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Chapter Text

“I’m too sober for this shite.” Pretty much summed up the entirety of the night for Geoffrey McCullum. What started out as a fight for their lives against a nest of rogue skals that had hunkered down on the banks of the Thames in an abandoned boat house, turned into this ridiculous situation.

They were pinned down and overwhelmed with limited space to defend themselves. An ambush, they realized far too late as the beasts lunged from the shadows and clawed at his men. They were stuck standing back to back with recruit McKinley praying as hard as he could to stun the beasts so O’Connor and Babic could strike them down. Bonner was tucked against O’Connor’s back, one arm bleeding from a deep wound after catching a large line hook one of the fuckers threw him into. His good arm gripped his pistol as he aimed, popping off shots as Geoffrey drove them through.

Two more leeches squeezed into the space, shoving a row boat that was set up for repairs, right into Babic. The Serbian cried out a foreign curse as his bow was knocked from his hand. He moved to shove the boat back, one arm bracing himself with the beasts on the other side still pushing. He drew a knife and plunged it into the skull of one, but another quickly replaced it.

O’Connor punched his way through the next as he heaved the boat off of Babic where it pinned him to the wall. Bonner fired off a round until his gun clicked a hollow empty sound. “Fuck!”

“Keep praying McKinley!” O’Connor commanded as he shoved the boat back into a group of skal. Their exit was cut off, and the skals never seemed to end. McKinley’s faith was only doing so much to keep them at bay and the space was too tight for McCullum to fight back with his sword without catching one of his own with it’s edge. He ran out of crossbow bolts a while ago.

When all seemed lost, a wave of shadows plunged into the center of the room. The hunters had enough time to use that boat for shelter as they ducked quickly, McCullum manhandled McKinley to the ground as the skals screeched in pain. The shadows erupted like a hellfire lance from the very pits below, skewering them in mid air. A snap of fabric punctuated the ekon’s appearance as he tore through the group with quick succession, claws and fangs ripped through flesh and limbs, dragging the beasts to ground with a ferocity that rivaled even the most formidable sewer beast.

McCullum was well aware of the ekon’s skills, he had felt their power first hand numerous times as the pair trained together in the late evenings, clashing steel and claws in the darkest parts of Stonebridge Cemetery where they could safely spar and test their techniques on one another.

The boat house became a blood bath, plunged into a deathly silence as the doctor stood amidst the corpses of the enemy. The hunters slowly emerged from their hiding place. O’Connor helped move the boat back onto the worktable so Babic could find his bow. McKinley was already tending to Bonner’s wound, trying to wrap the injury sight and stop the bleeding. McCullum assumed it only looked worse due to his condition but he’d rather get the man to the hospital to be properly checked out than take chances.

“Is everybody alright?” Jonathan inspected each of them with concern, his nostrils flared at the scent of fresh human blood on the air. His gaze immediately targeted Bonner as the culprit. “Mr. Bonner are you-”

Jonathan’s concern was cut short when a noise from above in the rafters stole their attention. A skal dropped down from above onto the ekon. Jonathan hissed, claws raking into it’s flesh but it didn’t stop the beast from sinking its teeth into the doctor’s neck. Geoffrey drew his sword and plunged it into the creature’s back just as a vortex of shadows burst around them. The skal’s screams died out in a painful gurgle as it slid off the end of McCullum’s blade with a heavy thump. Geoffrey struck a second time to sever its head for good.

“You alright Reid?” Geoffrey called, looking around to find the doctor. “Reid?” O’Connor and Babic searched the room with a cautious scan when they noticed his coat lying in a heap on the ground beside the skal.

“Reid!” Geoffrey called as he wiped his blade clean and sheathed it. Something felt wrong about this whole situation, it itched and burned at the back of McCullum’s nerves. He reached down to collect the doctor’s abandoned jacket, which was heavy with his weapons and medical supplies. His hand froze in place when he realized it wasn’t just the doctor’s coat that had been left behind. His shirt, trousers and shoes also remained on the ground. “The hell?”

