CM Fic: Trick-or-Treat: Three Halloween Drabbles
Title: Trick-or-Treat: Three Halloween Drabbles
Author: ImpulsiveAnswer
Ratings: K, K+, and M
Pairings/Characters: Reid/Hotch (friendship/pre in the first one, established in the other two); Jack Hotchner (second one)
Warnings: see individual drabbles
Word Count: each one is less than 500 words
Disclaimer: I don’t own Criminal Minds, sadly.
Summary: Reid and Hotch on three different Halloween nights.
Candy at a Crime Scene
Rating: K
Relationship: friendship/pre-slash
Warnings: spoilers for episode 3.06 (“About Face”)
Word Count: 392
Scene: the jet on the way home to D.C.
“The Reid Effect seems to be fading.”
Judging by the startled look on Spencer Reid’s face, Aaron Hotchner could tell that the young agent had been too absorbed in his book to hear him approach. “Huh?”
Hotch gave him a kind look and sat down across from him. “The kids, when we were at Pool’s house,” he elaborated. “I think every single one of them smiled at you.”
“Oh!” said Reid, his eyes widening with understanding. He smiled ruefully and patted his satchel. “It was the candy; apparently it’s a temporary salve for the Reid Effect. I just hope…”
Reid bit his lower lip, seemingly lost in thought. “Reid?” Hotch prompted gently.
“I hope that’s what those kids remember,” said Reid wistfully. “You know, the good guys rescued someone and then handed out candy.” He looked down at his hands. “Halloween isn’t the day they should have to learn that the guy they’re getting their candy from can be far scarier than any of the monsters they have costumes for.”
Hotch’s heart momentarily twisted as he thought about those children in their cute Halloween costumes standing behind the crime scene tape, and how they would have gone trick-or-treating at an unhinged serial killer’s house if the team hadn’t identified the unsub in time. “But the guy they got their candy from tonight was an FBI agent who was there to help a lady in trouble,” he said, as much to remind himself as to reassure Reid. “That’s what they’ll remember.”
The corners of Reid’s mouth turned up ever so slightly and Hotch could practically feel the pent-up tension and regret that came with the end of every case start to melt away. Suddenly all he wanted was see Reid as happy as he’d been when he was with the trick-or-treaters. “The important thing right now, Reid is,” he continued, waiting until the younger man curiously cocked his head to eye the satchel meaningfully, “do you have any candy left?”
Reid’s eyes widened. “Well, not enough for everyone, but…” he glanced surreptitiously over his shoulder to make sure the rest of the team was still dozing and then back at Hotch, his eyebrows raised mischievously.
Hotch held out a hand. “Trick or treat?”
Reid’s entire face lit up as he laughed delightedly and Hotch’s heart twisted once more for a very different reason.
Getting into the Spirit
Rating: K+
Relationship: Established
Other Characters: Jack Hotchner
Word Count: 479
Scene: The Hotchner house, two minutes before the designated trick-or-treating hours begin
Spencer Reid breathed a sigh of relief as he watched Aaron Hotchner turn his SUV into the driveway and drove it carefully into the garage. “See?” he asked, pulling his wolf mask up to his forehead as he looked down. “I told you he’d be here in time.”
Jack Hotchner’s ears seemed to perk up as he listened to the sound of the car door shut. “He’s coming in through the kitchen! Let’s get him!” he staged whispered to Spencer with an impish grin. The little boy took off with Spencer at his heels, sprinting through the doorway just as Aaron Hotchner was closing the door behind him. “Avast, matey! Arrggh!”
Aaron held his heads up in mock surrender. “Parlay!” he cried, the hint of a laugh in his voice. “I mean you know harm.”
Jack waved his plastic sword. “This ship has been claimed by Pirate Jack and his first mate, Spencer the Werewolf!” he declared, pointing back at Spencer for emphasis. Spencer smiled and waved at his boyfriend. “We don’t let anyone on board until he tells us who he is and what he’s doing here.”
“Well, I’m here to go trick-or-treating with Pirate Jack and Spencer the Werewolf,” explained Aaron, lowering one of his hands to pull something out of his pocket. Spencer raised his eyebrows as Aaron slid on a pair of black lens-less glasses and undid the shirt buttons over his chest. “And I…am…SUPERMAN!”
