#Bones actually did change Jim's diet card to have Jim eat dietary salad

[dreamthinkimagine]

Space

WARNING: sad!bones

For @thatkourtnichik. Happy belated birthday! 

Doctor Leonard “Bones” McCoy plopped down at an empty table in the Mess Hall. Staring at his chicken, salad, rice, and apple slices for dessert, he really didn’t want to even smell it. A sigh left his mouth as his hands buried his face. 

He was sick - not the type of sick that required quarantine. Heck, he didn’t even need to stay in Sickbay as the other doctors and nurses would take care of him, which only happened ONCE, mind you. Leonard McCoy, the ship’s CMO, was sick of space.

Surprise. Surprise.

All he yearned for was the escape of this endless void of chaos - also known as space, to be on his own planet; but that wouldn’t happen for another five years. He wanted Georgia. So right now, what he needed was some peace and quiet and slee-

“Hey, Bones!” Jim sat down across from the doctor. Some unhealthy chicken nuggets and tater-tots with ketchup on his plate and a soda to wash it down. Not to mention a candy bar for dessert. 

“Not now, Jim,” Bones said as he still hid behind his hands.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, Jim; just eat. I’m going to assume what you have is that dietary salad I assigned you.” 

“It is,” he lied, his eyes instinctively darting to the left. Something was wrong with Bones, and so, he decided to do what made him feel better when he was stressed - food. Maybe it would help Bones too. “I’ll be right back,” he said, took his plate and left the table.  

He went to the food synthesizer and ordered Bones some chicken alfredo. He also ordered some dietary salad for himself. If Bones was going to look up at him, he didn’t want him seeing that he lied. That would only make Bones more upset, plus, Jim knew he’d be in trouble.

“Bones,” Jim said and placed the plate down in front of him. “I got you your favorite.”

“Chicken alfredo?”

“Yep.” He peaked through his hands, but still wasn’t willing to eat. 

“Sorry, Jim. I’m just not hungry. Did you just replace your dinner with a salad so I wouldn’t know you had chicken nuggets?” How did he even know that, Jim thought to himself.

“That’s not the point, Bones. What’s up?” Even though every crewman in the room was talking, the only thing Jim heard was Bones’ silence. “Bones?” Still nothing. “McCoy, tell me what’s wrong. That’s an order.”

“I already told you, Jim, nothing’s wrong; I’m fine. Eat your salad.” With emptiness filling his heart, he walked back to his Quarters; leaving Jim to wonder.

***

Letting his exhaustion overtake him, he fell onto his bed. Tears welled in his eyes as he blamed space for his misery.

I’ve been separated from my planet, he thought to himself. By billions of miles of the darkness of space.

He didn’t get much sleep that night.

***

The next day, when Bones got back to his Quarters after his shift, he was already done. Still done with space, was tired, and he didn’t have the best day at work either. Darn it, Spock! Not to mention that Chapel decided to play happy music all day to “boost morale”. Didn’t she know he was upset? 

As he walked, his foot hit an oddly shaped object resting on his floor. It seemed to be a plastic weapon of some sort. The heck is this, he thought. 

Suddenly, he felt something hit the back of his head. It wasn’t hard, but it was enough for him to be willing to to turn around and investigate. It was strange, he couldn’t see anyone, but he did see a soft, yellow projectile flying for his face and it bopped him on the nose. With his annoyance reaching its peak, he picked up the, whatever-it-was, and aimed it at the bed, toward the direction the yellow devil came from.

“Jim?!” He said once Jim’s head popped out from behind the bed. Jim took the opportunity to give Bones everything - which would be using the weapon to shoot his foam cylinders at him as he yelled out some kind of battle cry. Bones instantly dove behind the bed, searching for a means of escape. “What are you doing?!”

“You’re supposed to shoot me back,” he complained only to be hit in the forehead by a yellow blur two seconds later. “Oh the pain!” Jim exaggerated as he threw his arms up and dramatically fell onto the bed as if he was in a Shakespearean play. “Is this the end of Jim Kirk?”

“It will be if you don’t -,” He didn’t know why, but suddenly his emotions became too overwhelming. He threw the, well, he still didn’t know what it was, to the floor and walked away to the other side of the room. Each step he took was heavy, it was difficult to move his legs. Jim sat up on the bed and saw Bones’ shoulders begin to shake up and down.

“Bones?”

“I need to get out of here, Jim.” Jim slowly rose off the bed and made his way to him. 

“Why?”

“I’ve got to see Georgia again. I’m homesick, Jim. I’m homesick.” 

“Oh,” Jim said as realization hit him. “Just let it out, Bones.” McCoy felt Jim’s hand clasp his shoulder and couldn’t help the cries. 

Bones spent twenty minutes crying, explaining his troubles, and leaning for Jim for support - figuratively and literally. 

“Better?” Jim asked once Bones had calmed down.

“A little. Thanks. Sorry I pushed you away earlier.”

“It’s fine. You know how often I push Spock away if I feel like I’m going to have an emotional breakdown? Literally, I push him.” Bones smiled weakly at his friend’s joke. “Anyway, I think I know something that will make you feel even better, because everything I’ve tried hasn’t worked.”

“What?” Suddenly, he found himself on the floor, face up, and under Jim. Confused, he tried to ask Jim what was going on, but shut his mouth when he felt fingers gently glide up and down his sides.

 “Wanna play like that, huh?” On that note, Jim began squeezing.

“Pfffh...HAHAhahahahahihi!” Then, Jim decided to try kneading his ribs, and was pretty happy with the result. “Dohohohon’t!” 

“Why not? You’re laughing, so you must be feeling better.” And with that, he scratched at Bones’ underarms.

“Nohoho!” Bones began to squirm as giggles poured out of his mouth. “Hahahaha!”

Jim’s hands moved to the other’s stomach, causing Bones to curl up with a squeal. 

“JIHIHIHIHIM!!”

“Yes, Bones?” He said and moved to the backs of his thighs.

“STAHAHAHAHAP!!” He yelled out as he began to kick.

“Hmmm...No. I think you need this, Bones. I mean I know your grumpy and all and you have that reputation to keep, but it was getting pretty bad; even for you. So, this is for making me worry.” Nothing in the entire universe could have prepared Bones for what happened next. Jim kept tickling his thigh with one hand, and vibrated his other onto Bones’ stomach.

Bones lost it. He was unable to control his bucking and Jim almost got hit and kicked, sometimes at the same time. Even though Bones couldn’t control himself, he was still having the time of his life. His worries lifted from him, he was able to let go and be happy. Genuinely happy. 

“GAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! NAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! ST-ST-STAHAHAHAHAHA!!” Seeing that he was unable to form words anymore, Jim decided that he’d had enough and ceased his attack, stood up and smiled at Bones; who was trying to get himself together.

“You know,” he took Bones’ arm and helped him up. “It’s OK to miss Earth. You’ll be there again someday; as Captain I can promise you that. But until we do get back, just remember that you have all of us. All of us here care about you; even Spock. We’re here for you, Bones. I’m here for you.” 

“Thanks, Jim.” Jim smiled at his friend.

“Better?”

“Much. Now get out of here and let me sleep, or else...” he said smiling and lifted his hand so it was right in front of Jim’s ribs and wiggled his fingers.

“OK, OK,” Jim said and raised his arms in surrender. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.” As he fell asleep that night, he was warmed by Jim’s words and knew that he was right. Even though he was in space, he had the entire crew, who cared about him, ready to give their support whenever he needed it. And just the thought made being in space that much easier.