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Jim grunted quietly as he stepped up on the last step of the staircase, his hands were slowly losing their grip on the heavy box he was carrying. He hurriedly kicked open his door that he left ajar and sat the box down on the floor just inside the door with a soft thud. Jim looked around his new flat as he placed his hands on his hips and stretched out his back slightly, rocking on the balls of his feet and taking it all in with a deep breath. The rest of the boxes were just going to have to wait till tomorrow, it was getting late and he was exhausted from packing and hauling countless boxes up two flights of steps.Jim bent over and picked up a lighter box just on the other side of the box he just dropped and headed to his bedroom. Jim padded slowly to the back bedroom, looking around at all the rooms and all the open space he now had, he didn’t even know where to begin. It was the first time that he has officially been on his own without having to have a roommate, the first time he could afford to have a place to call his own. A grin spread quickly across Jim’s face at the thought as he sat the box down on the end his bed that he had brought up and put together earlier in the day. He pried open the box and began taking out his meager selection of clothes and started to hang them up in his walk in closet that was probably bigger than all of his previous apartments combined Jim thought sarcastically in his head. Halfway through putting up his shirts, Jim was stalled by slightly raised voices on the other side of the wall. One voice was calm and deep and the other was louder and rather shrill. “Great, all this money and paper thin walls.” Jim mumbled to himself as the voices started to get louder, checking his phone for the time; 11pm. He still couldn’t quite make out what the two voices were arguing about, not that he was paying much attention as he popped in his earbuds and turned on his music to drown out the noise. Jim finished hanging and putting up clothes and popped out his earbuds, thankfully it was quiet now as he took off his pants and shirt and left them in a pile on the floor and crawled into bed, immediately falling asleep as his face sunk deeper into the pillow not even giving a second thought to his noisy neighbors as his world faded around him.The next morning Jim woke up semi late, the sun was pouring in his curtain-less window as he cracked open an eye, groaning softly as he slowly tried to move. He was stiff and sore from moving yesterday but he couldn’t afford to lay in bed all day, he still had a lot to move and get done. Thankfully he had planned ahead and moved all of the heavy things early in the day yesterday so now all he had to bring up and put away were various boxes of household items and easier to handle furniture. Jim threw on his same pair of pants, having not found his other pairs of pants yet and walked to his closet for a fresh shirt. Pulling it over his head as he walked back through the living room, he opened the door and headed back down the stairs. It took Jim a couple trips to finally work out some of his stiffness and was able to unload the rest if his car in just a few hours. He sat the final box on the floor next to the couch with an exhausted huff. He was very tempted to crash on the couch but he knew if he did, there was no getting back up again as his stomach let out a low rumble. Jim checked the time on his phone, realizing he had worked clear through lunch and into the late afternoon. Jim walked slowly and rather stiffly to his fridge and opened the door, eyes glancing around at his practically empty shelves. He hadn’t had the chance to do any proper shopping yet so all he had was ingredients for a simple sandwich, which suited him just fine, he didn’t have the energy for anything more elaborate anyway. Jim pulled out a beer first and sat it on the counter and was getting ready to pull out his ingredients when he was interrupted by a soft knock on his door. Jim thought about ignoring his guest but the knock persisted once more. Sighing softly in defeat, he shut the fridge door, stomach growling loudly in protest as he tossed his ingredients on the counter. Jim flung the door open a little harder than he meant, he was used to his old rickety doors that took some muscle to open instead of a door that was properly mounted. It took the stranger by surprise, causing the man to jump slightly. Jim threw the man a soft grin as he leaned against the door frame, the man was definitely easy on the eyes as Jim looked the man over from head to toe, noting his light scruff, gently mussed hair and gorgeous hazel eyes that Jim could get lost in. “I, uh… hi. Welcome to the building. I’m Leonard your neighbor. I just wanted to introduce myself and apologize for any noise last night. I heard you shuffling around and don’t know how much you might have heard.” Leonard said as he stared at Jim's small grin, taking notice of the man’s beautiful, piercing blue eyes, his slender frame and his sandy blonde hair, swooped over his head messily as Leonard rubbed the back of his neck slightly. He always seemed to ramble when he was nervous, it was a habit he hated. “Hi Leonard, thanks. It’s no trouble at all, think nothing of it, nothing that a good pair of headphones can’t solve. It happens. I’m Jim.” Jim’s grin widened into a smile as he stuck out his hand to the man as he looked him