A/N: don't own Star Trek, in case you're wondering, and not making any money of it
Kirk watched his first officer go and he noticed that he held his hand behind his back, not in usual loose fist, but open, like it was injured. He knew Spock had done something quite tangible to relive his pain, but he hopped he hasn't made harm to himself in the process. It was always hard to tell with those invisible things Spock did for him. Like mind melting in dangerous situations, Kirk hated to ask that because he knew it brought pain to his friend, but there were moments where there just weren't any other way. This seemed like one of those situations. Kirk was unable to think straight from pain, so he just took help that was offered. As soon as their fingers touched it was like pain was lifted from him and was replaced by some pleasant presence, something that warmed up his arm, or it cooled it down? Bones was talking so he turned his attention to him.
"I can't ever tell what the hell do you see in our friend there" he murmured his mantra not hoping he would be heard.
"There's more to him than it meets the eye" Kirk said mildly and Bones looked up in surprised.
"So your hearing isn't compromised then" he said with a smirk "then you heard that you should rest for the rest of the shift, go to sleep, let logical creatures do your chores."
"Maybe I will Bones" Captain said with a yawn it seemed like all determination had left him now that his pain was gone.
Bones lifted his eyebrows in surprise.
"What the hell, let me examine you, you must have internal bleeding when you're agreeing to rest" he lifted his tricoder but Kirk stopped him.
"I'm fine; there isn't much to do then to transport these people to nearest star base for real treatment and rest. I have to be to my best if new trouble decides to pop up."
"Don't think you'll avoid exam this way" Bones ranted on "first thing in the morning, maybe you inhaled too much of that smoke there and forgot you're desire to exhaust yourself."
"In the morning" Kirk agreed and earned shocked expression on doctor's face. He laughed at that sight and clapped his hand on his shoulder. "Don't think about it too much, tomorrow I'll avoid that appointment due some important tasks and everything will be normal."
"Promises" grunted Bones and turned to his patients "things are never normal around here, only normal thing is constant threat of dying."
Kirk left Bones to do his job and went to his quarters. There he commed Spock and assigned him command for the evening. He sounded normal over the speaker so Kirk calmly proceeded with showering and sleeping. It was already half of the night when Kirk suddenly rolled off his bead and landed on his feet. It was the way he woke up when he was in danger, on strange place, or just after facing death. This time wasn't anything like that; it was realization that came to him in his sleep. How didn't he remember it sooner? He laughed softly in the darkness of his quarters. Vulcan ways and differences to Humanity were always clouded and vague, but Kirk liked to be informed, especially when he had to work so closely with one stubborn Vulcan. He wanted to avoid any misunderstandings or wrong signals so he learned as much as he could about their body language and gestures. What bothered him was the fact that Vulcans never, ever shake hands. It was a simple, human gesture that reassured humans in friendship and good attentions, so why not bend to such small claim of friendship, trust. It had to be something that would deeply disturb them to keep their hands to themselves even if they risk being seen as hostile.
When Kirk discovered what touching hands means for a Vulcan he was surprised, but didn't think much of it, because he couldn't imagine that such touch could invoke deep feelings. He just assigned it to their lack of emotions, a way to keep themselves from feeling too deeply. He didn't imagine it could actually invoke a real feeling, connection, like real human kiss would. Now he knew differently because that damn allegedly coldhearted alien of his friend just kissed his pain away. He laughed lightly again at pure absurdity of it all. Strangest thing was that it worked; his pain was lifted away like mothers would always promise their children it would. Even more than that, after his pain was gone, on tip of his fingers lingered on the sweetest feeling he ever came across, it was like someone dipped his fingers in chocolate and honey. Kirk wondered now what would that Vulcan kiss feel like if there weren't any pain in between. Of course he didn't imagine that he would ever find out, like he wouldn't comment on it to his friend who kissed his pain away about it, but he wondered anyway. He was a curious man after all; everyone knew that, so it was ok just to wonder about it.
Ok, we have first kiss in place, so everything after will come as a bonus, not sure is there anything beyond, but it might be.
