Title: Hearts and Flowers
By: Caroline Crane
Fandom: CSI: Vegas
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Rating: PG
Summary: Nick and Greg finally reach an understanding regarding the direction of their relationship.

Nick knew he'd missed his opportunity. He could have ended things with Greg a week ago, but instead of breaking up with the other man at breakfast he'd given in to his feelings and gone back to Greg's place again. To make matters worse, they'd kept sleeping together after that, every day this week. Until yesterday, anyway, because Nick had finally stopped long enough to realize what he was doing.

As soon as it dawned on him that he hadn't slept in his own bed in almost a week he'd made up some excuse and gone home alone, and then he'd spent a sleepless afternoon convincing himself that he had to break up with Greg. He'd changed his mind at least six times in the time it took him to drive from his apartment to the crime lab, but when he pulled into the parking lot and looked up at the building he knew he had to do it. They couldn't keep up this charade forever. Greg was right; people at work talked, and sooner or later they'd be talking about him and Greg.


He thought about waiting until after their shift so that they could go somewhere quiet, but the last time he'd tried that he'd gotten distracted almost immediately by Greg's smile and the nervous edge in his laugh. Not that it took much to distract him when it came to Greg, and that was exactly the reason he had to end this thing before it went any further. The best thing would be to get it over with right away, and if he did it at work at least there wouldn't be time for a lot of discussion.

It didn't take long to track Greg down; he was already in the lab when Nick got there, his headphones firmly in place as he bent over his microscope. It wasn't like Greg to be busy so early in the shift; Nick hoped that was a sign that they'd have a busy night, because being swamped meant Greg wouldn't have time to corner him later.

He cleared his throat when he walked into the lab, but Greg didn't look up. A sigh escaped his throat as he crossed the room, stopping next to the other man and reaching out to pull Greg's headphones away from his ears. "Greg, man, you got a minute?"

Greg looked up then, his features lighting up when he recognized Nick's voice. "Hey. Didn't hear you come in."

"I noticed," Nick answered, and he couldn't help smirking as he set Greg's headphones down on the lab station. "We need to talk."

"Now?" Greg asked, and when his smile faded Nick could tell Greg knew what was coming. It was better that way, he told himself; at least he wouldn't have to spell things out. They'd just get this over with quick, and then they could go back to being just friends. Or coworkers. Whatever it was they'd been before…before they'd been 'them'. "I'm waiting for Eckley…"

Right on cue the door opened and Eckley strode into the lab, his usual sour expression firmly in place as he took in Nick and Greg. "I hope you're not socializing when I'm waiting for those results, Sanders."

"Coming right up," Greg said without looking at Eckley. He leaned across the lab station and pulled a sheet of paper off the printer, then held it out to the day supervisor. Eckley took the sheet and glanced down at it, and Nick would have sworn by his sneer that he was trying to find something in Greg's work to complain about. After a minute he looked up again, fixing them both with a suspicious look before he turned and stalked back out of the lab.

"There's something seriously wrong with that guy," Nick said as he watched Eckley stalk back toward his office. "What's he still doing here, anyway? He's usually the first one out of here after day shift ends."


"Which would explain his sunny disposition," Greg answered, flashing another grin at Nick as he turned and leaned against the lab station. "So you wanted to talk about something?"

"Yeah, I…" Nick trailed off, glancing over Greg's shoulder as he tried to pull his thoughts together again. He remembered why he'd come here as soon as he got to the lab, but now that he was actually here all he really wanted to do was kiss Greg until they were both breathless. And that was the whole problem with trying to end a relationship with someone he really liked; he didn't want to end it, but he couldn't think of what else to do. "Listen, G, this thing…"

The door swung open again and Nick straightened up, swallowing a rush of guilt as he turned to watch Warrick walk into the lab. "Hey Stokes, we've got a DB in a ditch out on Route 147. Gris wants you and me to take it."

"Yeah, all right, man. I'm right behind you," Nick answered half-heartedly. The last thing he needed right now was Warrick waiting around for him, especially now that he'd actually started the conversation he'd been trying to have for a week. Granted, he hadn't actually said anything yet, but now that he'd told Greg they needed to talk he knew all he had to do was say the words and then this would all be behind them.

Warrick nodded, then cast a suspicious look at the two of them when Nick didn't make any sign of following him. Finally he gave a little half-shrug and took a step back into the hall. "Whatever, man. I'll meet you there."

Nick nodded and waited until the door closed again before he turned back to Greg. He knew Warrick was probably wondering what Nick had to talk to Greg about that was more important than a new case, but he wasn't about to explain himself to Warrick or anybody else. All he wanted…well, he wasn't sure what he wanted, but whatever it was, he wanted to get it over with.