over. He could tell the man was a fair bit older, taking in his dark hazel eyes and mop of dark brown hair, sticking up perfectly in different directions and the mans subtle five o’ clock shadow, giving him a slightly scruffy appearance. Jim thought it suited him more than fine. The older man grasped Jim’s hand, shaking firmly a few times before letting go, immediately sticking them in his pockets. They both stared awkwardly at each other for a few moments before Leonard cleared his throat, neither one really wanting to say goodbye first, and gave Jim a quick nod before moving to take his leave. “Would you like to come in? I was just getting ready to make myself something to eat.” Jim said suddenly before Leonard had a chance to leave. He wasn’t quite sure what made him blurt out the invitation but he was pretty sure it had something to do with the slight twinkle in Leonard’s eyes when they caught the light. “Uh, yeah, sure.” Leonard said rather quickly, as if Jim would rescind his invitation as some sort of cruel joke, surprising himself at the quickness at which he agreed. There was something about this blonde hair, blue eyed guy that seemed to put him at ease. Jim stepped back, keeping the easy grin on his face as he stepped out of the doorway, allowing Leonard to enter his flat with a shallow wave of his hand. Jim wasted no time in walking around Leonard and going back to the fridge and pulling out the rest of his ingredients. “Would you like a sandwich? I hope you like turkey.” Jim said as he held up some turkey and cheese before laying it on the counter and grabbing the bread. “Ah, I do but no thanks, I don’t want to impose.” Leonard said as he gazed into Jim’s almost bare fridge, he couldn’t take what little food the guy had and feel good about it or enjoy it, the blonde looked like he had skipped a few too many meals as it was. “Nonsense.” Jim said as he piled ingredients between the slices of bread, making sure to get the portions just right before he got a knife, cutting the sandwich cleanly in two and handed Leonard half. “Thanks, Jim.” Leonard said quietly, looking from the sandwich to Jim like he had hung the moon with his generosity. Jim opened the fridge, thinking nothing of the gesture, to put his ingredients back in. Jim leaned down and grabbed an extra beer, popping the cap and handing it to Leonard. Leonard smiled broadly this time and nodded as he took a sip from the beer and taking a hefty bite into his half of a sandwich messily, Jim made a mean sandwich he had to admit. He watched as Jim bit hungrily into his own sandwich, wondering when the last time was that the man had a proper meal. “You’re welcome to sit yanno.” Jim said with a mouth half full of turkey and cheese, throwing a warm grin in Leonard’s direction as he pointed at a chair across from him, watching the older man trying to juggle his beer and his messy sandwich. Leonard felt his cheeks get warm as he gave a small snort at the look on Jim’s face and the piece of turkey that hung ever so slightly out of the blondes mouth. He pulled out the chair silently with his foot and sat down with a small huff, setting his beer down in front of him. “So what brings ya to the neighborhood?” Leonard asked after a few moments of silence, allowing Jim to eat the majority of his sandwich before trying to engage in conversation. “I was just ready for a change. Tired of living like I was, so I changed jobs, got out and here I am.” Jim said almost too quietly for Leonard to hear. Leonard didn’t need any more details to know exactly how Jim was feeling. He was battling his own demons in an almost similar situation. “Fair enough. To new beginnings” Leonard said as he raised his beer in the air slightly, angling it in Jim’s direction. Jim grinned and lifted his own, clinking both of their beers together. “So what is it that you do?” Leonard asked as he brought the beer up to his lips and took a long, slow pull, relishing the taste on his tongue after a long day. It was nice and ice cold and one of his favorite brands, Jim had good taste. He could get used to having this guy next door, easy on the eyes and great taste in beer. “Right now I’ve just been working freelance. I don’t like to be tied down to one thing for too long so it’s been perfect being able to work for whomever I want, when I want. Plus I like the challenge of learning new skills.” Jim said as he finished his last bite of his sandwich, wiping his mouth roughly with a paper towel. “What about you?” Jim added in before he too took a swig of his beer and setting it back down on the table with a loud thunk, relaxing a bit as he stared intently at Leonard now that he had finished his sandwich and his hunger had slightly abated.“MD.” Leonard said nonchalantly with a shrug as if he had said he worked at the burger joint down the street. “MD? As in doctor of medicine?” Jim asked with a low whistle, doing nothing to hide his surprise, he was impressed. “How long did that take?”