#bonesmccoy

"Not only did he loved her, but so did the universe"

San Francisco is horribly overrated. Sure, it’s beautiful, but the city center is so expensive. Bones is lucky enough that he can move in with childhood friend Sulu, otherwise he wouldn’t know how to get by. On the plus side, San Francisco is beautiful. The people are beautiful, and maybe slightly less cocky than those in Los Angeles.

Until he meets Jim. Over the past few weeks, Bones has been visiting this small bar. The beers are cheap, the music quiet, and the guests mostly stick to themselves. Which is great, because they all seem to be feds, cops, or otherwise law enforcement. Bones is glad they exist, but he doesn’t feel a particular need to get close. But then this cop sits down next to him, a few years younger than him. Not a rind on him, and a small smile that tells him he’s not used to people telling him no. “What’s your poison?” he asks, and Bones shrugs. “I don’t drink.” “You’re drinking a whiskey right now,” the cop counters. Bones glances at the other man. “That means I’m not interested,” he says. “In a drink?” “In you,” Bones replies. “Not yet,” the cop says, leaning back in his chair, “but you will be.”

He’s not wrong. Jim Kirk is very persistent. He tries to talk to Bones every week. Subtle touches, hands on Bones’ arm or shoulder, all something Bones shrugs off. He tries to just start a conversation, which Leonard usually ignores, but occasionally reacts to. And then there’s that time Jim has a nasty cut over his eyebrow, but he insists it’s fine. It keeps bleeding whenever he laughs, though, which is an awful lot and it shouldn’t be such a good look on him. “Sit still,” Leonard says eventually, reaching out over the counter of the bar for the first aid kit, and he ends up stitching him up right there. Tipsy or not, Bones can do these things blindfolded. “So, you a doctor?” Jim asks, trying his best not to frown or flinch when Leonard patches him up. “If you’d have asked about me instead of talking ‘bout yourself, you would’ve known,” Bones replies, and Jim huffs. “I asked plenty, you just never answered my questions,” Jim says. He reaches out to touch the cut over his eyebrow, but Bones slaps his hand away. “No touching.” “Only if you go on a date with me,” Jim says. “Why would I do that?” Bones asks, and Jim smiles. “Because I’m an expert on first dates.”

Again, Jim is right. He is an expert on first dates. He takes Leonard on a stroll through Chinatown, where they share spring rolls and coconut cakes. Bones finds out that Jim has such interesting stories to tell, and he knows exactly how to captivate people - be it with his stories, or those confident looks and long stares. At sunset, Bones finds himself overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge, and they sit down looking out at the water together. Jim’s hand finds Bones’, and he squeezes it lightly. Leonard, instead, pulls his hand back after a little while. “So, on a scale from one to ten, how would you rate this date?” Jim asks, and Bones scoffs. “Really? You just dropped a few points there, by asking,” he says. Jim laughs, and when Bones turns his eyes to look at him, Jim leans in to kiss him. Rather than accepting that kiss, despite wanting that, too, Bones turns away. Denied, Jim almost looks a little insulted. Just briefly, but his smile doesn’t falter. “Not good enough, then?” Jim asks, and Bones frowns. “What?” “The date.” “The date is fine,” Bones says, “a little cheesy, but I’m sure that works on most people you take out.” Jim scoffs at that, but then looks at him sheepishly. “Yes.” “I thought so,” Bones says with a smile, “what do you do on a second date?” “I, uh, don’t.” “Don’t what?” “I don’t do second dates,” Jim admits. “You don’t– what?” “I said I was an expert on first dates,” Jim says, “I don’t do seconds.” Bones raises an eyebrow, gently patting Jim’s shoulders. “Keep digging,” he says, getting up from their spot, “it’s almost deep enough for your own grave.”

They don’t date again, after all, Jim doesn’t do seconds. And besides that, Bones is happy being just friends. After a messy divorce, and multiple failed relationships, Bones is happy being alone. Doesn’t need someone in his life, let alone a man. But he does text Jim all the time. From annoying patients, to Sulu’s fiance kicking him out of the apartment a lot - not with so many words, but when Sulu and Ben disappear into the bedroom is pretty much when Bones wants to disappear. It’s also when he’s looking forward to hanging out with Jim instead. He looks forward to seeing him all the time, hanging out either at their local bar getting into heated arguments, or yelling at the TV when football is on. They visit the movie theater together, and after some gentle persuasion, Bones joins Jim to the local gym and they work out together a couple nights a week. 

Part of him regrets not having kissed Jim when he had the chance, because Jim seemed to have moved on to ogling girls, guys, whatever else. Jim is easy to fall for; a handsome face, overall good guy, and just the right amount of cocky to be attractive. But there’s just no way Leonard’s ever going to act up on those feelings, he can’t. Until Jim gets hurt, and more seriously so than before. He doesn’t even make it to the bar, Bones catches him at work instead. Bones is just walking through the hallways of the hospital when Jim’s being brought in. Shot multiple times, and he’s on the brink of death for almost an entire week. Bones stays by his side; assisting in the surgery to pull him back. He would’ve done it himself, had Jim’s critical situation not completely and emotionally compromised him. 

Bones has other patients to tend to, so when he returns to Jim’s room, the detective’s staring at him with those big, blue eyes. Somehow brighter because of his pale face. “You’re awake,” Bones says, and Jim’s lips crack into a tired smile. “You must be a detective,” he replies, and Bones smiles. He sits down at Jim’s side, hand instinctively reaching out for Jim’s, and he squeezes it softly. “How are you feeling?” He asks. “Like I’ve been shot,” Jim replies. “Well,” Bones starts, “you’re not wrong.”

Jim’s pretty insufferable when he’s high on morphine. He’s talking more than usual, and Bones can’t even begin to keep up with conversation topics. One second, Jim’s talking about the fight that got him shot in the first place, and mid-sentence he’s somehow changed into talking about Uhura and Spock instead. There’s one thing he’s fairly consistent about, though, and that’s Bones. “You’re so beautiful,” Jim says out of the blue, hands severely messing up Bones’ hairdo. “Yeah?” Bones asks, small smile as he takes Jim’s hand away from his hair, and he presses a kiss to the back of his hand. “Hm,” Jim hums in agreement, “I'ma marry you some day.” “I don’t do marriage,” Bones says, “been there, done that.” “But you haven’t done me,” Jim replies to that, surprisingly firm in his answers, but he dozes off to sleep just shortly after.