Between Friends (Star Trek: TOS story)

Fanfiction
Title:	Between Friends
Author(s):	Gayle F
Date(s):	as print: undated as pass-around novel, then 1978, and then 1986
Length:
Genre(s):
Fandom(s):	Star Trek: TOS, K/S
Relationship(s):
External Links:	Between Friends at AO3; Between Friends at K/S Archive (offline)
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

first page as it appeared in Obsc'zine #3

Between Friends by Gayle F is the fourth in the Cosmic Fuck Series. It is famous for being the first published threesome story in Star Trek fandom that featured a Kirk/Spock/McCoy pairing.

It was written as a birthday gift for a friend.

The story was first illustrated by Connie Faddis in Obsc'zine #3 and by Gayle F in Cosmic Collected.

In a Series

• Desert Heat (first published in The Sensuous Vulcan, then in Naked Times #2, and later in The Cosmic Collected)
• Beyond Setarcos (first published in Thrust, then in The Cosmic Collected)
• Night of the Dragon (also first in Thrust, then in The Cosmic Collected)
• Between Friends (first written and circulated hand-to-hand earlier as a story called "The Birthday Present." It was re-titled and published in Obsc'zine #3 in 1978 and then later printed in The Cosmic Collected).

Summary

From The Kirk/Spock Fanfiction Archive:

"McCoy has recently been rescued from a slave labor camp. His experiences there caused him to shut down emotionally, and he is only slowly "coming back to life". Then Kirk and Spock invite him to spend the night..."

From The McCoy List:

"On his birthday McCoy spends the evening with Kirk and Spock. With reservations he agrees to participate in their physical relations. This new, somewhat difficult, but ultimately pleasant experience is related in explicit detail."

Some Pages from "The Birthday Present," This Story's Original Rough Draft

From an undated rough draft:

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Some Pages from "Between Friends," an Earlier Rough Draft

From an undated rough draft:

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Author's Comments

In 1994, Gayle said:

...often there is something within the story itself, or the series, that provides the cue for the last paragraph, last line. For example, in Between Friends, the crew gives McCoy a quilt for his birthday, then Spock and McCoy invite him for their private present. At the end when he sleeps over with them, he makes a cute grumble about how he should have brought the quilt. It was a nice cozy line that followed on the boundaries I felt had to be established for the relationship, as I didn't view it as a permanent threesome, but didn't want to close McCoy out either. That was all story specific.

Galleries

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  by Connie Faddis in 1978 for Obsc'zine #3

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  by Connie Faddis in 1978 for Obsc'zine #3

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  by Connie Faddis in 1978 for Obsc'zine #3

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  by Gayle F in 1986 in Cosmic Collected; note: Marked as sexually explicit; minimized.

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  by Gayle F in 1986 in Cosmic Collected; note: Marked as sexually explicit; minimized.

Reactions and Reviews

1979

You know, there was a K/S/M story in the last Obsc'zine I got, and it reeked. Are you sure they would be better than the K/S variety? You're braver than I thought! (To quote the princess!)

1983

My favorite K/S story is "Between Friends." I just love De and McCoy, and I'm glad Kirk and Spock finally got around to loving him, too. My all-time favorite line is, "I could kiss you forever," he thought. "Forever."

1993

I rather enjoyed the story, and I wish I had the rest of the series, so that I could see how Gayle had developed the twosome before this point in the timeline. (Unfortunately, all the other parts were published in non-T'Kuhtian Press zines, so I never got them.) From the background she gave in this story, and the way she set up the scenario, this didn't look like it was going to be a permanent menage-a-trois. This was just the easiest (????) way that Kirk could come up with to help McCoy reemerge from the depths of despair that he had been forced into by his capture and imprisonment. He needed to know that the two most important people in his life still cared deeply for him, even though they now seemed to be focusing more and more on each other. They needed to give him back the will to, and a reason to want to, live. Normally, what many people focus on, in slash fiction, is the way that the two main characters really _care_ for each other. Within this series (I think), that had already been established in the earlier parts, and now Gayle wanted to show how much Kirk and Spock could still care for other people as well, and thus show that their pairing hadn't changed them that much. Just a little armchair psychology here, folks! I'll always enjoy a story where I can see the characters caring for each other, whether it's two or three or even more involved. (I may enjoy other stories, too, but I've always been interested in good character development.)

1994

Okay, okay, I'm probably one of two people who haven't read this [zine] (the other probably being my mother), but it's one of my huge collection of unread zines and therefore subject to my incredibly insightful, penetrating, discerning (sounds like Spock's eyes) scrutiny! So for that fine other person out there, this is for you.

