Title: End of the Day

Author: Perpetual Motion

iwannabedonna@yahoo.com

Webpage: http://www.geocities.com/iwannabedonna

Fandom: Crossing Jordan

Pairing: Bug/Nigel

Rating: G

Summary: End of a long day.

Archive: My site, WWOMB, RS, anyone else please ask.



End of the Day
By Perpetual Motion

Bug was bent over a collection of small glass jars when Nigel walked into his work area. "Hey."

"Hey." Bug didn't look up.

"What are you looking at?" Nigel leaned in, careful not to get in Bug's light.

"Cockroaches." Bug grinned as Nigel took a couple of wary steps back. "They're already dead."

"Still." Nigel shuddered and leaned back against the wall. "What are they for?"

"They were found on the body of that old lady they brought in this morning. They don't know where they came from."

"Don't tell me she had the only non-cockroach-infested apartment in Boston."

"She did. Bombed her place once a month, according to her neighbors. She never left food out, never left her dishes unwashed, and never made any mention of it to any of her neighbors." Bug finally raised his head from the jars and rotated his neck, wincing when he discovered how tight it was.

Nigel stepped forwad again, willing himself not to look at the bugs in thier little containers, and pressed his thumbs to the back of Bug's neck. His eyebrows went up in surprise. "What'd the hell did you do? Wind your neck up with a spring?"

"It's been a long day." Bug titled his head back until it bumped Nigel's chest. "Haven't seen you all day."

"Buried in blood samples, stomach contents, and various other bits of disgusting work." Nigel rotated his thumbs against Bug's neck and smiled when he heard a small popping sound. "Better?"

Bug rotated his neck again. "A little."

"Ready to call it a day?"

"Yeah." Bug got off his chair and walked over to the closet. He pulled out his jacket and slipped it on, following Nigel out of the lab in a comfortable silence.

They were two blocks from the building when Bug reached out and tangled his fingers with Nigel's. "I could sleep for a week."

Nigel pulled Bug closer and got an arm around his shoulders. "You get a night."

Bug sighed as they turned to head towards Nigel's apartment. "Guess it'll have to do."

"Want to order something in tonight?"

"Yeah."

They walked in silence the rest of the way to Nigel's place, content to be quiet for few minutes. Nigel got the door open while Bug propped himself against the wall, then he steered the other man inside. "Beer?"

"Yeah."

Nigel grabbed a couple of beers from the fridge, the Chinese take out menu, and the cordless phone. He sat next to Bug on the couch, handed him his beer, and called in an order of the night's special, adding extra crab rangon for Bug. He hung up the phone and watched Bug press the beer bottle to his head. "Headache?"

"I'm warm. I think I'm getting a fever."

Nigel put a hand on the back of Bug's neck. It did feel warmer than usual. "Flu, you think?"

"Probably." Bug leaned into the couch coushions. "We've been working like dogs for three weeks straight, it was bound to catch up to me."

"Yeah. Food then bed for you." Nigel stretched his legs out on the coffee table and slouched into the couch. He smiled softly as Bug burrowed into his side. "You want water instead of beer?"

"Nah. This'll be my last one before I'm on a strict juice and water diet."

"And soup. Don't forget soup."

"Can't wait." Bug's delivery was more deadpan than usual.

Nigel got an arm around Bug and listened as the other man drifted off, his breathing evening out until Nigel was sure he was asleep. Moving carefully, he got Bug in his arms and managed to get him to bed and under the covers. When the food showed up, he stuck it in the fridge and crawled in bed with Bug.



END