A Star Trek Fiction

"The ultimate duo, the mighty Bones and Jim. With Bones' skills, and Jim's unpredictability, the two are unstoppable, for better or worse."

Secretly a Child at Heart

5xs Jim was Careless & 5xs Jim Cared too Much

Story 2: Defeat

Jim was never one to be open about how he truly feels, and this is no exception to that. He's walking back to his dorm after a second failed Kobayashi Maru. His heart is heavy and his limbs feel like they can't carry him much further. The blond had a feeling this second attempt was going to end badly, but he didn't expect it to end worse than the first trial. No, this time he got scolded not only by his superior officers, but by his fellow cadets.

The blond was called things that he'd rather not repeat, and even though he claims that comments like those don't bother him, it truly does, every single word affects him and he can't stop it from nagging at him for the rest of the day. So the blond cadet simply walks away, feeling like the sky is weighing down upon his shoulders.

Exhausted, Jim climbs the stairs to the third level and drags his feet to the door. He unlocks it without looking and he stumbles inside, his vision starting to blur with tears. No, he can't cry here, not now. He blinks fiercely and shuts the door with a loud slam.

The room is oddly still, indicating that Bones isn't home yet. Jim sighs, he's not ready for Bones, not yet, maybe not ever, he doesn't want his friend to see him this way. The blond makes his way to his room, dropping his belongings on the floor and jumping into bed, squeezing his eyes shut.

He rolls over onto his side, back facing the open doorway while his eyes gaze out the window, up at the clear skies.

Jim feels the silence wash over him and at the end of the day, he is, truly alone. The blond grabs his pillow and buries his face into it, releasing the held back sobs. At first, it was merely a few sniffles and silent tears, but it starts to take his toll on him. After ten minutes, his crying turns into full out sobbing, his body wracking with tremors.

Suddenly the door swings open, and the familiar footsteps of his roommate are heard. He becomes abnormally still, hoping that Bones will just go into his own room, but unfortunately for the blond, he left his door wide open.

"Jim are you okay?" Bones questions stepping inside the room, seeing Jim tense up in his fetal position.

"Go away." Jim growls defensively, cringing at the harshness of his own voice.

"You didn't answer my question." The Doctor points out, folding his arms across his chest.

Jim doesn't look Bones' way, if he does he'll start to cry again, "I'm fine, now leave."

"Jim don't lie to me. You're acting like a pathetic loser right now." Bones grumbles and he watches as Jim grips his pillow tighter and makes no attempt to reply.

Bones sighs and comes closer, walking around the end of the bed and snatching the pillow away from the blond's desperate grasp. Jim instantly turns the other way, not wanting to look into Bones' eyes.

Jim keeps his eyes closed and he feels the bed dip down as the Doctor sits beside him, "Is this about the test?"

The blond doesn't respond, he's on the verge of crying, "Jim c'mon, you gotta talk to me."

Jim's heart beats faster and faster, his eyes filling with unshed tears. He slowly sits up, keeping his gaze downcast, but despite actually looking at Bones he can still feel the Doctor's stare looking into his blue eyes. The blond wraps his arms around his legs and places his head on top of his knees, choked up sobs working its way out of his rebellious body.

"Shh, it's alright Jim, it's alright." Bones reassures, pulling the blond into his lap.

Jim instinctively clings onto Bones, grabbing fistfuls of Starfleet regulation red uniform. He buries his face into Bones' shoulder and lets out the uncontrollable sobs, tears streaming down his face.

Bones doesn't freeze up at all, he just lets it happen. The Doctor only adjusts himself slightly to get more comfortable on the bed, keeping the blond right on his lap where he should be. The brunette looks down, gazing upon the head full of golden hair, wondering how on earth the test could mess the kid up this bad.

But despite his raging feeling to question the blond, he doesn't because that's not what Jim needs right now. Right now, Jim needs him to be the nonjudgmental friend who will simply hold him until he cries all of his worries away.

With a sigh, Bones places a hand on his fellow cadet's back and one in his soft hair, stroking the golden hair beneath his fingertips. Jim's sobbing slowly turns into sniffling, calming at the touch of Bones' gentle hands.

Bones looks at Jim, knowing that he might not be alright today, but someday, he'll get through this, and the blond will be alright then.