Title: If Only Until Tomorrow
Author: Buddy
Fandom: CSI: Vegas
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Rating: NC17 for underage sex.
Disclaimer: They're not mine but I would still fight Nick for Greg :D
Summary: This is totally AU. What if Nick and Greg had met in Prep school?
Warnings: Angst.
Beta Reader: Many, many thanks to carolinecrane for the great beta on this, especially the suggestions. *Smooch*
Dedication: To cloudsurfing because it's all her fault.

***

It was ridiculous hair and that's the only reason Nick Stokes noticed him. It had nothing to do with the way he bent his head over the water fountain, or the way his lips opened as though he was about to perform a service for it, instead of the other way round. It wasn't anything to do with the fact his left side profile was perfect and that Nick had this insane urge to plant a kiss right in the centre of his cheek.

Nick was glad it had nothing to do with any of those things because when the man with the gorgeous tan stood up, Nick could see that he wasn't a man at all, in fact he was little more than a boy. The look he threw Nick's way as he sauntered past was knowing and more brazen than he would have expected from a fifteen year old and he averted his eyes and kidded himself he wasn't blushing.

Nick hadn't noticed him on campus before but then he was one of the first back after the summer vacation. Other students were filtering in slowly and would continue to do so over the rest of the week. Spilling designer luggage from expensive cars, flashing thousand dollar smiles and exuding an air of confidence that only came from old Ivy League families.

He risked a glance up and was treated to a grin before the guy disappeared around the corner. Great, he'd only been here two days and he already had someone to avoid. Someone who spelled trouble from the looks of it and he couldn't afford that in his last year. Nick sighed and headed back to his dorm room; might as well enjoy the peace whilst there was some left to be had.

~*~

Greg Sanders already knew he was going to hate it here. It was a bummer having to change schools one year in, but then his folks hadn't known they would be moving three states over before he finished high school. So here he was sans beach and friendless, scared that he wouldn't make the grade and not looking forward to having to break in a new roomie.

At least it was a nice room, the kind that could soon feel like home away from home. Whomever he was sharing with had some pretty expensive equipment on his desk besides a framed photograph of a group of females of varying ages. They all looked vaguely similar and he guessed the eldest was their mom.

The bed that was already claimed was made up with sheets and blankets and Greg smirked at the hospital corners before flicking his eyes in the direction of his own duvet. Why did he have to end up with a neat freak? Not that he was particularly untidy himself but he liked the idea of being able to simply kick back and relax at the end of the day, and not have to worry about where his socks ended up when he balled and tossed them.

At least there was one hot guy around, even if he did nearly combust at the way Greg looked at him. Thinking about it, Greg realised that's what had made him so hot. He didn't normally go for chiselled jawed machismo, he preferred guys in eyeliner and leather - the ones in magazines anyway - but there was something appealing about the fact he could make a senior blush.

He lifted his suitcase onto his bed and opened the doors to his closet; might as well get the boring stuff out of the way first then he could check out the campus and see about signing up for extracarriculars. He snagged a large cookie from his knapsack and tore the packet open with his teeth; he could do things more efficiently after an infusion of refined sugar.

Time for another attempt at showing the cookie who was boss and he opened his mouth wide and pushed it in. His lips failed to close around it and he knew it was either break it in half with his tongue and take his best shot at the crumbling mass of chewy goodness, or take it out and try again. But taking it out was for wimps and by the time the door opened there was no going back. He swivelled his head round and felt his eyes widen comically as the guy from the water fountain stepped inside.

~*~

Nick's mouth fell open as soon as he spotted Greg, but he recovered his composure quickly and closed it with an undignified snap. He wasn't sure whether to be annoyed he was actually in his room or to laugh at him because he looked like Popeye.

"What are you doing in here?"

Greg chewed as quick as humanly possible and swallowed with an audible gulp.

"Hello to you too. I'm Greg, and I guess we're room mates."

"That's …" Nick pulled absently at his collar. "That's not possible, I'm a senior and you're either a freshman or an intruder."

