’s for a good reason.” 
“No one pulled you onto a bed?” 
“I left before anyone “could” besides I don’t need it. I’m fine.” 
“You could have fractured your ankle. Come here.” He moves the chair closer and lifts your ankle, examining it. “It doesn’t seem like anything’s broken but I need to be sure.” 
“No,” you shake your head. “I’ll be fine. I-” 
“You’re going to the med bay and getting examined. You’ve been gone for three years and no one’s…” 
“Three years is a long time.” 
“She divorced me a year before you got promoted and assigned that mission.” 
“So, your babygirl’s about seven now?” 
“She’ll be eight in a few months.” 
“That’s good to hear.” 
“Why didn’t you tell me?” 
You avoid Leonard’s gaze. “I thought you were dead this entire time. How could you not tell me?” 
“I was given orders.” 
“That’s ever stopped you before.” 
“I needed to know you’d be safe.” 
Hearing those words warm his heart, you’ve been protecting him this entire time… something he wanted to do in return for the longest time. “I missed you.” 
“I know,” you smile at him. “You used your relieved angry voice on me this entire time.” 
He shakes his head, hiding the smile that slowly stretches across his lips. “I’m happy you’re safe.” 
“I know.” 
“Aww.” 
“Dammit, Jim.” 
“What’d I do?” 
You roll your eyes. “I’m glad to see someone else adopted you.” 
“Yeah, we’re really a match made in heaven, aren’t Bones?” 
“Kirk, if you don’t shut up. I’m going to inject you again.” 
James narrows his eyes at his friend as he hauls you up out of your chair, knowing Leonard wants to have you get checked out at med bay. “Don’t forget I’m your captain, Bones.” 
“You’d die without me.” 
“Okay, can you two keep it in your pants and take me to that damn med bay before I start limping there myself.” 
Leonard shoves Jim away and helps you get there, needing to make sure that you’re okay.
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ivorydragoness44 · 10 months
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Doctor Leonard McCoy x Reader: Practice
Word Count: 766 Warnings/Notes: Established new romantic relationship, a little angst in the Reader being initially anxious to kiss Leonard for the first time, eventual kissing. Patient and understanding Leonard. Use of pet name: darlin’. Summary: The Reader and Leonard are studying, but he’s having a difficult time. Through the Reader’s intent listening encouragement, Leonard wants to kiss the Reader for the first time but finds that they are very much new to such a thing.
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   Starfleet Academy, the highway to your future and your current state of anxiety. Some of the time, at least. Studying, learning, everything was essential and crucial.    The unexpected, however, was the man now standing in front of you. Friends, you expected with great hope during your time there. A caring partner was not even on your list of expectations or what-if scenarios.    Doctor Leonard McCoy paced through your assigned dorm room before making his way back to you. “How the hell am I supposed to memorize, much less learn, these star maps? No matter how they arrange the stars on these maps, they all look the damn same.” The crease on his brow was beginning to appear permanent, and his face flushed in his state. “Charting stars, maps, whatever the hell they are, I can’t do. The human body, any body, is far easier. Gimme a medical problem and I’ll solve it. But this,” he sighed. Looking at you now, his brows furrowed differently, his eyes softer. “Are you just letting me vent, or are you that great of a listener?”    “Both,” you smiled, coaxing out one of his own. “You can’t force the information into your brain. You need to take it slow.”    Leonard huffed, “There’s a test in two weeks.”    “You know what I mean. Maybe…put it into a medical perspective or something in terms that you’ll understand. Like, pretend it’s parts of a body. Whether it be the stars as blood cells…or a nebula or a star cluster as tissue, whatever works for you.” Moving, you stood up and took a step toward him. “I mean, come on, Leonard, you’re ridiculously smart. You’re a doctor and a surgeon for more than just humans, you’ll figure this out. Just give yourself the time that you need.”
   Leonard ducked his head and smiled for a moment. As he looked back into your eyes, he placed his hands to your arms and slid them down to hold your hands. “You, darlin’, are the absolute sweetest. I don’t remember meeting someone as encouraging as you, ever.”    Taking a step closer, he was very much in your personal space. You caught the way his eyes darted down to your lips more than once, making your heart-rate pick up. After a moment, you realized that you started to do the same thing. As he leaned in slowly, you could feel your heart pounding throughout your chest. Your nerves were skyrocketing.   When his eyes began to close and his breath was upon you, you moved. In the next second, your hand was on his chest. Palm flat, yet firm. “Wait,” you squeaked out quietly.    Leonard stopped. With his head pressed lightly to yours, he waited.    A breath passed between you. “I’m sorry,” you said hardly above a whisper.    “No, no. Don’t be. Talk to me. Was I…coming on to strong?”    “No, I-just-…I’ve never been in a relationship before, so I don’t really know how to do the whole..kissing thing.”    At your open honesty, he smiled fondly. “We don’t have to rush into anything, especially if you’re uncomfortable. I’m certainly in no rush, darlin’.”    “Thank you, Leonard. I appreciate that.”    “May I kiss your cheek?”    You looked down briefly, feeling a rush of bashfulness. “Yes.”    Moving steadily, as to not startle you, he pressed a soft kiss to your cheek.    “I guess I just have to get used to this sort of closeness,” you said. “Well, not need to, but I want to.”    He gently nuzzled his face by yours. “Well, if you ever need someone for the practice—”    You laughed at his words. “Leonard, you’ll be the only one.”    “I promise not to let it get to my head.”    Tentatively, you kissed his cheek.    He brought your other hand to his chest. “Do you want to try? I’m probably not the best teacher, but I sure as hell will try.”    You gave a small nod. “Okay.”    His hands delicately cupped your face. Such warm hands.    Your heart-rate had since slowed. Feeling unhurried, and not surprised. Lips brushing softly over yours, you attempted to duplicate the action. After the third, you felt him smile before pressing more firmly and taking up your upper lip between his. You replicated the action with his bottom lip.    Humming, he whispered with a stronger southern drawl. “Darlin’, you had nothing to worry about.”    “I guess I’m just a fast learner,” you said with a shy smirk.    Leonard kissed the tip of your nose tenderly. “Well, my lips will be waiting for whenever you have the time.”
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Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, maybe consider reblogging?
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dolamrothianlady · 2 months
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The Arrangement (part eight) FINAL
Leonard McCoy x Reader 746 words
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Someone makes a move.
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In retrospect maybe you should have seen it coming, but you never really let yourself dwell on it, never really let yourself get your hopes up - while he was with you at least. One second he was laying there beside you, talking about something, and the next his lips were pressed against yours.
"Christ, sorry," he whispered as he pulled back, and you shook your head.
"No, please don't apologise!" You touched a finger to his lips and felt him smile. "Can we do it again?"
He kissed you softly, reverently, and held you like he was afraid you would disappear at any moment. You were kinda worried about that, too. Terrified that you'd wake up any second now and find out that this was all just a dream.
"I've been wanting to for a while."
"You could have done it sooner," you said quietly, and heard him breathe out a laugh.
“If I’d known you’d be so receptive to it I’d’ve done it the night of that big storm. You look really good in candlelight.” He paused. “Well, all light, always, but especially in candlelight.”
“It didn’t occur to me until I was lighting the candles in here that that whole scenario was wildly romantic and I swear I never intentionally planned that.”
He shifted until he was half on top of you, one arm supporting him as the other moved through your hair. “I know, and it’s things like that that really endear you to me. No pretences or motives, just you doing something you love.”
Your heart exploded with butterflies; it felt like you had a whole kaleidoscope of them in there, beating frantically at your ribcage. “Oh,” you sighed, and that was it. You were floored with affection for this man. Your hands came up to touch him, tenderly trailing your fingers over his face, like you couldn’t quite believe that you could touch him, that he wanted you to, and when they came down his neck to his shirt you caught it in your fists and pulled him back down to you.
He moved slowly this time, like he was savouring the feel of your lips against his, of the gentle press of your body against his as he moved with you. It was while he was leaving tender kisses on the soft skin of your neck that you tugged on his shirt in an effort to pull him up from you.
"Oh god, Leonard, just--fuck, wait a second."
His response was immediate; his lips stopped what they were doing and he propped himself up to look at you in the moonlight, all enamoured and mussed.
"Are you alright, honey? D'you want me to stop?"
"Not- not stop, just slow down a second. But, Christ, also more. I can't think straight."
"I'll do my best to follow if you give it a go."
"I've thought about this so much that I want it all, everything, right now, but I also want you to slow down so that I can savour everything you're doing and commit it to memory. Does that make any sense at all?"
“I’m feelin’ the same sort of thing. I’m trying to take it one step at a time but I find I keep jumping ahead a few steps.”
“I want you. I really want you, but I don’t want to move too fast. I’m worried I’ll-”
He kissed you sweetly then, a gentle press more than anything, before he smiled down at you. “You don’t need to explain yourself to me. I’ll wait as long as you need, and I’m not gonna put any kind of pressure on you. We can just snuggle tonight if you want.”
You knew then that you were completely gone. You weren’t walking a tightrope- you had already plunged headfirst. It didn’t help that he was so warm and soft, and the way he had breathed sweet nothings as he pressed fervent kisses to your neck only minutes ago was still so fresh in your mind.
“I want to keep doing this,” you said as you tugged him back down to you; his neck had been looking particularly good these last few months, and you couldn’t resist the impulse to kiss it any longer. The way he stuttered your name in return had you smiling wickedly against his skin, and you pulled him closer so that you could kiss your way up to his ear.
“I want to do this all over.”
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orangesunsets12 · 4 months
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December Winter Fic #1 - Star Trek AOS
Ice Skates and Hockey Sticks
AO3 Link
Star Trek: Alternate Original Series, can be read as Original Series
Rated Teen and Up for injury.
Featuring Jim & Bones friendship, and Grumpy Bones.
Minor injury. An attempt at winter fluff.
Jim Kirk takes the crew of the Enterprise on shore leave, where they go ice skating. Leonard McCoy is against the idea, is very verbal about that fact, but doesn't really have a choice in the matter when Jim is involved.
As it turns out, the experience is more than what he bargained for, in both the good and the bad. Leonard isn't all that surprised by the bad.
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“I have to say, Jim, I really don’t see a point in this.”
“Oh come on, Bones!” Jim said, sliding on his ice skate effortlessly. “It’ll be fun!”
“Fun is not the term I would use for ice skating, of all things. In this weather, no less.” Leonard mumbled, sitting on the cold bench, shivering. His own ice skates sat uselessly beside him, getting covered in the snow that fell from the sky. 
When he imagined shore leave, he didn’t imagine this. Sure, it was the beginning of December, so snow was expected in most places on Terra. But couldn’t Jim have picked a place in the Bahamas? Why did they have to come to this harsh remake of the Ice Ages?
The gray skies above them was nothing like the vacation he was dreaming about, if anything it made him want to go back to the Enterprise and finish the paperwork that was piling up. Scotty was lucky, he had managed to get out of this adventure because of engineering work. Or, perhaps Jim sympathized with him more because the engineer was stranded on an ice planet for years, and Leonard didn’t have an excuse as good at that, despite the work needed in medical.
He grumbled under his breath at the reminder of his job, then thinking about all of the illnesses they could get from the cold, the hypothermia risk, the chance of getting frostbite due the cold wind. It was dangerous out here, not darkness and silence, but cold and unforgiving. 
“Bones, really?” Jim said with a laugh, shaking his head as he stood up. “Even Spock is skating, and he hates the cold!”
