Nick and Greg.

Nick lay perched up on his right elbow, his hand cradling his head into an upright position so that he was able to watch the sleeping man next to him clearly. He would more than happily lay there all day watching, smiling and thinking, but his arm was already feeling strained from his position and he knew he would have to shift soon to be comfortable.

He hadn't been able to get any sleep from the moment he had come in, finding the man he was now watching curled into a small, protective ball, dead to the world and clearly in the deepest sleep Nick had ever seen him in. It was true that he rarely got to see him asleep anyway; either asleep himself or at work pulling a double shift because of how short staffed they were at the moment. He didn't know what it was that had made him so intrigued to watch him that he would sacrifice his own rest for it.

It could have had something to do with the soft mumbles that the smaller, younger man was making, or maybe the way his usual lively expressions were calmed and so neutral that made Nick's heart do a strange tight, staggered skip that was usually only present when they had shared something affectionate and honest with one another. Or maybe, it was just because he wanted to, because he loved him.

Nicks eyelids were growing heavy and his neck was beginning to ache from having to half support his head in the position he was in. He sighed and pulled his arm out of the way and let his head rest on his pillow, not taking his eyes off of his boyfriends face for a second, just in case he missed something.

Now that he felt a little more comfortable and relaxed he let his left hand curl into Greg's abandoned palm, lacing his fingers through the spaces that he believed were made to fit them. The skin of Greg's hand was soft in the middle but got rougher round the fingertips and edges and they were warm but not to the extent that they were sweaty or clammy. The touch between them felt needed and it surged through Nick's whole body like an electric current, much like their touches during acts of desire and passion.

Just the thought made Nick's groin stir and he couldn't resist moving his right arm that he was half lying on into an awkward position so that he could run his fingers through the light brown curls of Greg's hair. He was gentle and feather light, trying not to wake Greg, believing that he was in too much of a deep sleep to anyway and just loving the feel of the soft strands sliding through his fingers.

Greg's fingers gripped Nicks hand and his legs outstretched slowly from the ball he had curled himself into and he heaved a heavy sigh. Nick frowned, mainly to himself for being so selfish in needing to touch Greg that he had disturbed the younger man from his sleep. Greg's eyelids fluttered for a second as he attempted to adjust his eyes to the light that was coming from the hallway, which was lighting up their blacked out room.

Nick's frown melted away the second he saw Greg's deep brown eyes staring back at him and the smile that was stretching across his face. Nick couldn't help but smile back, finding it hard to believe that anyone would be able to resist that infectious grin.

"Hey," Greg said his voice husky from his deep sleep.

"Hey yourself," Nick muttered back, still combing his fingers through the thick locks of hair.

"Are you just in? Did Cath make you stay?" Greg asked lifting his hand that was entwined with Nick's to peer at his watch, frowning slightly when he found it was only the back of ten.

"I've been home a while, I just got a bit distracted," Nick said softly, leaning closer to brush his lips across Greg's briefly. Greg smiled and nudged Nick onto his back before leaning his head on his chest and hooking his leg with Nick's, shuffling around until he was comfortable.

"What did you get distracted by?" Greg asked even though he already knew the answer.

"You. Just realising how beautiful you are," Nick said, his arm no longer in that awkward position to run through his hair but quite comfortable running up and down his back.

"Aw Nick. Could you be anymore cheesy?" Greg said arching into Nick's gliding hand, kissing the back of the hand that he had a hold of.

"Can you blame me?" Nick said.

Greg gave a small chuckle before sighing heavily and tightening his grip around Nick's waist. "Do you need me to leave so that I stop distracting you from your sleep?" Greg joked as he settled for sleep.

Nick laughed something that Greg liked the feel of as he lay there rested on Nick's chest. "No I don't think that would help. I'll be able to sleep now that we are like this, now that we can fall asleep together,"

"Could you be any cheesier right now?" Greg asked his voice soft and slow as sleep started to take over again. Nick shuffled until he was completely comfortable and closed his eyes.

"You know you love it. Sleep time now Greggo, g'night." Nick said, heaving a big sigh, already feeling the sleep take over him.

"Night, Nicky," Greg said. He squeezed Nick's hand and then loosened it so that they were comfortable as they both slipped into their dreams within minutes.