Title: The Bad Touch
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Kirk/McCoy
Word Count: 2,585
Summary: For this prompt - The Syntii hold the belief that inferior species require tactile relationships. While on their planet, it would be best to conform to their way of thinking.

A/N: I'm sorry about the title. It just fit and wouldn't stop nagging me to use it even though I really didn't want to.

+++

Present

Just one more hour.

Jim keeps repeating this in his mind over and over again.

Just one more hour, and they'll be beaming back to the Enterprise, warping away from Aggaros VII.

He glances quickly at Bones, sees him shifting his weight back and forth impatiently.

Just one more hour.

+

Nine Days Ago

"Huh," Bones says, frowning slightly at his PADD. "They procreate telepathically."

The Enterprise is on her way to Aggaros VII to negotiate with the planet's dominant race, the Syntii. Shipping lanes to the planet have started falling prey to Klingon attacks, causing the Syntii to reach out to Starfleet for help.

"Really? How the hell does that work? John just thinks about knocking up Jane and, surprise, she's pregnant?" Jim's gone over the mission briefing already, but he's yet to read up on the Syntii themselves.

Bones glances up from the PADD to arch and eyebrow at him, and Jim thinks it'll be a sad day when Bones realizes that Jim says shit like that just for that facial expression. Jim can't help that he thinks it's really fucking hot. "The Syntii are a single-gendered race. There's a consensual mating ritual that activates certain hormones, but there's no physical contact. The Syntii think they're physically pure and that's what separates them from animals."

This information doesn't really trigger anything in Jim's brain besides crawling across the bed to Bones so he can initiate their own consensual mating ritual.

+

Five Days Ago

"…and so I have deducted that the negotiations would benefit by any members of the away team forgoing in physical contact, sexual or otherwise."

Jim's starting to wonder if the other him always found other Spock to be so much of a buzzkill. "Wait, what?"

Spock blinks at him in a way that Jim has come to interpret as I think you're an idiot. He likes Bones' method of calling Jim an idiot more; Bones will just outright say it. "The Syntii hold the belief that inferior species require tactile relationships. While on their planet, it would be best to conform to their way of thinking."

"Aggaros VII has been an interstellar trade hub for nearly a decade, Spock. I think they know that other humanoid species act differently."

Uhura picks this moment to cut in. "As representatives of Starfleet and the Federation, though, it would behoove us to be respectful of their culture."

That's easy for you to say, Jim thinks. Spock will be staying on the ship. Jim glances at Bones, whose face seems neutral, but Jim can tell by the way his eyebrows are twitching that he's trying not to laugh. Jim sighs heavily. "Let the record show that I'm agreeing under duress."

"Noted," is Spock's reply, and he's actually writing something on his PADD. Jim just kind of gapes, not even wanting to explain that it had been a joke.

It would only be five days that they will have to be on Aggaros VII until the official delegation team from Earth arrived. How bad could it be?

+

Four Days Ago

Jim's first impression of the Syntii is that they're very tall. And pink. Well, it's actually more of a maroon, but like a pale maroon. They kind of remind him of giraffes only bipedal and without the horns. Their necks aren't quite that long, but still long enough that Jim wonders if their necks get tired from holding their heads up all day. He bets they have awesome beds. Jim turns to Bones, intent on grabbing his arm to whisper in his ear about giant mattresses, but then he catches Uhura looking at him like she can hear his thoughts, and she's raising an eyebrow at him like she's channeling Spock. Jim stops his movement, and continues paying attention to the tour they're being led on of the capital city.

Bones stays behind at the hospital, interested in the Syntii medical technology as even in the age of tricorders, there's still treatments and therapies and procedures that require the old fashioned hands on approach. Once Bones is gone, it almost feels like a weight has been lifted off Jim's shoulders. It's only Uhura, now, who he has to censor his behavior around. Well…Uhura and the security detail, but that wasn't ever a serious concern.

Before they can actually get down to the negotiations, though, they have to navigate the treacherous waters of trying to bring up the negotiations to begin with. No matter the species, politicians always seem to be the same, beating around the bush and not wanting to get down to business. The governor at least seems to understand that it's all posturing and seems like zhe's just going through the motions.

At the end of the day, Jim's exhausting, and the room he's been given is a pleasant surprise. It overlooks the water, and Jim would almost feel like he's back in San Francisco if the bay had been orange. Even the weather feels about the same as springtime there.