"Look, if you have to go we can talk later," Greg said, reminding Nick that the other man was still waiting for him to explain himself.


"No," Nick answered a little more forcefully than he'd intended, wincing at the sound of his own voice and reminding himself to calm down. "I mean…just let me say this, okay?"

Greg shrugged and turned away, and Nick could tell by the set of his shoulders that he was nervous about whatever was coming. For a second he actually reconsidered what he was about to do, but before he had a chance to chicken out the lab door swung open again. "Greg, I need these gloves processed," Grissom said, stopping short when he glanced up and realized Greg wasn't alone. "Nick. You're supposed to be on Route 147 with Warrick."

"Yeah, I'm…uh…on my way."

Grissom gave him a funny look, but he didn't say anything as he handed an evidence bag to Greg. "As soon as you can, Greg. Those gloves are our only lead right now."

"Sure thing, boss," Greg answered as he took the bag and set it down on the lab station.

"Thank you, Greg. Nick," Grissom said, turning to face him again, "will you be joining us in the field?"

"Right behind you." Nick forced what he hoped was a convincing grin, managing not to flinch when Grissom squinted curiously at him. He knew he should have headed out as soon as Grissom saw him still hanging around the lab, but he hadn't been thinking clearly for over two months now, and he knew until he settled things with Greg he wouldn't be able to.

As soon as Grissom was gone Greg turned to look at him again, and Nick could see the question written all over his face before he even asked it. "You sure you don't want to talk later? It's not like I'm going anywhere."


Nick shook his head and glanced over his shoulder to make sure no one else was about to interrupt them, then he took hold of Greg's elbow and pushed the other man gently toward the opposite side of the lab. When he reached the small supply closet at the back of the room he pulled the door open and pushed Greg in ahead of him, stepping into the cramped space and closing the door shut behind them.

And now they were pressed up against each other, but there was nothing Nick could do about that. He just needed five uninterrupted minutes to get this out, then he could go back to life before Greg. Life before waking up in a tangle of limbs, of knowing who he was going home with and not having to worry about running into somebody he'd promised to call after a one-night stand. He could say goodbye to long, slow, familiar kisses on that big couch in Greg's living room, and there wouldn't be any more showers together when they were supposed to be getting ready for work.

After this they'd go back to just friends, or even worse – just two guys who happened to work in the same building. And he was going to miss the way Greg's hair tickled his cheek when they woke up spooned together, the way Greg's hand fit in his when Nick threaded their fingers together during sex. He was going to miss those breathy little moans Greg let out just before he came, the way he said Nick's name in his sleep sometimes and made Nick's heart skip a beat.

But those were all the reasons they were supposed to be breaking up, because Nick couldn't afford to get attached. It was bad for both their careers; the run-in with Grissom a few seconds ago had proved that. Only now that he was pressed against Greg in the dark with Greg's hip digging into his he knew it wasn't going to be anywhere near as easy as it had seemed in the car on the way to work. "Listen, Greg, we've been spending a lot of time together lately."

"Yeah," Greg answered, his voice even sexier when Nick couldn't make out his features, "I thought we were having a pretty good time."

As he said it one of his hands landed on Nick's chest and began trailing down the front of his shirt, the pace tantalizingly slow. Every so often his fingers would find one of Nick's buttons and fiddle with it for a moment before he moved on, and Nick knew Greg was trying to distract him. The trouble was that it was working; Nick's breathing quickened a little and his temperature rose a notch or two, but there was nothing he could do about it because there was no room to move in the tiny closet.

"We were…" He paused and sucked in a sharp breath as Greg's fingers dipped below the waistband of his jeans for a second before traveling back up his stomach again. And that was another thing he was never going to feel again – Greg's hands on his dick, not to mention Greg's mouth. He was definitely going to miss Greg's mouth. "That's not the point."

"So what is the point?" Greg's voice – he was going to miss that too. Sure, he could hear it any time he wanted at work – that was if Greg was still speaking to him after this – but it wasn't the same as Greg when he was trying to be sexy. That was when his voice got low and silky, kind of breathy in a way that raised the hairs on the back of Nick's neck. That voice made him want to kiss Greg until he couldn't stand it, to tear all his clothes off and make sure Greg knew exactly how much Nick wanted him.

"Seriously, G," Nick whispered, his voice dropping an octave as Greg shifted against him in the dark, "isn't this getting a little…intense?"


He felt Greg stiffen slightly and had to fight not to take his words back; he hated that he was the one making Greg unhappy for even a second, and now that they were pressed up against each other in the dark he was having a little trouble remembering why they were supposed to be breaking up in the first place. Greg just smelled so good, so clean and familiar and right, and all Nick wanted to do was take him home and fuck him until they both forgot what they were talking about.

