Title: Pain for Pain
By: Jesika
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Rating: NC-17
Summary: Post Play With Fire. Greg’s first day back doesn’t go as well as hoped, but he’s thankful to have Nick waiting for him when he gets home. Just a random reason to write slash, not at all original. Short standalone.

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By the end of his first day back, Greg doesn't think he can make it even a few feet out of the locker room door without passing out. Although his hours have been cut in half, his body doesn't seem ready for it yet, his back aching and his cheek burning.

"You ready to go home?"

After sitting in the same spot for almost thirty minutes, trying to figure out how he's going to make it home, Sara's words cut through his thoughts and he looks up at her, hoping that it's an offer being placed before him instead of just a question.

"I don't think I can drive right now."

"I know, that's why I'm dropping you off on the way to my crime scene. Either you can have Nick bring you in tomorrow, or Rick and I can drop your car off at your place later."

Tomorrow seems too far away, a day he doesn't want to think about right now. The only thought on his mind is getting home, to Nick and his bed, in no specific order. He wished that Nick didn't have the night off, thinking that it might of helped for the older man to be around him to help him survive the shift, but the fact that Nick will be there waiting for him when he gets home, that's nice to.

"We can figure that out later, I just want to get home."

"Home it is. Do you need help to the car?"

He does, but he won't admit it, and she knows that. No one outside of Nick realized how independent Greg likes to be until the explosion occurred, and the lab tech almost had a melt down from too many hands of help being extended to him. Since then they've kept their distance for the most part, and on the off chance that someone does offer help, he doesn't accept it.

This time is no different, and Sara watches Greg wince as he slowly pulls himself to his feet, his eyes closing briefly before he slowly walks to the locker room door where Sara is standing, the lab tech following her as they move into the hallway.

As soon as Greg walks through the door of his and Nick's home, the lab tech is enveloped in his lover's arms, his body collapsing into that of the Texan's.

"I take it your first day back didn't go as well as hoped?"

Nick helps Greg into the living room and onto the couch, the look on the younger man's face answer enough to the question. He's been waiting for Greg to get home for the past hour now, his stomach in knots all day, hoping that Greg's alright, that he's not being put through the ringer from coworkers and cases.

"I just need to get off my feet and take the pain off my neck. I forgot my painkillers before I left, and Hodges has no idea what the word compassion means. Just as well though, he was the only one that didn't walk on egg shells around me, besides Grissom."

"Score one point for Hodges. Are you hungry? I've got some soup I can make you, or we've got the leftovers from the meal Cath brought by the other day."

"Not hungry, just want my bed."

Greg's laying on his stomach with his arms folded under his head, his eyes closed as he finally lets his body relax, feeling the weight on the edge of the couch shift.

"Alright, but you're going to have to get up first."

Greg's stubbornness of not accepting help from anyone doesn't apply to Nick, not because they're lovers and Greg trusts Nick more, but because Nick gives Greg no choice in the matter. The first time Greg tried to refuse Nick's help after the explosion, he got a lecture that he thought only Papa Olaf could pull off. Since then, he takes Nick's help in silence, thankful that his older lover at least knows his boundaries.

Nick's grateful that Greg takes his help, especially with the amount of pain Greg looks like he's in now. If he would have known that Greg left his pain killers here, he would have rushed them over in a heart beat. The only thing he can do though is take care of him now, so as Greg pulls himself to his feet, Nick wraps an arm around his waist, careful to avoid the sterile bandage covered burns on his back.

When they get into the master bedroom, Nick helps Greg undress, checking the bandages to make sure they're secure before helping Greg get comfortable, the younger man laying on his side as Nick puts feather pillows against his back, the cool cotton material against his skin causing Greg to let out a sigh.

While Greg gets comfortable, Nick goes into the bathroom, grabbing the pain pills from the counter before returning to the room, finding Greg waiting as he holds the bottle of water from his nightstand, waiting for his long anticipated pain relief.

"These should knock you out for quite a while, but if you still happen to have problems sleeping, you can take some of the sleeping pills."

Greg nods as he takes the pills from Nick and pops them in his mouth, following them up with water before recapping the bottle and returning it to it's spot, his eyes lingering on Nick for a moment as the older CSI strips down to his boxers.

They haven't had sex since before the explosion, and although Greg would normally be as horny as hell right now, he's too damn tired to put any thought into what those strong hands could do to him right now. Instead he presses the side of his face into his pillow and allows his eyes to slip closed, sleep hitting him so fast that he barely feels Nick slip into bed with him.

--

This can't be happening, Greg thinks as he opens his eyes only a few short hours later, part of him telling himself that it's not possible to be awake again so soon after how tired he was before. But it's an unfortunate reality as he squints at the clock just over Nick's shoulder, the younger man letting out an exasperated sigh as his head hits the pillow again.

The movement and sudden breeze on Nick's face causes the older man to stir, and Greg watches through the darkness as those eyes slit open, a patch of faint light slipping in from around the curtain and providing him with enough illumination to see in.

"What's wrong, what are you doing awake?"

Greg shifts against Nick's chest, and the younger man doesn't have to say it for his lover to realize that the painkillers haven't taken the full effect that they were supposed to.

"You want another dose?"

"It's too early."

Nick looks confused before twisting his head back to look at the clock, not realizing just how short of time it's been since they fell asleep.

"Shit, that bad huh?"

