Look! I finally wrote something!
Title: Not an Inconvenience
Author: morena_donn
Rating: R for alcohol use and implied sex
Pairing: Morgan/Reid established, Hotch/Morgan/Reid preslash
Word count: 2,700
Authors Note/Spoilers: My first fic in nearly two years, and in a new fandom. Set some vague time in Season 5, before "100".
Summary: Reid accidentally outs himself and Morgan to Hotch, Rossi tries alcohol therapy to get Hotch to relax, and there are unexpected consequences.
Beta by brindel As usual, I made some last minute changes, so any mistakes are entirely my fault, as is the tense choice.
Spencer is getting ready to leave when he notices the door to Hotch’s office, which is - huh, there is really no word - ‘ajar’ implies a smaller gap, but it’s not wide enough to be called open, either. This is Not Right. Hotch is meticulous - his door should be either wide open or fully shut. Intrigued and a little worried, he climbs the steps and approaches the door, stopping when he gets an angle which allows him to see in. Hotch is sitting too still, elbows on the desk, head resting on the heel of his hands.
He steps inside and quietly asks, “Hey, are you alright?”
“Not really, no,” Hotch replies, not looking up. This close, Spencer can see his hands are clenched into fists, tight enough to whiten the knuckles. It distracts him, and he doesn’t process the words as quickly as he ought.
“Okay, I just …I didn’t expect you to admit it.”
Hotch lets out a mirthless laugh. “That makes two of us. Must have been fatigue speaking. Really, I’m fine,” he insists. Spencer gives him an incredulous look. “Well, as fine as any of us can be, given what we‘ve seen and done,” he concedes, apparently determined to convince Spencer that there’s nothing wrong beyond understandable post-case fatigue and the general drain of the Job.
Spencer isn’t buying it. “Yes, but most of us don’t go home alone,” he counters. “JJ has Will, Garcia has Kevin, and Derek and I…” Oh, crap. He had not meant to say that “…um, have someone. You go home alone. So if you ever need to talk…?”
“I appreciate the offer, but I really am just tired,” Hotch sighs. “Go home. I can make it an order.”
Spencer is still not convinced, but he’s not inclined to argue with a direct order. And maybe he’s done some good. At the very least, there had been a flash of something other than abject despair in Hotch’s eyes when he’d almost outed himself and Derek, a sign of life that would please Spencer more if he wasn’t worried that there was no ‘almost’ about the outing.
**********
Dave Rossi catches a glimpse of Reid’s expression as he leaves Hotch’s office, and swears quietly to himself. No more taking the coward’s way out and calling it patience. It is time to talk to Aaron. Walking quickly to his friend’s office, he leans casually against the door frame and asks “Everything okay?”
“I’m FINE!!” Aaron roars.
‘I’m fine, thank you, fine,’ Dave stifles an entirely inappropriate smile as a line from an old comedy routine pops into his head. His soft spoken friend has just yelled. He is about as far from fine as he can possibly get. “No, you’re not. It’s late, and it’s Friday. You’ve got five minutes to finish, then you’re coming home with me.”
“Dave, I said I’m fine,” comes the expected protest.
“You yelled it, and I don’t know what you said to Reid, but the poor kid looked like he’d seen a ghost when he walked out of here.“
“I think that was due more to what he said then anything I did,” Aaron mutters.
“Which was…?” Dave prods when he when doesn’t continue.
“None of our business,” Aaron says decisively.
Dave is dying to know what he means by that, but recognizes the stubborn look on his friend’s face. It would take serious doing to winkle the secret out now, and Dave has bigger fish to fry. “You’re coming home with me,” he repeats. “You need to relax.”
“I can’t.” Aaron looks at him with desolate eyes. “This last year has been…it’s too much. I’m afraid if I let go, I’ll shatter,” he admits.
“And if you don’t, you’ll snap,” Dave counters. Taking Aaron’s silence as agreement, he continues. “I usually wouldn’t recommend getting smashed as therapy, but it is a way to relax without consciously relinquishing control, and I have some damn fine wines, if I do say so myself. What do you say?”
“You have to let me go home after. I need to maintain at least a shred of dignity. I am nominally your supervisor.”
