A Rush of Blood to the Head
A/N- Here I am again, being completely unoriginal with my titles. Don't complain unless you can come up with something better! Lol
Okay so like this chapter is rated T because of language. It picks up right where Jim wakes up after two weeks of being out cold. There is some slight Spirk. Hope you enjoy!
Chapter 1
Jim's eyes shot open with a gasp, as if he were just learning how to breathe again (at least, it felt like that). He took a few more gasps of air, blinking against the harsh lights above him. He attempted to calm his racing heart and aching lungs by holding his breath for a moment before releasing it slowly. Then he wondered...
Where am I?
He looked to his right quickly in order to attempt to answer hisself, finding a mostly white, blurred figure who's voice he recognized before anything else.
"Oh, don't be so melo-dramatic. You were barely dead." Bones. He held up a device to Jim's temple that seemed to scan his brain for any unusual activity and looked down at a PADD to read the results. "It was the transfusion that really took it's toll." He stepped away from Jim. Jim's eyebrows furrowed together as he turned to his best friend again, following his retreat, confusion etched all over his face. His blurry figure started to become clear, finally, and as did the entire room- Why the hell is it so fucking white in here? The color itself was blinding him.
"You were out cold for two weeks." Bones continued, and Kirk nearly interrupted him to get out his question. "Transfusion?" His throat was sore and it hurt like a bitch to speak- even if it was barely. His hoarse tone was just above a whisper.
"Your cells were heavily radiated." Bones replied, pressing something cold to his chest. More check-up crap, but Jim couldn't bring himself to complain or care. "We had no choice." Jim remained confused for only a moment before he realized what his doctor was implying. He had died in the radiation chamber, behind the glass where Spock had been crying, hand pressed against the glass desperately. His crew had managed to capture the bastard who started this all, and used his blood to resurrect his dead corpse. With his eyes widening as much as they could under the bright lights of what seemed to be Medical Center, Jim whispered the name that left a bad taste in his mouth. "Khan."
Bones came back towards him again with another device. "Once we caught him, I synthesized a serum from his..." Bones paused to collect his thoughts and motion wildly, medical equipment still in hand, "super-blood." He leaned it a bit closer. "Now, tell me, are you feeling, uhhh, homicidal, power mad, despotic?" He ended his joke with a small grin that Jim felt himself returning involuntarily. "No more than usual." He took the next moment to ask what had been in the back of his mind since he figured out what had happened. "How'd you catch him?" Bones couldn't even hold back a smirk, and he pointed at himself for emphasis. "I didn't." Jim watched him stride away with confusion before he noticed a dark figure in the corner on the other side of the room he hadn't earlier. Kirk grinned widely, affection and happiness spreading through his body as the figure approached him with his hands behind his back formally.
"You saved my life."
"Uhura and I had something to do with it to, you know." Bones remarked from the other side of him, giving him a raised eyebrow that actually said, "Bitch, you wouldn't be alive if it weren't for us." Jim returned it as snarky as he could a manage, only glancing at him out of the corner of his eye before turning his attention back to the half-Vulcan in front of him, who was having a hard time not grinning from happiness. "You saved my life, Captain, and the lives of the-" Oh no. He wasn't going to listen to this shit. His grin not faltering, he interrupted him with a whisper and a slight head shake of disapproval. "Spock. Just..." He closed his eyes for a moment, collecting his thoughts that were mostly overrun by a certain Vulcan with his pointy ears, warm brown eyes, elevated eyebrows, and the slight smile that couldn't seem to escape his lips.
"Thank you." Jim finally got out.
"You are welcome, Jim." He felt a rush of satisfaction and something else he failed to identify when Spock actually said his name.
"Yeah, yeah, okay, Jim's awake. Yippie," Bones bit sarcastically, seriously killing the mood, "But visiting hours are long over, hobgoblin. I've let you slide a lot, but now, Jim needs his rest." Bones sent him a glare showing him that he meant all business, and Jim threw his own glare at the doctor, but he secretly wondered how often Spock was here, waiting for him to wake up.
"Understood, Doctor." Spock replied, before firmly nodding at Jim and beginning to turn away.
"Wait, Spock." Jim called after him, and tried not to cough from abusing his voice like that. One escaped and Bones sent him his famous, "Don't make me hypospray your ass" glare.
Spock did as he was requested and then turned to face the Captain. Jim felt silly for asking this, and decided to blame it on his meds. "Can you come back tomorrow?" Spock gave an affirmative nod. "As you wish. Rest well, Jim." As the Vulcan disappeared behind the automated doors, Bones scoffed. "I hope this shit isn't turning you into a pansy." He motioned to what seemed to be Kahn's blood. Jim smirked playfully. "Aw, c'mon, Bones, I was just about to declare my unrequited love for you." Bones couldn't help but laugh at least once, and with an eye roll, he ruffled Kirk's messy blond hair affectionately. "Good to have you back, kid. Now, you need to rest. Either sleep, or I'll make you." To show him that his threat was serious, he pulled out a hypospray and waved it menacingly. Jim didn't have the energy to even fight back, as he had used most of it to talk to his friends, so he just nodded and closed his heavy eyes, falling asleep almost instantly.
