caitri | Fic: Common Grounds, Part Five, Kirk/McCoy, NC-17

Part One is here
Part Two is here
Part Three is here
Part Four is here

FIVE

It is Saturday afternoon when Jim drives them to a spot he knows just outside of Pinole. It’s not any sort of conventional park or anything like that, little more a field, really, but it’s out of sight of the road and surrounded by trees.

“Scotty and I tried making ink varnish one time out here,” he says. He grins sheepishly. “There was a twelve foot combustion incident. I haven’t tried that since.”

“Combustion incident?” Leonard echoes.

“Fire,” Jim admits. “Flames. It was impressive. That was the time Scotty lost his eyebrows. I said to hell with it, the stuff in jars is good enough for me. But Scotty maintains he wants to recreate the recipe that Gutenberg probably used.”

“Gutenberg? The guy who invented the printing press?”

“Mmmhmm. His books are over five hundred years old and the ink is still dark. Printing ink is a lot different than the stuff you use for writing—stickier, so it doesn’t just run off the type. People aren’t sure what Gutenberg used, but they agree it was probably a recipe he came up with himself.” Jim looks impish. “Scotty thinks Gutenberg might have used pee. I do not ask about his experiments much anymore.”

“I don’t blame you,” Leonard says honestly. “So what are we doing out here, anyway?”

“You are relaxing!” Jim says. “And I’m helping you!”

“How?” Leonard asks, annoyed.

“By making you.” Jim grins. “Seriously, man, you need to stop. C’mon.” Jim pulls him up beside him to perch on the hood of the car. “Lie back.”

“Stop what?” Leonard grumbles, but allows himself to be pulled back and nestled against Jim. The sun is warm, and with his head pillowed by Jim’s arm he feels strangely comfortable and somnolent.

“Stop everything,” Jim says. “Stop thinking, stop stressing, stop—just stop. Just be here with me, for a little while.”

Leonard eyeballs him at that. “You are such a hippie,” he says. “Has anyone ever told you that.”

Jim laughs. “Bones, I’m a bisexual letterpress printer living in San Francisco. I’m pretty sure half the people who have met me have called me a hippie.”

“Hmph!” Leonard grumps, but he lays back with Jim, and the two men are silent, listening to the quiet that surrounds them.

Eventually, the late afternoon sun turns the field around them into a kaleidoscope of greens and golds. Leonard sighs contentedly, then peers at his watch. “We should probably get back,” he says after a moment. He tries to sound cool about it, and not as regretful as he feels.

“Yeah,” says Jim. “That makes sense.” The younger man reaches into his pockets, and an almost comical expression of bewilderment flutters over his face. “Uh, Bones?” he says. “I think I lost my keys.”

Leonard stares at him in consternation. “What?!”

Thus begins the combing of the field. This should be arduous, boring, and frustrating, but with Jim, it’s—not. Jim keeps up a constant running commentary of silliness that is amusing and (and Leonard really hates to admit this in his heart of hearts) endearing. It’s almost dark when they return to the car, no trace of the lost keys to be found.

“I guess we’ll have to call a tow-truck,” Leonard says.

“Yeah,” Jim says with a sigh. “Guess so.” He reaches into his pocket for his phone.

There is a tell-tale jangle. Leonard gapes at him.

“Huh,” says Jim. “Here they are. In my pocket the whole time. How about that?”

“You are a faker!” Leonard says incredulously—and not, he fears, unlike a teenage girl. “You did that on purpose!”

“Nope,” Jim says smoothly. “It was an honest mistake. Those happen. This though,” and he honest to God throws the keys back into the grass, “this is on purpose!”

Leonard is struck dumb and stares at the man who may possibly be the most handsome psychopath known to man. He keeps staring even as Jim walks up to him, takes his face in his hands, and kisses Leonard with a thoroughness that the older man hasn’t experienced since he was—since he can’t remember when.

