Title: Upon the Highest Bough
By: geekwriter
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Rating: NC-17
Summary: They've never gotten to be together for Christmas before.

"You should call them tomorrow," Greg said softly.

"I thought you were asleep."

Greg slid closer to Nick and placed his hand on Nick's chest. "How am I supposed to sleep when you're wide awake and wracked with guilt?"

"It's not guilt." Nick sighed. "I'm just not used to sleeping in a strange bed."

"I maybe would have bought that line two years ago, but now? Nuh-uh."

"It isn't guilt. Really. I'm just..."

"Disappointed?"

"Yeah," Nick whispered, pulling Greg's body against his. "And...pissed. I don't think I've ever been so pissed at them before."

"Don't. It's Christmas."

"It's Christmas Eve."

Greg lifted his head up to look at the digital clock glowing green on the nightstand. "It's 2:36 in the morning. It's Christmas." He snuggled against Nick's chest. "You couldn't have done anything differently."

Nick stroked Greg's back lazily. "I know."

"They'll come around."

"You didn't hear them, Greg."

"I didn't have to. I saw your face when you got of the phone. That was enough. I don't want you to be upset. This is our first Christmas together. I want you to be happy."

"I am." Nick's fingers found the scar on the back of Greg's neck that he always touched without even thinking about it.

"If you want, I'm sure we can get you on a flight to Dallas in the morn-"

"No," Nick said sharply.

"You can't not go home just to spite them."

"It's not spite. You know that. And they know if they really wanted me there we would have come."

"I feel like this is my fault. I don't want you to be unhappy because of me."

Nick laughed softly and tipped his face down so he could kiss Greg's forehead. "Nobody makes me happier than you do."

"But they're your family."

"So are you."

Greg closed his eyes tight and pressed his face into the crook of Nick's neck.

"My sister can bring home some guy she's been seeing for three months but I'm not allowed to bring you? The man I'm going to spend the rest of my life with?" Nick shook his head. "If they're going to take me-to take us so lightly then I'm glad I'm here with you instead of with them pretending to be OK with them completely disrespecting who I am." He lifted his head up. "Are you crying?"

Greg sniffled. "No."

"Baby, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. You're just the most romantic boyfriend ever."

"I am?"

Greg nodded and sniffled again.

"What'd I say?"

"You said I was your family."

"You are. We are a family, Greg. You and me."

Greg reached up to touch Nick's face. "Yeah," he whispered, sliding his leg over Nick's. He kissed Nick's neck, propped himself up on his elbow so he could kiss Nick's jaw, his chin, his mouth.

"Your parents are just down the hall," Nick whispered.

"I'm just kissing," Greg said as innocently as he could manage.

"Yeah. I've been living with you for two years. I know what your kisses turn into."

Greg smiled against Nick's mouth as he slid his free hand down Nick's chest. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Nick grabbed Greg's wrist. "What if they hear us?"

"What if they do? I'm pretty sure they know I'm not saving myself for marriage."

Nick groaned as he pushed Greg away. "Come on, man. I'm a guest here. What are they gonna think if they find out I'm debauching their only child?"

"They know me well enough to know that I'm the debauched one." Greg grinned and touched Nick's mouth with his fingertips. "Plus, the fact that you're my boyfriend and that we're living together has probably already led them to conclude that we have sex. But if you don't want your extra-special Christmas blowjob, that's fine." He flopped onto his back and stared up at the ceiling.

"Greg."

"Hmm?"

"It's not...I mean it's not that I don't want to...are you mad?"

"No," Greg said honestly. "Amused but not mad."

"Your parents hearing us having sex is not funny."

"True. But you being terrified of them hearing us having sex is."

Nick sighed.

"It's OK," Greg whispered. "They go to church in the morning, anyway. We can fool around then."

"You don't go to church Christmas morning?"

"I'm agnostic, Nick."

"Yeah, but...not even on Christmas?"

"Well, you're free to go with them if you want. I'll just be here. Alone. In bed. Naked. Probably masturbating."

Nick groaned.

"Just me. Here all alone. Hands all over my body, touching myself in places that, honestly, I'd rather have you touch. But you'll be in church with my parents, so I'll just have to make do."

"Jesus."

"Well, he is the reason for the season."

