Unwritten (Leaving Las Vegas)
Title: Unwritten (Leaving Las Vegas)
Author: Nat
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 2,461
Pairing: Gil/Nick
Characters: Gil Grissom, Nick Stokes and occasional cameos by other cast members.
Warnings: Adults only, please.
Spoilers: Leaving Las Vegas
Disclaimer: You know the "I don't own these two" drill, so I won't bore you.
Unbeta-ed: I'm too busy to spell check. I do my best.
A/N 1: A fun little experiment. This is the first of a series of short stories that are based directly on scenes in CSI Episodes. Much in the way that we were all subjected to those build up episodes between Gil and She Who Shall Not Be Named, these are little drabbles about the build up of Gil and Nick's relationship with one little itty bitty catch - they will be starting at the end and working thier way back to the beginning. (Memento, anyone?)
A/N 2: GSR FREE ZONE. They are my stories, right? So canon be damned, I do what I want.
“Stop hugging me.”
Nick paused for a moment, his arms still planted firmly around Gil…only now it was in embarrassment and not legitimate concern that he may never see him again.
Nick managed to pry himself from Gil and could hardly muster any eye contact before turning and walking down the hall, the only thing missing from the sad little puppy dog act as the wagging tail. But Nick was almost sure he could feel it. Just like he could feel Gil’s eyes burning a hole through his back.
“Nick, wait…” Gil called after him and Nick managed a step or two before he stopped and turned slightly to see Gil slowly making his way down the hall towards him. Gil leaned closely into Nick, and Nick winced against what he was sure was going to be a verbal reprimand for a public display of affection. But, as was becoming habit for him, he misjudged the situation.
“Have dinner with me tonight.”
Gil whispered nearly directly into Nick’s ear. The same man that had just been all but repulsed by physical contact with Nick. Nick raised an eyebrow sharply.
“I’m sorry. I thought you just asked me to have dinner with you…” Nick’s sarcasm washed over Gil and left him with a cynical smile.
“I did. I know it will be late. I’ve still got a little to do before I leave here. But I have some food in my fridge I’d like to get rid of before I leave town.”
Nick huffed and laughed to himself. There was method to his madness. Gil just needed Nick to clean out his fridge.
“Yeah. Alright, Grissom.” Nick nodded.
“My place. Give me…two hours.”
Nick left the lab and decided to kill some of those two hours in the gym. He worked out as usual, sniffing to himself a bit as he watched the media coverage of his latest case splashed all over the television screens in front of the treadmills. Work was never easy to leave at work…especially when he had a dinner with the boss to look forward to.
Nick showered after a relatively short workout, but really just ran the water over his body instead of actually washing it. He was finding himself almost too tired to exert the energy it would take to put shampoo in his hair or run soap under his armpits. Instead he just leaned his head against the shower wall and let the heat of the water run over his body. He moved just as sluggishly as he fumbled back to his locker in the gym locker room and debated whether to put his work clothes on or just make use of the extra jeans and undershirt he had in his bag. He opted for the casual but clean clothes, and noticed as he finished dressing that two hours had almost passed and he was running a little late. He cursed a little as he looked at his watch, pulled his sneakers back on and hurried to his car.
As he pulled in Gil’s drive, he gave a quick check of his hair in his rear view mirror and shuddered. He hadn’t so much as run his fingers through it and it was a little bit of everywhere. He tried his best to smooth it but then gave up. To hell with it, I’m just helping Grissom clean his fridge. Nick tucked his keys into his pocket and made a dash for the door, which remarkably opened before he even reached the front stoop.
Gil smiled from inside the house, the door nearly completely open. Gil had changed from his work clothes too, only he had opted for something a little more…charming. He wore khaki’s and a white button down which hung over his pants, untucked. His feet were bare. Nick smiled at this disarming, decidedly “un-Gil”…still trying to adjust to seeing him with no beard.
“I feel underdressed.” Nick murmured shyly, smoothing out his somewhat wrinkled white undershirt.
