A/N: Hullo, bailey here. Thank you for the follows and favorites and comments and such. Here's the next chapter. i do not own Star Trek or the characters.

"I have already apologized numerous times, captain. There is no need to get testy."

"Testy? Oh I'll show you testy Spock. That's what you get for spying on my dreams like a pointy-eared bastard."

Upon hearing those three words uttered from his captains mouth, Spock had let out a long, low gasp that was a mix of surprise and delight. Being a light sleeper – an intrinsic habit instilled in Kirk from being captain of a ship and always on alert for danger – Kirk had quickly jolted awake to find fingers pressed to his face and Spock hovering over him. Since then he'd pried the truth out of the Vulcan about how he saw everything in his dream and felt it to, but that just made Kirk all the more embarrassed because he'd been having that dream again.

"Twice now I have pointed out that I have no problem fulfilling your desires, Captain. The job I was tasked with is to keep you comfortable and happy, and if that would make you happy I'd be willing to oblige."

To Kirk this sounds like: 'I'll do it if I have to, but I don't want to' but in all actuality, Spock is trying his best to figure out a way to say 'I love you too' to Kirk.

"I don't want you to oblige Spock. That's not how these things work."

"I apologize; I am still not completely familiar with every aspect of human courting and feelings."

"Even after Uhura?"

Spock stiffens at the mention of his old flame. She told him that she understood he was taking care of the captain, but he never seemed to make time for her, so she had found other options. That other option just happened to be Montgomery Scott, the ships very capable engineer.

"You have not even given me a chance, Captain. It has been said I am a very knowledgeable partner."

"Yes but how good are you when you don't feel anything?"

"Allow me to show you since you doubt me so much."

Kirk's eyes warily follow Spock who rises from his spot in the dark armchair to come and stand over the human who's propped up on the couch. Blue meets brown, both gazes dead even and serious, but Kirk's covers a racing heart as he buries his hands under the blanket to hide the fact his palms are sweating.

"Spock, drop it…" he starts, but his words trail off as surprisingly soft lips are pressed against his own.

"I told you I am a quite knowledgeable partner, sir. I have even perfected the form of human kissing."

Kirk is rendered speechless, an impressive feat for the stoic First Officer, but through it all, Kirk still fails to see what Spock feels is obvious: that the Vulcan regrettably feels something for his Captain as well.

"Doctor McCoy will be here soon, Captain. I suggest you rest until he arrives."

"I was resting until you woke me up." He grumbles, trying to push aside the disappointment he feels from Spock acting like nothing just happened.

"Sleep, Jim. I'll wake you when the doctor arrives."

James Kirk falls asleep with a hint of a smile on his face. That is the first time Spock has called him Jim since the day he woke up in the hospital.

"And then he just kissed you?" Bones' voice is a harsh whisper as he and Kirk are once again locked in the bathroom like a pair of overanxious teenage girls talking about their boyfriends.

"Yeah, but he then he just ignored it right after like it never happened."

"Well, did you tell him how you feel?" Bones leans against the counter, his eyebrows raised, and eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Not on purpose. He did one of those creepy mind melds and apparently I confessed in my sleep. Not to mention the fact he saw what I was dreaming about."

This only heightens the joy in McCoy's eyes. He knows how Spock feels. He'd been with the Vulcan for the time when Kirk was in a coma, he'd seen the careful way Spock's eyes would stare longingly at his captain's sleeping form, or the way he'd hold Jim's hand and fall asleep on the edge of the bed when he thought no one was around to see.

"Captain." The door slides open to reveal Spock clad in his normal blue Starfleet shirt and black pants, his hands clasped behind his back. "I do believe you plan on making a habit of hiding away in the bathroom to discuss your feelings with McCoy. I worry how that is going to affect your health."

Kirk shoots a glance at McCoy who's beaming like an idiot now as he watches the pair like they're some sort of movie.

Bones' knows something. I'm going to kill you McCoy. Kirk's eyes bore daggers into Bones' skull, but it does nothing but elate the doctor further.

"As much as it pains me to say it, hobgoblin, you're right. I have other patients to deal with anyways." As he passes the tall first officer, he looks up at him with a pointed glare. His hand brushes against Spock's when he goes by – something that can innocently be shrugged off as an accident – but it's all the doctor needs to do to get his thoughts across to the Vulcan.

Spock raises an eyebrow as he reads the push in McCoy's mind. The person whose job it is to oppose Spock at every turn is the one who ultimately gives him the shove he needs to pursue the stubborn captain.

"Captain, I think it wise if you were to return to the couch. You do not seem entirely well-versed in the art of standing for long periods of time yet."

