Title: Walls Break Down
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Greg Sanders/Nick Stokes
Fandom: CSI: Vegasbr> Rating: R
Series: 1) The Word Is Out, 2) In the Light of Day, 3) Property, 4) Flames of Hell, 5) Bottles and Broomsticks, 6) At the Killing Edge, 7) Into Your Arms, 8) Uncharted Territory, 9) Out of the Woods, 10) Kiss Your Tears Away, 11) Security Blanket, 12) Help Is on the Way
Author's Note: Mentions of rape/torture.
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 Nick Stokes, just borrowing them for a while. Please do not sue.

***

Nick tried to keep his gaze from devouring Greg's body as he sprayed water down the young man's back, but he couldn't keep himself from staring at the rounded curves of Greg's ass, the gentle swell of his hips. He'd never wanted anyone as much as he wanted Greg at this moment.

Resolutely, he pulled his eyes away from the tempting sight in front of him, wondering if he should get Greg's body completely wet before he reached for the body wash. That was going to pose another problem, given that he was already having a hard time keeping his eyes in his head.

If it was this hard for him not to look at Greg's ass, how was he going to keep his eyes off the rest of the young man's body once Greg turned around? Despite his good intentions, Nick seriously doubted his ability to keep his hands to himself.

What was he worrying about? he asked himself as a thought occurred to him. He didn't have to keep his hands to himself. Greg had asked him to help him take a shower -- and it was more than obvious that the younger man couldn't deal with moving around a lot.

He would be able to have his hands all over Greg. He just wouldn't be able to connect their touching with sex. Greg wasn't ready for that -- and Nick didn't blame him. He wasn't going to rush Greg into that side of their relationship in any way. It was far too soon.

But he could touch Greg to his heart's content. He would just have to be slow and gentle, careful to make sure that Greg knew the touch wasn't intended to be sexual. He was certainly capable of touching a person he loved without making it all about sex.

"Turn around, baby," he said softly, hoping that his own body wouldn't betray how much he wanted Greg. "Let me get your front wet too, so I can lather you up." Did that sound too sexual? Would those words make Greg feel objectified and scare him into backing off?

But Greg didn't shake his head, or try to get out of the shower. He simply turned around, looking down at the ground. Nick could tell that the young man was struggling not to cover the front of his body with his hands, but he wasn't going to allow that.

Stepping closer to Greg, he abandoned all thought of pretending that seeing Greg naked didn't arouse him. What use would it be to lie? That was no way to start what he wanted to be a long and happy relationship. He owed it to Greg to let his feelings out openly.

"You're so beautiful," he murmured, letting his gaze move down the front of Greg's body. He couldn't help gazing at the young man's penis; he never would have thought that Greg's cock was so large and thick from looking at him when he was fully clothed.

Glancing at Greg's face, Nick could see that he was embarrassed by the scrutiny; he managed to take his eyes away from Greg's body, putting the shower head aside for the moment and taking the young man into his arms to reassure him.

"Greg, you don't have to be nervous, baby," he whispered. "I'm not going to do anything other than bathe you, okay? I promise, if you don't like anything I do, any way that I touch you, just tell me and I'll stop. I promise. You're in control, okay? Don't forget that."

Greg took a deep breath, nodding and raising his head to look into Nick's eyes. "Sorry, Nicky. I guess I'm just .... still feeling kind of weird about being exposed. I just feel really .... I don't know, vulnerable, I guess. It's a little scary. And it's happening all at once."

Nick nodded, raising a hand to ruffle Greg's hair. "Don't worry, babe. Nothing's going to happen between us, okay? I'm just going to bathe you and wash your hair. That's it. It's not like I don't want us to eventually do more in the shower than that, but that's in the future."

Greg gave him a somewhat tremulous smile, closing his eyes as Nick picked up the shower head again and directed the warm water at his chest. Slowly and carefully, he let the spray run over Greg's body, being sure that water didn't get close to the dressings on Greg's burns.

"Okay, babe, bend over a little," he directed, hoping that the words wouldn't make Greg feel nervous. "I'm just going to get your hair wet, okay? You'll have to stay bent over for a few minutes so I can shampoo your hair and then rinse it out."

