Every winter Kirk falls into the trap of "cuffing season" to avoid lonely holidays. Two winters ago, he dated his best friend McCoy. Last winter, he dated Spock. This winter he can't stop thinking about dating both of them again. By starfleetdicks

The air was crisp and icy, Kirk sighed when he saw a couple in the distance. Last winter that had been him and Spock, McCoy was two winters before Spock. The breakups had been amiable, they had only gotten together because of cuffing season. But sometimes Kirk wondered if breaking up had been silly. He missed the Vulcan kisses before board meetings, that time he had managed to make Bones blush.

It had been the three of them for a long time. It was hard to picture a life without the two of them at his side. He doubted that there was any reality where he was very happy without them.

This time off might as well be good for something, Kirk thought. He sat on a bench and went through different ways to tell them in his head. Nothing quite felt right, nothing really felt good enough.

He made his way back to where the three of them were staying, there was a bounce in McCoy's steps when Kirk entered. "Hey Jim. Joanna called, she said she might get some time off later. Come by and see her old man."

McCoy's smile was infectious. "That's great Bones. I always wanted to meet her." He remembered when McCoy had told him about Joanna's career in medicine. "Is Spock around?"

"I don't think he'll be long. What's the matter Jim?"

"Nothing." Everything. "I just wanted to talk to you together." He wondered if he should do this separately after all. He knew that Spock and McCoy actually were fond of each other but this was another thing entirely. Then Spock walked in and Kirk felt like it had been decided for him.

"Jim, Leonard," Spock said. His hands were full, Kirk was quick to take the grocery bags. He set the bags down on the counter.

"Sit down Spock. Jim has something to tell us."

Kirk sat back down. Spock took the chair next to him. "Right. Um... you guys remember when we dated I was thinking that..." Jim looked between the two of them. Well, he reasoned, their friendship could survive if they said no. "We could go out again. The three of us this time."

"Like dating?" McCoy asked. Spock and him exchanged a look.

"I know what you're probably thinking but I think it's more than the cuffing season."

"I had considered the same," Spock said. "Dating both of you, not the cuffing season."

McCoy grinned. "You could have said something," he told Spock. "Well alright."

Kirk was almost dizzy with happiness. This was the best winter yet.