Jim feels like sunlight, he thinks. Sunlight and a warmth that is transmitted to Leonard like a small fire coming to life inside of him. When the kiss stops, Jim leans his head back in satisfaction. “You have no idea how long I’ve been wanting to do that, Bones,” he says quietly.

“Jim,” Leonard says. “What are we gonna do now?” What he means to ask is are they going to call a tow-truck, or get back to the city somehow, or just wait out here in the middle of nowhere all night, but somehow it sounds even to his ears like he’s asking a question bigger than that.

Jim just smiles his smug, Jim Kirk smile. “This,” he says, and takes Leonard’s hand and leads him to the car. He opens the back door of the car and inside is a cooler, a camping lantern, and several stacked blankets. Jim opens the cooler to reveal a chilled six-pack of beer, several bottles of water, and several containers of foodstuffs. “Hey, Boo-Boo, whadaya think of my pic-i-nic basket?” Jim says with a shit-eating grin.

Leonard starts to laugh, quietly at first, and then it grows until he’s almost shaking with mirth.

“What?” asks Jim in bemusement.

“You planned this whole thing,” Leonard says, still laughing.

“Yeah?” Jim draws the word out slowly, making it into a question.

“Jim,” he says patiently, “if you wanted to spend the night with me, why didn’t you just, you know, ask?”

“Eh,” Jim shrugs, pulling the cooler out and turning the lantern on. “That’s the simple way, not the Jim Kirk way.”

“What’s the Jim Kirk way?” Leonard is airing the blankets out and looks for a spot to set them down.

“Oh, it’s a lot like the wrong way, but faster,” Jim says impishly.

Leonard is startled into laughter again. “Great,” he says, “I’m dating Zapp Brannigan.”

Jim smiles at him in the low light. “Nah,” he says. “I’m much cooler than he is.”

They eat leisurely, sprawled on the blankets. The evening is cool, but not cold. Nonetheless, Jim makes a show of shivering. “Brr,” he says. “It’s nibbly out here.”

Leonard looks at him curiously, then cottons on to what Jim is about. “Yeah,” he says. “You’re right. We should probably stay close together to conserve body heat.” He holds out an arm, waiting, and Jim cuddles up close to him.

“Ha,” says the younger man smugly. “You said ‘body heat.’”

“You are such an infant sometimes,” Leonard says.

Jim laughs against his chest. “You like it,” he says, peering up at him. A smile lingers on his lips, but his eyes glow with a warm, expectant look.

“Yeah,” Leonard says, “yeah, I guess I do.”

“Besides,” Jim continues, “we’re going to do some stargazing tonight.”

“Oh?” Bones says blankly. Then suddenly his mind flashes on their cyber-date from weeks ago, and he flushes. “Oh,” he says.

He kisses Jim then, softly. The other man’s mouth opens to his without hesitation. It goes on for a while, it seems; when they break apart, they’re both trembling slightly with want, and it is too warm—stifling, really—under the blankets.

“Bones?” Jim asks. “Let me? Please?” He kisses Leonard again, and the older man acquiesces, lets Jim push him down into the soft nest they’ve made for themselves in the blankets and the grass. His fingers dance across Leonard’s torso, down to his jeans, to the zipper. The zipper makes a distinctive sound as it is pulled open, and Leonard sighs when Jim’s hand is on his cock.

“I want you, Bones,” Jim murmurs from somewhere down around his belly button.

“You’ve got me,” Leonard says. “Oh!” He inhales sharply as Jim’s hand is replaced by Jim’s mouth, which is hot and wet. Jim moves slowly, using his lips and tongue to illicit strangled sounds of joy from the older man. Leonard runs his fingers through Jim’s hair, which is soft under his fingers, but the boy’s mouth is like a dream, and dear God but it’s been a long time since anyone has done this—

“I’m gonna come soon, Jim,” Leonard warns, but that only encourages him. “Jim!” Jim takes him in deeper then, if that’s possible, and Leonard’s climax makes him cry out roughly. “Fuck,” he says afterward, breathing hard.