The question is met with a shrug, and Nick carefully sits up, rubbing his face with his hands before looking down at Greg again.

"You want to take some sleeping pills? Might not get rid of the pain, but maybe you can sleep through it."

It's obvious that Greg's not going to be very verbal right now as he shakes his head and buries his face in Nick's outer thigh. The older man can't help but think about how young and childish his lover looks and acts sometimes, Greg's hand resting on Nick's leg as he shifts to lay on his stomach in hopes that it might ease some of the dull burning pain he's feeling.

Nick is unsure of how to help Greg until he moves carefully over his lover and gently puts his hands on the younger man's side and massages the smooth skin gently, feeling Greg's body beginning to relax under his touch. He's careful not to get too close to the injured skin on his lover's sides and lower back.

It feels good, really good Greg thinks as he closes his eyes and lets himself get caught up in the touch, his hands now gripping the pillow under him, his body beginning to react as the previous thoughts of sex returns to the younger man's mind and he realizes that he's not so tired anymore.

Nick catches on to the subtle way Greg is starting to roll his hips back against him, but he tries not to think about it, unsure if his lover is ready for it yet, while he's still dealing with his pain.

He tries to ignore it for as long as possible, but soon Greg is craning his neck to look at him, the younger man's eyes full of want and need as he throws subtle out the window and pushes himself hard against Nick, feeling the older man's erection through the thin material of his boxers.

The action causes Nick to gasp as he finds himself suddenly holding Greg's hips, forcing his lover's ass to remain pressed against him as he rotates his hips and locks eyes with his lovers, realizing that Greg's going to get what he wants no matter what Nick thinks of the matter.

When Nick finally gives in and lets Greg's ass go, the younger man lets his head rest back against the pillow, only moving slightly when Nick slips his fingers into the waste band of Greg's boxers and pulls them down, stopping when they touch his own knees that are still straddling Greg.

When Nick leans over to the nightstand to grab some lube, Greg quickly stops him, confusing the older man.

"You're in enough pain already Greg, I'm not going to be the one to cause you anymore."

"I rather enjoy the pain of having you inside of me, instead of the pain in my back and neck. Just trust me Nick, I'll be fine."

The older man doesn't want to do that to Greg, no matter what his lover says, but the look in Greg's eyes says he's not going to argue. All Nick wants to do is take the pain away and put Greg's focus elsewhere, but he reluctantly retracts his hand and sits back, Greg's body relaxing again when Nick's hands return to his sides.

The older man massages his sides again, slowly moving down to Greg's hips before pushing the younger man up onto his knees slowly, Greg complying as Nick grabs a pillow and puts it under his stomach, allowing him more and better access.

"Tell me if it hurts too much and I'll stop."

Greg wordlessly nods into the pillow his head is resting on, his cheek pressed against his arms that are folded under him.

Nick stops for a moment, one hand gently massaging Greg's side as he searches for any apprehension or tension in the younger man's body. Greg seems completely relaxed though, so Nick pushes his own boxers down and strokes himself a few times before moving his hand from Greg's hip to the mattress on the side of him, bracing himself as the older man leans forward and nudges the head of his erection against Greg's opening.

Greg spreads his legs further apart, and Nick's careful not to touch Greg's back as he presses forward more, his head slipping past the tight barrier of muscles, causing Greg to instinctively tense up and gasp.

Since he's got to keep himself from putting any pressure on Greg's back, Nick keeps himself braced with his hand, feeling Greg's fingers wrap around his wrist as the older man pushes further, wishing he could at least kiss his lover to ease the pain.

When he's fully sheathed, Nick stops all movement, whispering soothing words to Greg who has pain lines etched in his face, the one hand that's not holding Nick's wrapped tightly into the sheet below him. He thinks briefly that maybe it wasn't such a good idea to do this dry, but at least it's taking the focus off his back, and after the day he's had, that's more than enough.

Greg finally nods his head for Nick to continue, the younger man trying to take deep breaths as his lover begins slow steady thrusts, Nick's eyes watching the side of Greg's face closely, searching for any signs that his partner wants to stop.

When it doesn't come, Nick picks up his pace a little, Greg shifting slightly, pulling Nick's arms closer to him, causing the older man to almost fall. The move causes him to stop to regain his balance, but when Greg groans at the loss, Nick is quick to pick it up again, carefully leaning forward to kiss the back of Greg's neck.

It's not long before Nick is starting to feel the pressure build, but he manages to hold back until he feels Greg tensing beneath him, the younger man's grip tightening on his wrist, quiet moans leaving his lips. When Nick leans forward for another kiss, Greg can't take it anymore and cries out, his semen spilling between his body and the sheets below.

Nick is quick to follow, his muscles tensing as he comes inside of Greg, careful not to collapse on the younger man when he can't keep himself up any longer. When he pulls out of his younger lover and rolls to the side, Greg immediately wraps his arms around Nick's waist as the older man pulls the sheets up over them.

"You okay?"

"Mmm, best I've felt all day."

Greg kisses along Nick's jaw line and to his lips, the two men engaging in a brief heated match before they pull away, Greg looking entirely too tired to stay awake for any postcoital conversation.

"Wake up again in a few hours, and I'll make sure tomorrow feels just as good."

Nick can feel Greg lightly laughing into his neck, but it quickly fades away and is replaced with light snoring, the pain in Greg's back forgotten long enough for him to finally fall back to sleep.

***