Title: Belly
By: geekwriter
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Rating: PG
Summary: It's all downhill after 24. For Robogirl and RuggerDavey.

Nick stopped as he passed the open bathroom door. Greg was standing shirtless in front of the mirror, one hand resting on his abdomen as he puffed it out as far as it would go, then sucked it back in.

"Greg," Nick said, leaning against the doorway.

Greg didn't say anything, just stuck his stomach out again, an expression of deep concentration on his face.

"What are you doing?"

"Do you think I have a belly?" Greg asked.

Nick laughed. "What?"

"I mean it. Look at this thing. It's huge."

Nick grinned as he gazed at Greg's extended abdomen. "Stop pooching it out, man."

Greg let his stomach go back to normal and poked at it with his index finger. "Do you think I'm getting soft?"

Nick smirked. "No, whenever I check you're pretty damn hard."

"I'm serious, Nick. Do you think I'm getting fat?"

"No."

"You didn't even think about it. You're supposed to look at me and really think about it."

"I've got sisters, Greg, and I learned young that you're not supposed to think about it, you're just supposed to answer-no hesitation. Otherwise you might die."

"I'm not a woman."

"You're starting to sound like one."

"Just tell me the truth."

Nick walked up behind him and slipped his arms around Greg's waist, placed his hands flat on Greg's stomach. "The truth is that I love your belly," he murmured against Greg's neck.

"So I do have a belly."

"No. You were born with a congenital birth defect and your torso goes right from your hips to your ribcage with no belly in between."

Greg elbowed him gently, then turned within the circle of Nick's arms so he could see his profile. He puffed his stomach up again, pinched the skin just above his waist. "Is this a love handle? Am I getting love handles?"

Nick tried to keep a straight face but the laughter broke through.

"It's not funny. Look at that. I can pinch, like, almost an entire inch."

"That's skin, G."

"So I'm not getting love handles?"

Nick shook his head and placed his hands on Greg's shoulders, turning him so they were facing. "What's all this about?"

Greg shrugged.

"Is this about your birthday?"

Greg sighed. "No. It's just...never mind."

"Greg..."

"Hodges said I had a spare tire."

Nick let out a snort. "You know he lives to torture you."

"I know." Greg nestled his face against Nick's throat. "Will you still love me when I'm old and fat?"

Nick stroked Greg's hair gently. "You're not getting fat."

"I might. I might develop a glandular problem and swell to 800 pounds. Will you still love me when I'm 800 pounds and have to have an electric scooter custom made so I can make it through Wal-Mart?"

"You don't shop at Wal-Mart."

"I might."

"You boycott Wal-Mart."

"Well, they are the epitome of the soulless corporation. But what if I have to shop at Wal-Mart? What if my glands go crazy and my hunger becomes insatiable and I have to shop at Wal-Mart because I need so much food it's the only place I can afford?"

"Look at me."

Greg sighed.

"Come on, G. Look at me."

Greg pulled back a bit and looked into Nick's eyes.

"You're turning thirty. I know you're dreading it, but it's nothing to be scared of."

Greg didn't look convinced.

"Life doesn't end at thirty. Your body doesn't fall apart overnight. Look at me-I'm in better shape now than I was when I was 25."

Greg slid his hands up and down Nick's forearms. "Well, you do have a hot body," he said grudgingly.

"And you've got the same skinny bod you've had ever since I met you."

"So you think I'm too skinny?"

Nick rolled his eyes and grabbed Greg around the waist, leaned forward and hoisted him over his shoulder.

"Whoa," Greg said, pounding on Nick's back, legs flailing. "What are you doing?"

"Stop kicking, you're gonna knock over the lamp."

Greg giggled as the blood rushed to his head and Nick's shoulder dug into his abdomen.

"Here we go," Nick said as he flipped Greg back over and let him fall onto the bed.

"Head rush," Greg said after he landed on his back, his arms stretched out to the sides. He grinned up at Nick as the older man climbed over him. "Want to tell me what that was about?"

"That," Nick said, kissing Greg's stomach, "was to distract you from your pity party. And this," his fingers coasted over Greg's skin as he kissed his way up Greg's sternum, "is to assure you that your body is perfect."

"But what if it's not?"

Nick sighed.

"I mean, what if I do get a paunch some day?"

"Then," Nick kissed his way up Greg's throat, planted a gentle kiss on his lips, "I'll love your paunch."

"And my love handles?"

Nick smiled and nodded. "And your love handles."

"Promise?"

Nick would have laughed, but Greg's expression was so serious that he couldn't. "I promise to love all 800 pounds of you. Forever."

Greg smiled and reached up to touch Nick's mouth. "Even if I have to have a motorized cart custom made just for me?"

Nick nodded as stretched out next to Greg on the bed. "But only if you promise to give me rides on it."

Greg seemed to think about it for a moment as he laced his fingers through Nicks. "All right," he said finally, "it's a deal."