Work Text:
One
Luke had lost track of the facts and figures firing rapid speed from Spencer's mouth. He probably could have kept up a little better with the genius if he wasn't also concentrating on driving to a crime scene in a city he'd never been to before. But then again, maybe not. Luke never knew that Algebraic K-theory could excite someone so much, but here Spencer was spouting off about the zeroth k group and vector space dimension. For someone without a PhD in mathematics, Luke was enthralled. He loved seeing Spencer like this. Unlike the other members of the team, he was perfectly content spending the half hour car ride listening to detailed explanations of mathematical theory that he couldn't begin to comprehend. When Spencer talked, even theoretical mathematics sounded like magic.
Luke looked over at Spencer every chance he could spare without putting his driving at risk. Spencer's eyes were wide and he was grinning and his hands were waving around in the air. Luke wanted to reach over the couple feet that divided them and take one of those beautiful hands in his and lace their fingers together. He wondered how their fingers would fit together. He wondered what Spencer's skin felt like. He wanted to run his thumb across the back of Spencer's knuckles. But he didn't. They were colleagues, after all, not even quite friends, yet. Instead, he kept both hands on the wheel and lost himself in the sound of Spencer's voice.
Two
Spencer had come down with the flu toward the end of the case. Everyone could tell he was a little tired and pale, but he held it together and hid it pretty well. It wasn't until the unsub had been apprehended and the team was officially off-duty that it became clear just how sick he was. Emily gave him a firm talking to about not speaking up and taking care of himself when they got to the plane and JJ made him some tea.
They were all asleep now, all except for Luke. He was watching Spencer curled up on the seats in the back of the plane. He saw that Spencer was shivering in the cool air of the plane got up to get his thick wool coat. He laid it over Spencer and Spencer unconsciously pulled it tighter around him. Luke wanted sit down next to Spencer, pull his head onto his lap and run his fingers through the genius's curly brown hair. There wasn't anything they could do for him right now, but Luke wished he could at least be some comfort. But he didn't. Sleep really was the best thing for Spencer now, and besides that, Luke knew he didn't like to be touched. Instead, he sat back down in his seat at the front of the plane and continued to keep watch.
Three
Luke kept getting distracted. He was supposed to be digging away at the pile of paperwork in front of him, but Spencer had worn a deep green cardigan that day that brought out the green in his hazel eyes and Luke couldn't keep his own eyes off of him. Spencer was flipping through files and writing faster than anyone else could process. He was oblivious to Luke's gaze. Spencer was absolutely perfect. He was bent over his desk and one of his brown curls had fallen into this face. His long lashes fluttered over his sparkling eyes. He was biting his lip as he concentrated in a way that Luke found hopelessly erotic.
Luke sighed and put his pen down. He needed a distraction from his distraction, so he took his empty coffee mug and went to get more coffee. He peeked at Spencer's cup and it was empty, so he grabbed it on his way past. Spencer didn't even notice. In the break room, he poured himself a cup and added just a little plain creamer and then poured another cup and poured an obscene amount of sugar into it. He stopped at Spencer's desk on the way back and held out the coffee to him. Spencer took it with a grateful smile. Luke wanted to tell him that he was beautiful, but that wasn't something one man could casually say to another and Spencer didn't take large compliments well anyway. Instead he just said, “I like your sweater,” and went back to his desk and tried to focus on his work.
Four
Dave took four straws from the bar, one for each sober member of the team, and cut one short. He held them all up evenly in one hand. Morgan, Prentiss, and Luke each took a straw, leaving him with the last one. Luke drew the short straw.
Morgan slapped Luke on the back. “Have fun,” he said with a grin.
Spencer frowned over his little pink cocktail. “I don't appreciate your attempt at humor,” he slurred.
Luke reached for the drink in Spencer's hand with a smirk. “If you puke in my Jeep, I'm leaving you on the side of the road,” he said. Spencer pulled his drink out of Luke's reach and downed the rest of it. He tried to stand, wobbled, and then sat back down.
Luke looped Spencer's arm around his neck and helped him back up. “Come on, pollito.”* Let's try to get you home in one piece.” Luke carefully walked Spencer to his Wrangler and helped him in. He didn't have the doors or top on the Jeep, so if Spencer did puke, hopefully he wouldn't puke on the floor.
“Buckle up,” Luke said. “We don't want you to fall out.” Luke watched Spencer fumble with the buckle for a little bit and then laughed and buckled him in himself.
“Stupid car with no doors,” Spencer said. “If I do fall out...” he trailed off.
“If you fall out, what?” Luke asked as he put the Jeep in gear and pulled out of the parking lot.
“What?” Spencer asked.
“You were saying something.”
“I was?”
“Yes, about falling out of the Jeep.”
“I don't remember.” Luke grinned at the sloppiness of Spencer's usually brilliant mind.
“When you're drunk, you're almost as smart as a normal person,” Luke said.
“You wish,” Spencer said. “I could still outsmart you with my hands tied behind my back.” He leaned his head back against the seat and looked up at the stars. He tried to tell Luke about the mythology associated with the different constellations, but he kept getting confused and doubling back and then trailing off again. When they got to Spencer's apartment, Spencer pulled himself up and leaned over and put his hand on Luke's thigh.