The bed is amazing, and Jim wonders if he can somehow get the Syntii to let him bring it back to the Enterprise. He knows Scotty would have no problem beaming it back to his quarters, but getting it to fit is a whole different matter. He thinks his childhood bedroom back in Riverside was smaller than this bed, which has got to be at least ten by twelve feet.

It feels impossibly larger, though, almost an infinite space, when he crawls into it to try to sleep and wishes Bones is here.

+

Three Days Ago

There's negotiations all morning and afternoon, and Jim's mentally exhausted by the time dinner comes around. He can't tell if he's making any headway at all, and while he normally likes the challenge, interpreting all the double-talk has given him a headache.

Jim decides to check out a native restaurant for dinner, curious to observe the people of Aggaros VII behaving naturally instead of peacocking for Starfleet representatives. He invites Uhura, who says she'll catch up with him as she wants to finish some notations on the Syntii language.

He almost instantly relaxes when he sees that Bones is there, too. It's short-lived, though, when he has to settle for a smile as a greeting when the way Jim's feeling right now, goddammit, he really wants a hug. Not that he'll admit it out loud.

Jim sits diagonal, not trusting himself to sit next to or directly across from Bones. The only neutral thing he can think to say is asking Bones how today and yesterday went, but his brain gets stuck on the phrasing So how was your day, dear?, which is just so not them.

Bones can't seem to think of anything to say, either, and Jim wonders if he just won't resort to neutral conversation, if he had enough of it when his marriage started its downward spiral that he would rather just sit in an uncomfortable silence. Jim also worries about what this means about them, how they can't seem to talk about anything because it'll all just lead to innuendo.

When Uhura shows up, their words seem to trip over each other's with the arrival of someone safe to talk to.

+

Two Days Ago

For all the neutrality the Syntii leaders seemed to show yesterday, they are making up for it by hanging onto Jim's every word today.

The Klingon attack mere hours earlier helped a lot. The one warbird expecting defenseless freighters only to come upon the Enterprise, bigger with stronger shields and more firepower, didn't stand a chance. Jim wishes he could've been on the bridge during the firefight, but there wasn't a lack of anything to do on the ground. The warbird had managed to get a few hits on freighters before fleeing, and Jim had been coordinating his own engineers to go help repair the damage.

They had checked in with the hospital to check on those who had been wounded. Luckily no one was killed, but there were still quite a few burns of various degrees and bleeding wounds from myriad injuries.

Jim had caught a glimpse of Bones using Syntii medical equipment like he hadn't learned how to use it just yesterday, getting hypnotized by the steady, certain motions Bones' hands made, movements that weren't only so confident in clinical examinations of bodies, and Jim had been grateful when the governor and zher committee were ready to leave so they could work on that day's negotiations.

+

One Day Ago

The Syntii, Jim has decided, are evil, evil people.

In honor of the Enterprise crew's last evening on Aggaros VII, they're holding a banquet, and they seemingly planned the whole thing through Uhura as he finds his dress uniform has been beamed into his room.

Evil, evil people.

Because, of course, Bones is there too, also in his dress uniform, and while Jim thinks he himself looks pretty good in it, Bones looks fan-fucking-tastic. Bones looks like he'd been born to wear the thing, and on a normal day it makes Jim want to glower possessively at anyone who stares too long. On a day such as this where Jim hasn't been allowed to so much as touch him for the last few days, well, Jim's sure making a point to avoid anything to drink that isn't water to avoid any diplomatic incidences because he couldn't restrain himself from hanging off Bones' very broad shoulders like a monkey while making sure everyone on the planet understands that that ass is his.

Jim's almost glad the governor doesn't seem to be wanting to leave his side for the entire evening because it also keeps him from just walking over to Bones to whisper something completely inappropriate in his ear. Jim forces himself to even keep his eyes to himself, certain the Syntii would be offended by the unadulterated lust in his eyes. He feels hyper-attuned to Bones' presence, though, able to hear his voice over all the others, his laugh carrying clearly over the din because while Bones may claim that he's not a diplomat, he sure can be a charming bastard when he wants to be.

Jim keeps cycling through the least sexy things he can think of and wonders if the Syntii also look down on sexual contact with oneself.