“I do not hate the cold, Captain.” Spock said, skating over to them easily. Uhura, who was basically attached to his side the whole time, was now talking in the middle of the ice with Chekov. The kid seemed to be in his element, he wasn’t even wearing a hat. “My psychology merely is not accustomed to such cold temperatures.”
“See? He should be back on the Enterprise. I can check him for sicknesses he’ll no doubt get from this blistering cold.” Leonard grumbled, but Jim patted him on the back. 
“Skates on, McCoy. Do you really want to be sitting out here when the rest of us are out there living our best lives?”
“I don’t really fancy falling through the ice and leaving you to live your dangerous life alone.”
Nonetheless, Leonard found himself pulling on the ice skates, hating how cold his feet felt when he had to take them out of his boots, but thankful that he had the sense to wear thicker socks. Jim watched him, nearly jumping up and down, beaming at Leonard giving in, no doubt, while Spock stood still on the ice, eyeing them both with an eyebrow raised. His ears weren't fully covered by his cotton hat, and Leonard sighed. 
“Spock. Your hat. I don’t want to see you in sickbay later for frost-bitten ears.”
Spock nodded, pulling the hat further down on his head. “Thank you, Doctor.”
“Go join Uhura, Spock.” Jim said with an easy smile. “I’ll get Bones on the ice.”
Spock nodded, and Leonard finally finished tying up his skates, much to his regret. Putting his gloves back on his hands, rubbing warmth back into his cold fingers, because he was not willing to sacrifice the use of his steady hands for something like this. 
Taking Jim’s hand, he pulled himself up, and he took the three shaky steps to the ice, holding onto Jim with a death grip. Jim thankfully didn’t say anything, but slowly eased him onto the ice. 
“Have you ever skated before?” Jim asked, quietly, keeping the conversation between them, and for that Leonard was grateful.
“When I was a kid. Not once since.” He admitted, and Jim nodded.
“Alright, it’s easy. Just take it slow.”
He huffed. “You didn’t seem to have that idea two seconds ago.”
“Well, now that you’re on the ice, I’m not letting you get off.”
McCoy sighed, muttering under his breath at how Jim was being unfair. He would’ve complained more, but he could feel the ice under his skates, slippery and threatening to make him fall, no doubt breaking a bone or two, so he had to focus on the task at hand. He hated how much he was shaking. 
“Bones…”
“I’m fine!” 
Jim grinned, yet it didn’t reach his eyes. “Alright, then let go of my arm.”
He glanced at his snake-like grip on Jim’s arms, and let go with a snarl. He wobbled, and he immediately splayed his arms out, hoping to catch himself. Thankfully, it seemed to work, if only temporarily. He couldn’t see himself going an inch forward like this. 
Why people enjoyed an activity like this was beyond him. 
“One second, stay right there.” Jim said, skating away at a breathtaking pace, flawlessly gliding against the ice, and Leonard mumbled under his breath.
“Not like I have an option.”
Nonetheless, McCoy took a hesitant step forward, wobbling awkwardly as he tried to gain his balance. Finally managing to look up from his feet, he could see Spock and Uhura now gliding along the ice, alone, while Sulu and Chekov eagerly took to playing a game of tag. Hikaru was awkwardly chasing Pavel, but the kid was too fast for him to reach him, coasting easily ahead of him. Every part of Leonard’s body screamed that this was dangerous, that someone was going to end up in Medbay if he didn’t do something about it, but another part of him enjoyed seeing them having fun, even if the fun wasn’t something that he could participate in himself. 
Jim was back in seconds, holding a hockey stick, and McCoy eyed him with distaste.
“What is that?”
“A hockey stick? You know, from an old Terra game!”
“I know what a hockey stick is, and I know what hockey is! You’re beginning to sound like Spock.”
Jim handed it to him, and he took it, resting the end of it on the ice and leaning his body weight against it, hoping that he wouldn’t break it. 
“Okay, so lean against it.”
“I am, Jim! And I’m fine.”
Jim eyed him knowingly. McCoy hated it, hated how much this kid actually knew him. 
He straightened his posture, letting the hockey stick hold him up, and slide one ice skate forward, trying to get used to the feel of the ice. He took a deep breath, and slid the next forward, hoping that the shaking in his legs would go away.
“There you go!” Jim encouraged, as if he was a puppy, and Leonard shot him a look. “Now, just a bit faster.”
“Give me some breathing room, will ya?”
Jim easily backed away, an easy smile on his face, and focused on Chekov, who had skated up to him easily, tapping his shoulder before skating away once more. 
“Captain! You’re it!” He shouted, his heavy accent laced with childhood excitement, and Jim brightened even more, giving Leonard one last look, as if waiting for permission to leave him alone. 
“I’ll live.” He said gruffly, “Barely.”
“Keep practicing, alright? I’ll keep an eye on you.”
With those words said, Jim joined in on their game of tag, and Leonard tried to keep his balance while watching them, amused. He tried to skate forward again, going slowly, skirting the edge of the iced over pond, knowing that he could fall into the snow and do less harm than if he fell on the ice. The wind was bitter, nipping his skin, and he wished that he had brought a scarf. But, it was too late now. He began moving his feet more frequently, trying to gain confidence, and the wind got stronger against him; he knew that he was going faster, still a snail's pace, but a huge improvement to before. He wasn’t gliding yet, just sliding slowly, but it made this dreary experience more enjoyable. Something sparked in his chest, something close to joy, but he didn’t dwell in it. He had to focus on the task at hand, despite how fun this was actually turning out to be. 
He wished that he could keep his eyes up and focused on what was around him, yet he lost his rhythm when he stopped looking at his feet. So, he stayed clear of the game going on in the middle, not wanting to cause a collision from his lack of attention.
It turns out his intervention wasn’t even necessary for a collision course to happen. He was so focused on his feet that he didn’t see it happen, but he heard the shout and the thump of bodies hitting the ground.
His head shot up to see Jim and Chekov splayed out on the ice, Jim clutching his nose while Chekov held onto his own head. Spock gracefully glided to their side, kneeling beside Jim as Uhura sat beside Pavel, while Sulu quickly got up from where he had apparently fallen. Leonard bolted over to them, dropping the hockey stick, completely forgetting about the ice skates on his feet, and slipped, careening to the ice with a crash. He felt the impact in his knees and thighs, but that didn’t stop him from getting to his patients. Crawling across the ice, he managed to reach Jim first, whose hand was covered in blood where it held his nose. 
“What happened?” He demanded, whipping out a medical tricorder from his pocket and hovering it over Jim’s head, expertly dodging Jim’s free hand trying to push him away. 
“From my observations, the captain was trying to avoid Ensign Chekov’s attempt to ‘tag’ him by sliding to a stop and spinning to the left. Lieutenant Sulu got in his way, and tripped on the captain’s leg, while Ensign Chekov predicted the captain's move, and the two slammed right into each other.”
“Sounds about right. You got a broken nose, Jim.”
Jim sighed, showing Leonard his blood covered hand. “I couldn’t guess.”
“You’re lucky,” He continued, falling into business mode and pulling out a few tissues from his other pocket, handing it to Jim, “No concussions, thankfully. No dizziness, nausea, any pain in your head?”
“Nope, just my nose. Look, I’m fine, Bones.”
“You’ll be fine after I set your nose and use the bone-setter for a few minutes, but certainly not now.”
Jim threw him a sarcastic thanks, but the look that his captain sent him told Leonard that he was indeed grateful.
Leonard, knowing that there was nothing he could do for Jim now, scooted awkwardly over to Chekov, who was talking to Uhura, his hands moving animatedly. From the way his hands slammed together, McCoy had no doubt that he was explaining what happened to them, yet he sounded excited about it, unlike Spock.
“He’s fully aware? No slurring?” He asked Nyota, waving the tricorder near Chekov, and she nodded. 
“Everything appears normal. No pupil dilation or dizziness, either.”
“Pavel? Any nausea?”
“No, Doctor. I feel quite well, actually!”
“Of course you do, can anyone bring your mood down, kid?” Pavel opened his mouth to reply, but Leonard held up his free hand. “You don’t need to answer that. You don’t have a concussion either, thankfully, but you’re going to have one big headache in the morning. Hikaru, are you okay?”
“Fine, sir.”
“We are sorry, Doctor.” Pavel said, sombering up real fast, looking at Leonard with those puppy eyes he had, “We did not mean to get hurt.”
He sighed. “I know. I just hate when you guys do.”
“See, what did I tell you?” Jim said, pointing to McCoy. “Bones is just a good ol’ softy!”
“Oh, youー”
He tried to get up, but his feet slipped out from under him once again, and he crashed to the ice, dropping the tricorder in the process. Sulu glided over to him, picked up the tricorder, and lifted Leonard up by his arms with ease, despite Leonard being taller than him. 
Uhura was by his side with the hockey stick soon after, and Leonard took it with a sigh. 
“Can this day be over already?”
Jim got to his feet easily, still holding his nose, and nodded. “Yeah, I’d be fine with that. Let’s get back to the Enterprise and get some hot chocolate or something.”
Hikaru shrugged, not disagreeing with the proposal, and for that Leonard was grateful. He helped McCoy to the edge of the ice, where Leonard stepped back onto the snow, sighing with relief. He kept a steady eye on Jim and Pavel, both of whom seemed okay, and got his skates off as quickly as he could, thankful to be back in his steady, flat boots. After everyone was able to take off their skates, Leonard gently grabbed Jim before the transporter beamed them aboard, knowing that Jim would run from him and treatment as soon as they rematerialized. 
He closed his eyes, and opened them on the Enterprise, quickly leading Jim and Pavel to the Medbay, ignoring the soreness in his knees. Pavel began talking about the adventures he had ice skating in Russia, and Jim listened intently as they walked, up until the doors to Medbay opened and Nurse Chapel took Pavel to a medical bed. 
“So, is there where you tell me ‘I told you so?’” Jim asked, and Leonard shook his head. 
“Nah. Something already tells me you know that.”
“But, I did tell you so.”
“What?”
Jim grinned, his nose still sluggishly bleeding out. It was a sight that would be unnerving, if not for how often Jim smiled when he was hurt. Now it was just a regular look on him, one that Leonard hated.
“You enjoyed it, didn’t you, Bones?”
McCoy scowled. “No.”
“You did.”
“I didn’t.”
“You have a horrible poker face.”
“Are you out of your corn-fed mind? I do not! I have an amazing poker face!”
Leonard, like before, knew that Jim could see through him like glass. He hated to admit to himself that he liked skating, if only a little bit and only when he got used to it. It was fun, he could see it as something he did when the occasion arose, if only after a bit more practice. He would have to implement more rules, too, like no playing tag. 
But, he would never admit to liking the event to anyone else, even Jim, who would never let him live it down. So he could continue to deny it, no matter what, even if Jim already knew it. Leonard learned soon after meeting Jim Kirk, that was just how they were, and there was no use fighting it. 
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misscalming · 10 months
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(Spock got completely fucking wiped out while in a small tinny boat and is living his best “castaway” (2001) life rn ) (( edit: excerpt from my fic ))
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electronickingdomfox · 6 months
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TOS slash pairings prevalence, according to site Fanlore.org:
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I expected K/S to be much more popular than the others, of course. But certainly wouldn't have thought that Kirk/McCoy is a "rare" pairing.
Ironic when you think about some of those blooper reels...
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arttsuka · 6 months
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More mermaid Spock (yes, more. Here is the previous post)
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Bonus:
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Last Updated: 2023-11-05
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Disclaimer: I am not the author of these stories, just sharing my favourite Dr. Leonard McCoy stories. Find the authors' links below. If you want your work removed, message me privately.
