Hey, guys! I hope you all had a wonderful Halloween and didn't eat all too many sweets...

Well... at least the dentists would have something to do then.

I want to thank everyone for the kind reviews, they are cute and hilarious to read. Big thanks again to Liz; you have no idea how awesome you are, I'm afraid.

Anyway. Here is Chapter 6!

Enjoy!

In Your Eyes

Chapter 6: without my pride

Jim was halfway out the door already, when he remembered that it might be polite to tell Amanda where he was going. He jogged back into the living room, glancing at the couch, where Manda sat, an ancient paper book in her lap. "Manda? I'm going out to see Bones; could you tell Spock when he wakes up?"

"Sure, darling. Have fun and tell Leonard I said 'hello'," she turned a page delicately, keeping her eyes locked on the letters.

"Will do, till later!"

He rushed out of the house, feeling the constriction fall from him just like it had yesterday. The walk down to the Second House was not particularly long and Jim found Bones already waiting for him.

The older man was sitting on the wall to the garden, chewing on what Jim identified was a stalk of ch'tash, usually used as spice in soups, but apparently, Bones could care less for that. A light breeze tousled his auburn hair and rustled through the leaves of the tree standing just beyond the mural.

"Hey, Bones!"

"Hey, kiddo."

"I'm only six years younger than you; don't call me 'kiddo'."

Bones raised an eyebrow at him and suddenly reminded him eerily of Spock. "Ya're barely scratching the five foot mark, kid."

Jim huffed and hopped onto the wall beside Bones. "I'm five foot eight and a half."

"Okay, that petulant behaviour right there? Totally not helping yer case."

"Oh shut up.", Jim swung his legs back a forth. "So, anything new?"

"Hm... I heard that Earth is going to discover Warp soon."

"Really?" Jim tilted his head, not sure what to do with that information. "Cool."

"It's still going to take a while though, at least another year."

"Hm," Jim licked his lips nervously. "Bones... can I ask you something?"

"Does it have to do with-"

"No, it doesn't have to do with tentacles," Jim grumbled. "Not this time..."

"Okay then, ask away."

"Have... have you ever heard of Pon Farr?"

Bones blinked twice. "Whoa, kiddo, ya're not very delicate about these things, huh? Of course I heard about it, it's kinda hard not to when that gossiping little Russian kid works alongside ya. His friend ain't any better, but yeah. What about it?"

"Promise me you won't talk to anyone about what I am going to tell you now," Jim pleaded quietly.

Bones eyes narrowed and he nodded solemnly. "Sure, kiddo."

"Good. You know my story already, so I won't elaborate on that. Spock and I are... are really close, you know? Since the day Caator brought me to the First House we've been best friends. We talked about everything when we were small, but it lessened when Sarek started drilling Spock to be Vulcan. He never managed to erase all of Spock's little quirks, Amanda and I made sure of that. Anyway... the past weeks he was starting to distance himself from me, a lot more than usual.

"When I asked him about it, he would refuse to answer and leave the room. Finally I got Manda to tell me what the hell was going on and I found out that Spock was to be bonded to some girl named T'Pring-"

"Whoa, wait, rewind. He wasn't bonded yet?"

"No, he... Spock is half-Vulcan as you know and... Amanda kind of hoped that... Spock wouldn't go through Pon Farr at all. Two weeks ago Spock started to meditate a lot and... we stopped melding for about six days."

Bones furrowed his brows. "Meld? Ain't that something Vulcans only do with their parents when they are children and need the telepathic connection to develop correctly?"

"They do it with their bondmates later on too, but then it's different."

"My point exactly. So why are Spock and you melding?"

"I don't know. I remember asking him if he could do something cool back when I had only just met him. He told me he was a touch-telepath and I begged him to show me. He did and... I don't know, it just stuck I guess. It made us both feel safe and like- like we belonged. Spock's never been accepted by the other Vulcans, because all they see is a hybrid with a flawed Human-half corrupting the Vulcan side. I never had a home, but living here with Spock and Amanda comes pretty close.

"Anyway, he started getting really... well... clingy for a Vulcan in the last days, which is actually kinda cute and such. Amanda told me that it's one of the symptoms of his Pon Farr, so that makes it slightly less adorable...

"The thing is, yesterday the bonding ceremony took place, but Spock's mind rejected T'Pring's. No one knows why, not even Lady T'Pau and I always thought she knew about everything. It scares me, Bones. I don't know what to do. If T'Pau doesn't know what's going on, how can I even try to help Spock through this? He's going to die without a mate. I'm going to lose him and I can't..."

