Title: By Darkness
Author: slashxyouxup
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Rating: PG13
Summary: After falling out over a tough case, it takes a power outage to make Nick realise what he’s got to do.
Warnings: Minor spoilers for S11xE6 – ‘Cold Blooded’.
Disclaimer: Writers lie – just like your parents.

Written for the ‘Cuddling in power outage’ prompt from my schmoop_bingo card.

“You’ve got to remember you’re not a cop anymore,” Greg pleads with Nick, who’s got his back against his locker – staring sternly at his boyfriend. “You can’t just go barrelling in to a scene head first, Nick.”

“I can’t just stand there and do nothing,” Nick argues back, arms crossed tightly over his chest. “That’s not who I am.”

“You’re not doing nothing, Nick. You’re doing everything. You’re doing everything you can to help these girls – they don’t need you to put your life on the line, and neither do I.” Greg’s eyes are wide and hopeful. He wants Nick to see it from his side, needs him to, but he just won’t.

“Greg,” Nick starts. “You’ve got to stop being so hypersensitive. We’re gun trained for a reason…”

“Yeah,” Greg interrupts. “So you can defend yourself if a suspect comes back on the scene and approaches you - not the other way around. The cops clear the scene and we analyse it.” Nick goes to argue back, but Greg kicks at a locker in anger. The sound shatters between them, and Nick snaps his mouth closed. “Damn it, Nick. I’ve come close to losing you before. Do not ask me to go through that again.” Greg turns and leaves, leaving Nick staring on – bewildered.


They don’t say anything to each other that isn’t about the case for the rest of shift. There’s none of Greg’s reassuring smiles or lingering touches, that look in his eye that makes Nick just know how much they love each other – how much they’re there for each other. Greg keeps a good distance between them and its killing Nick slowly, minute by minute.

Greg offers a little bit of a life raft in the layout room while Nick is looking so hopelessly over the charred up maps. Without a word Nick knows Greg’s standing behind him, he can feel it. From the sound of Greg’s shoes to the smell of his deodorant – he knows when Greg is near him.

“You wonder how a man with so many maps, is so damn lost,” says Nick, looking down at the burnt paper.

Greg steps further inside the room. “Maybe I can help you find your way.” Nick looks around to him and sees it in an instant – that look in Greg’s eye. He’s there for him.


Holding the grieving mother while she falls to pieces in his arms, Nick thinks about someone holding Greg like this. He thinks about someone knocking on Greg’s door to tell him that this time, Nick didn’t dodge the bullet and that there was no lucky escape. He thinks about Greg crumbling and falling, piece by piece on to the dirty desert ground as the whole world around him comes crashing down.

Maybe Greg did have a point.

Of course, any other person would run home instantly, encase Greg in their arms and apologise profusely until he finally accepted it. But Nick wasn’t like that. He was stubborn and hard headed – he was his father’s son god damn it. So they drive to the same apartment separately, maybe ten or fifteen minutes apart. Greg’s there first, and he’s already changed by the time Nick walks through the door. He’s on the couch, flipping aimlessly through the TV channels and making an effort not to look at Nick.

Nick sighs and heads for the bedroom, intent on stripping himself of his own work clothes. Usually Greg would do this for him, peal back each layer of the day until all that was left was the two of them, in their house and their own little world.

He’s just pulling up a pair of pajama bottoms when the lights in the bedroom and hallway flicker out. The TV in the living room is silenced, and Greg curses. Though he knows it’ll do no good, Nick wanders over to the bedroom light and flips it a few times. Nothing. He tries the TV in the bedroom. Again, nothing.

Nick stands in the bedroom for a few moments, letting the silence and darkness bathe over him. There’s an ache in his chest that tells him to go to Greg, you stubborn fool. So he listens to what’s thrumming through his heart and makes his way in to the living room.

Greg knows Nick’s never been so good at apologies, but he knows that sometimes – it’s not all about the words. So when Nick enters the living room and lies down on the couch, his head in Greg’s lap, he knows exactly what Nick’s trying to say.

“I miss your hair,” Greg whispers, rubbing his fingertips over the pinprick strands. Nick pushes up against the touch.

“I know,” he replies softly. “It’s just low maintenance this way.”

“I have fabulous hair and I’m still always ready before you,” Greg smiles, the expression growing even more as Nick chuckles. Greg traces Nick’s jaw line with a careful finger as the laughter fades away. “So, pretty hard case, huh?” he says after some time.

Nick closes his eyes and nods. “You can say that again.” Opening his eyes a few seconds later, he reaches up to press his fingertips against Greg’s lips. Greg takes a hold of Nick’s hand and kisses the fingers. “I promise I’ll never leave you,” says Nick quietly.

Greg kisses his hand again. “Good,” he replies.

“And I promise I’ll always be here for you, no matter what.” Greg smiles and starts to shift, turning his body and inching his way down the large couch until they’re lay side by side. He settles himself in to Nick’s arms, pulling them both in to a hug as he presses his face against Nick’s chest, taking in the fading scent of Nick’s aftershave.

Nick kisses Greg’s forehead and holds him tighter still. They stay like that until the lights come back on.