“Long enough.” Leonard grunted as he sat his empty beer down on the table, smiling almost sadly as he reached Jim’s gaze. The younger man couldn’t quite tell what had passed over Leonard’s eyes and he thought it better to ask. After a few hours of chatting, laughing and getting to know each other, along with a few more beers, they were interrupted by Leonard’s phone ringing. This disappointed Jim slightly, he was thoroughly enjoying watching the older man’s eyes crinkle when he laughed and if Leonard’s eyes lingered on Jim’s as they sparkled under the low light in return, he made no mention. “Thanks for the beers and the company Jim, but I gotta go. Talk to ya soon?” Leonard said, silencing his phone quickly as he got up from the chair and threw his empty beer bottles away, gazing at Jim’s face hopefully. “I’d like that.” Jim said with a soft smile and a nod as he walked Leonard to the door. He thought it strange but he could already feel a soft spot that this man was carving out inside him, he’s never felt this close to someone so fast, he could feel the butterflies start to flutter in his stomach. The thoughts Jim had were dashed almost as quickly as they had come whenever Jim remembered that Leonard had someone to go home too, even if there was a lot of yelling. The thought made his chest tighten ever so slightly as he closed the door as Leonard walked down the hall to his own flat. That evening was the beginning of Jim and Leonard’s friendship. Jim continued to work the odd freelance job here and there and Leonard worked whatever shift they needed him to work at the local hospital. They both had odd hours but they somehow made their friendship work and spent most free evenings together to decompress from the stresses of their jobs. Leonard always seemed to come to Jim’s place and never invited Jim over to his flat. Not that Jim minded in the least, he assumed it had something to do with the almost nightly shouting sessions that came through the walls almost as soon as Leonard’s girlfriend arrived home. Jim would want to escape for a while too if he was in Leonard’s shoes. He never got angry at the noise, only an ever growing sympathy in the middle of his chest for his new friend.It was almost a week later before Jim saw Leonard again. Jim assumed Leonard had taken an even stranger schedule than usual. The arguments that wafted through the walls were at odder times than what was normal, mainly later at night, waking Jim up from a dead sleep a couple times. Jim was in the middle of making dinner one evening when he heard the front door open and close, he didn’t even have to look up from the stove to know it was Leonard.Jim had given Leonard a spare key for emergencies, in case he ever locked himself out of his flat, which unsurprisingly happened a lot. Jim only looked up when he heard a heavy grunt along with a small thud coming from the living space beside him. Leonard had collapsed on his couch, still dressed in his hospital scrubs, eyes already closed as soon as his head hit the cushion. Jim couldn’t help but grin to himself as he turned down the fire on the stove, letting the pot simmer. “Long week big guy? You hungry?” Jim asked softly as he went to sit on the arm of his couch, staring down at the large frame of the doctor, watching his chest rise and fall shallowly. Jim and Leonard’s level of friendship was one that Jim had never had before. There were no walls to hide behind with Leonard, they were both open and honest with each other and it was never awkward or weird. It hit Jim as strange that the older man never cared or judged Jim for anything he did, it was refreshing to have someone he could confide in so completely and openly. Jim ruffled Leonard’s hair slightly when the older man didn’t answer at first, causing Leonard to grunt softly while patting the couch weakly, trying to find a pillow. Jim chuckled softly at the sight as he slipped the pillow into Leonard’s searching hand, patting him on the back as he got up to finish dinner as the brunette smashed his face in the pillow, becoming utterly unconscious to the world. Jim finished up cooking dinner in silence, sitting at the small dinner table instead of the chair next to the sofa and turned on a game at low volume to allow Leonard to sleep. Leonard’s nap didn’t last long as the older man roused during the second quarter with a quiet groan. “Hey sleepy head, I saved you some dinner.” Jim said as he tore his eyes away from the TV with a grin as he watched Leonard shuffle across the floor, hair sticking up everywhere as he made it into the kitchen. “Thanks, Jim. You’re a lifesaver.” Leonard said as he grabbed the plate Jim had made and left in the microwave. Leonard was immensely grateful for Jim’s hospitality though he would probably never admit just how much it meant to him. He saved lives all day long, it was nice to be able to come to Jim’s place and leave everything behind and not have to worry about anything as Jim just knew everything that Leonard needed before he knew it himself. “I know, I’m the greatest.” Jim said with a smirk, causing Leonard to huff out a laugh as he came to sit by Jim and eat his dinner and watch the second quarter of the game. Jim had made it a point in making his flat a safe and quiet place for Leonard to retreat to. He didn’t know why Leonard chose to stay and fight night after night, but he didn’t pry, it wasn’t his business to meddle. He just tried his damnedest to be the best friend he could and be there for Leonard in any way the older man needed, even if it hurt his heart a little in the process. Jim went to the fridge and grabbed them a couple beers to drink, popping off the lid and sitting in front of Leonard who was already scowling angrily and yelling at the refs for the terrible call on the TV. Leave it to Leonard go from asleep to scowling angrily in under three minutes. The scowl didn’t last long when Leonard