for ZEX, it's time to par-tay

[bornsnarky]

[standing at the bar, yanking on the collar of this damn dress uniform]

[reeeeeeally hoping these Thraddash people don't approach me, surely there're enough interesting people around here that I can just get convivially drunk with Scotty and ZEX and Uhura]

[I can see Jim in the corner being all charming and shit, and there're a couple more being entertained by Chekov and Gaila, excellent, maybe I can get out of this formal reception with my sanity relatively intact]

[then a gravelly voice behind me says he'll buy me a drink]

[...turning]

Ah. Um. Thanks, I guess. I'm Leonard McCoy.


[he says he knows]

Comments

[bornsnarky]

There're worse places.

[laughs, drinks] I can recommend you some, sure. If you'll do the same for me?

[zexyandiknowit]

Of course.

[Maybe we could watch them together in some sort of romantic/nostalgic double feature]

[BUT WE'RE NOT DATING]

[bornsnarky]

Seems only fair.

[no dating for us!]

[zexyandiknowit]

[The alcohol is finally catching up to ZEX--McCoy is happy and warm next to him, and ZEX just won in a fight against a Thraddash. All this equals giggles, pretty much]

[Lean~]

[bornsnarky]

[tossing the local equivalent of a peanut over my head at Jim]

[zexyandiknowit]

[Laughs, AS IF KIRK ISN'T GONNA MAKE A MISTAKE TONIGHT]

[bornsnarky]

[yup, and if I have to dig gravel outta his ass again I'm not gonna be pleased]

[zexyandiknowit]

[You should get a medal]

[Finishing up this drink, pouring more for them both, realizing that they've fallen into a companionable silence, pretty much]

[Not... minding]

[bornsnarky]

[perhaps two stuck together in an amusing buttocks shape]

[drinking more]

[mm I'm not really aware of it consciously, and I'd probably avoid you for the next week if I were, but you feel really... safe]

[zexyandiknowit]

[You smell like grass and soap]

[And booze but this is inevitable]

[bornsnarky]

[you don't smell like dead fish, you smell salty and good and also like booze]

[blinking, far too comfortable leaning against you]

You think we can get out of here soon?

[before I fall asleep]

[zexyandiknowit]

Certainly.

[Pounds the last bit in his glass, the movement of his throat right in McCoy's eyeline, before replacing it on the bar]

Shall we?

[bornsnarky]

[gulps at that]

I think we shall.

[zexyandiknowit]

[ZEX takes McCoy's arm and begins to steer them through the whirling bodies. Speaking low, right near McCoy's hear:]

Do you know, this was the most fun I've had at one of these in a very long time.

[bornsnarky]

[snorts affectionately] If you're going to save my ass like that, then you're definitely coming along the next time I have to come to one of these.

[zexyandiknowit]

I am invested in the wellbeing of your ass, friend doctor.

[bornsnarky]

[double take, starts laughing]

[zexyandiknowit]

[Also laughing]

[Thank goodness you can't see my blush-equivalent in my head tentacles]

[bornsnarky]

[slightly earnestly drunk]

You have a nice laugh.

[zexyandiknowit]

[While still kinda laughing]

Do I? I've been told it's girlish, by human standards.

[bornsnarky]

[shrugging the shoulder that isn't leaning on you]

It's a little high pitched, maybe? But 'girlish' ain't bad, anyway.

[zexyandiknowit]

VUX do not even have the concept. It's... it's strange. But not bad?

[bornsnarky]

Definitely not, and I'll smack anyone who says otherwise.

[you are fast exploding my unexamined concepts of gender, and I like it]

[zexyandiknowit]

[Giggles, softer than usual, feeling strangely warm]

[bornsnarky]

[aaaand heading down the corridor]

[at least we're keeping each other upright]

[and I'm not scrubbing puke out of the carpet while wearing a loincloth]