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Leonard’s about elbows deep in a crewman's back and performing a delicate operation to repair a swimbladder when M’Benga asks: “Will you be my date to the holiday party this year?” So naturally, it takes Leonard about thirty minutes to formulate a proper response and, by then, M’Benga’s easygoing smile has dimmed to an unsure frown.
“You what now?” Leonard asks when he’s done peeling off his protective gloves and scrubbing his hands. Honest to god, he tries not to furrow his brow. He’s relieved actually. Jim was all worked up about Spock saying yes to his invite (and honestly, the idiots have been dancing around each other for months so Leonard’s not sure what all the surprise is about). Nyota got Scotty, bless him, to finally stammer out a yes. Chapel asked some Andorian ambassador who is onboard. Sulu’s husband is taking a special shuttle out with their daughter to come. Chekov’s current fling is going with him. Leonard had chalked up this year to being another lonely spectacle.
“The holiday party,” M’Benga said slowly, washing his hands methodically and avoiding looking at Leonard. “Saying ‘date’ was a bit presumptuous. I normally ask Svoek but he’s not going this year. I know you usually go alone but... We could go together?”
The room becomes instantly more oppressive when M’Benga turns the tap water off. The back of Leonard’s neck feels hot and he chokes out, “Fine. Whatever,” before fleeing to his office.
By the end of his shift, he’s calmer, laughing with Chapel and M’Benga at one of the new nurse’s stammering of personal questions to her patient. M’Benga’s soft touch to his shoulder doesn’t even startle him. Leonard accepts it graciously, trying not to blush. He knows, instinctively, that M’Benga is not interested in a relationship with him but it’s still nice to pretend. They’ve been close friends for years, academic rivals for longer, but never so close as to invite one another to formal functions as dates. It’s a nice change of pace.
Leonard goes to the rec hall for a pre-dinner jog. He’s more than a little disappointed that Spock’s not there. It’s their usual time when the rec hall is mostly empty. Leonard checks the chronometer twice before giving up to jog by himself. The stress of the day melts from his shoulders as he loses himself in the rhythmic pounding of his feet. The kilometers slip by and Leonard eats away an hour jogging before prying himself free of the machine. Spock’s still missing but Chekov is sparring on the wrestling mats with Sulu. A few more crew are scattered around to the far corners on cycling machines or simulated hiking paths. Leonard pauses at the free weights but walks to the pull up bar closest to Chekov and Sulu.
“Doctor,” Sulu greets, barely out of breath. Chekov is on his back, shiny with sweat and panting like he’s ran a marathon. He can’t manage a hello but flops a hand in Leonard’s general direction.
Leonard grips the pull up bar and shakes his head. “Try not to kill the boy, Sulu.” He starts his sets, half counting and half watching Chekov get thrown on his back again and again. There’s a mixture of Russian and English cursing and Leonard can’t help but chuckle.
“Please do not laugh, Doctor. It is very hard on me. I have never grappled before! My training is only in phasers. No hand to hand,” Chekov whines, swinging around to look at Leonard with pleading eyes.
The grin won’t quite go away but Leonard nods very seriously, lowering himself as slowly as possible from his last pull up just to feel the strain in his biceps. “You’re goin’ end up all bruised for the dance. Your date won’t appreciate it.”
Sulu shrugs. “She might think he’s cooler.” He raises his voice to a falsetto, batting his eyelashes, and holding his hands to his chest. “Oh, Pavel! Such nasty wounds! My little hero, how did you get so hurt?”
Leonard snorts again and Chekov rolls over onto his stomach, hiding his face. “Hikaru!” He whines.
“Speaking of,” Sulu smacks Leonard’s arm. “Are you going with Jim?”
“Jim? The hell would I go with him for? M’Benga asked so I’ll be going with him.”
“M’Benga? Are you two...?”
Chekov looks up too at Sulu’s question, bright with curiosity.
“O’course not. Just colleagues is all, lordy. M’Benga’s never been interested in human men as far as he’s told me. Although, he’s dated a few Vulcan ones.” And that hardly bothers Leonard. He thinks of M’Benga warm smile in the medbay earlier and how easy it would be if they were interested in each other. It’s hardly a secret that M’Benga is hoping Svoek will bond with him. “He’s just a good friend and it’s nice not to be alone at the party finally.”
Sulu makes a soft noise but Chekov is the one who replies, “Have you told the captain yet?”
Leonard narrows his eyes at the boy. “I ain’t got to tell that ass any of my personal business. ‘Sides, he’s got a date this year. Not like he’s ever hard up for a damn date anyway. Now, you’ll excuse me, I got a dinner tray with my name on it. And don’t forget to bend your knees, Chekov.”
