Title: Soul Provider
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Greg Sanders/Ryan Wolfe
Fandom: CSI: Vegas/CSI: Miami
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: This is entirely a product of my imagination, and I make no profit from it. I do not own the lovely Greg Sanders or Ryan Wolfe, unfortunately, just borrowing them for a while. Please do not sue.

***

Ryan rolled over in bed to snuggle beside Greg, wrapping his arms around the other man's waist and pulling him close. Greg didn't awaken; he merely sighed softly in his sleep and moved closer to Ryan, moving instinctively into his lover's embrace.

As he settled back down against the softness of the pillows, Ryan closed his eyes and let his body relax. He had never felt as happy and satisfied as he did at this moment, lying here with Greg in his arms. He felt as if everything was right with the world, that nothing could touch him.

He had never felt this way after making love with anyone else. His body had always been thankful for the release, but he'd never had this sense of completion, this pure and utter happiness that seemed to permeate not only his body, but his very soul.

Only Greg could make him feel like this. Only Greg could bring him this complete satisfaction, this feeling that his entire life had fallen into place in every way. Only Greg could soothe and calm him in this way, and make him feel utterly and completely loved.

What would he have done with his life if he had never come to Vegas and met Greg? Ryan shuddered at the thought; a life without Greg Sanders it it didn't bear thinking about. He couldn't imagine what he would be like without this man.

One thing was for sure, he'd be a lot less happy, he told himself, raising a hand to stroke Greg's hair. He might have someone in his arms, but they would be a poor substitute for the man who filled his bed, his heart, and his life. No one could be like Greg.

No one else could possibly touch his heart and soul in the way that this man did. Greg was his in every way, just as he was Greg's. He had never known this kind of perfect accord with anyone; he wouldn't even have thought that feelings like this could actually exist.

Greg had changed everything in his life, brought it all into focus. He had never realized just how much he was missing by not having met the person he wanted to spend his life with, until Greg had stepped into his world and brightened every day.

He could never go back to living the way he had been before the advent of Greg in his life. Something in his heart and soul would die; he would never be completely happy again without Greg by his side. Ryan didn't even want to think about a life without his lover.

How could he have ever thought that he could leave Greg over a misunderstanding like the one that had happened not so long ago? He winced at the thought; he had overreacted, and he knew it. He would always feel ashamed of his actions, of the way he had hurt Greg.

But they had made it up -- and they were closer than ever now. He smiled as the edges of the promise ring that he wore on the gold chain around his neck pressed against his skin; that ring was the tangible, physical manifestation of his love for his boyfriend.

They would belong to each other in the legal sense, someday. Sooner or later, the rules at the crime lab would have to change; they would be able to express how they felt about each other openly, with no fear of losing their jobs, or being separated at work, if they did.

It would probably be a long time before that rule changed, Ryan thought soberly, holding back a sigh. Until it did, he and Greg couldn't be open about their relationship. They wouldn't even be able to have a wedding ceremony, unless they did it just for themselves.

That wasn't what Greg would want; he knew that. He would want to share their happiness with all of their friends, and with his family. He wouldn't want to hide in dark corners just for the sake of their jobs and some stupid rule that shouldn't exist.

The rules didn't matter, Ryan told himself fiercely. Even if he and Greg had to keep hiding how they felt about each other, what they meant to each other, they would know it themselves. And as long as they were together, then nothing else was really important.

Greg was the other half of his soul, the person he wanted to spend all of his life and beyond with. Greg soothed his soul, made him feel more complete than he ever had. Greg was everything to him, in a way that he'd never thought any one person could ever be.

He wanted to be just as much to Greg as his boyfriend was to him -- and even without Greg saying the words, he knew that he was. Greg wasn't the kind of man who fell in love easily -- he could have crushes, but real love had apparently always eluded him.

They had both found that love now, Ryan told himself as he tightened his arms around Greg, pulling the other man closer against the warmth of his body. One hand moved down Greg's back, over the curve of his ass, cupping one firm, rounded ass cheek.

He wanted to stay like this forever, here under the covers with the man he loved, luxuriating in the feel of Greg's naked body so close against his own. He wanted them to wake up as the sun was setting, to make love to Greg with the brilliance of that sunset all around them.

He wanted to be everything to Greg, just as Greg was to him. He wanted to be the other man's soul provider, to give him everything that he would ever want or need. He wanted to be able to wave a magic wand and make Greg's life beautiful in every way.

He couldn't do that, of course, he told himself ruefully. Greg would have to deal with some experiences in life that wouldn't be pleasant -- and so would he. As much as they loved each other, neither of them could protect the other from every bad thing in life.

But they could be there for each other; they could each be a soul provider for the person they loved. They could make sure that their love for each other didn't fade; they could strengthen each other's hearts and souls with each passing day.

Ryan only hoped that he could do that for Greg when the chips were down. He wanted to be able to protect his boyfriend from any kind of harm that might come his way -- but who was to say how he would react if Greg's life was in danger?

If someone was pointing a gun at Greg, he had no idea how he would react. He knew that he would do whatever was required to save his boyfriend, but Ryan was sure that he would throw hismelf into the line of fire if he had to, no matter what Greg might want.

He wouldn't let any harm come to the man he loved, Ryan told himself firmly. He wouldn't freeze up when he was faced with a hard decision; and no matter which way he ended up turning, he would always do what would keep Greg safe and alive, no matter the cost to himself.

Or to anyone else, if it came to that. He didn't care if he lost his job over anything that might happen; when he weighed Greg's life against anyone else's, even his own, he knew that he would protect Greg at all costs, even if that meant making sacrifices.

He would sacrifice anyone for Greg's safety -- even himself. It didn't matter what happened to him, as long as Greg was kept protected. He knew that Greg wouldn't agree with that way of thinking, but he couldn't change the way that he felt.

Nothing was going to happen to either of them. He would make sure that they were both careful and wary, that they kept themselves vigilant, especially now that he had advance warning that one of his enemies was here in Vegas and could be gunning for him.

Ryan settled back against the pillows, closing his eyes and trying to push away any dark thoughts. This wasn't the time for them; he and Greg were safe here in this apartment, tucked into their own bed after having made love not once, but three times.

Of course he could count that first blow job as making love, he thought with a smile. That was one of the many ways that Greg could manage to soothe his soul; it was more physical than the less tangible ways he did so, but just as effective.

He would be as much of a soul provider for Greg as he could in all of the years and decades to come, just as he knew that Greg would be for him. They would make each other happy every day for the rest of their lives, just by being together and loving each other.

Ryan sighed contentedly as he snuggled under the covers with his boyfriend in his arms, brushing a gentle kiss across Greg's forehead as he settled down to sleep. Within moments, he had joined Greg in sleep, his arms, heart and soul holding his lover close.

***