Title: Becoming
Author: Caera1996
Disclaimer: Not mine
W/C: 668

Summary / Note: Written for Space_Wrapped. Fills the prompt: Bones takes Jim to Georgia for a McCoy family Christmas. I have to apologize, I've not been online at all for quite a while, and honestly, this slipped my mind. I have family coming over tomorrow and staying through Christmas, and I didn't want to just blow this off, so here is my extremely imperfect contribution. Off to get ready for family craziness - Merry Christmas everyone! I hope this is a wonderful time of year for you!

Jim, Leonard decided, had no idea how to have a friend.

It was a sad realization, but it was one that came fairly quickly once the semester got started, and Leonard felt like he'd gained some of his equilibrium back – for the most part.

Jim kept coming around – joining him in the mess hall, dropping his books at his study table in the library and studying with him. They talked a little – well, mostly, Jim asked questions that bordered on too personal and Leonard answered, for some reason. When Leonard tried to ask questions, Jim pulled away. It was obvious to Leonard that Jim was making an effort at being friendly for some reason, so Leonard figured he may as well make an effort back, and one day, at the end of a busy week as they sat in the library at their customary table, he'd invited Jim to go out for a drink.

Jim paused in what he was doing, and looked up slowly, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Why?" he asked.

Annoyed that it wasn't a simple, "Sure that sounds great," Leonard almost told him to forget it. But something in the way Jim was looking at him gave him pause, and he realized that the question wasn't actually "why?" but "what do you want from me?".

And that's when Leonard realized Jim had no idea how to have a friend. He had the girls he fooled around with. He had the buddies he traded taunts with during various matches and ball games. He had the other cadets he had to work with on group projects or training scenarios. But he didn't have any friends.

All he had was Leonard. And wasn't that a depressing thought.

But he felt for the kid. It was obvious that life hadn't treated him gently or with any real care, and Leonard found that he wasn't all that surprised that Jim treated his innocent invitation with distrust.

And something about that rankled Leonard. He couldn't put his finger on what. Jim was nothing special to him. But there was something in the way he acted, in the looks he gave Leonard, when he thought he wasn't paying attention…he didn't know how to do it, but he wanted that friendship with him. Craved it, even. But something along Jim's way had broken the trust needed to build those bridges.

So Leonard did it for him. Pulling him along, urging him to take those first tentative steps, and at first he couldn't help but be reminded of a poorly treated animal…the way they want to come to you, but tremble with every step, cringing at even too loud a noise.

Leonard had to be careful to not scare Jim off.

So when the semester ended, and all around them classmates talked excitedly about travel plans, Leonard and Jim retreated to his single dorm, to quietly toast each other over a successful first semester. By now, the trust between them was stronger. Leonard had showed Jim that he didn't want anything from him but his company, and Jim had finally started to believe that.

"Want to come with me to Georgia for Christmas?" Leonard asked. He kept his eyes on the screen currently showing an old Christmas show, but he felt Jim turn to look at him…knew the question even before it was out of his mouth.

"Why?"

Leonard turned to meet his gaze, realizing that this wasn't "What do you want from me?" anymore. Instead, it was "Why do you want me there?"

"It's Christmas, Jim. Come with me to Georgia."

Jim studied Leonard's face for a few moments, then couldn't help but smile a little.

"You gonna throw up on me?"

Leonard huffed a laugh and shrugged. "Maybe."

The smile reached Jim's eyes, "Yeah, okay. Thanks."

With that settled to his satisfaction, Leonard closed his eyes and let himself slouch down on the couch comfortably, and he silently rejoiced when he felt Jim's weight against his side, doing the same.