Chapter Text
Penelope was not a big fan of change. She liked how things were.
She understood why Derek stepped away, even though she hated the thought of him being gone. He had been such a big part of not only her life, but also her son's life. That was Felix’s Uncle Derek! How was she going to explain to a five-year-old that he was moving away to focus on his own family? Penelope herself was struggling to deal with it. She could only imagine how her little man was going to take it..
“He’s going away forever?”
The look on his tiny face was a mixture of confusion and sadness, and it broke Penelope's heart into a million little pieces.
“No, he will still come for visits, he just won't be working with Mama, and he won't be able to come around as often as he used to.”
“Is he mad at me? Is that why he's going away?”
“Oh my sweet boy, no, Uncle Derek just needs to focus on his own little boy.”
“Oh, okay..”
She was not entirely sure he understood, but she would cross that bridge later. For now, she herself had to adjust to the absence of Derek. She felt sorry for whoever tried to fill his shoes.
Enter Luke Alvez. The handsome, dark-haired, tall glass of water, from the FBI’s Manhunter Unit. Penelope didn’t know exactly what it was about him, but she found herself gravitating towards him. She covered it well enough, so she thought. With quick ribs and gentle bullying of him daily. Luke just laughed it off and shook his head.
She told herself she would despise the man who stood where her best friend Derek stood. She swore she'd resent this replacement.. But, for whatever reason, she simply could not.
Maybe it was his smile? His eyes look like a welcome mat to his soul. Maybe it was the way he cared for everyone on the team before he even really got to know them. What she did know was that she was fighting a battle with herself daily over it. She hated him. But she also kinda didn't.
The defining moment that really solidified Luke's kind heart and generosity was at a Post-Case-Drink-Up at Casa de Rossi.
She brought Felix along; he loved getting to see his aunts, uncles, and pseudo-grandpa, Dave.
When he first noticed the new face sitting on one of the outdoor couches, he immediately hid behind his mum. He was, for the most part, a friendly and trusting child; the circle that Penelope created around him was safe and full of love. But this man was new.
And Felix was nervous.
Penelope would never force him to mingle if he didn't want to, but knew it was best to at least introduce Felix to the newest agent.
“Felix, baby. This is Luke, he’s a new co-worker of Mama’s.”
He poked his head out just a little, just enough to see the smiling man looking at him.
“Luke, this is my son, Felix."
Luke smiled warmly at the boy. “Hi there, Felix.” Luke noticed his red and blue shoes. “Oh wow, are those Spider-Man shoes?”
Felix poked his head out even more and nodded. “Yeah, they light up too.” Felix is still a little wary of this man.
“Oh, that’s so dope! I wish I had a pair of those when I was your age. I used to love Spider-Man growing up.”
“Yeah?”
“Yep! I even have a heap of comic books, too. Do you have any?”
“Yes, Mama got me them for Christmas!”
Penelope could not believe her eyes. Her son was standing beside her. No longer hiding behind her. He was intrigued by this new man. She never expected him to warm to someone new that quickly.
“Do you wanna see them light up?” Felix stomped his feet to make the shoes light up, flashing blue and red.
Luke gasped and laughed with pure enjoyment. “Oh, wow! That's the coolest pair of shoes ever. You are a cool kid, Felix.”
Felix’s face lit up, and Penelope could see the confidence fill him up. He stood up straighter and relaxed his shoulders more.
“Fanx! You’re cool too! For my next birthday, Mama said she would call Spider-Man and he’d come to my party!”
“Woah, you are the luckiest kid on this planet, and you obviously have the best mum ever.” Luke looked up and locked eyes with Penelope.
She could feel her cheeks burn up and her eyes widen with a hint of confusion behind them. She gave him a small smile and looked away to avoid any more awkwardness on her part.
“Do you think they’d fit my feet?” Luke asked with a laugh.
Felix moved his tiny foot next to Luke’s to compare them. “Uh, no, I don’t fink so,” Felix said with the most serious and genuine tone ever. It made Luke laugh even more. He thought that kid was great.
By that point, Felix was glued to Luke's side, all but sitting on his knee. He just got back from running to his backpack to take out his Spider-Man action figures, giving one to Luke. Luke caught on pretty quickly to what Felix was doing, and he followed Felix's lead, playing along with the figurines.
Penelope stood back and watched her son with Luke. He appeared to be a solid guy, and Felix seemed to get along with him really well, but she was still wary of him, so he watched them like a hawk.
JJ approaches with a mocktail in one hand and a cocktail in the other. “So, how is your quest to hate the new guy going?”
Penelope rolled her eyes, but she could not hide that little smile forming in the corner of her mouth.
***
As the days went by, Felix did not shut up about his new friend Luke.
“You don't have to call him your friend, baby, you can call him just Luke, or even Uncle Luke if you want.”
Felix’s face contorted in almost disgust at the sheer thought of referring to Luke as Uncle. “No, he's not Uncle Luke, he's just my buddy Luke! He calls me little buddy, and he’s my big buddy!”
When Luke arrived for work one morning, he was greeted by a smiling Penelope holding a little gift bag.
“For moi?” Luke teased, placing his backpack on the floor by his desk.
“Yes, actually. It's from Felix; he demanded that I deliver this to you.”
“But it's not even my birthday.”
“Just take the bag, without the attitude, thanks.”
He chuckled to himself, seeming to get a kick out of annoying her. Peeking into the bag, he spotted a single loose Spiderman figurine, which was obviously very well-loved. He knew right away it was from Felix’s personal collection
“Aww man, Spider-Man! I love it, but... I can't accept this. This is his toy.”
“Yeah, his favourite one, at that. But he insisted I give it to his ‘Best Buddy Luke.’”
