Title: Puppies, Love, and A Little Thing Called Jealousy
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Rating: PG-13 (slight swearing)
Summary: Nick doesn't like the new boy in Greg's life. At all. "You're jealous of my dog, aren't you?" "Hah… no."
Greg didn't know the trouble that would come with the arrival of his new puppy. He didn't think the world would suddenly go haywire once the adorable little animal stumbled into his home. And he definitely didn't expect to find love, either.
But with Greg Sanders, anything and everything could - and most likely did – happen.
It all started out with him taking a few days off work to care for his new 'baby', as he called it. It was so small that he lost it in his kitchen, only to find it in the cabinet closest to the ground. Greg called his new dog Jack and, after the little kitchen fiasco, never let him out of his sight.
Of course, Nick had been a little… worried at first when Greg hadn't showed up for work. Grissom didn't seem to mind - having probably already gotten a call from Greg that he wouldn't be there - but Greg was gone for three whole days. Three. Entire. Days. Seventy-two hours.
Nick knew something was wrong. Nobody would listen, though, so he had to take matters into his own hands. After his shift, Nick drove to Greg's apartment. If Archie valued his life and/or testicles - what was the difference? - nobody would ever find out how he got Greg's address.
"Greg, are you alive?" Nick asked as he knocked hard on the wooden door. He heard a squeaky bark, somebody tripping - and a thud - and somebody shouting out in pain. Nick decided to take a step back, not wanting to get hit with anything.
Greg yanked open the door, his appearance looking like he had just had gotten away from a week's worth of sex. His hair was everywhere, he was flustered, and he looked exhausted, but oddly happy. Nick would've laughed if Greg hadn't attacked him with a bear hug.
"Nick!" Greg exclaimed. Nick was thankful that Greg didn't smell - well, he smelled like puppy but that was a good scent. It fitted the CSI for some odd reason, but Nick wouldn't tell him that.
"Greg… where have you been, man? Are you sick? What was that noise I heard? Are-" He hadn't notice Greg bend down, but he sure noticed a puppy - an adorable puppy at that - in his face. Greg was grinning like a madman with a look of complete adoration in his eyes.
"Nick, this is Jack. Jack, this is Nick." The younger man said as if his dog were a person. Greg even held up his puppy's paw and looked at Nick with a 'shake it' look in his eyes… or maybe he was sending him the message via telepathy, with Greg you never really knew.
"Uh… howdy, Jack." Nick said, taking Jack's paw and shaking it. Greg looked like he had found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Greg jumped up and bounded into his house, setting Jack on his bed and turning the volume of the television up.
"C'mon in, Nick." Greg said, his eyes glued to the television. Sure, Greg was a nerd, but Nick knew that he couldn't help watching cartoons. Especially the old ones from the '80's and '90's; Greg loved watching those. Nick didn't necessarily share the same interest in cartoons but since he was in Greg's house he didn't feel the need to complain about what was on the television.
"So… this… thing is the reason you haven't been at work for the past three days?" Nick asked, petting the puppy resting beside Greg. Greg looked at Nick like he was insane.
"Thing? You think my puppy is a thing? How dare you insult my baby. And yes, Jack is the reason I haven't been at work. Caring for a puppy is tough work, you know. It's nothing like caring for a cat." Greg told him, getting the look on his face that he usually got when he was really interested in talking about something. Nick just sat back as Greg starting rambling on and on about Jack, starting from the first time he saw the little puppy.
Two weeks. Two damn weeks and that dog was already practically Greg's lover. Jack was always with Greg, much to the mild displeasure of the others. Catherine didn't mind it so much, but the dog was still trouble. Warrick loved the dog, but he didn't like the fact that Jack seemed to be in love with him. Sara was happy for Greg - knowing how lonely it was to live alone - and Grissom felt the same. The only one who didn't like it at all was Nick.
Nick was jealous. Why? He was jealous because the dog could kiss Greg as much as he wanted, but Nick knew that if he tried to do that then he would get sexual harassment and/or attempted rape charges. Those wouldn't look so good on his record.
And the best/worst part - depending on who you asked - was that Greg knew, too. Nick and Greg were both single, but it was obvious they had feelings for each other. Very, very obvious; especially with both of them shamelessly flirting almost all the time.
Catherine was amused by this, especially because Greg knew what was going on, too. He pulled off the innocent act rather well, and she knew that Nick would crack soon. His jealousy - along with the glances at Greg's body - would slowly drive him crazy until he acted on impulse had kissed Greg… or whatever else he wanted to do to the poor boy. Catherine smirked at the thought.
"Greg… why don't you put that dog in a doggy day care so you can work? That dog has made you… different, man." Nick said, playing with his soup as the two sat in the break room. They had a case involving a stripper and her client, but it was already obvious that the client killed the stripper. After all, the idiot stayed until the police showed up and he kept changing his story. Right now, Brass was using his magical interrogation skills on him.