“Did Dr.Reid dematerialize?” McKinley asked from where he was crouched beside Bonner.

A small lump in the fabric started to move, followed by quiet little squeaks. Geoffrey frowned and crouched to inspect the cause of the squeaks, expecting a rat to be hidden in the good doctor’s pockets along with all the other weird shit he keeps on him. As he drew back the white fabric of his shirt, stained with fresh blood from the fight, he was met with the beady eyes of a tiny brown bat. It clung to the fabric as it squirmed, its head bobbing as if it were disoriented by the whole situation. It gave a frightened squeak and tried to climb the shirt towards Geoffrey’s hand.

“Did he just-” Bonner squinted at the pile from where he was sitting on the ground.

“But I thought vampires couldn’t…” McKinley asked, his voice trailing as they stared at the tiny bat.

“Normally they can’t but this…” O’Connor waved a hand at the pile of clothes, scratching the back of his neck in obvious confusion. “McCullum?”

“I need a drink.” The hunter blanched.

“I second that.” Babic followed with a cheerier tone now that his bow was secured on his back again. Bonner scowled at him. “Vhat? Boss said it first.” He was already reaching into his coat pocket for a flask he kept stashed for emergencies, or so he claimed. Babic offered the flask to Geoffrey who rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Suit yourself.”

Geoffrey didn’t know what kind of engine fuel Babic drank but he’ll stick with his good ol whiskey. At the moment, he had a doctor to deal with. Er, well, a bat technically. “Anyone know how to take care of a bat?”

“Isn’t it just like taking care of a leech? You’re good with pet leeches.” Bonner not-so-helpfully reminded.

“Maybe wait to discuss this after Bonner’s had medical attention and we’re no longer in leech territory.” O’Connor supplied.

“Aye.” Geoffrey sighed as he gathered up Jonathan’s belongings. The tiny bat eagerly climbed onto his hand when given the chance and chirped at Geoffrey. He didn’t really know where to put the ekon but after he chirped again and raised his wing as if to shelter his face, Geoffrey assumed that meant inside his breast pocket. Jonathan didn’t protest when he slipped him inside the dark space. His claws hooked into the edge so just the tiny black nails could be seen sticking out. He hunkered into the space, snug and quiet.

“What the hell am I going to do with a bat?” Geoffrey groaned as they headed back to their truck out on the street. The lamps were brighter here, which helped O’Connor inspect Bonner’s wound with a critical eye. He determined it wasn’t serious enough that he needed to be rushed to the hospital on the spot. He opted to drop the rest of the group off at headquarters before delivering the lad to Pembroke.

Geoffrey sat in the cab with the bundle of clothes wrapped up neatly in a crate by his side. He had to remove some of the items, like Reid’s favorite hacksaw and his shotgun which were added to the chest in the back of the truck where the rest of the lads hunkered down on the drive back. The unfamiliar weight against his breast was strange, causing Geoffrey to reach up and cup it gently with confusion before sliding a thumb along what he assumed was Reid’s belly through the fabric of the pocket. A tiny muffled chirp greeted his touch.

Geoffrey had hoped that Jonathan would return to his normal ekon form but as the sun set and most of Priwen turned into their bunks for the day, the ekon didn’t look like he was changing back. Geoffrey sighed and hung the doctor’s jacket up by the door and left the bat to cling within the dark fabric of the coat so he could sleep in peace.

By time the sun set for the evening and the hunter roused from his sleep, he was greeted with the tiny squeaks of the bat filtering into the room. He blinked bleary eyes into the dim lighting, searching the space for the creature that sounded a bit too close for comfort. He froze still, not daring to move with the sudden paranoid fear that he may squash the doctor unintentionally. “Reid? Reid where did you go?”

