Title: Nick/Greg Advent Calendar 2022
Author: gothikmaus
Fandom: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Rating: G - PG-13
Category: ficlet collection, fluff, romance, humour
Summary: A collection of 24 Nick/Greg ficlets written for the Advent Calendar 2022. Mostly humorous and fluffy.
A/N: Links to all prompts can be found on AO3.
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and all related characters are property of CBS. I own nothing. No copyright infringement intended.
1 "Are you staying for breakfast?"
"Oomph, I can't breathe," Greg complained as Nick collapsed on top of him.
"Sorry," Nick mumbled, still panting, and flopped onto his back next to him. Greg immediately rolled onto his side and draped himself all over him.
"Are you staying for breakfast?" Nick asked, wrapping an arm around him.
"Depends. Do you have decent coffee?"
"Well, it's not Blue Hawaiian, but it's better than what we have at work."
Greg gave an exaggerated sigh.
"I guess that'll have to do."
"I can make pancakes if you want."
Greg smiled and planted a loud kiss on Nick's chest.
"You do know the way to a man's heart."
2 Syrup
"Do you have to put all that syrup on your pancakes?" Nick asked, a mildly disgusted expression on his face.
"It's the best part of breakfast," Greg replied, continuing to drown his pancakes in golden, sticky goo.
"You'll give yourself diabetes."
"Aw, are you worried about my health? That's sweet. But not as sweet as these," he added with a grin, spearing a big chunk of pancake and shoving it into his mouth.
Nick shook his head and went back to his breakfast, trying hard not to smile at the delighted sounds coming from Greg's mouth. When they were done, he stood up and brought the plates to the sink.
"Hey," Greg called out.
Nick turned around.
"Thanks for the pancakes," Greg said, winding his arms around Nick's shoulders and kissing him.
Nick put his hands on Greg's hips and pulled him closer, thinking that syrup didn't taste so bad after all.
3 "I've always wondered what it would be like to sleep with you."
Nick stretched his arms over his head and yawned, blinking a few times before rolling onto his side. He smiled at the figure lying next to him.
"Good morning. Did you sleep well?"
Greg nodded and snuggled closer.
"You know, I've always wondered what it would be like to sleep with you."
Nick's smiled widened.
"Really?"
Greg nodded, tracing random lines on Nick's chest with his fingertip.
"And? Did I live up to your expectations?"
"I was actually very surprised: I thought you'd snore and hog the covers," Greg replied, glancing up at him with a mischievous grin.
"You little shit," Nick muttered, grabbing his wrists and pinning him to the mattress.
Greg craned his neck and kissed the corner of Nick's mouth, wrapping a leg around his hip and pulling him closer.
"Why don't you show me how you treat your dates the morning after?"
Nick licked his lips.
"Gladly."
4 Something sweet
"Hey G, I'm heading out for lunch. Wanna come?" Nick asked stopping in the doorway.
"No, thanks, I need to finish processing these for Grissom first."
"You sure?"
As if on cue, Greg's stomach growled loudly. He looked up, giving Nick an embarrassed smile.
"Yeah, don't worry."
Nick walked into the room and stopped on the other side of the table. Greg was working on two shirts, each one covered in cuts, dirt, and what looked like blood.
"Greg, I know you want to prove you can be a good CSI, but you need to eat something. We don't want you to pass out in the middle of a scene."
Greg raised an eyebrow at him.
"How many times have you skipped lunch this week because you were in the middle of an investigation?"
Nick grimaced.
"Yeah, well, you shouldn't take me as an example."
"I'll eat something. Promise. When I'm done with these."
Nick didn't look convinced, but decided not to press the matter. When he was back forty minutes later, he wasn't surprised to find Greg exactly where he had left him. At least the shirts were gone.
"Hey, how's your case going?"
"We might've found a lead: some of the blood on one of the shirts didn't belong to the victim. Grissom looked quite pleased when I told him."
Nick nodded.
"Good. Did you eat?"
Greg opened his mouth and closed it again, looking away guiltily.
"Yeah, I thought as much. Come on."
Nick grabbed his elbow and dragged him into the break room, ignoring his protests.
