Title: Confessional
By: flipflopadd1ct
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Rating: PG
Summary: Greg was just expecting to get a cup of coffee.

***

Greg found it odd how quiet and how empty the lab seemed. Everybody was busy, but not active, and the absence of the usual hustle and bustle was alien to him.

Not having anywhere he needed to be, Greg turned the nearest corner and made his way into the break room, where he found Nick poring over a case file. Pouring himself a cup of his Blue Hawaiian, Greg sat down next to Nick.

"What's up, Nicky?" Greg asked.

"Stressing over this night club case," Nick replied without looking up. He exhaled loudly and slowly raised his eyes, spotting Greg's mug. "You mind getting me one of those?"

"No problemo." Greg grabbed a Styrofoam cup from the dispenser and filled it close to the brim then handed it to Nick. Nick took it gratefully, nodding his thanks.

Greg noticed for the first time how exhausted Nick looked. His hair was a mess, dark circles defined his eyes, and Greg was pretty sure Nick hadn't had a good night's sleep in several days. Nick looked more vulnerable than Greg had ever seen him. It was as if Nick's case had somehow incarnated itself and promptly kicked Nick's ass, tearing down any defenses he might have had in the process.

Greg wondered where this conversation was heading.

"This case is just too much," Nick spat suddenly. He leaned back in the rolling chair, both hands resting on his head. "I mean, this kid's, like, nineteen and decides to check out a gay club for the first time. He ends up dead in a nearby alleyway, and it looks like a hate crime but we've got nothing. It's not right."

"You're right. It's not," Greg replied with a nod.

"His best friend said he didn't even know if it was actually gay – yet someone killed him because of it. He was just looking for fun, just wanted to experiment..."

As if a light bulb just clicked on, a different light seemed to fill Nick's eyes. He shuffled his chair closer to Greg. "Have you ever thought about that kind of thing? Your sexuality, like maybe you're not who everyone thinks you are?" Nick asked, his voice so soft it was almost inaudible.

"...I've thought about it," Greg replied evasively. Greg didn't want to say "Yes, Nick, I'm gay" until he knew for sure where this conversation was heading.

"It's just...this case has made me think about myself more than I ever have before. And I – I think I might be gay."

Woah. Knowing Nick, revealing that much was an incredible display of trust.

"I wondered that same thing about myself once." Greg was keeping his true emotions hidden. Really, he couldn't be happier, but Nick probably didn't need over-exuberance right then.

"Then are you..."

"Yeah, Nick."

"How'd you know?" Nick scooted his chair even closer. A knee was brushing against one of Greg's.

"You just...know. And then you accept it."

Nick took several careful glances around the room. No one else was in sight, neither down the halls nor near the door. They were alone.

"Um. Can I kiss you?" Nick said, unsteady hand dropping onto the arm of Greg's chair.

As much as Greg wanted to say "Yes, God, yes!" this was not the time and certainly not the place.

Reluctantly, he shook his head. "I don't think—"

"Please? I just need to know. I think a kiss will help. Especially if it's from you," Nick added.

"Alright...a quick one, then..."

Nick checked their state again (they were still alone) and then leaned forward. Greg did the same until their lips merely grazed. Nick was unsure at first but Greg tried to encourage him by taking the lead, and soon Nick had opened his mouth and let Greg have access. Nick grew bolder by the second. Too quickly their kiss became too heated for a place like the lab.

Greg broke it off, saying "Nick, stop." Nick mumbled a sheepish apology, but he was grinning.

Greg pulled away until an inconspicuous distance between him and Nick, and it struck Greg again how haggard Nick looked.

"Did that help?"

"Yeah. Uh, are you..." Nick punctuated his sentence with a nod towards his crotch.

"Kinda. That's why we shouldn't have done that here," Greg winked. "You should have waited for me in the parking lot or something."

Nick didn't immediately respond, his smile fading into a frown.

"I just keep thinking how that could have been me," Nick said when he spoke again. "You know? Hell, that kid was fifteen years younger than me but the same thing could have happened..."

Greg nodded because Nick's words were unfortunately true.

"Thanks, Greg. I think I needed that."

Greg smiled. "You're welcome. But I think what you need is a day off and a good night's sleep. Go watch some birds or something."

That earned him a laugh and a smile.

"Good idea, I'll talk to Grissom about it. The case is running cold, anyway...hey, Greg?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think you could, uh, swing by my place after work? Just to talk, hang out, maybe...I could really use someone like you right now."

"Yeah, Nick, definitely," Greg answered with a reassuring hand on Nick's shoulder.

"Thanks, man. I'm gonna go find Grissom, then."

Greg's gaze followed Nick out the break room door and he was left to wonder if the past ten minutes had really happened.

But the memory of Nick's lips on his own was persistent, and if anything could convince him it was that.

***