all_inclusive | Gathering: Garden party, interrupted

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Gathering: Garden party, interrupted

From grand galas to informal gatherings, parties of one sort or another were not an unusual occurrence at the Nexus Hotel. Today was no different, a low-key affair erected in the rotunda of the Italian gardens with the aspiration that tea sandwiches and mimosas would facilitate mingling of the hotel's ever-shifting population.

What was unusual, however, was the inclusion of a wayward, bipedal lizard courtesy of a door standing open on the hotel's facade. Green, spry, perhaps five feet long and roughly as tall as a man, this new guest featured a curved, hard plate across his (or her) forehead that was perhaps indicative of the stubborn nature lurking beneath -- Perhaps because the foliage was so tasty, this little dinosaur resisted all attempts by the staff to corral it back to its home. It would run away from ropes and outstretched arms, knocking over bottles of champagne and destroying the decor before settling several feet away to chomp on some accommodating flowers.

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It's actually kind of a cute thing and Jim draws up closer, chancing sneaking up behind it and running a hand down his back. "I never thought I would get a chance to touch an extinct animal. I'm going to have to put this in the captain's log for sure."

"Just don't try and bring it on the ship," McCoy says, because he's not even sure how the hell they'd explain that one when it comes to dietary requirements. Though, there's definitely a part of him that longs to do it, just to see the look on Spock's face. "I heard a few stories about people getting trapped in worlds that have these things in them."

"You should, you know, avoid that. Just in case you were thinking otherwise."

"I went on an expedition into that door," Jim reminds him. "I came out with all of my parts intact. I would go again, too, given the right team and the right opportunity.There were some fascinating specimens there and it isn't every day you get to see long extinct fossils living and breathing."

"You like to give me heart attacks, don't you," he accuses, since he thinks that there's no other good reason that Jim would think he needs to lead with that little tidbit of information. "I mean, that's your plan, right? Basically give me a heart attack while thinking about you in a place with things that could eat you up without any warning."

"Now that I know why you care," Jim says, grinning wide, "I might be inclined to give you a little less in the way of non-recreational cardiac arrest. Just a little. I can't be held accountable for everything."

Jim sticks out his hand for Bones. "Come on. Let's go back to the party."

McCoy knows he could stay grumpy for a while, but he shakes his head and leans forward to latch onto Jim's hand, grabbing it to help haul himself a little closer. "You buying me a drink at this party for the up close and personal experience with a dinosaur?"

"I am buying you a drink at the party because I like the look of you,"Jim says, leering a bit. "And then I'll buy you another to make up for the dinosaur experience. Does that sound like a deal?"

"Two drinks," McCoy says, licking his lips thoughtfully before he gives a nod of his head. "I mean, if we're negotiating, I can't say that sounds like a bad deal. Two drinks and maybe we can add a nightcap in there? It'd only be fair, for the dinosaur part of things." And because he's wanting to nudge things onwards, now that he's back to normal, properly.

"You already got your drink for the dinosaur," Jim says, mouth turning down in an approximation of Bones' typical disapproving look.

"I'm not giving you two drinks for that little guy. He was friendly."

So he'll just have to pick up the second drink himself. He thinks he can manage that, but he works on the first one for a second, not wanting Jim to think that old problems are rearing their head when, really, he's just thirsty and antsy around this many people. "So you've been travelling into those dinosaur's homelands, huh? I hope that's not a frequent habit you're hiding."

"How could I possibly be hiding it if I just told you about it?" One of the things about he and Bones is that even though they're together, not a lot about their dynamic has changed; they still bicker, though Jim listens a lot more than he used to since he figures Bones has a right to say something.

"The frequency of it," is his instant, firm reply. Sure, Jim tells him plenty about what's happening, but the frequency of an action can still be hidden from him. "Or hell, maybe I'm just getting really used to tuning things out when the thought of you in danger kicks in."

"I just like a little excitement. Besides, there's scientific merit to studying dinosaurs." Jim actually enjoys that, as much as he never wants to let that on to Spock or Bones. He enjoys the excitement of discovering something new and putting it to the test. The only thing that had simply been a drudge in the academy had been languages but luckily he has Uhura for that.

McCoy wants to keep going with the hard-ass routine, but hell, they're safe and sound and Jim's right. There's plenty of scientific merit that goes into studying a species that ought to be extinct. It's a little like him going back through the doors he does to investigate medicine at different points in history, not to mention universes.

"I think we should start this evening again," he suggests. "Now that there isn't a dinosaur to corral."

"And how would you suggest starting it?" Jim says. He wants to start again too, really, and if Bones is giving him an opportunity he's going to take it.

"A drink, a nice walk among the flowers, that kind of thing?"

"I was thinking a drink, kicking back in a few comfortable recliners, and maybe a little light groping," he counters, because walking through the flowers is something he might have done when he was just a kid with Jocelyn, but he's long past that now.

"I've been wanting to grope behind the topiaries," Jim says, hooking a thumb toward a particularly interesting one. "So if you want to get some drinks and go walking through the maze with me, I'm open to that."

"Buy me a drink and we can make it happen," McCoy replies, feeling like he shouldn't be so open about being so easy in exchange for alcohol, but, well, Jim's hot as hell and yeah, he wants him, and that's not a bad topiary for hiding things. "How about we hit the bar and take a walk?"

Jim strolls up to the bar and orders for them both, whiskey since there's no sense in beating around the proverbial bush. The ice is spherical, just like that dive bar Jim used to frequent back in Iowa, and he appreciates the touch.

"Here you go, one drink for my gorgeous date."

"Aw, would you look at that, you're learning how to treat me sweetly," McCoy drawls, a little too damn pleased for his own tastes when it comes to how much he does enjoy the fact that Jim's charming as anything. He takes the drink and lets it rest in his hand, trying out this new patience thing. "To the shrubs, that means."

"Well, you catch more flies with honey," Jim says wryly. Maybe they're still just figuring this out but it feels natural enough to keep close to Bones as they make their way over to the maze, one hand low on the other man's back.

"I'm full of honey."

"I'm not making the dirty joke, but I want you to know it's there," McCoy clarifies, feeling strangely like he's a kid again falling in love for the first time. Hell, maybe it's not that much of a leap. He's only ever fumbled around with other guys before, so maybe falling for Jim, really and properly falling in love with him, maybe this is taking him back to being a teenager. Maybe this time, he'll get it right and won't end up a bitter, divorced drunk.

He turns, mind swimming with that thought and takes advantage of it, hand on Jim's elbow to lean in for a slow, careful kiss, still amazed he can indulge in this.

It's a good kiss, the kind that Jim feels like he's been chasing for years and not quite finding with all the women he's hooked up with between then and now. It's always been like something was missing, hollow, and it's not like that with Bones.

Jim deepens the kiss a little more, not worried about being caught by anyone. They're in the maze and so what if anyone sees them? He's not ashamed.

He lets out a muffled sound of surprise and happiness at the deepened kiss, eyes widening a little at how determined Jim seems. Still, the privacy of the maze helps out a whole of a lot and he's more than determined to enjoy the way he can lean back and tug Jim flush against him.

He breathes out raggedly, letting Jim go. "So I take it I'm not too horrible to look at like this, huh?"

"I never said you were," Jim says, breathless himself. He's a little shocked at just how into it he is but he's never really given sexuality much thought plus, strangely enough, being with Bones feels so natural it's almost like they've been together a lot longer than they actually have.

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