Title: Desert Heat
Author: slightly_frayed a.k.a. Fraying
Rating: PG-13 for this particular part/chapter, I think. I'm not particularly great when it comes to rating things. There's some coarse language, but nothing sexual or graphic. Part 2 will be different, though...
Genre: Nick/Greg Pre-slash.
Spoilers: Nada.
Summary: Long car rides sometimes contain strange conversations (and perhaps even the odd confession).

***

They'd been driving for almost 3 hours through the middle of the desert, and Greg could feel the sun penetrating the window and burning his skin. What a case it had been. He didn't think he'd ever understand what went through the minds of some people. He wasn't sure he even wanted to. At this particular moment, he was content just to sit and watch Nick breathe as he drove.

The heat was ridiculous. It was bad enough in the city, but driving in a black truck in the middle of the desert at 2 p.m. was probably the last place on earth he'd ever want to be again. It wasn't all bad, though. He'd been within two feet of Nick for the past 3 hours, and alone with his thoughts due their mutual exhaustion. He was sure words hadn't passed between them since the 'Let's Go Home' that seemed so far away in his memory now. Let's go home. Yes, let's please go home. Together. So I can peel the clothes off of you and taste the desert on your skin.

It wasn't good when Greg had too much time on his hands, and too much Nick on his mind. Especially considering their close quarters at the moment. He forced his eyes off of Nick, in hopes that the older man wouldn't notice how long he'd been the subject of Greg's undivided attention.

"I want you." The words spilled out of Greg's mouth, and he wasn't sure if he'd actually said them or if the heat had finally gone to his head. He was hoping desperately for the latter to be true.

"What?" Nick snapped out of his dream-like state of consciousness and turned to look at Greg. He wasn't sure he'd heard what the younger man said. In all honesty, he wasn't sure if he'd heard anything at all.

"Huh?" Greg pretended to be surprised. "I didn't say anything." He cleared his throat.

"Are you sure, man?" There was a bead of sweat that danced on his neck when he spoke.

Greg nodded a little too forcefully and for too long. "Yup. I'm sure. Sure as uh-- Yeah, I'm sure."

"You don't get carsick, do you Greg? You want me to pull over? You don't look good."

"Pffft, nah. I'm fine. Good, even. Y'know what? I'm great." He was sure he'd lost his mind, so he closed his mouth and refused to let any more words escape. He was actually starting to feel a little sick now. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Just shut up.

"Okay then..." Nick looked concerned, but he kept driving. It was fifteen more minutes of awkward silence before he spoke again.

"Hey Nick?"

"Yeah?"

"If I were to tell you that I was madly in love with you and I thought about you for every second that I spend awake in a day, what would you think?"

"What?"

"You heard me." What the fuck is wrong with me? Why would I say that?

"Are you sure you're feeling okay? Have you had any liquids today? Because water stops you from getting heat stroke. Do you want some water? I have some in the back that I can get if you want it..." Nick was nervous now, too. And rambling. He wasn't ready for this to happen today.

Of course he knew about it before. He'd noticed Greg's gaze lasting just a little longer than it should have when they talked. And the way Greg always reported to Nick what he'd found out back when he worked DNA, no matter who else was on the case with him. He'd even reciprocated in the tiniest of ways. But he wasn't ready yet. Not today.

"Greg..."

"Never mind. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to--" Greg started, but Nick was already pulling over to the side of the road.

Fuckfuckfuckfuck... Greg knew he shouldn't have said anything.

"Look, Greg, I know how you feel about me, and..." Just tell him you're not interested. Tell him you're straight and you don't dream about him at night and you don't burn your eyes into the back of his head when he's turned away...

"I said never mind. It's fine. I totally understand, and I..." Greg would have done anything at that moment to erase what he'd said.

"Greg, shut up." And before Greg had time to look hurt or confused, or come up with some sorry excuse for what he'd said, his mouth was full of Nick's.