Author: His Little LabRat
Story: Deck the Halls with Bowles of… Mistletoe?!
Summary: Greg gets drunk and Nick has to take him home from Catherine's party. [NickGreg's first kiss, Slash/One-shot!
Author's notes: [PLEASE READ THIS NOTATION! I'm sorry if it's a bit… confusing. I was first going to write this so it was first-person from Nick's point of view, but after about… oh, a thousand five-hundred words, perhaps? I changed it into third-person because I got confused and screwed myself up! So, if you see any "I", "me", "myself" or first-person pronouns, then that is from when it was in Nick's point of view! Enjoy! Please review, favorite, whatever, I'd like to know how I am doing! Thanks for reading! (Do NOT flame, I have already warned you that this is a slash and stuff! If you don't like it, don't read it!)
Everyone was at Catherine's Christmas-New Years party, and everyone had their fair share of alcohol- except Greg, who had ten bottles too many. He was stammering drunk, even though no one had seen him drink anything but one bottle of beer, which, he was still drinking from like any drunk lunatic; whether it was empty or not.
Greg was sitting next to Nick on the couch, blabbering on about something in drunken rambles that I couldn't make out.
"Want some beer?" Greg rambled to Nick, or at least that's what he under took from the drunken, slurred words.
"No, Greg," Nick said, shaking his head. "And you shouldn't either."
"Why not?" Greg slurred his words with a moan and groan. "Beer is delish!" He rambled on about other things that Nick couldn't make sense of. Nick stood up and Greg dropped his empty beer bottle on the couch, standing up, a bit wobbly, but managing to stay on his feet.
Nick walked to the bathroom, and with each step he took, Greg took in his own wobbly, stuttering pace. Nick raised an eyebrow as he walked into the large, spacious bathroom, Greg following Nick in with a drunken blush and smile on his face as they stood together in the bathroom. Nick walked up to the bathroom counter, placing his hands supportably on the cool, marble surface. Greg followed his lead, leaning on the counter next to Nick, and as he turned his head to Greg, he noticed that their faces were only about a half a foot apart; two shoulders apart. Greg's hand was sprawled out directly next to Nick's and he looked to him with a happy and drunk smile, not knowing that two of his fingers were scrawled out on the back of Nick's hand.
Nick stared into his eyes, feeling something bubbling up inside him. But he broke the gaze, turning to look at his reflection in the big mirror, Greg doing the same, looking at his reflection in the mirror.
"Do you see why we don't drink 'til we're drunk?" Nick asked him, still looking at himself in the mirror, Greg looking at himself as well.
"All I see is you," he said, giving the same expression that Nick had on his face. Nick didn't know what to think of that, and he just suspected it was another drunken ramble. But as he looked with his eyes to Greg's reflection of his eyes in the mirror, a stern, and serious look in his eyes- one that was perfectly sober. But then his expression changed back to the same drunk smile and blush. Nick sighed and Greg sighed too, the exact same way Nick had. Nick turned out of the bathroom, standing in the hallway, watching as Greg quickly followed him out. Nick stood outside the doorway, Greg stepping out next to him, hands in his hoodie pockets, Nick's in his leathery jacket pockets.
Nick took a swift step back and Greg didn't notice until he turned around, the bathroom door slamming in his face. Nick sighed, stepping back up to the mirror after locking the door. He turned on the faucet, dragging his hands down his face, then dipped it in the sink now filled with water, dipping in his other hand too. Nick wetted them down completely, then dragged them quickly down his face, opening his eyes back open as his fingertips swiped past them, wondering if he had just imagined that split-second soberness from Greg. Nick hadn't seen his face, only saw Greg's reflection, so he wondered if it was just his imagination running images of Greg across the mirror, and he decided that's what it was.
Nick sighed, turning around to hop up and sit on the counter, leaning back so his head was against the mirror. He looked at his reflection in the mirror, his head turned gently to his left. He looked down to the sink filled with water, seeing Greg's sober smile pooling in it, reflected on it's surface, and he felt his heart tread over it. But the faucet released a drop, smearing Greg's image in its ripples until his beautiful face faded from it completely.
Nick opened the drain and let the water drain out, hopping down of the marble surface that was the bathroom counter. He walked slowly back over to the bathroom door, flicking off the lights so he plunged into a deep darkness. Nick opened the door slowly, stepping out, shutting the door slowly behind him. Then, there Greg was. Sitting on the floor, curled up, next to the bathroom door. He looked up quickly to Nick with the sober expression he had earlier, but now sullen and sad. Nick blinked and it turned back into that drunken smile.