Greg grinned and tossed the cellophane in the waste paper basket. "Are you always this welcoming? I mean I've met friendly before and this isn't it."

"I'm sorry, I forgot my manners." Nick crossed the room and held his hand out. Greg clasped it and shook firmly and the heat of the contact made Nick's palm itch. "I'm Nick Stokes, and I think you have the wrong room."

Greg pulled out his registration form and handed it over to Nick. "No I'm not. It says it right there, Greg Sanders, Wetherly Halls, room 222."

Nick stared at the paper before risking a closer look at Greg. He looked even better than he remembered and not as young as Nick had surmised. "How old are you?" he asked rudely, and wanted to bite his own tongue.

"Why, are you checking out my vital statistics?"

Nick handed the paper back and put some distance between the two of them. "Do you always answer a question with a question?"

"Only when people make me nervous. Why are you so pissed about it? I'd try and change but I think you got stuck with me because I'm a late admission. I'm a sophomore …"

Nick could hardly stand the crestfallen expression on Greg's face and immediately felt contrite. "It's ok, Greg. I'm sorry. Let's start again shall we? Hi, I'm Nick and most of the time I'm not a prize ass."

Greg smiled at him and Nick felt his heart flutter alarmingly before it returned to its natural rhythm.

"Ok, then. I have to unpack, but I was going to check the place out after. Want to come with me?"

"Sure, I can show you around. It's the least I can do."

"It's a da ... Ok then. Give me five." Greg ducked his head down and Nick chewed the inside of his lip.

Oh yeah, this was going to be trouble.

~*~

Greg thought Nick was a bit uptight but he was definitely getting easier on the eye the more he talked to him. He had this flustered quality about him that seemed to lessen the age gap and Greg told himself that he was almost fifteen and Nick had only just had his eighteenth birthday so … he had a snowball's chance in hell and he should just give it up already.

Greg watched as Nick pulled his sweater off and his mouth dried up at the sight of the narrow patch of flesh exposed above the waistband of his jeans and the hem of his tee. It made his eyes ache and he dragged them away before he could fall to his knees and beg Nick to let him just bury his nose there for a moment. Just what he needed to do, show Nick what a total juvenile he was so he could dismiss him like an irritating bug or squash him like one.

He turned back to speak to him and froze. Nick was pulling a fresh shirt from his dresser and was about to put it on his naked torso when he caught Greg looking at him.

"We should get going," Greg said quickly, and rummaged round in his knapsack until he found his wallet.

"I'm ready," Nick said and grabbed his own wallet and keys before hitting the lights and opening the door.

Greg looked at him uncertainly. "You don't have to, you know, come with me."

"I know. I want to. I could use some air."

~*~

"I love chemistry. I got my first set when I was seven and it was really cool! Ok, my parents didn't think so when I used the chemicals to die my hair green but on the whole they've been very supportive."

Nick leaned back in his chair and fixed Greg with a look. It was meant to be stern but he failed miserably and grinned instead. "I'm not staring at your hair, ok?"

"Sure you are. That's the point. Didn't anyone in your house ever rebel? You sound like the Waltons or something."

Nick flicked a potato chip across the table and missed Greg by a wide margin. "They rebelled. We all did one way or another. One time I swapped my sister's deodorant for insect repellent." Nick grinned. "I love my sisters, but man, all that oestrogen can make a guy twitchy.

"Did you get away with it?"

"Hell no. She came out in this horrible rash and I was grounded for a week."

"Do you miss them?"

"Yes and no. It's great being part of a big family but it's nice to put some distance between us too. What about you?"

"I didn't want to move here. Not that Dallas isn't great or anything, it's just that I've already done a year at another school, and I've left all my friends behind."

"Why did your folks uproot you?"

"Dad got a really great job offer and mom can teach anywhere so …" Greg shrugged. "They couldn't really turn it down. Big pay raise and everything, better position."

"You'll make friends, Greg, it's only your first day here and already you know my life story."

"I like listening to people talk. I like listening to you talk, you have a great voice."

Nick picked up his soda and wished he'd ordered coffee. "Greg …"

"It's the accent you know? I like the way it rolls on your tongue and every word is soft and round."

