Title: What Pictures Say
Author: Paige/Gabrielle
Fandom: CSI: Vegas
Pairing: Gil/Nick/Greg
Rating: FRM
Spoilers: General through Season 8
Category: Romance
Summary: Nick and Gil find out what Greg’s been up to in LA. Sequel to CSI: Ink.
Warning: None
Disclaimer: Not mine, don’t sue.
Feedback: All I ask is that you play nice. No flying objects that you’ve set on fire please.
Email: katelyamct@gmail.com

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Nick was excited as he and Gil entered their home, both of them had been very happy when they’d spied Greg’s car in the driveway. They’d both wondered what Greg was up to when the youngest member of their trio had said that he was going to LA to take care of something that he absolutely refused to tell them about. And considering that a trip to LA and back was eight hours, not considering whatever he had to take care of, hardly a little daytrip.

As he entered the house, Nick smiled when he spied his youngest lover curled up on the couch, sound asleep. Nick nudged Gil and nodded towards the couch, being rewarded with a soft smile on the tired face.

Nick made his way over to where Greg was sleeping and knelt beside him, gently pressing a kiss to the soft lips and gently carressing the beautiful face. As his hand slid down Greg’s upper arm, Nick frowned as his fingers touched…plastic; it felt like Greg had plastic wrap on his arm. He flicked on the light next to the couch and his frown deepened; Greg did have plastic wrap on his arm, just peeking out from under the sleeve of his t-shirt. Now very curious as to why Greg would have plastic wrap on his arm, Nick gently eased the sleeve up and found a bandage on Greg’s bicep that the plastic was holding in place.

“Hey Gil, come take a look at this,” Nick called out quietly to his older lover, trying not to wake Greg, though if the light coming on hadn’t woken him up yet, he was probably out for the night.

Gil walked out of their bedroom, still tugging a t-shirt on over his pajama bottoms, “What is it Nicky?”

Nick gestured to Greg’s arm, “Take a look at Greg’s arm.”

Gil knelt down and looked at where Nick gesturing, “Looks like what a tattoo artist uses to protect a fresh tattoo.”

The two men looked at each other in shock, of all the things they’d thought Greg would be doing in LA, getting a tattoo was about the last thing they’d thought of. Finally, Gil spoke, “Well, we probably shouldn’t take the bandage off to see for ourselves right now. Let’s get him to bed and we’ll talk about it in the morning.”

Nick gently lifted Greg’s slim frame into his arms and carried him to the bedroom, lowering him onto the bed and stripping his jeans off before covering him with the comforter. Greg murmured but didn’t wake up. Nick smiled and gently pressed a kiss against Greg’s temple before stripping down to his boxers and climbing into bed and wrapping himself around Greg, being careful not to put any pressure to Greg’s bandaged arm.

He smiled as Gil slid in on the other side of the bed and pressed his own kiss to Greg’s head before going to sleep.

Just before Nick drifted off, he found himself thinking about Greg’s tattoo. He wondered just what Greg had gotten done in LA that he couldn’t tell them about.

****The Next Morning****

Greg woke up feeling warm and comfortable and he also felt two sets of strong arms wrapped around him. He smiled, this was his favorite way to wake up, surrounded by his lovers and feeling safe and secure. He burrowed happily into the body closest to his, the hairy skin telling him that it was Gil since Nick’s skin was pretty smooth.

“Mmm, good morning Greg,” Gil murmered into his hair.”

“Mornin’ Gil,” Greg said sleepily. He could feel some pain in his arm but it wasn’t as bad as he thought it would be.

Gil kissed the top of his youngest lover’s head and gently stroked his neck, “So, how was your trip to LA?”

Greg felt himself blushing, Gil and Nick had probably seen his arm when they’d moved him last night, “It was fine. I had fun.” He shivered as Gil’s fingers gently slid down his arm, over the plastic film.

“Do we get to see it,” Nick murmered, his hands stealing under Greg’s t-shirt and tweaking Greg’s nipples.

Greg whimpered, “Y-Yeah. I-I have some ointment that I’m supposed to put on it for the next couple of days.”