"Jim-"
"Bones, I stink." Jim emphasized, attempting to stand from the bed again. It was the next day, and Jim was feeling a bit more energetic than yesterday.
And hygienic.
Bones pushed him back down by his shoulder gently, and Jim innerly cursed at the fact that he didn't have the strength to push back.
"It's not a good idea for you to be up for so long yet!" Bones exclaimed, keeping his hand on his shoulder. He didn't make any remark to how bony it was now that all his muscle had depleted. He knew how much his friend had loved being ripped, and how the would soon react to his unfitness.
"Then I'll only take five minutes!" Jim bargained, trying to stand again with no avail. He groaned. "Bones. Please. Here, smell me." He lifted his arm to shove his armpit in the doctor's face, who pushed his arm away and took a huge step back. "I don't want to smell your damn armpit!" He then grimaced, as the stench had already infected the air. "God, you smell like ass." Jim smirked in satisfaction and lowered his arm. Bones groaned exasperatedly, throwing his arms up in defeat. "If the water's not off in six minutes, I'll break down the damn door." Jim jumped up in the middle of his sentence, ignoring how the sudden movement made him feel as dizzy as hell and his legs wobble and tremble. He slowed down for his best friend's sake, but then turned to yell at him just as he made it to the door. "God damn it, Bones, I'm not a baby! I can take a shower on my own!"
"Well you're sure acting like one!" Bones yelled back, and then sighed heavily. He raked his fingers through his dark hair and softened his tone. "Look, kid, I know how hard this is for you. But if you want to get better, you have to take things slow. I mean, you died from radiation, okay?" He turned away so Jim wouldn't see the tears threatening to spill. "Your body is real weak right now." Why the hell am I am upset again?! Damn, I need a drink.
Jim noticed his best friend's reaction and took a step forward. "Bones..." He frowned as Bones waved him off. "I'm fine, Jim. It was just really hard on all of us, you know? Everyone's still a little shaken up." Jim stepped closer to pull him into a hug, but halted when Bones yelled the first word of his next sentence. "Don't hug me when you smell like a damn barnyard!" Jim chuckled and backed away. "Fine, we'll have our moment after my shower."
"Can't wait." Bones muttered sarcastically, and the doors closed behind a grinning Jim.
The water felt so amazing, Jim wanted to stay under it forever. But he knew how against that Bones would be, so he washed his hair quickly. Then he got to his body.
He was horrified. All the muscle he had worked so hard to gain was basically gone. He was all pale skin and bones now, his tan diminished as well. He could see his fucking ribs, for Pete's sake! He groaned and fell against the cold tiled wall in shame.
"Jim? You alright?" Bones called from the other room, concern the primary tone in his voice.
"Just fine, Bones." Jim replied bitterly, finishing washing his deformed body and shutting off the water. He pulled a towel out of the cabinet and paused to look at himself in the slightly steamed up mirror. He looked worse from that point of view. His skin was a sickly pale, dark rings circled his eyes, and he looked so old with with sudden beard he needed to shave. Then there was the skeleton threatening to rip itself from his ugly skin. He quickly dried himself off and wrapped the towel around his thin waist. Bounding out of the bathroom, he exclaimed in a whine, "Bones, I look like shit!" That's when he noticed the doctor wasn't alone. Spock and Bones both turned to look at the damp male that had just burst out frantically.
"Jim." Spock spoke, staring at his captain with worry. Instead of wearing his formal Starfleet uniform, he was dressed in his usual attire, minus the cerulean shirt. Jim suddenly felt extremely self-cautious. His face flushing pink, he attempted to hide his ribs and lack-of-abs with his arms. "Spock. What are you doing here?"
Up went the infamous eyebrow. "You requested yesterday that I return the following day, which is now." Oh. Right. Shit.
Jim ducked down to search his Starfleet issued duffel bag for some clothes. "Did I?" Tooth brush, tooth paste, razor, all stuff he was planning on using- after he found some clothes. "Bones, where are my damn clothes? I'm tired of being in a hospital gown." And I need an excuse to hide my body. He stood to look at the doctor, but Spock was the one who spoke first, leaving McCoy to throw his hands up in defeat and walk to the other side of the room. Jim ran a hand down his face and turned away from Spock's burning gaze.
