Title: It's In Your Eyes
By: michigangirl30
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Situation of my choice
Greg in eyeliner
PLUS: a little inspiration from an old Prince song
Not sure if this is meets expectations... was trying to keep it around 1000 words and it went in a different direction than even I expected. But yah, that's become the usual for me.
Summary: Nick's about to run out of excuses.

A portion of the lyrics from Take Me With U by Prince:

I can't disguise the pounding of my heart
It beats so strong
It's in your eyes what can I say
They turn me on

I don't care where we go
I don't care what we do
I don't care pretty baby
Just take me with u

Come on and touch the place in me
That's calling out your name
We want each other oh so much
Why must we play this game?

Don't care where we go
I don't care what we do
I don't care pretty baby
Just take me with u

If asked, he would have said his excuse was boredom and an unexpected night off. Ok, so it wasn't a good excuse, but it was all he had to explain why he'd ended up here, in a flashy club he'd never have stepped one foot into if he hadn't been following Greg. A Greg he almost didn't recognize at first, strolling out onto the sidewalk looking like he'd just finished a gig with David Bowie. Or ... whoever. Frankly, it was of no great surprise to him that he couldn't think of any current bands that dressed that way, it wasn't really his scene. Something that Greg reminded him of every time he popped in a CD to listen to at the lab. The music was all right, he just never could make the connection between the melancholy lyrics and the spunky, joking Greg. And even seeing Greg made up this way, he wasn't completely sure of the connection, but something south of his brain was arguing a blue streak about NOT thinking right now, just that he'd better not let him get away. So Nick had followed and ... studied.

Studied jeans that were dangerously shredded and hanging low on Greg's hips, allowing Nick a glimpse of the waistband of Greg's boxers (plus a little flash of skin) with every stride of his long, long legs. Studied a dark blue t-shirt that clung like a jealous girlfriend over Greg's wide shoulders, but loosened it's grip as it smoothed over his chest down to a flat stomach. He noted accessories as well: wide leather cuffs adorning each of his wrists, accentuating the lankiness of his arms. And every so often Greg would turn his head at just the right angle, revealing the other change that interested Nick the most, black make-up lining his eyes. Black, smudged eyeliner, Nick supposed, that he first likened to David Bowie and now wished to reassess. Because David Bowie's makeup never made Nick's stomach flutter and ache. And no amount of boredom, or studying, would ever change that.

Greg's leisurely pace made following easy and Nick's thoughts began to wander. It was hard for Nick to remember a time when he hadn't thought about approaching Greg, reaching out and putting the decision into the other man's hands. Any answer would have been a relief, if only to know what it was like to have taken a chance at something real, even if it meant losing it. That had to better than pretending it wasn't there. The irony of his actions weren't lost on him, but still he hung back, unable to do more than follow.

Yet, as ridiculous as he began to feel, he didn't fight the compulsion to continue his chase, even when Greg left the safety of the sidewalk and entered the disco. And if Greg's listening habits were a constant reminder of a scene he didn't clearly understand, THIS club he was currently standing in was a smack in the face. While he never considered himself uptight, he knew he was a little out of place in his loose, intact jeans and gray button down shirt. However, he didn't have time to care, since Greg hadn't slowed, even when he encountered the busy dance floor.

As Greg's slim form disappeared deeper and deeper into the crowded club, Nick's heart pounded faster and he became nearly desperate, bumping people out his way, unconsciously murmuring the words, ‘excuse me', without taking his eyes off the wake of Greg's movement through the writhing mass of bodies. Finally emerging on the other side of the dance floor, he caught sight of Greg already at the bar. He was smiling and talking into the ear of another man, a tall dark haired knockout who leaned further into Greg with every word.

Well. He was so concerned with his own ‘excuses' that he completely forgot that Greg would have a legitimate reason for being out tonight. He was meeting someone. A date.

Nick felt dizzy as the giddy desperation of a moment before solidified into a hard ball in his gut. It threw him off balance and he just let the momentum carry him forward to the bar. Greg and his date remained in sight, but were off to his right, looking joined at the hip and shoulder now. He should leave, he didn't belong here. And he was no party crasher, deliriously infatuated or not. But he feared that his exit now would cause more of a disturbance than if he just waited for the strength to return to his knees.

