Work Text:
It's A Wonderful Life
by Sam-Tony
Surrounded by live spiders in glass boxes and things in jars best left unidentified, Nick Stokes leaned back in his lover's arms and simply enjoyed the silence. The lights were all off, leaving the only illumination in the room to come from the small Christmas tree set up on a lone, uncluttered table in front of the closed blinds; its light burning in cheerful, multicolored splendor, softening and warming the darkness. The lab still hustled and bustled outside the closed door, but here in Grissom's office, everything was peaceful for the first time since their shift started hours ago. In fact, they should be about halfway through their double by now...
Sitting together on the overstuffed couch Grissom kept in his office for those inevitable nights that turned into days and back to nights, when the older man had caught the scent of an intriguing case and refused to go home, Nick smiled at the arm that sat heavy and comfortable across his shoulder. Listening to his lover breathe in the darkness, slow and even, he knew their time was limited. Quiet moments like these were rare; rarer still were the opportunities to enjoy them before they were gone. Their schedules being what they were, Nick fully intended on appreciating this one while he had it.
Christmas in Vegas wasn't exactly known for being dull *or* quiet.
Movement along his arm told him that, though drowsy, Grissom wasn't quite asleep. Nick smiled at the fingers trailing over his t-shirt in a short pattern from shoulder to elbow and back, setting up a hypnotic rhythm.
His voice, unused for the last half hour, was rusty with that same almost-sleep. "You have all night to stop doin' that."
He purred in sleepy pleasure as Grissom chuckled, dropping a kiss to the top of his head. Nuzzling back against the warm bulk that was his lover, Nick settled in for a short nap, enjoying the light, soothing touch in the colored dimness.
He was just about asleep when there was a short knock on the door before Warrick poked his head inside, bringing the light and bustle of the lab in with him. Both men winced at the unaccustomed noise.
"Sorry guys," the deep voice that spoke out of the silhouette apologized, sounding guilty. "We've got a triple on the strip. Brass is out there now, already working on his second bottle of tums. Ecklie wants the three of us out there asap."
"I hate you," Nick mumbled without opening his eyes as Grissom snorted; no doubt at the thought of Ecklie demanding them anywhere.
Only to hear Warrick chuckle. "Yeah, yeah. See you on scene."
"I'd like to see him that smug after Greg catches him under the mistletoe he spent the first half of shift hiding all around the lab," Nick grumbled, more just to grumble than out of any real heat, heeding the slight nudge from behind as Grissom started to move.
Standing and turning the move into a stretch, he held out a hand to help Gil up out of the depths of the leather folds struggling to keep him there. It was a very comfortable couch.
Pulling him in for a kiss, Grissom held him against his body, devouring his lips long enough that Nick whimpered and made to follow when Gil finally released them. Dazed and more than willing to forgo the triple homicide for more quality time on that couch, he whimpered again when Gil made no move to repeat the gesture.
"Procrastinating won't get us any closer to solving the case and curing Brass's heartburn."
So said the man currently leaving fingerprints on his ass. "No, but it will get us closer to the end of shift." Enjoying the hard grip the older man had on his butt, Nick raised his head from Gil's shoulder in the vague hope that puppy dog eyes may at least buy him one more kiss before they had to leave the sanctuary of their nest.
Gil obliged, but only in so much as a quick peck on his lips before stepping away with all of the reluctance Nick felt. "You grab the kits, I'll turn off the tree and get the lights."
Nick was about to agree when the chime from the clock on Grissom's cluttered desk chimed midnight, turning Christmas Eve into Christmas Day.
Grinning like a loon, Nick dug a rumpled sprig of mistletoe, borrowed from Greg, from out of his pocket and promptly claimed his first Christmas Kiss from his lover.
"Merry Christmas, Gris."
The older man chuckled, and returned both the kiss and the greeting before shooing him on his way. The sooner they got their evidence collected and back to the lab, the sooner they could go home and celebrate Christmas properly - with a steak, potatoes, and a glass of Gil's homemade eggnog, before working the caloric sin off in bed. With any luck, they may even manage to squeeze in a nap before heading over to Doc Robbins for Christmas dinner.
It really was a wonderful life.
End