Exposed
Author: Daniela
Fandom: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Pairing: Greg/Grissom
Rating: PG13
Category: Angst, Romance
Series/Sequel: Breaking the Ice
Disclaimer: I donīt own them but I love them dearly.
Summary: A new labtech gets the picture
Warnings: Pre - Slash
Feedback: Yes, please. Itīs the icing on my cake.
Email: daniforblue@yahoo.de
Beta: Isha, Monika
Released: June 2003
Revised: October 2007
"Have you seen the new guy who started working yesterday?" Catherine asked Grissom out of the blue. They had collected the evidence in the recent murder case and were on their way back to the lab. The sun was already rising.
"What? Who are you talking about?" Grissom murmured, slightly dazed.
"Iīm talking about the new guy from the lab. Michael....something...I forgot his surname... who is a very handsome man. Actually, utterly stunning," she leered.
"Catherine, please, itīs truly not my concern how the man looks but how heīs doing his work."
"Some of us are more concerned about his looks."
"Who do you have in mind?"
"Well, our good boy Greg is obviously flirting a lot with Michael. I always suspected he is more into men than women. Finally, he doesnīt hide it anymore."
Grissom was caught off guard by different feelings.
Surprise. Dismay. Curiosity.
He resisted the urge to squeeze Cath for more details. "Gregīs flirting is only a problem when itīs affecting his work. In this case he gets into trouble with me. His sexual orientation is none of our business."
Catherine smiled just like Mona Lisa.
Grissom expected her to say more but she didnīt. Sometimes he wondered if Cath knew he was into men too. She was a smart woman. But even though she knew she had never said a word. Certainly, he had suspected for a long time that Greg was as gay as he was. All that flirting around with all the women in the lab was never serious. He was never approaching a goal.
Grissom had always tried to avoid seeing Greg as an attractive man. He regarded him rather as a boy than a man. For one good reason: He was Gregīs boss. Relationships at a workplace always got you into trouble. But recently, he had become soft and careless. I asked Greg to play chess with me. I teased him about how athletic his body is. I told him about my motherīs deafness. Why?
Cathīs allusions let him lose his poise a little bit. Did she imply he was attracted to Greg? And was he? Well, Greg let him feel something. But Grissom never intended to live out these feelings. That would be simply inappropriate.
When they arrived at the lab, Grissom fetched the collected evidence from Cath. "Iīll take that to Greg myself."
"If you have to." Cath winked playfully at him.
Embarrassed about his urge to see Greg right away, Grissom fled to avoid further teasing. He already heard Greg from a distance. Like always, he was talking nonstop. The next second, Grissom saw the guy, Greg was talking to and he had to admit, Catherine was right. Tall, dark hair, handsome face, broad shoulders, athletic legs, about thirty years old. The man looked like a dream came true. Pure jealousy consumed him. "Sanders! Wasting time again? Why isnīt that a surprise to me."
Greg whirled around while his speech was cut off immediately. Sanders! Not Greg! That is never a good sign, is it? But why is Grissom so angry?
The handsome man flashed a smile at Grissom. "Hello, my name is Michael Andrews. Iīm new here. I was transferred from San Francisco. You must be Gil Grissom."
Reluctantly, Grissom shook hands with him.
Greg found back his voice. "I just showed Michael around. Thatīs all. What have you figured?"
Surprised, Michael sensed a peculiar tension between Greg and his boss.
Noticing Michaelīs astonishment, Grissom overreacted. "What I have figured? Do something you get paid for. Now!" He handed him the samples with the evidence.
Grissomīs intense disapproval silenced Greg effectively. He took the pieces and rushed off like a scolded kid.
"Iīll get back to work," Michael mumbled, looking curious and left just a second later.
Grissom was angry at himself. Why have I lost my control so unnecessarily? Why have I acted this way? Oddly enough, he felt remorse as well as shame.
Greg on the other hand was simply furious. How could Grissom talk to me like that? Even if he is my boss. After all these years I have worked here. In front of the new guy. The very attractive new guy.
"Iīm sorry that I caused you trouble." Michael had followed him silently.
"Nonsense! We just talked. I donīt know what Grissomīs problem is."
Michael eyed Greg closely. "Are you sleeping with Grissom?"
Greg almost fell off his chair. "What!? Are you nuts?! How could you SAY something like this?!"
Michael grinned cheerfully. "Well, you were flirting with me all day. I thought, why not, heīs cute. But then Grissom showed up and I realized at once, I have no chance."
Greg was out of words. He just stared at Michael.
The older and more mature man didnīt let him get away just like that. "So...?"
"I...Iīm n...not sleeping with Grissom," Greg stammered finally.
"But you want to because you have a crush on him."
"Thatīs not true!" Greg shouted bewildered, but then shut his mouth quickly. He realized how suspicious his excitement made him sound.
Michael didnīt say anything.
"Nobody noticed it until now," Greg confessed quietly. "I hope so. Itīs useless anyway. Grissom has no interest in me at all..."
"That isnīt true. I guess he overreacted so intensely for one reason only. He was jealous."
"Donīt talk such nonsense. There is no way I could ever believe that."
"I got around a lot. You can take it from me, the man is jealous."
"Jealous of what? Grissom isnīt interested in me."
"Why not? You are young, good-looking, smart and share the same interests because of your work."
Greg was completely bewildered. "Are you serious?"
"Sure. I have to go now. Will you tell me, how our boss is in bed, if you ever manage to get him there?"
"I would never tell," Greg blurted, offended.
Laughing, Michael left the lab.
Half an hour later, Greg went to Grissomīs office, the result papers in his hand were visibly trembling because he was much more nervous than usually. He stopped in front of Grissomīs office door and took a few deep breaths, before he knocked and stepped in. "I got your results, boss."
"Put them on the desk," Grissom replied, without even looking at him.
Despite Grissomīs discouraging behavior, Greg remained on his place. "I wasnīt neglecting my duties." His voice sounded sullen.
"Never mind. It wasnīt my intention to talk to you like that."
"You believe me then?"
"Of course. Why shouldnīt I?"
"So weīre good?"
"Yes, Greg, you can forget about it."
Greg sighed. "Thanks. Thatīs a relief."
"Your private life is nobodyīs business. Just keep it low in the lab."
"I wasnīt flirting with Michael," Greg blurted. "He is not my type!"
Grissom looked perplexed. "I didnīt say that."
"I - I - have m - much work to do," Greg stuttered and flounced out of the room.
The fast escape made Grissom smile. This guy is truly incredible. He always succeeds to get under my skin. Again and again he makes me jump out of my shell. Very few people are capable at this but Greg is certainly one of them. So? Michael isnīt his type. Who would it be? Probably Nick. Certainly Nick. What a pity Nick isnīt gay. Stop thinking about this. It doesnīt matter to me, does it? Grissom shooed away all private thoughts and continued to write his report.
Greg lolled at his desk. Grissomīs comment about Michael had confused him completely. Grissom never commented on private things. His own thoughtless reply had been so stupid. He almost had blurted out the truth: "Grissom, you are my type! Nobody else."
Greg snorted. Grissomīs reaction to such a confession was beyond his grasp. He started to giggle uncontrollably.
"Whatīs so funny?" Nick leaned over his shoulder.
Shit! Does he ever have to sneak up like that? "Ah...just something I heard today," he said quickly.
"Letīs hear."
He shook his head. "I have a lot of work and Grissom is waiting."
"Mmh."
