This story is dedicated to:

Kim Clinger Fairchild

Date of Birth

Saturday, July 23rd, 1960

Date of Death

Wednesday, December 6th, 2017

You will be missed by many people.

The Heart Of A Sheriff

Jessie was surprised when Woody pulled away from the touch of her hands on either side of his face quickly, flinching when she then tried to kiss him. "..Woody? What's wrong? No one can see. I know that you're a private man. That's okay, really. I thought that you liked me."

"I do like you, Jessie," he assured her even as he stood up to put more distance between them. "You're an adventurous, spirited and beautiful woman. But I can't give you what you're looking for. I- I'm a homosexual."

"I don't understand," she admitted, looking confused. "What does that mean?"

"It means that I do not have those types of feelings towards women. Only men."

"What? You- You want to hold hands with a man? Kiss a man?"

"Yes, Jessie. Among other things. But not with just any man, no. There's.. someone I love. Who I have loved for a while."

"Who is- Buzz," Jessie said, the realization dawning in her eyes.

"Yes," Woody confessed, wrapping his arms around himself and looking nervous as he revealed what was in his heart to her.

"Does he know how you feel, Woody?"

"No. I- I've never told anyone about this. It is too personal, Jessie. But perhaps this means we can be friends?"

"Of course, Woody. I apologize, for trying to kiss you. I would never want to hurt you. I like you a lot."

"I like you, too, Jessie. Just not.. those types of feelings. I love Buzz."

"I'm not sure I understand exactly," the cowgirl confessed to him. "But if you really love him, Woody, then you need to let him know it."

"But it's not that simple, Jessie," Woody explained with a soft sigh which was somehow both longing and defeated. "What if he's disgusted by my needs? What if it makes him hate me? I would lose both my best friend and the man I love. It would destroy me. Even all my years of loneliness and fear would be nothing compared to losing his good regard."

"Oh, Woody.." Jessie whispered, her pain on his behalf clear in her voice as moisture filled her eyes. "Isn't there something I can do to help you? I could talk to him without mentioning you specifically."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because I want you to be happy, Woody. Even if it isn't with me."

"Thank you, Jessie," Woody replied, obviously touched by her words. "I suppose you could try to find out how he feels about men like me. Just be careful not to mention me until you know for sure."

"I promise, Woody."

"Buzz, can I talk to you?" Jessie asked the spaceman the next morning after Andy had left for school.

"Sure, Jessie," he agreed where he stood talking with Mrs. Potato Head and Slinky.

"Alone, please?" she requested, surprised when his expression turned a bit wary in response.

"Of course," he agreed regardless, nodding to the other toys before moving to a quiet spot in the room with Jessie following after him. "What is it, Jessie?"

"Buzz, how do you feel about men?" she inquired boldly. "I mean, men who love other men? Like, instead of women?"

She blinked when Buzz's face flushed at her question. He was obviously uncomfortable, though she wasn't sure why exactly.

"I don't know where you heard about such things, Jessie. But it is rather common during long space exploration missions. Particularly aboard vessels with no female crew members. I never engaged in it, though."

"Because you weren't interested?"

"In a way. You see, there's a difference between just being with someone because you're lonely and actually needing to be with someone. I am a homosexual, Jessie. But I don't want some temporary, purely physical fling. I want a real relationship. I want to find my soul mate. The man that I really belong with and can love forever. Who will love me forever, too."

"And.. this man," she said slowly, watching his expression for any subtle changes, "Would he have to be another spaceman?"

"Not at all," Buzz answered, explaining further. "If I limited myself in my search that way, the probability I would never find him would be too high. I can't let that happen."

"I see," Jessie stated before asking him cautiously, "How do you feel about cowboys?"

"Cowboys? Well, generally they aren't usually too accepting of men like me. Though that would depend on the type of man he was, too. Why would you bring up cowboys specifically- Woody! Does he know? Did he say something to you? About me?"

"Whoa, Buzz, calm down! It's okay, really," she soothed, trying to calm his agitation and obvious fear. "Yes, he said something about it to me. But not about you, exactly, about himself. Because I tried to kiss him. Woody loves you, Buzz. He's been in love with you for a while now. He's just too afraid to tell you and risk losing your friendship if you didn't return his feelings, or feel the same about other men."

"What?! He- He really said that he loves me?"

"Yes, Buzz, he really did," she promised him in a firm tone of voice. "I was surprised, too. But only because I'd never heard of two men loving each other in that way before yesterday. But it sounds beautiful. And I do want you both to be happy, Buzz. You deserve it after everything that has happened to you."