Dave’s immediate thought is ‘Hell no. I want you sleeping it off in the spare bedroom, where you’re safe’, but he hadn’t expected Aaron to capitulate so easily, and the earlier admission of weakness has him a bit spooked, so he simply replies, “if you insist,” meaning it literally. He won’t stop his friend if he tries to go, but he won’t be the one to suggest Aaron leave.
********
Spencer lets himself into Derek’s house, plopping down on the couch. “I think I screwed up,” he blurts without preamble.
Derek turns away from the game he’s kind of been watching, trying and failing to be annoyed by the interruption. “Really? The Boy Genius made a mistake? Do tell.”
“Be serious,” Spencer admonishes, shutting the TV off. “I, um, hinted about us to Hotch. I didn’t mean to. It just sort of happened. I’m sorry.”
“Hey, hey, it’s okay. We have nothing to be ashamed of.” ‘Fired for, maybe, but not ashamed of.‘ And the last thing he wanted to do was create more stress for poor Hotch. “How did he take it?”
“I’m not really sure. He was…upset… before I said anything. I’m afraid I made it worse.”
Make that the second to last thing. Spencer comes first, which means reassuring him now, despite his own fears. ‘We are not a dirty little secret,' he tells himself firmly. “Nah, I doubt it. If nothing else you gave him something else to brood about.“
Thoughts of Hotch brooding lead to thoughts of how attractive Hotch is while brooding, which lead to thoughts of the conversation he and Spencer had had last weekend, when they’d polished off a bottle of Pierre Ferrand Ambre, cognac being the only hard liquor that Reid, with his sweet tooth, would consent to drink . “You know, that would have been a perfect opportunity to say something, maybe get him to join us. I know you want him,” Derek says with a sly grin.
“Would you let that go? I was extremely inebriated, I can’t be held responsible for anything I said.”
“Oh, I don’t know. What’s that saying? ‘In vino veritas’?”
“It’s true, alcohol does tend to weaken one's internal filters, but I didn’t mean… I would never… I love you.”
“I love you, too. Nothing wrong with looking. I’ve been known to do it a time or three myself. Seriously though, if he’d say yes, I wouldn’t say no.”
Spencer takes a moment to think about this. “To sex, or to an actual three way relationship?”
“A relationship, of course. I know you don’t do casual. And I’d be worried about a one time thing screwing with our dynamic.”
“And a relationship wouldn’t?”
“You 'n' me have been okay so far, but I worry it’s gonna affect my judgment. I think having a third person involved would kinda spread it out, you know?”
“That actually makes sense, but it’s a moot point. Our positions preclude anyone issuing an invitation, and the repercussions if something did go wrong...what?”
“Just thinking that’s a shame, because it would be unbelievably hot to watch the two of you make out. I'd start by stroking myself while you kissed and then...”
He leans over and whispers in Spencer's ear, earning him a blush and a scandalized “Derek!”
He takes a moment to admire the younger man's flushed cheeks, then forestalls any further protests by adding “I suppose we could just pretend he's here,” and claiming a kiss.
*****
Dave had hoped Aaron would forget his insistence on going home. Aaron has other ideas - or maybe he just knows Dave too well, and makes him promise before he accepts a second glass of wine. By the time Dave has finished a second glass of his own, he can’t contain his curiosity. “So, what did Spencer say that had him so upset?”
“He hinted that he and Morgan are… involved.”
“And that bothers you?”
“I’m their boss. I can’t know that. Of course if bothers me!” Aaron says, a bit too vehemently in Dave’s opinion.
“Oh, SSA Hotchner may be bothered, but I think Aaron is more likely hot and bothered,” he says, hoping to get a reaction out of his friend, who is now three glasses in without the hint of a smile.
It works. Aaron chokes, then glares at him. “Thanks, Dave. I’ve been trying really hard *not* to think about it, and now I can’t get the image out of my head. They are both beautiful men, and they’d be so good together.”
“I’ll take your word for it.” Dave waits a beat, then adds “you know, I don’t think that image has to stay only in your head. I bet if you asked really nicely, they’d let you play with them.“
“That’s, that’s,“ Aaron splutters and thinks ‘incredibly appealing’ before finishing “impossible.“
“I think you’re forgetting that our dear Dr. Reid is nothing if not unconventional, and Derek would do anything to make him happy.”
