Fanfic: Peonies In Summer [Criminal Minds]
Title: Peonies In Summer
Author: wanderingjasper
Rating: PG
Characters: Morgan/Reid
Word Count: 719
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, but I do take liberties with them for no financial gain.
Notes: A Tumblr Fanfic Drabble piece.
Prompt: gogetemlover: Morgan/Reid, Clooney passes away.
Reid hadn’t argued when Morgan wanted to do it alone. He stood silently and watched from the window as Morgan opened the boot of the car and lifted out a large shape wrapped in a plaid blanket. He didn’t say anything when Morgan carried it through the house and out of the backdoor into the yard. He watched from the doorway as Morgan seemed to hesitate, not sure what to do with the bundle.
Reid stepped out into the garden, crossed the neat grass to the patch of earth Morgan was in front of. It would have peonies and pansies growing there in the summer.
“I know you think this is stupid.” Morgan said, jaw set and eyes a quiet kind of fierce as he looked at Reid. “That I should have just gone with cremation.”
“I don’t think this is stupid.” Reid said gently, keeping the exasperation that Morgan would assume he wouldn’t understand from playing across his face. Morgan’s face softened, and he cast his eyes around, lingering on the soft grass underfoot. Reid realised he didn’t want to put down his burden.
“Here,” he held out his arms a little, “I’ll hold him.”
Reid saw him hug Clooney’s covered body to his chest a little tighter, and then his grip loosened. He handed him carefully to Reid, more delicate than he’d ever been with the dog while he was alive, and Reid adjusted to the weight. As Morgan watched him shift his hold he knew he wasn’t going to be able to hold the dog up for the amount of time he needed to, as he was a considerable size, so very carefully he knelt on the grass, and then sat, and cradled Clooney’s body in his lap instead. Morgan gave a little nod to himself, and reached for the shovel.
He was so focused on watching Morgan dig a hole in the flowerbed that was the right dimensions for Clooney and deep enough to not be disturbed, he failed to notice at first that his hand was stroking along the blanket, along the dog’s body. With a sad smile he considered that the dog had never been so still, especially with him.
He knew why Morgan wanted to bury him instead of have him cremated; he felt he owed it to him to undertake the effort it took. Reid did his part, holding Clooney so he didn’t have to lie on the floor, real affection even though rationally Reid knew he was gone. He’d never met a dog as intense and terrifying but loyal and loving as Clooney.
Finally Morgan forced the shovel into the ground by the grave, and cast his eyes over his work, thinking. He knelt beside the hole, and Reid carefully handed the body back to him. Morgan held him against his chest, and pulled back the blanket from the dog’s head, smiling sadly down at his lifeless, peaceful form.
“Goodbye, boy.” He murmured, scratching between the dog’s ears; they flapped a little with the motion, but then stilled like the rest of him. He covered him back up and Reid watched as Morgan carefully lowered him down in the grave, placing him like he was sleeping. They both rose and stood shoulder to shoulder; Reid found Morgan’s hand at his side and gave it a quick squeeze.
“He had a good life.” Morgan nodded to himself. Reid squeezed his hand again, and simply stood with him as they looked down on the shape of Clooney’s body in the earth.
Finally Morgan reached for the shovel, and rolled his shoulders, and Reid reached for the shovel too.
“I can do it, give you arms a break.”
“No.” Morgan said shortly, then softened. “I mean I just... I just can’t... can’t watch you fill in a grave right now, pretty boy.”
Reid frowned; it took him a moment to realise that Morgan was referencing the scene they’d found him in after Hankel, and at the same time his chest tightened a little with the memory his heart fluttered with feeling that that image was so strong for Morgan.
“Okay.” He nodded softly. He let his hand linger along Morgan’s arm as the man began filling in Clooney’s grave, tending to the final resting place of the third part of their family unit.