Title: Eighty Miles per Hour in Second Gear
By: Mickeylover303
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Rating: PG-13
Words: 1183
Summary: Nick and Greg reach a new point in their relationship.

***

"Your car sure looks filthy." Greg looked at the Denali, caked in dried mud, dust, and grime.

And dead insects.

"Not much dirtier than yours, Einstein." Nick appeared by Greg, who was peeping through the blinds of his bedroom window. "Why are you peeking through the blinds?"

"I don't know why I'm doing this." He paused, thinking the question over. "But it kind of feels like I'm a spy or something because I'm in your room."

Greg removed his fingers, which were holding two separate panels. "And dude, my car is so much cleaner than yours."

"A spy?" Nick asked as Greg moved through peer through the blinds, again. "I just haven't washed it, yet." He too, opened a section of the blinds and peered at his own Denali, which was pretty much as Greg had said.

Nick had been pulling overtime for the past week, which, coincidentally, was how long it had been raining. So it was no wonder why his car was so...Filthy.

"I actually get on my hands and knees to scrub mine clean. You take the easy way out." Nick said accusingly.

"I think I have the right to have to use the car wash."

"Yeah, on what circumstances?"

"I have an automatic car." Greg said simply, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Though he wondered if Nick would make the connection between an automatic car and an automatic car wash.

But maybe this one was too subtle.

"Since when is that a reason?" Nick himself preferred his manual. Specially made, too. Since not many American companies manufactured them. But the extra money towards it was well worth it.

The power and control Nick felt when his hand tightly gripping the stick. Going up and down in the familiar motions. Downshifting, letting off the clutch and pressing hard on the gas.

His palms slick with excitement as he went against some nutcase who thought he could outrace him with an automatic worthless excuse of a car.

But he never voiced this to Greg, who strongly believed that automatic cars would pave the road to hover cars.

A belief that was going twenty-one years strong.

"It's an automatic, and since you like manual transmission-"

"Oh no. Don't even go there." Nick did in fact understand where Greg was going with that one. Since Greg's car was an automatic, he didn't have to do any manual labour in order to keep it clean.

It was bad enough Nick could discern Greg's more tactile jokes, but it started to worry Nick when he could see the logic behind them.

"You'll never get me to learn stick." Greg removed his attention from their cars, turning it instead to Nick. "Unless..." He trailed off, placing his hand on Nick's shoulder.

Nick startled by the new weight, moved his concentration from the blinds to the other man. He looked at Greg's hand; attempting to will it away by his glare alone.

Looking back, Nick would be able to make the connection between Greg's sexual drive and cars, but for now, he added it to his ever-growing list of quirks that made Greg unique.

So far he had been comfortable with their relationship, but not so much that he was ready to progress beyond simply kissing and groping. And as much as he liked Greg, he didn't think he was prepared for the actual act of sex.

Rather, he didn't think he would be able to hold back.

But it was difficult to turn down a sultry Greg, who had begun leading Nick to a chair. A rather comfortable chair, Nick thought, as Greg trapped him in between his legs. Creating the initial friction, that without caution, could lead things out of control.

And possibly ruin the fragile beginnings of his and Greg's relationship.

"Greg." Nick stilled himself, torn between wanting this moment and feeling the need to end it before it got out of hand.

"Hmm...?" Greg answered, but more focussed on moving his body above Nick's. Drawing out the motions, slowly affirming body contact through their clothes.

Nick watched as Greg held on to the armrests of the chair. Leisurely lifting and lowering himself, barely making contact with Nick's body. "That feels...Yeah...Feels good, but don't you think...Don't you think we're ...Uh, going a little too fast?"

It didn't effectively sober the other man, but it didn't stop his painfully slow gyrations, either. "What are you...What are you talking about?"

"I mean," He paused as their groins began to make continued contact, Greg now resting directly on him, circulating his hips into him. Nick almost gave in to his carnal desires. The urge to return Greg's thrust beginning to haze his misgivings. "It's only been...A couple of weeks since...Oh God...Since we started dating."

Greg groaned. "So...Uh...What's your point? It's not like we've...Had sex or...Anything."

"I just want to..." Nick began to move his hips, trying to match Greg's rhythm. "I want to..." The sensations were becoming overwhelming, almost overbearing. "Want to slow it down...a bit."

Greg immediately stopped in his ministrations. "Stop?" He looked down at Nick with something akin to fear on his face.

"Not now." Nick tried to arch into Greg, hoping to create more friction between them. "Later, but not now." He growled when Greg began to pull himself away.

"No." But Greg got off Nick, who tried to grab his hips but pitifully missed. "I'm not pressuring you to do something you're not ready for." He sighed as he stood. Any previous arousal instantly gone.

"Well, obviously I'm ready now." Nick rose from the chair, a predatory look on his face. Moving towards Greg, who tried to back away from an advancing Nick.

"Didn't you say-" Greg was taken unawares as felt the back of his knees hitting the edge of Nick's bed.

So focussed on distancing himself from Nick, he began to fall backward. Reaching out towards nothing. His arms flailing as he fell onto the softness of Nick's bed, immediately prompting the other man into laughter. "Laugh it up, Nicky."

Still snickering, Nick landed more gracefully beside Greg. "That effectively ruined the moment."

Aware of Nick's eyes on him, Greg turned to the wall of the room. Trying to avoid Nick's penetrating gaze. "A moment you didn't want."

"No, wait." Nick, in a move to explain himself, hastily seized Greg's arm. He tugged it gently, drawing Greg's attention to him. "I know I've been giving mixed signals about this whole...Sex thing."

Greg laughed softly, trying to conceal his unease at the situation. And the shame of almost forcing Nick into doing something he clearly didn't want. "No kidding."

"Hey." Nick whispered, giving Greg a light smile. "I'm sorry."

His mouth took hold of Greg's lips. Instilling every feeling he could muster to alleviate the other man's insecurities. Making sure Greg knew that he did want a relationship. But he also wanted to give it time to grow.

"Nick..." Greg stared at him, his cheeks flushed and lips bruised by the intensity of Nick's kiss.

"I just think that we should-"

"Wait?"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."