Title: Made of Glass
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Greg Sanders/Nick Stokes
Fandom: CSI: Vegas
Series: 1) The Word Is Out, 2) In the Light of Day, 3) Property, 4) Flames of Hell, 5) Bottles and Broomsticks, 6) At the Killing Edge, 7) Into Your Arms, 8) Uncharted Territory, 9) Out of the Woods, 10) Kiss Your Tears Away, 11) Security Blanket, 12) Help Is on the Way, 13) Walls Break Down
Author's Note: Mentions of rape/torture.
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: This is entirely a product of my own imagination, and I make no profit from it. I do not own the lovely Greg Sanders or Nick Stokes, unfortunately, just borrowing them for a while. Please do not sue.

***

Nick lathered his hands again, taking a deep breath before he touched Greg's wet skin. He slid his arms slowly around the young man's waist, raising his hands to Greg's chest and letting Greg lean back against hm as the body wash was spread over his skin.

He could feel Greg slowly relaxing in his arms; that was a good sign. He didn't want to think that Greg was nervous about being held, or being touched -- even though, in retrospect, he had evrey right to be. But this was a way to build trust between them.

Slowly, gently, he let his fingertips circle Greg's nipples, smiling as the young man moaned and let his head fall back against Nick's shoulder. Greg was obviusly enjoying this, too; he could feel that slim body relaxing in his arms, the tension seeming to melt away.

He moved his hands slowly over Greg's slick flesh, taking care not to get the dressings on the burns wet. His movements seemed to have a mind of their own; within seconds, his hands were gliding over Greg's stomach, fingers swirling around his belly button.

Nick hesitated before letting his hands move lower; was Greg ready to be touched so intimately? But that didn't really matter at this point; Greg had asked him for help showering, and Nick was only rendering that help. This wasn't a sexual situation unless they both turned it into one.

"It's okay, Nicky," Greg breathed into his ear, the soft words almost startling the older man. "You can touch me. It's not like I'm a blushing virgin, y'know. And I know you're not going to do anything I don't want. I trust you. Besides, it feels good. You don't have to stop."

Nick nodded, letting his hands move lower down Greg's body. His fingers curled around the young man's cock, not stroking, simply holding Greg in his palm as his other hand slipped between Greg's legs to cup and fondle his balls.

Greg gasped, his hips jerking against Nick's hands. "Sorry," he whispered, his tone breathless. "Can't help it. If you keep that up, you're going to make me come." He sounded embarrassed, the words almost seeming like some sort of apology.

"That'd be a perfectly natural reaction, baby," Nick murmured, pressing his lips against Greg's throat. "There's nothing wrong with coming when somebody's making you feel good. If you need to come, that's not going to bother me," he whispered, closing his eyes.

He didn't need to look at Greg's body; he could see every inch of the young man in his arms with his fingertips. All he wanted to do was to stand here, touching Greg, knowing that he was making the person he loved feel as good as he possibly could.

"I love how you feel," he breathed into Greg's ear, wishing that he could take this a few steps further and push Greg against the cool tiles, slide inside him, make love to him. But that would be rushing it all way too much; he had to take things slowly, work up to being intimate.

"I love how you touch me," Greg murmured, his tone breathless and a little shaky. "You don't have to be careful with me, Nicky. I'm not made out of glass or spun sugar. I'm not going to break." He leaned back against Nick, turning his head to look at the older man.

Nick wasn't so sure of the veracity of Greg's words. He'd seen this young man bound and broken, seen how cruelty and pain could make him curl in upon himself. He was determined to make sure that Greg never had to deal with that kind of situation again.

Slowly, gently, he began to stroke his hand up and down the shaft of Greg's cock, thoroughly soaping him; if this led to anything more than him simply bathing Greg, then so be it. For the moment, he was content to just have the young man in his arms, pliant and unresisting.

"Nicky --- I --- I'm ---" Greg's words gave way to a gasp as his body stiffened in Nick's arms; he came in a rush that surprised them both. It was obviously just as sudden and unexpected for Greg as it was for Nick; for a few moments, neither of them could speak.

Nick reluctantly took his hand away from Greg's cock to reach for the hand-held shower head again, moving it down the front of Greg's body to wash away the slick film of body wash that still clung to his skin. It also gave him time to clear his head a bit.

