Title: Then and Now
By: justtopostmyfic
Pairings: Nick/Bob, Gil/ Nick
Summary: Nick reflects on the differences in his relationships, though he cherishes them both.
A/N: Bob who, you ask? Bob Harper, resident trainer on The Biggest Loser, which can be seen on nbc on Tuesday nights!


Meet Bob Harper!


Oh, heck! Let's see him again!

Bob is 43 this year (looking at him, could you believe it?) and was born in Nashville, Tennessee.

Disclaimer: I don't normally read or write real-person slash, but Bob is too yummy to pass up! Anyway, the real Bob Harper has not made any comments about his sexuality, and this fic is in no way a depiction of the real Bob. (although really, he's a great guy, as we have seen on The Biggest Loser!)



Nick remembers his first serious boyfriend well. Not so much because the saying goes that you always remember your first love, but mostly because Bob is not an easy person to forget- in a good way.

They were both pretty young back then. Out of college, only in the first or second year of their jobs, which would evolve to be their careers later in life. Bob a budding personal trainer at the local gym, and Nick a rookie CSI who was learning quickly at the Dallas crime lab.

Just two sweet-natured good ol' southern boys who happened to be gay, that's all.

Almost every morning before work, they would meet at their usual spot to start their customary five mile jog along a secluded route Bob introduced to Nick. Nick affectionately termed the route 'Bobway' and would jokingly tease Bob about it sometimes. But deep down Nick was happy and felt privileged that Bob would share such a private part of his life with him-Bob once told Nick that before meeting him, running was his personal 'me'-time.

By the start of the fourth mile, they would both find it difficult to continue running. Not because they were out of breath, hell, they were both in the peak of fitness, but because they looked so irresistably hot to each other. Shirtless, sweat-sheen, taut, muscular chest and six-pack, panting slightly, hair sparkling with rivulets of sweat...

Their jogs more often than not ended prematurely, replaced with physical activity of another kind; and the sane part of Nick left during those times always thought, thank goodness this route is secluded.

Not to say their relationship was purely physical. Like the time Nick twisted his knee during a jog with Bob, and Bob treated his injury, all the while whispering conforting and reassuring words and treating his body with the most tender care and love. Knowing the kind of loving guy Bob is, Nick guessed that Bob also murmured soothing words to his clients at the gym when they got injured. Nick was willing to wager that Bob probably treated their bodies kindly when tending to them too. But Nick definitely knew of something Bob didn't do with injured clients at the gym when Bob started kissing him gently to take his mind off the pain in his knee.

Or the other time Nick had succumbed to heat exhaustion during a particularly hot morning of jogging. After Nick recovered, thanks to Bob pouring cool water over his flushed face and chest and supporting him as he held an isotonic drink up for Nick to gulp down, Bob gave Nick some sound advice. "Our bodies are like plants, Nicky", Bob told him, "better to be over-watered than let ourselves wilt." To this day, Nick still remembers Bob's advice, especially when he is working under the scorching desert conditions of summer in Las Vegas.

___

As Nick lays resting in bed beside the solid frame of Gil Grissom, he thinks of how much his life has changed over the years and how natural it all seems, how completely at ease he feels.

Sure, Nick still works out regularly (some habits will last a lifetime), but things have slowed to a comfortable pace for both of them. More domestic, less frenetic.

Beside Nick right now is a man who fills him up not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. In the nature of their job, they've both seen each other beaten down, broken up and burned out, but they've helped each other through the toughest times of their lives. Gil is still helping Nick mend physically from anaphalaxis, and mentally and emotionally from his phobias and nightmares of being trapped in the all-too-familiar 2-by-2-by-6 coffin.

Nick rolls over from his side of the bed to lay on top of Grissom, straddling him at the waist. He then proceeds to stroke his hair back and plant loving kisses along Gil's jawline. Gil is pleasantly surprised by this unexpected attack by Nick, but he recovers quickly enough and reciprocates by wrapping his legs around Nick's ass and pulling Nick closer as his fingers intertwine behind Nick's head.

Yeah, things are not as testosterone-driven as they were in relationships back when they were both in the prime of youth, but that didn't mean they both still don't enjoy and indulge in sexual activity on a very regular basis.