spones prompt: One day after a tough mission where Spock was separated from the away team, McCoy is standing in the transporter room with his med kit ready to receive the team as they beam back aboard. They do--the whole lot of them, Spock included--and everyone looks beat down and run ragged. But Spock perks up at the sight of him and turns smartly on his heel, walks over to McCoy, and kisses him soundly on the lips.
Stunned, McCoy has to assume that Spock is more injured than he thought. But the scans reveal nothing wrong--not to mention the fact that Spock himself claims to be fully in possession of his faculties. “It was merely time for me to express my affection for you, Doctor.”
McCoy grapples with his conflicted feelings. Can he really believe Spock...likes him? As he frets Spock begins courting him, bringing him fruits and candies and books to read. Spock starts having dinner with him and they don’t get in fights half as often anymore. Spock takes him on long walks through the arboretum and McCoy forgets not to let Spock kiss him again.
They get lost in each other. McCoy didn’t realize he could feel this way. He’s flying high and fully in love. Spock is even talking about moving in together. About making it all official.
Then one day as McCoy is standing on the bridge trying not to make moon-eyes at Spock, they get a hail. It’s from a tiny ship clearly cobbled together from spare parts and barely managing to keep up with them. Uhura says the ship is broadcasting on emergency frequencies. Jim puts the call on screen immediately and the whole bridge grows hushed as surprise ripples through them.
The face on the screen is Spock.