got his stomach full and having moved to Jim’s couch after taking off his scrub top to get more comfortable. Jim had made it a point to buy the biggest and comfiest couch he could find, even if it did look a little ridiculous. Truth be told he preferred the couch to his bed most nights. Jim was sprawled out as he leaned against the arm of the couch. Leonard was now quiet and sitting fairly close with his arms folded across his chest, eyes staring blankly at the halftime show.Jim wasn’t sure when exactly in the third quarter that Leonard fell asleep, he was too wrapped up in the game, that is until he suddenly felt a weight up against his side. Jim looked over at Leonard to see the older man’s eyes closed with his arms still across his chest, leaning against Jim, getting heavier with each passing minute. Jim’s breath caught in his throat as the older man fell heavier against his side; he was torn. Should he wake Leonard up and let him know or allow him to sleep? Jim couldn’t resist. Maneuvering ever so slightly so as not to wake Leonard, Jim moved over, giving the older man more room to lay against him. Leonard in his half sleepy state, unconsciously moved in closer to the blonde, taking solace in the warm presence that was Jim. Jim’s adams apple bobbed slightly as he swallowed thickly. Leonard had never been this close, Jim had tried everything to avoid it. Their long glances at each other when they thought the other wasn’t looking, or their sometimes lingering touches when one passed the other something, or how they were so comfortable with each other in such a short time, Jim wasn’t exactly sure what to make of it. He had done everything possible to keep himself from doing something he would regret all these weeks that they’ve been close friends, he wouldn’t destroy an already established relationship with temptation. The ball was in Leonard’s court, not his. Yet here lay Leonard, practically on top of him and every man has their breaking point. Jim moved his arm slowly so that his arm was resting across the back of Leonard’s shoulders, cradling the man close to his side, making sure they were both comfortable. The first thing Jim noticed as he softly lay his head against Leonard’s was the way the older man smelled. He could still smell the hospital and antiseptic but beyond that was all Leonard. It was a deep, musty, earthy smell that seemed to relax Jim as he slowly took in a deep breath. Jim sighed softly at the realization that he had fallen, no, tumbled right off the cliff, head over heels for his friend as he brushed the hair out of Leonard’s face, earning a soft snort in return which made Jim smile. Shit, when did this happen? It might have happened when Jim noticed the day that Leonard walked into his flat and his usual grouchy demeanor was immediately diminished and replaced with a warm smile as soon as Jim greeted Leonard from the kitchen. Or it could have been when Jim realized that Leonard was genuinely interested in hearing about Jim’s life and everything that’s led up to this point, even if those details were either boring or less than pleasant and it was usually the latter. Or it could have even been when Leonard would laugh at his stupid jokes and the way his eyes crinkled and his head leaned back slightly as he laughed.Jim’s smile faded almost as quickly as it had come, letting out a soft groan at the thought, resting his head further into Leonard, relishing the small moment while he had it. Jim wasn’t sure when he had fallen asleep either, but he was brought back to reality when Leonard’s phone suddenly burst through his slumber with an obnoxious ringtone. Leonard was the first to rouse, fumbling for his phone on the coffee table in front of him, silencing it as soon as he got a firm grip. Realizing the time, Leonard yelped slightly as he hopped off the couch, placing his phone in his pocket. Jim glanced at the clock on the tv, it was almost midnight, the game had ended hours ago. “I’m sorry about tonight, Jim. I was terrible company.” Leonard apologized softly as he rubbed his face and ran his fingers through his hair. Jim could hear Leonard’s phone continuing to buzz in his pocket, and he was content to ignore it. “Nonsense, it’s almost better when you’re unconscious.” Jim said with a smirk as he stretched across the couch before hauling himself up slowly. Jim thought Leonard would mention the close proximity to Jim that he found himself in when he woke up, but to Jim’s surprise, he never even acknowledged it. “Asshole. See you tomorrow.” Leonard said with a sly grin and a wink as he gathered his things, making his way out of Jim’s door once again and down the hall to his own flat. Jim sighed as he locked the door, leaning against it for a moment to gather himself. Dammit, he couldn’t think of Leonard that way, he couldn’t. He valued their friendship more than anything and he didn’t want to screw that up by being an idiot and that was very hard for Jim to do sometimes. After gathering his thoughts he shuffled his way slowly into the kitchen, picking up plates and placing them in the sink and throwing bottles away as he tried to somewhat clean the kitchen. He was halfway through putting in a new trash bag when he heard that familiar high pitched yell coming from Leonard’s flat. Jim chose to ignore it as usual as he moved to the sink to do dishes, trying to take his mind off of everything, off Leonard. This time though, there was