Nick reached out for him. "Get over here."

"But what if my parents hear?" Greg asked as he slid towards Nick, placed one hand on Nick's hip.

Nick kissed him hard. "You bite your lip and we'll be fine."

Greg laughed softly as Nick shoved him onto his back and started kissing his way down Greg's chest, sliding his t-shirt up to stroke Greg's warm skin. "Well, I definitely am the most vocal of the two of us. However, you've been getting pretty good at letting yourself go and I'm not sure I should encourage you to keep it quiet in case it turns into a one step forward, two steps back kind of-" He gasped as Nick grabbed the waistband of his boxers and yanked them down.

"Shh," Nick whispered, lunging forward to kiss him. "No talking."

"You know that's not gonna happen."

Nick laughed as he pulled his own shirt off. "Fine. But keep it below a dull roar."

Greg arched up against him, groaned as Nick's cock rubbed against his own. He wished the lube wasn't so far away in his suitcase on the other side of the room but he wasn't going to stop to get it. It was good, anyway, it was Nick's body over his, hard and heavy, Nick's cock rubbing against his as he slid his hands up and down Nick's muscled back.

"You're such a little tease," Nick whispered against his ear. "You know what the thought of you touching yourself does to me. Know how I love it, love to watch you, see you so hard, so turned on..."

Greg smiled as he slid his hands down to grip Nick's ass and pull him closer. Then Nick's mouth was over his and they were both silent as they kissed, mouths opening, tongues tasting and exploring. Sweat began to form between their bodies, making them slide against each other and Greg just held on, just held on to Nick as they rubbed together and kissed frantically, hungrily.

They broke the kiss finally and Nick tipped his head down pressed his cheek to Greg's. Greg felt Nick's ragged breath hot against his hear, heard his soft, desperate moans, and when Nick came with a choking cry Greg came too, clinging to him and shuddering.

He held Nick against him, luxuriated in the weight of Nick's body over his until Nick sighed and rolled off him, collapsing onto his back.

"We made the bedsprings squeak," Nick said as he arched his back and stretched.

"Did we?"

"Mmm." Nick nodded. "I'm not gonna be able to look at them tomorrow without feeling guilty."

Greg laughed.

"I mean it. I know you think it's funny but I'm gonna feel weird."

"Don't worry about it," Greg said sliding his hand over his sweat slick chest. "They are in their 60's, you know. My dad's so deaf he needs hearing aids, though he'll never admit it. And do you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"That low, rumbling noise."

"Is that the freeway?"

"No. That's my dad. Snoring. He's so loud my mother wears earplugs to bed."

"So they didn't hear us?"

"I installed one of those flashing smoke alarms for the deaf in their bedroom because otherwise they'd sleep right through a normal one going off."

Nick slid his arm over until his hand touched Greg's, stroked his fingers gently. "So you were just gonna let me be worried about waking them up?"

"Well, you are cute when you're uptight." Greg laughed when Nick pinched him. He rolled onto his side and gazed at Nick in the dim light coming through the curtains. "So...you up for round two?"

"Give me a minute."

Greg smiled. "I'll get the lube." He leaned over and kissed Nick. "This is the best Christmas ever."

Nick grabbed Greg's wrist as he moved to get up.

"What?" Greg asked.

Nick pulled him down for another kiss. "I'm in love with you, you know."

Greg nodded and kissed Nick back. "I know. I'm in love with you, too."

"I vote we spend every Christmas with your family from now on."

"Well, once your parents come to their senses we can alternate years, just to be fair."

Nick sighed.

"They'll come around. They love you."

Nick stroked Greg's lower lip with his thumb. "I know. And I hope they do, because they're really missing out not knowing you. But if they never do it'll be OK, because I've got you."

"Are you gonna be all romantic and make me cry again?"

Nick shook his head as he pulled Greg close. "I never wanna make you cry."

Greg settled against him, slung his leg over Nick's hips. "I don't mind." He ran his fingers along Nick's collarbone. "I should get the lube."

"The lube can wait," Nick murmured as he closed his eyes. "Merry Christmas, baby."

Greg smiled as he closed his eyes, too. He knew Nick well enough to know that he was quickly dropping off to sleep. "Merry Christmas to you, too."