"So do you, though, Jessie," Buzz said with clear concern for her feelings about this matter.

"Oh, don't worry about me, Buzz," Jessie replied with a smile, inquiring of him teasingly, "Do you think Bo Peep might like a kiss from a cowgirl?.."

Buzz's face turned red once again as he hissed softly in clear embarrassment, "Jessie!"

Jessie laughed loudly while he stared at her in shock for a moment before hurrying away to go and think about these developments by himself.

Later that night, after Andy had gone to sleep, Buzz approached Woody's private corner of the room with a determined expression on his face.

He saw the lone cowboy sitting on his bedroll by the usual plastic fire under the plastic stars. His cowboy hat was on the ground by his side, as were his boots. His profile was contemplative as he sat with his arms resting on his knees where his legs were bent in half in front of himself with his feet flat on the floor.

Woody lowered his head, his chin coming to rest on his arms as he stared into the fire with a heavy sigh.

This, apparently, was the Woody none of the other toys got to see. At least, before yesterday when Jessie had uncovered him by trying to gain his intimate affection.

Woody was thoughtful, quiet and.. sad? Lonely? Perhaps both.

Buzz intended to fix that tonight.

"Woody?" he inquired, crouching down in front of the cowboy instead of looming over him intimidatingly when he was in this emotionally fragile state. "Can I talk with you?"

Woody blinked, surprise widening his eyes when he looked up from the fire's flickering battery light and saw Buzz in front of him. "O-Of course, Buzz. What is it? Is something wrong?"

"Stop it," Buzz said firmly, wanting to head him off on that behavior now if they were to be a couple.

"Stop what?" he inquired, blinking in honest puzzlement.

"Treating me as though I'm one of the other toys," he explained while sitting down in front of him now to speak at length. "As though I want something from you. I know you thrive on helping others solve their problems and settle disputes. That's who you are, and I appreciate that about you very much. The heart of a sheriff. But it's not what I want from you, Woody."

"It isn't?"

"No."

"Then what do you want from me?"

"I want you," Buzz stated simply, deciding being direct was the best way to tell him how he felt. "I want to be with you. Jessie told me what you said to her. I feel the same. I love you, Woody."

"Y-You do?" Woody gasped, his eyes widening and his body shuddering visibly in reaction to his words. "You love me, too?"

"I do, yes," Buzz promised the cowboy. "I have for a while now, too. You're a wonderful person, Woody, and I'm honored that you return my feelings."

"As am I," Woody said with a smile. "You're so brave and direct when you want something, Buzz. I love that about you."

"Thank you," Buzz replied with a wide grin. "The heart of a space explorer. So, where do we go from here, Woody?"

"Well.. I think this means that we're together, right?"

"Yes. We are together, Woody."

"Then.. Would you like to sit together a while?" Woody asked him, shifting off of and opening up his bedroll in offering. "I'd like to sit in your arms by the fire."

"That sounds nice," Buzz admitted, quickly removing his space helmet and suit before sitting down.

This left him in just his thin, deep purple undershirt and pants, and he sat down to settle inside the bedroll for the night. He grinned wider still when Woody sat down in front of him, the other man moving between his legs to snuggle back against his chest before pulling the top of the bedroll over their legs.

Buzz turned his head slightly to press a brief, gentle kiss to the side of Woody's hatless head. His lips lingered at his temple as he whispered a curious question in his cowboy's ear. "So, how long have you loved me?"

"Not long after our first adventure together," Woody admitted with a clearly self-teasing smile and a shiver in response to the first beyond welcome touch of Buzz's lips to his skin. "When we flew together with your arms wrapped around me to land in the box in the backseat of Andy's mom's car. I knew then that I loved you and wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. I was too afraid to tell you, though, and risk losing your friendship and good regard. I'm sorry for that, but I couldn't risk losing your presence in my life, Buzz. Even if it was not exactly the way I wished you to be in it. I need you too much."

"It's alright, Woody," Buzz reassured him. "I was worried about the same thing. I would never want to hurt or alienate you in any way. We have a lot to be thankful to Jessie for. As long as her lips never touched yours?" Buzz inquired, the tones of his voice turning low and possessive in a way that Woody had never heard from him before.

But Woody enjoyed it very much, the deep rumbling sound causing him to shiver where he was laid back against Buzz's chest comfortably.

"No, Buzz," Woody assured him with a soft smile. "No, I pulled away. Jerked away, actually. I would never have allowed it. I have been saving my first kiss for a long time now. Waiting for the right man to share it with. The man I love. It's yours, Buzz. It always has been yours."

