So there’s this tradition in Starfleet when a cadet graduates.
When you step off the stage after accepting your degree, you’re supposed to slip your cadet dogtags off your neck and give them to the person who helped you graduate, who got you through it.
Most, predictably, give it to their moms. Some, their dads, who served themselves. Usually, their significant others.
Jim’s mom couldn’t make it. And well, everyone knows why his dad wasn’t there (a fact the admirals keep wanting him to cash in on–they even asked him to make a speech at graduation. Pike told them where to stick it.)
Anyway, they graduate the Bridge Crew of the Enterprise first–the ones who hadn’t. It’s mostly ceremonial recognition but Jim’s glad for it. He’s not usually nervous on stage–although large crowds have made him anxious since he was thirteen–but it’s hot and his ribs still burn and he’s so damn tired. He hasn’t slept since, well, before his hearing. And that was only a few weeks ago. Fuck.
But before it, he’s walking across the stage, shaking hands with the brass, and getting pinned–Captain’s pin–and smiling. Somehow, after everything, he’s smiling.
Awkwardly, as he’s jogging down the steps, Starfleet uniform cap pinned at his side, hand scrabbling under his collar for the dogtags as he’s walking a few aisles away from his own seat.
“Hey hot shot, your seat’s over there,” Bones tells him–but he’s grinning toward the place where Pike and the other Captains are waiting.
“Bones-” Jim’s got a good grip on the chain even though he’s fucking hands are sweaty.
Maybe it’s a stupid fucking idea. Bones didn’t give his tags to anyone. And why would he? Besides a little girl in Georgia, there was no one else.
Before he can think too much about it, he tugs it off, holding it in front of him.
“Aw, kid.” Bones whispers.
And before Jim can about face or apologize or take back the sentimental gesture, Bones takes his fist out of his pocket, knuckles white, and loosens his grip, giving way to a palm indented by the punched out metal lettering: Leonard H. McCoy, Starfleet Cadet, ID: 116592213
“No one else I would have given them to.”
Somewhere, someone hoots–probably Cupcake, maybe Uhura and then Bones is pulling Jim closer, fingers lightly grazing his jaw, the back of his neck, gripping into his hair.
The kiss is a surprise–Jim’s mouth is dry, his lips are chapped, but it feels so damn right and maybe Jim’s cheek flushes, and maybe Chris Pike laughs out loud but it’s worth it. Definitely worth it.
(via talk-nerdy-to-me-thyla)
once there was a little boy in school who got made fun of for being a huge nerd and he had no friends and just read books all day so no one liked him and one time the teacher called on him but he was so immersed in his reading he didn’t even respond and finally when he did he didn’t know the answer cuz he wasn’t paying attention so the teacher sent him to the principals office and the principal looked at his file and decided to get him some extra reading material cuz he was clearly bored so he started reading shakespeare and charles dickens as a 2nd grader which made him even more nerdy and unloved but then one day when he was 13 he moved to a colony where all the food died because of an exotic fungus and the governor sentenced half the colony to death and he was on the execute list but he managed to escape with eight other fugitives and he saw the governors face and ever since then he’s been a little screwed up but it’s okay because after all that he was like “ayy fuck dis shit m8 imma be a starship captain” and he did and that man was james t kirk, the youngest starfleet captain in history and he still reads shakespeare and charles dickens every night and also he married a vulcan the end
(via wolfi-sama)
Anonymous asked:
Imagine Jim giving the bridge crew increasingly terrible nicknames. Sulu finds it hilarious and keeps a log
imagine-jim-bones-and-spock Answer:
Helmsman’s Log: Stardate: Right Now
Today, our Captain referred to Mr. Spock as ‘Mr. Sprinkles’. The repercussions were swift and hilarious.
Sulu out.
(via kiriani)