Disclaimer: Don't own Star Trek…

AN: I've been lurking around the Star Trek fandom for a while now and decided I'd best contribute at least a little so that I don't feel too much like a moocher. Hope this fluffy ficlet is a suitable offering.

First Comes Love…

He did not like these events, or the weird, strange smelling food they served, and especially not the crowds of people who ate the strange smelling food. Actually, he didn't dislike everyone at the gathering, just most of them.

He liked Mr. Pike well enough, and the cheerful, green-skinned cook who brought the food out wasn't so bad. The small cat lady with the blue dress and twitching ear had given him a peach from the storage unit, so he liked her as well. He liked Jim too, though he'd never admit it because Jim was annoying and had snot running down his nose because of allergies and a missing tooth that looked funny.

"Jim! Don't eat that, they'll make your throat itchy!" McCoy hissed threateningly, coming up to the table the undaunted blonde boy was crawling on with his red stained hands.

"St'awberry, Bones." The child huffed, the red on his small lips and fingers making the young southern boy's hand twitch with the impulse to wipe the mouth and hands clean. The blonde boy offered the older boy the half mushed fruit with a gleeful smile. "Please, d'ank you."

Crossing his arms and giving the little monster the best 'I am not impressed' glare he could muster, McCoy snorted. "Kid, there ain't nothin' I'd want here other than a fresh Georgia peach." At the younger's puzzled expression, his posture deflated and he reached out to accept the softened, dripping fruit pulp. "Give me that."

The young boy was all too happy to comply, beaming and watching the older boy expectantly as he handed over the fruit. Only to tilt his head and frown when the offering was promptly discarded and he was suddenly being wiped down with a table napkin.

"No want it." The young child fussed, starting to kick about as the older boy pulled him from the fruit smeared table and begun to walk towards the beverage stand, still wiping at the blonde's fingers.

"Those ain't Strawberries, kid, and you need to drink somethin' before the side-effects start kickin' in."

The younger boy huffed stubbornly as they reached the table, small brows furrowed in defiance. "Is too." The boy held up his freshly wiped hands to show his red-stained fingers before they were promptly cleaned by a wet napkin. "It's red and tastes sweet like st'awberries."

"Whatever you say, kid. Now stop givin' me them pup eyes of yours." With that the older boy gave the small blonde a glass of sweetened, mineral water. "Drink it all. I don't want you rubbin' your throat raw from itchin' it too much."

The boy briefly thought to complain- loudly- about not wanting water, but decided against it when he tasted the sweet, coolness of the drink in his mouth. In fact, he immediately drowned the entire glass and looked up to the taller boy with his glass held up expectantly.

McCoy grunted his displeasure, but he took the cup and refilled it with a deeply put-upon expression anyway. "What do I look like, kid? You're wet nurse?"

"No, you're Bones." The smaller boy said seriously as he took the cup.

Instead of drinking it right away though, Jim watched as the older boy got a glass for himself and started to gulp it down. His stare didn't waver and his expression begun to intensify with a seriousness that was most certainly not suited to a child's face.

After a moment McCoy noticed the blatant staring and turned to stare right back with a decidedly unamused expression. "Stop starin' at me like that, kid. You're starin' to give me the creeps." That said, he went back to his drink.

Not a second later, a bright smile lit up the smaller boy's face as he seemed to come to a decision. "I love you, Bones. I'm gonna marry ya."

McCoy choked in shock, snorting up mineral water from mouth and nose and gaging through the burn of it all. And his self-proclaimed future husband? Well, he just cheered at the unexpected water show and have his Bones the biggest hug he could.

It was the start of a beautiful friendship.

AN: They are just so precious, I love them both!