Jim looks smug, his lips wet and swollen. “That’s the plan, baby,” he says.

“There’s a plan?” Leonard asks in amusement. “But did you bring—“ He gestures vaguely. The English language seems to have largely deserted him in the wake of his orgasm, and he feels boneless and somnolent in pleasure.

“Yeah, Bones. I’m always prepared—I’m like a Boy Scout that way.”

“I did not need that visual, kid,” Leonard says, even as Jim laughs and kisses him again. Leonard tastes himself, mixed with the flavor of Jim, which right now is of beer and man.

Lube and condoms materialize from somewhere even as their clothes disappear, and then it’s the two of them, skin to skin under the soft wool of the blanket. They are both quivering now, from excitement, nerves, arousal.

“How do you want to do this?” Leonard asks. “Should I—“ He turns slightly, as if to roll over.

“No, Bones, no,” Jim says, stopping him. “I want to look at you when we do this.” He’s rolling a condom on, preparing himself. He squeezes some lube in his hands, rubbing some over his cock, then reaching down to touch Leonard, caressing him intimately. Jim slips a finger in gently, testing, getting him ready. Leonard closes his eyes in pleasure. He hasn’t done this since med school… Jim slips in a second finger, and then a third, and all he can think about then is how much he wants Jim, Jim’s cock, inside of him, now…

“Dammit, Jim” he murmurs harshly. “I won’t break. Now hurry the hell up and fuck me.”

Jim laughs; it has a rippling quality to it that is new. “God, Bones, you’re so bossy in bed.” He kisses him again, thoroughly, then peppers Leonard’s face with small kisses across his forehead, eyelids, cheeks, and chin. “It’s cute.”

“Jim--!”

“Hush, baby,” Jim says. Leonard feels him at his entrance. “I’m gonna take care of you now, promise.” And he pushes in, slowly.

Leonard concentrates on breathing as Jim enters him. To his surprise, however, the younger man takes great care with him. Their faces are close; his face in the low light is intense, his blue eyes black in the darkness and in arousal. When he’s completely inside, he gives Leonard an apologetic smile.

“I’m not gonna be able to last as long as I’d planned, Bones,” he says. “You’re really tight. Oh God.”

Leonard slides his hand around the back of Jim’s neck, pulling him close for another kiss. This one is less sweet, rougher, desperate with hunger. “Shut up, Jim,” Leonard says, “and fuck me already.”

Jim bites him at that, but then he begins moving. His thrusts are careful as he focuses on an even tempo, and when he discovers just the right angle to hit Leonard’s sweet spot, he maintains that position. Leonard wonders if it’s possible to die from too much pleasure, because if so? His time on Earth may well be limited.

Jim keeps his eyes on Leonard, the older man is vaguely aware. Only when he himself comes, his eyes closed tight in ecstasy, does he pause, before slumping down into Leonard’s arms. He stays in Leonard a little longer, though, as he loses his erection. Leonard holds Jim close as their breathing returns to normal. They are both sweaty, panting under the blanket, and Leonard moves it slightly; the air is chilly on their wet skin.

They don’t say anything, they just smile at each other, bodies tangled up tight together until exhaustion sets in, and they sleep.

~

I’m too damn old for this, Leonard thinks the next morning. The morning sun is peeking over the horizon, promising a beautiful day.

“Hey, you,” Jim greets him, eyes still half closed from sleep. He kisses Leonard and then buries his face in Leonard’s shoulder. “Ooh. The light. It burns.”

“Mole,” Leonard says.

“Could be worse. I could be sparkling,” Jim says.

“I don’t wanna know,” Leonard groans.

“It’s one word. Say it! Say it!” Jim is laughing now.

“Dork!” says Leonard. He pulls Jim to him, squeezing him tightly as the younger man laughs in delight.