Aaron would have given him almost anything, even before tonight’s revelation, but he’s pretty sure Morgan would draw a line at sharing. He can’t get the idea or the images out of his mind, though. Annoyed with Dave for planting them there, he deliberately picks the most expensive bottle in his friends’ collection for next round. Dave must really love him, because he opens it without protest. It’s too bad he’s so damn straight.
Aaron knows it’s time to go when he stops cursing Dave’s heterosexuality, and starts thinking of ways to undermine it. He fully intends to go home, but the closer he gets, the lonelier he feels, and as the cab passes the turnoff for Morgan’s place, he directs the driver there instead.
******
The doorbell rings. Derek sighs and untangles himself from Spencer. He opens the door to find the object of their earlier discussion, looking as rumpled as he’s ever seen him.
“Hotch, man, what…?”
“Aaron,” Hotch interrupts. “Dave says Agent Hotchner can’t know,” and here his eyes flick to Spencer, who appears to be attempting to become one with the couch, “but Aaron. ..Aaron *wants.* “
Derek takes an involuntary step back from the alcohol fumes on the other man’s breath. Hotch takes the opportunity to give him a once over with the single minded focus of the very drunk. Derek can practically feel the intense gaze on his bare chest.
“Hotch. Aaron. Eyes up here. Man, you are wasted.”
“’'m r’lax’d. Dave says I need t’ relax.”
‘Dave’ has apparently been saying a lot. Derek can think of a few things he wants to say to the older agent in turn, starting with why the hell he let Hotch go in this condition. “You’re wasted,“ he tells Hotch again. “We’ll talk in the morning, if you’re up to it. I’ll go get the guest room ready.” He catches Spencer’s eye and mimes making a phone call before turning to go.
******
Aaron watches Morgan leave the room. He shouldn’t stare. It’s bad form to stare, but he can’t seem to control his gaze. It’s possible he’s had a tad too much to drink. A throat clears somewhere off to his right, breaking the spell. He turns to Reid, who for once doesn’t seem to have anything to say. Which is fine, because Aaron doesn’t really have words for this situation. And opening his mouth would probably be a bad idea. The room is starting to spin, and he feels decidedly unwell.
“Are you ok? You’re looking a little green. The bathroom is this way if you need to vomit.”
“I really wish you hadn’t said that,” Aaron moans as he runs to bathroom.
“I’m sorry? You should feel better now.” Reid’s voice takes up a familiar cadence: Aaron braces for an onslaught of statistics about drinking and hangovers, but it doesn’t come. There is just blessed silence and a gentle hand rubbing circles on Aaron’s back. It’s nice. Soothing. He could stay right here indefinitely, if it wasn’t for the stench. He contemplates the toilet.
“Dave’d be pissed. That’s a very ‘spensive red, there.”
Reid laughs “Right now, I’d say it’s a very gross red.” He stops rubbing Aaron’s back long enough to flush the toilet. “Are you done?”
“I think so? Tired. An’ my mouth tastes like shit.”
Reid helps him rinse his mouth, and settles him into the spare bedroom. Morgan comes in with a water bottle and analgesics. Aaron is just enough of a maudlin drunk that the gesture nearly causes him to tear up. He swallows hard.
“Spencer. Derek. Thank you.”
“No problem, man.”
“We’re glad to help.”
******
He awakens an indeterminate time later, stumbles to the bathroom, and is violently sick, again. If he survives this, he’s going to kill Dave for getting him this drunk.
This time it’s Morgan who rubs his back, gives him water, and helps him back to bed. Needing to be cared for like this, by someone he’s supposed to be in charge of, is exactly what he’d been trying to avoid when he made Dave promise to send him home, but he is pathetically grateful for it now, especially when Morgan tucks him into bed and drops a light kiss on his forehead. He can’t help the whimper that escapes as the other man turns to leave. Morgan is back at his side in an instant.
“Aaron, what is it?”
Already beyond embarrassed, he whispers. “I’m so tired of being alone.“
“Come to bed with us, then,” Morgan says, extending a hand.
Aaron takes it and allows himself to be led to the master bedroom, where Reid is sprawled out over a good half of the king sized bed. There’s something incredibly cozy and domestic about the scene, and he balks. “I wouldn’t want to intrude.”