"Good," Buzz replied, sounding both pleased and smug somehow. "Because I adore you, Woody. I have never been with another man, either. In any way. I would never engage in anything intimate without love behind it. You are my choice, because I love you, my sweet cowboy."

"Mmm," Woody hummed softly, nuzzling deeper into Buzz's arms. "My brave space explorer. So, um.. What do we do about the other toys? What if some of them are angry about this? About us? I know Jessie will be supportive. And Bulls-Eye and Slinky. Mrs. Potato Head. But I think Mr. Potato Head might be a problem. And Bo Peep, maybe. I know that she likes me a little too much for my comfort even though she's never said anything outright."

"They will just all have to get used to it," Buzz said firmly, his tone reassuring Woody that he would allow no argument from anyone about their love. "Because you're mine, Woody. And I am yours. We belong to each other now. Always."

"Oh, Buzz.." Woody sighed, his expression happy as his eyes fluttered closed. The cowboy was clearly basking in the comforting heat of the fire at his front and the different, but no less comforting heat of Buzz's body at his back. "Yes, we belong to each other. Forever. Buzz?.."

"Yes, Woody? What is it?"

"Would you- Would you kiss me? Please?"

"Of course!" Buzz replied, his eyes widening at his chosen mate's words as he smiled again, clearly pleased. "It never needs to be a question, Woody. I'll kiss you anytime you're near me if you're open to it. Just probably not in the way that I wish to kiss you right now. It's different when we're alone. I wish to devour you."

"I-" Woody stammered, his cheeks blushing red at his words, squirming and looking anxiously up at him by tilting his head back where it rested on Buzz's shoulder. "I don't think I can handle that, Buzz. I know that I seem like a tough cowboy, but my spirit is.. fragile. Easily hurt. I need gentleness. And I require privacy for.. intimacies. Even just kisses would make me uncomfortable. I'm just.. a private man."

"Oh. I see. I promise to restrain my aggression, Woody. And I won't kiss you around the other toys. Can I hold your hand, though?"

"I.." Woody said, biting his own lower lip uncertainly for a moment. "Yes, that is alright, Buzz. I'd like that."

"As would I," Buzz said firmly with another smile.

He then lifted his right hand to place his fingers gently beneath Woody's chin, drawing his face up more as he lowered his mouth toward his while watching the other man's eyes closely for signs of potential distress.

There was a slight, justified, nervousness because this would be his first kiss, but no distress. Mostly there was joy at finally being with Buzz like this, held in the strong arms of his spaceman.

Their lips finally touched, pressing close with the yearning on both sides. Woody turned in Buzz's arms to face him without breaking their kiss, a soft cry of needy passion escaping him against Buzz's mouth as the cowboy's body was abruptly flooded with bright sparks of helpless desire.

"Buzz!" he gasped out into the kiss, his slender body visibly trembling in the bigger man's tender embrace. Woody pulled back reluctantly for air, his lips parting as he panted quietly. "Haah- haah! ..Please, touch me! I- I need to.."

"Well aren't you easily wound up?" Buzz teased him playfully, causing Woody to blush and shiver as he emitted another low cry. "Shhh… I have you, Woody. It's okay, beautiful. Just relax. I love you."

"I love you, too, Buzz," Woody promised him, his brown eyes swimming with the moisture of his emotions as they rose even closer to the surface. "I love you so much!"

Buzz grinned with pleasure, smiling at him widely as he shifted onto all fours on the bedroll with Woody in his arms. He laid his cowboy down on his back on the bedroll, still smiling as he studied Woody where he lay beneath him now.

"..Beautiful.." Buzz said again softly, reverently, causing Woody to blush deeper still as he leaned down close to once again kiss his cowboy's sweet lips.

Woody quivered beneath him, returning the kiss and crying out again softly into Buzz's mouth as his space explorer unfastened his faded blue jeans to slide his hand inside and gently touch him between his legs.

Woody moaned as Buzz touched him so intimately, the sound low and helpless. His body was trembling as Buzz's big hand cupped his stiffening length, the warm contact sending little sparks of pleasure from there throughout his entire body as he lay there.

"Buzzzzz! Ohhhhh!" Woody whispered hoarsely, his hips jerking into his touch instinctively. "P-Please!"

Buzz smiled at his mate's passionate reaction, deepening their kiss at the same time that he firmed and shifted his touch so that he could begin to tenderly stroke Woody's excited length with his fingers.

Woody shuddered and arched his back, his hips shifting closer to the other man's touch. The cowboy gasped and his hands scrabbled at the sides of his jeans, pushing them down a bit, but struggling to get them fully off.

"Bu-Buzz, please help me!" Woody pleaded, explaining with desperate chocolate brown eyes, "I need to feel your skin against mine!"