This [Desert Heat, Beyond Setarcos, Night of the Dragon, and Between Friends], is a series of connected stories concerning Spock going into pon farr while he and Kirk are left for a week on an abandoned planet. So, of course, Kirk has to help out. The stories continue back on the Enterprise, and Kirk has to help out some more. In the last story, McCoy helps out, but more on that later.

I'd already heard about [Gayle F's] writing being a lot like her sexy, ultra-explicit, fantasy artwork. Well, it's not exactly like it. There's a bit too much of "he licked his chest, abdomen, legs, knees, ankles, feet, toes,..." (not a quote) for my taste. Then, there's lots of "telling" not "showing". Also, the characterizations are a little strange. For the most pan. Kirk is unrecognizable and Spock is cliche with his exacting, logical talk. The rest is inner thoughts that are so heavy with a kind of emotional poetry, that I was confused as to who was feeling what and especially, why.

The style of writing was frustrating to me. Done in short, clipped sentences, I had to work really hard to visualize things and believe me, there were lots of things I wanted to visualize) The use of repeating verbs didn't help imoi?), nor did leaving off nouns and the objects of verbs, and the "ands". Example: "Dropped his pants, kicked them away and jerked off boots, socks." There are many more examples, but you get the idea. Also, there are lots of hes, hims, and hises that totally confused me as to whose, whats and wheres.

Bones is kidnapped, forced into a labor slaver/ for these beetle-like creatures in a cave — is all done in memory. The funny thing is, if the whole story were told to someone in synopsis form, it would sound fascinating. The only problem is, that is how it's written...

K, S and McCoy all having sex together is the least successful of all. Granted, I was unable to overcome my innate dislike of sex scenes with Bones, and actually it wasn't written badly. But when I read about Bones licking Spock's ass and penetrating him, I was less excited than morbidly curious. Especially difficult was Spock moaning: "Bones, Bones, Bones...". It was like when you're a kid and you hear or see a family member having sex.

Then, the strangest thing happened. They couldn't handle so much passion, or something, so they all experienced a weird guilt trip with a "mutual sense of failure vibrating them like a single chord." Huh?

All right, now I'll stop complaining and say there were lots of really hot, sexy parts. Yes, but...

1995

Glad to heed the call to review old zines... And this one is old! 1978! But of all my old zines, I reread this story the most often. It's the first K/S/M story I ever read and, to me, the most successful. This Classic Trek story begins after Bones has been rescued from a harrowing experience involving disgusting beetle-like aliens and torture: he has been made to harvest a powerful drug to which he becomes addicted. However, once back on the Enterprise, though McCoy recovers, his spirit remains ill: he becomes reclusive and introverted, just doing his job to get by. That's where Kirk and Spock, who are already in a relationship, literally rescue him by inviting him, on his birthday, to make love with them: "We wondered...if you like to spend the night with us?" Kirk asks. At first, Bones declines, but he is so lonely and sick at heart that he finally comes around. What follows is a beautiful testimony to the kindness and generosity of Kirk and Spock and to McCoy's indomitable spirit. All three men are totally in character: Bones is feisty, yet world-weary and you really feel how tired and defeated he is. Kirk is kind and funny and strong, gentling Bones like he would a wild horse ready to bolt any minute. And Spock - though you sense a slight reticence - is both Vulcan reserved and emotionally opened. This is such gentleness in this story. For example, when Jim first kisses Bones, he asks, "Think you can stand it?" Mc Coy who's a bit embarrassed, answers: "It's bearable." Later, after some trial and error, Spock has to mind-meld them so they can physically perform easily with each other, and of course, he doe an admirable job, The dialogue is perfect; you can hear every work in the appropriate voice, And the artwork by Connie Faddis is perfect, especially a piece of Spock with his arms around Bones kissing him on the shoulder. Even as old as this zine is, it isn't tame stuff-either emotionally or sexually. Rather it has a sadness, great sex and a final joy that is as humane a thing as I have ever read.

1999

For anyone who hasn’t read this K/S classic, no, the title is not a lapse in grammar. In this story, perhaps the first K/S/Mc get-together ever published, McCoy winds up literally “between” his two friends.

I first read this story in 1978, and have regarded it as an unusually warm, loving story ever since. A recent discussion on-line made me reconsider whether in “Between Friends,” McCoy is not the object of a “pity-fuck.” I think the charge has some legitimacy because the story is premised on the fact that McCoy has been through a humiliating, body-breaking, ego and soul-destroying experience. He been captured and brutalized by slave-owning aliens, has been away from the ship for many months, and is feeling rather "left out" of the new K/S relationship that has grown and developed while he was away. Kirk and Spock take him into their bed to show him how much they love him, as part of his recovery, and to reassure him that he still "belongs."