"Well I guess you'll be listening to a lot of people here then because we all talk pretty much the same way."

Greg smiled at him for about the twelfth time and it still wasn't getting tired. It lit up his whole face and Nick found himself wanting to find out ways he could make it happen because of something he did or said.

"We should get going."

"Why, do you have something planned?"

"Not exactly, no."

"Then chill. I still want to check out the library. I heard it's got a better selection than most colleges."

Nick shook his head. "You really are a nerd. How'd I get stuck with you?"

Greg flicked a chip across the table and it hit Nick squarely on the nose.

~*~

"Guess who you're rooming with."

"The biggest nerd on campus?"

Nick didn't even look up from his monitor but he could feel the triumph on Greg's face.

"No and besides I wouldn't want to take your crown."

Nick threw his pen down and took his glasses off. "A pain in my butt?"

Greg just looked at him and Nick looked away hastily. Bad choice of words.

"Only the winner of the Dean's prize for best new chemistry paradigm."

"You blew up the lab!"

Greg dipped his head and Nick had to try hard not to reach over and rumple his hair.

"True. But he said it was an innovative way to do it."

"You're a piece of work you know that? Anyone else would have their bags hitting their ass on the way out the door."

"You might want to be nice to me. Starting with 'Greg, you are a leader in your field and some day there will be tomes published about your work.' And …"

"Don't push your luck, Explosion Boy."

" … it wouldn't hurt any if you called me Sir."

"Get outta here!"

"The prize is three thousand dollars."

Nick put his glasses back on and pushed them up his nose. "Ok, you can call me anything you like. But dinner's on you."

~*~

Greg stared out the window and wondered what the guys were doing back home. It still wasn't too late in the year to hit the surf so he guessed that's where they'd be. Andrews riding a wave like he was Neptune himself and collapsing into a fit of giggles the moment it started to break over his head. Rosenbaum goofing and pretending his didn't know his ass from his head, even though he had more trophies than anyone else Greg knew.

He sighed. Maybe they could all meet up over the Christmas vacation but he knew it was never going to be the same. Not necessarily worse, he knew they would always be friends, but still, not the same. He missed them all so fiercely for a moment he thought he was going to cry, but the door opened and he hastily scrubbed at his face.

"You alright, Sanders?"

"What do you want, Nick?"

Nick paused with his hand on the closet door and stared at him, surprised. "Nothing. It's my room too remember. Who shoved a bug up your ass?"

Greg stayed silent and wished … he daren't think about what he wished because it involved an arm full of Nick and probably a black eye for his trouble. And it was so much easier to be mean to him when he felt this needy.

"You wouldn't understand, you're from Dallas. You grew up here and you knew a lot of your friends before you came here."

"Is that what this is about? You're homesick?"

Greg put his head down and wondered if they gave prizes out for feeling foolish. The warm hand on the back of his neck was nearly his undoing.

"It's perfectly understandable. Change is never easy and none of us are that keen on it at the time. It'll get better, you'll see." Nick squeezed his muscles gently before he let go. "We're heading out to the tennis court, want to come with?"

Greg was absurdly grateful but he knew he couldn't go; this was Nick's time with his other buds and he didn't want to piss them off any more than he already did.

"Nah, I'm good. You go, I'll catch you later."

Nick smiled at him and it was on the tip of Greg's tongue to beg him to stay with him instead.

"You know you're my guy, right?"

Greg knew what he meant but he could kid himself it meant more and it would be enough to sustain him until Nick got back later. "Sure, I am. I have to go, I remembered I have a thing."

Nick grabbed his sports bag and a towel from his dresser. "Good. I'll see you later then."

The quiet seemed oppressive the moment he left and Greg decided he couldn't stay in here a minute longer.

~*~

He was definitely stacked and he wore his uniform as though he'd just stepped fresh off the catwalk. Maybe if Nick got himself a piece of that he could put Greg out of his mind once and for all and move on with his life. Shoulders as wide as a barn door and hair just starting to brush the top of his collar, his face would make the cover of Vogue even if the rest of him wouldn't. Nick knew Tomlinson was interested in him because he'd already tried to feel him up in the shower.

