A/N: Every once in a while, I get a spark of inspiration that puts out what i'd consider to be a damned good piece of writing. And with my latest flicks being "True Grit" and "Rango", I could hardly resist the temptation to write a cracking Western fix. Enjoy!

NINS OUT!

…

Doctor Leonard Mccoy is sure he can feel his heart leap into his throat every time Sheriff James ambles back into town.

First, there's relief. His Jim is safe and sound and with any luck, in one piece.

Then, there's fear. He's lost track of the times Jim's come back nursing some set of injuries or another, and he just can't erase the look of the defeated figure on horseback silhouetted by the sun from the back of his eyelids. Luck, indeed.

Of course, this is usually replaced by a golden boy with a shit-eating grin as he shows off his potentially lethal injuries, while Mccoy is muttering a half-hearted

"bastard", choking back tears and shoving Jim into his office.

In the back of Leonard's practice, the doctor can see the pain contorting Jim's smile, and It's all he can do not to collapse then and there. Jim can see his pain, too, and will usually lean in for a kiss of some kind. Bless him, Leonard knows it's the only thing the kid knows how to do at a time like this, but it'll have to wait.

…

Jim is well on his way to full recovery, and the Mayor is filled to the brim with empty "thank you"s and the like. Anything to keep his golden boy intact, keep something for the townspeople to believe in. Replacements for heroes aren't as easy to come by in the West as people like to think.

If only the Mayor knew what was happening behind closed doors, and who the Sheriff was really playing midnight cowboy for.

Sure, there was a certain taboo around the whole idea, but if you fit the roles well enough, people were willing to turn a blind eye. It wasn't uncommon to find Hikaru, the stable owner, getting handsy with his right hand man if you came at the wrong time, but Pavel had a way with horses, and if he and Hikaru were getting along, all the better for everyone else. But Leonard and the Sheriff? Not a chance.

Jim, the blue-eyed gunslinging man of the hour, shouldn't be doing anything people wouldn't approve of. Especially the good doctor.

Leonard was seen as a bit of a character around town, with an ex-wife long on her way back East with their little girl in tow, and a whole lot of history with some rather unsavoury folks. But he was a talented and hard worker, and that was good enough for most, as long as it stayed that way.

But building something up with someone like Sheriff James was a complete no-no. All the girls in town had their eyes on him, as well as some of the boys, and being tied down to just anybody, would put a bit of a damper on that heroic form of his. Keeping up images, and all that. Sneaking around with Jim, his Jim gave Leonard a sick, twisted satisfaction. Deceit was keeping him sane in a town like this.

…

"I'm leaving again, come tomorrow."

"You're not ready."

"Mayor's orders. Bandits making their way down to the canyon. If I give them a big enough head start, we'll never catch 'em."

"Jim…"

It's not really exasperated, just wistful, and James knows it.

It starts with kissing, just as usual. Kissing and then touching and exploring. Jim has too many scars for that golden boy body of his, and Leonard can physically feel pain every time his fingers trace over the discoloured skin.

"Jim…" Hurt, and James knows it.

"Jim." Need, and Jim knows it.

"Oh, Jim." Love, without saying, and Jim knows it.

"Me, too, Bones."

…

"Once again, Doctor, I really can't thank you enough for your services!"

Leonard gives a curt nod, shifting some papers to cover up the scratches his nails left on his desk. He smirks inwardly. He loves how people can stand in front of this desk and call him a dignified Doctor and a gentleman considering some of the filthy things him and Jim have done here. It gives him a sick, twisted satisfaction, this game they're playing.

Golden boy and the Good Doctor indeed.