Title: The Pencil Sketch of Nicholas Stokes
By: 10th-letter
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Warning: WiP
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Vaguely inspired by Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray. Any quotes used form the original text will be thusly noted. ~~~ Greg decides to take the first step from harmless obsession to boyfriend. Let's just hope everythign goes according to plan.

***

The young man sat in his quiet DNA lab, the soft hum of the machines sending him into a slight trance. He sighed, the results for his latest case wouldn't be done for another hour and he needed something to occupy his mind. As if by some divine coincidence, such a distraction presented itself to him. Peering through the glass walls, Gregory Sanders saw his coworker Nicholas Stokes talking to the Trace tech. The older tech smiled and started on a long winded explanation, Gregory saw Nicholas's eyes glaze over as the tech waxed lyrical about his many talents. When the tech finally ran out of steam, Nicholas snapped out of his reverie and happily patted the older man on the shoulder.

"Thanks, Hodges. I appreciate it. But did ya really have to take fifteen minutes to tell me about PVC pipes?" said Nicholas.

Hodges looked stunned. "I just thought you would appreciate the extra information, Nick. Any way I can help with the case. I mean ..."

"Thanks, man. Look, I'll, um, I'll talk to you later." Blurted Nicholas, turning on his heel and leaving the lab. Nicholas and Gregory locked eyes, a large smile spread over the older man's face. "Greg! Am I happy to see you!"

Gregory blushed, "Really?"

"Of course, G. One more minute of one of Hodges speech and I think I would've lapsed into a coma."

Gregory smiled.

"So, you have my results yet?" asked Nicholas.

Gregory spun around in his chair to glance at the quietly whirring machines. "Not yet, Tex. Maybe in other twenty minutes. I'll page you if anything comes up."

"Thanks, G. Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Of course." Said Gregory.

"I have a date tonight and I wanna make sure I look good. What do you think I should wear?"

Gregory deflated. "Oh. Why are you asking me?"

"Cause you have a great sense of style. If anyone would know what to wear, it would be you." Stated Nicholas matter-of-factly.

Gregory blushed. "Oh, um, thanks Nick. I saw you wearing this really nice red sweater once and these cool khakis that would look good together." And they made your ass look amazing thought Gregory.

"Thanks man! Page me with the results?" asked Nicholas, before turning and leaving.

"Sure. Anything for you Nick." Said Gregory to a now empty hallway. As he turned around to get back to work, he heard a knock on the other door of his lab.

"You know, Greg, chances are staring at him won't help." Came a nervous voice.

"Huh? Oh, hey, Henry. You, you saw me staring?" stammered Gregory.

The skinny Toxicologist walked into his friend's lab. "We all did. Archie and I were wondering how much more drool the centrifuge could take."

"Very funny, Henry. I just can't stop. There's just something about him that's so, so, perfect. It's like he's just purity molded in to the form of a hot Texan."

"Then do something about it! If Mandy and I have to spend one more minute watching you count the stitches in Nick's pants, we're going to go insane. Your work's slipping."

"But what do I do?"

"I believe it was Fred R. Barnard who said, 'a picture is worth a thousand words'." Came another voice. It was the Trace tech, David Hodges.

Gregory sighed. "What do you want, Hodges?"

"Oh, I was just sitting in my lab, minding my own business, actually doing my work, when I heard the discussion between yourself and young Henry over there." Started David.

Henry rolled his eyes.

"Carrying on. If you can't stop staring at him, why don't you just draw a picture of him? I've seen you look at all those drawing books. It would probably be good practice." Explained Daivd.

"And how do you propose I get Nick to pose for a drawing?" asked Gregory.

"How the hell should I know? Lace his coffee with horse tranquilizers for all I care, just do something already. This is getting old already." Replied David before turning to leave.

"I hate to admit it, Henry, but he actually had a good idea." Said Gregory.

"Hodges had a good idea? Yikes. I'm going to get out of here before Sara comes riding through in a tutu."

***

"Oh, God! Nick! Yes! Fuck! That's the spot! Yes! Faster! Fuck!" shouted Gregory leaning back, the older man's head bobbing between his thighs.

Nicholas looked up from his duties and stared longingly into Gregory's eyes. "I love you Greg. I've always loved you. Since I first saw you in the lab all those years ago I knew I wanted to be with you. But I was nervous. I didn't know if you had the same feelings or not."

