A/N: Written for jim_and_bones daily pic for March 26 Semi-weekly man on man feature. The community is F-locked, so beware. The pictures themselves had been SFW, tho. Aww... *sighs dreamily*

Disclaimer: I own nothing, especially not those amazing pictres with hugs in them. But if you feel inclined, I always could use some hugs!*nudge nudge*

I'll Be There For You

It was one of these crazy days when one does not know where to jump first to manage the loads of work they got on their plate. People rush all around, some of them poking others with their elbows in their rush.

Shortly, it was quite normal day in San Francisco.

Leonard at least though so, until he got to the quarters he and Jim shared. Somehow, them two misfits seemed to fit together well enough that the quartermaster let them room together, even if they studied completely different tracks. Well, and Jim also may have hacked the system as soon as he got his log in codes to the Starfleet Academy Information System. In the months, well, yearsof their stay at Academy he grew quite fond of Jim; the guy never ceased to surprise him, be it his idiotic shenanigans or deep thought some of their fellow student didn't think Jim was capable of.

Still, the sight that greeted him in their room was something what took him by surprise. Jim was singing together with music, really loud music, playing the air guitar and wiggling in the rhytm of the string strokes. The song was "I'll Be There For You" by The Rembrandts, group from sometime in 20th century (which was, by some reason, Jim's favourite music period, with all it's variety of styles).

So no one told you life was gonna be this way
Your job's a joke, you're broke, your love life's D.O.A
It's like you're always stuck in second gear
And it hasn't been your day, your week, your month... not even your year - BUT

Yup, kid, no one told neither me, nor you, that life can get so fucked up, he thought almost fondly. And, hm, it was better not to really think about the rest. Because it was sadly true.

I'll be there for you when the rain starts to pour

Which was strangely true - that rain which broke on their third day at Academy had been entirely unexpected - as well as heavy and seemingly endless. And Jim still somehow managed to conjure an absolutely enormous umbrella for them to hide under, as they run towards their building.

I'll be there for you as I've been there before

Yup, that was part for him obviously. Jim's birthday had been rather depressing time - everybody asking him idiotic questions about George Kirk, and Winona Kirk, and Kelvin and devil cares what else; no one noticing the increasing tenseness of Jim's muscles. He almost dragged Jim to their room, where both of them could finally breathe in relief to be away of the too curious stares.

It was strange to see him sit on the bed, his chin resting on his knees, and he wrapped his arms around his legs. In that moment he looked almost fragile. Leonard just sat next to him, wrapping his arm around the younger man.

"You know, Bones," said Jim quietly, "we used to celebrate my birthday. Mom did all she could to celebrate the life which started at the day of death, as the news liked to call it, and it wasn't until much later when everyone started to say "how is it to loose your father" instead of "happy birthday".

Leonard was silent for a moment. Then, letting his head fall on Jim's shoulder, he said quietly: "Happy birthday, Jim."

And Jim just turned his head around slightly, his mouth curling into small smile.

I'll be there for you - 'cuz you're there for me, too

"I may throw up on you." Really. His stomach took residence somewhere way too high from its usual place and its content was threatening to decide to look around any moment, when he heard a quiet chuckle. Daring himself to look around he saw a rather battered looking guy, who was giving him an amused half-smile.

"I hear these shuttles are pretty safe," he said.

"Don't pander me, kid! Space is disease and danger wrapped in darkness and silence!" be blurted, his eyes closing as the shuttle took off.

"Got a bad news for you then, man - Starfleet happens to operate in space," sounded from the guy beside him, his voice quiet.

He opened his eyes again. "Yeah," he said, sighing deeply. "But my ex-wife got the whole planet in divorce, leaving me just my bones. All I can do now is go into the black."

The guy smiled from some reason. "Jim Kirk," he introduced himself, holding his hand out. "Leonard McCoy," he replied, shaking the offered hand. "Care to tell me what kind of idiot took look at that face?"

"Oh, that will be a long tale..."

"... and then I was standing out here, and completely overlooking the lowered ceiling."

The shuttle shuddered. "What the hell was that?" Leonard asked, panicking and preparing for terrible death. Jim gave him winning smirk. "That, Bones, was the shuttle landing on good ol' ground."

Oh. It was already thatmuch later? Where did the time run? And who the hell was Bones?