“You look nice.” Gil answered, smiling. The somewhat awkward tension that arose between them in the past few years had a decidedly different taste when they were alone together and not at work. But there was no mistaking it’s presence. Gil moved aside and beckoned Nick in. Nick smiled slightly as he passed Gil and then his face dropped as he made his way inside. Very few lights were lit. But several candles were. Strewn throughout Gil’s home…flickering over everything in sight. Flickering over the large blanket that was draped across an open piece of floor in the front room. A blanket that held two place settings, a bottle of wine and two glasses, as well as various plates full of an assortment of different foods. Nick smiled to himself, his back to Gil, as he spoke.
“Yeah. Now I feel really underdressed.” Unbeknownst to Nick, Gil had moved to the kitchen and returned with a covered plate. He breezed past Nick and moved to the blanket, revealing two large steaks…which he dutifully sat on each plate as he grabbed a napkin, placed it over his lap and sat cross legged on the floor. He smiled up at Nick.
“You gonna tell me you just had two big steaks hanging out in your fridge?” Nick smiled slightly as he pushed his way out of his shoes and padded barefoot to the blanket, dropping into a near pushup as he laid himself out on his side, propped up on one elbow.
“Well, I picked up the steaks. Everything else is leftovers.” Gil chuckled a little as the two of them took turns lifting the lids and towels off of various plates. Nick giggled under his breath as he unveiled a half eaten portion of macaroni and cheese, some cold pizza, some cereal. Gil opened a jar that held some kind of pasta salad and spooned some onto Nick’s plate. Nick watched in bemusement as Gil opened the bottle of wine and poured them each a large glass.
“So, what’s this all about Grissom?” Nick propped himself up to a sitting position and grabbed his glass of wine. Gil reached for his own and raised it to toast Nick. They clinked glasses as Gil leaned in a bit.
“You seemed upset. That I was leaving. I wanted to…do something special.”
“Just a couple weeks. Right?” Nick’s voice shook a bit, hoping that Gil wasn’t asking him to dinner to break the news that nick had been right…something was going on and he wouldn’t be coming back.
“Just a couple weeks, Nicky. I promise.” Gil took a sip of wine and then tried to keep his eyes from bulging as he watched Nick down about half the glass in one large swig. Nick let out a loud sigh and then noticed Gil watching him. He wiped his mouth and blushed a little.
“Sorry. I worked out. I’m…really thirsty.”
“Well ask for a water next time. That wine is a 1995 vintage. Enjoy it.” Gil laughed as he spoke. He was always amazed as tiny incidents drew into such light their entire relationship. Or the lack thereof. Nick nodded along, again embarrassed…and impressed that Gil had sprung for an expensive wine. “You must be hungry then, too. Eat.”
Nick and Gil alternately sat and laid across the blanket….drinking…mindlessly talking…and of course, obliterating the food that had been left in Gil’s fridge.
“I told you I was hungry.” Nick laughed as he noticed that the food was gone. So was the wine.
“I’m impressed. More wine?” Gil asked as he stood to take an armful of empty plates to the kitchen along with the empty bottle of wine. Nick began to gather the remaining dishes as he felt the heat of the wine flushing his cheeks.
“Hey, Nick?” Gil called from the kitchen.
“Yo..” Nick burped a little under his breath, wondering how strong that wine could have been and hoping that he hadn’t finished it alone, short of the one glass Gil had taken.
“We never really talked about…what happened. I know it’s been awhile…but …”
“We don’t have to talk about that Grissom.”
Nick cut Gil off, as he all but dropped a plate, catching it mid air as he stood, and breathing a heavy sigh of relief. Gil was right. It had been nearly a year since their encounter in the woods. And mystifyingly, neither of them had brought it up since. It wasn’t the first awkward encounter they had shared, and Nick was pretty sure they were about to stumble onto another one. But for whatever reason, it hadn’t merited the dialogue that some of the others had. Gil had reappeared in the room, and laughed to himself as he made his way to Nick, grabbing a plate or two off of the top of the tower Nick was attempting to balance.
“Thanks.” Nick winked a little as he got his footing.
“You’re sure?” Gil asked, unwilling to drop his question so quickly.
“I’m sure, Grissom.” Nick and Gil walked to the kitchen and dropped the plates in the sink. Nick began to run the water, but Gil reached for the handle and turned it off, leaving his hand to rest over Nick’s for a moment. Nick stared at it before letting his gaze wander up Gil’s arm to meet his eyes.
