Title: First Impressions
By: kennedy
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Rating: G
Summary: Just a bit of fluff, inspired by the original title of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice", where the original meeting between the boys was less than auspicious.

***

"Just dropping off some tests."

Nick Stokes threw his pile of evidence baggies onto the desk in front of the figure hunched over a microscope. He had already turned and was out of the door, when he was stopped by a voice.

"Yeah, nice to meet you too."

Nick turned back. "Oh, you're new."

The younger man with the crazy hair stared at him evenly. "Obviously."

Nick realised he had been rude, although he hadn't intended to be. "Sorry, it's been a hellish morning. You'll realise... well, every morning here can be hellish." He offered his hand. "Nick Stokes."

The hand was shaken firmly. "Greg Sanders."

"I forgot the new guy was starting today."

"Well, here I am."

"Did somebody show you around?"

"I was given a two second tour."

Nick glanced down, and noticed the leather wristcuff the new guy was wearing, a red star on a black background. "Does that mean something?"

Greg turned his band towards himself. "Oh, this? No, it's just a symbol of my Wiccan faith."

Nick almost took a step back. "Uh, Wiccan? As in witches?" He should have guessed just from the look of Sanders, with the shock of hair which was at least three different colours that he was dealing with some form of "˜individual'.

"Yeah, I'm the leader of my coven."

Silence fell.

He couldn't take the look on Nick's face anymore. Greg burst out laughing. "Geez, dude! Look at you!"

"What?"

"It's just a wrist band. An accessory. No meaning."

Nick could feel an embarrassed flush creep up his neck.

"Okay. Fine." He always hated appearing gullible. Coming from a conservative Southern background, he tended to take things at face value still, no matter how long he had been in Vegas now and seeing all that he had. He still hoped it would be something that would erode with time.

Greg realised that this first impression wasn't going too well. "Anyway, when do you want the results back?"

"ASAP." Nick said stiffly. "See you round."

What a freak. He thought to himself as he headed back to his office. And that's saying something, for this city.

Back in the lab, Greg scratched absentmindedly at his cheek. Mental note, don't ever flirt with the Texan again.

----

As the morning sun hit them , six years to the day when they had first met in the lab, Greg and Nick began to stir awake knowing that the alarm would be going off any moment and that it would be time to get ready for work.

Nick snaked an arm around Greg's waist. "Happy anniversary."

Greg smiled. "I thought you'd forgotten."

"The day we met? Hardly."

"You hated me."

"I didn't hate you."

"I liked you from the first moment."

"Yeah, well you're smarter than me." Nick nuzzled at his neck.

I love my little freak, he thought contentedly.

I love my Texan, Greg thought as he whispered against Nick's ear, "Happy anniversary."

***