“Not the one I was thinking, but it’ll do.” Jim grins, kisses Leonard again, and gets up. He pulls his clothes on quickly. Leonard dresses as well, but more leisurely. The day looks like it’s going to be beautiful.

In the bright morning light, it’s easy to find the car keys. Hell, on a day like today, everything seems easy.

“Are you good, Bones?” Jim asks as they load up the car and get ready to go home.

“Yeah, Jim,” Leonard says. He smiles at the man next to him. “I’m great, darlin’.”

~

EPILOGUE

Leonard generally isn’t a fan of weddings—they’re too long, too boring, the food’s horrible, and he always seems to end up being seated at the table with the most insipidly dull people possible.

Nyota and Spock’s wedding, he has to admit, is the exception.

It’s not just the simple ceremony that takes place in the Japanese gardens, or the homemade dinner (if all weddings were potlucks, he thinks, they might be better), or the good company (Pike, Scotty, Pavel and Hikaru—they are all there, forming a tight cheerful group of their own amidst the cheerful chaos of blending families), or even the pleasure of watching how happy Jim is with his friends. A lot of it is just admiring the rightness of Nyota and Spock as they join for life.

He watches them with a small smile as the meal winds down.

“Can I steal your cake?” says Jim as he filches a piece with his fork.

“It’s not stealing if you ask me,” Leonard answers, turning to the other man, “it’s stealing if you ask and I say no. Fool boy.”

Jim chuckles as he swallows the bite of cake. “God, I love it when you talk Southern,” he says.

Leonard just shakes his head. Nyota, hugely pregnant now and ripe as a peach, is gesturing for her friends to approach. “Jim!” she calls out.

“My cake,” Leonard says, stealing his plate back. “Besides, it looks like Nyota wants you right now.”

“Yeah, yeah!” Jim slaps him on the back as he moves to join the group surrounding Nyota. She’s brandishing her bouquet of pink roses aloft, and as she turns to throw it she shoots Leonard a wink.

Leonard laughs at that. Subtle, Nyota, he thinks. Subtle as a battle-axe.

Nyota pins Jim with a look then, and he gives her an astonished look. Then the bouquet is thrown. Jim dodges to the side quickly, and the bundle of flowers is caught by a gleeful redhead whose name, if he recalls correctly, is Gaila. She giggles and runs over to Scotty, who turns a bright red. The crowd laughs, and Jim makes a helpless “What can I do?” gesture as Nyota glares.

Grinning his Jim Kirk grin, he returns to his seat by Leonard. “That was close,” he says. He slouches comically, loosening his tie (a silken pink garment no doubt chosen to match the floral arrangements, and no, Leonard will never let Jim alone about this particular garment, ever).

“I’m surprised,” Leonard admits. “I would have expected you to go after that like a quarterback on a touchdown.”

Jim flushes. “Yeah, well,” he says. “I, uh, thought you might freak out if I did something like that.”

“Why would you think that, darlin’?” Leonard asks.

The younger man turns crimson at that. “Well, you know,” he says awkwardly. “You being divorced and all, I figured you’d—I wasn’t sure that that was something you’d want to think about again.”

Leonard just looks at Jim. “Maybe not for a while, Jim. But I might consider it some day.”

“You mean you’d—“ Jim doesn’t finish the sentence, he just looks like the rising sun of a beautiful day.

“Yeah. Someday. If the right person is involved.” Leonard gives him a small, eloquent smile, and Jim glows.

“Oh! Oh my! Guys?” Nyota is calling out loudly. She’s gesturing in their direction.

“Doctor McCoy?” Spock’s normally unflappable montone falters. “Come quickly!”

Leonard and Jim are already moving; they join them in seconds.

“What’s the matter? What’s wrong?” Jim asks in panic.

Leonard takes in Nyota’s pale face, the wet stain on her dress. “Her water’s broken,” he says. “The baby’s on its way.” He runs his fingers over her belly, probing gently.