"You waited for me?" Nick asked, not sure if Greg would understand him or not.
"I feel sick," he said, sticking his tongue out in a hurt expression. Nick heard footsteps, and looked down the hall to see Catherine taking her steps toward the two slowly. She bent down to Greg, looking at him with a smile.
"You ready to leave, Greggo?" Catherine asked him.
"Yeah, yeah," Greg said with some quick nods. He patted his stomach, sticking out his tongue as he rubbed it sickening like. Catherine nodded and looked down the hall.
"Grissom!" She called down, and Grissom peered around the corner, smiling the widest grin he could, blush on his cheeks.
"Ah?" He asked, and Nick presumed he meant "what?"
"Are you sober enough to take Greg home?" Catherine said and Grissom tripped over nothing without ever moving his feet.
"Ah!" Grissom said, sticking his tongue out drunkenly. "I'm as drunk as a twenty-one year old kid in college on New Years at a frat party!" He laughed, rolling over and out of sight. Catherine sighed softly, and then turned to Nick.
"Nicky!" She said. "You haven't had a drink all night!"
"Are you implying something?" Nick asked, giving her a peculiarly questionable look.
"You're taking Greg home," Catherine told Nick with a big boasting laugh.
"Where do I sign up?" Nick asked sarcastically, rolling his eyes, then looking to Greg, then back to Catherine. She just laughed, stood up and clapped Nick on the shoulder, then stumbled off back into her war-zone of a party. Nick sighed, looking down to where Greg was. He was slumped over him now, chin on Nick's shoulder, groaning and mumbling something.
Nick threw an arm around his shoulder, helping Greg from his slump. Nick walked- dragged- Greg to the front door, closing the door slowly behind them, now blocking out almost all of the noise from the wild party inside.
Nick released his arm from around Greg, and Greg stood a little bit wobbly. Nick walked, now on the first step down off Catherine's porch and Greg mumbled what Nick thought was his name.
"Nicky," he called teasingly to Nick. Nick turned around and saw his wide, bright smile. Nick felt his cheeks warm and he didn't know why. Somehow, Greg seemed sober, hands tied together behind his back innocently, smiling bright at Nick, a gentle blush on his face. He nodded up at something. Nick looked up to see a handful of mistletoe hanging above their heads. He looked back to Greg and he seemed perfectly sober, blush gone from his cheeks as he leaned in slowly.
"Wow, wow, there, cowboy, I…" Nick was cut off as Greg pressed his soft, sweet lips to Nick's, using his tongue to force Nick's lips open. Nick was surprised at first, but then he felt a great urge to let himself melt into Greg's kiss and touch. Somehow, they were kissing each other deeply, Nick, letting him be sucked into him. Nick pulled away, his heart and stomach gurgling with guilt… he just took advantage of my drunken best friend! It started out as a kiss, how'd it end up like that…?
Nick's stomach gurgled and Greg looked at him funny- like he was actually enjoying it, and that made Nick's stomach roar with more guilt, his heart leaping so hard he thought it broke against his ribs. Greg looked at him longingly, perfectly sober. Nick stuttered around his words of explanation, not sure why he was trying to explain anything in the first place. Nick closed his mouth, not able to get the words out. Instead, he reached for his hand, dragging Greg off the porch with him.
Nick was worried someone would swing open the front door and see them kissing on the porch, holding hands and walking away together. He didn't want someone to walk onto them and see Nick stuttering like he was admitting his love to Greg. Nick paused, thinking the way he thought that came out like he did love Greg! Nick glanced over his shoulder to the front door, but instead saw Greg's face in his. He didn't look sober anymore, the same drunk Greg that he had dragged out of the house. The same drunken blush and smile, mumbling something that Nick could have sworn was "I love you." But, knowing the way his mind loved to play tricks on him- like the mirror, the mistletoe sober-y… thing- he decided it was just his mind, because Greg seemed like the same drunken idiot he once was.
Nick whirled around, flinging Greg into the seat, bending over to strap him in. Greg smiled drunkenly at him and Nick closed the door shut. Nick felt Greg watching him as he swung around his car to the other side, popping open the door and hopping into the seat, and closing the door behind him. Greg smiled at Nick, then rested his head on his hand and watched Nick as he put the key in the ignition and pulled the car into reverse, pulling out of the driveway.
Nick slowed now, pulling up slowly into Greg's driveway. Nick could see Greg's front door from here, and a little smile creased his face. He turned to Greg, about to tell him that he would be home soon. But, Greg had his head rested against the window, eyes closed. Nick, mouth open to speak, closed his mouth slowly. Nick watched Greg calmly, watching the faint rise and fall of his chest, watching him sleep soundly, looking at the sleek, small smile on Greg's lips.
