Greg loved his coffee. He was proud of himself, never spilled a cup in his life. Coffee was what had kept him going on and on through high school and college, heck, even middle school. He loved coffee more than he liked flirting with girls. Though, when he flirted with girls, they never flirted back, just took in his interest or something stupid, and… ugh. Now that he thought about it, girls weren't all that great. He started liking guys a while back… but… he decided he'll relapse on that later. Though coffee couldn't flirt, it was just as good to drink.

He somehow got into the same thought as before, how he started liking guys. He started liking guys just a little while back… and it had something to do with his first love – coffee.

..::XXxxXX::..

First day on the job!

Greg stumbled into the break room, sweeping by the chairs and tables over to the counter where the coffee pots were. Grissom, his new boss, had him working like crazy recently… and by recently, he meant his first day on the job. He had left his music playing in the DNA lab, and he had to hurry to get a cup of his coffee so he could get back to work. He poured full a mug then swooped back around.

He didn't notice he had run into somebody until he figured out his ass was numb from when he just fell on the floor because all he could see was somebody in front of him. The guy looked like a football jockey or something, tall, shaven, lean, smart-looking awkwardly enough. He groaned excitedly for some reason, he didn't even know why.

"Sorry, sorry… I seem to dot hat a lot, you know and…" he guy started, but got a look at Greg and paused just in time for Greg to apologize and stuff.

"Yeah, me too, I've done that with about everyone today…" Greg uttered. The guy he was looking at seemed like he might be a suspect, and even though he wore a tag for the lab, Greg suspected he might have stolen it or something because Grissom had already introduced him to all the employees, and Grissom didn't mention anymore… but… wait. Greg detected some kind of accent in the guy. Texan?

"Yeah, ditto. I think I should start like… making sure that everyone knows that I'm coming into a room before I do or something…" the man started again, standing up, wobbly. Greg watched him get up. He was graceful, tall and seemed somehow… sexy. But, Greg only liked girls! The man extended a hand to help Greg up, but Greg shook his head and got up on his own.

"You okay?" The man asked. "Hey… aren't you the new DNA techie?" His accent rang out, and Greg decided it was Texan.

"Uh… yeah, I am…" Greg said, but didn't know why he was stuttering.

The man nodded, smiling. "Yeah, yeah," he said. "Warrick told me about you. He said you were a bit… "teen-ish." The hell that means!" The man said, laughing hard. "I thought that when I'd meet you, you'd be head-banging to Marilyn Manson or something." He smiled at Greg, and Greg's stomach roared in delight, he didn't know why, though. "Nick Stokes."

"I'm stoked…" Greg said, smiling. "I mean! Greg Sanders…" he laughed. Stoked? Where'd that come from? He felt like an idiot! And in front of this sexy guy… wait. Did I just call this guy SEXY?! Greg roared at himself. He couldn't even control his own thoughts! Nonetheless his words!!!

"Uh-huh…" Nick said with a nod, eyeing Greg with an expression he couldn't read. Nick eyed him, studied him, and Greg felt like he would melt.

"Pleasure to meet you…" Greg uttered.

"The pleasure's mine, Greggo!" Nick laughed. Greggo? Who was Greggo? Oh, he meant… him, Greg. Now he felt stupid. Insanely stupid. He loved the nickname. As he thought that, he said aloud: "No pun intended." Greg slapped his hands over his mouth, blinking awkwardly at Nick. Nick gave him a confused look but nodded.

Suddenly, something stung his chest. He felt like it might be his heart exploding with joy, even though he had no clue why! But, no, as he looked down, he noticed the coffee had soaked into his shirt.

"Damn…" he mumbled to himself. Nick extended his hand with a towel to see if he could wash it off, and as Greg extended his hand to take the towel, he felt his fingers graze over Nick's. He felt his ears warm incredibly, and as he looked up, Nick bolted out of the room red-faced.

Greg stood silently.

First, he called this guy sexy. Next, he said "I'm stoked" as in, "I'm excited," but also which was Nick's last name and that meant that… oh god….

..::XXxxXX::..

It was almost the end of shift, and Greg wandered back into the break room, recalling today's events in his head.

He met a guy named Nick Stokes today. Nick was nice, funny, handsome… and he talked to Greg a lot. Nick came into the DNA lab about nine times today… twice for the results of his case (which ended up in them chatting anyway), five times for coffee for the two of them, Nick saying he was making up for spilling Greg's coffee earlier. The last two times wasn't actually in the DNA lab, but in the break room again, where they sat across from each other and just chatted. But, each time Greg would look at Nick, he'd catch Nick staring, then Nick would turn away almost instantly from Greg's gaze. Greg liked the guy, and thought about him each time after Nick left. Left in wonder about him. But, then Greg would preoccupy himself with work again, just to keep him distracted.

Walking into the break room, he saw Sarah, Warrick, Catherine and Nick all sitting with each other at one of the tables. Nick seemed annoyed, and Sarah, Catherine and Warrick were all laughing at something that seemed to irritate Nick somewhat.

Walking up to the counter where the coffee pots were, he picked up his mug and a pot of coffee, looking through the cabinets for some cream.

