The time in Mojave had been good. Jim felt more like his old self than ever, though he knew he still had a little way to go. But more than that, he'd appreciated the fact that out there, away from all of the usual responsibilities and distractions, they'd been able to find their way to each other at last. And Spock... that had been unexpected, but welcome.
But now, alone with Bones, Jim thought that maybe the two of them were still a little scared of screwing things up between them. He couldn't think of another reason why this awkward silence had fallen. Jim looked over at Bones as they stood there, though, and leaving was the farthest thing from his mind. "...Can I stay?" he asked, biting his lip.
He didn't want to go back to his loft, didn't want to be alone or give Bones time to second guess this, he supposed. But mostly he just wanted to be here, with Bones. Jim took a step closer, close enough that he felt the warmth of Bones' arm against his.
Leonard stared at Jim for a long moment, watching him take that step closer to him. The cautious look on his face did more to settle Leonard's nerves than anything else, and he gave Jim a familiar smile. "Of course, you know that." Jim had always been welcome at his place, used it to hide from the media on occasion. Grabbing his bags from the back of the truck, Leonard headed toward the door, leaving it open so Jim could follow.
Once inside, he took a deep breath, reminding himself that all this change was good, that they could talk about anything. He'd had the temperature controls off while he was gone and just realized that he'd forgotten to have them turned back on that morning, so it was a little warm as they walked though the house. "Want something to drink?" he asked, digging in his fridge for a cold drink.
Jim grabbed his own duffel bag and followed Bones into the house. It was warm but not too bad, and he dropped his bag near the bottom of the stairs and then walked into the kitchen. "Sure, a drink sounds good." His stomach growled, then, and he gave a chuckle that was a little self-conscious. "I guess we should eat dinner, too. Why don't we order something?" He knew where Bones' stash of delivery menus were, even if they weren't used quite as often as his own. Jim slid onto a stool at the counter, one foot hooked over the rungs and the other still on the floor as he flipped through the menus.
"Chinese sound all right?" he asked, pausing at one of their favorites. Jim glanced up and watched as Bones turned back to him, nudging the refrigerator door shut with his hip as he held out one of the beers to Jim. "Thanks," he murmured, his eyes lingering on the soft, comfortable t-shirt and the worn jeans Bones was wearing.
Leonard felt those nerves again, but he tried his best to push them down. Stupid really, being worried about Jim. He knew the man had feelings for him, pretty significant feelings - but that insecurity, it just never really went away, and a little voice in the back of his head whispered that Jim would change his mind, Jim would want more, of course he'd want more, something poly. Wasn't wrong, wasn't bad, it was just-
He shook his head, pushing all those thoughts away, glancing down at the menu Jim had selected. "Sounds great," he said in a low voice, pointing at the beef and broccoli. "Get me that and some egg rolls." Leonard rested his hand on Jim's shoulder, tentatively, giving it a little squeeze, and he wondered who he was reassuring. "You feeling okay?"
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But now, alone with Bones, Jim thought that maybe the two of them were still a little scared of screwing things up between them. He couldn't think of another reason why this awkward silence had fallen. Jim looked over at Bones as they stood there, though, and leaving was the farthest thing from his mind. "...Can I stay?" he asked, biting his lip.
He didn't want to go back to his loft, didn't want to be alone or give Bones time to second guess this, he supposed. But mostly he just wanted to be here, with Bones. Jim took a step closer, close enough that he felt the warmth of Bones' arm against his.
Reply
Once inside, he took a deep breath, reminding himself that all this change was good, that they could talk about anything. He'd had the temperature controls off while he was gone and just realized that he'd forgotten to have them turned back on that morning, so it was a little warm as they walked though the house. "Want something to drink?" he asked, digging in his fridge for a cold drink.
Reply
"Chinese sound all right?" he asked, pausing at one of their favorites. Jim glanced up and watched as Bones turned back to him, nudging the refrigerator door shut with his hip as he held out one of the beers to Jim. "Thanks," he murmured, his eyes lingering on the soft, comfortable t-shirt and the worn jeans Bones was wearing.
Reply
He shook his head, pushing all those thoughts away, glancing down at the menu Jim had selected. "Sounds great," he said in a low voice, pointing at the beef and broccoli. "Get me that and some egg rolls." Leonard rested his hand on Jim's shoulder, tentatively, giving it a little squeeze, and he wondered who he was reassuring. "You feeling okay?"
Reply
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