Kirk startled awake, sitting up straight and looking around.
He'd fallen asleep at his desk in his room. again. He'd been studying and just...dozed off. That had happened almost every night this week. He'd finish classes, come back here and set about studying.
He looked to the clock. one a.m. he had to be up in four hours...
This semester he'd taken up to waking up at five on his own. He'd taken up running.
He dragged himself over to his bed and pulled off his shoes and crawled into bed, falling back to sleep but a thought stuck in his mind before he did.
I have no right to complain about Spock pushing himself anymore.
Spock knocked on Jim's door at three twenty-three the next afternoon. He and the human cadet had made plans for that day previously.
Kirk opened the door. "Spock. All my professors have suddenly gone crazy, meaning i have a lot of work. meaning i have to raincheck our plans. You're free to come in but I need to work on my projects."
Spock entered the room, raising an eyebrow at the situation. Jim studying or doing his homework? extensively? and doing it before recreational activities?
Kirk sat back down at his desk, grabbing a PADD and sighing. "So. what's new with you, Spock?"
"After much consideration I dropped a class as you had previously suggested."
"Awesome-you know I just picked up another one. plus i might start taking some basic medical courses, maybe over the summer next year though...or over winter break i could take first aid-"
"-What has made you care all of a sudden?" Spock avoided interrupting but felt he ought to. "And as importantly, why do you care so suddenly? this only seems to have arisen in the last week-perhaps the last two."
"...you really wanna know?" he asked.
"I'm concerned for your mental health."
Jim was quiet for a moment, putting his thoughts together before answering Spock.
"I've been here for three years. Three years at the Academy for the largest organization in the Federation-the whole quadrant. And I'm still exactly the same person I was three years ago."
Spock looked at Kirk intently. "What brings you to such a conclusion?"
"Because It's true!" Kirk insisted. "How have I changed? How am I different? How am I any closer to being a captain-or even just an ensign?!...I feel like I'm not even going to graduate..."
"I think you've exaggerated the problem in your mind somewhat." Spock said, "and then continued to do so by applying so much stress to yourself. Secondly you have grown and changed in the time I have known you."
"Oh really?" How?" James demanded
"Do you want a list?"
"Maybe-I don't know!"
Spock looked James over and began to speak. "You're more respectful of boundaries now, you understand the importance of study to some extent, you are more aware of race issues and sensitivities-for example you would offhandedly call me 'Vulcan' our first year. you never would now."
"Wait? I did?...I'm sorry..."
"Your apology is accepted and also proves my point." Spock said. "and whether you realize it or not you've developed leadership skills. people no longer follow you purely for charisma or because it's hard to tell someone with your energy level no. they do it because you're...influencing."
"Really?"
Spock nodded. "Of course. I'm not in the habit of lying...you know that."
"Yeah, I know." Jim smiled and looked Spock over. "You know, you're different too."
"I don't think I am beyond simply possessing more knowledge."
"No you definitely are!" Jim insisted. "You talk to people now-you start conversations and you put up with all emotional-ness way better than you used to." He smiled. "Also look at all the things you care about besides just being a science officer now. You read and go out with us and play a ton of that weird chess-game-thing."
"Three dimensional chess, James. I'd teach you to play if you have an interest."
"I might." Kirk stood up. "But for now let's head out-maybe Sulu and Scotty would wanna join us?" Jim smirked slightly. "Or maybe Christine?"
Spock got up. "If you're willing to abandon your schoolwork then i'm willing to go back t our original plans...and I may invite Christine. She is a friend after all."
"Just a friend."
"Yes." Spock said, more forcefully than he meant to.
Kirk laughed and left the room, Spock following.
"One more month." Bones told himself as he shut the door to his dorm room. "One month to winter break then i'm done." he'd already been accepted back into the academy, no loss of credits either which was good.
He plopped down on his bed and grabbed his PADD and checked for communiques. something from his mom asking about what he was doing that Christmas, And then something short and cute and sweet and just...great from Jocelyn that he took half an hour stressing over a reply to before sending her something in reply.
Then one more message came in...oh. it was from Jim.
He opened it
Communique for Leonard McCoy from James Kirk
'Hey. so Spock and I had this conversation yesterday that set me off thinking so two things really.
First, thanks for putting up with me our first year at the academy.
Second, look what I found!'
there was an image attached so Bones opened it and couldn't help but smile at what he saw.
He remembered taking this picture, just a week or two after they'd arrived at the academy. Jim had insisted on it and was grinning like an idiot in the center of the shot. Bones realized he was a lot skinnier than he was know-well, not so much skinny as scrawny he'd put on weight and muscle now.
Bones looked at himself, hair combed differently than it was now (and lacking the premature tint of grey that came from stress. but that was going away a bit lately.) He wasn't glaring or scowling really, but he hardly looked happy about the picture.
Spock stood at attention and had the Vulcan ever kept his hair that long? really? his bangs were definitely shorter now...and he'd adjusted to the climate for sure-no more dorky sweaters-unlike the Spock in this picture.
Had they all really grown up so much?
Bones saved the picture and glanced out the window before going to work on some class assignments.
"One more month..." he said quietly "Then I can see them again."