Reid peers blearily up at him “S’not intruding. We’ve talked about this. You’re more than welcome to join us,” he says, before burrowing back into the pillows.
*******
It is far too early in the morning when Aaron wakes in strange bed with Christ Derek Morgan *and* Spencer Reid. He doesn’t need the pounding head and sour stomach to tell him he had far too much to drink. Thankfully, he is still mostly dressed. He stumbles out of bed and begins collecting his clothes, dropping a shoe in the process.
Morgan stirs at the noise. “Where are you going? It’s too early to be up, especially after the night you had.”
Aaron winces. “I’m terribly sorry about that. I’ve inconvenienced you enough. I’ll just be going now, and can we please pretend nothing happened?”
“If that’s what you want, man. It wasn’t an inconvenience, though. We want you here. Weren’t you listening to Spencer?”
Aaron flashes back to last night, when Reid had said he was welcome to join them. “He wasn’t seriously inviting me into your relationship,” he says, disbelief coloring his voice.
“I’m pretty sure he was.”
“And you’re okay with that?”
“I…” Morgan starts to answer, but Aaron cuts him off.
“Never mind, it’s impossible.”
“Why?” Reid chimes in. “Three is often a more stable configuration than two.”
“It’s just not…”
“Not ‘done’? I don’t see why not. It’s not as if the standard binary model works so well.” There’s a hint of bitterness in Reid’s voice, and Aaron is reminded of how the younger man’s life was affected by his parent’s separation. For that matter, his own experience with the ‘standard binary model’ was hardly a rousing success.
“You don’t have to decide anything now, just come back to bed,” Morgan says. Reid doesn’t say anything, but Aaron defies anyone to resist the hopeful look in his eyes. With a mental shrug, he gives in; it really is too damn early to be up and about. And if the three men he trusts most all seem to think a triad will work, then maybe he should give it a shot.
********
When Aaron reawakens at a more reasonable hour, Spencer is curled in his arms, hair obscuring his face and tickling Aaron’s nose. Derek is tucked up along his back, strong arm circling his waist, breathing warmly on his neck. Aaron still has a pounding headache and a sour stomach, but he feels better than he has in years.
Author: morena_donn
Rating: R for alcohol use and implied sex
Pairing: Morgan/Reid established, Hotch/Morgan/Reid preslash
Word count: 2,700
Authors Note/Spoilers: My first fic in nearly two years, and in a new fandom. Set some vague time in Season 5, before "100".
Summary: Reid accidentally outs himself and Morgan to Hotch, Rossi tries alcohol therapy to get Hotch to relax, and there are unexpected consequences.
Beta by brindel As usual, I made some last minute changes, so any mistakes are entirely my fault, as is the tense choice.
Spencer is getting ready to leave when he notices the door to Hotch’s office, which is - huh, there is really no word - ‘ajar’ implies a smaller gap, but it’s not wide enough to be called open, either. This is Not Right. Hotch is meticulous - his door should be either wide open or fully shut. Intrigued and a little worried, he climbs the steps and approaches the door, stopping when he gets an angle which allows him to see in. Hotch is sitting too still, elbows on the desk, head resting on the heel of his hands.
He steps inside and quietly asks, “Hey, are you alright?”
“Not really, no,” Hotch replies, not looking up. This close, Spencer can see his hands are clenched into fists, tight enough to whiten the knuckles. It distracts him, and he doesn’t process the words as quickly as he ought.
“Okay, I just …I didn’t expect you to admit it.”
Hotch lets out a mirthless laugh. “That makes two of us. Must have been fatigue speaking. Really, I’m fine,” he insists. Spencer gives him an incredulous look. “Well, as fine as any of us can be, given what we‘ve seen and done,” he concedes, apparently determined to convince Spencer that there’s nothing wrong beyond understandable post-case fatigue and the general drain of the Job.
Spencer isn’t buying it. “Yes, but most of us don’t go home alone,” he counters. “JJ has Will, Garcia has Kevin, and Derek and I…” Oh, crap. He had not meant to say that “…um, have someone. You go home alone. So if you ever need to talk…?”
“I appreciate the offer, but I really am just tired,” Hotch sighs. “Go home. I can make it an order.”