“Bet you hate that your kid adores me, huh?”
“Don’t push it, Alvez.”
********
To the sheer displeasure of Penelope, Luke started to come over almost weekly to have dinner with the Garcias, upon Felix’s request, of course.
It was beneficial for everyone: Felix got a friend to chat to, Luke got to geek out with said kid, and Penelope got to look at Luke without fear of being judged. She would be lying if she said he wasn't attractive, and watching him interact with her son? Never telling him to stop, or calm down? Luke Alvez was earning more and more brownie points each and every day he spent time with her son. The stone wall she had built around herself was slowly beginning to chip and flake away every time she saw him.
***
Luke was becoming the father figure that Pen always wanted for Felix; he deserved a father, a man who would teach him things, the way of the world.
She never hated the man who gave her Felix, but she mourned for the father that Felix needed. No, deserved.
Penelope noticed the confidence in Felix.
****
One particular dinner night started without any issues, the same routine they always did.
Luke approached the door and knocked.
“It’s my big buddy, Luke!” exclaimed Felix as he ran to the door upon hearing the patterned knock that Luke always made on the door.
.
Felix looked up at the door, waiting for Penelope to open it and let his buddy in. Felix loved Thursday nights because that was “Luke Night.” He told everyone at school that his buddy was coming over for dinner and that they were going to have yummy pasta.
Luke walked in and greeted his two favourite people. A high five for Felix, and a quick cheek kiss for Penelope
“Luke! Luke, guess what?” Felix beamed as he bounced up and down on his heels.
“Hmmmm, I dunno! Tell me!”
“My birthday is very soon, and mama said she called Spider-Man and that he will be there at my birthday! Mama said I could have a lemonade stand soon to make some money! So I can make sure he gets tipped really good!” Felix was beaming in his seat at the table.
“Oh wow, that's so cool! I’ll be sure to be there and buy some lemonade from you then! Are you gonna make it yourself?”
“No, Mama’s gonna help me, I just a little boy,” Felix said, as if it was the most obvious thing ever.
Penelope leaned over and whispered to Luke as she served up their dinner for the evening. “I don’t need the extra money for the tip, but Felix wanted to help out where he could.”
Luke nodded. “Ah. I understand.”
After they ate, it was the unspoken rule that Luke and Felix cleaned up if Penelope cooked for them. Felix always followed by Luke’s example, so, naturally, Felix would tell his mama to go put her feet up on the couch while the boys cleaned up.
“Thank you, boys, you’re very kind,” Penelope called out as she left the kitchen.
Felix was on drying duty while Luke washed the dishes. He lifted Felix up so he could sit on the bench next to the sink, handing him a tea towel to start drying.
“Luke, are you so proud of me? I helped Mama clean up the dishes yesterday, even when you were not here!” Felix puffed out his chest and smiled so big, pasta sauce still all around his mouth from the delicious meal they had just finished.
“I am super duper proud of you, Felix! You’re such a big boy now!”
“I still very little!” Felix corrected, causing Luke to chuckle.
“I like when you come over,” Felix continued. “You always teach me how to be a big boy, cause mama is a girl, she do not know how to be a boy, so she cannot teach me.”
“I’m always here for you, Felix.”
“I would be very sad if you went away, like my uncle Derek. He does not come around anymore.”
Luke frowned. “Nothing could ever make me leave you, we’re buddies, remember?” It broke his heart a little knowing his little buddy was so upset over the idea of him not being there.
After the dishes were done, Felix started to get ready for bed. Luke got to do the bedtime story and would be able to tuck him in as Penelope kissed his little head goodnight.
“Love you, Mama, love you, Luke, goodnight,” Felix mumbled as he drifted off to sleep.
“We make a good team, hey?” Luke whispered as he followed Penelope out the door.
“Yeah, he adores you.” Penelope smiled softly, heading to the living room to settle in on the couch. A pile of clothes was sitting in a basket, ready for her to fold, with the help of Luke, of course.
“You don’t have to stay and help. Felix is asleep, your duty is over,” she joked, moving the basket over so Luke could sit with her.
“I want to help, Penelope,” he protested as he grabbed the clothes and started folding them.
“Well, he has told me that I don't fold them as good as you do, so I suppose you probably should do them all.”
“How do I fold them differently?”
“Eh, it makes sense to him in his little mind, so I just let him go.”
Between the two of them, they get the laundry all folded in no time. They then got the chance to just breathe, relax on the couch, and chill out.
“Thank you for the help, and for everything. I really mean that. I appreciate the support you give to both me and Felix.”
“I love you guys, of course, it's no problem.”
Luke stretched out his arms and rested one behind Penelope's head, resting it along the top of the back of the couch. They were perfectly side by side, their outer thighs flush together.
Penelope didn't know what to feel. The closeness was nice, the warmth was even better. She had all these thoughts running through her head, so much so that it took her brain a full 39 seconds to catch on to the fact that Luke’s lips were against hers.
She thought she felt her body involuntarily jerk back slightly; she certainly didn't have time to kiss him back. She didn't hate it. His lips were soft, welcoming, gentle. Before she could react, Luke had already pulled back.
“Ah, I- Oh man, I'm sorry, Penelope, I’m so sorry, I shouldn't have done that.”
Penelope’s brain was still rebooting as Luke stood up and put on his coat. “I should probably go, I... I… I’m so sorry.”
Penelope stared blankly toward the door once Luke had left. She hadn't wanted him to leave. She hadn't minded it; the kiss was nice! But she simply wasn't quick enough to react, let alone speak up. She felt a pit form in her stomach. She prayed that this hadn't ruined the good thing they had going, and she hoped it wouldn’t affect Felix.