The sudden sensation of a weight landing at his back nearly caused the hunter to spring out of his bed in shock. The gently scraping of claws against the exposed nape of his neck sent a violent shiver down Geoffrey’s spine as he cursed. “Fucking hell. No, nope nope nope. You are not climbing there.” He reached behind himself to try and adjust his shirt and gently capture the bat. “Don’t you dare fucking bite me.” He warned through his teeth as he scooped the fuzzy beast up. Reid’s wings and claws wrapped between Geoffrey’s fingers and hung precariously from the odd perch.

Squeak.

The doctor’s beady eyes gazed up at him with tints of a soft blue hue mixing into the dark abyss. His fur looked disheveled but felt soft to the touch. He had a cobweb stuck on the end of his wing which meant he was climbing in some dirty dusty corners or maybe even the floor at some point. His snout was scrunched up in a hognose swirl and his ears looked too big for his head, fleshy, pink and translucent almost. His teeth were no longer the fearsome set of perfect fangs, but instead the sharp, overly large appendages that looked too big for his own mouth and rather ridiculous if the hunter was being honest.

“You look foolish.” Geoffrey chuckled.

The ekon made a snort like sound, at least that's what the hunter was going to call it as he shook his head and continued to try and climb Geoffrey’s hand.

"What trouble are you up to now Reid?" Geoffrey asked softly, lifting his hand to cup the ekon's back and keep him from falling off. He watched as the doctor bared his sharp teeth at him and poked a tiny tongue out between them. He gave an eager chirp in answer.

Geoffrey stared at him puzzled as he juggled the ekon while he stretched his wings between his fingers. It took a moment, and the hunter's own stomach to growl, for the demand to register. "Ah. You're hungry, aren't you? I suppose after last night, you deserve a good meal."

Reid nuzzled into his palm in agreement.

Geoffrey carefully extracted himself from his bed and glanced around to try and find a proper place to put the doctor. He was met with Reid reaching a wing towards his shirt, attempting to hook his claws into the front. "Hold on a sec, Jonathan." He scolded gently as he searched for his red scarf and tucked it around his neck, attempting and almost failing to successfully do so with only one hand. When it was secure, Reid was able to better cling to the material, nestling snug into the fabric as he adjusted it until it cradled his tiny form like a makeshift sling. Satisfied and with a free hand to work with, he finished getting dressed and pulled his boots on. His fingers working diligently to lace them up before heading down for supper. He stopped on the way, nearly forgetting before he skirted around and dug through the pockets of Reid's old coat. Eventually he came up triumphantly with one of the vials of rat blood the ekon kept stocked for emergency rations.

O'Connor was busy in the kitchen while Francach nibbled at a gingersnap cookie while burrowed into his old scarf on the table. Bonner sat slumped in the chair beside him, a cup of tea at his fingertips while his wounded arm was braced in a sling. He poked at the handle of the cup with a pensive expression. Babic sat across from him, reading a Serbian newspaper that a small local group printed through Petrescu for the rest of the refugees to read.

They both looked up to greet their leader, staring curiously at the little bat now clinging to Geoffrey's scarf.

"He hasn't turned back yet?" Bonner asked, his green eyes narrowed as he leaned towards the end of the table where Geoffrey took his usual seat. The wood groaned as he plopped down and stretched his legs out. O'Connor made him a cup of coffee to hold him over until the meal was ready. Geoffrey accepted it gratefully and raised the cup to take a sip, only to be interrupted by furious tiny screams.

He looked down and noticed Reid was riled up, his fur fluffed as he glared with narrowed beady eyes at the Hunter. "What? I'll feed you in a minute."

More irate screams.

"I don't speak bat, Reid."

"Maybe he's concerned about you spilling hot coffee all over him." O'Connor interjected. There was a tiny agreeing squeak from Reid that made the whole room turn and stare at the second in command.

"It's just common sense lads." O'Connor gestured towards Geoffrey as he balanced a bowl in one hand while sinking a ladle into a large pot. "Just look."

