It wasn't until the morning after the shuttle arrived in San Francisco and he had been issued his cadet reds and room assignment that Leonard McCoy had finally worked all of the alcohol out of his system. And it was at that time that he realized what he had done. He had signed up with Starfleet.

Leonard sat up sharply, immediately regretting his movement when it felt like someone had taken an ice pick to his head. That's right. He had been smashed for the past couple of days, and he had really let loose on the shuttle ride. And he wasn't sure, but he might have thrown up on someone.

Leonard collapsed bonelessly back onto the bare mattress of his bed. He glanced around. The room was an average dorm size, the bed a twin. There wasn't another bed in the room, and considering the small living and kitchen area was only separated from the bedroom by a partition, he was sure he didn't have a roommate. Thank God. Having already gone through college, medical school, and having his own practice must have spared him that horror.

There was a small, practical voice in the back of his head that suggested he get up and take a look at the rest of his dorm before showering and going out to get necessities and acquaint himself with the campus before reviewing his schedule. The rest of his brain quickly rioted and violently suppressed that treacherous voice. Leonard decided that he was perfectly capable of lounging in his hungover misery for the rest of the day, however long that might be. He couldn't bring himself to look for a chrono.

With no excuse the next morning, Leonard dragged himself up from the bed and stumbled into the bathroom. He took a quick shower, which, without any shampoo or other toiletries, was just water washing off what filth it could. After dressing, Leonard found a PADD with information for new recruits. Locating a store, Leonard went out to get essentials.

Classes weren't set to begin for another week and a half. It left Leonard with plenty of time to go over regulations and campus maps. He didn't need to study for clinical rounds as if he were an intern again. Starfleet was kind enough to not put him through shit he already knew how to do.

Somehow, Leonard wasn't sure where it started, he got into a downward spiral thinking of everything that had led him to this point and everything he had left behind. He was reaching for a newly purchased bottle of bourbon when someone rang his door chimes. Leonard turned to stare at the door, his expression a mixture of irritability and curiosity. Who the hell would be knocking on his door? He didn't know anyone here, except the captain that had recruited him, and Leonard was certain the man had better things to do with his time than check on new cadets.

Leonard thumbed the release on the door, and it opened to reveal a blond haired young man. The man—kid really—had his mouth open to say something, but stopped, eyed Leonard up and down once, and said, "Wow, Bones, you clean up good."

Leonard blinked, completely perplexed. Bones?

"Yeah," the kid said, pushing past Leonard and walking in like he owned the place. "Yesterday you were all scruffy, but now you've got baby butt smooth cheeks and brushed hair." Absently, Leonard reached up to lay a hand on his cheek. He'd shaved right after getting back from the store.

He stared a bit stupidly at the kid, trying to figure out why he was in Leonard's dorm, and at the sight of his ridiculously blue eyes, something clicked. Leonard had met this kid on the shuttle yesterday. He'd sat by him, even shared a few sips from his flask. Then Leonard colored a bit. Shit, he had thrown up on someone. He'd thrown up on this kid. And then, the kid—Kirk, that was his name—had helped him off the shuttle. Things were fuzzy after that, but if Kirk knew where Leonard's room was, then he must have helped Leonard get all the way here.

"Listen, Kirk," Leonard started, but the kid help up a hand.

"Jim's fine," he said.

"Jim, then," Leonard said. "About yesterday—"

"What, you puking on me," Jim asked. "Don't worry about it. If it makes you feel any better, you're not the first person to do it. This girl I was having sex with once did it right in the middle. That part of it was gross, but the fact that she didn't let it stop her was pretty hot."

This was only the first of many, many instances in which Jim Kirk presented Leonard McCoy with Too Much Information. Leonard wasn't entirely sure how it happened, but somehow Jim integrated himself into Leonard's life. It was not unlike having a stalker. Jim always seemed to meet up with him on the way to and from classes. He seemed to know exactly when Leonard was done with a shift in the clinic and could meet up for dinner or drinks.

Jim also refused to call him by his given name. It was always Bones. It had taken a few minutes of careful thinking for Leonard to come up with a reason as to why Jim would possibly call him that. Looking back, it was kind of a stupid thing to say.

Leonard tried to get rid of the kid. He really did. He hadn't come to Starfleet to make friends. He was doing it to completely escape his old life. He was a bitter man, freshly divorced and still off balance from the death of his father. He wasn't really a pleasant person to be around, but it didn't seem to bother Jim. The kid also didn't seem to know how to take no for an answer and simply resolved to pester Leonard until the older man went out to the bars with him just to shut him up.

It was about the time that Leonard realized Jim had hacked the system to get his room codes that Leonard just gave up and accepted the fact that Jim Kirk was his new friend. Really he probably should have seen it coming when people started calling Leonard to come pick Jim up when he got too drunk to function on his own.