Spencer

[just_hex]

Hex's attitude had brightened over the past weeks to the point that even the people at the hospital had noticed. No one gave him a hard time when he announced he had a boyfriend, but Caro did wink and nod and made him blush.

This week he'd lucked out and had actually gotten the weekend off...every dog had its day...and he'd made plans with Spencer. Hex had cooked, nothing terribly fancy, just some chicked and some oven baked chips, and he'd set up a new documentary in his queue. He really was itching to go out but he and Spencer had never really discussed...well, he doubted very much he'd get Spencer out to the Hoist and he wasn't too keen on going to a bar.

He met Spencer at the door with a smile, the rich scent of dinner filling his flat. The first impulse was to kiss him but Hex was always very careful, very purposeful when he touched Spencer. The last thing he wanted was to startle him.

Comments

[just_hex]

"Most intelligent? Coming from you I think that's high praise. You're the smartest man I've ever met," he replied, his voice laced with pure affection. "I'm going to have to start studying to keep up with you lot, I imagine."

[dr_spencer_reid]

"You don't have to study," Spencer assured him, taking Hex just a little too seriously, and looking confused. "You're knowledgeable, Hex. Just not about the same things, that's all."

[just_hex]

Hex smiled softly and pulled Spencer closer.

"I know that. I'm good at what I do and I know that. A bit narrow, but I'm good at it," he said. "And it means I can always learn something from you when you talk. But for now...let's get dinner on, yeah? Mmm...even though I'd gladly snog you a bit..."

He forced himself to pull away. Spencer was intoxicating in his own way and Hex had a bit of a difficult time not crowding him. His hands itched to touch Spencer any time they were together. He couldn't help how tactile he was.

[dr_spencer_reid]

Spencer blushed, still not used to being the object of someone's desire, and nodded.

"Do you need some help in the kitchen?" he offered. "I'm not much of a cook, but I'll help if I can."

[just_hex]

"We could make a salad to go with dinner? If you like. I realize you're not terribly keen on salad," he said. Something he's picked up more than anything Spencer had said outright. He could tell the man didn't fancy many vegetables, which Hex found to be a tragedy.

"Otherwise there's maybe five minutes more for the chips. Then we can eat. We can eat on the sofa if you like. They've got that Ken Burns National Parks documentary series on if you've any interest in that. I heard it's quite good."

They both knew he'd much rather watch an action movie, or even maybe a horror film. But he knew what Spencer liked and what made the other man happy made Hex happy in its own way. He would gladly watch a documentary with dinner.

[dr_spencer_reid]

Spencer perked up at that, nodding as salad was ignored in favour of watching a documentary.

"I'll find the channel," he chirped, already wandering off to do just that.

[just_hex]

Hex let Spencer deal with the entertainment and he busied himself with setting out plates and getting dinner ready. He was poised at the ready when the timer went off and the chips came out of the oven hissing ans squealing. He plated them and the chicken and topped the whole thing off with gravy, then brought it in to the sofa to Spencer.

"And dinner is served. The chips are hot so I brought a fork. And they're a bit messy, too, so...well, fork," he said as he served Spencer and settled himself in beside him.

[dr_spencer_reid]

"Thank you," Spencer said, his smile as genuine as his thanks as he took the offered plate. "It smells really good, Hex."

[just_hex]

That made him smile and he gave Spencer a nod. "Tastes good, too. Eat up and I have ice cream for dessert if you like. But you can't have it unless you eat first," he said. He started in on his own, eating a bit of chicken but then diving into the chips. He'd been craving chips and gravy for a week and had indulged twice, even, but he couldn't seem to get his fill. That was nothing new, though. Chips and gravy was his weakness. He'd even taught them to make it on Colony 34- out there on the edge of everything and he'd still been caught out in the rain with a takeaway box and a fork...

[dr_spencer_reid]

Spencer happily ate his dinner, content to be sat on Hex's sofa, watching telly and eating his favourite kind of food- The junky kind.

"Do you ever socialize with your boss?" he asked suddenly, seemingly out of the blue.

[just_hex]

"Caro? At Christmas and the like, sure," Hex said. "But not otherwise. The blokes I play football with are fun, but none of them are me superiors. I've never gone in for that sort of thing, I guess."

[dr_spencer_reid]

"That sort of thing? ...What sort of thing?" Spencer asked, looking puzzled.

[just_hex]

"Well, they're in charge, yeah? My boss, not me mate," Hex replied. "There was one Doctor who was more a mate than a boss, but for all me life I've never tried to be friendly with anyone in charge."

[dr_spencer_reid]

"I've always been friendly with people above me. Hotch, my teachers, Gideon... And I'm hoping now that he's here, Hotch and I can be social even more often."

[just_hex]

"He's not your boss now, though, yeah," Hex smiled. "He and you can be mates. Best mates..."

It didn't seem a bit odd- of course Spencer would be mates with Hotchner. It was only obvious he cared for the man and admired him, too. Hex could see that plain as day.

[dr_spencer_reid]

"Yeah, I guess we can," Spencer nodded, smiling brightly at that, and returning his attention to his meal.

"I used to have a bit of a crush on him," he admitted as he ate. "Well, I suppose I still do, so I shouldn't use the past tense," he added thoughtfully, more focused on his choice of words than what he was saying.

"Though I couldn't have ever told him. He was still married then, and engaging in an intimate relationship would have been against the rules."

[just_hex]

Only then did Hex really catch on to Spencer's line of thinking. He lost his appetite and put his plate down, looking at the other man for a minute.

"I see," he said, not sure of Spencer was being direct or if he genuinely wasn't thinking to the consequences of his words. So he tread carefully. "Are you...would you like to date him? Instead of me?" he asked, dreading what the answer might be.

[dr_spencer_reid]

"I didn't- I... Hex, I don't even think Aaron is interested in me that way," Spencer replied, looking uncomfortable. "And our relationship is still new, I didn't think we were so serious. ...I mean, I'm not- I haven't seen anyone but you, but I wasn't aware that we were exclusive. I assumed you were still going to clubs to, um, satisfy your other interests."

[just_hex]

He was quiet for another long moment after that. He wasn't entirely certain what to say, truthfully.

"I...haven't. Been out," he said, choosing to address that first. "We never said we were, erm, exclusive but...I haven't been out."

[dr_spencer_reid]

"Oh," Spencer replied, nodding a bit and looking uncomfortable.

[just_hex]

"Is that odd? Would you rather I...erm, well...I've never had a boyfriend before. Not...not for serious. For more than a night. A week on the outset. I thought that we, with us having a night together every week, I thought we were..."

He paused to scratch his nose and watched Spencer closely.

"We should talk this out. So we're clear," he decided.

[dr_spencer_reid]

"Alright," Spencer said, nodding and encouraging Hex to speak his mind.

[just_hex]

He should have known that would happen. Hex wet his lips and managed a smile.

"I fancy you. Quite a lot," he said. "I look forward to seeing you. Every text you send makes me smile. I want to be within you whenever I can. I don't know if it's love, but I like you so much and I care for you. So...if we were to be exclusive, I'd be comfortable with that. But if you'd rather have more freedom, I understand."

[dr_spencer_reid]

"I care for you too, but- This is new to me as well, and- I think I'd like to take it slow. Just for now. I'm not saying I'm going to see other people- There aren't other people- I just... I need to go slow, Hex."

[just_hex]

Slow was not bad. Slow was not stop. Slow was something Hex could agree to.

"Alright. We'll go slowly," he promised. "We'll keep on as we've been and if anything changes we'll talk about it first, yeah?"