"Fair point." Geoffrey huffed and set the cup down. He held his left hand up to carefully extract Reid from his scarf and balanced him with his fingers spread so his wings could wrap around the digits. He slowly set him on the table where he could rest. However, Reid had another idea in mind and refused to let go of Geoffrey's hand when the hunter tried to retract his grasp. When he directed a stern look towards the tiny bat, Reid responded with his teeth bared in a sharp tooth promise.

"You're so cranky when you're hungry." Geoffrey huffed.

"Sounds like someone we know." Bonner snickered. The stifled sound from Babic could only be heard but Geoffrey suspected behind the newspaper the Serbian was smiling.

He ignored his men and addressed the vial of blood in his pocket, holding it up so Reid could see it. The tiny bat squirmed in what the hunter assumed to be delight at the sight of food. "How am I supposed to feed you this?"

"Pour a little on your hand and let him lick it off." O'Connor directed as he placed a bowl of goulash before both Bonner and Babic. Steam rose up in little wisps as the men dug their spoons into their meal. 

"Needs more paprika." Babic announced as he folded his paper up to set it aside. 

"How would you know? You haven't even tasted it yet!" Bonner blurted.

"Is there paprika in it already?" Babic asked.

"I hope not." Bonner grumbled as he stirred his spoon around to help cool it off.

"Then obviously needs more." Babic said smugly. O'Connor placed a bowl in front of Geoffrey and rang the dinner bell in the stairwell leading up to the barracks. The sound echoed throughout the entire building, calling the men to supper.

Geoffrey sighed as he popped the cap off the vial and eyed Reid warily. "Don't you dare fucking bite me." He warned as he poured a little into the palm of his hand. He thumbed the cap back on and pocketed the vial once more. Geoffrey was distracted between trying to eat one handed and watching Reid as he clambered across his palm to lick the droplets of blood off of Geoffrey's warm skin. It was an alien sensation as tongue and teeth scraped across his palm. He winced inwardly and hunkered his shoulders, ignoring the sound of his men storming down the steps to get a hot meal before heading out on patrol.

Reid nibbled gently on the skin between his thumb and forefinger when he wanted more, startling the hunter from his staring contest with the table. The men wandered past with their bowls, heads turned to stare as Geoffrey poured a bit more blood onto his palm for the doctor to lap up. He heard a couple ask questions which Bonner seemed all too eager to answer with that shit eating grin on his face as he regaled the lads with the tale of their heroic battle.

He embellished the details extravagantly in true Bonner style. The recruits and cadets ate it up like candy and the older dogs just shook their heads and chuckled. Some details were hard truth though, including Bonner's injury and the very obvious bat curled into Geoffrey's palm while he ate. The hunter noticed the odd looks directed at them both as the men asked if it was really the leech doctor.

Geoffrey managed to successfully extract his hand from Reid's eager appetite once his palm was nearly licked clean. The leech didn't appear bothered by the absence, giving Geoffrey enough time to carry his empty dishes to the sink and wash his hands properly. When he glanced back at the table, he noticed Reid was licking his mouth clean when Francach approached in a leisurely, lazy stretch. The rat looked curious and Reid didn't appear the least bit concerned by the sizable rat that was comically larger than his own tiny body.

"Wonder what it's like to be staring your dinner in the eye like that." One of the men asked in between mouthfuls of goulash.

"Which one? I'm betting Francach eats him. Add another leech kill to the count. What number would that be then, O'Connor? Three? Four?" Another guard chuckled.

"Three vampires, one human." O'Connor answered as he stood by the counter and ate his meal, his hip resting against the worn wood as he crossed his legs casually.

Geoffrey was more than aware of the rat's infamous kill count. The human was an accident though. Technically didn't count. The poor bastard had a heart attack upon seeing the beady eyes pop up out of O'Connor's jacket. The vampires were the more impressive feat and had Geoffrey not seen it with his own two eyes, he would have declared the whole thing bullshit.

