Disclaimer: Kids, don't smoke. It'll kill ya.
The stench of the smoke hung heavy in the air outside the back of the dorm building. Leonard could just see the toxins from it infecting the air around Jim with death and stench. Tobacco were still around in varying forms of genetically altered still addicting but less unhealthy forms to their natural, originally grown and deadly ones. Kirk, of course, had to enjoy the original incarnation and smoked one cigarette almost everyday.
While, yes, the cancer they caused also had a very successful treatment that nearly cured the damage done to the lungs it was still a disgusting habit. Not to mention what was the point of doing it and injuring yourself needlessly anyway? It made no sense to Bones, not even a little, but it did make sense why Jim did it.
It was sexy, always had been and seemed like it always would be. Jim looked especially good with a cigarette dangling loosely from his lips. He looked even better when he pursed them and blew the smoke out, lips looking all that much fuller. It wasn't for these reasons that McCoy was watching Jim smoke, leaning against a lamp pole outside their dorm building.
No, he had come out here knowing that Kirk was smoking another cigarette and knowing what damage it was doing. He had come to tell Jim on no uncertain terms that he should drop the horrible habit immediately before the damage became permanent. He had merely stopped to see if he could catch Jim smoke more than one, nothing more, but it seemed that the one being ground under the toe of Jim's boot was the one and only for the night.
After the butt was completely ground, Bones finally moved, stalking over to where Jim stood and scowling. Jim looked up, grinning wide and open. He leaned his shoulders against the pole, pelvis arched out further in a way that McCoy figured was supposed to be intimidating. It didn't work and Bones just glared more and Jim just grinned wider.
"'Bout time you came over here," Jim said, tucking his hands into the front of his pockets. "Take you that long to come up with your newest bitching for me smoking or was it something else?" The teasing dance in those baby-blues told McCoy the latter was what Jim believed.
"Shut up, Jim," Bones snapped, scowling further. "You know damn well everything I've got to say and it's about damn time you listened to it. Damnit, I'm a doctor, I know what the fuck I'm talking about."
"Yeah, I know," Jim said, expression losing most of its teasing as he glanced away out across the dark parking lot. They stood in the only patch of light for fifty feet, locked in their own little world away from anything else. Bones frowned, wishing their own little world smelled of other things than nicotine and tar. "Just something I do to calm myself, alright?"
Bones shook his head. "No, it's not alright," he said, thrusting a hand hard in the direction of Jim's chest. "There are other healthier ways to calm yourself down! You—"
"Yeah, yeah," Jim said, waving his hand at Bones. "We've been over this before. I could take up jogging or a sport, or I could read or I could fuck even more than I already do." Jim's expression was dry but didn't have much humor. "You don't think I haven't tried that? Smoking works the best."
This wasn't getting them any where. They were dancing in the same circles they always did and it seemed that Jim was looking to end this for the last time. Something, heavy and hard, told Bones that Jim was going to use anything at his disposal to end the argument in any way possible. He had to find some new way to keep Jim from smoking, something Jim would actually be able to keep up with instead.
"You need a new habit," Bones decided aloud, frowning at the smashed cigarette between them.
Jim glanced up at McCoy and quirked an eyebrow. "Oh yeah?" he retorted. "Like what?"
That was the question of the year, wasn't it? Because Bones had no idea whatsoever. He looked up at Jim and shrugged. Jim laughed, head falling back against the light pole.
"Your efforts are legendary but your results are dismal, Bones," Jim sighed as the laughter left him.
Bones frowned, stung by the words but undeterred. He stepped closer to Jim, resting a hand on Jim's arm. "I'm trying to help, damnit," he hissed, squeezing Jim's arm hard and satisfied at the brief flash of pain that crossed Jim's face. "But you won't fucking let me. You're my best friend and goddamnit I don't want to see you five years from now having to be taken off duty because you were too damn stubborn to listen to me."
Jim frowned and looked away, expression carefully unreadable. McCoy sighed and shook his head, looking down. He could see, now that he was closer, the rectangular outline of the carton of cigarettes in Jim's pant pocket. He glared at the offending item hatefully, wishing they had been outlawed years ago. Maybe that's what he'd do, start a campaign to outlaw the use of tobacco.
"Bones," Jim breathed, looking back at his best friend. "I'm not gonna stop smoking."
"Goddamnit," Bones growled, snapping his head up to glare at Jim angrily. "If you can't fucking do it for yourself, can't you do it for me? I'm willing to whatever the fuck it takes because I'm the only one around who seems to care about your fucking body."
Something in Jim's expression changed and he smiled, head dropping to the side a little as he seemed to consider Bones. "Anything," he repeated, and Bones felt a shiver go through him at the new intent he heard in Jim's voice. "Didn't know you cared for my fucking body, Bones."
"Jim," McCoy growled in warning, gripping Jim's arm tight again. "You take up this new habit you better keep it and drop cigarettes."
"Didn't take you as the jealous type—"
Bones grabbed Jim by the waist with his other hand and pulled them tight together, expression serious. "Don't fuck around, Kirk," he hissed, well aware that his hold was painful and awkward for Jim.
Jim's eyes dropped down and away, looking at Bones' chest before he smiled and looked up through his lashes. "I won't, promise," he said quietly.
With a groan, Bones let Jim go and grabbed his face, pulling them together for a hard kiss. Teeth clashed and their tongues met. Jim tasted of musky heat and it was addicting. Bones pressed his tongue in further, licking at the inside of Jim's mouth to get at the taste. He had assumed at first it was the taste of tobacco but as they continued to kiss, he realized that the tobacco was a different taste in his mouth and that the flavor he enjoyed best was just Jim.