Tarnished Beauty

Author: Lolly4Holly / No Beta this time

Rated: K+

Pairings: Nick Stokes / Greg Sanders – CSI: Las Vegas

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI or any of its characters

Summary: Greg comes home to a shocking surprise, something he wasn't prepared for.

Covering his hands over his eyes to hide the tarnished object of his affection from his view, he could feel the tears welling up inside of him, at the loss of such beauty. He clenched his teeth into his lower lip, as he tightly clamped his eyes shut, praying it was all just a dream. He couldn't bear to look again; the first time was bad enough.

"Greg?" His lover's voice softly spoke in a calm tone of voice, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, proving that he wasn't asleep and it really wasn't a dream.

Slowly lowering his hands away from his face, he swiftly turned around to face the opposite wall away from his boyfriend, so he wouldn't have to look again. He couldn't believe that such beauty could be tainted and replaced with such horrors. This kind of thing had never happened to him; he had never been so disappointed in his partner before.

"What the hell did you do?" His shaky voice asked him, as he ran his fingers through his tousled hair.

After a triple shift at the lab, he didn't need to come home to this shock.

"I didn't do anythin'." His lover protested, reaching out for him, but Greg refused to turn around, shrugging Nick's hand off his shoulder. He didn't want him to touch him right now; the shock of the situation was too much for him to bear. "Greg, what did I do?"

"I can't believe you! How could you do this?" Greg groaned heavily in frustration, turning around to face Nick to once again to see the horror. "Oh my God, it's all gone." He almost shrieked, clutching handfuls of his hair. "How could you do this to me? The 'stash was bad enough."

"What?" Nick asked, looking at him confused.

"Your hair!" Whirling Nick around in his arms, he pushed him off towards the mirror, looking at his shiny head in horror. "See, you cut it all off. How could you do this to me? Have I not told you how many times I love your hair then you go and shave it off without my consent? Again!" He shouted at him, thumping him in the arm in aggravation, before he turned around to crash onto the bed. "I can't believe you!"

Rubbing his sore arm from his surprisingly strong boyfriend, Nick slowly made his way over to the side of the bed, reaching out for Greg, but he crawled away again. "Jeez, I'm sorry Greg. I told you I was havin' a haircut, what did you expect?"

"I dunno . . . like an inch or so." Greg crawled towards the pillows, burying his face in them, as Nick walked round the other side of the bed, reaching out for Greg again. "No, go away . . . I don't wonna see you or your bald head right now."

"You know, I never make this much of a fuss when you decide to bleach, cut, spike, style or colour your hair differently without tellin' me." Nick pointed out to him, entwining his fingers through Greg's soft unkempt head of hair. "Am I not allowed to cut my hair?"

"No!" His muffled voice shouted against the pillow, trying to push Nick's hand away from him.

"You know, if you're only with me for my hair . . . I might as well leave." Nick turned on his heels, slowly starting to walk away from the bed. He glanced over his shoulder, watching Greg lifting his head up from the pillow as he approached the door. As soon as he got past the frame of the door, Greg was on his feet, hastily making his way towards Nick, before he left, throwing his arms Nick's shoulders to keep him in place.

"I forgive you, don't go." He clutched him securely against his chest, burying his face into his neck, to inhale that deep Texan scent that he loved so much.

"See, I knew yah loved me." Smiling, Nick wrapped his arms around his boyfriend's body, breathing in the soft fruity scents of his hair.

"Just please tell me your growing it back." Greg practically begged him, wondering why he would even do that when Greg loved to weave his fingers through its softness while they kissed.

Nick gave him a firm nod, planting a kiss to his lover's cheek, before he whispered, "For you . . . anythin'."

Short One-Shot. I thought of it while I was getting my hair done today. No I didn't get it shaved off, lol. Just thinking about what Greg would do if he found out Nick shaved all his hair off :D

I hope you enjoyed it.

Thanks so much for reading, Please Review!

~ Holly