He blinked slowly, and then bent slowly across his arm rest, over Greg's arm rest, over so that he was just above Greg's face. He blinked in Greg's image again, and then bent down slowly, gently pressing a soft kiss to Greg's forehead. He pulled back after his lips soft touched the silk smooth skin of Greg's forehead, now hovering over his head. Nick watched him again, blinking back thoughts and images of Greg.
"Greg," Nick said to Greg, but silently enough not to wake Greg. He wondered what Greg was dreaming, wondering if it was him that he was seeing behind those eyelids. Being above him, he could feel his heartbeat echo around him, Greg's heart in tune with his own. He wanted to lay down with Greg and stay like that until the end of time, hold him close, and listen to his heartbeat. "I love you," he mouthed to Greg, and Greg grunted like a child would in a deep, comforting sleep.
Nick leaned back into his seat as Greg mumbled gentle hums to himself, sitting, looking out to the driveway again. He wondered what Greg was murmuring about, but Greg's hums slowly formed into words.
"Nick…" he mumbled, making Nick turn from the view of Greg's garage to Greg slowly. "I love…" he murmured in his sleep, the last word of "you" coming out in a little hum that became a "chuu."
Nick felt his chest tighten in his breath, his heart beating hard against his chest, thumping loudly throughout him, so loud, he though his heartbeat would ring in Greg's dreams. Greg's head turned slowly to him and Nick let himself fall into Greg's trance. Greg's eyes opened slowly, taking in Nick in a slow savor.
"Nick…" he mumbled, his eyes closing again, his mouth left a tad open at the last syllable in Nick's name. "Nick…" he mumbled again, falling back into his sleep and dreams.
Nick sat there for a good fifteen… twenty… thirty… fifty-two minutes, thinking about Greg. His mind whirred with little whispers of Greg. Nick turned the key in the ignition so the car fell silent as Greg was, and Nick, already unbuckled, opened the door and got out slowly, gently closing his door, trying not to disturb Greg from his dreams. Nick switched sides of the car, then leaning against the window on Greg's side of the car, looking in longingly at Greg. His heart thumped as Greg's head turned gently, looking for Nick, tilting up to Nick, a sleepy smile on his face as he eyes slowly closed again.
Nick opened the door slowly, one arm sneaking into the car to push Greg back upright in his seat. He opened the door fully, swooping in to unbuckle Greg, wrapping his arms around him and hoisting him up. He turned around, catching his leg on the door, Greg in arms, using his hips to close the door swiftly but silently.
Nick walked to the door and used his hips to open the door, knowing Greg would be stupid enough to leave his door unlocked. He closed the door with his foot, looking around at all the things in Greg's apartment.
He carried Greg up the stairs to his left, going up into a hallway. He bent forward, looking to see if Greg's room was in this hallway. At the end of the hall, his saw a light on and he followed it down. He came into a big bedroom – an almost walk-in closet at his left, a king sized bed with a stereo system above the headboard, a large bathroom of to his right. He came into the room slowly, walking up to the bed without looking around him. He set Greg gently down in the bed to one side. He lifted up the covers on the other side and picked Greg back up again, gently putting his to sleep on the left side of the bed.
After tucking Greg in, he sat on the edge of the bed, his hands clasped together as thoughts became jumbled and cluttered together in his head. He looked over to Greg, who was sleeping soundlessly with Nick at his side. He hummed a word or mumbled things occasionally, some of the words, when he put them together, sounding like sentences or poems or lyrics, possibly.
Nick, once looking at Greg, now looked over to the door to the room. He stood slowly, walking down the hall once more, and again down the staircase. He was in no hurry to get home, so he decided to take a look around, hoping he wasn't intruding on Greg's privacy.
Walking a long a wall, he stumbled upon a CD shelf, filled with CDs, so many it took up two and a half walls in the room – presumably one of the biggest rooms in Greg's already big house. He skimmed over the CDs, coming across names that somehow rang a bell. He was surprised at how organized Greg was- each CD placed in alphabetical order according to the band name, then the CD albums name. Running his finger along the edge of each CD, coming to the half of the wall at the end of the long selection of CDs, his finger slipping over something that felt surprisingly smooth but not the same as the CDs, and he noticed he had come into a selection of books now.
The first book he saw was a gray, navy blue, which didn't have a title on its spine. Skimming his finger over it, he took it in his hands, he pulled it out and opened it up, revealing a series of what seemed to be lyrics- no, poems.
