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What Are Friends For
By Ami
This is response to a challenge by Gina on the Plotbunny 101 list: Use the phrase ‘It’s dead, Jim.’ in a fic. This is the GEN version of the story.
"It’s dead, Jim!"
Jim stared at his Guide, curls flying all over the place, a broken-hearted expression on his face, and burst out laughing.
Blair’s brow furrowed and he frowned at Jim. "It’s not funny, my computer crashed."
Jim chuckled for a few more moments, and then finally managed to subdue his mirth long enough to gasp out, "Star Trek." Then he broke out in renewed fits of laughter.
Blair paused, thinking, and then joined Jim in his laugh-fest.
Long minutes later, they both finally pulled themselves together. Blair wiped tears out of his eyes as Jim got out a few last chuckles.
Jim stifled any thoughts he might have had about making more Star Trek jokes and finally turned serious. "Blair, you did have everything backed up, right?" At Blair’s nod, he continued, "Well, we’ll take it to a repair shop tomorrow and see if it can be fixed. If not, we’ll just buy you a new one."
Blair looked miserable at Jim’s last words. "Jim…" he said in a soft voice. "I don’t have enough money for a new computer. I barely have enough money to make the insurance payments on my car. And without my laptop, it’s gonna be real hard to do all the stuff I need to at Rainier."
Jim sobered. He’d always had plenty of money; wise investments coupled with his back pay from the Army had insured he’d never have to work again if he didn’t want to. But his Guide had almost been living hand to mouth before he’d met the anthropologist. "Chief…" he said, placing a comforting hand on Blair’s shoulder. "I’ll pay for your laptop, if it comes to that. No," he placed a finger against Blair’s lips when the younger man started to protest. "I insist. You do so much for me, and you never let me pay you back. Those white noise generator earplugs that I never really thanked you for, the sleep mask, the sensitive skin shaving lotion and everything else you’ve gotten for me over the years must have cost you money you didn’t have, but you did it anyway. And I have the money to buy you a new computer, hell, ten new computers. Let me do this for you, Chief, please?" Jim begged. Blair always gave so much of himself, but he never let anyone, especially Jim, do anything for him in return.
Blair stood for a moment, studying Jim, and then nodded. "Thanks, man. That’s really decent of you."
Jim grinned at his Guide. "Hey, what are friends for?"
END