no relenting in the yelling like usual. Sometimes the fights would go on for ten or fifteen minutes, but never this long. Jim frowned at the mumbled yells coming from next door as he dried and put away the dishes. The yells were getting louder and more clear when Leonard’s door suddenly flung open down the hall, banging loudly on the wall behind it. The high pitched yelling continued down the hallway and down the stairs until it eventually faded out into the night. Jim could hear Leonard slam his door closed while stomping around his flat. Jim wanted to go next door and make sure Leonard was okay but on the other hand, Jim figured Leonard was angry and needed time to cool off. He didn’t want to make it worse or awkward if Leonard didn’t want anyone around at the moment. So Jim chose to shower instead. Taking off his clothes and leaving them in a pile on the floor, Jim stepped into his already steaming shower. Not having to worry about getting a shower before all the hot water was used up was one of Jim’s favorite things about being on his own.Jim took his time in the shower as he washed and conditioned his hair and lathered up his body, washing every part he could reach with some absurdly strong body wash that he loved, it reminded him of Leonard. It was nearly 1am when Jim finally got himself out of the shower. Thankfully it was the weekend and he had no plans for tomorrow as he pulled on a pair of pajama pants and an old sleeping shirt. He crawled into bed, letting his damp hair soak into his pillow as he sighed softly as his face sunk lower, welcoming sleep. Jim was roused from his light doze when he heard a loud yell, eyes popping open quickly at the sound of glass shattering on the other side of his bedroom wall that soon followed. Jim quickly shuffled out of bed as quickly as he could without tangling himself in the sheets. To hell with being awkward or unwelcome, he was going to check on his friend. Dashing as quickly as he dared through his dark flat, he flung his door open slightly and ran across the dimly lit hallway to Leonard’s door. Jim knocked softly and waited a few seconds. Getting no reply only ramped up his worry as he tried the door knob. Thankfully the older man didn’t lock the door back amidst his rage as Jim twisted it slowly and made his way inside. “Len? Are you okay? I heard a crash and wanted to check on you.” Jim called out lowly into the flat that looked identical to his, except nowhere near decorated the same. It seemed as if there were no trace that Leonard even lived here. It looked as if Leonard’s girlfriend had done the honors of decorating and left Leonard’s opinion out of the matter as Jim looked around at all the pink lace and frilly pillows laying around on everything, feeling slightly nauseous. He suddenly didn’t feel quite so guilty about his lack of decorating skills.Jim wandered slowly through the dark flat, keeping his ears open for any sign of Leonard as he finally made his way around to where he thought his room was on the other side, which just so happened to be Leonard’s bathroom. Jim creaked the door open slowly while peeking around the door, almost afraid of what he might find.Jim’s heart sank to his stomach when he saw the scene. Leonard was sitting on the ground and had his back resting against the tub with his hands grasping onto his hair, almost looking like he was trying to pull it out. Across from Leonard was the bathroom mirror or what was left of it after Leonard got through tossing a whisky glass at it, shattering them both across the floor. “Len! Len are you okay?” Jim said after he got over his initial shock as he made his way over to his friend. Leonard made no indication that he had heard Jim as he sat on the floor, slowly rocking back and forth. “Hey…” Jim said softly, placing his hands on Leonard’s arms, trying to get the brunettes hands out of his hair so the could get a good look at the older mans face. “No!” Leonard roared suddenly as he thrashed against Jim suddenly, knocking the younger man on his butt. Jim quickly recovered as he tried to catch Leonard’s flailing arms. “Len it’s me! It’s Jim! Calm down buddy, it’s okay. Jesus, are you drunk?” Jim asked as he suddenly caught a strong whiff of booze coming from Leonard.“Jim?... Jim.” Leonard said softly, eyes glassy and unfocused as he stopped fighting after hearing Jim’s voice and realizing that it was really Jim beside him and not someone else. “That’s it big guy, it’s me, it’s Jim. Did you cut yourself?” Jim asked as he noticed a small but profusely bleeding cut on Leonard’s knuckle when he grabbed the older man’s hands to try and keep him from injuring them both. Leonard didn’t answer Jim who was still accessing the extent of Leonard’s cut but leaned into the other man, seeking unconsciously what comfort he could find. Jim frowned at the gesture, he hated seeing Leonard like this. “Alright, come on. You’re coming with me back to my flat. Hopefully.” Jim said as he ruffled Leonard’s hair ever so gently. His breath caught in his throat as the older man leaned into the touch. Jim fought back his feelings as he stood up slowly from the floor, trying to ignore the low whine that escaped Leonard’s chest from the loss of contact. Jim quickly went through Leonard’s cabinets, surely a doctor would have something here to bandage up a cut. After finally finding a small medical kit, Jim went back to the task of trying to peel Leonard up off the