Only he was supposed to be working, and if he didn't hurry up and get out in the field he wasn't going to have a job to worry about anymore.

"I thought we were just having fun," Greg answered, his breath warming Nick's cheek and making it hard to concentrate. "But if you're not into it…"

"I'm into it," Nick interrupted before he could stop himself. That was the whole problem; he was so into Greg that he wasn't sure what was going on anymore. All he knew was that somehow they'd managed to fall into an exclusive relationship, and suddenly they were spending all their free time together. It was the first time Nick had ever found himself in an actual relationship without even knowing how he'd gotten there, and the worst part was that he didn't hate it. "It's just that we're spending all this time together, it seems kind of…"

"What?" Greg asked, and Nick's heart skipped a beat at the edge in the other man's voice. He knew Greg was expecting him to say exactly what he was going to say, and he knew that no matter how hard Greg tried to hide it, that this was going to hurt him. It was hurting Nick already and he hadn't even said it out loud yet, so there was no way he could expect Greg to let it roll off and go back to acting like there was nothing between them.

"It just seems kind of stupid to pay rent on two places when we're always together, doesn't it?"

He wasn't sure which of them was more surprised to hear him say that; he couldn't actually see Greg's expression, but he had a feeling he looked at least as shocked as Greg probably did. He wasn't positive, but he was pretty sure he'd just suggested that they move in together. That was about as far from breaking up as he could get, but when Greg's other hand landed on his neck he couldn't remember why it mattered.


"Wait a second. So you're not breaking up with me?"

"No. Why would you think that?" Nick asked, swallowing the rush of guilt that came along with the almost-lie.

"Because you've been acting weird for a week, and you just blew off Grissom to haul me into a closet," Greg answered. He paused and Nick could practically hear the wheels in his head turning, and Nick couldn't help grinning at the sudden sharp intake of breath in the darkness. "Did you just ask me to move in with you?"

He hadn't given this any thought beyond a few vague, half-asleep notions about how nice it was to wake up next to the same person every day, but now that he'd actually suggested it Nick realized how much planning the concept of moving in together entailed. If he still had his house…but he'd sold that not long after the whole episode with his stalker, and neither of their apartments were really big enough for all their stuff.

"I was thinking we should probably look for something bigger," Nick answered, and he wasn't sure when his mouth had developed a mind of its own, but he was going to have to get a handle on that before he said something really stupid. It was one thing to suggest Greg start keeping some clothes at his place, but suggesting they go house hunting on their next day off was pushing it a little. "We don't have to rush into anything, it was just a thought."

"Just a thought. I like the way you think," Greg said, amusement clear in his voice. Nick thought he heard a little relief too, but he couldn't be sure without seeing Greg's face. Then the other man was leaning forward and Nick forgot about everything except the feeling of Greg's mouth against his, Greg's hand on his neck and his body warm against Nick's chest. He forgot about Warrick waiting for him out in the field and the look on Grissom's face when he'd found Nick hanging around the lab; he even forgot why he'd been hanging around the lab in the first place, because Greg was still kissing him and it felt more right than anything he'd ever had in his life.

It took them both a second to register the light flooding the previously dark closet, but as soon as Nick realized what had happened he opened his eyes and glanced at the now open door. His heart sank at the sight of a stunned-looking Catherine, an empty box of disposable gloves hanging from one hand and the other clutching the door as though she might fall over at any moment.

"I just…it was empty," she stammered, gesturing vaguely with the box as she continued to stare at Nick and Greg.

For a second all three of them stood frozen in place, Nick's cheeks blazing crimson and Greg's hand burning against his neck. Then Greg snapped out of it long enough to reach for the shelf just above them, pulling a box of gloves down and handing it to Catherine. "Small, right?"


"Thanks," she murmured, her eyes still wide as she took the box.

"No problem," Greg answered, grinning as he leaned over far enough to pull the door closed again. Once the closet was dark again Nick let out a heavy sigh and pressed even closer to Greg, burying his face in the warmth of the other man's neck.

"You know we're gonna have to tell Grissom now."

"I keep telling you he's not going to care," Greg said, but it was the sound of his voice and his fingers tracing a lazy pattern on Nick's neck more than the actual words that comforted him. He still wasn't convinced that Grissom would be okay with this, but he was going to find out one way or the other. Even if he didn't go to Grissom and tell him the truth he knew Catherine wouldn't be able to keep her mouth shut forever, not if the look on her face when she'd opened the closet door was any indication. But for now they both had work to do, and there would be plenty of time to deal with all the consequences later.