There were no bar stools, so he leaned heavily on the railing feeling the coolness of the metal leach through his shirt. The sensation didn't last long, leaving him with a vague sense of frustration. A little could never be enough, could it? Scrubbing a hand over his face, he shook his head slightly. When had he become so rash? He flicked his gaze to his right, as if seeing the reason for his impetuousness would make it all right somehow. Greg wasn't there anymore. The handsome stranger with dark hair smiled slowly at him, an unexpected thing. Nick swallowed the lump that had risen in his throat and smiled back, his mouth tight.

The stranger held his gaze for a few seconds longer, then nodded his head in acknowledgment and sauntered toward the dance floor. Nick looked away, his attention drawn by someone jostling for position at the bar next to him.

"I would have said hello if you hadn't turned away every time I looked at you."

The hot breath on his ear tickled, but it was the voice that spread goose flesh over his skin like wildfire. Speechless, Nick merely looked up into Greg's alluring eyes.

Closing the gap between them from inches to centimeters, Greg put his mouth to Nick's ear again. "Not sure what to do with me, now that you've caught me, Nick?"

Nick pulled away, but not before noting the rhythm of Greg's heartbeat against his shoulder, almost as quick as his own. "What? No. I was just walking by and-"

Greg's arm slipped around his waist and pulled until Nick turned to face him, their chests brushing lightly, fanning the flames consuming Nick's skin. "Nick, do you honestly expect me to believe you came in here on your own? Forgetting, of course, that I saw you following me for three blocks before I got here."

The smile in Greg's voice matched the one softly curling his lips, the familiarity of it soothing the flash of panic Nick experienced at being unexpectedly caught. "Uh, yah, I guess I was. I've never.. seen you.. like this before. I was curious."

Greg dropped his hands from Nick's waist, but stayed right where he was, not quite touching, but oh, so close. "Just curious?"

That was a loaded question Nick preferred to avoid answering. "Isn't your date going to be wondering where you are?"

"My date? You mean Noah?" Greg's eyes crinkled as a large grin split his face nearly in half. "Noah's a really great friend, but not my date. Although, he is pretty hot. Just don't tell him that, ok? He preens enough as it is. Besides-"

"So you don't have a date?" Nick almost cringed, hearing those words, so shot through with hope.

Greg shook his head, his expression sobering a bit. "Nope. Now ask me the other question."

Still hedging, Nick stammered, "The other? I don't.."

Greg returned one steadying hand to Nick's hip. "It's right there, in your eyes, Nick. It's ok. You've seen the evidence now." Greg paused after making this statement, as if giving Nick a chance to catch up. When Nick didn't respond, Greg's other hand came up and slid to the small of Nick's back as he asked, "Are you still afraid to ask a question you know the answer to?"

The room became impossibly hot, the heat searing through Nick's clothes, making him pant. "Terrified."

Nick watched as Greg tilted his head and pressed closer. "You were brave enough to follow me. Why stop there?" And then he stopped, his mouth a scant distance from Nick's, his smudged eyes daring Nick to finish it, to confirm what they both wanted.

"I don't want to stop." He said the words in one breath, low and soft, not even certain he had spoken loud enough for Greg to have actually heard him, but it wouldn't have mattered. They were both moving before he'd finished speaking, their mouths crashing together, Greg's hands tugging Nick closer, Nick's urging Greg on.

Greg broke the kiss first, panting visibly now, pressing his forehead to Nick's. Nick snaked a hand up to touch Greg's face, tracing a thumb under one eye. "Do you do.. this.. often?"

"Make out with co-workers or wear eyeliner?" If he'd been able to keep a straight face, he may have convinced Nick his question was serious. He laughed as Nick's eyes narrowed slightly in response. "Only when I get a chance to go out, maybe once or twice a month. It's what got you'curious', isn't it?"

"Yeah and I don't know why."

With an uncharacteristic shyness, Greg looked down at Nick's chest as he spoke. "We could go to my place and try and figure it out, if you'd like."

Nick waited for Greg to look back up and when he didn't, he chucked a finger under Greg's chin. His heart was pounding again, pumping a new feeling through his veins, one that felt almost as aching as desperation. Not more than thirty minutes ago, he'd given in to a compulsion, and he wasn't going to stop now.

"I can't find an excuse for why not."