"Come on, Nicky, you gotta' tell him sometime or else…" someone started, Greg recognizing it as Warrick's voice.

"Wait, wait, he can hear you…" someone else said, and Greg couldn't tell who this was, but it was a feminine voice, either Sarah's or Catherine's, he couldn't tell. They hushed and all turned to Greg, except for Nick who looked elsewhere, glancing up once or twice to watch Greg.

Feeling their gaze, Greg turned around, eyeing them curiously, eye brows raised in confusion.

"Hey, Greg. When you like someone, don't you just tell them, no matter who they are?" Warrick asked.

"Well, yeah, sure," Greg lied. Except for the occasion where… Greg thought, not daring to riddle himself in his thoughts.

"Well, Nicky here needs some advice on a crush he has…" Warrick added and Greg turned from his coffee to Warrick, coffee pot in his hands as he poured it into his mug.

"Go on," Greg said. "I'm listening."

"Oh, shut up, will you, Warrick?" Nick grazed anger, saying that overtop of Greg's response in a whisper. "Get stuffed!" Nick added for Sarah, Catherine and Warrick as a whole. Greg could have worn he said "Get Stoked," Oh, I'm Stoked for Stokes… Greg thought, pun absolutely, positively intended!

"Well, if you got a problem with the ladies, I'd be happy to help."

"Oh, it isn't about a woman…" Sarah added with laugh, along with Warrick and Catherine.

"Oh really, now…?" Greg asked, raising an eye brow at Nick longingly and perplexed, looking at Nick over a sip of his coffee. "So tell me more about this mystery man, his name, what he's like, what you like about him… the works." So I can beat him at his funny little crap! Greg roared in his thoughts, wanting to say that out loud to Nick, hoping Nick's "mystery man" was himself, because Greg's "mystery man" was definitely Nick!

Nick grumbled and the other CSI's laughed hard. Greg told them to lay off, and when they asked why Greg was being so protective and defiant, Greg didn't answer, but simply told them to go to work.

Suddenly, Grissom popped in the doorway, a cup of coffee in his hands.

"Sarah, Catherine, Warrick, get back to work." Grissom said, nodding them out of the room. Greg was glad Grissom intervened before the three CSI's questioned him more.

Greg began to start out of the room with his coffee cup and Nick behind him, but Grissom stopped them in the doorway.

"You two are off-shift. Go hang out, go do something," Grissom said with a wink. Grissom knew that the CSI's were bugging them!

"You knew they were bugging us, didn't you?" Greg asked just to be completely sure. Grissom shrugged and turned out of the room.

Greg raised his eye brows quickly in answer, and turned to Nick.

"Want to go out with me?" Greg asked.

"I, uh…" Nick stammered. Greg didn't mean it like that, and they both blushed, Greg wishing that maybe he had meant it like that.

"To discuss "this", I mean…" Greg said, and Nick sighed, in relief, Greg wasn't sure. But Nick nodded too.

..::XXxxXX::..

The next day. The two had the day off.

Greg sat across from Nick, listening to the silence around them whisper things in their ears.

"So, tell me about this mystery man," Greg said, knowing he was poking and prodding a weak, unstable point. Greg lifted his hand and touched Nick's hand like friends would if one was having a hard time, the other trying to help them cope with the troubles, but, honestly and truly, Greg was just desperate for some kind of contact between them.

They were in the park by Greg's apartment, his apartment only a few blocks away, about a ten minute walk from here, or if it was Greg, a one or two minute run.

"I don't feel really comfortable with telling you this…" Nick stuttered.

"It's okay, I get the idea… can you at least tell me what he's like?" Greg asked, knowing his was biting the bullet too hard. Nick didn't answer. Greg could tell from the silence that Nick really was uncomfortable. Greg was uncomfortable too, but only because he wanted answers from Nick because he liked Nick. Because he wanted to compare this guy Nick liked to himself, then shape himself up so Nick might fall for him instead.

Greg scooted closer to him, neither noticing. The bench cold beneath him, the night air still between them. He scooted closer again without his notice.

Out of no where, Greg leaned in and grabbed Nick's head, pulling Nick's lips down to his. Nick pulled back as if it was on instinct, but was inches from Greg's face, not even inches at that. Nick's breath on his cheeks and lips, Greg opened his eyes to search Nick's.

"I, um…"

"Just want to know…" Greg started, cutting Nick off at his pause. "If you… if you… you…" Greg lost the rest of his words, forgetting them, being so close to Nick.

..::XXxxXX::..

Greg sat still, his heart racing in his chest. He ran home after kissing Nick. They had separated, then both bolted home, knowing the other was leaving as well.

Greg had kissed another guy! He couldn't believe he had kissed another guy! No that it was important to him, but… it was Nick was important to him, but… it felt awkward. It was the exact same as kissing a girl… but somehow… better? He couldn't tell. But, what he could tell was, he was in love with a guy. He kissed that guy. That guy liked him too. He thought he was going to… He looked down at his pants. He sighed as he noticed "what happened."

Oh, god, if there is one, so help him!