“Will you miss me? When I’m gone?” Gil’s voice was hushed and almost urgent. Nick thought for a moment, Gil knew he would miss him. He hadn’t played that very close to his chest, after all. Nick swallowed hard and gently pulled his hand from under Gil’s.
“Of course, I’ll miss you.” Nick moved into Gil for a moment, catching his breath slowly and grinning slightly before he spoke again. “I mean…can YOU imagine taking orders from Catherine? Thanks for that…”
Gil chuckled and muttered an apology before grabbing a second bottle of wine from the counter and moving back to the front room. He dimmed the main lights, letting the candles illuminate the scene instead. Nick followed closely to Gil and laid back down on the blanket. Gil filled Nick’s wine glass and then his own before he sat on the ground next to Nick. They sat in silence for a moment, before they managed to make some small talk. And somewhere in the middle of it, Nick managed to lean his head onto Gil’s lap. Gil began mindlessly tracing his fingers through Nick’s hair, even if he was sure that Nick’s increasing level of drunkenness kept him from noticing much. But Nick did notice the feeling beneath his neck of Gil’s growing erection as Nick subtly rubbed his head into Gil’s crotch. His face was hot from the wine, and the rest of his body wasn’t far behind. He looked up to Gil, upside down. Gil tilted his head, still wandering his fingers through Nick’s hair.
“Is that for me?” Nick managed, and even if it was almost slurred, it was still sexy. Gil just tilted his head and smiled a little bit as he took in the image of Nick on his lap.
“Yes, Nick.”
Nick sat his glass down and rolled himself off of Gil. He sat up with his back to Gil for a moment, before turning to him…moving on his knees and crawling back towards Gil as he also put his glass aside. Nick moved slowly and stealthy until he was facing Gil, straddling his lap. Nick was slow and deliberate as he lowered his body onto Gil’s lap, feeling Gil’s hard on against him, pressing deeper into it…knowing that their clothes were the only thing keeping them from making love right at that very moment. Nick leaned in to Gil’s face. Getting about as close as they usually managed…before one of them began to have second thoughts. Only a few times had they managed to move past that and neither of them knew where the chips would fall this time either.
“We gonna do this…or not?” Nick’s breath was hot on Gil’s face. He pressed his forehead into Gil…but it was mostly to steady himself.
“Why don’t you wait here. I’ll be right back.”
Gil managed to pull himself from Nick, who in turn sat himself back down on the blanket. Gil scanned his body and could make out a sizeable bulge in his jeans. Gil moved quickly to the bathroom, digging through a jar for condoms and some lubricant. He had bought them the night after he and Nick’s elusive encounter at the adult baby shop some years ago. The first day he thought he may be bringing Nick home, but Nick never came. Gil gave himself a quick look in the mirror and took a deep breath. Nick was waiting for him now…the way Gil had waited for years to finally be with him. Gil closed the light and the door to the bathroom and padded quietly back to the front room. He stopped in the doorway, and couldn’t help but laugh to himself, careful to stay quiet. There was Nick…sprawled out on the floor…fast asleep. Gil moved beside the blanket and knelt over Nick. He smelled like wine. Gil tilted his head and whispered his name…but no answer. Nick was passed out cold. Gil even grabbed his wrist and let it fall a bit, which happened like dead weight. He hung his head and chuckled. He pulled a blanket from the nearby sofa and covered Nick. He slipped a throw pillow under his head and tried to make him comfortable. Nick grinned in his sleep, but otherwise…he barely reacted. Gil stood for a moment and watched the sweet vision of Nick lost deep in a peaceful sleep before he moved around the room and blew candles out.
“I love you.”
Gil heard the tired and broken sound of Nick’s voice barely escaping his lips and it stopped him dead in his tracks. Gil turned and expected to see Nick awake, but he was still out cold. Gil moved to him and stood by his side once more, he smiled at the idea. The idea…of Nick…loving him. Even if he would never admit it while he was conscious.
Gil moved to his room and lay on the bed - more tired than he had realized, he fell asleep almost immediately on top of the comforter. He woke a few hours later, checking the clock to see that not much time had passed. He stirred and stretched a bit before deciding to go check on Nick. He walked slowly, his body creaking slightly as it woke up. He leaned over the couch in the nearly dark room. There was the blanket….folded neatly in a pile…a note sitting on top of it.
“Sorry. Have a safe trip. And come back.” it said. And Nick was gone.