Third Time’s the Charm
SUMMARY: As the physical exam day aboard the USS Enterprise rolls around, you find yourself in a rather precarious situation when three of the top-ranking officers in your medbay all ask the same schoolyard question: who do you like?
WORD COUNT: 1,526 words
AUTHOR: Lydia
NOTES: trying something new... instead of (y/n) it is just “you.” it definitely takes more time editing (because I do everything with OCs) so that is a down side, but if you guys take a liking to this version I shall continue like so. and also, I’m back! expect me to post a lot tonight, and requests are open!
As your alarm clock goes off, you slam your hand on the top. It unplugs from the wall and falls to the floor with a thud, and the silence makes you sigh with relief. That is, until you remembers what day it is on the USS Enterprise- physical examination day.
It’s not that having to examine every body on the ship is bad (in some cases, it is as a doctor), it’s having to be examined yourself by the one and only Leonard “Bones” McCoy, the doctor you’ve had a crush on since day one in the academy. You’ve only talked on rare occasions, and when you do, it always ends up either awkward or with one somehow insulting the other.
You climb out of bed and yawn, popping your back as you stand up. It takes you no more than ten minutes to get dressed and ready, having had this routine down since day one. You tie your hair up in a nice braid, grabbing your keycard before walking out into the hallway.
You makes it to the medbay in two minutes as usual, having nailed all the shortcuts and lonely walkways so you can enjoy what moments you have of peace. As you walk into the medbay, you’re greeted by nurses and patients, your gorgeous smile welcoming to all faces. You grab a tablet off the wall and sign in as someone walks up next to you.
“Ready for the physicals?” Bones asks, and you look up at him. His hair is messy as always and his shirt collar slightly bent, something you’ve had to fix on the daily. You reach up and unfold the crease, making him roll his eyes at you.
“If you come into work looking like you actually put some effort into yourself, I wouldn’t have to check you over every damn day,” you mutter.
“Ahh, you’d check me over even if I did.” You don’t respond but can feel your cheeks go slightly red, making you turn away with a sigh.
“How many for the first round?” you asks, Bones following you to the back tables.
“Fifty in the first batch for each of us,” he tells you, grabbing his tablet and scrolling through a list of names. He laughs slightly, the bellow growing louder and louder until he has to support himself by placing a hand on the table.
You turn to him. “What is it?”
“You won’t believe who you’re stuck with first,” he says as he catches his breath. You snatch the tablet from his hands and your eyes go wide as you read the first three names.
“Captain Kirk, Commander Spock, and Officer Sulu?” you gasps, looking up at him. His eyes meets yours and he just goes into another laughing fit, making you hit him with the tablet. You storm off to prepare your section of the medbay and he rushes after you.
“Oh, come on, doll,” he teases. “This’ll be fun!” You grunt and push past him into your station and he just chuckles.
“Get to your station,” you snap.
“Hey, isn't it my job to give the orders?”
“To your station,” you slowly growl, and he smiles at you as he walks off.
You walk to the hallway where James Kirk is waiting, and you take a deep and calculated breath. “Captain, right this way,” you call out, and he follows you in with a smile. You pull the curtain out and set your tablet down. “Have a seat,” you say, and he does.
“Glad I got stuck with the good looking doctor this time,” he says and you almost drop the thermometer in your hand. James just laughs as you recover your composure.
You walk to him and press the pad to his forehead, his temperature reading as 98.4 fahrenheit. You nod to yourself and type the number in.
“Say, can I ask you something?” he asks after you take his blood pressure.
“You better think real carefully about what’s about to come out of your mouth, Captain,” you joke. “I have all the tools and knowledge to make your death look like an accident.”
“Yikes,” he mutters and you laugh. “You got a crush on anyone here?”
The question makes you stop, looking up at him as you feel the lymph nodes in his neck.
“Why would you ask?” you say, playing along with his game on accident.
“Oh, just for a friend.” He winks at you and you can’t hold back a scoff. “No really, curious for a friend, not myself.” You just laugh, shaking your head as he stands up.
“Tell your friend to come ask me himself,” you say. But you pauses, looking up at him. “Or herself, I don’t judge.” James’ eyes go wide and you laugh loudly, patting his back.
After a few more inspections on the Captain, some a little too personal to describe, you dismiss him with a pass of great health. He gives you his trademark smile and leaves, and Spock enters after him.
“Good morning, Ms. (Y/L/N),” he greets you, and you smile at your tablet.
“As to you, Mr. Spock,” you reply, and he even gives you a small grin back. You begin the usual check up, the same as James’, but he stops you with a question.
“I do not know if this is an appropriate question for the workplace, but I promised a friend I shall ask at first chance,” he says. You cross your arms over your chest and nod once. “Is there anyone in this ship you may have taken a liking to, in an unprofessional manner?”
“First Kirk, now you,” you mumble, looking up at him again. “Which friend?”
“That I cannot tell-”
“Spock, you of all people should know Vulcans can’t get sick to many diseases.”
“This I know…”
“But trust me, I know a few that could kick your ass back to the Milky Way.”
Spock gulps, staring at you. “I’m sorry, Doctor, but I made a promise,” he says lowly. You just smile up at him, surprised to find yourself not the least bit mad at him.
“I admire that,” you say. “You’re free to go, Spock.” He nods at you and leaves.
Sulu walks in with a small smile and he sits on the biobed. You start with a scan of the lungs and heart, moving on to checking his vitals and blood levels. You can see the gears turning in his mind, and as he opens his mouth to speak, you stop him.
“I will not answer your question unless you tell me who is making you ask,” you snap, catching him by surprise. He looks at you with wide eyes, trying to find words to say.
“Well, uh, I…” he veers off. “Oh, nevermind.” You laugh slightly and get through the rest of his physical in just three minutes, another crew member with perfect health.
After the first round, you expected at least a small break for the doctors. But as the second wave of crew members floods in, you sigh, putting on a smile and continuing with your work. The routine repeats for ten whole rounds, and as the clock strikes 10:30 pm, the work day ends.
“About damn time,” you mutter as you open the curtains and dock your tablet. You shut your station down and walk out to see Bones finishing up with his last physical. You sit down and grab a hydration pill, swallowing it quickly and finding yourself rather refreshed now.
Bones walks out two minutes later, uploading the records as you did and docking his tablet. “Ready for your physical?” he asks and you roll your eyes as you stand.
“No, but sure,” you mutter as you walk to the biobed. You sit down and he checks your temperature and blood pressure. As he check the nodes in your neck, you notice how gentle his touch is on your skin, rather than hard and rough like with everything else. He checks your eyes closely and seems to handle you with fragile care throughout the exam.
And suddenly, it hits you. He’s the friend that sent Kirk, Spock, and Sulu to ask you.
“Well, you seem good to go,” he tells you, meeting your gaze. You stare softly at him and he shifts, setting the tablet down. “What is it?” he asks.
“It was you,” you whisper, and he laughs awkwardly.
“What?” he asks.
“It’s no coincidence that both Kirk and Spock asked me the same question,” you tell him, narrowing your eyes. “But when Sulu came and asked the same thing, I should’ve known.”
Bones sighs and shifts. He crosses his arms over his chest, watching you closely. Before he can move back or turn away, you lean forward and press your lips to his. It shocks him slightly, but he brings one hand to your cheek and another to your hip, pulling you closer to him and closer into the kiss.
You pull back after a moment, looking up at him. “You could’ve just asked yourself,” you tell him and he scoffs, shaking his head as he kisses you again.