The mess hall is crowded but there are plenty of people generous enough to let him cut in until he’s right behind Nyota. Which is a small blessing because talking with her means not obsessing about why Jim might care who Leonard’s going to a little holiday formality with. Because Jim shouldn’t care. Jim’s got Spock.
“Len,” Nyota sighs, leaning back on his chest while they wait.
He smiles. Leonard can’t help but have a sweet spot for her, like a sister he’s never had. In fact, he had spent a solid month ignoring Spock in solidarity with her after their break up. “Is that a sigh cause of Scotty, doll?”
She huffs, turning around so swiftly that her ponytail nearly slaps him. “No! It’s Spock.” Before Leonard can build up some righteous fury and ask her how she’d like Spock to die, she deflates. “Oh, Len, I wish I could ask you to make it better but he’s just needs to man up.”
Leonard presses a small kiss to her forehead. “Always nice to see you still take good care of him even though he doesn’t deserve you, Nyota.”
Nyota ducks her head and Leonard’s sure she must be blushing. She shoves at his chest. “Don’t tease. It was a mostly amicable split, after all. And I couldn’t just throw away all the affection I’d spent years building.”
“Jim and he are going to the party together.”
“Yeah,” she’s clearly not surprised to know but chews her lip before asking what Leonard knows everyone is curious about. “Do you have a date?”
“M’Benga,” he answers easily despite every crewmember in the vicinity clearly eavesdropping. “He asked this morning and, after a mild heart attack, I said yes. First time in a long while someone’s asked to take me. Last time I had a date was when we first got the ship official like. Remember I danced with Jojo? Best date I’ve ever had.” They’d even done the ol’ stand on papa’s feet even. He’s got holos of that party in his quarters. It brings a smile to his face every morning, even before he’s gotten coffee.
Nyota hums. He’s half ready for her to ask all the awkward questions Chekov did but her eyes just flick over Leonard’s shoulder. “Oh, Jim,” she says and Leonard turns to see their captain heading to the front of the line.
It never fails to floor Leonard how a smiling Jim makes his chest tight and his head hurt. Nothing like M’Benga. Jim’s nova-bright smile turns full blast when he reaches Leonard and Nyota. He slithers between them, wrapping an arm around Nyota’s waist and kissing her neck like the flirt he is. She swats at him but allows his hanging on. “Bones,” he sings. “Uhura, my star!” There’s snickering from around them and Leonard can’t help himself but to cross his arms over his chest. “Aw, don’t look like that, Bonesy! I’ll give you a kissy too if you want.” Jim winks and Leonard scowls back.
He points ahead of them. “Line’s moved up.”
It does nothing to stop Jim who’s a freight train even on his worst days. He spins Nyota and salsa dances with her to catch the line. “So, good news. Spock’s father will be visiting in time for the party. Bad news is so will his brother Sybok but Sarek promised he would be nothing but ecstatic at seeing his first born.” Jim plucks some fuzz off of Leonard’s work out clothes. “Which means Spock is in a pretty good mood.”
Nyota smiles. “Oh? Did he make a decision then?”
“Yep. So Bones, McCoy, Leonard, Dr. Love.” Jim leans toward him, already starting up the puppy dog eyes. “If you’re free for the holiday party, you should...”
“I’m not,” Leonard interrupts before he can get pulled into whatever hairbrained scheme Jim’s playing at. Nyota grimaces behind Jim and Jim’s got a stunned look on his face.
“Huh?”
“I’m not free. I was asked out this morning.” The mess hall isn’t any quieter but it feels like a hush falls as Jim loses all traces of the smile he waltzed in with.
“By who?”
“Turns out M’Benga needed someone to go with as well. Asked this morning during a surgery.”
“You can’t,” Jim frowns.
“Excuse me?”
Jim backpedals immediately, hearing the challenge in Leonard’s voice. “I just... Well, I’m glad he asked. I didn’t mean anything by that. I’m just surprised. I gotta... I need to take care of some ship’s stuff, actually, just remembered. See you guys later.” He’s gone in a flash and Nyota is trying her best to look like she has no idea what is going on.
“The nerve,” Leonard mutters and Nyota just rubs his arm.
The next day goes more smoothly. Less people are surprised to hear who is taking him to the party. Although Leonard gets plenty of people who assume Jim or Spock asked him before he clarifies. He can’t figure out why either. It had been pretty common ship news when Spock had agreed to be Jim’s date.
“Oh,” Ambassador Sarek says upon arrival. “I had thought my son would be interested in inviting you to such an event.”