“Do you want to come in?” Spencer asked. His body language couldn't have been more suggestive. Spencer's pupils were dilated. His breath was ragged. His legs were spread. He was leaning into Luke's space. Their faces were close enough that Luke could have leaned in and kissed him. He wanted to. God, did he want to. Luke had dreamed of being with Spencer since he joined the team. Luke wanted to take him into his apartment, slowly undress him, and make love to him. He'd thought about it so many times. But he didn't. Spencer was not in the frame of mind to make such a decision with sound judgment and if Spencer wanted him, Luke wanted him to want him with a clear head. Instead, he took a deep breath and tucked a loose curl behind Spencer's ear.
“You are very, very drunk, mi geniecito,”** Luke said softly. “Ask me again when you're sober.” Luke helped Spencer inside, tucked him into his bed and brought a glass of water and two asprins and sat them on Spencer's nightstand for the next morning. He sat in his Jeep outside Spencer's apartment for a few minutes and wondered how much sincerity there was to Spencer's offer, such as it was. Then he started the Jeep and headed home.
Four
It was Spencer's birthday. Luke had gotten him a coffee mug with a bunch of famous mustaches on it, from Charlie Chaplin to Albert Einstein to Lao Tzu. Luke imagined the tidbits that Spencer would offer about each famous person along with his confusion as to the fascination with their mustaches. He had also offered to buy Spencer a cake. He got a half sheet cake with “Happy Birthday Genius” written on it and a couple packs of trick candles. He figured Spencer would either be annoyed by the trick candles and Spencer's annoyance would be his amusement or that Spencer would go on a long winded explanation of the chemistry involved in making such candles and he'd get another look into Spencer's brilliant mind. Either way, it was a win/win.
On his way to the checkout, he passed the floral section of the supermarket. He looked at the different flowers selections and his eyes fell on a bouquet of bright red roses with deep red streaks. Luke recognized them as the intuition roses Spencer had been talking about the other day in a rambling about different flowers and their symbolism and meanings. He knew, thanks to Spencer, that they were a hybrid tea rose introduced in 2000 as part of a renowned French Rose Breeder's “Painters Collection.” Luke wanted to buy the roses and have them sitting on Reid's desk when he arrived at work that morning, but he had no idea how Spencer would feel about such a public display of Luke's affection, especially since Spencer had no idea of Luke's feelings for him. Instead he selected a single iris, which Spencer had said represented determination, courage, and strength. He checked out at the register and headed to work.
Five
The rest of the team had headed out already, but Spencer was straggling and Luke hung back to talk to him privately. They were headed to Rossi's for dinner to wind down after a long, exhausting case. Luke was so nervous that his hands were shaking. There were so many ways this could go wrong. He took a deep breath and pulled two tickets out of his desk drawer and walked over to Spencer's desk where he was organizing his files.
“Spencer,” Luke said quietly. Spencer looked up. Luke took another deep breath. “I was wondering, you know that play you were talking about that's coming to DC next week?”
“You mean La Boheme?” Spencer asked.
“That's the one,” Luke said.
“Well, techincally La Boheme is an opera, but go on.”
Luke held up the tickets. “I was wondering if you would want to go with me.” Spencer jumped up out of his seat and took one of the tickets.
“Seriously? I would love to go! I haven't seen this one yet, and this cast is supposed to be one of the best! I didn't know you like opera.”
“I hate opera,” Luke said. Spencer looked confused. “But if you would have dinner with me before the show, it would be worth it.”
Spencer's mouth made an “o” shape. “You mean...a date.”
“Yes.”
“With you?”
“Yes, genius, with me.”
Spencer broke into a wide grin. “I would love that,” he said. Luke let out the breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.
“Really?”
“Absolutely.” They walked to the elevator together. “How long?” Spencer asked.
“Since I started,” Luke said.
Spencer smiled as the elevator dinged and the doors opened. “Me, too,” he said. Luke looked at Spencer. He eyes were shining and he was wearing a small smile. Luke cupped the side of his face and ran his thumb across Spencer's cheekbone. Spencer leaned into Luke's touch. Luke couldn't help himself. He raised his face up to meet Spencer's and pressed their lips together. Spencer put his arms around Luke's waist and pulled him closer. The kiss was soft, with no impatience or urgency, only sweetness and contentment.
They were still kissing when the elevator dinged again and the doors slid open. Luke and Spencer looked up to see that the team had gathered to wait for them. Spencer blushed bright red as they stepped out of the elevator.
JJ and Emily shared a laugh somewhere between a snort and a giggle.
Rossi raised one eyebrow. “It's about time,” he said.
Morgan crossed his arms and glared at Luke. “If you hurt him, I will break every bone in your body,” he said.
“And I will ruin the rest of your life from behind my computer screen, newbie,” Garcia chimed in.
“Duly noted,” Luke said and took Spencer's hand. The team walked out of the building together smiling at the new development.