He almost always had one hand in his pocket and his blazer rode up over his ass cheek, accentuating the curve of muscle and giving a hint of the beauty under his clothes. His head was tilted forward and he was listening intently to the guy standing in front of him. Nick couldn't see who it was from this angle but he grinned when Tomlinson reached across and moved an imaginary piece of lint from the other guy's blazer. One of his oldest tricks and Nick felt sure he had the patent on it. The other guy laughed and the grin froze on Nick's face. When Greg came into view it felt like a hard slap. He smiled at Nick as soon as he spotted him but Nick just kept on walking.

"Nick, hey! Wait up."

"I'm kinda in a hurry right now, Greg."

"I was waiting for you." He turned to Tomlinson and gave him the thumbs up. "I'll see you tomorrow." He raced after Nick who was till walking away determinedly and stopped him when he grabbed his arm. "I thought you'd finished your game and that maybe we could go and buy food with no nutritional value and hang."

Nick was irritated. Hell, he was furious if he were honest and not least because Greg had been chatting to the guy he'd just been perving on. "I'm busy."

Greg's face fell and Nick prayed for a time that every little change on his face didn't tug at his heart strings. He was starting to recognise all Greg's expressions and it was one of his favourite pastimes working out what a new one meant.

"Oh. Can I come with you?"

"No you can't come with me and what the hell were you thinking letting Tomlinson in your air space!"

Greg looked back over his shoulder and Nick was very thankful that Tomlinson had already gone. Still, he garnered a few stares from others littering the asphalt and suddenly he was very conscious that he was in a sweaty t-shirt and tennis shorts and Greg still had his hand on his arm.

"Why not?"

"Because I'm headed for the showers you goon."

Greg looked at him so seriously that for a moment he felt compelled to do anything he asked him to. "Can I come with you?"

"Yeah … no!"

"You could always come back to our room to shower. It'll save time and you can talk to me from behind the curtain. Tell me exactly why I shouldn't be letting Tomlinson in my air space."

Nick stared at him incredulously. "Were you watching me play tennis?"

"What's wrong with that?"

"How do you know Tomlinson?"

"I'll tell you back in the dorm."

"Tell me now."

"Why does it matter to you so much?"

"It doesn't. It doesn't matter at all."

Greg let his hand drop from Nick's arm. "Fine. I'll see you around."

~*~

"Nick! Wake up," Greg whispered urgently, and shook Nick's shoulders roughly.

Nick was so startled that for a moment he thought he was at home. "Mom?"

A grin spread over Greg's worried face. "Either you're still half asleep or you're yanking my chain."

"Greg? What's up man?"

"You were shouting. I think you must have been dreaming."

Nick ran his hand over his face and blinked at the lamplight. "Did I wake you?"

"Nah, I wasn't asleep. Are you ok?"

"I can't remember what … I was dreaming about."

Greg sat back on his haunches and stared up at him. "Do you want me to turn the light out or …"

"No leave it, I have to pee anyway."

Nick looked at him pointedly and Greg stared back stupidly for a moment before he realised that he needed to move out of the way. He almost fell backwards when Nick sat up and the covers fell away. He didn't normally sleep bare-chested but then they were sleeping in eighty degree heat.

Greg managed to get his feet moving somehow and hopped back into bed before evidence of his interest in Nick's attire became apparent to anyone with sight. He reached down and tentatively stroked his cock through his PJs and stifled a moan when he heard the toilet flush. If he was lucky, Nick would go back to sleep very, very soon and he could take care of this before he popped.

He closed his eyes when the door opened but they flew open again when he felt the bed dip.

"Nick?"

"Yeah."

"What are you doing?"

"I'm … I have to get to sleep."

"Are you even awake?"

"I've got to be up at five am."

"That's what I thought. So unless you're thinking of sliding under the duvet, your bed is over there."

"I know that, silly." Nick smiled and pressed his lips to the side of Greg's mouth. "Good night."

