Title: Buttercup
Author: CSI_Nightowl
Pairing: David/Nick
Rating: PG
Warnings: slash, language
Spoilers: Unfriendly Skies
Summary: Nick has some explaining to do.
Disclaimer: I don't own CSI or its characters. If I did there would be a new episode every week.
A/N: I got the idea for this after watching "Unfriendly Skies" and it wouldn't leave me alone till I wrote it. Yes, I realize that David wasn't on the show at the time of that episode but for the purpose of this story, I'm pretending he was. Please read and review.

"Honey, I'm home." Nick called as he threw his keys on the table. When there was no response he headed to the living room. "There you are."

The man sitting in the recliner slowly looked up. "You're here."

"Wow, David. Your powers of deduction are amazing. You should be a CSI." Nick teased.

David glared.

"Is everything ok?"

"No."

"What's wrong?"

"I can't believe you even have to ask?"

"You're mad at me. Why?" Nick was stunned. "I know I'm late but I was stuck working the airplane case."

"I'm sure you hated every minute of it too." David stood and walked toward their bedroom.

Nick grabbed him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I heard about your little recreation. It's all over the lab. Did you have fun with Warrick?"

"Don't tell me you're jealous cause Rick and I pretended to be that married couple."

"I'm going to bed."

"David, Grissom handed out the parts. He made us do it."

"Oh I see." David sneered. "I guess Grissom made you call Warrick buttercup too."

"That's what this is about?" Nick asked trying to hide his amusement.

"I do not find it funny." David said as he tried to get passed Nick.

"David, you hate it when I call you buttercup."

"That doesn't mean you can go around calling another man that."

"I can't believe you're mad about this."

"I'm not mad." David mumbled.

Nick thought about it for a minute and realized David wasn't mad. When he was mad, he yelled and cursed. He hadn't raised his voice once. Actually he was pretty quite and if Nick would move he'd go to bed. That could only mean he was hurt.

"Baby, I didn't mean to hurt you. You know you're my only buttercup."

"Then why did you say it to him?"

"I don't know. I guess I was reacting the way I'd react with you."

"Oh, so the thought of that bossy woman reminded you of me?"

"No. I'm sorry. It was a stupid slip of the tongue."

David looked down at the floor. "When I first came to Vegas I suspected there was something between you and Warrick. But I believed you when you said there wasn't."

"There's not. I love you, no one else. And I've never felt any attraction to Warrick, EVER."

"How would you feel if I called somebody else cowboy?"

"I wouldn't like it." Nick admitted. "I really am sorry. Forgive me?"

"Just don't do it again."

"I promise." Nick said as he leaned in and kissed David.

******

"Nick."

"Yeah."

"How did you come up with buttercup anyway?"

"Huh?" Nick stalled. "I thought we settled the buttercup issue yesterday."

"We did. I'm curious how you came up with it. Did your parents use it?"

"No."

"Well, how then?"

Nick tried frantically to think of a lie but drew a blank. "You don't want to know."

David raised an eyebrow. "I definitely do now. Spill it, Cowboy."

"Promise not to get mad?"

"Oh, this can't be good."

"When I was a kid, Cisco bought home a horse." Nick held his hands up as David started to say something. "Let me finish. This particular horse was a handful. Nobody could get close to him. He didn't seem to like people."

"I know you are not comparing me to a horse."

"Cisco decided I should take care of him." Nick continued, ignoring David's remark. "The horse was intimidating at first. But over time I realized that he had been treated badly by his previous owner and was just scared. After a while, he got used to me. I was the only one he'd let near him."

"Interesting story but what does that have to do with anything?"

Nick grinned. "His name was Buttercup. You remind me of him"

"I remind you of a horse?"

"Yeah, you weren't exactly friendly when we first met. You were scared to let your guard down."

"Are you going to keep digging this hole?" David glared.

"Most people would think it's sweet." Nick said defensively.

"Most people are idiots."

"See, you don't like people either."

"I swear if you say anything about riding that horse, you are sleeping on the couch for a month."

"Well, I was the only one who could ride him." Nick mumbled then took off running.

"You are in so much trouble." David chased Nick through the house. They ended up in the bedroom where David tackled the other man, knocking both of them onto the bed.

Nick laughed. "This is so much better than the couch, don't you think, Buttercup?"

"What am I going to do with you?" David sighed.

"Any damn thing you want." Nick said wiggling his eyebrows.