Nick had played it cool when he got back to work. He put the whole Hodges thing to the back of his mind until Catherine made a comment about Hodges dating a woman. His mind had gone blank and he had sat there feeling slightly jealous. Hodges…straight, there was no possibility, none whatsoever that the man was not gay or at least bi. The whole falling-asleep-in-the-lab episode meant nothing to Nick, Hodges had claimed dreams about a woman, but Nick was almost positive that one of those breathy sighs sounded like his name. Straight, ha!

"What's up with you, man?"

He looked up at Warrick for a second in annoyance, "Nothing."

"No. Something's up…you have been distracted the last couple of days. You want to talk about it?"

"No."

"Well, I'm here if you do."

Nick smiled tightly, "I know. Thanks."

"No problem."

Great, even Warrick had noticed his mind's preoccupation with Hodges' sexual orientation. It would really tick Nick off if Hodges turned out to be uninterested. It would be his luck though if a straight man had written something that made him fall in lo… No, he could not finish that thought, not until he had some clue as to whether Hodges was into him.

It was odd that Nick felt a compulsion to speak with a man that he was beginning to think he did not really know. He wanted to find out why the other man kept falling asleep in the lab and whether it had anything to do with him. He selfishly wished Hodges liked him, wanted him. He needed something, anything, and his patience had just run out.

"Hey Hodges, I hear you're dating someone?"

He had tried for a casual drawl but he is not sure if he hit the mark with that one. He thought that it might have come out sounding a bit jealous.

"Not that it's any of your business, but no; I am not…apparently making dinner for me and a bunch of her girlfriends doesn't count as a date."

"Oh. Good."

Hodges looks confused, "You think it's good that I'm not dating anyone?"

"No!" Nick stops and tries again, slower and less loud. "No, I'm just saying that it's good that you're taking it so well."

"Oh. Yeah, she wasn't really my type. Physically yes, but mentally…"

"You, uh, like smart women?"

"I generally like my dates to at least know what C21H23NO5 means."

Nick stared blankly at him for a second. "You usually do Heroin on your dates?"

"No, I just think they should know what that means. And I do not want to know how you know that."

He rolled his eyes at Hodges speculative look. "I went to college, you know."

"Oh. Riiight."

"I did! Graduated with a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Texas A&M."

"And they did a ton of Heroin down there?"

Nick shook his head and began to wonder why he'd even gone to see Hodges anyways.

"Whatever, Hodges."

Hodges' mouth opened and closed again as Nick walked passed him and out the glass door. Nick thought that he could feel Hodges' forlorn gaze on his back as he left, but he could've been imagining it. Still…it was enough of an incentive for him that he knew he would attempt to talk to the other man again soon.

tbc