Title: Medically Necessary
Author: Caera1996
Pairing: Kirk/McCoy
Rating: G
Disclaimer: None of this is mine.
Summary: Written for dante_s_hell "james t. kirk hurt/comfort comment-fic meme" (Thanks for setting it up!) The original prompt was: Kirk's latest allergy to a hypo is random nerve twitches and vertigo. Bones finally gets out of him that being held really tight would make him feel better - and proceeds to provide the cure.


Jim was not an infant – despite the doctor's frequent admonitions. And it wasn't necessarily even that he didn't like hyposprays. Or that he was afraid of them. Because he wasn't. Not at all.

No, it wasn't the hyposprays themselves that caused Jim to do everything he could to avoid them at almost any cost…it's what he's learned about them over the years that causes his trepidation…and it's a very well-earned, health-conscious trepidation, in his opinion.

He's learned that, more often than not, he's going to have a reaction to whatever's in the damn thing. He's learned that those reactions can inexplicably, and with no warning, range from anywhere between merely annoying (numb tongue? Really? Who actually got that? Oh wait…he did!) to full anaphylaxis (there was nothing…nothing…more terrifying than the feeling of your throat closing as you gasp for air like a guppy).

However, he's also learned that for all of his grumbling, Bones actually cared about his well-being, and though Jim bitched at him and his seemingly endless supply of hyposprays, he knew that for every medication he couldn't take, Bones was careful to make an alternative available. And when an alternative wasn't available, he did what he could to either create one, or make damn sure Jim wouldn't need it in the first place.

It was only because of this that Jim was, once again, submitting himself to a hypospray at the hands of the CMO. This one was not strictly necessary, but Jim was allergic to the medication that would stop a reaction to the planet's high pollen count…a reaction that Jim would probably have that could end with him struggling through an allergic asthma attack. This hypospray was meant to block his perpetually overactive histamine receptors from reacting to the pollen in the first place.

Trying to relax, because it hurt more if he was tense, he allowed Bones access to his neck yet again.

"Okay, Jim," Bones said, after making him sit there for ten minutes…just to make sure. "You're good to go. Remember to call me if…"

"Yeah, yeah," Jim cut him off good-naturedly, already walking out of the medbay.

Later that night, Jim lay on his bed, a hand over his eyes, one foot on the floor. The spinning was getting worse. He tried taking deep, steady breaths, but it wasn't helping. Sighing, he tried to sit up and gasped as the world tilted crazily. It felt as if the ship was bucking under him during a fight, but the lack of the alert signal nixed that possibility. Then, he noticed that his body had started to shake twitchily…muscle spasms that caused his arms and legs to jerk about uncontrollably quickly made it almost impossible to keep himself upright. Unable to stand, and too dizzy to remain sitting, he allowed himself to slump back down on the bed. He gasped as his heart thudded in fear. What the hell was happening? He tried to calm himself…at least I can still breathe, and nothing actually hurts. I need to call Bones.

"K-kirk to Mc-McCoy," he managed to get out, clenching his jaw to try to control the spastic movements that were spreading through his whole body.

"Jim, what is it? I'm in the middle--" Grateful that the computer still understood him, he ignore Bones' annoyed tone.

"B-bones…I-I n-need…"

"Jim, are you okay? Jim! I'll be right there – hold on."

Knowing that Bones was on his way helped. Curling his hand in the blanket so he wouldn't spin right off the bed, he squeezed his eyes shut and waited, trying to get his muscles to relax.

A short time later, he heard the hiss of the door.

"Jim! What the hell…" he opened his eyes to Bones' face hovering right near his, one of his hands comfortingly on his shoulder and the other clutching a medical tricorder.

"B-Bones…" Jim gasped, closing his eyes again. "Dizzy. C-can't stop t-twitch-twitching."

Studying the readout, Bones snorted. Oh, holy hell, he thought. He turned his attention to Jim, who still had his eyes squeezed shut.

"Jim, can you hear me?" Bones asked.

"Not deaf…just dizzy," Jim replied through tight lips. Bones rolled his eyes.

"You're having a reaction to the vaccine's carrier substance. The supposedly inert, hypoallergenic carrier substance. I know it's uncomfortable, but you'll be fine. You just gotta wait it out."

"F-feel like I'm f-free falling," Jim said. McCoy ached to do something to alleviate the disconcerting sensation Jim was experiencing…but this was really one of those situations where time was the only thing that would help.

"I know, I know," he said soothingly. "But you're really okay." He gripped Jim's shoulders and winced as he felt the tremors rolling through his body.

"That helps," Jim said.

"What? Holding on like this?"

"Yeah – m-makes the sp-spinning less," Jim said. He was getting tired, McCoy noticed. Almost like an after-effect of an epileptic seizure. But if holding him made it feel like he was being steadied, well, that was something McCoy could help with.

He let go of Jim to quickly remove his boots.

"Mmm…oh – it's worse…Bones--"

"Shh, Jim. It's okay. I'm right here," McCoy replied. He climbed onto the bed behind Jim. Lying on his side, he pillowed his head on his left arm. His right arm went around Jim, holding him securely against his chest. "That better?" he asked.

"Yes…th-thanks," Jim replied.

"Not a problem, kid." Suddenly, Jim's heel connected solidly with McCoy's shin.

"OW! Goddamnit!"

"S-sorry…"

"'S okay…it's the only shot you get though. Hope it was worth it." Jim let out a snort of laughter and McCoy threw his right leg over Jim's as well…hoping to keep him still. They lay quietly, the tremors and twitches in Jim's body lessening and decreasing in intensity. On a hunch, McCoy asked, "How's the vertigo?"

"Much better," Jim answered sleepily. Interesting, McCoy thought. I wonder if the lack of motor control was a precursor to the vertigo… He was about to ask Jim which symptom he'd noticed first when he heard a quiet snore escape Jim.

He'd fallen asleep. Lying there, wrapped around Jim, McCoy thought about the reports he'd left unfinished when he initially responded to Jim's call, he thought about the fact that lunch had been hours ago, and he thought about the idea that now that Jim's body was calmed, this level of contact was probably not medically necessary anymore.

Settling himself in more fully, he decided to ignore all of it. There was no place else he'd rather be anyway.