"Okay, you can do this." Greg stepped into the apartment building and paused at the elevator. It was four flights up, but maybe he should use the stairs. Yeah. More time to chicken out. More time to come to his senses. "Yeah, should've done that five hours ago," he thought out loud, berating himself as he started up the stairway. "Should've called first, at least." Because Gil had decided to disappear without telling any of them until the last minute. It hurt, but they figured it was just Gil being Gil, absent minded, not realizing what kind of an impact his actions had on them. He'd be back in a couple weeks, or so he said, but Greg couldn't imagine that they wouldn't love him enough not to offer him a full time position. And Greg would be happy for him, too, but it would mean that Gil was really leaving them. Forever. And three weeks had been bad enough. "Well, here goes nothing," he muttered, and knocked on what was hopefully the right door. A few seconds later Gil opened the door, with three weeks worth of stubble and a blank look on his face. It was the kind of look that made Greg want to babble just to fill the uncomfortable silence, but all he said was, "Hi." "Greg." Gil finally spoke up after an indeterminately long silence, and opened the door a little wider. "How...?" "Ecklie owed me a couple favors. I knew all those hours in the lab were gonna pay off," he said brightly, plastering on a grin he didn't quite feel. "Unless, I mean, am I interrupting something? If I am I can just come back later, or, you know, call, or something... Can I come in?" Gil still looked a little baffled, but he backed up to let Greg in, closing the door behind them. Greg's eyes darted around the small apartment, looking to see if Gil had any company. Gil's hand on his face stopped his wandering eyes. "I'm alone, Greg," Gil reassured him, and Greg let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "My family's in Las Vegas. Well," he amended, smiling at Greg, "mostly." Family. That was a good sign. "So we're still... you're... we're okay?" "Why wouldn't we be?" "Because you just left without telling any of us!" he practically exploded, then took a deep breath and calmed himself. "Well, mostly. If Hodges hadn't ratted you out..." Greg shrugged, letting his voice trail off. "Nick's convinced you're not coming back." Gil seemed to consider that very seriously for a moment. "Well, he's wrong," he said simply, as if it should be obvious. As if he hadn't disappeared with barely a word of warning or explanation. "I'll be back in eight days. You didn't need to come all the way out here." That stung. And Greg didn't usually have violent tendencies, but at the moment, he wanted to hit Gil until he saw what was right in front of his face. He still didn't get it. Maybe he never would. "Yeah, sorry to bother you," he muttered. He shouldered the duffel bag he hadn't even let drop to the ground yet and made for the front door, ready to leave without another word. He'd known this was a bad idea. Should've listened to his instincts. Then Gil would've come back in a week - maybe - and they could go on taking each other for granted, like they always did. He was halfway down the hall when he heard Gil's voice, delayed reaction maybe, but it was better than he'd expected from his lover. Boss. Whatever. "Greg..." "What?" "You're not bothering me." Greg rolled his eyes, and continued down the hall. He didn't expect Gil to follow him, but when he reached the stairs, Gil was there to stop him. "Greg." Greg looked at him, but didn't say a word. "Greg, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way. I just didn't think that any of you would want to come out and see me. I didn't think anyone would care that I was gone." "Why the hell wouldn't we?" he asked. "We love you." "I know." Gil sighed. "I know, and I still have a hard time believing it sometimes." He cringed then, and Greg knew it wasn't because of him. He started guiding Gil back to the apartment, where the door had been left open, and herded him onto the couch, where Gil waited while Greg found his migraine medication. "I mean," he continued when Greg came back and sat down beside him, "it's easy to forget that I'm not just on the outside looking in." "I know." Greg sighed, and got up to make sure the door was locked, and got Gil a glass of water on his way through the kitchen. "Drink this." Gil did, and returned the glass with a grateful smile. Hopefully they'd nabbed it before it got too bad, and Gil could sleep tonight. Even if Greg was still on the stay-up-all-night schedule. "I'm sorry," Gil said again, clearly tired. Probably working himself too hard when there was no need to. "I want you here..." "I know." Greg sat by Gil for a few moments, running his fingers through his hair. "You should get some rest. You have a shower?" Gil nodded, and pointed, all with his eyes closed. "Okay. You stay here," he said needlessly, and pressed a whisper of a kiss to Gil's lips. "And I'll get that airplane smell offa me." Gil smiled, tiny but sincere. Greg hummed to himself as he went to take a shower.
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