Note: Okay, I wrote the first part of this chapter a while back and decided to finish the chapter and begin posting is. This my first attempt at writing an autistic character, so bear with me. Let me know if I should continue.
The room was quiet. Every student had their eyes glued to the front of the classroom where the professor was standing. She was explaining about a new program that was being started that very year at Starfleet Academy.
"Now, I know this seems odd, but it is an effort to give you all a real experience at a career." she said, pushing a loose strand of chestnut hair behind an ear. The professor was a young, petite woman. She had large, brown eyes and silky, brown hair. She was dressed smartly in a loose, white blouse and a fitted, pinstripe skirt. "So, my TA and I have divided you all up among some volunteer professionals, who you will be shadowing for the entirety of this semester. You will share their schedules and learn all you can about their jobs and roles in society. At the end of the semester, there will be an exam on all that you have learned. I will call your names in groups and tell you where and who you are to report to."
While the professor began calling names, a student in the very top row took notes, meticulously, until his name was called. His black bangs gently swayed in front of impossibly dark eyes as the teen wrote. He looked up when he heard his name.
"Spock Grayson, Alex Johnson, Steven Adams, James Kirk, and Pavel Chekov. You will report to a Doctor Leonard McCoy at San Francisco General Hospital. You will be spending the semester in the trauma center." Spock quirked and elegant eyebrow and watched the teacher leave the classroom. It seemed they were to get themselves to their first day on jobs. A moment later, a boisterous blonde sidled up to Spock, a wide grin on his face. He clapped Spock on the shoulder.
"Looks like we're in a group together, Spock!" he said with a laugh. Spock scowled.
"Please refrain from touching me, Jim." The blonde took a step back, putting both hands up in a placating manner. The amusement and humor never stopped dancing through blue eyes. Jim turned around when he heard others walking up behind him. Spock, however, just returned to his notes, saying nothing. Jim smiled brightly at the young boy with a mop of curly hair.
"Hey there!"
"Hello! Are you James?" the boy, who looked far younger than the rest of the class, asked cheerfully, bouncing from foot to foot in an excited manner. He had a heavy Russian accent. Jim smiled even brighter.
"Yup! And this is Spock." he gestured behind him.
"I am Pavel Andreievich Chekov. It is a pleasure to meet both of you." He shook Jim's hand vigorously and glanced behind him at Spock, expecting to do the same. When Spock continued writing instead of acknowledging Pavel, he gave Jim a questioning look.
"Ah, don't worry about him. It's good to meet you, too." Jim pointedly ignored the other two who walked over to their little group as he began a lively conversation with Pavel. Unbeknownst to Jim, they walked around to where Spock was quietly concentrating on his notes. The brunette, Alex, looked at his friend and slowly opened the water he was holding. He smirked as he dropped it onto the notebook that Spock was using. As water went everywhere, Spock let out a surprised noise and jumped back before frantically trying to dry the paper off. Jim and Pavel whirled around to see what was happening and took in the scene before them. Jim glared as he saw Alex and Steven give each other a subtle high five. Spock's heavy and rapid breathing had Jim kneeling on the ground beside him, aiding his attempt to remove the water. Once the water had been sopped up with Spock's shirt and Jim's jacket, the blonde turned his attention to his friend. Spock's breathing was becoming more rapid and small sounds of distress were being emitted as he stared at the smudged ink in front of him. Careful not to touch the other, Jim tried to get his attention.
"Hey, Spock, it's okay." he said softly. "Listen, just breathe. Slowly, in and out. That's it." After Spock's breathing returned to normal, Jim rounded on the laughing boys. "What the hell is your problem?!" he shouted.
"C'mon man, it was an accident." said Alex, still laughing. Jim fumed and restrained himself from throwing punches.
~x~x~x~
As the small group entered the hospital, they took in the sights and sounds all around them. Jim whistled confidently as he strode up to the front desk of the ER.