Greg's hand flew to his face and the place where Nick had kissed him. The soft feathery feel was gone before Nick was back in his own bed but Greg thought the memory might last a lifetime.

~*~

"Why did you have to bring him again? He cramps your style, Stokes. How do you ever expect to get inside Lisa Ranton's panties if you take your kid brother everywhere you go?"

"Knock it off, Mayberley, he'll hear you. And besides it's you who wants to get in Lisa Ranton's panties, not me."

"Good, if he hears me, he might take the hint. He's a big freak, how did he even get in with that hair? It looks stupid with his uniform."

"He got in because he tests high and his hair is … he has to grow it out, ok, give him a break."

Mayberley let out a heavy sigh. "There are more important things to do here than babysit a sophomore."

"Really? Enlighten me."

Greg wandered over and when Nick saw the look on his face he wished they'd just stayed in their dorm room and booted up the PlayStation.

"I heard you were important, Mayberley."

"What are you talking about, punk?"

"Aren't you a major scientific breakthrough?"

Greg's eyes twinkled over his head at Nick and Mayberly frowned. "Are you disrespecting a senior?"

"I'm a geek, why would I disrespect the Missing Link?"

Nick let out a startled laugh. "I think you might be right, Greggo, but we're leaving. Have fun at the games guys, I'll catch you later."

Nick was still laughing by the time they entered Wetherly Halls. "You are priceless." He sobered for a moment. "Hey, I'm sorry you had to hear that, but you should pay no attention to him, he's just a big dork."

"I know that. For one thing, I'm not your brother."

Nick stared at him and tried to decipher the complicated look that was dancing over Greg's face. It made him want to reach out and smooth away the frown that was trying to take up residence on his brow and capture the grin that was warring with it for posterity.

"And for another thing?"

"I'm not your brother."

The grin won and Nick wanted nothing more at that moment than to kiss him. Hard and fast and like it was going out of style.

"Come on moron, I'll trash your ass at Crimson Tears."

"Yeah, yeah, Shrek's more your bag."

~*~

Greg felt the weight at the side of him and realised he was hard before he even knew he was awake. "Nicky? What's going on?"

"Nothing. I was dreaming, go back to sleep."

"Are you ok?"

"I guess. No. It was … it was horrible and I didn't want to be on my own. I know I'm being a girl but …"

"It's ok, nightmares suck."

Greg sat up and put his arms around Nick's shoulders as though it was something he did all the time. He ignored the rapid patter of his own heartbeat and concentrated on the feel of Nick's as he pulled him against his chest. His whole body felt wired to register the slightest shift in Nick's weight and he couldn't suppress a soft moan when Nick buried his face in the crook of his shoulder.

Greg leaned into him, his mind in hyper drive and the moment he touched his lips to the top of Nick's head he felt something uncurl in his belly. It was deep and painful and it had little to do with the fact he desperately wanted to just move over and pull Nick in at the side of him. It was scary and exciting and Nick must have sensed something because he drew back a little and Greg felt his searching eyes on him in the dark.

"Greg are you …"

"Shhh."

Greg found Nick's lips with his own and they parted easily under his onslaught. His mouth still tasted of mint and Greg felt sure he could swap it for coffee as one of his favourite flavours in the world. Just so long as Nick kept on kissing him back. His tongue darted past Greg's teeth and he seemed to be chasing a flavour himself; he traced the ridges on his hard palette until he settled on Greg's tongue and drew it into his mouth. It was like dying in freefall and Greg wondered if he would ever remember how to breathe again.

Nick broke away and Greg tried to follow him but suddenly there was nothing but air in Nick's place and Greg wondered if it was him who had been dreaming. Neither of them said another word and when Greg awoke again later that morning, Nick had already gone to class.

~*~

Nick pressed save and let out a sigh of relief. His first term paper was finished and dead on the minimum word limit. It must be time for a celebration. It was Friday night and some of the guys were meeting over at one of the college fraternities. This time he didn't have to sneak over the fence, he had a pass and he intended to use it.