“Oh, my,” says Spock, who has turned an even lighter shade of pale.

“Oh wow,” Nyota says. She sounds like she may be starting to hyperventilate.

“Breathe, Nyota,” Jim instructs.

“We’re going to be parents,” Spock says. A glowing smile is breaking over his face, an expression quite unlike any Leonard has yet seen on the taciturn young man.

“Just noticed that, did you?” Leonard says. “Uh, Nyota, do you have any idea how long you’ve been having contractions?”

“And this is where I call an ambulance,” Jim says, whipping his phone out.

“Con-contrac-contractions?” Nyota stutters. “I—I don’t know. I’ve felt odd all day, but I thought it was nerves!”

“Hey we need an ambulance,” Jim is saying into his phone. “We have a pregnant woman, and she’s giving birth? Like now?”

“Any estimate as to how long they might have been happening?” Leonard asks. “How close together are they?”

“Nyota had difficulty sleeping last night as well,” Spock says. “She was most restless but I, too, assumed it was anxiety relating to today’s activities.”

“Since this morn—morning!” Nyota agrees. “Oh!”

“So you’ve probably been in labor at least eight to ten hours,” Leonard says. “Jim, tell the ambulance that!”

“Get that ambulance here, guys! Like yesterday! Hello?” Jim turns to them, face pale. “I think they’re on the way?”

“Ohh, they better be!” Nyota says, sweat popping out on her forehead. “I think—I think they’re getting faster!”

Leonard focuses on keeping her calm after that, Spock reassuring her quietly. The young man whispers repeated assurances to his new wife while Jim gives them updates as to the ambulance’s progress.

“Is everything alright?” asks Mrs. Grayson, Spock’s aunt.

“Define ‘alright’?” Jim asks. “Er, sorry,” he says when the older woman shoots him a scandalized look, “but there’s a baby on the way!”

When the ambulance finally arrives moments later, Spock and Nyota disappear into it. “We’ll see you guys at the hospital!” Jim yells cheerfully as the doors close behind his friends. “Wow,” he says as it drives off, “Married and parents the same day. That’s…kinda terrifying.”

“No kidding,” Leonard agrees dryly. The party has dispersed by then; family members are getting into their cars to follow the ambulance to the hospital, while friends head home to await news of the new arrival. Jim and Leonard head to Jim’s car, and sit there for a moment, overwhelmed by the silence; it seems like it’s the first quiet they’ve had all day. They savor it for a moment.

“Hey, Bones?” Jim asks afterwards.

“Hmm?”

“I’m gonna wait and all. And then I’m gonna ask you to marry me. I’m just giving you a spoiler alert, just so you know.”

“Thanks, Jim, I appreciate that,” Leonard says. “You should probably realize that I’ll say yes.”

“Good to know,” Jim says, he gives Leonard a kiss that tastes like a promise, before starting the car and driving to what awaits them.

Author’s Gratuitous Notes

Useless for nothing except bits of explanation, perhaps.

For the purposes of this story, Bones lives in North Beach while Jim lives in Pinole, about half an hour away. Um, according to Google Maps.

The mix Jim makes for Leonard plays thus:

Brand New Colony – Postal Service
I’m a Fool – American Hi Fi
I Want You to Want Me – Cheap Trick
Aint Misbehavin’ – Peter Cincotti
K.I.S.S.I.N.G Part B - Flight of the Conchords
Lucky - Radiohead
What a Wonderful World – The RAMONES
Life Less Ordinary – Carbon Leaf
1, 2, 3, 4 – Plain White T’s

So about the store with the porn in the front and the imported DVDs in the back? Yeah, that’s a real store. It’s in DC instead of San Francisco, but it’s real. All action films listed are real films. Seriously, if you’ve never seen Twilight Samurai or Swordsman 2? You should. Do it for Jim.

The crack about Jim getting in Bone’s pants comes from