Leonard goes to the only refuge he has: the medbay.
Chapel’s filling out patient forms on a PADD near the door when he tries to sneak in. “Oh, you just missed them.”
“Huh?” Leonard wonders if she has eyes in the back of her head because she still hasn’t turned around.
“The Captain and Spock. You missed them. They left just a second ago.”
Leonard’s brain goes on high alert. Jim’s never in the medbay voluntarily. Spock can be counted on for his routine check ups and that’s it. “What was wrong? Were they okay? Who saw to them? Do I need to go check up on them? Did they get full diagnostic work ups?” He practically glues himself to Chapel’s side in his distress.
“Nothing was wrong, Doctor. They came to see M’Benga.” Chapel sticks her PADD pen into her bun, setting it down to give Leonard her full attention. Her voice is slow like she’s soothing a child. A voice Leonard recognizes from talking to Joanna when she’s upset.
As if called by command, M’Benga walks out of the backroom, discharging an Andorian. “Did you need me, Chapel? I heard my name. Oh, Leonard, it’s your day off. I’d ask why you’re here but...” He shrugs goodnaturedly. It’s a well known fact that Leonard can’t stand to be away from his patients or his medbay.
“Hell. I was trying to get away from everyone talking my ears off about the same two idiots who came to you. What were they in here for?”
Chapel just giggles and turns back to her work. Which can’t bode well. M’Benga clears his throat. “Well, frankly, they were asking about my intentions toward you.” Leonard honestly tries not to work himself up into a fit because they have no right. But M’Benga is still talking, looking smug. “I told them I had fallen hopelessly in love with you and asked you to the party so that I could finally confess my undying attraction to you. I had a feeling they’d come by before I asked you anyway. Captain Kirk didn’t say much but Spock knows better to believe I’d do something so emotionally charged. All that time on Vulcan, after all. Not to mention, if I were to confess any feelings for you, it would be better to corner you and let you know quietly.”
Leonard’s flush by the time M’Benga finally stops and his heartbeat feels unreasonably loud. “Oh,” he manages, too flustered to form something more coherent because now he’s imagining being pinned in a service hall somewhere and whispered confessions. Spock’s voice comes to mind, his tall form looming over Leonard, hands pressed to either side of him. Leonard inhales sharply. “Wait, why wasn’t it a surprise?”
M’Benga is already pulling on a new pair of gloves and waving over the next patient, who is limping and sheepish. Leonard guesses it’s a genital rash from unprotected sex just by the look on the being’s face. “Hm? Oh. Just a hunch.” M’Benga offers no more than that before ushering the crewmember into an examination room for more privacy.
“Chapel?”
“Doctor?”
“You know why they came, don’t you?”
“I know exactly why. And, to quote a popular southern turn of phrase, bless your heart.”
In the morning, an ensign delivers a stack of PADDs to his personal quarters with orders from the captain. The patient files are related to an unsolved outbreak in a distant quadrant and Jim’s orders demand immediate attention be devoted to finding a cure or answers to how the outbreak began. It’s work that will take weeks to do on his own and Leonard has a sinking feeling. He takes one look at the data, downs his coffee, and yanks on his uniform.
Even the turbolift works double time when Leonard is angry, he’s on the bridge in minutes.
“James Tiberius Kirk!” Leonard waves the primary PADD in the air.
The captain’s chair turns slowly and Jim’s smile is uncertain. “Hey, Bones, good morning. You sound pretty angry there, buddy. Woke up on the wrong side of the bed?”
“I oughta strangle you with my own two hands, you sonuvabitch. Lord knows when I even bother snatching you back from the devil himself. You think I don’t know what you’re playing at? I have two doctorates, Jim. These patient files are from a historic outbreak, not some new crisis! Only an idiot wouldn’t have recognized the symptoms and you even left the original location on them. Sloppy work. I’m not sure why you’re hellbent on making this week miserable but you’re doing a damn good job at it, mister.” He jabs the PADD into Jim’s chest, growling. “And leave M’Benga alone! At least someone on this ship was nice enough to think I might be lonely around the holiday.”
“Bones, please. Look, that was dumb, sure, but I...”
“I don’t want to hear it, Jim! And you!” Leonard whirls to look at the science station where Spock is waiting calmly, hands in his lap, as if he’s not fifty percent of the reason Leonard’s in a frenzy. “Don’t go encouraging his behavior especially when it involves harassing my staff!”
“Doctor, you should not go with M’Benga to the party,” Spock says outright while Jim sinks in his seat and puts his hands over his face.
“Bad, Spock, bad move,” Jim whispers.