Spencer let out a half-gasp, half-laugh when Aaron pulled open his shirt to reveal the unmistakable red ‘S’. “What do you think, Jack?” he asked. “Should we let Superman come aboard?”
“Yes, yes, yes!” shrieked Jack happily, flinging himself into Aaron’s arms. “Welcome aboard, Superman Daddy. Let’s go trick-or-treating!”
Spencer gently patted Jack’s shoulder. “Why don’t you go tell your Aunt Jessica we’re leaving?” he suggested. “And see if she has some safety pins so Superman Daddy won’t have to hold his shirt open like that all night.”
“Aye, aye, first mate,” said Jack enthusiastically, taking off.
“How come you get to be first mate?” Aaron teased. His playful frown turned confused when Spencer just stood there staring at him. “What?”
A huge grin broke out across Spencer’s face. “You wearing a costume,” he said.
“It’s our first time trick-or-treating as a family,” Aaron reminded him with a smile. “Of course I had to dress for the occasion.”
“But you wore it all day,” Spencer continued to marvel as he loosened his lover’s tie. “You wore that ‘S’ under your suit at work.”
Aaron stuck out his chest a little. “That’s what Superman does.”
Spencer let out a little breathy laugh and shook his head. “I was wrong.”
Aaron frowned, confused. “About what?”
“I thought it would be impossible for me to love you more,” explained Spencer, leaning in to claim Aaron’s mouth in a sweet kiss. “I was wrong.”
One Last Trick-or-Treat
Rating: M
Relationship: Established
Warning: toys (more hint than use)
Word Count: 448
Scene: Master bedroom/bath, late Halloween night
There was a huge, ugly rubber spider sitting on the sink when Aaron got out of the shower.
He let out a fondly exasperated sigh and cracked the bathroom door open. “Spencer,” he called into the bedroom. “Halloween is over.”
“No it’s not,” Spencer informed him matter-of-factly. “Halloween isn’t over with until the sun rises tomorrow.”
Aaron couldn’t help chuckling as he began toweling off. “You really love this holiday, don’t you?”
“It’s one of the best days of the year,” declared Spencer. Aaron could hear the smile in his boyfriend’s voice. “Do you know why?”
“Is it because tomorrow every grocery store in the D.C. area will be selling their remaining bags of candy for 50% off?”
“That’s why tomorrow’s one of the best days of the year.”
“Because every year you scare Morgan when you sneak up behind him in a hideous mask?”
“That’s just an amusing bonus,” replied Spencer. The young man let out a contented sigh; Aaron could picture him sinking into the soft sheets on their bed. “It’s because on Halloween the line between fantasy and reality blurs; you can let go of your inhibitions and be anything you want.”
“And you want to be the Mad Hatter?”
“I want to be the guy who opened the box of toys Garcia gave him when she found out he was dating the man of his dreams so he could give you the best sexual experience you’ve ever had in your life.”
Aaron’s eyebrows shot up his forehead, but surprise quickly gave way to intrigue. He tossed aside the towel and managed to push the door all the way open before the sight of his beautiful young lover caused all the blood in his body to rush straight to his groin. Spencer was sprawled naked on the bed with his hands cuffed to the headboard by a pair of black fuzzy handcuffs and his long legs spread wide, inviting Aaron between them. A suspiciously nondescript box was sitting near his left foot, open and waiting for Aaron to delve in.
Spencer bit his lower lip and grinned. “Well, happy Halloween to me,” he purred as his eyes drank in his lover’s nude body.
“My thoughts exactly,” smiled Aaron playfully as he made his way across the room and onto the bed. He knelt between Spencer’s legs, wrapping one hand around his lover’s erection while rifling through the box with the other. “Let’s see what I have in here for you.”
Spencer moaned and arched into Aaron’s grasp. “Trick - trick or - oooohhhh - or treat?” he gasped out.
Aaron’s smile turned lascivious as he held up a jar of body chocolate paint and a cock ring. “Both.”
The End