nickngreg | Make Believe Chapter 2

Title: Make Believe
Author: Leigh
Chapter: 2/?
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Spoilers: None
Rating: PG-13 (for now)
Summary: Nick owes Greg, Greg needs a favour
Disclaimer: As hard as I wish it, they're not mine
Notes: I'm trying to pick the pace up, stick with me ;)

Over the next two days Nick and Greg would meet after shift to plan the fine details of their trip. It was a weekend and both had at least one vacation day racked up so they didn't need to worry about being called in. No problem there. What Nick hadn't been prepared for was the sheer barrage of information Greg had thrown at him. He knew about great great uncles and second cousins twice removed, and it didn't just stop at breakfast. On the Thursday night Greg pulled Nick into his lab and thrust a large neon pink folder into Nick's hands. The older man raised an eyebrow at the obnoxiously coloured folder then looked to Greg for answers.

"This," Greg began with a flourish "Is your homework. I know I've already loaded you with fun facts to know and tell about my family. Don't mention M*A*S*H near my uncle Rodger. Don't sit behind Papa Olaf if he's eaten cheese. Blah blah blah. But this," again with the flourish "Is what you need to know about me."

Nick snorted as he opened the folder. "I already know you man, we've worked together for 5 years." Greg eyed him dubiously and Nick took the hint. "Okay so I didn't know THAT. But I think I know you well enough to pull this off."

"Alright then, what's my favourite colour?" Greg asked crossing his arms defiantly. Nick snickered and gestured to the day glo folder. "Very funny Nick. My favourite colour is green actually. And that folder was the last in a pack of three, I had no choice."

Nick chuckled as he turned the cover page to find the carefully laid out contents page Greg had put together and read aloud, "Likes, dislikes...our history? What's that about?"

"Exactly what the title suggests Einstein." Greg quipped. "If we want my family to buy you as the love of my life we need to lay some foundations. First date. First kiss." He stopped counting off milestones on his fingers at Nick's quizzical look, "Yes they will ask. Heather'll probably smell a rat but that's only cause she can sense her own kind. She'll probably try to catch you out. Stuff like my favourite food, favourite colour..."

"Green!" Nick piped in.

"Very good. The rest is just general relationship-y info. Our song, stuff like that."

"We have a song?" Nick asked as he found the corresponding page. "Lifehouse? Never heard of them."

Greg rolled his eyes. "And I wouldn't expect you to Hee Haw Harry. It's just a nice song, really moving. I always knew that if I ever had someone serious and we had a song it would call for something as beautiful as that one."

Nick noted the wistful look in Greg's eyes and the slight flush that had risen in his cheeks but decided not to call him on it. The way he spoke about that song, Nick assumed that Greg already had someone in mind when it came to sharing it.

*Maybe someone he'd rather take to this thing than me* Nick thought as an odd feeling washed over him. Not jealousy exactly, but not far from it. He didn't have time to acknowledge it though because out of the corner of his eye he noticed Grissom slowly making his way to the. Nick snapped the folder shut and made for the door, looking back at Greg to say "You can quiz me on this over breakfast."

Nick turned abruptly and almost smacked into Catherine who had all of a sudden appeared in the doorway. Startled, he clutched the hot pink folder to his chest, somewhat like a shield. Catherine eyed him warily.

"That's a good colour for you Nicky, really brings out your eyes." She joked, moving back into the hall toward Grissom but not before tossing over her shoulder "Enjoy your breakfast you two." Shooting a wink only Nick caught.

Nick left in the opposite direction mumbling to himself. "Why is it that she always knows when there's something to know?"
He opened the folder again as he walked, it fell open on the 'Out Shared Memories' page headed by the favourite song Greg had spoken so adoringly about minutes earlier, and he thought about his own reaction to Greg's sentimentality.

Though it wasn't common knowledge. Nick was no stranger to romantic relationships with other men. There had been the clichéd experimentations in college, which had led to many other brief encounters over time, but there had also been women. He'd never felt the need to come out and tell people he was bisexual, he didn't even like the word. Nick saw no point in labelling himself for the benefit of others when it was no ones business but his own. He was just a sexual guy who found himself attracted to all kinds of people for all kinds of reasons. It was what made a particular person attractive to him that really mattered, gender never really played a part.

During the past couple of days Nick had questioned whether or not to share this information with Greg. Wondering would it affect the situation if the younger man knew Nick was far more experienced in meeting the boyfriend's family than he was. Or if he would be uncomfortable sharing a bedroom with Nick all weekend if the older man couldn't curb his new found urge to ogle Greg at every chance, which had developed rapidly since that day in the locker room. He'd never thought of Greg that way before, thinking that it would be pointless mostly. But since that moment, as well as taking a crash course in Greg; learning all about his family, his beliefs and his past and not to mention the fact that he was actually into guys, Nick had definitely begun to see the younger man in a whole new light.

Not that it mattered. Nick had seen the look in Greg's eye when he confessed his reasons for his song choice and it was unmistakable. There was definitely someone out there who was lucky enough to have caught Greg's attention and he could learn to accept that. He was no spring chicken, he could accept that too and probably not even close to Greg's type or the no doubt young, hot mystery man of his dreams. But this didn't mean he wasn't happy to fake it for a weekend.

It had been several months since Nick had been with anybody and it was beginning to get kind of lonely. Being a boyfriend again, even if only for two days, could be nice. Comforting even.

*Not to mention he's really, REALLY hot.* Nick thought before mentally berating himself. *This isn't about me*. He owed Greg a favour and he was going to see this through as a friend, not as a pervy old guy.

*Although if I happen to walk in on him changing...*

Nick stopped his thoughts going down that path again, throwing up his hands and the folder with a loud, frustrated cry of "GAH!" before shoving open the locker room door letting it slam shut behind him leaving a very confused Greg; who had followed him all this way, standing in the hallway. A frown on his face as he slumped his shoulders and walked back toward his lab.

Greg had planned to take Nick with him to the barbeque all along. The fact that Nick felt he owed him just gave him the perfect opportunity to bring it up after stewing over ways how to for the past two weeks.
Nick was a good friend and Greg knew he'd go the extra mile to help him out on this one. But after seeing Nick's little outburst with the folder he wasn't so sure the older man was as comfortable with this as he let on.

*But he's so fricking hot though* Greg thought before cutting himself off. Clearly that would lead nowhere no matter how hard he wished it, Nick was definitely not into him. How could he be?

*Shame. Although maybe if I just happened to walk in on him changing...*