Title: Hands Tied
By: it-glitters
Pairing: Greg/Nick
Fandom: CSI: Vegas
Rating: NC-17
Series: 1) Darkness Moves, 2) Perfect Deviant, 3) Public Displays, 4) Shared Toys
Warnings: violence, rape/non-con, other pairings
Summary: A bit of a gentler chapter - the boys talk a bit, and then Greg breaks down.

***

Nick did his best to stay away from Greg during shift – without making it seem like he was avoiding the younger man. At the end of shift, Nick was gathering his clothing so that he could change in the bathroom stall so no one would see the marks Greg had left earlier in the week.

When he came out, he overheard Greg shamelessly flirting with Sara. Nick felt the knives in his heart again. That was the problem with Greg's flirting – Nick was never sure if it was all in good fun, or if it was something real. Nick decided that if Greg wanted to be with him tonight, he would ask if he was the only one. Nick felt that he was – but the more he learned about Greg, the more he had learned about Greg's sexual history.

Nick had known from the start that Greg's number was high, but he hadn't ventured a guess until the coming out party. Nick had seen the way the people acted around Greg – the quick looks, the repositioning of bodies, outright propositions – they had been with Greg – and there so many of them.

Nick lurked around the lockers until Sara was gone and he and Greg were alone.

"Hey, G!"

"Nicky! It's been the wildest day!" he told Nick like an excited puppy. " I can't wait to tell you!"

Nick saw the opportunity for a date. "Do you want to come to my place and I can make you some Texas steaks?"

"Hell yeah! I think I might have some clean clothes in my locker – that way I wouldn't have to go home first."

"I have to stop at the store to get food first, though."

"It's okay, I have your key. I can get the stuff set up for us."

Nick didn't know what that meant, since all of their sex toys were at Greg's house and Greg wasn't going back there.

"You'll like it, Nicky," Greg said, apparently able to read Nick's concerns. "I bought you a present... because of our fight."

Nick knew it was Greg's way of apologizing – he had come close to saying the words last night – but this was easier for Greg.

"Nicky, you know I..." Nick wanted to hear the three magic words he had so longed to hear. "I care for you."

It wasn't exactly what Nick had wanted to hear, but it was closer than Greg had ever gotten in all the time that they had been together.

....

Nick had already begun to cook without having seen Greg. Nick knew his lover was there – every once and a while he could hear movement coming from the bedroom.

"G! I thought you were going to tell me about your day!" Nick called out when the food was about ready.

"I just want everything to be perfect! Is the food done?"

"Yes. Come on out."

Greg came out of Nick's bedroom wearing nothing but a collar with a silver N on it. "Like your gift, Nick?" he asked, toying with his neck.

Nick nearly dropped the plates of food that he was holding. He nodded his approval and Greg pushed him down into the chair and straddled his lap. "Smells good, Nicky." Greg ground lightly against Nick and sucked eagerly on his neck.

"I thought we could have a nice meal and talk."

It was then that Greg showed the face that made Nick's heart break into a million pieces. Greg quickly got off of Nick's lab and crawled under the table. "You don't want me?"

"Greg, I do – I just want you more than just for sex. I want to have a meal with you." Nick hated this mood more than all the others. This Greg was vulnerable, but far more precarious – the wrong step would send him into a blind rage. Nick tried his best to find out why his lover would get like this. "Who hurt you?"

"No one hurt me."

"Then why are you under my table?"

"Because you don't want to fuck me!"

"Greg, I do. Just not right this second! I want you to tell me about your day and I want to eat the dinner I just spent the last hour cooking!" Nick was frustrated – he never knew how to handle this Greg. The last time Greg had gotten this way – 2 months ago – Greg was being the sub and Nick had flat out refused to choke him. Greg had fled to the closet for 40 minutes while Nick tried to explain that he wasn't willing to choke him because he loved him too much to hurt him like that.

Greg had come out of the closet with tear-stained cheeks, but a terrible look in his eyes. He bound Nick face down and spread eagle on the bed – a limb chained to each bedpost. He had toyed with Nick and then locked him into a cock ring. Then he proceeded to fuck Nick with ever vibrator and dildo in their stash. Finally, after what seemed like forever to Nick, Greg removed the ring and fucked Nick himself. When Nick finally came, Greg barely gave him time to dress before pushing him out the door and refusing to talk to him for 5 days. Nick contemplated what to do with Greg now – since he wouldn't get out from under the table. Nick knew it was because of one of Greg's previous lovers had been exceptionally cruel.

Gregg tapped his head against the leg of Nick's table. He wanted to come out – he knew Nick would never hurt him the way Brandon had. Brandon was the 30 year old lawyer Greg had had been involved with during his sophomore year. Brandon had loved to watch him crawl around on the floor and beg for things. He had gotten off on hitting Greg – not paddlings and spankings, but full on beatings – always below the neck. Brandon had been transferred to Chicago after 2 months. Greg didn't know how he had made it out of that relationship alive.

"Please, G – come out. I made us a nice dinner, but I'll make love to you first if that's what you want." Nick's gentle voice pulled Greg out of his nightmare.

He crawled out from under the table and took Nick's outstretched hand. "We can eat first."

....

Greg had made Nick's bedroom beautiful – candles and drapes everywhere. Nick gently tied Greg to the headboard with silk scarves and kissed every inch of his lover's body, before taking him. They took it slow and gentle – Nick's way.

Afterwards, Nick indulged himself in watching Greg sleep – his face framed by Nick's dark sheets made him look like a fallen angel. Nick loved the way that Greg would burrow into his side after they had made love – but he didn't love the way that Greg had kicked, scratched, and bit during sex. It was as if the sight of blood and bruises got him off. Nick moved slightly and cradled Greg's sleeping form in his arms.

"Who hurt you?" he whispered into the night.

***

Next story in series - Sheer Madness.