Title: Chance
By: sarcasticsra
Summary: Sometimes, things just happen.
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Rating: PG
A/N: Thanks for the beta, Kelly. ^^

The night had started out innocently enough. Greg and Nick had taken to hanging out together and they’d been watching a movie, both of them only on call that night. Greg had stolen the bag of popcorn from Nick, so a little light wrestling ensued. Greg had ended up pinned to the couch by Nick, both of them thoroughly flushed and their faces inches apart.

They’d kissed.

It had been a little awkward, being a first kiss and all, but mostly hot and something both of them very much wanted to repeat, so they had, until Nick’s beeper interrupted.

Work.

And now, here they were, working a case together - someone had complained about an abandoned car on the side of the road. The car had no plates but it did come with a complimentary dead body in the trunk, so it kept them busy.

They were processing, trying to keep their minds on the car and the victim instead of the whats, whys, and hows of the incident back at Nick’s.

It was awkward, to say the least.

*

Nick was a little confused. He wasn’t gay, no, he liked women. Of course he did. Sure, there had been the occasional twinge of attraction for another guy, but nothing... real, right? And he might’ve had a bit of a crush on Grissom at first, but really, who hadn’t?

But this whole... thing with Greg was a bit more than awkward sort-of flirting or some doe-eyed crush on the idea of someone rather than the actual someone. He liked Greg. They had a lot in common. They were good friends.

They’d kissed.

And oh, had he enjoyed it.

Nick needed someone to talk to.

*

Greg had never liked labeling himself. He liked what he liked, and if that was weird, so what?

Maybe he was bisexual, it didn’t really matter. What mattered was that he was very attracted to one Nick Stokes, who appeared to be attracted right back. If that kiss was any indication, anyway.

But Greg was wary. It was rather obvious that Nick had probably never been in any sort of relationship with another guy before, and on top of that, they were co-workers. Those sorts of relationships could get sticky.

Greg had to talk to someone.

*

“Hey, Warrick, man, can I talk to you?” Nick asked, later, as they were both finishing their shifts and heading into the locker room.

“Sure, what is it?”

“We’re friends, right? No matter what?”

“You didn’t kill someone, did you, man?” Warrick joked.

Nick laughed uneasily. “No, no, but well.” Nick stumbled over the words he normally used so smoothly. “Last night, when Greg and I got that call, we were at my place, watching a movie, right? Well, uh, something happened.”

“What, he and you have it out over something? You two were acting kinda weird tonight.”

“No, no, nothing like that. Uh, well, we kissed.”

Warrick blinked, and Nick tensed up, silently cursing his decision to tell Warrick until the man responded. “Kissed?” Warrick asked and Nick nodded. “Huh. Can’t say I ever would’ve guessed. You’re gay?”

“That’s just it, man, I don’t know. I mean, I like women, I’ve dated them, slept with them-”

“Uh, Nick? You ever heard of ‘bisexuality’?”

Nick stopped. “Oh.” It was so easy, so simple. He felt like an ass, and Warrick looked amused.

“Anyway, man, I don’t think you should need to hear me say this, but it seems like you do - I don’t give a shit who you sleep with, got it? So stop looking like you expect me to punch you.”

Nick looked sheepish. “Ah, yeah, I did need to hear that. Thanks. But now, with this - what do I do?”

Warrick looked like he was considering it. “It feel good?”

“Yeah. Yeah, it did.”

“Then go for it. Life’s too short.” He shot Nick a knowing look.

Nick nodded slowly. “Right.”

*

“Hey, Cath, can I talk to you?” Greg asked. He was about to go off shift, but Catherine was working late, again.

“Yeah, sure, Greg. Problem with a case?”

“In a way...”

Catherine looked up from her file. “Spill.”

“More like who I’m processing the case with.”

“You’ve got some problem with Nick?”

“Not really a problem, just a situation I need some advice on.”

“O-kay.” Catherine was suspicious now, Greg knew.

“Before we got called in, we were at his place, watching a movie. Well, uh, one thing led to another, and we kissed.”

To his surprise, Catherine smiled triumphantly. “Gil owes me twenty bucks.”

“Excuse me?”

“Never bet against me, kid.”

“Right. So, help? What should I do?”

“Well, you like him, he likes you. Seems simple enough to me.”

“But there’s the co-worker thing, and the thing where I’m pretty sure he’s never been in any relationship with another guy before.”

“Just be professional at work, and go slow.” She shrugged. “Now, if that’s all, I need to get to Trace, and then collect my winnings.”

Greg smiled. “Do I want to know what you two bet on?”

Catherine just winked and walked away.

*

They met at Nick’s place, again.

“Hey.” Greg smiled.

“Hi,” Nick replied.

Awkward silence reigned.

“We’re so stupid,” Greg commented.

“Pretty much,” Nick agreed. “C’mon, let’s go inside and talk.”

They ended up on the couch, again. The couch that started it all.

“Greg-”

“Nick-”

They looked at each other and sighed.

“Why is this so... hard? The kissing seemed to happen pretty easily,” Greg said.

“Naturally,” Nick added.

“You’ve never done this before?” Greg added. “Never been in any kind of relationship with another guy?”

“No, I haven’t.” He smiled. “You know, Warrick told me to go for it.”

Greg smirked. “Cath told me the same thing. And that Grissom owes her twenty bucks about something.”

Nick just shook his head. “Why does that not surprise me?” They laughed for a moment, letting most of the awkwardness dissolve into the air around them. “So why don’t we just... go with this? You know, let it happen. Let’s not force or rush anything.”
“I like it.”

So they were back to watching the movie. And if Greg happened to be sitting a little too close to Nick, or if Nick’s arm ended up around Greg, or even if they ended up kissing again, so what?

Sometimes, things just happened.


-End