He should have realized that Greg needed that kind of release. He shoudn't be surprised by the fact that Greg's body reacted to an intimate touch in that way. Nick was just glad that his own body hadn't followed suit; that might have made Greg feel intimidated.

He wasn't unaffected by what had happened; his own cock was half-hard, and he was sure that fact hadn't gone unnoticed by the young man in his arms. But Greg said nothing about it, only sighing softly as Nick's hands moved down his body again to wash away the lather.

Nick was careful to keep the lower part of his body away from Greg; the last thing he wanted was for his boyfriend to think that he expected any kind of sexual contact. If Greg offered it willingly, then he wouldn't be able to say no, but he wasn't going to push the issue.

"You don't have to keep yourself from touching me, Nicky." Greg's voice was soft in his ear, making his eyes widen in surprise. His own thoughts had been moving in that direction; it was startling to realize that he and Greg were on the same wavelength.

"I just don't want you to freak out and think that I'm going to try to force you into anything, Greggo," he said, trying to keep his voice from trembling. Did Greg's words amount to an invitation to get closer, or was he reading the younger man's signals the wrong way?

"I'm not going to freak out," Greg told him, sounding faintly amused. "What do you think, that I've never felt a cock pressed up against my ass before? Nick, I'm not a virgin. And Shane's not the only guy I've been with. It's not like a hard cock is going to scare me."

Nick had to laugh and agree with Greg's words. Maybe he was being too careful, too cautious; Greg didn't seem to mind them being closer, and he wasn't going to argue with that. He pulled the younger man's body back against his, his hands moving back up to Greg's chest to tweak and tease his nipples.

Greg moaned softly, the sound almost a whimper. "That feels so good, Nicky," he whispered, his tone breathy and a little choked. "Shane never touched my nipples. All he cared about was getting to my ass. He never wanted to do anything but fuck me."

"I'm not Shane, baby," Nick whispered, his voice soft and soothing. "I'll never be like him. I'm in love with you, Greg. All of you. Not just your cock or your ass. I'm not out for just the physical satisfaction. I want you to love me as much as I love you."

"I do," Greg murmured, the words making Nick's heart thump harder and faster. There. They had said it. Greg loved him. This beautiful, desirable young man actually loved him. His heart's desire, the one person who he'd wanted for so long, was within his reach.

"We should get out of here before we get all pruney," Nick said softly, not wanting to change the subject, but feeling that it was time for them to get out of the shower and curl up in bed, where they could talk more comfortably face-to-face. "I need to change the dressings on those burns, too."

Greg nodded, sighing as he reluctantly freed himself from Nick's embrace and turned around to face him. "We have a lot to talk about, don't we?" His voice was barely audible, the pink flush seeping into his cheeks again. "I mean, this can't go on indefinitely."

"What can't?" Nick asked, surprised by Greg's words. "You mean us holding back from each other?" He turned back to Greg from shutting off the water to the shower head, a frown on hsi face. "Greg, you know it's not a good idea to jump into a sexual relationship after what you've been through."

But Greg shook his head, his frown matching Nick's. "I didn't mean that, Nicky. I meant me staying here. I'm going to have to go back to my own place sooner or later. It won't be that long before I have most of my mobility back, and I'll be able to take care of the burns myself."

Nick shook his head firmly, pulling back the shower curtain and waiting for Greg to step out onto the fluffy bath mat. "Oh, hell no, Greg," he said, his voice firm. "You're not going back to your place alone, not as long as Shane is in the wind. It's too dangerous for you."

Greg sighed as he stepped out of the shower, nodding reluctantly. "I guess you're right. That would be the first place he'd go to find me again. He'd never think of looking here. He knows your name and that you work with me, but he doesn't have a clue about where you live."

Privately, Nick was sure that Shane could find out fairly easily what his address was; there was a distinct possibility that he already did. But he wasn't going to mention that fact to Greg; he didn't want to alarm the younger man, or make him feel uneasy about being here.

They would have to talk things over at some point, but this wasn't the time, Nick told himself as he reached for one of the towels that he'd laid on the marble countertop. Right now, he was going to wrap Greg in a towel, take him back to bed, and remember that he wasn't made of glass.

***

Next story in series - More Than A Heart Can Hold.