Leonard goes from zero to sixty in a heartbeat. “Oh, I’m sorry. Did I miss the part where you were in charge of me and my decisions, Spock? Last I checked you weren’t my pa so you can sit right back down. Telling me what to do like I’m a child. I’ll go with who I damn well please! Wasn’t like anyone else was asking and y’all two certainly weren’t so I’m not sure why you’re so interested now. Now if you don’t mind, I’m going to throw all of Jim’s PADDs out an airlock and I’ll be damned if he sends me another useless assignment.”
“Bones, please.” Jim catches Leonard’s wrist, stroking his thumb along the back of his hand.
He yanks his arm away, throwing the PADD into Jim’s lap. “Watch it, Kirk.” Despite some strong advice to stay in his lane, Spock is standing at the turbolift though he does nothing to stop Leonard from leaving. He does, however, decide it's his prerogative to follow Leonard in.
When the doors close, Spock begins to speak. “I will apologize for my comment but not the sentiment. Captain... Jim and I have been struggling to discuss some personal matters with you. We were hoping we could take the holiday to do so.” Spock’s hand brushes his wrist and Leonard swears he can still feel Jim’s touch as well. “Jim was hoping to ask you to the party, Leonard.”
Leonard squirms, still angry from the bridge, and Spock tucks his hands behind his back knowingly. “You two are impossible. A man doesn’t take two other people out for a holiday party, especially not when he’s in love with one of them.”
“Both of them,” Spock clarifies without a beat, expression unperturbed.
“Right,” Leonard mumbles. “If he’s so in love with you, he ought to stop leading you on and giving you mixed signals by worrying about my feelings. I’m perfectly happy for you both. You’re my friends and seeing you find each other has been a pleasure. I mean, you make Jim light up like a damn sunbeam just by breathing. And Jim’s been a great influence on you. You were unbearable for ages but I guess you’re alright. Never put up with his bullshit, we occasionally agree, and the banter is good. Wait... what did you just say?”
Spock takes a slow breath and Leonard can practically feel the eyeroll he’s suppressing.
“Leonard.” The turbolift stops but the doors don’t open.
Something like a realization starts to dawn on Leonard as soon as Spock turns toward him, crowding him against the turbolift. “Spock, wait,” he squeaks.
There’s a determined spark in Spock’s eyes that Leonard has never seen. Maybe partly to do with never being so close, practically chest-to-chest. Leonard feels light-headed. Spock shifts closer, reaching out to stroke the sides of Leonard’s face. It tingles and Leonard feels the brief touch of Spock against his mind like the rush of hot wind in the desert. He shudders but there’s banging on the turbolift door and Spock is gone from him in a flash, pressing a button that releases the doors.
“Consider refusing M’Benga’s offer, Doctor,” Spock throws over his shoulder before the turbolift is full of loud ensigns and soaring away with Leonard trying to remember how to breathe the cycled air of the Enterprise.
No one bothers Leonard after that. For a week, he is left to his own devices. His own devices which end up being more time with the medbay and, surprisingly, Sybok who turns out to be a natural charmer with a good head for medical science.
He arrives at the holiday party stag, like every year prior, not because he obeyed Spock or Jim. Svoek had caught wind of M’Benga’s plans and had been suddenly very interested in attending. M’Benga had broken the news quietly to Leonard, who in turn let no one know. He watches Jim’s holiday speech but barely hears a word, parking himself at the refreshments table with Scotty while watching Nyota dance with Keenser and Demora in turn while Sulu dances with his husband.
“Oi, no date then, Lenny?”
Leonard makes a face, taking a sip of the punch which seems appropriately spiked. “Last minute change. Not like I’m bothered.” The lie comes easy, like every year prior, but his mind is full of Jim looking sad in the mess hall, Jim pleading on the bridge, Jim slumped and defeated in the captain’s chair after Leonard’s tirade.
Scotty pats his shoulder sympathetically and refills his cup. “Might try asking Jimbo there for a dance, at least. Heard he’s been riled up ever since he upset you on the bridge. Usually so composed, he is, but when it comes to you an’ Spock... well, man wears his heart on his sleeve.”
It doesn’t look like Jim’s riled, laughing as Spock casually dips him to the festive music or sneaks kisses when he’s pulled back up. Not with Spock pressing his lips to Jim’s ears and that delicate neck flushing red. Leonard thinks of the turbolift and wonders if he should go to them. Both of them, Spock had said. Both of us. As if hearing Leonard’s pining, Spock’s eyes catch his own and Leonard feels electricity pass between them. Jim dips his head back, blinking at Leonard upside down before letting Spock pull him back upright once again.