"Francach is a good boy." O'Connor added, speaking loud enough to ensure the bat could hear him. "He won't hurt you Reid." He was answered by a chirp from the doctor. Francach gave a curious sniff about the bat, his paws touched Reid's wing a time or two. When he was satisfied, he mosied on back over to his scarf where he curled back up and nibbled at the crumbs from his cookie.

Geoffrey dried his hand off on the front of his pant legs once they were thoroughly scrubbed and returned to tuck his chair in and scoop his ward up with a careful grasp. Reid immediately reached his wings out to grapple at the hunter's scarf, earning a tired sigh from Geoffrey already.

"You taking him on patrol with you like that?" O'Connor asked as he cleared his bowl out and added it to the dishes. Johnson and Hainsly were on kitchen duty for the night, the two men took their sweet time eating while they waited for their work to pile up. Bonner would have joined them but given his injury, he got out of chores and patrols. At least until the stitches could be removed.

"I don't have much choice in the matter, unless you want to babysit him?" Geoffrey answered with a tired sigh. The day had just begun and he was already regretting this whole situation.

"I can watch him. Give 'em here." O'Connor offered kindly, holding his hands out as he stepped towards the hunter. Geoffrey rounded the table to pass Reid off to his second, but the little bat decided he wanted his own opinion on the matter. He let out an angry screech and sunk his claws into the soft fabric of Geoffrey's scarf, refusing to unfurl from it as his feet clung to it for good measure. Any attempts to untangle him only ended with more of a mess, louder screeching and Reid baring his teeth in a predatory warning towards O'Connor.

Eventually the hunters gave up, ignoring the snickers from their subordinates. Geoffrey pinched the bridge of his nose, begging God and all that was holy and good in this world to lend him patience to endure through the night.

"Babic, you're patrolling with me and Mackintosh tonight." Geoffrey called out.

McKinley spoke up from the sofa with a curious brow. "What about me, sir?"

"You're training under Bishop tonight."

"Yes!" McKinley didn't disguise the grin that spread on his face when he heard the Chaplain's name. The recruit was looking forward to gaining the same title in the future and was slowly working his way up.

With the rotations in order and the men assigned their positions around the boroughs, Geoffrey headed out with Babic and Mackintosh in tow. Reid had swapped the scarf for a nice cozy spot inside Geoffrey's pocket where he earned a first class seat at a Priwen patrol. Geoffrey assumed it must have been mind numbingly boring for the doctor. There wasn't anything exciting going on like saving lives and listening to people tell you their whole life's story. The latter sounded immensely boring to McCullum, but then again, he wasn't a whore for gossip like Reid was. The man practically breathed it, needing it the way he needed blood. McCullum had caught him on more than a few occasions listening in or watching from afar as juicy morsels played out and he grinned with childish glee as he admired the drama unfolding like his own private show at the Theatre.

His personal favorite, Geoffrey noticed, was romance. Who was dating who, who was cheating, who slept around and who broke up. Occasionally marriages would delight him, but nothing sated his appetite like a good bit of adultery. Oh, the scandal! Of course he never used this information against anyone but he'd excitedly ramble on to Geoffrey as he brought him up to speed in between their training sessions in the Cemetery. Geoffrey pretended to hate it, often rolling his eyes dramatically but hearing Reid's rich and velvety voice rolling against his ears as he recounted the tales was a sound he was beginning to miss already.

"What am I gonna do if you don't turn back?" Geoffrey asked, partially to Reid, partially to himself as he lamented the thought. He didn't mind taking up the mantle as caretaker to the doctor. He risked his life to save his men countless times before, and more specifically, to save Geoffrey. If it wasn't for their fuck up, Reid wouldn't be in this mess. He wasn't even sure what exactly happened to cause the change but this wasn't the first time Reid's new abilities manifested out of instinct.