"I'm fine Spock" despite the charismatic evenness to his tone, Kirk doesn't meet Spock's eye for longer than a few seconds. He hesitantly raises a hand, pausing before clapping his Vulcan on the shoulder as he goes by.

Something tugs in Spock's mind, like someone is yanking on a cord in the back of his head. He's never felt it before but it seems to be pulling him towards Kirk; the further the captain walks away the harder it pulls. Little does he know it was his head egging him on after what it deemed a suitable match. His brain was unconsciously feeling and reaching out for Kirk's, wanting to touch and bond with it.

Spock hadn't thought of bonding, not since T'Pring. He isn't old enough for Pon Farr to affect him yet so it hadn't crossed his mind to start trying to find a bondmate. Apparently his head is deciding for him, which would mean Pon Farr may not be so far out of reach as he would've liked

No. Spock furrows his brows as Kirk walks away. He would never accept such terms.

You never know unless you try. The Vulcan stops short, though he's lost in thought in his own mind, that voice sounded surprisingly like the Enterprises' doctor's voice. A rather disconcerting thought to Spock.

"Mr. Spock." Kirk calls from the other room, his voice clear and demanding.

"I am here, Captain. Do you require something?" Spock walks after Kirk, eyeing him curiously.

Pause.

"'A knowledgeable partner' is what you called yourself, right?"

Spock raises an eyebrow at the inquiry, not sure what Kirk is getting at.

"Those were my words, yes."

"How knowledgeable is that? You're not saying whatever you can just to get in my pants are you?"

"I do not understand what you are inferring captain, I merely meant—"

"I was joking Spock. All this time cooped up with me and you still don't get it. I'll appeal to that human in you sometime."

"Is there a point to this conversation, sir? Or shall I resume my duties by making us lunch?"

"No no, there's a point. Sit down." He motions with his hands to the armchair across the table from him. Kirk is seated in the middle of the small couch, a long-sleeved shirt covering his arms and the blanket from Spock's room draped over his legs.

Spock agrees obediently and takes a seat, resting his hands politely on his lap with his back straight and stiff.

"Ever since last night you've been messing in my head and I don't like it." The captain's words are blunt and to the point causing Spock's eyes to widen.

The possible bond.

"What do you mean, Captain? You know as well as I that Vulcan can only read the people we perform a mind meld on, and only then when we are touching them."

"Yes yes I know that," Kirk waves Spock's comment off but puts his hand to his head for a second, flinching a bit. As he does, Spock can feel a tug from his end of the chord which makes his lips turn down in a frown for a fraction of a second. Despite his night time confession, the captain seemed adamantly against getting close to his first officer.

"I apologize. I believe it may be my fault. Vulcan's are highly sensitive to a compatible mind, especially around this time. I fear my mind is trying to bond to yours before I even begin the process."

"Bonding." Kirk tries it out on his tongue, weighing it and deciding how he feels about it.

"Yes. It is to Vulcans as marriage is to humans."

"So your mind is trying to marry mine? Not gonna lie that's kind of creepy Spock."

Spock dips his head in agreement, looking down at his conjoined hands with an inaudible sigh. This sounds like rejection to the Vulcan so he decides to let the topic drop, doing his best to reign in his mind as it probes Kirk's for a connection.

"Would be nice if you at least asked me out to dinner before proposing to me. God you Vulcan's are fucked up in the head."

Spock's head shoots up at this comment, unsure if he is reading his captain's words correctly. Was that an 'okay'?

"You do know what bonding entails, right?"

"Not at all."

"And you would still go along with it blindly?"

"No. I didn't say I was all ready and game to jump into a marriage. Sorry Spock, I'm still healing." And I don't want to hurt you with my reckless stupidity like I've done to so many others. He adds in his head, not wanting to break Spock's heart like countless others before.

"Then why were you implying when you said—"

Kirk holds up a hand to cut the first officer off.

"Fill me in, tell me just what it means to be bonded or whatever. You've been in my head, I just need to know I'm not hopping into bed for eternity with some emotionless alien. You know how I am with commitment." Kirk didn't mean Spock to take it like he was brushing off the ideals and importance of bonding to Vulcans, but then again James Kirk doesn't usually think before he speaks.

"Captain I would prefer that you would gain a more serious attitude before we commence speaking of such a topic. It is taboo as is to discuss private matters such as this with someone outside the bond. Only because you are a prospective partner am I allowed to give you insight." Spock snaps, surprising Kirk with his tone enough to shut him up and let Spock talk.

Once given the green light to go on, the words flow from Spock like water from a faucet as McCoy would say, leaving a rather confused Jim Kirk to follow in his wake and pick up as much as he can.