Buzz nodded, kissing Woody again to soothe him as he removed his hand reluctantly in order to draw Woody's jeans down and off his legs. He tossed them aside; beginning to remove his own clothes and set them outside the bedroll as well as Woody did the same with the rest of his clothing.

After they were both completely bared to each other Buzz stared at Woody where he lay splayed out beneath him, studying his beautiful body in the warm light of the fire while Woody's chest rose and fell with his passion as he looked back at Buzz.

"Oh god, Buzz.." Woody sighed, unable to stop the soft whimper that escaped his throat as he looked at the body of the man he loved. "You're so big.. Everywhere.."

"Is that a bad thing?" Buzz asked him, his concern obvious on his face as he looked down at Woody.

"No," Woody reassured him with a smile and soft brown eyes, reaching up with his hands to touch either side of Buzz's face with gentle fingers. "I know that it will hurt, Buzz. But I love you, and I need to be with you. To experience that with you, so that there's no confusion about the nature of our connection. I'll be alright. We'll be alright now, together. I promise."

"Yes, we will," Buzz replied confidently. Though his round cheeks did turn cherry red with some embarrassment when Woody held out a little sky-blue clay jar of oil from nearby.

"It was a gift from Molly's Pocahontas doll," Woody explained with a smile as Buzz took the jar from his hand with slightly shaking fingers. "We've had some interesting conversations at night, though she promised not to speak of them to any of the other toys until I decided that the time was right. I guess this is it. For both of us. Her people call men like us two-spirits. They believe we have male bodies, but the spirits of women. They don't usually form a pair with other two-spirits, but we're not a part of that society, so it's alright."

"Woody?"

"Yes, Buzz?"

"Are you speaking of this because you're nervous about what's next between us?"

"Yes," Woody admitted to him. "I ramble when I'm nervous, and I over think things. My anxiety levels are better when you kiss me, because then all I can think about is you. Kissing you, touching you. Being held by you. Think about how much I love you.."

Woody's eyes softened, and Buzz noticed that his body relaxed as he spoke, the tension leaving him as he breathed deeply then sighed softly, happily.

"Good, then. Just keep thinking of that feeling," Buzz suggested, leaning down to kiss Woody's lips gently for a moment before continuing, "It seems to calm you. I want you relaxed and happy with me."

"Okay. I do feel better. Thank you, Buzz. I love you."

"I love you, too, Woody," Buzz returned with a smile.

He then opened the oil, reaching out to begin stroking Woody's soft length gently, causing it to firm up quickly as he dipped the fingers of his other hand into the jar.

Buzz parted Woody's lower cheeks with his longest finger, pressing the oil-wet tip to his opening, causing his cowboy to gasp softly and his eyes to widen at the slight pressure at his most intimate place.

"It's alright," Buzz said, his familiar voice low and soothing. "You're alright."

"I know, Buzz," Woody replied simply with a small and joyful smile. "I'm with you."

Buzz nodded, slipping the oily finger into Woody's body, going deep, only stopping when it was all the way inside him.

Woody whimpered softly, his naked form quivering with passion and nerves as Buzz prepared him while stroking his manhood to distract him.

"Buzz.." Woody moaned quietly, his head going back on his pillow, baring his throat to him. "Ohhhhh! Feels so good! I love you!"

"I love you, too, Woody," Buzz repeated, carefully adding a second finger, followed by a third and fourth to gently stretch him open. "You're my sweetheart, and so handsome. I can't believe we are finally getting to be together this way, but I'm so happy that we are."

Woody winced a bit at the burn of the stretch, but he relaxed again as he looked up at Buzz's smiling, happy face, smiling up at him in return. "So am I. I've never been this happy, Buzz. Thank you."

"Thank you, Woody," Buzz returned while withdrawing his fingers, moving up between his cowboy's legs to gaze down into his face adoringly. "You've given me everything I've ever wanted. Friendship that became love. Deep and abiding love. You're amazing, Woody, and I'm never going to stop telling you that."

Woody blushed, his dark lashes fluttering attractively as he looked back at Buzz with so much love in his eyes it stole the spaceman's breath from his lungs.

"I feel the same about you, Buzz. You're my everything, my very heart and soul."

"Mmmmm," Buzz hummed with pleasure, his strong chest vibrating against Woody's and causing him to shiver with joy in reaction. "Are you ready, Woody?"

"I am," the cowboy answered firmly, taking courage from the soft look in his spaceman's eyes, and also from his own love for Buzz as well. "I am ready for us two to be one, Buzz. My love!"

"As am I. My only one!"