Geoffrey recalled the first time Reid used the shadows to hide in plain sight. The hunter had caught him in an alley feeding on rats when he spooked him. Reid had been half starved and desperate, staring the tiny creatures down with a conflicted look of mixed disgust and dire hunger. Geoffrey could hear his stomach growling from a few steps away. Reid had been crouched down to eye level with the creatures, fangs elongated and eyes tracking their every movement with the utmost attention. It made him blind to Geoffrey's presence as the ekon whined pitifully and eventually gave in, snatching up an unsuspecting rat in his hands as he muttered an apology and sank his fangs into the rodent's fragile body.

Geoffrey made a smart comment about the whole ordeal, causing Reid to drop his food and vanish on the spot. The only thing that gave away the fact he hadn't moved was the light dusting of snow on the ground at their feet. Geoffrey could see his footprints as the ekon shuffled nervously before the shadows dissipated into a fading wisp.

They had both been shocked at the time, but with a bit of practice, Reid could use it to his advantage and Geoffrey got better at seeing through the trickery, ensuring he was better prepared when facing similar foes.

The patrol was mostly uneventful until the early hours just before dawn. They found a sewer beast skulking about beneath a bridge near Whitechapel and dispatched it with ease. Geoffrey heard Jonathan's excited chirping in his pocket which was only a mild distraction as the bat squirmed and shimmied around. They ended the patrol an hour before dawn, and Geoffrey allowed Reid a chance to stretch his wings and climb up his shoulder. He attempted to fly and flap a couple times, only to tumble off Geoffrey's shoulder and nearly give the hunter a heart attack as he fumbled to catch him.

It would take time for Reid to learn how to properly use his wings for something other than climbing, but for now, he was safe and secure in Geoffrey's presence.

They had a quick bite to eat before bed, with Reid finishing off his vial of rat blood. Geoffrey returned him to the safety of his jacket pocket hanging up by the door of his office. Though he didn't get far before Reid started to chirp stubbornly until the hunter returned to gather him back up. Somehow they ended up sharing a pillow. Geoffrey stroked his fingers over Reid's back in feather light back and forth motions, smoothing down his fur. Reid's eyes slipped shut as he squealed and stirred softly until the hunter was certain he was completely asleep.

The next evening only furthered the hunter's concern as Geoffrey settled in his seat at the kitchen table. O'Connor had just set the kettle on while Geoffrey took his time feeding Reid the second vial of blood from his coat pocket.

"His appetite is strong." The second commented, returning to his seat as he observed the pair. Francach was nestled into his ratty olive green scarf as per usual when his Papa was working. The larger Irishman reached out to stroke the rat's soft grey fur, earning a sleepy noise from the little rodent.

"So is his grip." Geoffrey answered absentmindedly as he watched Reid feed. His head propped up in his palm as he sighed. "And his attitude."

"So nothing has really changed over all." O'Connor chuckled.

"Most ekon abilities have limitations. Restrictions. If they're active too long, they can do damage to the body." Geoffrey pointed out bluntly.

"You're afraid he won't come back."

"I'm afraid he'll die like this. Leech or no, he saved our lives O'Connor. More than Priwen can ever repay." Geoffrey turned his icy blue eyes towards his second. "I owe him my life and I intend to repay that debt."

There was a tiny chirp from Reid who perked up long enough between his licks of blood to apparently scold Geoffrey with a stern look. Or as stern a look as a tiny bat can offer. He had blood smeared over his mouth as his tongue darted in little swipes to clean it up.

"Glutton." Geoffrey grumbled, despite the comment, he wiggled his fingers to urge Reid to continue eating and finish up. After, he scrubbed his hands and found a suitable spot on their worn out sofa to catch up on some well overdue reading involving some old books from Carl's collection. He was hoping to find some modicum of information regarding Reid's current problem and if his predecessor had crossed paths with any similar cases over the years.