floor. He couldn’t count how many times someone else had to peel him off the floor but he didn’t have much experience on the other end. It went slightly better than expected as he crouched down and placed his arm around Leonard’s chest and hoisted the man up the best he could. It took some shuffling and a lot of re-balancing and trying to keep Leonard from falling face first in the bathtub, but somehow Jim managed. Jim readjusted Leonard against his side and slowly started the walk back the way he came, hoping against hope that Leonard’s girlfriend was gone for the night, he wasn’t looking forward to a confrontation right now.They shuffled slowly out of Leonard’s flat and down the hall back to the sanctity of his own place, kicking open the door and kicking it back closed behind them. Thankfully Leonard was still pretty sturdy on his feet or this would have been much more difficult. Jim finally managed to get Leonard back over to his couch and sat Leonard down with a soft grunt. The older man immediately collapsed into the comfy cushions, letting out a small groan as his eyes drooped closed. “Jesus, Len.” Jim muttered as he placed the medical kit on the cushion beside Leonard while keeping a close eye on his friend. Jim climbed over Leonard and lay behind the older man, making sure he was laying on his side and propping his head up slightly on a pillow, just in case. Leonard whined softly everytime he lost contact with Jim, making the blonde’s chest ache. Jim decided to take the chance as he slowly moved his hand across Leonard’s head before threading his fingers through the brunettes thick hair. Leonard groaned at the touch as he shuffled himself sloppily back toward Jim, his only source of comfort. Swallowing down everything that was bubbling in his chest, Jim continued to run his fingers through Leonard’s hair, alternating between light touches and firm. Soon Jim could hear Leonard’s breathing even out as the older man passed smooth out. “Finally.” Jim mumbled quietly as he removed his hand from Leonard’s hair reluctantly. “This will be easier for is both with you asleep.” Jim grabbed the medical kit and opened it up, setting out the supplies. Grabbing Leonard’s busted hand and placing it on a pillow, Jim got to work. He opened a couple packets of alcohol wipes and started the clean Leonard’s hand and the cut, thankfully the older was out cold or else Jim was sure there would be a lot of drunken yelling and protesting. After Leonard’s hand was as clean as Jim could make it, he grabbed some ointment and smeared some across the cut. Then Jim grabbed a sticky gauze pad and placed it the best he could over the slightly oozing cut. Figuring it was the best it was going to get, Jim sat Leonard’s hand back on the pillow. Jim then turned and looked down at Leonard’s face as he ran his fingers through Leonard’s hair once more, moving the hair out of the older mans eyes with a soft sigh. Jim then grabbed his remote and turned on the TV, turning it down low, resigning himself to a long night of keeping watch. Snorting awake at the sound of a loud groan, Jim hadn’t even been aware that he had even fallen asleep as the man against him stirred late the next morning. Biting his lip softly, he wasn’t sure if he should make a move to get up or not as Leonard’s back was practically curled against his chest. Leonard was extremely slow with his movements as he peeked open an eye, gathering in his surroundings. At first he didn’t know where or even who he was for a brief moment and then the smell hit him; Jim. The soft rustic smell of the outdoors and coffee that he adored, surrounded him and put him back at ease. Jim was silent and still, allowing Leonard to slowly wake up and come back to himself, still not exactly sure how Leonard would take their current close proximity. The brunette then slowly moved his bandaged hand up to rub his face before realizing it was bandaged up, he stared at it curiously, trying to remember what the hell happened the night before. “Jim?” Leonard croaked out softly with another small groan, still not realizing Jim was right behind him in his hung over stupor. “Morning, lushy. How do you feel?” Jim said softly with a small grin in his voice as Leonard jerked slightly in surprise at the closeness of Jim’s voice. “Wha’ happened?” Leonard mumbled as he turned his head slightly, peeking up at Jim through heavy lidded eyes. If Leonard thought their situation was weird, he made no indication, if anything he seemed to melt further into Jim’s chest, relishing the safety and comfort that was Jim. “Well I’m pretty sure you had another fight with your girlfriend and she stormed out and I assume you drank a gallon of alcohol, destroyed your bathroom mirror, cut your hand and now here you are on my couch.” Jim said as he went to move out from behind Leonard slowly, much to the olders mans protest as he let out a low whine, barely loud enough for Jim to hear. It made Jim’s heart ache that much more. “Did you...?” Leonard asked as he rubbed his face with his unbandaged hand before peeling back the gauze slightly to take a peek at the damage, leaning back into the warm space that Jim had occupied a moment before. “Yeah, I heard everything and went to find you after I heard the glass shattering. I lugged your heavy, drunk ass over here and cleaned you up the best I could.” Jim said with slight humor in his voice as he shuffled his way into the kitchen and turned