Gregory laughed. "I think it's safe to say I do, now hurry up before Marilyn deflates.

As Nicholas smiled and returned to the pressing matter between Gregory's thighs, a loud ringing sound exploded through the room.

"Shit!" shouted Gregory, his boxers tossed across his, regrettably empty room, his hand mid thrust. With his unoccupied hand, Gregory grabbed his phone and looked at the caller ID. It was Nicholas. "Oh this is perfect." Gregory removed his hand from his erection and opened the phone.

"Hey, Nick. So, what're you wearing?"

There was a laugh on the other end. "Very funny, G. Actually, I'm just in track pants, the date didn't work out. She was a total bitch, as soon as I mentioned I worked for the LVPD, she started bein' pretty obvious that she just wanted sex."

Gregory grinned as he absorbed the image of Nicholas wearing nothing but a pair of loose pants. "So she was a slut?"

"Yeah, not even one of the hot ones, you know? Some women can pull it off. She was just too obvious you know? Sometimes a little mystery is good, ya know?" replied Nicholas.

You want mystery? I got 6 inches of mystery waiting for you. thought Gregory, his hand automatically sliding down to his renewed erection.

"Yeah, so on the way back I picked up a movie, some beer and a pizza. Do you wanna come over and watch with me?" asked Nicholas.

Gregory was pulling on his boxers before Nicholas had even finished the sentence. "Yeah sure! Um, I mean, yeah, sure. I'll be over in about thirty minutes, I just need to take a quick shower." Started Gregory. Yeah and finish what I started before you called.

"Cool, I'll be waiting. Hey, don't take too long!" blurted Nicholas. "I mean, um, if you take too long, I'm just gonna start without you."

Yeah, right. thought Gregory. "I thought you said you liked a little mystery, Tex? I'll be over soon."


~~~~

Nicholas pulled his T-shirt over his head as he strolled towards the door. Gregory was standing there, plastic bag in hand.

"What's all that?" asked Nicholas, reaching for the bag.

Gregory quickly pulled it away. "Nice try. I brought some gourmet popcorn and some of my special blend coffee for later." Gregory tried to close up the bag before Nicholas could see the final items in the bag.

"There's something else in there, man."

"No there isn't."

"I can see it through the bag."

"No you can't."

"Greg, what do you have?" said Nicholas, reaching into the bag. He pulled out the rather large sketchbook and a box of pencils.

"You draw, G?"

"Well, I haven't done anything in a while, it's mostly if I just get bored in the lab. All my stuff's pretty unfinished. Just outlines, right now."

"That's awesome! I wish I had any artistic ability. I love artists, I mean, when I was in high school, the pressure was to be on the football team, so I played, but part of me always wanted to be in the band, you know? I played some piano in high school and I really liked it, but I never had the time with the team to really go any more. I'm just gonna stop talking. I sound like a nervous date." Stammered Nicholas, stuffing his hands into his pocket.

"It's fine. I had no idea. You're a man of many layers, Mr. Stokes." smiled Gregory.

"Heh, you have no idea. So you wanna put in the popcorn and I'll start up the movie?"

"Sure." Gregory wandered over to the microwave. "So what'd you rent?"

"The first action movie I saw on the new release wall. I think Vin Diesel's in it. His arm's are huge! I could lift for weeks and never get close to that." Muttered Nicholas.

"What're you talking about? Your arms are incredible!" responded Gregory. He stood on his tiptoes to reach a bowl. Nicholas wandered in just in time to see the waistband of Gregory's boxers expose themselves as the younger man's shirt rode up.

Gregory grunted as he struggled to reach the bowl and let out a triumphant "ha!" as he caught the bowl before it tumbled to the floor.

"You have quicker reflexes that I would've though, G." said Nicholas, impressed.

"I'm a mystery wrapped up in an enigma." Replied Gregory.

"Uh huh. Hurry up, the movie's starting." Said Nicholas, turning around and biting his lip.

Gregory poured the popcorn into the bowl and followed Nicholas into the den. "So, um, mind if I sketch you later?"

"What? Why?"

"I, um, I could use the practice. I haven't done any full body life drawings in a long time."

"Um, yeah, sure."

***