Legend: 〔E〕 ⇢ Erotic/Steamy | 〔F〕 ⇢ Fluff | 〔A〕 ⇢ Angst/Hurt 〔M〕 ⇢ Minor Angst/Hurt | 〔C〕 ⇢ Comfort | ♥︎ ⇢ Established Relationship | 𑁍 ⇢ Pregnancy/Children | 🚫 ⇢ Content Warning
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✵ An Apple a Day by annathewitch • 〔F᜶A〕 •
Summary: "An unexpected encounter with Leonard McCoy at the Academy leaves you with a poor impression. Will he manage to redeem himself when you encounter him again years later?"
✵ An Apple a Day by cas-kingdom • 〔F᜶C〕 •
Summary: "...apparently doesn't keep the doctor away. You've come down with the flu, and only Bones can make you feel better."
✵ April Showers Bring Flowering Feelings by hobbit-historian • 〔F〕 •
Summary: "When you get caught in a sudden rainstorm, McCoy comes to your rescue."
✵ Because Why? by geminiwritten • 〔F᜶A〕 •
Summary: "After five long years of pining for the doctor and a whole month of him acting weirdly distant you finally decide to go on a date, but when you get called in for your routine medical you end up finding out exactly why bones has been acting so strange."
✵ Concentration by imagines-for-the-fangirls-soul▪︎18+▪︎〔E᜶F〕▪︎♥︎▪︎
Summary: When you answer a work call on your day off your husband decides to punish you by making it very hard to concentrate.
✵ Doctor of My Word [Soulmate!A.U.] by grandtheftstarship • 〔F〕 •
Summary: "To almost everyone on the Enterprise, it was... obvious that you were pining after the one and only Doctor Leonard McCoy. Everyone also found it glaringly obvious the CMO was pining right back."
✵ Dr. Dreamy by geminiwritten • 〔E᜶A〕 •
Summary: "it's been a while since [you got] laid, and it's starting to affect your mood... Jim offers his help before quickly realising that you're still hung up on a mysterious 'Mr. Dreamy' from your academy days... but he soon finds out that the man [you're] in lovewith... is, in fact, the enterprise’s best doctor."
✵ Drunken Promises by grandtheftstarship • 〔F〕 •
Summary: Waking up with a hangover and a ring around your left hand is not how you wanted to spend your shore leave.
✵ Game Night by geminiwritten • 〔F᜶C〕 •
Summary: "After… injuring yourself, you refuse to go to MedBay before attending a games night with the crew and your favourite grumpy (and very jealous) doctor."
✵ Hobgoblins and Hospitality by thatfanficstuff • 〔F᜶M〕 •
Summary: {…}
✵ Joanna by imagines-for-the-fangirls-soul • 〔F〕 • ♥︎ •
Summary: {…}
✵ Our Choices by imagines-for-the-fangirls- • 〔F〕 • ♥︎ •
Summary: The enterprise crew has returned to earth and you and Leonard are getting married.
✵ Paper Roses by ladyideal • 〔F〕 • ♥︎ •
Summary: It's your birthday and your boyfriend, Leonard planned a special surprise.
✵ Pick Me Up by grandtheftstarship • 〔F᜶C〕 • ♥︎ •
Summary: When you're sick, your boyfriend stays home to take care of you, making sure you're comfortable and building you a pillow fort.
✵ Proposal
✵ Roomies by geminiwritten • 〔E᜶F〕 •
Summary: "..."jim’s determination to play matchmaker leads to a very awkward roommate situation… Not to mention, there’s only one bed .
✵ Sick by imagines-for-the-fangirls-soul • 〔F〕 • ♥︎ •
Summary: {…}
✵ Southern Charm by high-functioning-lokipath • 〔F〕 •
Summary: "..."
✵ Things that Go Bump in the Night by annathewitch • 〔F〕 •
Summary: "[When you're] having trouble sleeping… McCoy tries to help [you] with [your] unusual problem."
✵ To Annoy a Doctor by cas-kingdom • 〔F᜶C〕 •
Summary: "You're a very difficult patient, and unfortunately for you, Bones has very little tolerance."
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✵ 214 by imagines-for-the-fangirls-soul • 〔F〕 •
✵ Blundering Infatuation
✵ Clean by pendragonfics • 〔F᜶C〕 • ♥︎ •
✵ Come Back to Bed by dreaming-about-fanfictions • 〔F〕 • ♥︎ •
✵ Dammit by imagines-for-the-fangirls-soul • 〔F〕 • ♥︎ •
✵ Dive by thatfanficstuff • 〔F〕 •
✵ Either Way by ivorydragoness44 • 〔F〕 • ♥︎ •
✵ Favours by imagines-for-the-fangirls-soul • 〔F〕 • ♥︎ •
✵ Germs by thatfanficstuff • 〔F〕 •
✵ Glasses by space-helen • 〔F〕 • ♥︎ •
✵ Grumpy Cuddles by thranduilsperkybutt • 〔F〕 • ♥︎ •
✵ It's My Job by shenanigans-and-imagines • 〔F〕 •
✵ Just Perfect by imamotherfuckingstar-lord • 〔F〕 •
✵ Marriage in the Rescue, the by kaitymccoy123 • 〔F〕 •
✵ Not Just Yet by ivorydragoness44 • 〔F〕 • ♥︎ •
✵ Right Here, Darlin' by thesteveharringtonclub • 〔F〕 • ♥︎ •
✵ Sickness by marvelmymarvel • 〔F᜶C〕 • ♥︎ •
✵ Well Adjusted Adults by ladyideal • 〔F〕 • ♥︎ •
✵ What's on Your Mind? by ivorydragoness44 • 〔F〕 • ♥︎ •
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❧ Being Married to Leonard McCoy… by imagines-for-the-fangirls-soul • 〔F〕 • ♥︎ •
✵ Dating Leonard McCoy… by octopodeez • 16+ • 〔F〕 • ♥︎ •
✵ First Kiss w/ Leonard… by space-helen • 〔F〕 •
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See Also: Navigation || Leonard McCoy Master Index
Authors: @annathewitch | @cas-kingdom | @dreaming-about-fanfictions | @geminiwritten | @grandtheftstarship | @high-functioning-lokipath | @hobbit-historian | @imagines-for-the-fangirls-soul | @imamotherfuckingstar-lord | @ivorydragoness44 | @kaitymccoy123 | @ladyideal | @marvelmymarvel | @octopodeez | @pendragonfics | @shenanigans-and-imagines | @space-helen | @thatfanficstuff || @thesteveharringtonclub || @thranduilsperkybutt ||
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toboldlygohome · 3 months
Text
Oblivious
Leonard McCoy x Reader
Summary: You are oblivious to all of Leonard's attempts to flirt and all of your friends think it's hilarious.
Character(s): Leonard "Bones" McCoy, James "Jim" Kirk, Spock, Nyota Uhura, Pavel Chekov, Hikaru Sulu
Warning(s): Slightly cringe attempts at flirting, Painfully oblivious reader, Stephen King references
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Leonard was finally ready to move on. The divorce had left him with wounds he wasn't sure he could heal from. He hadn't been interested in dating for years afterward. But for the first time since then, someone had caught his attention.
You were the new head of Archaeology aboard the enterprise. You had been transferred from the USS Celine to assist in the 5 year mission. To say you were new wouldn't be exactly correct, you had been on board for about 6 months already. You had taken to the position well and were already good friends with everyone in your unit, as well as all of the bridge and command personnel.
Leonard knew he liked you the moment you met. You had a firm handshake, a killer smile, and when Captain Kirk asked if you were single, you told him it wasn't his business. Jim's stunned face when you shook his hand and walked away was priceless.
Of course there were far more reasons to admire you other than your ability to take the captain down a peg. You were incredible at your job, finding ancient ruins in the most unlikely of places. You were like a dog when it came to fossils, sniffing them out almost as soon as you landed on alien soil. You were smart and always ready to answer questions. You were also highly tolerant of people's mistakes, something that was slowly rubbing off on him. When you were around, Leonard found he had more patience for stupidity and everyone else noticed as well.
You were kind, you were a great listener, you were hilarious, you were dependable, considerate, honest, cheerful, and you could always be counted upon for some witty banter. Not to mention you were the most beautiful person Bones had ever seen in his life.
That's not to say you didn't have your downfalls too, everyone does after all. You were self deprecating, a little easily distracted, and of course you were the most painfully oblivious person in the universe.
~~~
It all started one morning at breakfast. You were sitting in the cafeteria with Jim, Nyota, and Spock.
Leonard had made his decision the previous night while drinking with Jim. Bones wanted to pursue a relationship with you, but he wasn't going to just tell you point blank. He wanted to gauge your interest before taking that leap of faith.
"Mornin'" Leonard said as he sat down beside you. "Jim, you look terrible."
Jim, who was still hung over from the night before, frowned at the doctor. "Gee, thanks. I had no idea."
"You're welcome. Now Y/N on the other hand, you look great this morning," Bones smirked. Jim and Nyota immediately perked up, clearly not expecting him to be so forward (especially not this early in the morning.)
"Thanks Doc," You smiled at him and returned your attention to your oatmeal.
"What's your secret?" Asked Bones upon deciding that your smile was a good sign.
"My secret?" You raised an eyebrow.
"To looking so good every morning," he clarified. Nyota and Jim looked at each other incredulously.
"Ummmm," You thought out loud. "Get good sleep, take your vitamins, and don't get wasted at two in the morning." You patted Jim's shoulder and stood up with your empty bowl. "I better get to the lab, see you guys later!" You grinned.
Everyone bid you a good morning before gawking at Leonard, amusement etched on their faces. "What's your secret? Did you seriously ask 'what's your secret?'"Jim cackled.
"Leonard, you seriously need to up your flirting game." Uhura barely stifled a giggle.
"I know it's been awhile doc but seriously, that was terrible! And I've heard Spock's attempts at flirting," Kirk snickered.
"It wasn't that bad, y'all are acting like I'm some cretin who stole their oatmeal and called it flirting. I called them attractive, get off my back." Leonard rolled his eyes.
"No, you said they looked good. That could be interpreted in, so many ways. As far as flirting goes, that was pretty pathetic." Nyota said.
"I would have to agree doctor, perhaps you could take instruction from the captain or even-" Spock started.
"Shut up and eat your breakfast," Leonard snapped, causing another fit of giggles around him.
Bones sat there, glaring into his eggs, trying to figure out where he went wrong. The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed that Uhura was right. You didn't realize he meant it in a romantic way. Maybe he was more out of practice than he thought. He was just going to have to give it another shot. Practice makes perfect after all.
~~~
The next day, Leonard tried a different approach. Coffee mug in hand, he made his way to your office only to find it empty. He looked all over the labs, nowhere to be seen. It wasn't until made it up to the bridge that he found you deep in a discussion about landing sites for an upcoming mission.
Your head perked up when you saw the doctor come in from the turbolift. "Ahoy, McCoy! We missed you at breakfast this morning." you smiled as he came to stand beside you.
"Sorry darlin', had some gamma shift engineers to patch up." Bones casually passed the mug over to you. "Made you some coffee."
"Really? for me?" You peered into the cup and beamed, "thank you doctor, it's just how I like it!" Jim gave Leonard a subtle thumbs up while you sipped your drink.
Leonard had a good feeling this time. You were happy with the gesture and even Kirk seemed impressed. It felt like a good first step, until-
"First Chekov brings me a croissant, then McCoy brings me a coffee. I'm so lucky to have such great friends. Thank you guys!" You smiled at the two men.