He stretched out across the sofa, a pillow propped against his back to cushion against the arm. Reid was nestled into the folds of his scarf, mouth recently cleaned from his meal so as not to stain the hunter's clothes. Geoffrey had strangely got into the habit of petting Reid's fur in gentle swipes in between pages.

The distant sound of O'Connor working busily in the kitchen was an ambiance of familiar noise. Occasionally a couple of the lads will come and go, pitching a helping hand in along the way, or in Bonner's case, sitting at the table and critiquing or complaining. Most often with Babic in tow. The smart mouth comments were mildly amusing, until someone 'accidentally' spilled water on him as they passed the table. Babic barked out in laughter while Bonner grumbled like an ornery feline and stole a towel from the cupboard to dry off with.

Supper was almost ready so O'Connor rang the dinner bell to summon the troops before they headed out for their rotations. Geoffrey lingered on the couch, waiting out the rush while he finished a few more pages. His fingers gently brushing over Reid's back and tracing the veins in his wings in little swipes before drawing away. The bat gave a sleepy muffled chirp before a wave of shadows spiraled out from its body.

Geoffrey shouted in alarm as the tiny weight became something considerably larger, knocking the book from his grasp as the collection of guards turned quickly to address their leader's alarm. The small body transformed into the very large and very naked figure of the good doctor, who appeared extremely disoriented and cuddled up to Geoffrey's chest. He slowly sat up, straddling the hunter's hips as he cradled his head with a pained groan.

"Reid?" Geoffrey started, making certain to hold perfectly still as if moving would break the illusion and cause the ekon to revert back to the bat like state.

"Head spinning." Reid mumbled to himself.

Jonathan's blue-grey eyes blinked blearily, his brows furrowed in growing confusion as he gazed slowly around the room, squinting as if the dim lighting of the headquarters was far too bright for his sensitive eyes. Geoffrey assumed it may be exactly the problem. He wondered mildly if bats had a different way of seeing the world than the rest of them, though those questions would be better left for after Jonathan had put some clothes on.

"Geoffrey?" It came as a question as the doctor's fingers curled into the threads of his scarf. The low rumble in his throat caused a shiver to race through the hunter as he swore the heat that flooded his cheeks had nothing to do with where a majority of Reid's weight currently rested. Each shift of his hips made Geoffrey more tempted to squirm out from under him but it was fruitless given their current predicament.

"You feeling alright there Reid?" He asked carefully, their gazes locked for a moment as Jonathan nodded, slowly at first.

"I believe so." His words were measured, like he was getting accustomed to using each syllable again. Geoffrey supposed it may be strange after spending the last couple days squeaking and chirping. Human sounds with a more human mouth may feel odd on his tongue.

"Reid." Geoffrey's voice dropped low, trying to be considerate to the topic at hand and his main concern.

"Yes, Geoffrey?" He tilted his head with an eagerness in the motion. It only furthered the heat in the hunter's expression and his steadily growing embarrassment.

"You're naked."

Jonathan looked down at himself and frowned. "So I am." He stated simply. Geoffrey had to admit, he both respected and admired Reid in that moment with how easily he maintained his composure. In a room full of nearly two dozen men. All of which, who were staring at their rather suggestive position. "My clothes…?" His voice trailed off.

"Upstairs in my office."

"Ah. Right. Thank you, Geoffrey. If you'll excuse me." He got up on unsteady feet, which earned a helping hand from the hunter to correct his posture as Geoffrey sat up. "Oh, thank you. I'm just a little dizzy. No need to worry." Jonathan excused himself quickly after that and made his way up the steps at a cautious pace. It wasn't until he had completely left the room that the ribbing and laughter started in as his men exploded with amusement.

Geoffrey even caught Babic handing a wad of bills to Bonner who gratefully accepted and smiled smugly at him. Geoffrey narrowed his eyes at his subordinate but Bonner's shit eating grin was undeterred. He pinched the bridge of his nose and cursed the world and all its cruel humor, bartering to the heavens for the patience to not put his entire roster on sewer patrols for the next year.

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