He started to pull off his clothes, realised it was a bad idea and went into the bathroom and closed the door quickly. There was no telling when Greg might get back and he couldn't promise that he wouldn't just give in to his hungry looks this time. He started to grow hard at the image of Greg writhing under him and thought about requesting a transfer for the hundredth time.

This was just getting out of hand. He really liked him and the memory of that kiss made his lips burn. He wanted so much more but he didn't want to do anything to jeopardise their friendship or his position in school. It was just that he had to remind himself continually that Greg was younger than him, even if he could talk rings around Nick's senior buddies. The shower spray was hot and welcoming on his shoulders and it would be so easy to just ease his aches elsewhere.

If he never wanted to look Greg in the eye again.

Hard jets of water peaked his nipples and his hand closed around his cock before he had chance to argue with himself some more. It felt really good to stroke skin over hard flesh and he was just getting into his rhythm when the door opened.

"Fuck, man! Don't you ever knock?"

"Sorry, Nick, I didn't know you were in."

Nick grabbed a towel from the rail and draped it around his waist. "Hence the need to knock, Come on Greg, you know these walls are soundproofed."

"I know. But you could always try locking the door."

Greg left before Nick could make a suitable reply. He'd never been more happy to see him leave; for the life of him he couldn't think of anything to say.

Greg was lying on his bed reading and Nick felt naked despite the towel; if only he'd thought to take some clothes in with him. Greg's eyes flicked over him briefly and then he went back to his book and Nick could tell he was annoyed with him. He pulled clothes from his closet, not really taking any notice of what he picked and when he turned to go back in the bathroom Greg was looking at him sardonically.

"That shirt doesn't work with those pants."

"Excuse me?"

"The colours, they clash."

"What should I wear then?"

"How about nothing?"

"Greg."

Greg was on his feet before Nick could blink and in his personal space before he could draw breath. "Why are you fighting this? I know you want me and you're dying to give in or you wouldn't have left the bathroom door unlocked."

"You know why."

"Don't you think we should just get it out of our system?"

"I have to get dressed or I'm going to be late."

Greg stepped closer. Only one step and Nick held his breath. "Will it make you feel better if I take the initiative? If I seduce you."

He leaned in and Nick could see his lips getting closer in slow motion, but his attempts to avoid them felt like he was wading through molasses. And they tasted just as sweet and spicy and he couldn't help the way his fingers entangled in Greg's hair when his lips parted and he thrust his tongue inside Nick's mouth. Greg fingered one erect nipple and Nick stifled a moan the moment Greg's hand slid around his cock.

"Oh yes," Greg moaned against his cheek.

Nick couldn't help thrusting into his loose fist and before he knew it his towel was on the floor and every inch of him was screaming to be touched. Greg made use of the slight height differential, twisted his fingers in Nick's hair and held him still whilst he pumped him. His ragged breathing in between kisses felt as good against Nick's throat as his hand moving on Nick's cock, and before Nick could coherently wonder what they could do with restraints of some kind he was coming hard enough to see stars.

The brush of cotton towelling against his abdomen brought him back to earth. His eyes alighted on the school emblem pinned to Greg's shirt and he just knew this wasn't what the founding fathers had in mind when they made their motto, seek knowledge, attain enlightenment. He let go of his death grip on Greg's arms, pulled at buttons until they popped and scattered and reached for the flesh beneath.

Greg's tan seemed to glow with the faint blush spreading underneath it and Nick dipped his head to chase the blood flow from throat to chest to belly and then dropped to his knees to press his face to the hard mound tenting Greg's pants. His hands seemed to work despite his brain and in hardly any time at all he had them open and pooling around his ankles. He slid his boxers down slowly and risked a look up into Greg's bliss ravaged face.

The soft moans Greg made in the back of his throat were all the encouragement that Nick needed. He cast all his doubts aside and gave himself up to desire. Greg wanted this as much as he did and he couldn't say no a moment longer. Nick didn't take his eyes off Greg as he licked at his weeping slit, but Greg had closed his by the time Nick had taken him in to the root. It felt wonderful to be on his knees in front of him, worshipping his body liked he'd fantasised about for so long and he didn't think he'd enjoyed giving head more in his entire life.