Spencer is still not convinced, but he’s not inclined to argue with a direct order. And maybe he’s done some good. At the very least, there had been a flash of something other than abject despair in Hotch’s eyes when he’d almost outed himself and Derek, a sign of life that would please Spencer more if he wasn’t worried that there was no ‘almost’ about the outing.
**********
Dave Rossi catches a glimpse of Reid’s expression as he leaves Hotch’s office, and swears quietly to himself. No more taking the coward’s way out and calling it patience. It is time to talk to Aaron. Walking quickly to his friend’s office, he leans casually against the door frame and asks “Everything okay?”
“I’m FINE!!” Aaron roars.
‘I’m fine, thank you, fine,’ Dave stifles an entirely inappropriate smile as a line from an old comedy routine pops into his head. His soft spoken friend has just yelled. He is about as far from fine as he can possibly get. “No, you’re not. It’s late, and it’s Friday. You’ve got five minutes to finish, then you’re coming home with me.”
“Dave, I said I’m fine,” comes the expected protest.
“You yelled it, and I don’t know what you said to Reid, but the poor kid looked like he’d seen a ghost when he walked out of here.“
“I think that was due more to what he said then anything I did,” Aaron mutters.
“Which was…?” Dave prods when he when doesn’t continue.
“None of our business,” Aaron says decisively.
Dave is dying to know what he means by that, but recognizes the stubborn look on his friend’s face. It would take serious doing to winkle the secret out now, and Dave has bigger fish to fry. “You’re coming home with me,” he repeats. “You need to relax.”
“I can’t.” Aaron looks at him with desolate eyes. “This last year has been…it’s too much. I’m afraid if I let go, I’ll shatter,” he admits.
“And if you don’t, you’ll snap,” Dave counters. Taking Aaron’s silence as agreement, he continues. “I usually wouldn’t recommend getting smashed as therapy, but it is a way to relax without consciously relinquishing control, and I have some damn fine wines, if I do say so myself. What do you say?”
“You have to let me go home after. I need to maintain at least a shred of dignity. I am nominally your supervisor.”
Dave’s immediate thought is ‘Hell no. I want you sleeping it off in the spare bedroom, where you’re safe’, but he hadn’t expected Aaron to capitulate so easily, and the earlier admission of weakness has him a bit spooked, so he simply replies, “if you insist,” meaning it literally. He won’t stop his friend if he tries to go, but he won’t be the one to suggest Aaron leave.
********
Spencer lets himself into Derek’s house, plopping down on the couch. “I think I screwed up,” he blurts without preamble.
Derek turns away from the game he’s kind of been watching, trying and failing to be annoyed by the interruption. “Really? The Boy Genius made a mistake? Do tell.”
“Be serious,” Spencer admonishes, shutting the TV off. “I, um, hinted about us to Hotch. I didn’t mean to. It just sort of happened. I’m sorry.”
“Hey, hey, it’s okay. We have nothing to be ashamed of.” ‘Fired for, maybe, but not ashamed of.‘ And the last thing he wanted to do was create more stress for poor Hotch. “How did he take it?”
“I’m not really sure. He was…upset… before I said anything. I’m afraid I made it worse.”
Make that the second to last thing. Spencer comes first, which means reassuring him now, despite his own fears. ‘We are not a dirty little secret,' he tells himself firmly. “Nah, I doubt it. If nothing else you gave him something else to brood about.“
Thoughts of Hotch brooding lead to thoughts of how attractive Hotch is while brooding, which lead to thoughts of the conversation he and Spencer had had last weekend, when they’d polished off a bottle of Pierre Ferrand Ambre, cognac being the only hard liquor that Reid, with his sweet tooth, would consent to drink . “You know, that would have been a perfect opportunity to say something, maybe get him to join us. I know you want him,” Derek says with a sly grin.
“Would you let that go? I was extremely inebriated, I can’t be held responsible for anything I said.”
“Oh, I don’t know. What’s that saying? ‘In vino veritas’?”
“It’s true, alcohol does tend to weaken one's internal filters, but I didn’t mean… I would never… I love you.”
“I love you, too. Nothing wrong with looking. I’ve been known to do it a time or three myself. Seriously though, if he’d say yes, I wouldn’t say no.”
Spencer takes a moment to think about this. “To sex, or to an actual three way relationship?”