Jim covered his face with his hands, "Why must everything be so fucking complicated?"

"Ah...," Bones sounded unsure but placed a warm hand onto his shoulder nonetheless. "It'll turn out okay in the end, kiddo."

"You don't know that, Bones," Jim knew he sounded like the child Bones had accused him to be mere minutes ago, but he did not particularly care.

"Yeah...," Bones tugged Jim's hands away gently. "Ya two are really close, huh?"

"He's my best friend, my brother... he's all I have, Bones," Jim whispered.

A mere moment later Bones had pulled him securely against his side. "If I wouldn't know better, I'd say you're totally smitten with that pointy-eared hobgoblin."

"Bones!" Jim laughed. "Don't be stupid, we grew up together! That'd be so awkward, I mean..."

"'m just sayin'," Bones shrugged. "No need to get yer panties in a bunch."

"Seriously," Jim nudged him sharply. "Stop making fun of me, first I'm a child and then a girl? What's next, an Orion stripper?"

"You're not green enough for that."

"Fuck you."

"I'd rather not."

Jim was torn between frustration and rib-breaking laughter for a second. He chose the latter and almost doubled over. "W...what're we doing, Bones? We were having a serious conversation a minute ago!"

"Must be the heat. Probably fried yer brain."

"It's totally your fault!"

Bones shook his head and smirked. "Yeah, sure."

"I don't even know why I'm talking to you. All you do is make fun of me," Jim pouted, crossing his arms before his chest.

"Because you have no life and I'm the only one apart from your elf prince that puts up with your tactile behaviour."

"I wasn't hugged enough as I child and I mean that in the most serious way you can imagine."

"I know, kiddo, I know. I don't mind, I'm just trying to be funny."

Jim snorted and leaned his head against Bones' shoulder. "Try harder, then."

"No, you infant," Bones sighed and ran a hand over his face. "You can be exhausting, you know that?"

"Oh, come on. I'm not that bad," Jim smiled and sat up straight again. "I hope Spock's alright."

"He's going to be okay, by the sound of it, he isn't even through the first phase."

"Yeah, but he was practically comatose yesterday and he usually wakes up at 5:40," Jim tapped his forefinger against the stone beneath him in slow, irregular intervals. "It's scary. He also won't eat properly, except when either Amanda or I force him."

Bones nodded. "Maybe you should give him a choice. Either he eats, or he gets a nutrient hypo."

"Everything can be solved with a hypo in your opinion, huh?"

"It saved your stupid ass two times already."

"How should I have known that I'm allergic to Andorian chocolate and rhil'sha nuts?"

Bones shook his head. "You're hopeless."

"Wha-?"

"Shut up, kiddo," Bones hopped off the wall and looked up at Jim. "I gotta go. Karu's sick with the Chloridian Flu and he's been throwing up since two in the morning."

"Then why did you agree to meet up with me? You could have told me you couldn't come!"

"Because you sounded like you needed someone to talk to that wasn't green blooded or named Amanda, that's why. Besides, Pavel, that's the crazy Russian kid I told you about, has been doting on Karu ever since he woke him up by evacuating his dinner onto the floor. It's bordering on pathetic, really," Bones spit the ch'tash out and made to turn around. "Still, I have to go, Karu needs his medicine soon and Pavel is too squeamish to administer it. Comm. me when yer lover boy gets worse."

"He's not my lover boy!"

"Got it," Bones raised his hand in a mocking salute.

Jim huffed. "Tell Karu that I hope he'll be feeling better soon!"

"Will do, anything else?"

"Try to convince that Russian genius that ice-cream wasn't invented in Russia!"

"Emphasis on try!"

Jim laughed and slid off the wall. He miscalculated the height and stumbled, landing awkwardly on his knees when his ankle twisted to the side unexpectedly. "Ouch!"

"Dammit, kiddo," Bones was beside him in an instant. "I turn my back for one second and you manage to almost kill yourself."

"I twisted my ankle, Bones, don't be overly dramatic."

Bones did not answer but grumbled lowly, as he rolled up Jim's pant leg, pulled off his shoe and palpated the aching ankle. "It's not broken, the way it looks, you merely strained it. If you put a regeneration patch onto it and don't move it too much it should be better in a day or two."

Jim grumbled and gingerly put his shoe back on. "Why does my life suck so much."

Bones rolled his eyes and slowly hefted Jim to his feet. "Up you go, Princess."

"I'm not a fucking princess, Bones!"

"You're right. More like the perpetual damsel in distress."

"You have no idea how much I hate you sometimes."

"Aw, me too, darlin'."