+

Present

Five more minutes…

This is one of those times Jim hates being a genius, with the countdown running down too slowly on the forefront of his mind. The Syntii are talking to the admirals and the Federation's diplomats now, moving on after farewells have been said to the Enterprise crew. They could technically hail Scotty now, have him beam them out earlier than scheduled, but he's not sure if that would look rude, like they can't wait to get off Aggaros VII. Even if that is definitely true.

The slight breeze shifts direction, sending the sickly sweet aroma of the garden they had previous been upwind of to directly assault their senses. It makes Jim sneeze, and he just catches the slight smile on Bones' face.

"McCoy to Enterprise."

"Scott here. I'm locked on all of your signals, Doctor, but Commander Spock has been quite adamant about the time I can retrieve ye."

Jim recognizes the I'm in charge here, dammit tone that Bones uses when he's running sickbay. "The captain appears to be suffering a mild allergic reaction that will only increase in severity with continued exposure."

"I understand, Doctor," is all Scotty says before the transmission ends.

"What the hell was that about?" Jim asks, the last half of his question coming as they arrive in his quarters. He's an expert on allergic reactions, and that little sneeze definitely wasn't one.

And he's pretty sure that Bones backing him into the wall, pressing their bodies flush together, and kissing Jim like Jim holds all the answers in the universe if Bones just looks hard enough. But he's not going to complain about it. His poor, attention-starved dick doesn't seem to be complaining either.

"Fuck, yes," Jim hisses, his thoughts quickly devolving to naked, naked, now, now, now!

Jim savors the groan Bones makes when their cocks slide against each other and intentionally bucks his hips to get him to do it again. Bones growls, reaching between Jim's legs to rest his hands on the insides of Jim's thighs, lifting Jim upwards until Jim's legs are wrapped around Bones' waist, his shoulders pressed squarely against the wall.

"We need…" Bones starts, but Jim interrupts him.

"No we don't."

Jim sticks three of his fingers in front of Bones' mouth, moaning and hitting the back of his head against the wall at the sight and feel of Bones' lips and tongue caressing the digits, keeping his eyes locked with Jim's the entire time as Jim's cock twitches against Bones' stomach. Jim pulls his hand away, prepping himself with his saliva-slicked fingers, biting his lip and grunting when he brushes against his own prostate.

He's so hard when Bones pushes into him, leaking precome even though his dick has barely been touched. Gravity works them deeper, closer, and when Jim arches his back only to slide back down, he can't help but whimper with need.

"Wanted you so bad, Jim," Bones says as he fucks him. His accent is heavier, which isn't playing fair since Bones knows how hot Jim thinks he sounds. "Had a dream that first night of fucking you in that giant bed. I woke up so hard and unable to do anything about it."

"I didn't think I'd make it through the banquet," Jim admits, talking to distract himself from how bad he wants to come now, but it also feels like it's been forever since they've done this, hell since they could even barely touch each other, and he wants it to last. "So damn sexy, Bones; I bet you made the Syntii wish for physical contact."

"Fuck, Jim," Bones gasps. "Come for me, baby."

Jim moves a hand from Bones' shoulder to his own cock, only needing three sure strokes before he's coming on Bones' chest and stomach. He can feel Bones' ass clenching with each forward thrust, and he can feel it just before Bones comes too, his movements faltering just before he stills and calls out Jim's name.

Jim nuzzles his face against Bones' neck as he catches his breath, savoring the feeling of skin-on-skin everywhere, and wrinkling his nose a little when he can feel Bones' come dribbling onto his thighs.

"You need to get down now, Jim, before I drop you."

Jim turns his head, snorting into Bones' shoulder. "Mood killer." He tenses his leg muscles around Bones' waist to ease Bones out of him before slowly putting his feet back on the ground. He feels like a newborn colt, legs all unsteady.

Bones heads for the bathroom to get a wash cloth, leaving Jim to pull himself away from the wall and into the bedroom. His bed looks comically small compared to the one he'd been sleeping in the last four nights. He's still staring at it when he senses Bones behind him before feeling the wet towel on his legs and ass, rubbing gently, and Jim thinks he could fall asleep like this as he leans back into Bones.

"I like their beds more." Jim's not whining, really.

"Mm, I think yours has some perks," Bones replies.

When they snuggle up together, legs intertwined under the blankets, Jim knows that Bones is right.