“A relationship, of course. I know you don’t do casual. And I’d be worried about a one time thing screwing with our dynamic.”
“And a relationship wouldn’t?”
“You 'n' me have been okay so far, but I worry it’s gonna affect my judgment. I think having a third person involved would kinda spread it out, you know?”
“That actually makes sense, but it’s a moot point. Our positions preclude anyone issuing an invitation, and the repercussions if something did go wrong...what?”
“Just thinking that’s a shame, because it would be unbelievably hot to watch the two of you make out. I'd start by stroking myself while you kissed and then...”
He leans over and whispers in Spencer's ear, earning him a blush and a scandalized “Derek!”
He takes a moment to admire the younger man's flushed cheeks, then forestalls any further protests by adding “I suppose we could just pretend he's here,” and claiming a kiss.
*****
Dave had hoped Aaron would forget his insistence on going home. Aaron has other ideas - or maybe he just knows Dave too well, and makes him promise before he accepts a second glass of wine. By the time Dave has finished a second glass of his own, he can’t contain his curiosity. “So, what did Spencer say that had him so upset?”
“He hinted that he and Morgan are… involved.”
“And that bothers you?”
“I’m their boss. I can’t know that. Of course if bothers me!” Aaron says, a bit too vehemently in Dave’s opinion.
“Oh, SSA Hotchner may be bothered, but I think Aaron is more likely hot and bothered,” he says, hoping to get a reaction out of his friend, who is now three glasses in without the hint of a smile.
It works. Aaron chokes, then glares at him. “Thanks, Dave. I’ve been trying really hard *not* to think about it, and now I can’t get the image out of my head. They are both beautiful men, and they’d be so good together.”
“I’ll take your word for it.” Dave waits a beat, then adds “you know, I don’t think that image has to stay only in your head. I bet if you asked really nicely, they’d let you play with them.“
“That’s, that’s,“ Aaron splutters and thinks ‘incredibly appealing’ before finishing “impossible.“
“I think you’re forgetting that our dear Dr. Reid is nothing if not unconventional, and Derek would do anything to make him happy.”
Aaron would have given him almost anything, even before tonight’s revelation, but he’s pretty sure Morgan would draw a line at sharing. He can’t get the idea or the images out of his mind, though. Annoyed with Dave for planting them there, he deliberately picks the most expensive bottle in his friends’ collection for next round. Dave must really love him, because he opens it without protest. It’s too bad he’s so damn straight.
Aaron knows it’s time to go when he stops cursing Dave’s heterosexuality, and starts thinking of ways to undermine it. He fully intends to go home, but the closer he gets, the lonelier he feels, and as the cab passes the turnoff for Morgan’s place, he directs the driver there instead.
******
The doorbell rings. Derek sighs and untangles himself from Spencer. He opens the door to find the object of their earlier discussion, looking as rumpled as he’s ever seen him.
“Hotch, man, what…?”
“Aaron,” Hotch interrupts. “Dave says Agent Hotchner can’t know,” and here his eyes flick to Spencer, who appears to be attempting to become one with the couch, “but Aaron. ..Aaron *wants.* “
Derek takes an involuntary step back from the alcohol fumes on the other man’s breath. Hotch takes the opportunity to give him a once over with the single minded focus of the very drunk. Derek can practically feel the intense gaze on his bare chest.
“Hotch. Aaron. Eyes up here. Man, you are wasted.”
“’'m r’lax’d. Dave says I need t’ relax.”
‘Dave’ has apparently been saying a lot. Derek can think of a few things he wants to say to the older agent in turn, starting with why the hell he let Hotch go in this condition. “You’re wasted,“ he tells Hotch again. “We’ll talk in the morning, if you’re up to it. I’ll go get the guest room ready.” He catches Spencer’s eye and mimes making a phone call before turning to go.
******
Aaron watches Morgan leave the room. He shouldn’t stare. It’s bad form to stare, but he can’t seem to control his gaze. It’s possible he’s had a tad too much to drink. A throat clears somewhere off to his right, breaking the spell. He turns to Reid, who for once doesn’t seem to have anything to say. Which is fine, because Aaron doesn’t really have words for this situation. And opening his mouth would probably be a bad idea. The room is starting to spin, and he feels decidedly unwell.
