Disclaimer: The characters belong to Paramount. Not mine. Never have been. Short of something exceedingly drastic, never will be.



This fic is a response to a challenge made by T'Len a /long/ time ago on ASCEM, which I came across quite recently: begin a K/S story with Dr. McCoy saying 'He's gay, Jim'. Only he can't be talking about Spock.



So here's my attempt! If you haven't noticed by now, this is slash: I'll warn you, but I won't apologise.





~~~







'He's gay, Jim,' said McCoy gravely. His captain shot him a look, taking his eyes reluctantly from the form on the sickbay bed.

'Your instruments can tell?'

'For God's sake, Jim! He said so.'

Kirk looked at the sedated officer again, who lying very still with his cheeks flushed and mouth half-open. 'He looks so young... Bones, is there any particular reason you're telling me these intimate details? Does Hippocrates mean anything to you?'

'It's relevant. He tried to kill himself.'

Kirk was clearly shocked. 'Because he was - because he couldn't - Bones, the poor kid!'

'That's why I want you to talk to him when he comes round'.

'Surely a counsellor -'

'Not available. You're good with people and you're his captain - a respected, older, wiser man. You're convincing when you put your mind to it. Any other qualifications needed?'

'Well...'

'And that too. You're gay. Now, what I want you to do -'

Kirk interrupted with a strangled squeak. There was a pause. He tried three syllables before he managed, completely failing to sound ofhand, to say, 'Unless your instruments can tell after all, I don't see how you can say something like that without...'

'Oh? The great James T. not free from hangups about his sexuality? Well, that's just too bad. I'll have to find another counsellor.'

'Bones, stop playing about! I just want to know why you're accusing -'

'_Accusing_? Jim, there isn't a damn thing wrong with being gay. You're thinking like Robbie, and what did you say about him? If you have a problem with yourself, you need to be in that bed with him.'

'Easy for you to say,' muttered Jim rebelliously, blushing slightly at the words the doctor had chosen. McCoy toyed with the idea of casually admitting that he himself was gay, but decided against it as distracting attention from the issue.

'When I think it's true, and I do, it isn't as easy as it seems. But anyway, that'd be no reason for you to deny it!'

'All I'm trying to ask is what your basis for saying so is!'

McCoy took a deep breath. 'Jim, I've seen the way you look at Spock.'

There was a long pause, during which Jim looked at the floor. At last he raised his eyes to his friend.

'Touché,' and his manner was almost normal.

'Right. Now we've got that out of the way -'

'Bones, if this ever gets out, you are - and I mean this - dead as that last batch of Klingons.'

'Me? What am I, a doctor or a gossip-column writer? Didn't you mention Hippocrates a little while ago?'

'Just so long as that's understood.'

'I'm not saying _you_ ought to keep it a secret. Much better not. But _I_ won't tell.'

'Good. Out of interest, what did you expect me to do - announce it over the intercom? I don't see why the whole ship -'

'I didn't _say_ tell the whole ship! I just said it's be kind to tell - well, Spock, for instance.'

'Spock! _Especially_ not Spock! Bones, I'm trusting you here. If Spock ever hears -'

'Jim, it's not like it's gonna bother him. You think he's small-minded enough to break a friendship like yours for something as minor as that, you don't deserve a friend like Spock. Besides -'

'What?'

'Listen, can't you? If you'd a let me finish - if'n you take an ol' country doctor's word for it, he's in the same boat as you are.'

Kirk frowned. 'You mean...'

'Oh, for crying out loud, Jim! He's gay!'

'Right.'

'That was a fact. And so is this. He obviously has a thing about you.'

Kirk opened his mouth and shut it again, pressed his lips together and responded at last. 'Some people might think the joke'd gone a bit too far. They might even say _cruel_ joke.'

'C'mon, you know me better than that. I'm not joking. That would be cruel. It's true. Why dontcha think about it for a while?'

Kirk didn't move for some time. At last McCoy, concerned, put a hand on his arm. 'Jim? You okay?'

The captain straightened his back, still not quite looking at the other. 'Perhaps I ought to go away and think about... things,' he said, beginning to exit. Bones watched him go in silence, then grinned.

'I think that's a success, Robbie, don't you?'

The young man smiled in answer as he uncurled himself gracefully from the bed, holding out a hand to McCoy.

'Perfect, Len. Just perfect. She'll be renamed the fairy ship before we know what's hit us. And then...' He let the silence hold the faintest hint of a question, a nuance which the doctor either didn't notice or chose to disregard.

'You were brilliant. Should be on the stage. It wouldn't have worked without you - a little local colour, get him sympathetic... and what do a few lies matter in a good cause?'

Robbie didn't answer: only smiled again as he took his lover into his arms.