Greg complied with his words, bending over with his hands on his knees. "Okay, Nicky, I'm ready any time you are," he said, turning his head to cast a quick glance up at Nick before closing his eyes. "Just don't take too long, okay? I don't want the blood to rush to my head."

Nick laughed softly, nodding in agreement. "Sure thing, Greggo. This won't take long." As though to prove his point, he sprayed Greg's hair, getting it thoroughly wet before reaching for the shampoo. As he did, a thought occurred to him, one that made him pause.

The way that Greg was bent over, his eyes were level with Nick's cock. The last thing he probably wanted to do was to open his eyes and see the goods dangling in front of his face. Nick resolved to hurry and wash Greg's hair quickly, then take his time with the rest of this.

It only took him a few moments to have the younger man's hair lathered, then to work the shampoo in and begin to rinse it away. He wanted to close his eyes and do this more slowly; there was something very sensual about running his fingers through Greg's hair like this.

But Greg was right; the blood would rush to his head if he stayed bent over for too long, and he didn't want the younger man to pass out. Within moments, the task of washing Greg's hair was over; he watched as the other man slowly straightened up and wiped the water away from his face.

Without a word, Nick reached for the body wash that he kept in the shower; he hoped that Greg liked the vanilla scent of it. If not, then he'd make a special trip out to the store to get one that Greg preferred; he wanted to do everything that he could to make the young man feel comfortable.

"I'll smell like you, "Greg said softly, his gaze on Nick's face. "That's going to feel weird. That's one of the ways I've always known you were around in the lab when I was doing something and couldn't look up, you know? I could tell by your scent."

Nick could feel a slight flush rising to his cheeks; he'd never realized that Greg had noticed when he was in the lab. "Yeah? I never thought you paid all that much attention to me when we're at work. You've always seemed like you were so involved in what you were doing."

"I've always known when you're there," Greg said softly, his eyes not leaving Nick's. "You've got a kind of presence that nobody else does. Or maybe it's just because of the way I feel about you. There's this sort of sixth sense that lets me know when you're near me."

There was a tightness in Nick's throat; he was suddenly having a hard time speaking, or even breathing. Greg might not have said the four-letter word, but he was sure that it was there in the air, hovering between the two of them. It was just waiting to be said out loud.

But he couldn't say that word now; the three little words that were screaming in his mind would have to wait to be uttered aloud. It was enough that he felt them; he was sure that Greg knew he wanted to say them, even if they weren't out in the open yet.

"Then I'll keep using this body wash just so you'll always know when I'm near," Nick said softly, smiling as he lathered his hands with the vanilla-scented substance. "Turn around, baby. Let me soap up your back first. Don't worry, I'll be careful not to mess with the bandages."

Greg nodded, turning around and presenting his back to Nick. He drew in his breath, trying not to let his gaze roam downwards to take in the perfectly rounded curves of Greg's ass. There would be time enough to admire that beautiful body later, he told himself sternly.

Slowly, he began to lather Greg's back, moving his hands down the younger man's firm flesh, enjoying the feel of Greg's wet skin under his fingertips. But as his hands moved down to Greg's hips, he hesitated, wondering if he should keep going.

"You don't have to stop," Greg murmured, glancing around from where he was leaning against the tiles again. "It's not like I'm not used to having my ass touched. And I know you're not going to do anything I don't want. Go on, don't be shy."

Nick almost wanted to laugh at Greg's words, but he did as he was told. Placing his hands on those firm, rounded ass cheeks, he worked the lather down, his hands moving over Greg's ass and down his thighs, his own heartbeat speeding up as he did so.

How was his own body goinng to react when he was bathing the front of Greg's body? Greg didn't seem freaked out or upset by anything he'd done so far, but after what he'd been through, he might not appreciate seeing Nick's obvious arousal.

He'd have to cross that bridge once he came to it, Nick told himself, pouring more of the body wash into his palm with a shaking hand. And he'd have to hope that however this worked out, it would all be for the best -- and that maybe some walls would be broken down for good.

***

Next story in series - Made of Glass.