Title: Trade
By: Caroline Crane
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Rating: NC17
Summary: Post-ep for "Dead Ringer". Some compromises are worth making.

"You know, we don't…really have to…do this anymore." Breathless, and his lungs burn with every step. He figured when he first let Nick talk him into this he'd get used to it eventually, but so far he hasn't and he's starting to get the feeling he's never going to.

"It's good for us."

Nick doesn't even look over as he says the words, totally focused on his stride and part of Greg wants to shove him just to see what he'd do. He knows it's true – he doesn't even mind, not really, but there are times when he'd rather stay under the covers for another half hour instead of dragging himself out of bed to go running with Nick. And he can feel the difference in his muscles – Nick's commented more than once on the new strength in his legs, and that conversation alone was worth every second of torture he's put himself through in the name of training.

Only they're not training anymore, because the relay's over for another year and their whole team got waylaid by a dead cop anyway, so he was kind of hoping they could take a day or two off before they got back to their routine. He should have known better – it's Nick, after all, and the Boy Scout in him doesn't believe in taking days off just to stay in bed for an extra few minutes.

Then again, maybe Greg's been going about trying to convince him all wrong. He has a feeling distracting Nick would probably work better than moaning about how tired he is and pulling the covers back over his head.

He sucks in a harsh breath when they finally reach the driveway of Nick's house – their house now, technically, because they've never really talked about it, but Greg's been living there pretty much full time for the past two months. At first it was more convenience than anything; Nick wanted a jogging partner, and Greg…well, he just wanted Nick. But the race is over and Greg's still spending every night with Nick, so it's only a matter of time before they make it official.

It's worth all the late afternoon jogs, when everyone in the neighborhood's just getting home from work and they're just starting their day. It's worth giving up his own bed and all the trips back to his apartment to get more clothes until finally pretty much everything he cares about is in Nick's house. He's not even sure Nick's noticed yet, but every once in awhile Nick smiles at him a certain way and Greg's pretty sure he knows exactly what they're doing.

He follows the other man into the house, lungs still burning as he tries to catch his breath. And this is the part that makes it worth it, because they're barely inside and he's still breathing heavy when Nick reaches for him, tugging at his clothes as he pushes Greg down the hall. If he'd known something as simple as jogging would turn Nick on so much he would have offered to be his running partner years ago. He laughs at the thought as Nick tugs his shirt over his head, still breathless as warm hands skim over his chest on the way back down.

"Any time you want to skip the workout and get right to the naked, I'm all for it."

Nick grins at that, tugging his own t-shirt off before he leans in to taste salt and sweat on Greg's neck. A hand skims over his stomach, mapping new muscle definition as Nick plants kisses up his neck and across his jaw. "We start skipping days and we'll lose all this." Nick's hand dips a little lower, thumb pressing hard against the definition in Greg's hip. "And I kinda like this."

Greg likes it too – he likes the way Nick catalogs each change in his body with the same intense focus he devotes to his workout every day. He likes strong hands on his skin, tracing each curve and memorizing every new line. He likes the time Nick spends just looking, because he's always liked being the center of attention and when it's Nick paying attention, that's even better.

He leans against the wall and lets Nick pull off the rest of their clothes, methodically undressing them until they're both naked and hard, skin slick with sweat and sliding together when Nick leans in for a kiss. Greg's hands slide up his back, tracing the sharp curve of shoulder blades and the hollow at the base of his spine. His hands curve around Nick's hips, gripping hard as the other man tugs him away from the wall and toward the shower.

They pause long enough to turn the water on, waiting for it to heat up before they climb in and pull the curtain shut behind them. Warm water hits his side as Nick pulls him close again, mouth moving over his jaw, then his neck, the curve of his shoulder and back to his mouth. He parts his lips, tasting salt and water and Nick as he slides his tongue past the other man's teeth. He feels the groan that shakes Nick's chest, hands tightening on his hips and now they're going to be late for work, but Greg can't make himself care.

He doesn't care that he's still trying to make a good impression, still working on showing how serious he is about being a permanent member of the team. It's hard to remember any of that when Nick's kissing him like he needs Greg to breathe, hips grinding against Greg's and his fingers flex against Nick's shoulders to drag him even closer.

The water's warm against his skin, and when Nick drags him under the shower and turns him until Greg's back is pressed against his chest he doesn't complain. He leans back into solid heat, focusing on the rise and fall of Nick's chest against his skin and the warmth of his breath on Greg's neck. One hand leaves Greg's hip long enough to reach behind Nick, returning a few seconds later slick with soap and sliding across Greg's chest.