"What is this, an intervention?" Greg asked, snorting as he watched his dog eat part of his sandwich. Nick didn't even know if animals - live ones, anyway - were allowed inside the building, but Greg had probably whined so much that whoever told him to get the dog out just gave up.
"Kind of. You need to concentrate on your work, not your lover." Nick said, smirking when Greg choked on his water. Greg looked at Nick like he had just discovered how to get men pregnant.
"What?!" Greg exclaimed. "Nick… Oh… I get it." Greg had already gotten it, but it was funny to see Nick's face go from amused to worried. Greg looked at him with a knowing look and raised an eyebrow.
"You're jealous of my dog, aren't you?" Greg asked, leaning towards Nick. Greg's foot rested on Nick's, but both acted like they didn't notice it.
"Hah… no." Nick told him as though he were insane to even think that possibility. Of course, that was a lie. Everybody could see how jealous he was, he was just in denial about everybody knowing. He thought it was just him… Poor Nick.
"Oh, really?" Greg asked, batting his eyes while putting a hurt expression on his face. He pouted when Nick didn't answer him and sat back, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms.
"Nick, it's obvious you want this." Greg motioned to his body with his hands, looking Nick straight in the eyes. Nick snorted and shook his head, laughing slightly.
"No, I don't." Nick said, eating a spoonful of his soup. Greg made a growling noise in the back of his throat.
"Dammit, Nick, stop lying. You know you do. Hell, I know you do. Catherine knows you do. So just admit you love me and I'll-"
"Greg, I don't like you like that. Sorry, man, I'm not-"
"Nick… shut up. You're so deep in denial it's-"
"I'm not in denial, Greg." Nick said, standing up. He took his half-full bowl of soup to the sink to dump it out, but Greg had jumped up to block him from making it to the sink.
"Nick, Nick, Nick." Greg shook his head every time he said Nick's name. He put Nick's soup on the counter and sternly looked at Nick.
"Say it." Greg demanded.
"Say what? Say that I love you, because I do, alright? I'm in love with you, Greg Sanders… are you happy now?" Nick asked, taking a step back. He wasn't sure of how Greg would react, but he wouldn't take any chances.
"Well… no. Admit that you're jealous of Jack." Greg said, crossing his arms. Jack just sat on the ground, looking up at the two in interest.
"…I'm not jealous of him." That was partly true… partly. Nick was only half-jealous of Jack, anyway.
"Nick!" Greg was about ready to shake Nick until he admitted that he was jealous.
"Fine… I'm partly jealous of Jack." He said. Greg gave him a look that said 'Just say it or else.'.
"Fine… I'm completely jealous of Jack. Are you happy now?" Nick just wanted this conversation to be over. He already confessed his love for Greg and his jealousy over a damn dog… what else would Greg make him confess? That he's a momma's boy? (Not that he was… well, not completely.)
"Mildly." Greg said, grinning. "But there is one other thing-"
"What?" Nick asked, very annoyed with the younger CSI. Greg smiled and patted Nick's shoulder.
"I love you, too, but I didn't expect us to say it like this. I was expecting a firework exploding up in the air with the words 'I love you!' or something… exciting." Greg said, picking up his puppy. Nick sighed.
"Greg…" Nick said.
"Yes?" Greg asked innocently, kissing Jack on the top of his head.
"Love isn't always about insane proclamations." Nick said, leaning against the counter. Greg pouted; that's what love should be about.
"I know… but it still adds some excitement to the whole relationship thing. You know… I'd think you were full of surprises and-"
"Greg?" Nick asked, wondering if he would start rambling on and on about nothing.
"Mhm?" Greg asked, looking up from behind his puppy's head.
"Shut up." Nick said, walking past him and smacking him upside the head. Greg scoffed and glared at Nick.
"Jack would never do that. Do you know why?" Greg asked.
"Because he's a dog?" Nick offered, his hand resting on the doorknob.
"No, because he loves me unconditionally." Greg said, kissing his puppy again.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say there was something going on between you two." Nick said, slightly amused at the idea.
"Oh, yeah, Nick. I'm so in love with Jack. We have sex every night because I'm so into doing animals." Greg said, sarcasm dripping from his mouth. Nick snorted.
"Well, you never know." He said, opening the door. Greg smirked.
"Yeah, you never know." Greg said in a suggestive tone. Nick turned around and gave Greg a big smile.
"My place, midnight." Greg said, grinning at Nick.
"Will Jack be involved?" Nick asked.
"Only if you want him to be." Greg smirked as Nick paled.
"Uh… I don't think so." Nick said, leaving Greg alone with Jack.
"Aw, he doesn't love you like he loves me. Too bad." Greg said, kissing Jack on the head again. Well he didn't want Jack to get between him and Nick anyway.