"You are very welcome!" Pavel grinned.
Leonard's mood plummeted almost instantly. While he was glad you got to enjoy a croissant and a coffee, Chekov's untimely generosity made his romantic gesture seem more like a friendly one. He was going to have to go back to the drawing board.
You turned to the captain, cradling your warm cup in your hand. "Is there anything else you need of me Captain?"
"No Commander, I believe you've answered all my questions," Jim said.
"Wonderful! If anyone needs me, I'll be in the lab trying to decode some ancient texts," you took another sip of your coffee before strolling back to the turbolift.
Once you were out of sight, Jim patted Leonard on the arm. Sulu and Chekov were trying their damnedest not to laugh, and failing miserably of course.
Leonard furrowed his brows at the two of them before looking back at Jim's cheeky grin.
"You told them?" Leonard scowled.
"Told them what?" Jim laughed.
"About..." Leonard rolled his eyes and gestured to the turbolift.
"The only ones I told were Uhura and Spock," Jim assured.
"He didn't need to tell us anything, It's written all over your face Dr. McCoy," Sulu said.
"Yes, you get all red in the cheeks and you have this look in your eyes like you've seen the sun for the first time. It is very obvious you are vying for the Commander's attention," Chekov agreed.
"If I'm so obvious, why isn't Y/N picking up on it?" Leonard crossed his arms.
"Maybe you need a new approach, try... I don't know, making up new excuses to spend time with them. Or maybe you could try touching them," Jim suggested.
"Touching them?"
"Yeah, nothing inappropriate or anything. Just little things, like pats on the back, nudging their shoulder. Stuff like that. Might show Y/N you're interested without having to use the words, you know?"
"I don't know Jim..."
"Look, you're a doctor right?"
"I hope that'd be pretty goddamned obvious by now," Leonard glowered and put his hands on his hips.
"And as a doctor, you have a pretty good gauge on if someone's uncomfortable right?" Jim asked, "just try it and if you get the sense they're uncomfortable, just stop doing it. Easy as that."
"Why do I get the feeling it's not going to be as 'easy as that?'" The doctor shook his head.
"Because you are an incorrigible pessimist, Bones." Jim patted his shoulder.
"I'm done here, some of us actually have work to do," Leonard grumbled and trudged to the turbolift.
"All work and no play makes McCoy a dull boy," Kirk beamed.
"Quote Stephen King to me one more time. See what happens." Bones said as the doors closed. Alone in the elevator, he allowed himself to think about where to go from here. Perhaps Jim's ideas weren't so terrible. He rather liked the idea of spending more time with you. He usually talked with you during mealtimes and meetings, but not much outside of that. The touching is what was making him nervous.
He came into contact with people all the time, being a doctor was a very hands-on profession. He just didn't have Jim's level of confidence anymore. It felt ridiculous, he could stitch a man's thumb back to his hand and deliver an infant in the middle of a battle, but he couldn't touch your shoulder? Maybe he'd just skip that step for now. Quality time, that seemed like as good of a direction as any.
~~~
He continued bringing you coffee every day, It gave him more time to get to know you and Leonard was falling harder by the minute. He hadn't really looked forward to anything in a long time, but he looked forward to your coffee talks. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough anymore. The chats weren't long enough and you still weren't catching on to his feelings.
It had been a particularly stressful day, it felt like everyone needed something from him and he was in desperate need of a break. The moment things got quiet in the medbay, Leonard snuck away and his feet carried him to the archaeology labs.
It was quiet inside. A few ensigns were at work in their stations, putting together fossilized bones and carbon-dating old tools. Leonard found you in the back of the lab where you were busy decoding some old scrolls. Learning to understand a lost language was no easy task; Leonard couldn't fathom the amount of reading it would take to accomplish such a thing. Still, you seemed ready to take on anything the Captain dished out.
"Commander, I see you're hard at work," Bones smiled and came to stand beside you.
"I see you're not!" You joked and looked up at him from your seat. "What brings you to my neck of the woods doctor? Did I forget about an appointment?"
"Not at all, I was just taking a break and wanted to see how you were doing," he said, hoping you would understand what he was trying to say: that he was thinking of you and wanted to see you out of everyone else on the Enterprise.
"Well I'm really glad you're here Len, because I've just made a breakthrough!" You beamed. "Take a look at this," you motioned for him to look closer.
Leonard leaned in to look at your scroll. "So, you know how I found these papers in a box under the Mofeli excavation right?"
"Mhm, you insisted there must be a basement and you found one," Bones hummed.
"I originally thought the site was a business, that these papers must be some sort of documentation. You know, like land deeds, proof of insurance, perhaps even money. Basically stuff you would usually keep in a lock box, but these aren't ledgers or inventory slips or anything like that at all."
"What are they?" He turned to look at you.
You met his gaze and gave him a grin that could melt the ice caps and outshine Sirius. "They're love letters," you said and his heart hammered his chest painfully. He was only just now realizing how close he was to you. How his hand was resting on your back, how his face was mere inches from yours.
"See, if you look here you'll find this symbol all over the place in these letters. It's the symbol meaning love or lover. I've completed the translation on this one right here." You returned your attention to the paper. Leonard swallowed and glanced at the sheet, trying his damnedest not to stare like some creep.
"What, um... what does it say?" He cleared his throat.
"It says, and I'm paraphrasing here, 'My dearest love, I find words elude me. My heart blossoms for you under the light of the sun and keeps me warm when the light fades. I find not the courage to speak, but many a whim to write. I desire your embrace. I seek your song. I crave your hand. I covet your blazing eyes. One day I-' This part is all faded so I can't make it out, but the last thing it says here at the bottom is 'May our hearts and bodies be intertwined for eternity, and our souls may sing together as one.' Then there's what I assume to be a name at the bottom, but I'm not sure how to pronounce it."
"It all sounds a little sappy to me," Leonard joked in a slightly strained voice. This whole thing with the closeness and the touching and the letter was really affecting him. If you noticed his struggle, you gave no indication, In fact, you seemed perfectly at ease being this close to him.
"Hey, a little sap never hurt anybody," you elbowed him lightly in the side.
"Croakus sap can."
"Touché"
Leonard chucked softly and lightly patted your back before crossing his arms casually over his chest Your easy conversation was already helping him relax again. "so, Commander, you've been down here in your lab for an awfully long time. What do you say we go for a walk to the observation lounge?"
"Sorry doctor, I would but somebody's got to make sure the ensigns don't blow the place up. That, and Spock wants me to finish three more translations by the end of my shift," you explained.
"Of course he does," Leonard huffed.
"But I'm free this evening if that works for you?" You tilted your head.
"Of course, absolutely." Leonard had no idea if that was going to work for him, but he was going to make it work.
"Great, I'll see you then," you said with a surprising amount of enthusiasm.
"See you then. Don't work too hard," he smiled and left you to your translating.
Bones was pleased with himself. He had managed to follow Jim's suggestions and they appeared to work. He'd even managed to secure a date with you later that evening...Well...he hadn't actually called it a date when he suggested it. No matter, Leonard would just clarify all that the next time he saw you!
~~~
He never got to make the distinction that your walk was intended to be a date. You had brought a friend with you. Leonard could feel the fear in your ensign companion's eyes. Bones was sure everyone on the goddamned ship knew what he was trying to do but you. It was still a nice night despite the unwanted guest. He learned a lot about where you grew up, your interests, and your favorite films and music. He learned your favorite flower was the iris, your first job was a librarian, he even learned you were in a band during your time at the academy.
The more he learned, the more he liked you. He wasn't even sure if liked was the right word anymore. You had quite a few things in common. Your favorite foods, you liked the same movies, and you enjoyed the same music. You asked him questions that got him really thinking. They were the sort of topics you don't realize you have an opinion on until you start talking about them. But what surprised him most of all was when you asked about his daughter. What sort of interests does she have? How is she doing in school? I wonder if she would like X,Y, and Z. He was always hesitant to talk about Joanna or his ex, but it felt easier with you. Like that wound he had been carrying for so long was finally closing.
Your friendship progressed beautifully, but he felt like you were growing more and more blind to his advances. He had seen you turn plenty of people down before. If you weren't interested in someone, you made it abundantly clear. But you had yet to do the same with Bones. It wasn't just him: Jim, Nyota, Pavel, Scotty, Hikaru, and pretty much everyone else who knew you were puzzled as well. Even Spock couldn't understand how you were so incognizant. It was funny for them at first. They would laugh at every compliment you didn't register, every smile you didn't realize had meaning, every coffee, every walk to the deck, every deep conversation, every breath of relief when you come back from a mission. He was even so bold as to tell you in no uncertain terms that he'd do anything to make you smile.
The laughter turned into looks of pity. Leonard was about ready to give up. Maybe you weren't interested and you just wanted to let him down easy, you were good friends after all. Bones sat at the bar as Jim poured him another glass. Normally he was the one playing bartender, but Jim insisted he take over.
"I gotta say Bones, I really hate seeing you like this." Jim poured himself a drink too. "How did lunch go?"
"I told them they have beautiful eyes." Leonard sighed and shook his head.
"And?" The Captain probed.
"They said 'if only they worked as well as they look,'" Bones groaned.
"Ah..." Jim stared into his drink. He tried to put himself into Leonard's shoes. What would he do if he were in this situation?
"I don't know what I'm doing wrong..." McCoy muttered.
"You aren't doing anything wrong, Y/N just-" Jim started.
"It's something I'm doing, it has to be. Maybe this is a mistake."
"No, Bones it's not a mistake. That couldn't be farther from the truth."
"And how would you know? It's not like you have any problems finding dates," Leonard rolled his eyes.
"Seems like Y/N's not the only one who's oblivious," Kirk chuckled.
"I'm not in the mood for jokes Jim." Leonard took a sip of his whiskey and ran a hand over his face.
"Believe me Bones, I wish it were a joke. There's just no way the two most unaware people are head over heels for each other. I'm waiting for the punch line" James smirked.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Bones scowled.
"Look, just... we have shore leave coming up in a few weeks. Ask them on a date. Like really ask them. Be frank, be clear, make sure there is no way Y/N can misunderstand you. Trust me," Jim squeezed Leonard's shoulder.
"Fine. But if this goes south, you owe me as many drinks as it takes to forget this whole debacle." The doctor downed the last of his glass.
"Bones if this goes south, I'll eat my hat."
"You don't have a hat."
"Point still stands. It'll work, you just have to have a little faith. And lucky for you, I have enough faith for the both of us." Jim winked.
Leonard wished he had Jim's enthusiasm. Officious little prick, he thought to himself...Dammit, now I'm quoting Stephen King.
~~~
Shore leave was just around the corner and Leonard was no closer to his goal of asking you on a date. Everyone was running around, trying to prepare the ship for inspection, he still had his normal duties to attend to, neither of you had time for coffee all week, Spock was being especially nitpicky about protocol, and he was anxious about what you'd say when he eventually got around to asking the million dollar question.
Yeah, Leonard was about ready to lose his marbles.
He was prepping the supply storage units, when Spock strolled in for the tenth time that day.
"Dr. McCoy," Spock greeted, startling Bones to the point that he nearly dropped his box of gauze.
"My god man, what the hell do you need this time?" Leonard implored, "don't you have anything better to do with your day than pester me?"
"Indeed I do, doctor" Spock replied.
Leonard huffed and sat down his box, "then what is it, did you miss my face or something?"
"I saw your face only moments ago, I have no need to miss-"
"It was a joke Spock, what do you want?" Leonard pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I came to inform you that I saw Commander Y/L/N coming in this direction." Spock stated.