Jim rolled his eyes and started limping towards home with Bones' help. The walk was agonizingly slow. Jim's foot started to throb painfully, he hissed with every step that jarred the injured area.

When they finally reached the house, Jim was dizzy and feeling nauseous. He just hoped he would not puke out his guts before he got to a bathroom. Amanda had spent enough time tidying up his messes, which one time included a very colourful and detailed drawing of their garden on the wall behind the couch. He winced at the memory. Damn, he had been downright suicidal when he was six. Sarek had looked close to simply nerve pinching him into the next millennium.

Bones pushed the alarm button by the door. "Try not to puke on me, Karu was more than enough."

"'Kay.", Jim answered weakly. "Fuck. Why is it hurting so much? That's torture. I just landed wrong, damn."

"You're clumsy and stupid, that's why."

"Weren't you going to be a doctor? Shouldn't you have a more sensible explanation than that?"

"I do, but I doubt you want to hear that," the door was opened just as Bones finished his sentence.

Spock stood in the door way, the black shirt he wore alongside the equally black trousers accentuated the dark-green shadows beneath his tired eyes. Jim smiled sheepishly at him. Damn. He had hoped Spock would still be asleep. Now he would worry about him and probably exhaust himself even more.

Great.

Jim suppressed a helpless sigh. Bones held onto him a little tighter. "I guess you're Spock? Sure you are. Jim had a little accident, he sprained his ankle. So if you could step aside I can get him in and put a regeneration patch on it so-"

"I will treat Jim's ankle," Spock snapped. Jim could feel Bones go rigid beside him.

"Now listen here you-"

Spock growled threateningly, eyes narrowed in a way Jim had never seen before.

"Uh, Bones, I- I think you should..."

"Yeah.", Bones said quickly, gently extracting himself from Jim's side.

Jim swayed and reached out to grab onto Spock, but his plan was thwarted by the sudden disappearance of the very ground he stood upon. The next second he was in Spock's arms, staring blankly at a similarly flabbergasted Bones. "Please tell me, that he is not carrying me bridal style."

"Right. I won't tell you then."

Jim groaned and pressed his face into Spock's clothed chest. "I hate my life."

"Well... since you seem to be in good hands, I'll leave you to the hobgoblin. See ya, Princess."

"Not a princess!"

Spock had not said a word, but Jim could still feel the growl vibrating in the Vulcan-hybrid's chest.

Bones grinned smugly and then left as fast as he could.

"Okay, Spock, you can let me down, I'm able to walk... somewhat."

"No."

"Right. Why am I not surprised about that answer?"

Spock turned swiftly, the door closing behind him. "There is nothing wrong with being carried when one is unable to walk. Do not be so prideful."

"I'm James T. Kirk. Without my pride, I'd be nothing!"

"Illogical," Spock walked them towards the bathroom, lowering Jim onto the edge of the tub and turning around to rifle through the medicine cupboard near the mirror. Finally, he returned with a first-aid kit and knelt down in front of Jim. He gently took off Jim's shoes and socks, before propping the swollen ankle against his own knee.

Jim bit his teeth when Spock's long fingers prodded the sensitive area to find the exact location of the sprain. Finally, Spock opened the first-aid kit and pulled a pack of patches out, alongside a roll of bandages.

The adhesive patch felt cool against the inflamed area, Jim sighed in relief, closing his eyes for a moment and letting his head drop back. Spock silently bandaged his leg, patting his knee from time to time, as if to soothe him. It should have puzzled Jim. Instead, he reached out to brush a strand of black hair from Spock's forehead.

"You must be more careful, Jim," Spock stood, pulling Jim up and into his arms again. "It is disconcerting for me to see you injured."

"It's not my fault; everything seems to have a problem with me these days," Jim murmured and nuzzled against Spock's cheek. "And Bones was being really mean."

"Indeed?" Spock almost snarled, startling Jim for a moment, but he calmed down almost immediately.

Jim tried to lift an eyebrow at the taller man, but failed miserably. "Yeah, he's been teasing me about you. He called you my lover boy."

Spock fell silent then lifted an eyebrow. "Illogical."

"That's what I said. Well, not exactly, since I wouldn't say 'illogical'. That's kinda your thing. Or every Vulcans' thing, I don't know. I have the feeling that the first word that came out of your mouth was 'illogical', but that would be-"

"Illogical."

"Oh, come on."

Spock's lip twitched upwards and Jim crossed his arms with a huff.

Stupid Vulcan.

And that was it! Well, you met Bones, I hope I didn't butcher his personality too much =)

Next chapter will be up soon.