Title: Best In Me
By: sephirothflame
Pairing: David/Nick
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I don't own CSI (If I did, Hodges would make it in the starring credits... Right between Nicky and Greggo...)
Summary: Hodges liked Nicky.
A/N: Well, I didn't know how to summarise this. It's just... wierd. I was listening to my MP3 player when it hit me. Based off of Best In Me by Blue. (Fricken' genious((es?)) that band...) Originally posted on dhodges on LiveJournal.

Everyone fancied someone from one time or another. A teacher, a friend, a co-worker, there wasn't anything weird about it. It was the same with him, only for him, he fancied a co-worker. He'd long since learned that Nick Stokes was a great guy. He was kind, smart and beautiful. Needless to say he was the kind of guy who wouldn't look twice at him. Everywhere the guy went people flirted with him. It was a fact of life. That didn't stop him from fancying Nick, it just made him realize he didn't stand a chance.

They worked together for about three years now, and not once did Nicky find out. He kept the same nonchalant attitude that he didn't with everyone. That cold, sarcastic, bugger-off attitude that everyone had come to know and hate. Rumor was he was nicer to Nick, but it was just that, a rumor. The CSI liked to pretend that he was biased, so that they would have a valid reason for being pissed off. Saying 'he's a sarcastic ass' didn't really seem to count (but it was true).

Sometimes he watched Nick. (Sometimes meaning most of the time, when he wasn't working and when Nicky was around.) He swears he didn't watch him as much as Archie and Jacqui claimed he did, but they don't believe him. As he watched Nicky, they watch him. And they know he wants Nicky, and they know he thinks he'll never get him. (It was kind of confusing, really). Being as it was, (Archie being a great friend, and Jacqui starving with desire to hook anyone up), he didn't get much of a chance to have normal conversations with the Texan.

Jacqui offered to hook them up, saying she could make it possible. He'd been his normal sarcastic self, and told her to bugger off in his own round-about way. That didn't stop her. More then once he'd 'accidentally' bumped into Nick (Where Jacqui was pushing him or Nick in a certain direction depended on the time). He acted pissed, acted like he wanted her to stop but Jacqui got the subtle message that was his thanks. That light in her eyes when he told her off.

The female tech's attempts ranged from intense, in-depth schemes to simple ones involving spilled sodas. Nothing seemed to work, and if Nicky caught on (or if anyone else did, for that matter) nothing was said. Jacqui's desperate attempts to get them together weren't complete failures (actually, they were). It was amazingly simple when it happened, and only the two of them new what was going on.

He didn't slip in a puddle of water, or get toxic chemicals burned into his skin, he didn't even choke on a cheeto (this one was Jacqui's last attempt, but hadn't even started out on their list of 'How To Get Them Together' List. He really had been choking). The two of them weren't even alone when it happened, they had been in the locker room and Cath and Sara had been there talking about something else.

It started out with a slammed locker, and a startled squeak of pain. All eyes were turned to the Trace Tech as he cradled his fingers to his chest, resisting the urge to suck them. (Did sucking even really help the pain?). Nick had taken his hand, examined the slowly bruising finger, off handedly saying that he should put ice on it. The two looked at each other, and Nick smiled gently. That oh-so pure and unfakeable caring smile.

Catherine and Sara asked if he was okay, although David didn't remember hearing them. Nick squeezed his hand gently, and let it go. If all he had to do was slam his ring finger in a door to get Nick's attention, he would have done that long ago. The moment was simple, and not at all how Jacqui had hoped it would happen (but she was teary-eyed all the same at the new development). Nick invited him to join him for breakfast, and he accepted.

Ever since then, they'd eat breakfast after shift everyday, and sometimes splurging and going for dinner too. It had been like walking on egg-shells. They'd made cracks, but had never fallen through. He was reluctant, and Nicky was patient. They were almost always together, laughing and joking. And despite what the others thought, he had changed (for better or for worse). He liked to think he was still sarcastic and bitter, and he still definitely acted as if he was on top of the world, but the Techs new better. Warm smiles and less of that infamous snark.

No one noticed when the two of them got together, it had been weeks (or maybe months?) in bliss, and neither of them seemed ready to let it fall through. Well, that was to say until recently. Nick had been looking in the microscope, and subconsciously wound his hands together with the Trace Techs. The only bad part was see-through walls. So, of course, just about everyone noticed. But the two males didn't care. If they wanted to say something, let them.

They brought out the best in each other, and if anyone wanted to disagree, well, they'd have to get through Jacqui.