“Are you ok? You’re looking a little green. The bathroom is this way if you need to vomit.”
“I really wish you hadn’t said that,” Aaron moans as he runs to bathroom.
“I’m sorry? You should feel better now.” Reid’s voice takes up a familiar cadence: Aaron braces for an onslaught of statistics about drinking and hangovers, but it doesn’t come. There is just blessed silence and a gentle hand rubbing circles on Aaron’s back. It’s nice. Soothing. He could stay right here indefinitely, if it wasn’t for the stench. He contemplates the toilet.
“Dave’d be pissed. That’s a very ‘spensive red, there.”
Reid laughs “Right now, I’d say it’s a very gross red.” He stops rubbing Aaron’s back long enough to flush the toilet. “Are you done?”
“I think so? Tired. An’ my mouth tastes like shit.”
Reid helps him rinse his mouth, and settles him into the spare bedroom. Morgan comes in with a water bottle and analgesics. Aaron is just enough of a maudlin drunk that the gesture nearly causes him to tear up. He swallows hard.
“Spencer. Derek. Thank you.”
“No problem, man.”
“We’re glad to help.”
******
He awakens an indeterminate time later, stumbles to the bathroom, and is violently sick, again. If he survives this, he’s going to kill Dave for getting him this drunk.
This time it’s Morgan who rubs his back, gives him water, and helps him back to bed. Needing to be cared for like this, by someone he’s supposed to be in charge of, is exactly what he’d been trying to avoid when he made Dave promise to send him home, but he is pathetically grateful for it now, especially when Morgan tucks him into bed and drops a light kiss on his forehead. He can’t help the whimper that escapes as the other man turns to leave. Morgan is back at his side in an instant.
“Aaron, what is it?”
Already beyond embarrassed, he whispers. “I’m so tired of being alone.“
“Come to bed with us, then,” Morgan says, extending a hand.
Aaron takes it and allows himself to be led to the master bedroom, where Reid is sprawled out over a good half of the king sized bed. There’s something incredibly cozy and domestic about the scene, and he balks. “I wouldn’t want to intrude.”
Reid peers blearily up at him “S’not intruding. We’ve talked about this. You’re more than welcome to join us,” he says, before burrowing back into the pillows.
*******
It is far too early in the morning when Aaron wakes in strange bed with Christ Derek Morgan *and* Spencer Reid. He doesn’t need the pounding head and sour stomach to tell him he had far too much to drink. Thankfully, he is still mostly dressed. He stumbles out of bed and begins collecting his clothes, dropping a shoe in the process.
Morgan stirs at the noise. “Where are you going? It’s too early to be up, especially after the night you had.”
Aaron winces. “I’m terribly sorry about that. I’ve inconvenienced you enough. I’ll just be going now, and can we please pretend nothing happened?”
“If that’s what you want, man. It wasn’t an inconvenience, though. We want you here. Weren’t you listening to Spencer?”
Aaron flashes back to last night, when Reid had said he was welcome to join them. “He wasn’t seriously inviting me into your relationship,” he says, disbelief coloring his voice.
“I’m pretty sure he was.”
“And you’re okay with that?”
“I…” Morgan starts to answer, but Aaron cuts him off.
“Never mind, it’s impossible.”
“Why?” Reid chimes in. “Three is often a more stable configuration than two.”
“It’s just not…”
“Not ‘done’? I don’t see why not. It’s not as if the standard binary model works so well.” There’s a hint of bitterness in Reid’s voice, and Aaron is reminded of how the younger man’s life was affected by his parent’s separation. For that matter, his own experience with the ‘standard binary model’ was hardly a rousing success.
“You don’t have to decide anything now, just come back to bed,” Morgan says. Reid doesn’t say anything, but Aaron defies anyone to resist the hopeful look in his eyes. With a mental shrug, he gives in; it really is too damn early to be up and about. And if the three men he trusts most all seem to think a triad will work, then maybe he should give it a shot.
********
When Aaron reawakens at a more reasonable hour, Spencer is curled in his arms, hair obscuring his face and tickling Aaron’s nose. Derek is tucked up along his back, strong arm circling his waist, breathing warmly on his neck. Aaron still has a pounding headache and a sour stomach, but he feels better than he has in years.