Leonard’s close enough to the entrance that he thinks he could make it out and to his locked room. He retraces the path twice in his mind but hands his cup to Scotty before striding out onto the dance floor. Damn it all.
“Bones, you came alone?” Jim’s voice is breathy and it makes Leonard’s heart flutter. There’s a hesitant, guarded excitement in Jim’s face. So much hope that he’s nearly oozing it from his flawless bronze skin. It ought to make Leonard mad that Jim’s looking for his misfortune but he’s wrung dry of anger. More than anything, he misses grumping at Jim and Spock meeting him for afternoon rec hall exercise. Misses being caught between their orbits. He’s tired of the space between them.
“I was dumped for better prospects. All these attractive men in my life and not a damn one of them willing to commit.” It’s a deliberate, poorly veiled provocation but Jim wiggles free of Spock and is on Leonard in a nanosecond. His lips are chapped, he tastes faintly of something spicy and likely not doctor-approved, but it’s Jim and Leonard can’t help but get lost in it. Jim doesn’t let it linger, pulling away nearly immediately, and making Leonard curse and grip his neck to try and reel him back in.
“No, wait, I did that wrong. Fuck, wait, Bones. I, yeah, I really want to kiss you again but we were supposed to talk first.”
“Talking’s for people who don’t have a pair of pouty lips to enjoy, Jim. You should have known I’d say yes. Only you, Jim, could drive a man mad and make him fall for you all in one while making him wait and wait so long he thinks he’s not of interest.” Leonard can hardly stand to look at Jim’s face as he says it so he settles for looking at Spock instead, whose raised eyebrow yell impressed and pleased.
Jim’s exhale is shaky and he twists Leonard’s button up beneath his anxious hands. “And Spock?”
“Don’t ask me about Spock, you greedy little thing,” Leonard grumbles near Jim’s ear, just to watch him shiver and flush, and maybe because he’s hyper aware of the hooting and hollering that sounds vaguely Scotty-like. “Wanting both of us.”
Spock doesn’t move, eyes still locked on Leonard, but Jim seems to shrink under Leonard's hands.
“Ah,” Leonard chides, pulling Jim close and waving Spock near with his free hand. Spock is quick to obey, unembarrassed about pressing close. When Leonard tilts his head up, Spock kisses him with more patience and care, barely pressing their lips together before Leonard yanks him closer by his collar. Another wolf whistle comes from the refreshments and Leonard believes that one might be Nyota. When they separate, Jim is wide-eyed between them and staring at Leonard like he’s strung every star in the sky.
“Lucky I’m just as greedy, darlin’.”
On Earth, the new year comes with the usual fanfare. On the Enterprise, it’s a nonevent. They record an anomaly, a black hole, a planet with four suns, and a new species but no one celebrates the new year. Instead, there are Vulcan desert stars on M’Benga’s desk with a card in Golic asking for forgiveness and a book about Svoek’s family line and traditions gifted by Sarek.
“I’m surprised you could convince your pa to get that book for M’Benga.”
Spock shrugs and continues his focused mapping of every freckle on Leonard’s body. “It was hardly an issue. I contacted Svoek’s family first to make them aware of the situation and M’Benga’s reputation preceded him. He is a highly respected physician who has already been privy to many secret Vulcan customs for the sake of medical progress.”
“You sound a little too admiring, sweetheart. Anymore and I might get jealous.”
Spock’s hand drifts to his inner thigh and a pale freckle there. “Doctor,” he answers in a very serious tone that can only translate to exasperation.
Leonard chuckles and leans up for a kiss.
Jim grumbles and rolls away from them, tugging at the cover. “Need sleep,” he slurs, somehow managing to whine.
“Y’know, maybe there’s some space in M’Benga and Svoek’s bed if you’d rather us leave, Jimmy.”
Jim rolls back, throwing all of his limbs onto Leonard and whining louder, all while keeping his eyes firmly closed.
Spock sighs and gets up to prepare for his omega shift on the bridge, kissing Leonard and Jim’s fingers. Leonard massages Jim’s scalp and watches Spock methodically dress for the night and prepare his work. There’s soft snoring from Jim in near seconds but Leonard continues to draw mindless patterns down his neck and back. “I’m glad M’Benga asked me out,” Leonard whispers but Spock turns immediately to listen. “It’s not us if there’s not drama and fighting and making up. And y’all don’t have the cajones to ask me out proper without competition.” He smirks up at Spock whose dark eyes look intent and full of promise in the low light.
“Greedy,” Spock whispers fondly and it makes Leonard shiver even when Spock has long gone for the bridge.
Chocolates, Leonard decides, would make a splendid thank you gift to M’Benga.