"Let me go, you brute. There's no need to-"
"Shush. Sit down," he commanded as they reached the table.
Greg did as he was told while Nick grabbed a disposable cup and a paper bag from one of the cupboards and deposited them in front of him. Greg looked at the items, then up at Nick.
"I stopped at that new coffee place on my way back and got you something," Nick explained, not quite meeting Greg's eyes.
Greg lifted the lid of the cup and brought it to his lips, breathing in the scent of coffee before taking a sip.
"It's not your ridiculous 40-bucks-a-pound brand, but the guy assured me it's their best brew."
Greg smiled.
"It tastes amazing. Thank you."
He reached for the paper bag and his smile turned into a grin.
"A cinnamon roll?"
Nick was stubbornly refusing to look at him, a fact Greg found oddly endearing.
"You seemed to like them when someone brought them to the lab last month."
Greg's smile softened at the thought that Nick had not only noticed, but actually remembered.
"Yeah, they're my favorites," he answered, taking a small bite.
Greg didn't miss the way Nick's whole pose relaxed, his dark eyes finally landing on him as he chewed the pastry and took small sips of coffee. He ate in silence, telling himself his heartbeat was beating faster simply because of the caffeine and sugar hitting his system.
5 "This doesn't mean anything, does it?"
It took Greg's eyes a few moments to adjust to the semi-darkness of the room. The dim light filtering through the curtains made it barely possible to make out his surroundings, but the form lying next to him was unmistakable.
Nick. He was lying on his side, breathing deeply and evenly, looking more relaxed than Greg had ever seen him. Greg thought he would love to wake up every day next to him.
The thought was so sudden and unexpected it scared him.
Nick began to stir and Greg closed his eyes, pretending to sleep. The Texan slid closer and wrapped an arm around him.
"Good morning," he mumbled, voice rough with sleep, and Greg shivered.
"Morning."
"You okay?" Nick asked, running a hand slowly up and down Greg's back.
Greg nodded. He was more than okay. The previous night had been perfect, everything he had ever dreamed of: he could still feel Nick's lips trailing down his stomach, his fingers grabbing his hips. The memories were enough to make his pulse race.
But now he couldn't shake the feeling it had been just a one-night stand. The thought hurt more than it had any right to.
"This doesn't mean anything, does it?"
Fuck. Why couldn't he just keep his fucking mouth shut and enjoy the moment?
Nick's hand stopped.
"Is that what you want?"
Greg was unable to speak. He opened his mouth, but no sound made it past his lips.
As the silence went on, Nick withdrew his hand and started to move away.
"No!" Greg finally exclaimed, reaching out and pulling Nick back to him. "No. That's not what I want."
"Good," Nick said, tightening his arms around him. "That's not what I want either."
6 "The most essential human need is to sit in someone's lap while you kiss them"
"Two million TV channels and there's nothing to watch," Greg whined as he threw the remote onto the coffee table.
"You're just being difficult."
"You try finding something decent. And no documentaries."
Nick sat down next to him on the sofa and grabbed the remote.
"I don't get this crusade of yours against documentaries. They're a perfectly fine form of entertainment."
"It's not a crusade. But after watching two thousands of them, they tend to lose some of their appeal."
Nick rolled his eyes.
"Always so dramatic."
Greg watched him browse through TV channels for a while, then a smile dawned on his lips.
"You know, I read a very interesting quote today."
"Yeah?" Nick replied distractedly, frowning at the screen and trying to understand if he was looking at the opening scene of a horror or a soft-core porno.
"It said that the most essential human need is to sit in someone's lap while you kiss them."
That got Nick's attention.
"And where did you read that?" he asked, turning toward Greg.
"That's not really important. The important thing is that it really resonated with me."
Nick's lips twitched.
"Did it?"
Greg nodded and moved closer. He only stopped when he was sitting in Nick's lap.
"Yes. Very much."
"Well, you know you can always count on me if you need help fulfilling your most essential human need."
"You're such a gentleman," Greg said, and leaned in for a kiss.
7 "When are you gonna tell him?"
"When are you gonna tell him?" Sara asked when Nick left the room.
"Mmh? What do you mean?"
"Nick. When are you gonna tell him?"
