Title: Designated Jobs
By: anmani
Summary: A drabble about a few details in life.
Beta'ed by and dedicated to our site-MOM shacky20.,br> Characters: Nick, Greg
Genres: romance
Rating: PG
Warnings: none

"Greg?"

The tight voice and the little concealed plea had become a little to familiar lately. Greg grunted a disinterested reply, well knowing that Nick didn't need to be grilled when something bothered him.

"Would you mind help me cleanin' the cars?"

It was Nick's job.

It was Nick's job like it was Greg's job to shop for coffee and presents. There had to be something quite wrong for Nick to ask for help like that. Greg turned away from the computer and looked at his partner. The slightly embarrassed smile was pressed firmly onto Nick's face.

"Just the inside, please?"

The plea was accompanied by a shadow of a smile.

"I just need to save my document, and then I'll be right out."

"Thanks man."

The door opened and swung back hard telling Greg that Nick was fighting something in his head. A last look over his document had him highlight two words that needed to be consulted on in a dictionary. His Norwegian had gone rusty after he'd moved away from home making every letter to his family harder to write.

Curious to see what had upset Nick, Greg hit save and hibernated his PC. The strong sun had him squinting for a few seconds, but Nick waved his right arm adamantly at the truck. Armed with the designated indoor cleaning toolbox Greg entered the cab of Nick's truck. Nick's inability to put words to things had never been his favorite trait with Nick, but after Nick's kidnapping Greg feared that it could very well end things for them.

After having cleaned the windshield and vacuumed the seats Greg finally found his explanation. A spider had taken up residence in the dash somewhere. He gently palmed the small creature and excited the truck. Nick stiffened with the sponge a foot above the soap bucket. It was far from the first bug he'd removed from Nick's sight, so Greg trudged three houses down before setting the small spider on a bush.

With a small sigh Greg looked up and noticed the elderly couple that always brought apple pies to anything held in the local community. The husband was pacing back and forth in front of their garage with his hands tightly clasped behind his back. Fascinated Greg stood rooted to the spot and watched as the wife emerged from the house with the car keys. The man then moved to the sidewalk but immediately resumed his pacing. As Greg tried to feign interest in the bush he remembered that a few years back the man had backed out into a passing delivery van and wrecked their car.

Suddenly Nick being intimidated by a spider seemed like no big deal.

The sight of Nick in a semi soaked white T-shirt washing his car made Greg forget all about not talking. Did it really matter after all?

Nick had fought many battles and so far he'd won them all in his own time. Maybe another day he would push the subject, but not today. Today Greg would enjoy his man babying their cars.