@diedsaving sent: “ jim doesn't know when his eyes started to glaze over as he'd stared blankly at whatever game highlights playing on his PADD, but now they've drooped closed. he has a feeling they wouldn't have, or he'd have at least fought it better had he had the volume up. but bones is actually doing work & contrary to what the doctor might say, jim does try not to disturb him. so, here he is. more or less asleep, curled slightly on the couch with his head in bones' lap.”
Leonard is grading papers on his PADD (and mentally despairing for the future generation of doctors at Starfleet Medical) when he feels Jim’s head loll against his thigh. The kid’s been astoundingly quiet tonight, his nearness both familiar and comfortable, and Len isn’t really sure when that happened -- when Jim became a presence that just belongs in the periphery of McCoy’s awareness. Like an extension of himself.
The doctor glances down at Kirk, mouth twitching in amusement at the sleepy state of him, and sets his PADD aside without disturbing his position on the couch. Tipping his chin, Leonard eyes the near-muted video that Jim was watching, eyebrow lofting at the.. is that a basefall fails highlight reel?
“...yer somethin’ else, kid..” Len murmurs quietly, fondly. Tentative, he brushes the blunt tips of his fingers over Kirk’s brow, sifting through the younger man’s hairline. Jim’s hair is as soft as he imagined. Breathing out slowly, Leonard settles back into the couch cushions and lets his shoulder sag, body becoming still and heavy at this late hour. He supposes he could sleep like this, even if it will be hell on his back in the morning.
It’ll be worth it.