Nick's grinding against him, rocking gently and Greg presses back into each little thrust, smiling when Nick's breath catches in his throat and he settles a little more firmly against Greg's ass. One slick hand slides across his stomach, the other leaving his hip to wrap around his chest and Nick's mouthing his way down Greg's neck, licking a hot stripe from his earlobe to the curve of his shoulder. Blunt teeth graze his skin, and he wants to tell Nick to mark him, to leave behind evidence that anyone will be able to read.

Only he's pretty sure everyone already knows, because people are careful what they say in front of him, but they're not that careful and he's heard enough to put two and two together. He doesn't know if Nick's heard the rumors, whether he'd care or worry about their jobs or the truth getting back to Grissom, so Greg doesn't mention it. Instead he pushes back a little harder, smiling at the moan that earns him and spreading his legs just a little further.

He could stay just like this forever, with Nick's arms tight around him and Nick's mouth marking patterns on his neck, but they have to show up at work eventually. As soon as he thinks it Nick shifts again, thrusting almost lazily against him as one hand closes around Greg's cock. He gasps at the sensation, eyes closed as Nick's hand begins to move, thumb sliding through slick precome on each upstroke.

And maybe Nick's not so worried about getting to work on time after all, because he's still moving slowly, ignoring Greg's needy little moans as they move together. Nick's free arm is still tight around him, holding him in place so Greg can't thrust too hard into the circle of his fist and end things before they're even started. It's hot and frustrating and Greg hears himself babbling, breathing Nick's name and pushing back against the hard cock still pressing against his ass.

He wants Nick inside him, but Nick seems determined to take his time and Greg knows arguing won't get him anywhere. He's seen Nick focused before, after all, so he rests his head against a broad shoulder and lets himself float on the sensations of Nick's hand moving on him and the solid warmth holding him up.

The sounds of running water and their breathing fill the room, and it's easy for him to imagine that time's stopped, frozen in this moment and the rest of the world doesn't exist anymore. Just for a few seconds he almost believes they really can stay like this forever – surrounded by steam and heat and Nick, breathing in his scent and focusing on the steady beatbeat of his heart against Greg's back.

Then Nick moans and thrusts forward a little harder, tightening his grip and Greg braces himself against the other man as Nick starts moving faster. He's talking again, begging Nick for more and faster and before he realizes how close he is he's coming in Nick's grip. His whole body shakes with the release, knees buckling and he knows if Nick wasn't holding him so tight he'd hit the floor. But Nick's right there, arms still tight around him and his hand still moving on Greg's cock until he has to beg Nick to stop.

One last kiss pressed against his neck and then Nick's letting go, pushing gently until Greg takes the hint and braces himself against the shower wall. He wants to see, but when he looks over his shoulder all he registers is wet hair and a jaw tense with that same focus Greg's gotten so used to over the years. Then Nick's pushing inside him, fingers shaking against Greg's hips with the effort to control himself and he gasps when Greg pushes back hard to force Nick as deep as he can go.

For a few endless seconds they stay frozen like that, but just when Greg thinks he can't stand it anymore Nick groans and starts moving. There's nothing slow about this, none of that gentleness Nick seemed to be working so hard for just a few minutes ago. He's moving fast, pulling out almost all the way only to thrust right back in again, and Greg grunts and pushes back into each stroke.

And this is exactly what he's been waiting for, whole body flushed with the effort just to stay on his feet as Nick shifts just a little and hits that spot that makes Greg clamp down hard around him. He vaguely registers the sound of Nick's groan, fighting the swimming blackness behind his eyes until he can focus long enough to relax. As soon as he does Nick starts moving again, hitting that spot over and over until Greg's sure he's going to collapse before Nick ever comes.

He thinks he might even say it out loud, because Nick's hands tighten even harder on him, holding him in place as he thrusts again, then one more time before he tenses and comes with a low moan. Greg's vision is swimming again, sparks of white in the blackness and he grins wearily because now they're really late and they still haven't showered and all he wants to do is crawl back into bed. But they've got a whole night ahead of them, and he has a feeling he's going to be feeling this through their entire shift.

Not that he's complaining, because he likes the idea of being able to feel Nick inside him while he's processing evidence. He bites back a moan when Nick pulls out, forehead resting against the shower wall as Nick's mouth moves across the scars on his shoulders. "Maybe tomorrow we can skip the workout."

"We're both off tomorrow."

"I know," Nick answers, and Greg laughs when he feels Nick grin against his shoulder. "So there's no reason to get out of bed at all."