He ran his hands over Greg's balls and the precum that spurted over his tongue was bitter and salty, but it also tasted so much like Greg smelled that Nick's mouth watered. He slid his tongue up the underside of Greg's cock, traced veins until he couldn't stand the teasing any longer himself and started to suck him deliberately. The tug of Greg's fingers in his hair was harsh and he felt Greg's legs start to tremble as he attempted to stay on his feet. Nick gripped his hips to support him but before he could get a decent hold his throat was flooded with come.

Greg slid from Nick's mouth and collapsed in a heap beside him. Nick spat onto the carpet and thought about incriminating evidence. Then Greg's arms were around him and his kisses were hot, sweet and so fucking addictive that Nick thought he might need rehab to recover from them.

Greg finally broke away and when he looked at Nick his eyes seemed to dancing like neon on diamonds. "You're going to be late."

"I don't care."

"Sure you do. Mayberley and all the others are waiting for you."

"Well they can wait. Until I've kissed you some more. Then I'm taking you with me."

"You can't, they'll know."

"How?"

"Because I'm never going to be able to stop grinning."

Greg kissed him again and Nick just knew he was going to the special hell. The one where they punished guys like him for taking advantage of young boys with a crush and revoked all his sex privileges for eternity.

"I know just what you mean."

~*~

Later that year.


"Happy birthday, Greg."

Greg took the package from Nick and thanked his inner cool for the fact his hands stayed so steady. "Thanks."

"Aren't you going to open it?"

His expression was so intense that for a moment Greg almost managed to kid himself that this wasn't going to be the worst birthday of his life. He reached up to touch Nick's cheek and sighed sadly when Nick leaned in to it. "I love you."

"I know you do, Greg, I love you too."

"So why are you leaving me?"

"Do we have to do this now?"

"It doesn't make any difference, my birthday's cancelled this year. I don't feel much like celebrating."

"But you're sixteen, it's supposed to be special."

"Then don't do it. Stay here with me and tell me that you're not tired of me and that we can carry on like we have for the last nine months."

"I'm not leaving you, I'm going to college."

"You know what I mean, and yes you are."

Greg felt a little piece of himself break away and he knew it was an important part of him that he could never get back. He didn't care that tears were blinding him or that his cool had left the building; all that mattered was the fact he was dying. He thought it might go on happening until he was old and bitter and he pressed his palm hard against Nick's face as though he could imprint it there.

"Go now. It's only going to make it worse if you stay. My mom's picking me up tomorrow night so I'll only have one day on my own."

"I'm sorry …"

"Yeah, me too."

Greg didn't notice his tears fall until Nick was kissing them away and he hated himself for every second he let him; he knew that it wasn't going to change a damn thing. And then Nick was gone and Greg was left to stare at empty space.

~*~

A perverse part of Nick was grateful that he had a reason to come back here and he stubbornly ignored the fact that it was a flimsy excuse. He swallowed hard around the lump in his throat and tried to look away, but he couldn't take his eyes off Greg's face; it looked oddly serene and untroubled by dreams. Nick drank in the sight of him; from the already hardening line of his jaw down the vulnerable line of his throat, over rosy flat nipples and smooth chest down to his unzipped jeans. He bit his lip against the urge to follow the line of fine hair that travelled from Greg's navel and disappeared under the waistband of his jeans.

Greg's left knee was bent like it always did when it wasn't wrapped around Nick's waist and his arms were spread out on either side of his head. It was such a trusting pose and Nick felt like the biggest kind of bastard because he'd done anything to endanger that trust. He knew this was the right thing to do even if it was almost a year too late.

Greg's hair was bed trashed and stuck up at unflattering angles, but all that Nick could focus on was the sweater he'd bought him for his birthday and the fact Greg's head was resting on it. His fingers were curled around one of the sleeves and they twitched slightly as if he was afraid someone was about to snatch it away.

Nick was tempted to wake him but it would be selfish, simply put off the inevitable so he put his key next to Greg's laptop, turned around and walked away.

Fin

***

Next story in series - Christmas, Present.