"Tell him what?"
She gave him an unimpressed look.
"Greg. Don't insult my intelligence. You're nowhere near as subtle as you think you are."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Greg replied, glancing away and busying himself with some DNA samples.
Sara rolled her eyes.
"Fine, be like that. I guess you're not interested in knowing he's been making eyes at you for months now, are you?"
"He what?!" Greg choked out, almost dropping the tray of vials he was handling.
Sara sighed.
"Really, how can you guys be so oblivious? Just do something about it, you know he's never gonna make the first move."
Greg just gawked at her as she left the room. After a moment, she popped her head back into the doorway with a smile.
"No need to thank me, but you owe me dinner!"
8 Stars
Greg got out of the car and looked up at the night sky.
"I always forget how many stars you can see if you get away from the city."
"Yeah. It's beautiful, isn't it?" Nick replied as he retrieved his kit from the trunk.
They were in a stretch of desert thirty minutes away from the chaos of Las Vegas, hundreds of stars sparkling over their heads.
"Too bad we're here to investigate a murder," Nick added, zipping up his jacket to fend off the chilly night breeze.
Greg shrugged.
"It's a tough job, but someone's gotta do it."
"We could come back some other time. Maybe have a little picnic," Nick suggested, and Greg could swear his cheeks had turned pinker than they had been just a few moments before.
"Yeah, I'd like that," he replied, unable to hold back a smile.
Nick smiled back and walked up to him, gently brushing the back of his hand against Greg's before pulling away.
"Let's go, we have a crime scene to process."
Greg followed him, not even bothering to hide his grin.
9 Making your characters blush: Getting pushed together in a crowd
"Can you see him?"
"This way!"
They were running after a suspect, making their way through the mass of people crowding the Strip on a Friday night. They had almost caught up with him, when a group of young women celebrating a bachelorette party blocked their way. By the time they had shoved everyone aside, their man was nowhere to be seen.
"We lost him!" Nick angrily exclaimed, scanning his surroundings to no avail. "We'll never find him again among all these people, he could be anywhere. Dammit!"
"We'll get him, Nick," Greg said, placing a hand on Nick's shoulder. "We know who he is, his face is gonna be all over the news tomorrow."
"I was so close, I almost got him. If only all these people would just-"
Right in that moment, the crowd around them moved almost in unison, and they found themselves pushed together. Greg ended up with his hands pressed against Nick's chest, trying to keep his balance, their faces mere inches apart.
Nick had never noticed the smattering of freckles on Greg's nose, but it was impossible not to see them this close. Like it was impossible to ignore the blush spreading across his cheeks.
'Probably from the run,' Nick thought, even though the blush was getting brighter instead of fading.
Suddenly, the image of Greg blushing and panting under him flooded Nick's mind. He was so taken aback, he forgot to breathe for a moment.
"Sorry," Greg muttered, and pushed himself away.
'Yeah, definitely from the run,' Nick mentally repeated as they made their way back to the crime scene.
10 Blanket
"It's freezing out there!" Greg whined, a gust of icy air sweeping into the house with him.
"If only someone had told you to wear a heavier jacket. Oh, wait: I did," Nick called out from the kitchen.
"Yeah, yeah, you were right and I was wrong. Happy?"
Nick walked to the entrance and smiled at the sight of a pouting Greg, his nose and ears bright red from the cold.
"Come on," he said, removing Greg's jacket and hanging it up next to the door. He picked up a blanket from the armchair and wrapped it around him. "I'll make some soup. And there are still those leftovers from the other day, I can warm them up," he added, steering him towards the sofa.
"Wait."
Greg reached out and grabbed Nick's wrist, pulling him down on the couch next to him and enveloping both of them under the blanket, snuggling closer.
"Dinner can wait. You need to warm me up first."
Nick smiled and kissed Greg's forehead.
"As you wish."
11 Jealousy: "Hey, look at me. I’m yours and no one can change that."
The night had been going so well: they had solved the case in record time, Grissom had let them go early, and they had decided to try out a new bar before heading home. The location was nice, the music not too loud, and the drinks surprisingly good. Everything was perfect.
Until he arrived.