on the coffee pot to start making coffee. Leonard didn’t reply to Jim verbally, only let out a soft sigh, followed by an ever so quiet sniff that Jim only barely heard. Jim didn’t bring attention to the sniff as he filled up a glass with water and made his way back to where Leonard lay, sitting the glass of the coffee table in front of the brunette. “Here, drink up. You wanna talk about it?” Jim asked quietly as he crouched down and helped Leonard sit up slowly so the brunette wouldn’t get a head rush. “I… it’s stupid.” Leonard whispered as he placed his head in his hands, trying to get his bearings and making sure his stomach was going to stay calm before he even attempted to drink any water. “It’s not stupid if it’s bothering you. I’m not going to judge you for it, you know that.” Jim said softly as he sat up and perched on the arm rest, waiting to see if Leonard wanted to open up. It was all but silent for a few moments, the sound of brewing coffee was the only thing that could be heard. “She lied to me.” Leonard started out slowly and as angrily as he could muster, spitting the words like venom as he gritted his teeth. “She lied to me, manipulated me to try to get me to stay. I told her I wanted to break it off but she said I couldn’t because she was pregnant, but she refused to prove it. I should have known then that something was wrong but it just didn’t click because I was so terrified of having a baby with her. It came to a head last night after I came home late and I told her to get out and that’s when she confessed accidentally in her anger that she was lying.”Jim’s mouth was hanging open during Leonard’s confession until the end when he shut it with an audible snap, squaring his jaw. The thought of anyone treating Leonard like that was setting his blood on fire and he wasn’t about to sit by any longer and let his friend get treated like that, his heart wouldn’t allow it. “Jim? What’re you…” Leonard asked as Jim suddenly popped off the side of the couch like it was on fire, turning on his heels and heading for the door. “Where are your things?” Jim asked simply through his clenched jaw, arms straight at his sides, balled into fists. “I, uh… in the bedroom closet mainly but why…?” Leonard asked dumbly as he stared at Jim’s rigid form, standing behind the couch. He had never seen the younger man get angry, ever, so this was new and it took him aback slightly. “Well you’re not going to stay with her are you?” Jim stated, not really a question because he was already praying for the answer that he hoped Leonard would give. “Well no… not after… but I don’t have anywhere else right now…” Leonard stuttered out quietly as he reached out for the glass of water, clinging to it tightly, wringing it slowly in his hands. “Of course you do.” Jim said with finality as he finished walking across his flat, slipping out of the door and back down the hall to Leonard’s flat. Entering back in, Jim went straight to the bedroom, ignoring everything else in the flat. The bedroom didn’t look much different than the living room when it came to too much frills and lace. Opening the large walk in closet, Jim had trouble finding anything of Leonard’s through the sheer volume of womans clothing as he tried to move everything out of the way.Finally finding a small section in the back that had Leonard’s regular clothes and his hospital scrubs, Jim started pulling it all out and laying it on the bed. Thankfully there were a couple boxes in the closet that let him put the few pairs of shoes the man had in them along with watches and anything else Jim could find lying around that he knew had to be Leonards. Jim gathered up as much as he could carry in his arms and began the short trip back to his flat. He kicked open the door and made his way to his kitchen table by memory and unloaded the armful of clothes with a soft grunt. “Jim, no, you don’t have to do this.I couldn’t...” Leonard protested weakly from the counter in front of the coffee pot where he was pouring two cups of coffee. Somehow by some miracle he had pried himself off the couch and made it to the kitchen. “Yes, I do. You really think that I’m going to let my friend go back to that? Hell no, we’re getting you out. You’re free to stay here as long as you need to. My friends aren’t an inconvenience.” Jim said firmly as he spun on his heels to go grab some more of Leonard’s things, not giving the man time to reply. Now it was Leonard’s turn to hang his mouth open, he couldn’t have protested to Jim if he wanted to, he wasn’t sure if he could even speak. He’d never been shown this much kindness from anyone in a very long time. It left him speechless and slightly guilty as he stirred his coffee slowly, trying to process everything through his still booze soaked brain. Jim seemed to work tirelessly, fueled by his anger at Leonard’s situation, anger toward the one who had done this to his friend as he made a few more trips to gather Leonard’s belongings. “Jim, stop.” Leonard finally spoke as Jim sat down yet another pile of belongings. Jim was content to ignore Leonard and continue his gathering when he was stopped by a gentle hand around his wrist. Letting out a soft sigh, Jim turned around to face Leonard. The brunette was wearing a small but warm smile as he gazed into the younger mans eyes. Jim wasn’t sure what Leonard was feeling as he watched several emotions dance across the older mans face. He didn’t have to guess much