“Well then, we’d better make sure you put it on there. Wouldn’t want it to become infected,” Gil murmered and before Greg could say anything, he was lifted off the bed and carried him into the bathroom before depositing him onto the counter. While Nick kept Greg occupied, Gil gently unwrapped the plastic and peeled off the bandage. There was a long pause before Gil spoke, “Hmm, well this is certainly interesting. Nicky, I think you’d like to see this.”

Nick reluctantly pulled away from Greg’s mouth, “What? What’d he get?”

“Come and see,” Was Gil’s cryptic answer. Nick gave Greg one more deep kiss before walking around to see what Gil was so fascinated by. He was stunned.

“Is this what I think it is, G?”

Greg gulped, “What do you think it is?”

“Well it looks like you got a tattoo of a butterfly, a pair of cowboy boots with a hat and a chess piece,” Gil commented. He stepped in front of Greg and tilted the young man’s chin up so they were eye to eye, “Are those for us, Greg?”

Greg gulped again, “Tw-Two of them are; the butterfly and the cowboy boots and hat. The chess piece is for Papa Olaf.”

Gil’s face softened and he pressed a kiss against Greg’s forehead before kissing him on the lips. “Greg, it’s beautiful. I think I can speak for Nick when I say that we’re very flattered that you did this for us.”

“Absolutely,” Nick agreed, also kissing Greg on the lips. “It’s perfect. Whoever did this is an excellent artist.”

Greg looked at both of them in surprise, “You guys like it?”

Gil smiled, “We both love it. Now, let me put that ointment on it and then we’ll show you how much we love your tattoo.”

Greg smiled and pointed to a small bottle resting on his sink, “It’s over there. I have to use it for the next couple of days and then I have to use an unscented lotion until it starts peeling.”

Nick grabbed the bottle and handed it to Gil who squeezed out a small dollop and gently rubbed it into the tattoo now decorating Greg’s bicep. Greg was relaxed now, resting his head against Nick’s shoulder. It was then that he realized how nervous Greg had been about the whole tattoo thing. Well, he and Nick would clear away any doubt Greg had about their appreciation.

Nick seemed to be on the same wavelength because he began kissing and nibbling on Greg’s neck, focusing on Greg’s sensitive spots, making the young man moan.

“Easy Nicky,” Gil said with amusement, “don’t get him too worked up, I’d like to have some fun too.”

Nick chuckled softly before returning his attention back to Greg’s neck, focusing on Greg’s ear.

Finally, Grissom was sure that the ointment had been rubbed in thoroughly, “Okay Nick, let’s get him back to bed.”

Nick’s grin turned wolfish, “Sound’s good to me.” He scooped Greg into his arms and carried him back to the bedroom, where they set to work alleviating Greg’s worries about his surprise.

*****Nine Months Later*****

Sara frowned as she watched Grissom at the scene the team was working. He was wearing a long sleeved shirt, despite the fact that it was boiling hot outside and he was sweating profusely. She was about to say something when Catherine beat her to the punch, “Gil, take that shirt off before you get heatstroke!”

Grissom sighed in exasperation but he must’ve been feeling pretty bad because he didn’t protest and headed over to his Denali to change. Unable to help herself, Sara eased over, hoping to get a glimpse at the object of her obsession; but all it revealed was a white wife-beater. The smothering shirt was stashed in the front seat before Grissom rejoined them. That’s when they all saw it.

“Gilbert Edward Grissom, what is that on your arm?!” Catherine crowed as she moved over to take a look.

“From here, it looks like a tattoo,” Nick said with a smile on his face.

“It IS a tattoo,” Catherine could not contain her glee, “And it’s a beauty. Gil, you must’ve paid top dollar for this.”

“What’s the tattoo of,” Sara asked, now intrigued as to what Grissom would’ve gotten tattooed on his arm.

“Hmm, it looks like a painting, a pair of cowboy boots with a matching hat and a…coin?” She frowned at Grissom, “Why on earth would you want to get those tattooed on your arm?”

Grissom bit back a smile, “It commemorates the things that are most important in my life.” With that, he turned back to his work.

Catherine and Sara shared a confused frown and both of them missed the smiles Grissom, Nick and Greg shared. They didn’t know that Nick had a similar tattoo of a ladybug, the state of Texas and a mug of coffee. Each of them had gotten tattoos to honor the things that were the most important to each of them; their families and their lovers, the only things that mattered.

The End