Title: Two Steps Behind
By: Loretta
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Rating: PG-13
A/N: Slight spoilers for 'Secrets & Flies'. Written for the Missing Scene prompt at Wordclaim50, my word is 'touch'.
Summary: Greg has a hard day at work.

Greg knew he would have a hard time talking with Bobby. And he knew he didn't do a very good job of covering his thoughts - but how was he supposed to keep a straight face when every time he looked up at that smiling, handsome face he saw his very own private piece of gay porn?
Add to this the knowledge that Bobby KNEW what Greg was thinking and you had yourself an 'oh jeez, this is awkward' moment. Thankfully, Bobby was as pleasant as ever, even laughing a little to try and let Greg know he was ok with it.


Now, it was no surprise to Greg that Bobby was gay, but he hadn't pegged the ballistics tech as a 'get-some-at-work' kind of guy. Ok, so dry humpin' (as Nick so elegantly referred to it) wasn't technically getting some- and, yeah, it probably wouldn't qualify as porn, but the sounds that were coming from Archie? Now those would definitely qualify as porn, or at least the soundtrack to one, in which Archie would always wear that red shirt and walk around with his thumbs tucked into the pockets of his low slung jeans, waiting for the next guy to notice his 'come-fuck-me' look.

Fuuuck. That thought went straight to Greg's groin causing him to grimace slightly and intensify his man hunt. Where the hell was Nick? The fifteen minutes Greg had spent looking for one very absent Texan was doing nothing for his current condition. But the vivid image of Bobby touching Archie there certainly was. If this took any longer he'd have to just take care of it himself or not at all. But he so wanted to show Nick there really was a benefit to working together in a building designed like a rat maze.

Nearing the A/V lab, he tried to keep his glance short, looking only to see if Nick was there. But as his luck would have it this evening, Archie was looking directly back at him like he'd been waiting for Greg to appear, eyes sparkling with humor and just a tinge of satisfaction. Greg's return smile was quick and just as good humored, but came with an added intense flush spreading up his neck and over his face. The intimate scene he had witnessed between Archie and Bobby was still very fresh in his mind, playing in an almost continuous spine tingling loop, if he were to be honest. They were two of the most reserved (and undeniably attractive) friends and coworkers he had, yet here he was blushing like a virgin at an orgy. So instead of hurrying past to continue his search for Nick, Greg strolled into the A/V lab. What did he have to lose? He'd already made a fool of himself with Bobby.

"Hey, Arch."

A grin unrivaled by that of the Cheshire cat's spread over Archie's boyish face. "Greg. Can I help you with something?"

He asked, unaware of the man with the hard-on. Greg cleared his throat, feeling even more flustered than he had with Bobby. Now he knew why when Nick talked about watching porn with Archie at work, he seemed a little more blown away than usual. Of course, he should have known it had nothing to do with hot women who bit.

The CSI squirmed a little trying to find a comfortable stance. He was officially at a loss for words. A first, if you didn't count being unable to respond to Archie's enthusiastic, fannish comments about some recent sci-fi flick with more than a smile and a nod.

"Should I be flattered by your silence?"

Greg laughed, snapped out of his thoughts by Archie's teasing appraisal. "Yeah, you could say that."

"But you still want to ask me something, don't you?"

Biting his lip, Greg only hesitated for a second before getting it out. "It's the accent, isn't it?"

Archie's smile softened, a mix of affection and bashfulness. He leveled his gaze on his friend, deep brown eyes genuine. "It's one part of a long list."

"I can relate." Greg squirmed again, thinking of another set of brown eyes darkened by desire.

Now it was Archie's turn to laugh. "I hate to rub salt in the wound, Greg.. but I'm pretty sure Nick just went out on a call."

Groaning his embarrassment and frustration, Greg made for his meeting with one Duane McWane convinced that the universe had joined Archie in laughing it's ass off at him right now.