Title: It's In The Way That You Use It
By: ullman
Fandom: CSI: Vegas
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not Mine
Summary: Greg wonders why Nick owns a picnic blanket.

***

As he folds up the woolen blanket he can't help but wonder who the hell came up with the ridiculous idea in the first place. Mandatory departmental bonding activities are one thing, but a freaking picnic? Greg's pretty sure that none of his colleagues are the picnicking type, apart from Nick apparently, because the man actually owns a picnic blanket.

Greg shakes his head, making a mental note to ask Nick why he even has a picnic blanket, before he goes back to worrying about the fact that he's going to have to spend an entire afternoon in the company of people he already sees far too often. And that's not even the worst thing, he could honestly live with the fact that he'll be forced to sit on a blanket and drink wine with the likes of Hodges. No, the worst thing is that he's convinced that he'll do or say something that will mess things up. Because not only does he feel like he's still on some sort of probation when it comes to him being an actual csi, no matter how many times Nick tells him that he isn't.

And that's the other thing. Nick. How on earth can he spend an entire afternoon in the company of that man without giving away any clues to their relationship. Especially when there's going to be alcohol. He sighs and vows to himself that he won't drink a single drop of alcohol today and that puts him at ease, if only a little. All he really has to do is not talk too much, and that would be a whole lot easier if it were a survival trip like last time.

Walking into the living room he realizes he's probably worrying too much. All he should be thinking of is getting something for his pollen allergies before they go over to the park. And that's another reason why picnicking is such a lousy idea. Allergies and bugs, that's all picnicking means to him. Normally he'd include making out as well, the only highlight of his previous picnic's, but no chance of that happening. He grins, shaking his head again as he realizes that the one thing that makes picnicking worth wile is off limits today.

He falls down onto the couch and starts flipping channels, waiting for Nick to get home from work. He pauses at some cartoon and watches absentmindedly until he hears the front door opening. He forces himself to stay where he is, after all they've been together too long for him to still jump up the minute Nick enters the room. He usually does, though. When Nick enters the living room he turns his head and smiles, trying to look like he didn't hear him come in.

"Hey," he mumbles, "You wanna get going right away?"

Nick drops his keys on the sidetable and shoots Greg a big smile, and Greg's thinking Nick must really be a big fan of picnic's if the mere thought of going to one has him smiling like this. Nick's smile and apparent enthusiasm does make the dreaded picnic seem a little less unbearable. Emphasis on a little.

Nick's smile seems to widen and he asks, "Did you even look out of the window this morning, G?"

Greg shakes his head.

"It's fucking poring outside, man."

"So, are you saying we're not leaving right now?"

Nick grins and makes his way to the couch, sitting down next to Greg before he says, "What I'm saying is that we're not leaving at all. Picnic's been canceled."

Greg tries to keep himself from smiling, instead he asks, hoping to sound disappointed, "Really? Can't they just wait for the weather to clear up?"

Nick shakes his head, his hand covering Greg's for a brief moment and then he's on his feet again. Standing in front of Greg when he says, "No, they can't. It'll be late before that happens, and we still have to work tonight."

"That's a shame," Greg mutters, and for a second he wonders why he never pursued a career in acting, but the amused look on Nick's face answers that question for him.

"Yeah, it is."

Greg's not sure Nick's being serious, and he's just about to ask when Nick offers him a hand to get him up on his feet as well.

"It is," Nick says again, "but I figured we'd go anyways."

Greg frowns, not following, "Didn't you just say it's raining?"

"The blanking has a watertight backing, G." Nick grins as he wraps his arms around the other man's waist and pulls him closer.

"But we'll get wet and dirty..."

"And your point is?" Nick's tongue on his neck makes any coherent thinking a little hard but he's pretty sure that that's not really a bad thing, because wet and dirty aren't necessarily a bad thing. And maybe this is exactly why Nick owns a picnic blanket.

***