He was an old friend of Greg's, someone he used to hang out with in New York. He was tall, dark-haired and with a blinding smile.
Nick instantly despised him. Especially when he started getting all touchy-feely, hands lingering on Greg's shoulder or arm while they were chatting. Nick had to physically restrain himself from grabbing him and pushing him back, putting some space between them.
"Well, I'm glad you don't have eye beams," Greg said after his friend had finally walked away. "He would be a pile of ashes by now."
"Huh?" Nick grunted, frowning.
"You were not subtle at all. They way you glared at him the whole time, he must think you're some kind of Grinch."
"I don't care what he thinks," Nick replied, finishing off his drink and slamming the glass down on the table with a little too much force.
"Easy there, are you trying to break something?"
"What if I am?"
"What's wrong with you?"
"Maybe I don't like seeing random guys getting their hands all over my boyfriend."
Greg blinked.
"Are you serious?"
Nick didn't answer, eyes fixed on his empty glass.
"Hey, look at me," Greg said, placing a hand on Nick's cheek and gently turning his face towards him. "I’m yours and no one can change that."
Nick eventually looked up into his eyes.
"You two seemed very... close."
Greg smiled.
"We did some crazy shit back in the days, but we were never an item. I admit I used to have a little crush on him, but he never showed any interest."
"Then he's an even bigger idiot than I thought. All the better for me."
Greg's smile widened.
"Let's go home. I have a few ideas on how to make you forget your jealousy."
Nick was out of his seat in an instant.
12 "Don't even try to talk to me right now. I need my coffee first."
"There you are, I've been looking for you all over the lab!"
Greg didn't turn around. He just raised a hand, index finger extended.
"Don't even try to talk to me right now. I need my coffee first."
Nick fought hard to suppress a smile.
"Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed today."
"Very funny. The DNA tech from day shift got food poisoning and I had to pull a double to cover for him. I think I slept three hours," Greg replied pouring coffee into a mug.
When he finally turned around, Nick could see there were dark circles under his eyes. He raised the mug to his lips, eyelids drooping as he took a sip. Nick had the sudden urge to envelope him in a big hug, drag him to the sofa and just hold him in his arms until he fell asleep.
But he couldn't. Not right there, in the middle of the lab.
"Okay, I'll come back later."
"You sure? I can do it if it's urgent," Greg said, eyes barely open. "Just give me a moment."
"Don't worry, it can wait. Try to get some rest," Nick said with a smile.
Greg looked like he wanted to say something, but in the end he just nodded and went on drinking his coffee.
Nick left the break room and walked towards the ballistics lab, hoping Bobby had worked his magic on the bullets Dr. Robbins had extracted from the body.
13 "Seeing you smile makes it so hard not to kiss you right then and there."
"Hey! Come in," Greg greeted him, opening the door wider and stepping aside.
As soon as the door was closed again, Nick framed Greg's face with his hands and kissed him. Greg let out a small, surprised sound, but wasted no time in kissing him back.
"Wow. What was that for?" he asked when Nick finally pulled back. "Not that I'm complaining."
"I've been thinking of doing this the whole day."
"Really?"
Nick nodded.
"Remember when you were talking about that concert you went to? Your smile was so big, your whole face lit up. You looked so happy. Seeing you smile like that makes it so hard not to kiss you right then and there."
"Aw, I never knew you were such a big sap."
"I just wish I could kiss you whenever I wanted."
Greg's smile faltered as he saw Nick's expression turn serious. They both knew they had to be careful, workplace relationships were a tricky topic. Knowing it didn't make things any easier, though
"Things will change," Greg said, cupping Nick's cheek in one hand. "And when that happens, you can finally show me off like the gorgeous trophy boyfriend I am," he added with his biggest grin.
Nick snorted, and Greg was relieved to see a small smile appear on his face.
"In the meantime, you can have me all for yourself," he added, wrapping both arms around Nick's shoulders.
Nick's smile widened.
"You're such a ridiculous man."
"And you love me for it."
"Yes, I do."
14 Something different
Something was different. Greg could feel it in the way Nick's eyes lingered a little longer than usual on his, fingers twitching as his hand strained toward Greg's on the diner's table while they were having breakfast.