longer as he was swallowed up in Leonard’s tight embrace. Jim’s eyes went slightly wide as he was taken by surprise at the gesture, they had never really actually hugged before, not a full on hug anyway. Leonard’s grip faltered slightly as Jim stood stock still like a deer trapped in headlights, still in slight shock. Jim was brought out of his shock as he felt Leonard’s uncertainty, wanting to put the older man at ease, he finally got his arms to move and embraced Leonard back in an equally sturdy hug. They don’t know how long they stood there hugging each other but it seemed neither one was quite ready to let go, both content to stay in the comfort of each others arms. Leonard’s hands trembled slightly, as he breathed out a quick, heavy breath, causing Jim to hold onto him that much tighter. “Thank you, Jim.” Leonard said shakily as he pulled his head back ever so slightly and placed a soft kiss on the younger mans cheek. That caused Jim’s brain to completely short circuit and shut down as his heart began to race and pound in his chest. Did Leonard just do what he think he did? Something that Jim had only dreamed that Leonard would do these past couple of weeks?“Jim? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…” Leonard stuttered out, misinterpreting Jim’s sudden silence and rigid posture as he tried to pry himself out of the younger mans still firm embrace. Jim only just realized how long he had been standing there and how he was acting could have been seen for not wanting what Leonard had done and Jim was determined to let Leonard know that this was everything that he had been wanting. Throwing caution to the wind, Jim did the only thing he could think of at the moment. He kissed Leonard. He kissed Leonard softly, but passionately. It was the older man’s turn to freeze up, but thankfully it only lasted a few heartbeats before Leonard was kissing Jim back. He pressed himself further into the younger man, trying his hardest to get closer, to feel more of Jim. Jim responded in kind as he deepened the kiss, pulling Leonard impossibly close as he wrapped his arms protectively around the man in front of him. Leonard was never going to go through what he had been through ever again, not with him.Leonard clung to Jim’s shirt as they slowly parted lips, placing his head on the younger mans shoulder, nestling into the crook of Jim’s neck. Jim hummed in the back of his throat happily as he ran his fingers through Leonard’s hair briefly before slowly pulling back. “Go lay back down on the couch, you’re trembling.” Jim said softly as he brushed the hair out of Leonard’s face and kissed his forehead softly. “I’ll go grab the rest of what I had set out and then I’ll come back and make you something to eat, okay? Then we'll see about going to get the rest of your stuff, if you’re feeling up to it, before she comes back.”“Sounds good. Thank you, Jim.” Leonard said quietly, he wanted to protest, he didn’t want to leave Jim’s warm arms but the blonde was right. His legs were starting to shake slightly from his exhaustion and his head was starting to swim again so he reluctantly dropped his hands to his sides in defeat. Jim chuckled lowly, his heart was soaring and his head was suddenly filled with nothing but the man in front of him and taking care of him and ensuring he’s happy. It had been a long time since Jim had been this happy and he could only imagine that it had been a very long time for Leonard as well. That ends today; right now. Jim helped Leonard back to the sofa and got the older man comfortable with a pillow and the TV remote before he grabbed another glass of water and put it on the coffee table in case Leonard needed it. “I’ll be back soon.” Jim said quietly as he kissed the top of Leonard’s head softly, trying his best to ignore the small protests coming from Leonard as he stood up and left his flat once again. Jim tried his best over the next hour to grab anything and everything he could out of Leonard’s flat that he knew to be the older mans. He wanted to take care of it now in case the girlfriend came back suddenly and have any malicious intent for any of Leonard’s belongings. He had been through too many of those times before. Once he was satisfied for the time being as he looked at all the things on the table, he allowed himself to relax a little as he padded softly over to the couch to check on Leonard. The brunette was out cold with his face smashed on the pillow, glass of water only half drunk. Jim smiled broadly at the sight as his hands immediately went to Leonard’s hair as he ran them through the messy strands, causing the older man to stir. “Sorry, go back to sleep.” Jim whispered as he immediately withdrew his hand from Leonard’s hair. The older man protested and grasped for Jim blindly with a small whine, causing Jim to chuckle. Jim gently crawled over Leonard, nestling into the back of the couch. Leonard followed Jim immediately as he turned over slowly and nestled himself unapologetically close to the younger man.Jim’s smile widened as he embraced the older man as close as he could manage, resting his face in Leonard’s hair, breathing in his scent. Leonard relaxed immediately and was out once more like a light as Jim rubbed his back softly. Jim nestled his face deeper into the Leonard’s soft hair, letting his weariness take hold as he too succumbed to sleep, feeling at peace and complete for the first time in a very, long time.