Thus, in the context of this story, the three-way sexual encounter wouldn't have happened without McCoy's suffering and need for comfort. It was really the only reason Kirk and Spock reached out to him in this story. It raises the question, would K&S have included him in their sexual relationship if he hadn't been suffering as he did?

However, it seemed to me that once the three guys began to get it on, McCoy's suffering and need to heal tended to recede into the background, and the emphasis was more upon Kirk’s and Spock’s effort to bring McCoy into their shared pleasure and intimacy and McCoy’s difficulty letting go. McCoy behaved less like someone who had been so badly traumatized that his self-image and love of self had been badly damaged, than like a guy who was inexperienced at sex with men and more than a little embarrassed being intimate with his two best friends. I feel that McCoy's suffering gives the story depth and poignancy; it gave Kirk and Spock a reason to show how much they loved him. I think the story shines with warmth, humor, and flashes of passion and deep desire. The dynamics between the three guys, once McCoy agrees to join them, feels very right to me. But the “pity-fuck” charge gave voice to a nagging question I think I’ve always had in the back of my mind: Why does McCoy have to go through such unimaginable torture just to get to go to bed with Kirk and Spock?

The writing in this story is wonderful, as in all Gayle F’s works. The characters’ voices are sophisticated, intelligent and dead-on, and watching Kirk and Spock make love through McCoy’s observant gaze is remarkable.

2006

Fine, vivid writing here. McCoy has been rescued from a long captivity but can't seem to drag himself back to life. Kirk and Spock have a plan to take care of that. 'Nuff said, draw curtain. Nice combination of hurt/comfort and orgy.

McCoy has recently been returned to Enterprise after having endured months in a slave labor camp. He is slowly learning to feel emotions again after shutting down in response to injury, drugs and isolation, when Kirk and Spock (established lovers) invite him to spend the night. McCoy's emotions, including panic, are well-handled, and the characters stay in character for the most part.

2009

While I would suggest this story should be read just for its important historical contribution to K/S history, I would be doing the author a disservice to suggest that as the main reason. In fact, Gayle F is not only one of the earliest writers in K/S fandom, making some hugely important contributions to K/S fanon, but she remains one of the best writers in this genre. This final part to the Cosmic Fuck series is a small indication of the breadth and depth of her ability, skillfully combining angst, brotherhood, love and eroticism into this wonderful story.

Told from the doctor's POV. Bones is on the early road to recovery from a mission gone horribly wrong, his long-delayed rescue only occurring when he was on the brink of death at the hands of cruel aliens. Added to this, he is coming to terms with the fact of Jim and Spock's bonding and trying to find his new place in his friends' intertwined lives.

Jim and Spock help him with this by extending a special birthday invitation. The reader can't help but empathise with Bones, for his feelings of insecurity, shyness and awkwardness in the face of it, a poignant indication of the sense of vulnerability of this normally gruff and irascible character.

I've never been much of a one for TOS slash that included Bones but this is one I can't highly recommend enough.

*happy sigh* This was absolutely beautiful. Such love between them all and I'm so glad Jim and Spock opened theirs up to encompass Bones, who sorely needed it. Nothing like making love to bring one back to the living. And while I can more easily imagine Jim willing to do such a thing, it was an amazing act of utter trust on Spock's part, who is, as Bones said it himself, the ultimate private being. To see all three of them so open and giving to the others...as I said, beautiful. Thank you for this.

"I'm a doctor, not an acrobat"

*giggles*

2010

I had always thought a threesome with The Trio would be improbable, but the author handles the personalities so deftly I was amused and curious. To be succored so after a trauma was an amazing gift for the doctor. As I have found this author handles sexual intercourse without losing the vunerability and the sense of wonder that the characters have. I enjoyed the story very much and will re-read with as much enjoyment as the first time.

2011

WOW, WOW, SUCH PASSION AND LOVE AND REALLY HOT SEX. WOW, JUST NEED A NAP NOW WAS SOOOOO DAMN GOOD. I THINK I AM GOING TO READ THIS SERIES EVERY TIME I HAVE NEED OF LUST AND PASSION . THANK YOU XOXOXOXOX

2012

Never in my life would I have thought that I'd label a threesome as beautiful. But that is what this story is: beautiful :)

2016

Much as I like McCoy, I find him about as UNsexy as it's possible for a person to be, and I rarely read stories were he's included in the sex. And yet you've done this so very well that I adore this story. I like how psychologically insightful it is; it would have been easy to write "Hot Threesome," but what you've given us instead is "Three-way Sacrament." Lovely!