Scrawled out in Greg's neat handwriting, his eyes grazed over the words. Flipping further on in the book, he came to a poem that was dated two years ago; one year before Nick had met Greg.
He skipped forward to a page that was dated on the day that he and Greg had met.
"You fancy poetry?" Someone said; a little hint of tiredness in their voice. It was a light, familiar voice that made Nick whip around quickly to find Greg leaning against the doorway into the room. He stepped forward, taking the book from his hands and putting it back in the proper place on the bookcase.
"I was just having a little look around," Nick said as Greg put the book up. Greg yawned, Nick sitting down on the couch. Greg followed him onto the couch, plopping down directly beside him. "You seem tired," Nick said and Greg groaned, stretching, which made Nick laugh a little. "Go hit the sack, rest, why don't you?"
"'Cause you're here," Greg said, smiling as he filed out of his stretch. Nick didn't know whether to take that as a compliment or something else, but he smiled anyway. Silence fell among them then, and Nick stared at Greg, noticing how small the distance between them was. He looked forward, silence falling heavy now, wondering if Greg had fallen asleep again. Looking to the corner of his eye, he saw Greg watching him still.
"You know…" Greg said, breaking the heavy and uncomfortable silence. "I was never drunk."
Suddenly, everything clicked in Nick's head. Suddenly, everything was clear to him. That had explained the soberness that shown through almost every time Nick looked at him, which explained the mirror and the sitting by the bathroom door and the… the mistletoe…? Wait… that means that… they had… under the mistletoe! Aw, man! Nick was now lightheaded and he felt like he'd fall over if he was standing, but he was sitting and-
"I heard what you said in the car too…" Greg uttered, watching Nick still, seeming closer than ever now. Nick looked to him slowly, blinking in his image, trying to recall what he said. Once he remembered, he thought his heart would explode and his jaw drop off. "And I just wanted to tell you that… well, um…" Greg looked at him, an innocent frown on his face as he looked down as if out of shame, blushing gently. He mumbled something that Nick couldn't hear and Nick gave him a questionable look, raising his hand as if to comfort him.
Greg became alert instantaneously, and lunged for Nick's hands, taking them, clasping them together in his own. He held his head down still, but looked up at Nick with those sullen, expressive eyes. Greg scooted closer still, falling over Nick as Nick pushed himself against the arm of the chair. With Greg crawling over him, the same longing look on his face brought back the memory of their kiss under the mistletoe.
But, none of that had really happened. Nick blinked away the image, seeing Greg sitting there, head down and looking up at him. He had just imagined that, Greg crawling over him.
"You're acting was great," Nick laughed, trying to make the images of Greg crawling on him disappear. Greg raised his head to Nick to get a better, full-on look at him. Greg gave him a little confused look, mouth a tad slack-jawed. Nick was trying to laugh it off, Greg knew that.
Maybe, Greg thought. Maybe it was all wrong, all along. Maybe all those times with Nick were just fakes- just games and fake flirts. His heart crumbled and he sat back against the arm of the couch as Nick got up with a little wave from the front door now. Greg got up quickly, rushing over to him.
"Good night," Nick said, giving a little wave, then stepping out and almost tripping on his way to his car. He hopped in quickly, pulling out. He stopped at the end of the driveway, looking back to the porch. Greg was standing in his doorway, looking at Nick. Greg watched him with tired, longing eyes. Nick swallowed hard and Greg came out of the doorway, crawling up slowly to the railing of his porch. He hopped up onto the railing, watching Nick still, his sight never wandering. Nick swallowed hard again, dry-mouthed and continued back out, speeding away, feeling Greg's gaze on him the entire time until he was out of Greg's sight.
Greg watched where Nick was, now at the end of his driveway. He walked back slowly, thoughts jumbled in his head, Nick swarming around in his thoughts. Greg punched the wall hard, leaving a little dent.
"I was so close…" he cursed himself almost silently, turning back to where Nick's car once was. He sat back up on the railing again, turning to lean back on the post. He sighed deeply, looking forward, eyes closing slowly, sleepily.
..::XXxxXX::..
Nick was lying in bed now, looking at the ceiling. He blinked slowly, with every blink, another picture of Greg. He was thinking of Greg- thinking of the same look- longing, careful, needing- wondering why Greg had that look, wondering what Greg was dreaming now, what he was thinking… if he was thinking of him.
He rolled over slowly in his bed, shirtless, in his jeans, putting the back of his hand to his forehead, biting down gently on his bottom lip.
Oh, Greg…