Leonard raised an eyebrow, "and?"
"It is my understanding you are anxious to speak with them regarding your-" Spock started.
"Your understanding is correct, I just..." Leonard sighed and shook his head.
"Would it help if I told you the odds that they will say yes?" Spock asked.
"Never tell me the odds Spock," Leonard grumbled.
"Then I will simply say, good luck." Spock turned and left again, leaving Bones to decide if he was ready for this. He didn't have time for a decision, because there you were in the doorway with two mugs in your hands.
"Hey, stranger," You laughed. "Looks like I got here just in time, you look like you need some." You handed over the cup and Leonard took it gratefully.
"Thanks," Leonard offered you a smile and took a sip from his mug. It was just how he liked it, right down to the temperature. Together, they retreated to the safety of his office. Once inside, they fell into their usual conversation. He waited until things got quiet, then he decided to go for it.
"So, got any plans for shore leave?" Leonard asked, leaning back in his chair in an effort to appear more at ease.
"No, not really. Maybe I'll visit with a couple friends, catch up on sleep. How about you? got any exciting plans?" You leaned in, resting your chin on your hand.
"Not yet," he admitted. "But I'm hoping to make some."
"Oh? You got someone special in mind?" You hummed.
"Someone incredibly special, yeah." Leonard smiled. So far, so good.
"Oh, well I hope it goes well." You shifted awkwardly in your seat.
"Me too..." Leonard agreed. You both didn't speak for a moment, the distant hum of the warp core did little to tame the silence.
"Hey Y/N... I was thinking maybe we could go to that restaurant you like, you know the one with the really good Chicken Parmesan you're always talking about." He mused, "what do you think?"
"I, um... I think they'd like it" The smile you gave him looked...sad?
"What are you talking about? Who'd like it?" Leonard couldn't possibly be more confused.
"Your special someone?" It was your turn to look confused.
You've got to be kidding me
"I'm talking about you darlin', do you want to go to that restaurant with me, just us, nobody else. You and me. Together." Leonard clarified, meeting your gaze.
You looked positively flabbergasted. He couldn't possibly mean what he was saying, right? There was no way Leonard wanted to... I mean, he was way too good for you! You had been trying for months to get his attention, to no avail. This must be a dream. You're going to wake up any minute.
"Darlin'?"
"I, uh...what?" You blinked out of your daze.
"Dammit Y/N, I'm trying to ask you out on a date!" Bones ran a hand through his hair, exasperation evident in his tone.
"Really? Me?" You asked hopefully.
"Yes!" He replied "Look, it's okay if you don't w-" You suddenly burst into laughter and all the words died on his lips. "What's so funny?"
"Oh, I'm sorry! It's just-" You giggled, "I actually came here to do the same thing..." You said sheepishly as you dug into your pocket "I, um... I got us tickets to see your favorite band. Figured if you said no, you could just take Jim instead." You handed the tickets over to him.
Leonard stared at the tickets in his hand, shock written all over his face. "Sweetheart, are you telling me we've both been dancing around each other for months, when we could have been doing stuff like this the whole time?"
"Seems that way, yes."
Leonard smiled and shook his head. "We're not very good at this, are we?"
"Not at all," You laughed. "Ahoy McCoy? What was I thinking?"
"Points for creativity darlin'," Bones chuckled. He almost couldn't believe things had turned out so perfectly. But in his experience, coincidence didn't exist. "Jim knew, didn't he?"
"He was actually the one who pushed me to come here," you admitted.
"Same. The bastard told me you'd say yes... Guess this was one of the few times I should have trusted him." Leonard concurred.
"So... What now, doctor?" You leaned a little closer. How had he never noticed your eyes before. He knew they were beautiful of course, but the way they were looking at him now made him weak in the knees. Had you always looked at him like that?
"Well, for now we're going to finish up our shifts, wouldn't want anyone to think we're slackers. But later, we're going to meet at the recreation room for a drink, possibly a game of darts. Then we'll see where the night takes us," McCoy smirked.
"How romantic, I can hardly wait for you to sweep me off my feet, they're killing me from all this running around, you know?~" You mused, resting your chin on your palm.
"Now you listen here darlin'. I'm a doctor, not a broom." Bones couldn't hide his amusement when you rolled your eyes at him.
"Well, what if I sweep you off your feet then?"
"You'll have to be careful, you might drop me and we could end up tangled in a whole mess of limbs."
"Oh, I'm counting on it.~" You teased.
Leonard swallowed hard and hid his bashfulness with a sip of his coffee, "Well in that case, sweep away."
You laughed again and McCoy was sure he had never heard a more beautiful sound in his life. He could see a future with you then. He wanted to sweep you off your feet, kiss you until you were breathless, share coffee with you early in the morning, and swap stories until late in the night. He wanted to introduce you to his daughter.
Baby steps.
"I hate to cut this short doctor, but I left the ensigns alone for too long, I'm worried there will be no lab to return to. I'll see you tonight?" You asked, fidgeting nervously with cuffs of your sleeves.
"Don't worry sweetheart, I'm not going to change my mind." Leonard smirked.
You blushed and smiled in relief, "good! Great!" You stood, grabbed your mug, and sauntered happily to the door. You paused just a moment and looked back at Bones sweetly. "See you later, handsome."
"See you later Y/N," replied Leonard. You gave him a cute little wave before hurrying back to the labs.
Once he was alone again in his office, Bones leaned back in his seat and admired the tickets on the desk. He almost couldn't believe how thoughtful you were, but this wouldn't be the first time you gave him an incredible gift. A couple months after you met, Bones had mentioned offhandedly that he missed a particular brand of whiskey from Earth. Despite being light years away, you managed to find some and give it to him. It wasn't even a special occasion, you got it just to make him happy. Leonard supposed he should have realized your feelings for him right then and there. Damn. He really was oblivious.
McCoy wanted to give you something tonight- no, he needed to give you something tonight. Something sweet, something romantic, something that says: 'you're special to me and I need to show it to you because I'm terrible with words'. But where was he going to find something like that on a starship? The botany labs. Flowers make for a great gift on a first date! Maybe if he was lucky, they would have irises growing down there. So what if bouquets are a little sappy?
A little sap never hurt anybody after all.
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sprite-writes · 4 months
Text
failed romantics
Leonard "Bones" McCoy/Reader (original female character)
Summary: Secrets can’t be kept forever, and what better time to reveal them than the Enterprise night shift.
Word Count: 5,902
A/N: yay another chapter!! I have been so excited to write this one since I started this series, I hope you all like it. As always very special thanks to @lightning-writes without them these chapters would literally never get finished LOL immediately after finishing this plz go check out their bucky series; good heart (faulty machine of a man) it kills me in the best way. anyways, thank you for reading plz like + comment if you enjoyed :)
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Leonard can only barely make out Kirk’s face under the dim bulb, but he is pissed enough that Jim’s mug is the last thing he wants to see. The music is loud, so goddamn loud , loud enough that the whiskey did nothing for his headache. 
“This is not what I had in mind when you said you knew a place,” he yells over the music, staring down the side of Kirk's face. 
“What?” the captain calls back, still oblivious to Leonard's scowl. Kirk is absent, completely distracted by the crowd, more specifically the women . His gaze filters from person to person as they pass by the table, a dumb smile on his face the entire time. If steam could come out of Leonard’s ears, it would. 
“I said this isn't what I had in mind for tonight.” He reaches across the table and firmly flicks his friend’s temple. 
“Hey! What's your problem?” Kirk whines. Leonard is satisfied to have gotten his attention—finally. 
“You said you knew a nice place– you said it was a bar!” 
“Yeah and? This is both of those things!” 
“This is a goddamned petri dish!” 
It is. Leonard has refused to even allow his bare skin to touch the tabletop, weary of the unknown sticky substances covering it. There are so many bodies— human and otherwise— packed into the space, it's suffocating, and certainly a fire hazard. It's gross, downright unsanitary, and fucking loud.  
“You’re dramatic, Bones, it's nice enough. Loosen up! Maybe try to meet somebody. We’re only in Yorktown for a day, y’know?” 
Tipsy Kirk is a fucking idiot. 
Leonard recoils at the idea. The captain has gained this…habit lately. This advice-giving habit where he tells Leonard to relax, to get out there, to get laid, and every time it passes through Kirk's lips, Leonard becomes nauseous. He abhors this subject, he really does. The only thing he hates talking about more than his dating life is why he doesn’t have one. Sure, he hasn't had much of one since the divorce anyway, but whatever he did have quickly reduced to nothing after meeting Sunshine. He feels so childish even mulling his thoughts over, and how it feels pointless to consider any other woman interesting since he has already met Sunshine, who is the most interesting. Interesting and pretty. Interesting and pretty and kind. He shakes his head before he starts down his mental list (again). Somedays, it feels like his feelings will swallow him whole. It has been so long since he felt it, the wanting . Wanting to talk to her all the time, or hold her hand, or just be around her. It all makes him feel so juvenile, like he’s a lovesick teenager. She makes him feel like a lovesick teenager. It is the single most frustrating thing he’d ever experienced.
“I don't wanna associate with anyone who willingly steps foot inside this shithole,” he snaps, “C’mon man, let's go.” Kirk protests, of course, even more so as Leonard grabs him by the ear and pulls him up from the chair. He tells himself he’s doing Kirk a favor, that the last thing he needs is a hookup— that he’s certainly not taking out his frustrations on his friend. 
The pair weave through the bodies, with Kirk stumbling after his friend and out the door. The cool breeze hits them like a breath of fresh air, and Leonard takes it in. Kirk, on the other hand, furiously rubs his reddened ear. 
“What the hell was that for? Are you out to get me tonight?” 
Leonard feels a quick pang of sympathy, regretting lashing out. 
“Look, I’m sorry, but that place had me sweating like a damn sinner in church, there’s other bars, and it's getting late anyways–”
Kirk would usually push it, and Leonard could tell he wants to, which makes him all the more thankful he doesn’t.  
“Fine, fine, whatever but we are drinking when we get back to the ship,” he settles, leading the way home. 
Yorktown is cold and downright industrial. Leonard hates it. He would usually be thankful for a pit stop if it means he can feel non-artificial gravity, but, between the dirty club and Kirk’s antagonizing, he’s ready to be spacebound again. Both the Enterprise and the USS Endeavor are in Yorktown for the night, in the process of a personnel transfer. The streets are crawling with Starfleet members.
They walk in silence for most of the way, observing the larger-than-life city and the star crafts buzzing overhead. Leonard would be lying if he said he doesn’t feel a bit empty.  Perhaps the low-lit, music-blaring monstrosity would have felt more tolerable if a certain lieutenant was with him and not stuck with the enterprise night crew. 
“You know, I wouldn’t have even known that place existed if it wasn’t for Sunny,” Kirk laughs. Leonard scrunches his nose. 
“She recommended that barnyard?” he scoffs. 
“Oh god no, she told me to stay away from it. Said it was the grimiest place on this side of the universe. I just thought it sounded like a good time, y’know?” 
Leonard stares, really stares, and wonders why he keeps expecting better of Kirk. 
“You’re an idiot, and an ass. The woman gives you stellar advice, and you ignore it, and stick her with the skeleton crew.” 
Kirk stops so abruptly, that Leonard stumbles over him. 
“ I didn’t put her on the skeleton crew, she requested to be. You think I would make her work more than she already does? I’m not a tyrant, Bones.” 
What?  
