Spencer

[just_hex]

They'd set another date and Hex was excited. Maybe more excited than he had any right to be. Spencer was a puzzle, to be sure, but Hex felt he was worth working out. He'd done a bit of reading up on Autism and he found some things fit and some didn't so he was left unsure. He reasoned that was a good indication he should stay in nursing and to leave the diagnoses to the doctors.

Spencer was due any minute and Hex had sprang for pizza and some Cokes. He'd set out plates and such and then settled on the sofa to catch up on the sports scores while he waited for Spencer to come round. If only he could stop checking his watch.

Comments

[dr_spencer_reid]

Spencer perked up at that, glancing at the time. "There's a documentary coming up on channel four," he chirped. "It's about the British rail system."

[just_hex]

Hex didn't even ask how Spencer just knew that. He just killed the PS3 and clicked it to channel four.

"Would you like some more coke?" he asked, rising to get some for himself.

[dr_spencer_reid]

"No thank you," Spencer said, shaking his head and getting comfortable as he settled in on the sofa. "You know, the first use of steam locomotives was in Britain. The earliest "railways" were completely straight and were constructed from timber that people rode on in horse-drawn carts. Those were made obsolete in 1793 when Benjamin Outram constructed a mile-long tramway with L-shaped cast iron rails- Which were in turn replaced again when William Jessop began to manufacture cast iron rails without guiding ledges. However, cast iron is brittle, and in 1820, John Birkenshaw introduced a method of rolling wrought iron rails, which were used from then on," he said, happily chatting away.

[just_hex]

He was glad to listen, always happy to learn something. Hex returned with his coke and sat down, close enough to Spencer that he could casually touch him and open enough that the other man could get closer if he liked.

"I know London had the first underground train in the world," he offered. "That's on a plaque at one of the stops."

[dr_spencer_reid]

Spencer nodded, and cautiously settled in a little closer. He was almost resting against Hex as the documentary started, still chatting away and feeling comfortable.

[just_hex]

As the doc went on Hex stretched out here and leaned a bit there and soon enough he had an arm around Spencer and he was pressed in close. The show was interesting but certainly nothing he'd have ever chosen to watch on his own. And he wasn't really watching it now...he was busy feeling Spencer and enjoying the scent of his hair.

[dr_spencer_reid]

Spencer was aware of Hex, and eventually he glanced over, smiling shyly. He wasn't sure what to do though, and he fidgited a little before awkwardly leaning against the other man and seeing how that felt.

It was sort of nice, really. Comforting even. Eventually he relaxed into it and settled back in.

[just_hex]

Hex laid his arm around Spencer, holding on lightly. The show proved to be interesting but not too deeply engaging and Hex found his attention drifting to Spencer. Before long he found himself bending his head to kiss the man's head and feel the softness of his hair with his lips.

"Comfortable?" he asked quietly.

[dr_spencer_reid]

Spencer nodded, smiling faintly and holding on.

The documentary ended, but he didn't make any move to move. He didn't want to let go of the other man. not when he was just starting to feel comfortable with these small shows of affection.

[just_hex]

Another documentary came on, this one about foxes in Siberia. Hex didn't care. He was busy holding Spencer. He was quiet for a long moment, then smiled against Spencer's hair.

"I could get used to this," he murmured

[dr_spencer_reid]

"Me too," Spencer admitted quietly. "I like being here, with you. We should do this again. Maybe- Maybe, um, once a week. That is, I mean, if you want to..."

[just_hex]

"We could make a night of it. Dinner and a meeting, then back here for a documentary and...this," he said, giving Spencer a squeeze. "You could even stay over if you like it."

[dr_spencer_reid]

"I'd like that. I don't have a toothbrush with me though," Spencer said, as if that was the most important thing.

[just_hex]

"I might have a spare from the last time I went to the dentist. And if I don't...you could buy one. You could keep it here," Hex replied quietly.

[dr_spencer_reid]

Spencer had no frame of reference, and as a result didn't realize that having a toothbrush at someone else's house was a somewhat big step. To him it just seemed practical, and he nodded.

"Okay," he agreed, smiling brightly.

[just_hex]

Hex smiled brightly as well, but fora wholly different reason. He did understand what a step it was and he was pleased that Spencer wanted to do it.

"Do you want me to go see I can find you one now?" he asked.

[dr_spencer_reid]

Spencer nodded, moving so Hex could get up and offering another bright smile.

"Sure," he agreed, settling into the other side of the sofa.

[just_hex]

Hex got up slowly, twisting to try to hide the fact that he was half hard from just holding Spencer. He went into the bathroom and began to dig around in the cabinet until he found what he was after.

"Got one," he said happily. "It's a cheap one, you can buy one you like more. But this'll do for tonight," he said.

[dr_spencer_reid]

Smiling, Spencer nodded his agreement, oblivious to Hex's arousal.

"That'll be fine," Spencer assured him. "Thank you, Hex. It'll be fun staying here sometimes. Like having a sleep over. I never had those when I was young."

[just_hex]

"You never did? Why not?" he asked. Hex had relished sleepovers at his mates's houses- it got him out from under his Nan's rule.

[dr_spencer_reid]

"I just didn't have a lot of friends my own age, and even when I did- Well, I couldn't invite them over to my home. It's- It's complicated," he said awkwardly, not sure he was ready to tell Hex about his mother and father.

"I was always studying anyway, It wasn't a high priority for me I guess," he shrugged.

[just_hex]

"I had a gang when I was young. Not organized or anything, just me mates and me running around and raising hell. I was a bad kid until I joined up," Hex admitted.

[dr_spencer_reid]

"Really?" Spencer asked, seeming genuinely surprised by that and silently wondering what had caused Hex to behave that way. He didn't ask though, there was a good chance that young Hex hadn't even known his own motivations.

[just_hex]

"Really," he said, smiling, but clearly a bit ashamed of it all. "I'm not like that anymore. The army's good for blokes like me, yeah?"

[dr_spencer_reid]

"Or bad. It really depends on the person," Spencer replied, matter of factly. "Some people come out worse than they went in."