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“Did you know they used to use arsenic in green paint? Right up until the 1900’s.”
Derek glanced over at Spencer with a fond look. He was currently sat cross legged on the floor, a small paintbrush in his hand as he painted the very edge of the skirting board with precision. He had forgone his contact lenses for the day so had his trusty pair of glasses balanced on the edge of his nose and adorably, a streak of green paint had somehow found its way down Spencer’s cheek.
“I did not know that.”
“Hm. But green is also proven to reduce stress so I suppose you just have to weigh up your options.” Spencer continued.
“Well I’m glad you approve of my colour choices, Pretty Boy.” Derek grinned, still watching him. After a few moments, Spencer obviously felt his eyes on him as he finally looked up and caught his gaze. A slight pink blush began to bloom across his cheeks.
“What? Am I doing it wrong?”
Derek shook his head and took a few steps closer to him. “Spencer Reid doing something wrong? Never. I’m just glad you came today.”
Spencer gave Derek one of his wide grins, “I would never turn you down.”
The pair had been dancing around each other for the past few months, both of them wanting something slightly more than friendship but neither of them knew how to go about doing it. It finally took Penelope to step in and force the pair of them on a date together and since then, it had been going remarkably well.
This was their latest date. Maybe not the most romantic, renovating the latest of Derek’s houses, but they were spending quality time together and that’s what mattered. They had walked there with bagels and coffees and as soon as they were finished painting, they planned to sit on the new hardwood floors with pizza and a bottle of red wine.
“Since you’re an expert on all things paint and colours, I will let you choose the colour of the master bedroom.” Derek said as he positioned his step ladder up the wall with the intention of painting the highest parts. He got into position and had begun to do his first few strokes when he heard the door creak open.
All of a sudden, a flash of brown went underneath his ladder as Clooney shot through the door and across the room, chasing a small white mouse.
Derek knew what was about to happen but could do nothing to prevent it as he felt the ladder wobble precariously before slowly tilting backwards. His hands still went out to try and hold onto something… anything but he was just grasping at air.
And then came the impact.
His back felt it first as it came crashing into the wooden floors. He thought that was painful but it was nothing compared to the sensation of his head smacking hard against the edge of the beautiful marble fireplace which had been the centrepiece of the room.
Derek could vaguely hear Spencer shout out his name in horror but he couldn’t work out how to reply as the only thing he could focus on was the pain that bloomed across his body. His vision was blurred along the edges but he tried to focus on the patterns in the ceiling as he attempted to get his breath back.
“Derek.”
Spencer’s concerned face swam into view as he knelt over his boyfriend. Derek could see the panic in his eyes as his hands hovered over Derek’s body, not really sure what to focus on first.
“ ‘m okay.” Derek managed to get out, his tongue feeling large and heavy in his mouth.
“You’re clearly not. Oh god. I need to get help.” Spencer shot up quickly and ran to grab his phone. As Derek watched him dial for help, he could slowly feel his body begin to relax and maybe it would be good if he could just… drift off.
Until,
“No! Do not fall asleep!”
“Hm?” Derek mumbled, his eyes still firmly shut.
“Derek, I need you to stay awake. You cannot pass out. You have a concussion and I need to keep you awake until help arrives.” Spencer told him slowly. Or maybe he wasn’t speaking slowly, maybe it was just Derek’s head making everything distorted.
“Wha’ happened?”
“Your loveable dog over there got excited by a mouse and knocked you over. I must admit he’s looking very guilty over there.” Spencer gestured over to the corner where sure enough, his German Shepherd was sat, his head resting on his paws as he watched over his owner with the largest puppy eyes Derek had ever seen him do.
“It’s okay…it’s okay Clooney. I know…you didn’t mean to.” Derek said quietly to his pet. He watched his dog for a few seconds before his eyes began to grow heavy again and his blinks seemed to be getting longer and longer.
“Derek. I need you to keep talking.” Spencer begged.
Derek let out an actual whine, (something which Spencer would later tease him about when he was all recovered) as he seemed to have flashbacks to his childhood when his mom would have to drag him out of bed in the mornings before school, not letting him go to sleep for a few more blissful minutes.
He took a few mouthfuls of air and tried to swallow down the feeling of nausea before mumbling “I need to move I think.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, we’re not sure how your back is-” Spencer was interrupted by Derek slowly shuffling, ever so slightly. Before Spencer could even protest, he very carefully placed his head in Spencer’s lap.
“There. Better.”
Reid sighed inwardly, he knew it was always a bad idea to move people with potential back and neck injuries but now his boyfriend had gone and done it, he couldn’t do anything about it.
“You need to talk to me. Keep me awake.”
Spencer glanced down to see Derek looking back up at him, his dark eyes staring intently at him. He tried to ignore how blown his partner’s pupils currently looked, that was always a worrying sign.
“C’mon Dr. Reid. You always have something int…interest…” Derek struggled with his words before giving up, “ Good to tell me.”
“Uhm, I hit my head once.” Spencer began as he looked back down at Derek. Thankfully, his eyes were still open, “ It was when I was about seven years old. My mom had suddenly came home one day with this bike which I was ecstatic about.”
“Cute.”
“Well, I later heard my dad arguing with her about the fact that she took it from another neighbour down the street. Maybe I should have realised that it was stolen from a little girl when she gave it to me, considering it was bright pink.”
“Still cute.”
“I’m glad you think so. I thought I was getting badly bullied before the bike but when my ‘friends’ saw it, you should have seen their faces. Like it was Christmas.” Spencer gave a wry smile as he averted his gaze for a moment, not wanting to witness Derek’s now sympathetic look. “Anyway, one afternoon I was trying to get home without them chasing me when I went right over a rock in the road. Head went straight over the handlebars.”
Derek hummed in response whilst wishing he had the energy to say something slightly more sympathetic or constructive.
“Thankfully one of my favourite neighbours saw, Mrs Walker, and she brought me into her house and pretty much did this- well I didn’t have my head in her lap- but she kept me awake until my mom finally picked up her phone.”
“You were okay?” Derek replied gently.
Spencer nodded and gave him a little smile, “Had a bump on my head for a while but I was okay.”
Derek took one of Spencer’s hands and gradually brought it up to his lips, pressing a few soft kisses to his knuckles, “I’m glad.”
Spencer gave him a wider smile before setting off onto another, slightly happier, story from when he was in the Academy. He was only halfway through when there was a knock at the door. “It’s open!”
Two paramedics came through laden with medical bags and a gurney trailing behind them, “Mr. Morgan, is that right?”
“Y-yeah.”
“He fell and hit his head quite hard, he’s likely have concussion-”
“You seem to have been doing a good job at keeping him conscious.” She interrupted Spencer as she shone a bright torch into Derek’s eyes, “I’m surprised he’s not knocked out cold.”
“He’s the best Doctor.” Derek gave Spencer a dopey smile, “Thank you.”
“Anytime you need me to keep you from passing out, I’ll be right here.” Spencer said warmly, “Now let’s get you to the hospital.”