“What?” Leonard says out loud. “Why would she ask to be holed up on the enterprise all leave?” 
“I mean, I would too if the alternative was running into my ex and all his coworkers.” 
Kirk laughs, Leonard’s head spins. 
“Her ex?” 
“Yeah her— she didn’t tell you any of this?” 
“She said she wanted Jameson to oversee the transfer, give him more experience or something, so you put her on his night shift.” 
“No? She wanted Jameson to do it because she used to be engaged to the Endeavors head of security.” 
Leonard blinks. And blinks again. 
“Dude, I don’t even know how to change the schedule,” Kirk adds. 
 Suddenly, despite talking to her everyday for close to a year, she feels unfamiliar. Engaged? He can hardly imagine it, nor does he want to. Pictures of Sunshine flash through his mind, and he clenches his fist. 
“Didn’t know she had been engaged,” he feigns a casual tone.
Kirk furrows his brows. 
“ You didn’t know? You of all people?” Leonard shrugs, as his stomach forms a knot. “She tells you everything, and she’s never mentioned Ryder?”
“Christ, his name is Ryder ?”
“I know! Douchebag name, right?” 
He doesn’t respond for a beat, which turns into several beats. The gears in his head turn and turn. Engaged . He doesn’t understand why the idea eats at him. He himself had been married for years. So what if she was engaged? There is no reason for him to be upset that his friend—a coworker–had an ex. 
He feels nauseous. 
Kirk clears his throat, derailing Leonard's train of thought.
“You’re right, it’s late, we should head back,” he says, offering a reassuring smile. Leonard follows him, hands in his pockets.
“Do y’know what happened?” he asks finally. Kirk casts him a sideways glance.
“What, between them? Not a clue,” Kirk says with sincerity enough for Leonard to believe it. “She wasn’t really keen on discussing it.” He pauses and looks at the ground as they walk. “I wouldn’t worry too much about it though, Bones, I think everyone sees she’s only really got eyes for one person these days.” 
“Don't start, Jim,” Leonard warns hotly, clenching his jaw. 
“Start what? I’m not starting anything. I’m just laying out the facts.” Jim hiccups. “She adores you, man, like adores -”
“Sunshine ‘adores’ everyone she meets. We’re friends—good friends, but that's all.” His patience shrinks as his annoyance grows.
Jim laughs mirthlessly.
“No, Sunshine and I are good friends. Whatever you two are is something else entirely-” 
“Anyone ever tell you you don't know when to shut up?” His tone is as cold as the night air, and Jim shuts up.
Leonard wishes Kirk would drop the subject, trip over a rock, or whatever it took to never have this conversation again. Really—what he truly wants is for everyone to stop dangling this hope in front of his face like a carrot. He’s not an idiot, he knows he spends more time with the lieutenant than his colleagues, hears her laugh more often, and knows her habits better.
 He knows what it looks like. He also knows that he's a bitter emotionally closed-off divorcee— 
He tells Jim that Sunshine is his friend because she is—and he denies wanting anything more because It's stupid to want things out of his reach. 
Frustration heats his cheeks and begins to bloom into a headache. He knows Kirk means well, but that fact does little to comfort him. 
“Alright, I’ll drop it,” Kirk surrenders, his voice soft. “But there is one last thing you should know,” He pauses at the crosswalk and turns to Leonard. Eerily stoic, his mouth pressed into a thin line. Leonard's breath hitched. 
“Ryder’s got nothing on you in terms of looks, okay? Seriously he's like, 5’7, and his face isn't at all symmetrical-”
Leonard revs up and smacks Kirk in the back of the head harder than he ever had and feels no regret. Not even after Kirk's high-pitched “ Ouch!”
“Would you quit it! You gossip like a damn schoolgirl!”
The sign blinks at them to walk, and Leonard drags Kirk across the street, fingers digging into his arm. 
“Ow, ow, I was just saying-“
“Wait a minute,” Leonard lets his friend go and smooths down his sleeve. “How do you know what he looks like anyway?” 
Kirk puts himself at a safe distance from the Doctor, cradling his arm. “Well, the operations manager would usually talk to the department heads during a transfer, but Sunshine passed him off to me. I said no at first, obviously, because I hate managing, but then she finally told me she was almost Mrs. Ryder Denver. So yeah, I spoke with him a few times, just business. Have to say though, I couldn't imagine them together. He comes off as a bit of a douche.” 
Leonard breathes deeply, reigning in the emotions that he doesn’t need Kirk to pick up on. The idea of Sunshine being engaged does enough to unsettle him without knowing that the man in question “ came off as a douche” . He feels something boil under the surface. 
“Yeah?” is all he can strangle out. 
“Yeah—He’s like a classic douchey security buff,” Kirk continues, unaware of his friend's white knuckles. “You know the kind– uptight, condescending, has one earring and thinks it's edgy-”
“Wears their uniform a size too small? Yeah, I know the type.” 
“Exactly, and Sunshine is so…so-”
“Heart-of-gold?” 
“Yeah! Opposites attract I guess, but I don't know, something was off.” 
To Leonard, the entire thing is off. All of it. Everything . He doesn’t understand why Sunshine decided he doesn’t get to know, why it is a secret in the first place, why she almost married a douche, why he cares so damn much . 
The enterprise comes into view like the sun on the horizon, and Leonard is relieved . 
“Your arm’s all right?” Leonard asks, an apology without apologizing. Jim knows this and breathes a laugh. 
“Yup, the ear’s fine too.” 
The Doctor nods, but his eyes remain trained in front of him. Through the glass window panes, he eyes the ship, eager to hide away in the familiar place. He would have opened the door for Kirk, as a gesture, but of course, the Yorktown Federation Port has to have automatic doors. He huffs, and the artificial lights illuminate his red cheeks. They approach their home in silent tandem, their shoes clinking against the hard floors. 
“You should talk to her, Bones,” Kirk breaks the quiet, head down while he taps the access code to the enterprise hull. “Ask her why she didn't mention the ex. I’m sure she has a good reason, probably one you'll wanna hear.” 
Leonard wants to be mean. He wants to shake Kirk's words off with an insult and go to bed. But he swallows his pride, and it goes down like nails.
“Yeah. Maybe.”
Hope. It bubbles up within his chest, and he pushes it down. Finally, the stark white enterprise interior greets him. He breathes a little easier. 
Kirk stumbles over the first step— “ Woah ”-- and Leonard steadies him with a raised eyebrow. “Andorian ale finally catching up with you?” 
“Pfft,” Kirk scoffs. “Couldn’t catch me if it tried.” 
Leonard pauses, then laughs, the first genuine one all night, and it has Kirk grinning back. 
The enterprise is empty, its residents still on the streets they just returned from. So, without restraint, they laugh, and Kirk stumbles, and Leonard forgets for a moment about the unsaid feelings under his skin. 
Kirk is an idiot, and he’s a good friend.  
He’s happy to banter about whatever comes out of Kirk's drunk mouth and to correct him when he takes a wrong turn in his own ship. Leonard claps his hand on his shoulder and drawls, “It’s this way, captain .”
“Uhh, no , Chekov keeps the good whiskey in his locker, this way,” Kirk insists with a point down the hallway, and Leonard is amazed at his eagerness to get blacked out the night before embarking. 
“Are you out of your mind? No way. You can drink like a fish when you don't need to fly a starship in the morning.” 
“What are you, my mom ?” 
Christ.
“No, but I pity the poor woman,” he huffs and gestures down the hallway leading to his quarters. Kirk frowns and scrunches his nose.
“Raincheck, Kirk, c’mon.” 
He begrudgingly obliges, having given his friend a hard enough time tonight anyway. The yawn that crawls out of his mouth a moment later corroborates Leonard's decision. He is tired, and Kirk shouldn't drink anymore, but he’d be lying if he said those were his only motives to end the night early.
“You win this one, Bones, but next time I swear we'll be out till sunrise,” he says between another yawn and a hiccup. 
“Uh-huh. Try not to trip.” Leonard reminds himself of the virtue of patience and keeps walking. 
Kirk manages to type in his room's access code all by himself, with only a moment of squinting, and a break to roll up the black sleeves of his turtleneck. Leonard is impressed, and the bar is low. 
“Drink a bottle of water, and get some sleep, We’ll talk tomorrow.” he crosses his arms over his chest and waits for protest. 
Kirk only hums. “You headed to your room?”
 The doctor's fingers drum against the doorframe. “Was thinking I’d check in on Sunshine,” he says, blinks, and rushes out, “and the rest of the Skeleton crew, of course.  Maybe medbay too, then I’ll hit the hay.” He fleetingly wonders if that sounds believable, or at least casual. 
 Kirk smiles a genuine smile. “Sounds like a good plan, Bones. See ya in the morning, and tell her I said hi .” Before he can react, his friend waves, and the door slides shut. Then, he’s alone in the hallways, and he has to put his money where his mouth is. 
Shit . 
The way to the bridge feels daunting now, like climbing Everest. Like climbing Everest with the shittiest rope ever. Like climbing Everest with the shittiest rope ever, several pounds of emotional baggage, and a Starfleet captain breathing down his neck.  He considers just going to bed, pretending he never even mentioned the whole thing. Maybe even pretend he doesn't care to get answers. He can just leave it be. 
The desire to see her trumps all of it. 
The halls are deserted, which he’s thankful for. He doesn’t need anyone around to watch him squirm in the elevator. A deep breath, a punch of the open elevator button and—
“I told you I don't have any threes! Go fish, again .” 
He sees the back of the captain's chair first, then Starfleet-issued black boots hanging off of it. The whoosh of the door draws the attention of the room to him. Eyes sweep through the vaguely familiar faces of the night crew, all six staring at him like they are waiting for an explanation, which he doesn’t really have. The heeled black boots plant themselves on the ground, the captain's seat swivels around. His heart works double time. 
“ Leonard ? Hi! What are you doing here?” 
Sunshine’s got a hand of cards between her pointer and her thumb, and a sweatshirt pulled over her uniform dress, and it distracts Leonard for longer than it should. He clears his throat, and it shakes loose the feelings stuck there. 
“Just thought I'd check in on our hard working night crew, who is surely on task.” He descends the bridge steps. 
“Well, then, you'll be happy to hear that I am, in fact, glancing at my station every 20 minutes, and I’m the undefeated go-fish champion.” 
She waves the cards at herself like a fan, legs crossed and smile wide. 
“Undefeated, huh? Glad to see your talents going to good use.” Her smile gets a bit brighter, and she does a quick breathy laugh with her nose. For a moment there's quiet, and Leonard begins scrambling for a way to ask her the thing he wants to ask her. The bridge is crowded, for a skeleton crew, he thinks. The redshirt to Sunshine’s left breaks the silence before he can. 
“I’m not sure if I’d call it talent…I’m pretty sure she's cheating,” they grumble, and Sunshine doesn't spare a moment, whipping the chair around. He can almost see the panic fill her eyes, like she’s just been accused of a heinous crime. 
“I’m not! Are you still thinking about that last round? Because that was—”  
Even Leonard winces a bit at her shrill tone, and he’s pretty sure she just woke the navigator who had fallen asleep at his station, so he claps his hands on her shoulders. 
“Sounds to me like this card game has you wound like a spring,” he interrupts her before her voice jostles anyone else awake. 
She pouts, lip jutted out and everything. 
“Let's go for a walk,” he suggests. He doesn’t even let his nerves talk him out of it. She looks at him curiously, her eyebrows drawn. 
“I dunno, I probably shouldn’t leave…” 
“I’m sure someone else can deal cards while you’re gone,” he tells her, already offering his arm. 