"Surely you remember saying so, Captain. But if now is an inconvenient time, I shall leave." Spock began to walk away and Jim yelled after him, thankful that his voice was cooperating with him today. "No!" Spock froze and turned back to the captain. Hearing Bones's mocking chuckle, the captain's face began to burn once again. He cleared his throat. "I mean, no, you're fine, just unexpected." He shot his gaze- which evolved into a glare- towards the doctor. "Bones, my clothes." he hissed angrily. Bones pulled out a grey T-shirt, some faded jeans, and a pair a boxers out of another bag Jim hadn't noticed earlier. "Right here, Captain." he retorted, crossing the room. Jim let out a sigh of relief as they were pressed into his awaiting arms. He noticed that the items were new and smaller than his usual attire- so Bones had been expecting this. He didn't know whether to be thankful or upset.
Spock's head was cocked to the side as he spoke once again. "I fail to understand why you did not expect me to arrive when you are the one who invited me in the first place." Jim groaned and threw his head up towards the ceiling. "Spock, not right now, please." Bones snorted and answered for the distressed blond. "Oh, he's just flustered because he's basically naked and not looking his sharpest in front of someone he actually cares about seeing his body." Jim's bright blue eyes narrowed at McCoy. "Bones!" he shouted, and the doctor laughed loudly. Spock, on the other hand, was even more confused than before. "I have seen the captain shirtless before and my presence has never mattered. Why would it now?" Jim pointed at the doctor's open mouth. "Bones shut your God damn mouth or so help me I will shove a hypospray down your throat." he threatened darkly, and then stormed into the bathroom. If he could've slammed the door, he would've.
He felt so much cleaner after shaving and brushing his teeth, but he also felt like he was about to fall over from exhaustion. He quickly made his way to the bio bed without as much as a glance towards his friends and fell into it. He burrowed his way under the covers and hid his eyes with the inside of his elbow.
"You feeling okay, kid?" Bones wondered, and Jim nodded. "Too much exercise, I guess." he murmured, head now pounding violently.
"Tell me what's going on or I won't be able to fix it." Bones ordered, and Jim uncovered his eyes to find Spock almost directly over him. He jumped. "Jesus Christ!" he whispered. Then he laughed quietly. "Someone outta put a bell on you."
"I second that notion." Bones agreed with the raise of his hand. Spock quirked his eyebrow at the two. "I believe we should worry about the captain's health and not the fact that I frighten you both simply by being quiet."
"Well, when you put it like that..." Bones muttered bitterly, and then stared at Jim expectedly, who sighed and started to list all of the things wrong with him. "Well, I've lost all my muscle mass, I'm as pale as fuck, I'm exhausted, I can't stand for thirty minutes without my legs trying to give out, and now, my head is pounding, I'm freezing, the lights are too bright, and you guys are too loud."
"Well I'm sorry we saved your life, Princess." Bones remarked, and then ordered the computer to dim the lights. "Spock, check Jim for a fever while I find the correct hypospray. He's hypersensitive right now and I'm out of that one." Spock gave a firm nod. "Yes, Dr. McCoy." He stepped closer to the blond and pressed the back of his hand to Jim's forehead, careful to avoid his fingers from going anywhere near his skin.
"Holy fuck, you're warm." Jim moaned with pleasure, shivering violently, and Spock stiffened as he felt said pleasure through their skin contact. As heat creeped up his neck and spread over his cheeks and up to his ears, he began to pull his hand away. "As are you, Captain." He had to remind himself that Jim was basically his boss and that it was against everything he knew to feel more than that. But his moan had sent waves of pleasure through him, and the feeling of his fingers brushing against his felt...nice.
Suddenly, he was desperate for Dr. McCoy's presence.
Jim snatched Spock's retreating hand and pressed his palm against his forehead. "Don' leave, that feels good." Jim's fingers were gripping his own, unknowingly being suggestive. The Vulcan swallowed loudly, his entire face hot and his heart thumping dramatically.
"Jim, I suggest you let me go or I will have to force you to." Spock choked out, and looked towards the door to see if Leonard was on his way back. No sign of him.
"But Spooock..." Jim whined, tightening his grip on Spock hand. And fingers. Spock yanked his hand from Jim's face and nearly sprinted out of the room, ignoring Jim's confused calls.
Bones found Spock leaning against the wall with his eyes tightly closed and his arms crossed over his chest. "What the hell, Hobgoblin?! I asked you to check Jim for a fever, not take a stroll down the halls of the Medical Center, no matter how fascinating you might find them."
"And you will find that he does have a fever and seems to be hallucinating, Dr. McCoy. I have my own reasons for leaving, and now that you are here, I must be on my way." And without another word, Spock sped down the hall and into the turbolift, leaving behind a very confused and angry Leonard to look after a very whiny and clingy Jim.