"Heeey Uhura." he drawled when they reached the desk. The beautiful woman behind it rolled her eyes in exasperation.
"What are you doing, Jim?" she asked.
"We're here for Bones. School assignment." Uhura scoffed as she stared at the group. Her eyes landed on Spock, who was clutching his notebook and staring at the ground. Her face softened slightly before she turned back to Jim. "He should be in the break room waiting for you. But, you know him, could be anywhere."
"Thanks." Jim beaconed the others to follow him as he walked off into the hospital. They followed him to the break room where, sure enough, a tall man stood at the sink, his back facing the door.
"Bones!" Jim announced loudly, causing the man to jump and curse.
"Dammit, Jim! What're you doing here?" he asked, spinning around. Expecting to just see Jim, he was surprised when he saw he wasn't alone. He groaned loudly as realization hit him. "Don't tell me you're part of the college group."
"Yup!" Jim smiled brightly. The doctor, Leonard McCoy, shook his head as he addressed everyone.
"Alright, sit down." The group complied and McCoy picked up his tablet off the counter. He turned back to the, now seated, group and began introductions.
"Well, I guess I should say welcome." he said unenthusiastically. "I'm Dr. Leonard McCoy. Unlike that bonehead, y'all can call me Dr. McCoy." he gestured to Jim at that part. "Now, when I call your name, raise your hand and state your age. There are some things here you can only participate in if you're over a certain age. Jim, I already know about you. Alright, Pavel Chekov." Pavel raised his hand and called out his age.
"Sixteen, sir."
"Good God, man, I thought this was a college class!" he exclaimed. Jim dissolved into laughter at his friend's outburst. McCoy just scowled at him and continued. Alex Johnson."
"Nineteen."
"Steven Adams."
"Twenty."
"And, Spock Grayson." Keeping his head down, Spock responded.
"I am eighteen, Dr. McCoy." McCoy looked at the boy for a moment. His pale skin was in stark contrast to his ebony hair. He was thin, but not too much so. Spock's long, elegant fingers still clasped at the notebook he held to his wet shirt. McCoy turned a questioning gaze onto Jim. Jim just smiled slightly and mouthed 'Later'. McCoy turned back to the rest of the group.
"Alright, let's go."
~x~x~x~
The day had been quite interesting. The two pals, Alex and Steven, had played pranks on unsuspecting people and tortured the the strange kid. Spock, that was his name. Speaking of Spock, Jim seemed to like the kid. He was painfully shy and kept to himself as much as possible. Leonard had observed that he didn't like to be touched and didn't really appreciate it when people, other than Jim, attempted to interact with him. Leonard was pulled from his thoughts as his office door swung open. Jim walked in, grinning. Throwing his jacket over the back of the chair in front of him, Jim rounded the desk and took a seat right in Leonard's lap. Leaning in, Jim planted a kiss on the older man's lips. They kept the kiss chaste for a moment before Jim deepened it, opening his mouth to Leonard's questing tongue and groaning at the feel as the appendages battled for dominance. Leonard pulled his mouth away from Jim's, trailing kisses down the blonde's neck. Jim moaned and arched his head back. He felt his lover's large hands running up and down his sides.
"So, what's up with your friend?" Leonard asked between kisses. Jim chuckled.
"Why? Jealous?" he asked, wiggling on the man's lap causing him to groan.
"You wish, kid." Leonard grabbed Jim's hips to still him. "Seriously, what's wrong with him?" Jim stopped playing around and looked down into Leonard's eyes.
"Honestly, I don't know a whole lot about him. He just transferred here two weeks ago from New York. He's autistic. You remember Sam and Aurelan? One of their kids is autistic too. Though, Spock is much more high functioning. I recognized the behaviors and I kind of took to protecting him when the douchey duo got involved. For some reason, he let me." Leonard just nodded. He now understood the behaviors he had seen from the boy earlier. It made much more sense. Well, this semester promised to be interesting.