The Ensign, Leonard still doesn’t know their name, waves her off. “Go, Lieutenant, It's fine. I’m sure we can handle a few minutes without you.” 
She bites her lip and cautiously loops her arm around his, leaving the captain's chair to her subordinate. 
“Alright, but don’t start a new game without me,” she warns lightly. 
Leonard doesn’t get nervous with her arm looped around his, really he doesn’t. He’s headfirst into this thing now, no room for nerves. 
She drinks her whiskey neat, he learns, and it surprises him. Surprises him even more when she downs it like a shot. 
The walk there had been quiet mostly, except for when Sunshine regaled the stories of her card game wins. 
“Did you have a nice time with Kirk?” she asks politely.
“I dunno if I’d say that, but maybe Jim would disagree.” 
She laughs lightly, and her finger traces the lip of the whiskey glass. He doesn’t know if it’s the best idea, but he refills her cup. 
There is a beat of silence, and the conversation with Kirk pushes to the front of his thoughts. There's a heaviness on the tip of his tongue, the desire to ask why . Without really knowing how to. 
“Wish I could’ve gone with you guys,” she says, her gaze downcast. There's a rare melancholy to her tone, something vulnerable woven into it. 
“You could’ve,” he tells her, and her eyes pull from the table.
“I had--”
“Yeah, I know what you– I just mean–I’m sure Kirk would have given you the night off if you asked… God knows he owes you enough favors.” 
“I guess,” she shrugs, “it wasn’t really the best night for it, though.” 
He could go along with her lame excuse, vaguely agreeing that, yeah, there will be other nights. But the ache to know what exactly goes on in her pretty head has words tumbling out of his mouth. 
“Yeah, Kirk mentioned somethin’ like that,” he mumbles, nerves permeating the sentence. 
“...what?” 
Shit.
“I mean, he may have-”
“What exactly did he mention?” Her tone holds a sharp undercurrent of something rare for Sunshine– anger.
Leonard runs a hand down his face, suddenly thinking of all the much more tactful ways he could have begun this. The gentle buzz of alcohol still in his bloodstream keeps him from panicking. 
“Nothing terrible, just that there was someone in town you wouldn’t wanna see.”
“As if ,” she scoffs. “Kirk’s never been that vague in his life.” 
“…fair enough.” 
She groans miserably, fitfully pulling the sleeves of her sweater over her hands and burying her face in the fabric. 
“You were not supposed to find out like this,” she says, muffled. 
“And how was I supposed to find out?” He asks quietly, like the question will frighten her away. 
A sniffle comes from behind her hands–the sound tugs at his heart. 
“ I don't know. Maybe someone could have told you when I’m dead and then we’d never have to have this conversation.” 
He reaches for her slowly, taking her wrists in a gentle hold and pulling them away from her face, revealing her reddened nose and watery eyes. Her hands are cold, and grow stiff under his touch. 
“Sunshine. It's an ex , not a damn intergalactic scandal. There are worse conversations to have,” he reasons. 
“You don't get it,” she tells him matter-of-factly, pulling her hands from his touch. Embarrassment quickly heats his body, and he wipes his palms on his pants. 
“I’d get it a lot more if you talked about it.” He flexes his jaw, frustration bleeding into his voice. 
She narrows her eyes, punctuating her glare with a sniffle. 
“If I wanted to talk about it, I would’ve.”
“With Kirk? Because he seems to get it.” 
“Why are you acting so—”
“Concerned? Oh, I dunno because you’re my friend?” Exasperation colors his tone.
“I was gonna say entitled,” she grits out. Her anger comes out half-heartedly, sounding more like watery sadness than anything. “I don't tell you everything, and I don't have to. You’re not my-” She sighs. “Why does it matter? I was engaged for like, a year, and now, I’m not.” 
You’re not my–
Her half sentence sticks in his mind and sends blood rushing to his head. He thinks of all the things that he is to her: a colleague, a doctor, a friend. All the things he isn’t feels like a gaping hole. 
He watches her clench her fists and force her tears back. 
“It matters because it upsets you enough to work the night shift,” he sighs, the anger he’s been holding seeps out of his hands like water. “I’m not pressing you for the latest gossip, Sunny. I’m asking because it would be lousy of me not to.” 
She says nothing, taking in his words. 
“I’m no stranger to this stuff, y’know,” he prods her gently. “My ex-wife sent me running all the way to space .” He says lightly, and the corners of her mouth twitch up briefly.
“He didn't send me running, I sent him,” she confesses, shaking her head. 
“ You ?” 
“Me. The thing is,” she shrugs, “it should have worked, y’know? Like on paper, it was perfect. Ryder and I were academy sweethearts, liked all the same shit, were top of our classes, blah, blah, blah.” She rolls her eyes. “Our friends used to tease us, say that it wasn't fair, and we were too in love.”
“Sounds nice.”
“It does, doesn’t it?” she says, sighing. Her eyes drift nowhere in particular. “It didn’t feel nice after a while though. It felt suffocating. I was half a person with him, we were Ryder and Sunshine–and that was one entity.” Her tears dry on her lashes, as she becomes entrenched in the memory. 
“But the person we were wasn’t me . Because he never thought my jokes were funny, or my hobbies were interesting or my friends were cool, so I was willing to throw them all out. Eventually all that was left was him. His ideas, his wants, his needs. I was backed into a corner. I should’ve left when I realized but I loved him… and I was really scared of being alone.” 
She pushes her hair behind her ears and lets out a shaky breath. 
“I was a coward, and I couldn’t leave. I wanted to try and fix it, figure out who I was, and then maybe Ryder could love that person,” She shakes her head. “I was naive. Ryder always wanted someone I couldn’t be. Someone quieter or someone better at being a person. I’m always so all over the place you know? Too much for him.”
“You’re not–”
“It's okay, Len, you don't have to say anything.” she says, meeting his eyes again, taming the budding fire in his heart. 
The idea of Sunshine being anything but completely herself unnerves him. Her jokes are funny, he can’t recall ever laughing as much before she boarded the enterprise. Her ramblings about xenobotany and classic earth songs never fail to catch his attention, even when he barely knows what she's talking about. Being around Sunshine is as easy as breathing, and he’s starting to need it as much too. 
“Anyways, he proposed our senior year, like we weren’t a sinking ship, and I said yes and pretended like the ring wasn’t a last-ditch attempt to bring us back to life.” 
Her teeth sink into her lip, her eyes dragging to her lap.
“I don't know what it was, but one night I just…broke. I couldn’t keep pretending to be someone I wasn’t, or beg to be loved.”
A few tears slide down her cheeks, she scrubs them away with her sleeve.
Leonard wants to tell her that she should never have to beg for anything in the first place, least of all love; he wants to tell her that she's worthy just the way she is. His fingers twitch with the desire to take her by the shoulders and tell her over and over that she’s perfect, that she couldn’t be too much if she tried. Sunshine has always had a magnetic pull to her, drawing in everyone she meets with her warmth. The idea of anyone taking that away from her pulls his heartstrings tight enough to snap. He holds back his anger, refraining from telling her that Ryder is an asshole who didn’t deserve a second of her time. 
The wiser part of him knows that's not what he needs.
“We had planned to be on the USS Endeavor together, but I rescinded my application. I signed up to do on-planet research instead. I wrote a long letter, left it on our bed, packed up my things, and left.” 
She coughs in a way that he knows is covering up a sob and takes a deep breath. The sound sends a pang of emotion through him.
“It’s the worst thing I’ve ever done. We were engaged, for Christ's sake, and I couldn’t even look him in the eye when I left him. And don’t even get me started on the fallout. We had all the same friends, and our families were so close… it was all so humiliating . Everyone expected us to live happily ever after, and then, there I was, giving him back his ring in a coffee shop.”  
She knocks back the rest of her drink, like a consolation prize for getting all the words out. 
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, Len. I never wanted you to think of me like that, as someone who would do that.” 
“ Sweetheart ,” he says like a plea, calling her attention. “No one in their right mind would think differently of you for leaving something that wasn’t good for you– or at least they shouldn’t.” 
She's shaking her head before he finishes his sentence. 
“But I–”
“I know. You didn’t go about it the way you maybe should’ve– or the way you wanted to. It doesn’t make you a bad person, it doesn’t make you any less… good.”
She hiccups, her chest rising and falling rapidly as another stream of tears drips down her cheeks. He can't help himself – and even if he could, he doesn’t want to – he brings both hands to her cheeks, wiping away the salty tears. 
“It's alright,” he says gently, swiping his thumb under her eye again. “You’re alright.”
She nods, breaths finally evening out, and his hands reluctantly fall back onto his lap. 
He remembers well the storm of feelings his divorce left him with. The gulit, the lonliness, feeling like the world was ending. 
“I get it, y’know. The shitty relationship, becoming somebody you don't wanna be,” the barstool squeaks as he leans on the counter. He hasn't talked about his marriage since he told the story to Kirk years ago. It feels odd to tell it again. 
“My ex and I met in college, fell head over heels, and I proposed a year later. I thought… well, we both thought we were soulmates. There was this connection between us that I’d never felt before, and I thought this must be it.” 
“After a year ?” she gawks. He casts her a sideways glance and chuckles. 
“A perfect year, mind you. Not a single disagreement, not a bad date– every day was straight out of a damn love story or something. Until we got hitched, that is. Then it was all disagreements.”
 He anxiously taps a rhythm on the bar top. The memory still burns him now, of the fiery conflict, of the sleepless nights. 
“We were the same in all the worst ways, stubborn, headstrong, prideful. We couldn't settle an argument to save our lives. It probably didn't help that I was in the middle of residency and pulling 100-hour weeks. It was miserable. I hardly recognized myself… I know I don’t have the best temper, but I never wanted to be an angry person.” 
He lets out a slow breath, “I was mad as hell when she called it quits, said a lot of stuff I regret. But she was right to do it. We brought out the worst in each other, I was just too narrow-minded to see it. All this to say, I’m sure I would have taken the night shift to avoid her too.” 
Sunshine rests a comforting hand on his shoulder, her thumb pressing circles into the muscle. 
“I’m sorry, Len.”
He leans into her touch without thinking about it. “These things happen,” he tells her decidedly. “When something’s not right, there's nothing you can do to change that. You do the best you can with where you’re at, that's all.” He pictures himself, young and full of fire, holding onto something that had already slipped away. “Which you did, Sunshine. I know it’s hard to see now, but I promise it gets easier.”
When he drags his gaze from the mahogany bar top back to Sunshine, she's watching him curiously. 
“What am I supposed to see?”
“That you were young, and scared, and you did what you needed to for yourself. Even if it's not shit you’re proud of, it makes you who you are. You learn, and it makes you better.” 
She says nothing, silently considering his words for several moments. “Well, it better get easier soon, because it sucks .” 
He chuckles, “That it does.” 
 She reaches right past him and grabs the half-empty bottle of whiskey.
“We should toast,” she says, the melancholy in her voice fading away, probably tucked back behind a wall. “To failed marriages.” 
She’s already refilling their glasses and lifting hers to bump with his. 
“Thought you ducked out on the whole wedding thing?” he teases. 
“Fine then, to failed romantics,” she impatiently shakes the ice in her glass, “Just do it.” 
He knocks his glass with hers and agrees, “To failed romantics, and night shifts, and all the other shitty stuff.”
Her face pinches as she finishes her drink. Gingerly, she takes both of their glasses and stacks them behind the bar. 
Like ripping a bandage off and letting the wound breathe, Leonard feels lighter. As Sunshine hops off the bar stool and straightens her uniform skirt, he can see on her face that she does too. 
