If anything it's a friend crush. He listens. He cares. There's always compassion in the pools of his brown eyes, always a knowing smile dotting his lips. Amaro used to find the doctor insufferable, unconformable with the notion of opening himself up to another person, let alone a colleague. But Huang has gradually and patiently gained his trust for which Nick is grateful.
So yes it's a friend crush. That's why he feels a certain fluttering in his chest when the doctor walks into the squad room. That's why he always offers him the bad coffee they all seem to live off of. That's why his cheeks enflame whenever Huang calls him Nicolas.
He wants to be his friend. At least, that's what Nick tells himself outside the court room during a quick recess as George Huang exits the elevator.
He's holding his notes, a coffee cup, his tie hanging untied around his neck. He looks tired and late, his hair slightly messy in a way Nick would never admit is cute. And okay maybe the doctor does looks damn good in a suit but any straight guy would notice that. Right?
"Hey doc," Amaro calls at the quickly walking man. "In a hurry?"
Huang stops in front of him slightly panting with a small self-conscious smile. "I overslept as a matter of fact. I'm due to testify in fifteen minutes."
"Well we're in recess so you have a minute to catch your breath." He smiles and looks him over, gesturing to the other man's tie. "Need a hand?"
And if anything, George Huang expects for Nick to take his coffee cup or his files. But Nick steps closer, pulling the two ends of his tie into his hands. The Hispanic detective is silent, a concentrated frown on his face as he tries to complete a double Windsor knot.
Huang feels his face go hot as he stands there in the otherwise desolate corridor during the decidedly intimate exchange. He's confused and perhaps a bit embarrassed. Did the detective think he couldn't tie his own tie?
Of course Barba slips through the courtroom doors as this happens. He's looking for the doctor. He finds him at the end of the corridor, standing still with a curious look as Amaro clumsily manipulates the fabric, inadvertently pulling the doctor closer as he does so.
The tie is nice, soft and expensive looking, deep burgundy with navy blue sailboats. One of the more whimsical ties Amaro's seen the normally subdued doctor wear. He's just about to comment when –
"And here I was wondering what caused the delay," Barba drawls, looking between the two men.
"I was uh just," Nick brakes off in a self-conscious laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. "His tie was uh…he needed help."
"Yes, thank you Nicolas," George says, flashing him a brilliant smile. "I should go prep my testimony. Gentleman."
They both watch him walk away from them. Just before he opens the court room door, Nick yells,
"Nice tie by the way!" and a few people suddenly milling about turn and stare at him but he decides it's worth it for the last flash of grin Huang gives him before the doors close.
Then there's silence, the two men standing side by side not saying a thing.
"Taking a hands on approach with witnesses?" Barba questions, a small smirk on his face.
Nick shrugs and tries not to come off defensive. "He needed help so I helped him. Is that a crime counselor?"
"Oh if only we could be convicted of intent," Barba replies, "the word crime would have a much different definition detective."
Intent? His intent? He considers it without necessarily wanting to. Sure he liked the guy but that didn't mean he liked the guy. Certainly not. He just wants to help him and protect him and talk to him and –
"Well, either way thank you for the compliment," Barba says, breaking him from his reverie before walking away, most likely to grab another cup of coffee before the end of the recess.
"I didn't compliment you," Nick calls after him, an annoyed look on his face, his hands on his hips.
"I could have sworn you said you liked my tie," the attorney replies, not bothering to turn around before disappearing around a corner.
"What?" Nick says aloud to himself. Then, Oh. Oh shit.
"Something wrong?"
He visibly jumps a good foot in the air and turns to see Olivia looking at him with a confused if amused grin.
"Woah, Nick. Where's the fire?" she asks, her brow knitted in confusion.
And for a second he considers telling her that he may have somewhat inadvertently flirted Barba's possible boyfriend.
"Nothing," he says instead, shaking his head.
"Alright," she replies, not seeming to believe him but letting it drop. "Well we better get back in there."
He nods and follows her back inside the court room. Barba is somehow already there, the doctor in the process of getting sworn in.
They take their seats. Nick watches the doctor place his hand on the bible and promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
Nick prays no one ever gets him under oath and asks him his feelings for the doctor. He simply doesn't know.
And that, he thinks, watching Barba question the doctor, sounds like an admission within itself.