They had been dancing around each other for a long time, but today it felt like they were both taking a step toward each other.
When they were done, Nick walked Greg to his car. They stood there awkwardly, closer than they were used to, neither wanting to say goodbye and break the spell. Nick's eyes kept darting down to Greg's lips, and Greg finally had enough. He reached out and grabbed Nick's belt, pulling him toward himself until they were pressed together.
"Do it," he whispered, looking directly into Nick's eyes.
A moment's hesitation, then Nick's lips were on his, warm and soft and absolutely perfect. Greg let go of Nick's belt and slid his hands around Nick's waist, pulling him even closer as Nick tilted his head and deepened the kiss.
They were both our of breath when they finally pulled apart.
"Took you long enough," Greg panted, his mouth barely an inch away from Nick's.
"It was worth the wait," Nick replied, and kissed him again.
15 Soft
"I like this sweater," Greg said as he wrapped his arms around Nick from behind. "It looks good on you. And it's so soft," he added, rubbing his cheek against Nick's shoulder and running his hands up and down Nick's chest and stomach.
"You just can't keep your hands off me," Nick commented, amused.
"It's not my fault I have a hot boyfriend," Greg replied, and kissed the side of Nick's neck.
Nick turned in Greg's arms and slipped his hands into the back pockets of his jeans, pulling him against himself
"Looks like I'm not the only one who can't keep his hands to himself."
Nick gave him a lopsided grin.
"It's not my fault I have a hot boyfriend."
16 Music
"And you call this music?!" Nick shouted over the cacophony of pounding drums, throbbing basses, and distorted guitars.
"I told you you wouldn't like it," Greg answered just as loud.
Greg had indeed tried to dissuade him, but Nick had wanted to spend more time together and figured going to a concert would be the perfect opportunity. Besides, how bad could the music be?
Now he wished he had listened to him.
When the song ended, Greg elbowed him.
"Wanna get something to drink?"
Nick nodded and followed him to the bar, glad to put some distance between his eardrums and the amps.
"You hate this. I'm sorry," Greg said meekly while they were waiting for the bartender to serve them.
"Don't be: you did try to warn me. I just underestimated how atrocious your taste in music could be."
"Hey!"
Nick grinned and placed their orders, grimacing as the band started playing another song.
"Are all their songs like this? Don't they have a ballad or something?"
"Not really. Why, do you want to have a slow dance with me?" Greg asked, putting on his best flirty expression and fluttering his eyelashes.
"Maybe. If you're good."
"Oh, I can be very good," Greg replied, moving just a little bit closer.
Nick found his mouth had gone suddenly dry.
"Why don't you come over to my place after this so-called concert? I can show you what you can do with the help of some proper music."
Greg smiled, his eyes sparkling under the stroboscopic lights.
"I can't wait."
17 Fairy lights
Nick walked into the DNA lab and stopped dead in his tracks.
"Did you put up this stuff?" he asked, pointing at the fairy lights hanging all over the cabinets. "Did Grissom see them?"
"I don't care what Grissom says: I won't be able to take a single day off during the Holidays this year, so I get to decorate my lab however I want," Greg said, not looking up from the microscope.
"I didn't know you were such a big Christmas fan."
Greg sighed and finally looked at Nick.
"It's not that. I haven't been home in a long time and was really looking forward to being with my family. I haven't seen my gran in ages." He shrugged. "Oh, well. I knew this would happen when I chose this job."
"About that, I was thinking... I'll be working over Christmas too, do you want to do something together? Frank's got a Christmas special or something," Nick suggested.
Greg blinked at him, surprised.
"Oh. Sure. I mean, if you got nothing else to do. I don't want to intrude."
"No, I... don't really have any plans. And I'd like to spend Christmas with you. I mean, no one should be alone at Christmas, right?"
Nick sounded strangely nervous. Which didn't make any sense: it wouldn't be the first time they had breakfast together after work.
"Right."
"Good."
Nick visibly relaxed, and Greg had the sudden feeling he had just agreed to go on a date with him. Which was ridiculous: Nick was the straightest man in Vegas.
Unless...
