Only a couple more parts to go on this one!

“So, I’m thinking of taking Bones up on his offer,” Jim said just before he was due to head off to class.

Spock was standing in the kitchen, wearing his uniform, and cooking some kind of oatmeal thing for his breakfast. He had offered Jim, but he’d declined.

“Bones?”

“Leonard McCoy.”

“Oh. Yes. I’d forgotten you had a nickname for him. Offer?”

“To room with him until they get me my own dorm. That way I can get out of your hair. You’ve been more than generous with your time and place.” Jim smiled. “And cooking skills.”

“It is my understanding that Doctor Mccoy only has a single dorm.”

“Well, yeah. I’d sleep on the couch or a cot or something. But it would only be temporary.”

Spock stared at him blankly. “I see.”

And Jim sort of deflated. What had he hoped? That Spock would beg him to stay because he’d fallen madly in love with Jim? Ha.

Jim nodded. “Guess I’d better get to class.” He turned to leave.

“Jim.”

“Yeah?”

Spock blinked a few times. “Have I done something to make you uncomfortable here?”

“What? No. Of course not.”

“Then I don’t understand why you would choose less desirable circumstances.”

“Well” Jim turned back to fully face Spock. “I like you, Spock. I mean…a lot.” He took a deep breath. “And last night when you stayed out late I realized how much I really do and I felt jealous and anxious and I just have no right to feel that way. I think it’s better I don’t stay.”

“What did you think I was doing last night?”

Jim winced.

“I see. You assumed I was engaged in coitus with a paramour.”

That made him laugh, if a bit awkwardly. “Well, I wasn’t going to go there. But something like that, yeah.”

Spock’s lips quirked upward. “There was an explosion in one of the labs and a cadet was injured. As his instructor I went to the hospital with him to ensure he would safely recover. I apologize, I did not have a way to contact you as I do not have your codes or coordinates for your communicator.”

It was Jim’s turn to blink rapidly. “I didn’t think…boy, that was dumb.”

“And for the record, Jim, I like you too.”