“Thank you for the drink, and the talk, Len,” she says, and he waves her off. 
“Don't mention it.” 
“ Totally gonna mention it,” she grins, “and when the schedule suddenly gives you two days off in a row, you’ll know why.” 
He laughs, and shakes his head, “I don’t think that's allowed, Lieutenant.” 
“I have my ways,” she says innocently, as she saunters to the door. 
He watches her go, everything she’s told him still buzzing in his head. He can hardly make sense of everything he’s feeling at once, but there's one thought that sticks out among the rest, that sits on his chest, demanding to be heard. 
“Sunshine?” he calls before she’s gone, giving into his relentless mind.
“Yeah?”
When she turns around, he’s flooded with everything he’s ever wanted to tell her. How she has seeped into every part of his life since he met her, despite his once armored heart. How she doesn’t see it, but she's changed the entire atmosphere of the bridge, pouring life into it with her energy. How she's taught him how to be a better friend, a better man, even a better doctor. How she’s not too much, she's everything. 
 “You should know, you’re never too much, that's ridiculous. Anyone on this ship would agree in a heartbeat. Don’t know what I’d– what we’d do without you,” he rushes out. “I hope you never think you need to be anything other than who you are.”
She goes still in the door frame and observes him for a moment. He flounders in her silence, wondering if he should have just kept his mouth shut. She suddenly moves from the doorway, quickly striding towards him, the sound of her boots clacking on the floor. He has no time to react before she gently places her hand on his chest. She wastes no time, leaning down and pressing a warm kiss to his cheek. 
“Thank you,” she says meaningfully, searching his eyes for a brief moment before she turns heel again. She’s out the door without him even mustering up a word to say. 
His skin heats where her lips had touched him, a crackling feeling left in their place. He lifts his fingers to the skin, ghosting over the sticky remnants of her lipgloss. 
He sits, dumbfounded, knowing he’s gone somewhere there's no coming back from.     
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Cheap, Plastic Stars - Leonard McCoy
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A/N: Happy Star Trek Day! I wrote this in a sleep-deprived fugue the other night, but knew that I needed to post something for today. I hope you all enjoy!
Pairing: Leonard McCoy x Reader Word Count: 963 Synopsis: Leonard comes home to find that Jim and the reader have taken over his bedroom.
When Leonard comes home, the lights are off in the apartment. This isn’t entirely unexpected, it’s nearly 1:00 a.m., and any sane person would be asleep. Unfortunately, Leonard doesn’t know any sane people. Other than himself. Although the more time he spend with his friends, the closer he feels to insanity.
It had been a long night. Although he’s on leave, he was still keeping busy. He assisted at the nearby hospital whenever he could, and tonight he got called in for an emergency C-section. Both mom and baby were fine, and resting, and now, Leonard wanted to be resting, too.
But as he approached his bedroom, and heard the giggling coming from inside, he knew that would not be the case.
When he pushed open the door to his bedroom, it was as dark as the living room, except for a very dim glow from little plastic stars on his ceiling. Laying in his bed was his best friend and his girlfriend. 
You and Jim both had the blankets pulled up to your chin and were chuckling under the covers until you spotted Leonard. When you saw him, the chuckle became a howl.
“Do I even want to know?” Leonard asked with a sigh. You grinned at him from the bed and wiggled over, elbowing Jim to do the same.
“Come here,” you said, patting the bed. Leonard groaned and kicked off his shoes and his jacket before lying down next to you.
“Hi,” you said, giggling as you did.
“Hi,” he said, smiling despite his better judgement.
“Hi,” Jim chimed in, making you both burst out laughing again.
“Did you two go through my medicine cabinet again?” Leonard asked.
“No,” you said, bumping your shoulder against his, “But we did get into some delicious wine from the grocery store.”
“Makes sense,” Leonard said, relaxing against his pillow. “What are those stupid stars doing up there?”
“We also got those from the grocery store,” Jim said. You nodded proudly. 
“Why?”
“Because you’re scared of space,” you said, yawning loudly. You snuggled in a bit closer to his side, and Leonard put his arm around you.
“And why would I wanted to be reminded of that every night?”
“We thought the stars might make you get used to it, so you wouldn’t be as scared.”
“It didn’t really work though,” Jim said. “Most of them fell onto the floor or under your bed.”
“We were gonna make constellations!” you said, whisper-shouting into Leonard’s ear. He pulled back a little, but kept you still in his arms. The idea was stupid, a fact he would be sure to tell the both of you, but he knew it came from the right place.
“There are only two stars up there,” he said plainly. You snorted and tucked your face into his shoulder, laughing as Jim did next to you, nearly shaking the bed with his laughter. 
“Constellations can have two stars,” Jim said, looking up smugly at your work. 
“Okay, so what constellation is that?”
“That’s a new one we came up with,” you said, excitedly pulling away from his arms and looking up. “We call it the Leonard.”
“The Bones,” Jim corrected.
“We could not decide on a name,” you said, smiling as you looked at him. “But we dedicated our constellation to you.”
Leonard smiled at you and gripped your shoulder a little tighter. You wrapped your arm around his chest and let out another big yawn. Leonard thought he heard some snoring coming from Jim’s side, but when he looked at his friend, he was all grins.
“Aren’t you wondering why we’re in the bed?” he asked, smirking at him.
“The thought crossed my mind, yeah,” Leonard said, sighing.
“We were testing out the stars. We wanted to see if they would lull you to sleep, so we tried to fall asleep, too.”
“It didn’t work,” you said.
“You two are idiots,” Leonard said. You both laughed, and then, Leonard did, too. “But because you are idiots who are also drunk, I will give you a pass. Jim, it is one in the morning, please get out of my bed.”
“I’m not sure I can walk,” he said, grinning as he sat up.
“Don’t worry,” you whispered, “We’ve got a doctor here.” For some reason, that made Jim laugh even more, and it was another five minutes before he left the room. Once the door had shut behind him, Leonard pulled you closer into his arms.
“How did the surgery go?” you asked, your voice thick with sleep.
“Good,” he said, kissing the top of your head. “I guess I still don’t understand why the two of you had to lay in bed.”
“I think we just got sleepy. It’s hard work sticking stars to the ceiling,” you said, smiling against his chest. Leonard smiled too as he ran his hand through your hair. “Do you like your stars?”
“I do.”
“Do they make you feel less afraid?”
“Sure.”
“Good,” you said dreamily. “We worry about you, you know? We want you to be happy.”
“I am happy.”
“Good. Me too.”
“Goodnight, Y/N.”
“Goodnight, Leonard.”
Leonard looked at the ceiling for a while after you had fallen asleep. One look at the end of his bed proved that there had been more plastic stars, but he was particularly fond of the two that had clung on. Two stars to watch over him, from the two people closest to him. 
His friends were idiots. They were insane idiots who got too drunk on cheap, peach wine, who impulsively bought glow-in-the-dark stars, who decorated their friends room without asking, and who laid in his bed for some godforsaken reason. They were idiots.
His friends were insane, but he wouldn’t trade them for anyone better.
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lyejelly · 7 months
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Research Paper on Star Trek
Dear Fans of ST,
I am currently in college and I want to write about the history or Star Trek (focus on TOS) and how it impacted today's world (specifically fanfiction and gay rights but lets be real those flip phones and automatic doors deserve a place in writing.
Any help toward resources would be greatly appreciated. Currently I have internet archive with a few original pieces dating back to the 80s and 70s and the oldest fanfiction of k/s "A Fragment Out of Time".
K/S deserves to be archived, everything I have learned about the history of modern fanfiction can be linked back to ST:TOS and K/S, but only through fragments on this website and word of mouth. Without a proper recording of everything I am worried this will be overlooked and one day forgotten.
Thank you
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ivorydragoness44 · 10 months
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Star Trek x Reader Masterlist:
Last Updated: October 23, 2023
INSERT READERS:
Dr. Leonard McCoy x Reader: Cranium Conundrum
Dr. Leonard McCoy x Reader: Head in the Clouds
Dr. Leonard McCoy x Reader: Mutual
Dr. Leonard McCoy x Reader: Either Way
Doctor Leonard McCoy x Reader: Practice
Jim Kirk x Reader: Racing
IMAGINES:
Imagine swooning over Leonard McCoy
Imagine not wanting Doctor Leonard McCoy to go to work just yet
Imagine finding a shirtless McCoy
Imagine Leonard McCoy has you on his mind
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dolamrothianlady · 2 months
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The Arrangement (part seven)
Leonard McCoy x Reader 460 words
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You're getting comfortable with each other. Really comfortable.
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The two of you were definitely getting more comfortable with each other. Of course that feeling had been growing steadily for a while now, but it was stronger than before, which was lovely even though his touches made your heart race. That was certainly getting hard to ignore. Turns out that behind closed doors Leonard was actually a very affectionate man, and it was going to be the death of you.
It started out with gentle touches to your lower back while you were making your way around the house, then the occasional accidental snuggle in bed, and as of tonight you were now in “pulls your legs onto his lap while you’re on the couch watching a movie” territory. It was heady stuff for someone trying desperately to keep calm and composed around a doctor who could read you like a book. Especially when he started rubbing your legs.
You felt slightly unhinged by the sheer volume of affection you were feeling towards him, like if you didn't say something soon there was a chance you'd explode. So, naturally, you ignored the feeling and instead blurted out something else you'd been trying to ignore.
"You know what's kinda sad? I didn't realise just how lonely I was until we started this."
He seemed surprised by your sudden outburst, though not surprised enough to stop the spontaneous massage.
"Nothin’ sad about that, honey." He said slowly, his hands now calmly rubbing around your calves and ankles. "Are you…feeling better now that we're doing this?"
"I am, yeah. I think the biggest thing is having someone to talk to at the end of the day. It's not quite the same when it's done through phone calls and messages. And sharing dinner, as well. It's…it's so much nicer being able to set the table and share my food with you, rather than sit alone."
He looked thoughtful for a few moments, hands slowing but not stopping. "I feel calmer. Like I'm less likely to snap at Jim when he's being a damn fool. I still do, but it's not as frequent these days.”
“I’m sure Jim is appreciative of that.”
He huffed a laugh as his hands finally stilled. “He can thank me by taking a few days to think things through before embarking on another one of his dumbass schemes.”
Your laughs were the unstoppable, wheezing, belly deep kind. The kind where you buried your face in your hands while you tried to compose yourself, which had you missing the look Leonard gave you.
He was enthralled by you. Wanted to bottle that laugh up to brighten dark days when you weren’t around, and it was getting harder and harder to ignore the way your gentle affection was making him feel.
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part eight [final]>>>
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muirmarie · 25 days
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Title: don't you worry, babe (we'll figure it out)
Fandom: Star Trek: The Original Series
Ship: McCoy/Spock/Kirk (mcspirk - this is established spirk to mcspirk to be clear)
Rating/Warnings: T / no archive warnings apply
Word Count: ~8300
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Written for Day 26 - Expectations vs Reality - for @mcspirkevents mcspirk month
(my mcspirk month fics)
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Some days, you're thrilled that your two best friends have found happiness together in what genuinely seems to be the perfect relationship.
Some days, they conspire to drag you to their couples counseling like the pair of nightmare children that they are.
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“I did hope all three of you would participate, and I'd counted on you, Doctor, to set a good example.”
This is hell, he thinks. They finally dragged him into some sorta hijinks that got him killed, and now he's in hell, sitting between the two of them and being asked to participate in their couples counseling.
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