Fandom: CSI: Crime Scene Investigations
Title: Man Talk
Author: Serialbathera
Theme(s): Nights, 04 Flickers
Pairing/Characters: Greg Sanders, Warrick Brown
Rating: Pg-13
Disclaimer/claimer: I only wish I owned these characters
Critiques: Yes
Word Count: 1001
Summary: Set a short time after “Leapin’ Lizards,” Warrick and Tina have a fight, so Warrick decides to hang out with Greg.
Tina Brown’s arguments had forced her husband, Warrick, out of the apartment. He had decided he would take a drive to clear his head. His first thought was to go to the CSI lab, but he wasn’t really due to report till tomorrow at 4pm, and it would probably be better to spend his day off away from work. He then remembered that Greg Sanders had recently been temporarily assigned to the day shift, so there was a chance that Greg was still up since it was only about 11:30.
Greg’s apartment was only a few minutes away in the direction that he was heading, so Warrick continued to drive in that direction. If Greg wasn’t home, Warrick could always catch a movie or something. He just needed to get his head clear before he headed home and made up with Tina.
He hoped that if he gave her a couple of hours she would calm down. He hadn’t even been sure why she had been yelling at him. It must be her time of the month, or something; because all the things she had been fussing he thought had already been resolved. Like her complaint that he worked too much, had been resolved when Warrick had taken his days off the last four weeks, and had reduced his doubles significantly.
Warrick pulled into Greg’s apartment complex, noticing a free spot next to Greg’s black Honda. Warrick took that as a sign, and pulled into next to Greg’s car. He locked the car as he got out, putting the keys in his jacket pocket before he closed the door.
He opted to take the stairs up to Greg’s apartment as the elevator was picky about when it wanted to work. He got to Greg’s apartment and he could see the flicker of the television under the door.
Warrick knocked on the door. A few seconds later, he heard the three locks turning and the chain lock falling. Greg opened the door with his brown hair matted, and wearing a Berkley T-shirt and Marilyn Manson boxer shirt. Greg rubbed his eyes a little as he said, “Hey Warrick.” The tone almost sounded like his usual Greg cheerfulness but something seemed to be hollow about it.
“Hey, I didn’t wake you up did I?” Warrick asked concerned.
“It’s okay. I just feel asleep on the couch. Come in. So, what’s going on?” Greg asked as he moved away from the door so Warrick could come in.
Warrick closed the door behind him as he entered, locking the locks back. “Just had a fight with the old ball and chain.”
Greg had walked into the small kitchen off the side of the living room. “Sorry about that.” Greg pulled two bottles out of the fridge, restraining himself from making Yoko Ono jokes about Warrick’s wife.
Warrick walked around a bookcase in the middle of the hallway. A few feet away, he plopped onto the large leather couch that was against the back wall as you got farther into the room. The TV was playing some movie with a Japanese monster.
Greg came back with two orange sodas. “Sorry, I am out of beer. I forgot to get some when I went to the store yesterday.” He handed one of the bottles, and plopped a few seats away from Warrick.
Warrick twisted off the cap, “This is fine, thanks.” He tossed the cap across the room to the black trashcan.
They started to watch the movie for a few minutes. “Did you get some new bookcases, since last time I was here?” Warrick asked before he took a long drink of his soda.
“Yay, I had to separate my new books from my Nightmare Before Christmas collectibles.”
“Your parents sent you more books?”
Greg chuckled slightly, “Four books. I think my mom bought out the whole fiction section at the college Barnes and Nobles last time she went to visit him on campus.” He took off the cap of his soda, tossing it towards the trashcan. It bounced off, and landed on the floor near a ball of paper. He would pick it up later.
“So, why did they send you books, what is going on?” Warrick asked, knowing Greg’s parents had a tendency to send him a lot of books when he was feeling stressful.
Greg took a sip of soda, before setting it on the coffee table in front of the couch. He turned to face Warrick, tucking one leg under his body. “I just have been feeling in a bit of a funk today.” Greg sighed for a moment, “And people keep commenting how I don’t act like the old Greg, and I don’t think they realize they make me feel more depressed.”
Warrick moved over a seat, so he could touch Greg’s shoulder in a brotherly fashion. “You’ve been through a lot this year. No one is pushing you to bounce back. I think they were just trying to let you know they were concerned, even though it sounds like their attempts probably didn’t come out like they wanted.” He put his soda on the table. “You know everyone in the lab is here if you need us.”
Greg nodded solemnly. “I know…”
Warrick gave him a little hug.
Greg hugged him back. He didn’t feel like talking about anything serious anymore, so he decided to make a joke. “Is it wrong to say, I am glad you and Yoko Ono got into a fight.” He chuckled a little.
They moved back so they were both watching the movie.
Warrick chuckled with him, knowing that Greg meant it in more than one way. “We won’t tell her,” Warrick winked. He waited a few seconds to see if Greg was going to say anything else. “So what are we watching?”
“Godzilla vs. Mothra. You want some popcorn, I can pop some? Or I have cookies?”
“Maybe later, I don’t want to miss anything.”
They shared a chuckle again, and watched the movie.