"It's a date then," Greg said, just to test the waters.
The expression on Nick's face was one Greg had never seen before.
"It's a date," Nick replied, and Greg could swear he could see a faint blush coloring his cheeks.
18 Tempting
"Fuck."
Greg turned around.
"What?"
He was standing in front of the mirror, putting the finishing touches to his hair and making it look like an effortless mess.
"You're so very tempting... How am I supposed to keep my hands off you?" Nick said, walking up to him and placing both hands on Greg's hips.
Greg was wearing a form fitting black shirt and the tightest pair of jeans Nick had ever seen.
"Then don't. Touch me, grab me, show everyone who I belong to. I like it when you go a little Neanderthal."
"I don't go Neanderthal," Nick retorted.
"Oh, yes, you do. The way you glare at anyone who even tries to flirt with me... If looks could kill, you'd be a serial killer by now."
"I'm the only one allowed to flirt with you," Nick said gravely, lifting a hand to cup Greg's cheek and kissing him hard.
Greg let out a little moan and clutched Nick's shirt with both hands.
"See?" he said, panting, when Nick pulled back. "A real Neanderthal. Just the way I like it."
19 Someone spiked the punch
"I thought you could hold your alcohol better than this," Nick said, walking a staggering Greg toward the parking lot, one arm wrapped around the DNA tech's waist to keep him upright.
"S'not my fault," Greg slurred. "Someone must've spiked the punch."
Nick smiled at him.
"Yeah, right."
As they reached the car, Greg frowned.
"S'not my car."
"Of course not," Nick replied, pulling the keys out of his pocket. "You're way too drunk to drive."
"But..."
"No buts. Come on, get in. And for the love of God, warn me if you're going to throw up."
"Not throwing up," Greg mumbled as he sat down.
Nick fastened the seat belt for him and shut the passenger's door. By the time he walked to the driver's side and got in, Greg was already fast asleep. Nick smiled at the sight and shook his head, humming a Christmas song under his breath as he turned on the car and drove home.
20 Rough
They were on the sofa, movie forgotten as soon as Greg had reached out and pulled Nick to him for a kiss.
"You can be a bit rougher if you want," Greg said in between kisses, sounding already out of breath.
Nick pulled back slightly, just enough to look at him.
"You sure?" he asked, and the way his voice had suddenly gone deep made Greg shiver.
"Yeah. I won't break."
Nick studied him briefly, not saying a word. He placed a hand on the back of Greg's neck and slid it slowly upward, fingertips lightly rubbing his scalp. Without warning, he grabbed a fistful of Greg's hair and yanked.
Greg gasped, head tilted back and throat exposed.
"You like this?" Nick asked, running his lips along Greg's neck. "You liked being pushed and pulled and giving up control?"
Greg whimpered, clutching the back of Nick's shirt with both hands.
"Y-Yeah."
"Be careful what you wish for," Nick murmured directly against Greg's mouth, before biting down on his lower lip.
Greg had a feeling he was about to discover a whole new side of Nick. And he couldn't wait to see it.
21 Baking
"Mmh, smells nice," Nick said as soon as he stepped into the kitchen.
"I made gingerbread cookies. The last batch is almost ready."
"You really went all out this year."
"It's our first Christmas living together, I wanted to make it special."
Nick walked to him and wrapped his arms around Greg's waist.
"You already make every day special just by being there."
Greg smiled, embarrassed, and buried his face against the side of Nick's neck.
"You can't say stuff like that."
"Why not? It's the truth."
"You giant marshmallow."
The oven timer went off, and Greg reluctantly withdrew from Nick's embrace. He retrieved the tray, placed it on the counter and took off his oven mitts. He reached for one of the cookies he had baked earlier and offered it to Nick.
"These are really good," Nick said after taking a bite. "You should bake more often."
"I don't know, I don't want to spoil you too much," Greg teased.
"What if I ask nicely?" Nick said, finishing the rest of the cookie and crowding Greg against the sink.
Greg smiled and wound his arms around Nick's shoulders.
"I'll think about it."
