'I need you like a heart needs a beat' is too cliche but it's true || pointyeared-bastard
In general, away-missions were grueling. Jim sort of hated them. They meant being away from his ship - his home, really - and most of his crew. It meant worrying about those two things. It meant stress and anxiety, even if it was just temporary.
But the worst kind of away-mission was the one where he had to leave his first officer in charge of the ship. Not because Spock was a bad captain. Quite the opposite, actually, the half-Vulcan made one hell of a captain in Jim's stead. No, it was because that meant he would be separated from his first officer; his best friend, his confidant, his lover.
Jim found he could tolerate a week or two away, but much more than that, and he would start to lose his mind. Calling it codependency would be an understatement.
But that was whatever. He was back now, back to his home, his family an his first officer. As soon as he was beamed back aboard the ship, relief flooded through him, the first face he saw that of a placid, yet seemingly equally relieved Vulcan, and Jim let out a breath he forgot he was holding.
"Spock," The name was like home on his tongue and for a second he forgot about everyone else and about procedure and the months away from his other half and just rushed forward, pulling Spock into a tight hug.