And with those words, Buzz lifted Woody's muscular legs up so that they rested on his shoulders, only pausing to thoroughly slick his own length with the oil before beginning to enter him.

Woody's voice rose in a strangled cry of pain before he remembered himself and cut off the sound, but the way the cowboy's hands clutched tightly at Buzz's forearms clearly translated to the spaceman that Woody did not wish him to stop.

Buzz studied Woody's sweaty, pained face after he had gone all the way within his body, lowering his lips to his forehead in an attempt to comfort his chosen mate.

"I- I'm alright, Buzz," Woody whispered, breathing through his nose slowly as he tried to relax his body so Buzz would be able to move. "It hurts, but I want it."

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Buzz apologized, moving his mouth from Woody's forehead to his lips to lovingly kiss him.

Woody moaned into the kiss, trembling as he took it deeper by drawing Buzz's tongue into his mouth to dance and play. The pleasure of their kiss and the sudden touch of Buzz's hand on his pain-softened length helped to somehow both relax and excite him.

"Buzz!" Woody gasped, breaking away from his lover's mouth reluctantly to beg him, "Move! Please move! I need to feel you in me! A part of me, Buzz!"

"I will always be a part of you, Woody!" Buzz growled, his big hand still stroking his cowboy's hard length gently as he began to draw out, then push back in slowly. "Whether I'm inside of you physically or not. The same way that you will always be a part of me."

"Yes, Buzz!" Woody agreed, groaning low with passion when the spaceman began to move faster inside, the pain having dissipated quickly when the pleasure returned. "We are a part of each other. Forever!"

Woody reached up then to take firm hold of Buzz's shoulders, and Buzz released Woody's cock so that he could use both of his large hands to get a firm grip on his cowboy's slender but muscular thighs as he really started to move now.

Woody jerked and his entire body quivered when Buzz brushed over something deep inside him, causing him to whimper softly in obvious bewilderment at the almost painful increase in pleasure.

"Oh, prairie stars, Buzz! Don't stop! Please don't stop! Hahhhhh!"

"Shh, Woody," Buzz cautioned him, groaning softly as Woody's hot body involuntarily tightened around his length for a moment. "I love hearing you, sweetheart. But you know how sounds echo in this large room. And I know you don't want an audience. Honestly I don't believe that I would, either."

Woody nodded in reply, gasping as the speed of Buzz's thrusts increased again, both of them clearly getting close to release.

Buzz leaned down between Woody's wide spread legs, still holding onto his thighs as he kissed Woody's open and hot, panting mouth tenderly. Their hot, wet tongues entwined intimately once again as he continued to move deep inside his sheriff's body.

Woody shuddered hard, his fingers grip on Buzz's shoulders tightening as his body somehow opened to let him in deeper, and that was it for both of them.

Woody cried out softly and came hard and fast between their sweaty, flushed bodies, his breathing low and ragged as he panted. His body relaxed just as he felt Buzz shake above him, the bigger man groaning as he found release, filling Woody's previously innocent channel with his warm essence.

Buzz rolled onto his side then, drawing Woody close to his broad chest and pressing his lips affectionately against his cowboy's soft brown hair just as he slipped out of his body.

Woody frowned into Buzz's chest to hide his expression in reaction, not liking the empty physical sensation or the emotional feeling of emptiness. But he knew it was temporary as he reached for two soft cloths from his belongings to clean first Buzz's soft cock, then his own, followed by the tender, seed slick opening between his firm, muscular buttocks.

"I love you, Woody," Buzz whispered in his right ear tenderly. "So much! That was amazing, sweetheart."

"I love you, too, Buzz," Woody replied, smiling up at him while setting aside the cloths to clean later. "More then any words can ever express. And yes, it was wonderful. I would ask to do it again, but it was my first time, so we should take it easy. But I do want to do it again, soon."

"So do I," Buzz replied with a return smile. He lifted a big hand to gently push Woody's sweat-damp hair back from his face as he gazed down at him with so much love in his blue eyes. "I always want to be with you, Woody. In any way I can."

"I feel the same, Buzz," Woody promised him. "Always. Buzz?"

"Yes, Woody? What is it, sweetheart?"

"Will you marry me?"

"Of course!" Buzz gasped, his eyes going wide with disbelief and utter joy at his lover's softly spoken question. "Of course I will marry you, Woody! It is the only thing that would make me happier then I am now, because it will give me the right to always hold you in my arms."

"Oh, Buzz.." Woody sighed, practically swooning as they somehow managed to snuggle in closer still to each other. "That's so romantic. I love you, Buzz. But you already had that right. You always did."