22 Reunions
It was going to be his first Christmas away from Las Vegas. Accepting the job in San Diego had been the right thing to do: he finally got to manage his own lab and have his own team, which had been his goal ever since he had started working as a CSI. He was proud of the people he worked with, every single one of them was a genuinely good person, on top of being an amazing professional.
But something was missing. Every now and then his mind wandered back to Vegas and the graveyard shift. He thought of what he could have done differently, the things he could have said. But it was too late now.
He sighed and locked his computer. It was time to go home.
A knock on his door made him look up, surprised. He thought he was the only one left in the lab.
"Is it a bad moment?" Greg asked, his smile just as brilliant as Nick remembered.
Nick gawked at him.
"Greg."
"Hi."
Nick just sat there, not quite believing his eyes.
"Are you going home?"
Nick finally snapped his mouth shut.
"Yeah. I mean. I was just finishing... Yeah."
Greg's smile grew even wider.
"What are you doing here?" Nick asked.
"I'm going home for Christmas and thought I could make a little detour to see how you're faring in sunny California."
Nick stood up, unable to suppress a smile.
"I'll tell you all about my new team over dinner. There's this little Italian place that makes the most amazing lasagna."
"Sounds like a plan," Greg replied.
As they walked out of the lab side by side, Nick felt a sense of warmth spread through him. Maybe it wasn't too late after all.
23 Red
"Let's move this to the bedroom," Nick panted against Greg's mouth, one of his hands sliding down Greg's side and stopping on his waist.
They had hit the sofa as soon as they had gotten home from the lab's Christmas party, and started making out immediately. Nick's lips felt swollen and sore and his jeans had grown almost painfully tight.
"What's wrong with the couch?" Greg asked. He leaned in and started kissing along Nick's jaw.
"You really wanna keep making out on the couch like teenagers when I have nice, big bed just a few feet away?"
Greg shrugged.
"Why not? Makes me feel young again."
Nick shook his head.
"You're drunk."
"Am not. But that was some good champagne. Who brought it to the party again?"
"No idea. Does it matter?"
"Not really, no."
Nick eventually gave in and went back to kissing him, enjoying Greg's enthusiastic moans as he rubbed him through his jeans. He unbuttoned Greg's fly and stopped at the unexpected flash of color.
"Red underwear?" he asked, looking up at him with a raised eyebrow.
"It's Christmas," Greg pointed out, sliding both hands under Nick's shirt.
"That's true," Nick replied, shivering as Greg lightly ran his fingertips up and down his back.
"Well? Aren't you going to unwrap your present?"
Nick didn't need to be told twice.
24 One more present
"Wait, there's one more present," Nick said reaching behind his back.
"One more? You're spoiling me," Greg replied, grinning.
Nick handed him a small, square box, and Greg noticed he looked strangely nervous. When he lifted the lid, the breath stuck in his throat. It was a ring. Made of silver or white gold, with a subtle pattern etched into it. It was placed on top of a small card, where four words were written in Nick's unmistakable handwriting: Will you marry me?
Greg looked up, speechless.
"I know you don't usually wear rings, and I thought of getting you a bracelet, but it wouldn't be the same thing." Nick's words were rushed, his voice tense. "You can change it if you don't like it."
Greg looked down at the ring again, mouth open and eyes wide.
"Greg?" Nick asked, growing more and more anxious.
"You want to marry me?" Greg finally asked, clutching the box as if his life depended on it.
"Yeah. I've been meaning to ask for a while, but I could never find the right time."
"You want to marry me," Greg repeated, incredulous.
"Wait, did you want a traditional proposal?" Nick asked, and slid down on one knee. "Gregory Sanders, will you marry me?"
"Oh my God, come back here!" Greg exclaimed, reaching out for him and pulling him into a tight hug.
"You still haven't answered."
"Yes! Of course I'll marry you!"
Nick pulled back and saw Greg's cheeks had gone bright red, his eyes shiny.
"May I?" he asked, pointing at the box.
Greg nodded and Nick carefully picked up the ring, his hands shaking as he slipped it onto Greg's finger. When he was done, he lifted Greg's hand to his mouth and gently kissed it.
"Merry Christmas, my love."
"Merry Christmas," Greg replied, voice trembling as he leaned in and kissed him.
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December 2022