You're still in bed at ten
And work began at eight
You've burned your breakfast
So far... things are goin' great
Your mother warned you
there'd be days like these
Oh but she didn't tell you
when the world has brought
You down to your knees that
I'll be there for you...

Great, great, big fucking great. First, he overslept so terribly that in the end he actually faked being ill and called himself sick. But of courseit didn't stop at that. Oh no.

He actually got real sick, and while he was in the restroom, trying not to puke his guts out completely, the toast he was making for himself got burnt to the crisp, leaving the room full of smelly black smoke what took ages to get out even with all windows open. They run out of coffee - there was only so little left in the jar that it would be enough for only very weak brew. And add to that, his head started pounding, so he shut the windows, drew the curtains and hid himself in darkness, as he laid on his bed.

Damit, why did he even get out of the bed today?

Some hours later he was awoken again, this time by happy laughter and sounds of something being dropped on the desk. "Hey there, Bones!" sounded Jim's voice. "Let some light in - didn't your momma tell you that where sun does not shine, doctor must go?"

When that didn't get the reaction he expected, Jim moved to sit next to Leonard on his bed. "Bones? What's up?"

Normally, Leonard would just snap about Jim minding his own business and leaving him be - but as misearble as he was, he just blurted it all out - oversleeping, sickness, carbonized toast, headache...

But it wouldn't be Jim not to change the whole situation; he got him cup of absolutely amazing tea, told him what happened during the day and while Leonard had been falling asleep, he actually hummed some melody - soft, calming and tasting of sadness.

Well, let's say that the next day had been very much better - even if Leonard woke up late, there had been of still steaming coffee and a paper bag with "Bones" written on it with.

And he smiled.

No one could ever know me
No one could ever see me
Seems you're the only one who knows
What it's like to be me

Being one of the two late recruits in sea of first-years, who are several years younger then you sucks. Especially if you happen to be rather haggard looking doctor with serious case of aviophobia or a troublemaker who got into a fight only hours before he appeared on the shuttle. And then, people just saw one grumbly doctor who usually looked like he would bite someone's head off at the slightest provocation and immature flirt, who would flirt with everything that moved.

Almost no one had seen two geniuses they were, each in their own field. One that looked like his face grew into permanent scowl - but who kept stealing looks at pictures of his little girl. And the other, who would flirt with everything that moved (and according to some, even on what didn't move) - but who could be the most polite person you ever met in a blick, saving damsels in distress and kittens from trees.

But they knew this side of each other, and nothing else really mattered.

Someone to face the day with
Make it through all the rest with
Someone I'll always laugh with
Even at my worst I'm best with you, yeah

Someone was at his door. He just rolled on his side. 'Damit it all, didn't I do enough already on this shitty day...'

"Bones?"

He immediately sat on bed, blinking the sleep away from his eyes. "Jim? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

Jim looked distinctly uneasy. "Yeah, about that... you doremember I was not supposed to be here, right?"

"Oh," was all he could say at the first moment. Jim looked as bad as he himself felt - no way he was letting him to wait for some quarters to free, so he could take at least a nap, when he clearly needed as much rest as he could get. So he just raised one side of his covers, growled 'get in' and let his lips form a small smile as he watched the way Jim's eyes shone in the dimmed lights, as he stumbled to the bed, crawling under covers, only to curl himself around Leonard, his arms sneaking around the older man, falling asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.

And it was just so funny that Leonard had to laugh quietly. James T. Kirk, the cuddle monster. Who would have thought that?

I'll be there for you
I'll be there for you
I'll be here for you...

"'cuz you're there for me, too," said Leonard, turning the radio off to finish the lyrics. Jim stiffened at first but quickly turned around, blushing slightly at being caught.

But then Jim started singing song from one of the ancient roleplaying games he was so fond of (something about scientists - damit, he's a doctor not a singer), making Bones slap a hand to his face and groan. He was doomed - but if nothing else, he was doomed with someone who had his back.

A/N: Credit for the song I'll Be There For You - amazing song The Rembrandts, and the song mentioned as "from one of the ancient roleplaying games" is from Mass Effect 2. Look for "Mordin Singing" video at youtube. I personally think Mordin rocks people's sock, because his "I am the very model of a scientist Salarian..." is DAT awesome.