browngirl

Title: Bounce
Fandom: Star Trek XI
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Cadet Kirk/Cadet McCoy
Summary: His roommate-cum-best friend-cum -- well. That's the thing.
Content Advisory: Slash, brooding, schmoop.
Acknowledgements: Another commentfic from

jim_and_bones. Dedicated to

mardia, to brighten her day.
Disclaimer: This fanwork has been created for pleasure only and not for profit.

Jim tosses his feet up on the back of the chair in front of his, arranges himself and his padd in a careful facsimile of studying, and settles down to brood. He didn't actually come to this deserted lecture hall to get classwork done, but to get away from his roommate-cum-best friend-cum -- well. That's the thing.

There's a terrible pun just waiting to be made, but Jim sighs instead and sinks a little further into his seat. Last time he saw Bones the man looked relatively cheerful, a smile wedged into the corner of his generous mouth as he yanked on his uniform, distracted by the class he was about to be late to. He looked good. Jim should feel proud.

He's a good rebound, after all, has been ever since his mid-teens. He's pretty and charming and he knows it, just right to catch people coming off a broken relationship and kiss some self-confidence back into them. Besides the obvious bonus of getting laid he just plain likes jollying them up with happy sex and sending them on their way feeling better about themselves.

This time, though, he doesn't want to send Bones on his way. Maybe it's because it took longer than usual to happen, all the way into their second year here. Maybe it's because of the scale of the relationship Bones is getting over, and as he thinks that Jim hears 'the whole damn planet' echo in his memory. Maybe it's because Jim didn't actually mean to seduce his best friend, because having Bones at his side and watching his back is something a lot rarer and more valuable than one more person to have sex with. Maybe --

The door at the top of the lecture hall swings open into a bang, and Jim turns and looks up to see Bones jogging down the steps as if he's run right out of Jim's thoughts. There's a splendidly cheesy line to be said, but Jim just smiles and calls, "Hey, Bones," swallowing hard as his heart lurches into overdrive.

"You forgot your socks," Bones says by way of greeting, tossing them at Jim, who snatches them out of the air. "Been looking for you for an hour, kid. I've got a question for you."

"Is that so?" Jim asks as lightly as he can, carefully watching himself pull on his socks instead of Bones lounging at the end of the row. "I was practicing Not Being Seen for future covert operations."

Bones snorts eloquently, and Jim smirks at his foot as he replaces his shoe. "I'm thinking of switching a shift next week so I can see the Zithartan Dance recital." Jim looks up and Bones is looking down, not quite nonchalantly. "Want to come with?"

"I'm always up for dancing girls," Jim answers, a little puzzled, "but... Bones." If it's possible, Jim's chest eases and tightens in the same heartbeat. "Did you come down here to ask me out?"

Bones huffs, still looking down. "Apparently I came down here to waste my time," he growls, turning away, and Jim vaults out of his chair, grabbing Bones's bicep as he scrambles to plant his feet on the floor.

"Yes," Jim says, sincerely, and watches Bones's eyes widen and shift, brighter green, brighter gold. "Yes, I'd love to." Bones's sharp eyebrows curve up and he actually smiles, and Jim just has to grin back, can't restrain a little bounce.