Title: Blindside
Author: heeroluva
Pairing: Jim/Bones
Contains: h/c
Disclaimer: I don't own them. I just like to play with them.
Summary: Jim never wanted to fall in love, so what happens when he falls in love with his best friend?
Notes: Written for space_wrapped and a buckleup_meme prompt. All mistakes are mine. Feel free to let me know if you see any. As always feedback is appreciated.

Jim never thought it could happen. Had hoped after seeing what it had done to his mother that it would never happen to him. He'd had his share of crushes. Hell, he'd been in lust more times than he could count. But he'd never been in love.

Until now.

The worst part wasn't that he'd fallen in love. Though that was bad enough. But, no, the worst part was the who. He'd fallen in love with his best friend, the very male, very straight, Dr. Leonard McCoy.

Bones. God, why did it have to be Bones?

This was the reason why he'd never let himself get close to anyone before, why he'd always kept his distance. But something about Bones had drawn Jim from moment he'd met the other man on the shuttle. The fact that Bones was obviously hungover, afraid of flying and space, yet was joining Starfleet, should have scared him off, but it hadn't.

For once Jim threw out his better judgment and introduced himself. But even despite that draw, Jim had figured that he'd likely rarely see the other man again because they were on different tracts, and their paths weren't likely to cross often. Color him shocked when they were both assigned the same room. Doctors normally got their own efficiencies, but this year due to their last minute signups and a larger than normal entering class, all those rooms were full.

Bones was the best friend a guy could ask for, better than anyone that Jim had ever hoped for. He put up with more of Jim's shit than anyone else ever had, and Bones lectured him till he was blue in the face, but he never gave up on Jim.

He wasn't sure when it happened. Hell, he wasn't sure how it happened, but somehow Bones had slowly and surely wormed his way into Jim's heart.

Jim remembered when it hit him though. It had been a normal night of drinking after a long week of final tests and sims before Christmas break, and both of them could them needed to unwind and have some fun. Well at least Jim did, but he felt that Bones needed to as well, and dragged Bones with him, and he went along as always despite his complaints. In particular they were celebrating the fact that Bones had finally passed his final flight sim, barely, but passing was passing, evening if just barely.

They were enjoying the good stuff, the expensive stuff that they rarely indulged in, while checking out what the hole in the wall bar they frequented had to offer tonight. As Bones was checking out the women, his eyes gleaming with appreciation, Jim realized that he was checking out Bones, and it suddenly hit him that this hadn't been the first time either. At that awareness, Jim had stood and all but ran from the bar, ignoring Bones' shouts, and dodging his reaching hands. He didn't go home that night, ignored all his calls, deleted his messages, not ready to face the fact.

He finally returned to their shared room the next evening, expect to find the room empty because he knew Bones had clinic hours that evening. However, he was startled when he ordered the lights on and found Bones laying in bed.

Bones slowly turned his eyes towards Jim, and Jim drew in a sharp breath at the bleak hopelessness and sorrow in those blue eyes.

"Bones?" Jim asked hesitantly as he walked farther into the room.

"They awarded her custody. I can't even see Joanna for Christmas." The last word was practically a sob, and Bones suddenly turned on his side, his back to Jim.

"Aww, hell, Bones." Jim's heart broke for his friend. That little girl was the pride and joy of Bones' life, all he talked about sometimes. It would have driven anyone else nuts, but not Jim. Jim could tell how much Bones loved her, how happy she made him, and Jim couldn't begrudge the other man that happiness, not when it made him light up so much. Bones had been looking forward to this visit for months now even though his ex was still trying to get him declared him unfit and deny him any custody rights at all. Twice yearly visits were too much for the bitch apparently. She was a harpy, a black widow that had lured Bones into her trap, taking him for all that he had, and gained the perfect piece of leverage over him in having a child, and now she took that away from him.

Hesitantly Jim sat at the edge of Bones' bed and tentatively touched his shoulder. He almost withdrew when he felt the trembling there, but then Bones suddenly turned and threw himself at Jim, wrapping himself tightly around him, and burying his face in Jim's neck.

Jim's skin was instantly wet with Bones' tears and other things that he probably didn't want to think about. But he didn't pull away. He uncertainly put his arm around Bones' frame and awkwardly patted his back. Jim had never been in this type of situation before. He didn't have any younger siblings to comfort, and rarely received any of his own from his mother. Sam had just ignored him, if he cried. He'd never let himself get into the sort of messy emotional situations with anyone he'd dated. He'd actively discouraged any type of emotion other than the sort that brought them together physically.

Long minutes passed before the trembling and tears began to lessen. When Bones finally relaxed and was still, Jim thought Bones had fallen asleep, so he was startled when Bones suddenly raised his head and met his eyes. They were so serious and swimming with emotions. As Bones lowered his head and his lips brushed against his, Jims just laid there frozen unsure of how to respond, if he should push Bones away. But Bones make the decision for him when he pulled away with a sigh, laid his head down, and promptly fell asleep.

Jim wasn't sure how long he laid there half under Bones, before the sudden desire to run overtook him. There was no way that Bones wasn't going to regret this in the morning. Carefully he tried to extract himself from Bones' grip, but found himself effectively trapped unless he wanted to wake Bones up in the process, which he most certainly did not do. With a resigned sigh, Jim finally relaxed though internally he was panicking. His best friend had just kissed him. His emotionally distraught best friend that Jim was completely and totally one hundred percent in love with had just kissed him, and he was sure that Bones was going to hate him in the morning. Between one panicked thought and the next, sleep claimed him.

When Jim awoke the next morning he was more refreshed and relaxed then he had been in a long time. Stretching he grinned as he felt the body along his side and realized he must have had a fun night, even if he didn't remember it at the moment. Wouldn't be the first one he didn't remember. But feeling the clothing against his skin, and realizing the person wrapped around him was still clothed, his eyes snapped open as the events of the previous evening suddenly hit him.

Finding Bones wide awake and staring, Jim panicked and suddenly tried to pull away, struggling, but Bones just tightened his grip.

"I-I c-can explain," Jim stuttered. "You—"

"Jim, shut up."

Wide-eyed Jim shut his mouth with an audible snap as his teeth met, causing him to flinch.

Then Bones lips were suddenly slanted across his, a repeat of the night before, but this time there was a force behind it, a question, a probing tongue seeking entrance. And again Jim froze, not sure how to react, not sure why Bones was doing with. But if this was what Bones wanted, what he needed Jim could do this for him.

So he opened his mouth allowing entrance and deepened the kiss. He was good at this. Could do this. Reaching down, Jim cupped Bones' ass pulling him closer, but Bones suddenly jerked away almost looking angry.

"I won't be a pity fuck," Bones growled.

"What?" Jim sputtered.

Bones pulled him close for a harsh kiss that left them both panting and glassy eyed. "I love you, you idiot."

"What?" Jim sputtered again, blindsided by the statement. That was the last thing he expected to hear from Bones.

"You're a real genius you know, except when it comes to emotions, you're completely blind."

"W-What?" Jim sputtered again.

Bones grinned wryly. "You sound like a broken record. I hope I didn't break you."

Jim shook his head dumbly at the bombshell. "Bones. I don't understand."

Bones continued to grin. "See, you're proving my point."

Now it was Jim's turn to hesitantly smile. "Hey, enough with the insults. Bones… I don't know what to say. I can't—" Jim broke off, unable to say it.

"I know. Just kiss me. Make me forget."

Jim could do that, and he did, pouring everything he felt for his friend into the kiss.