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“What’s all this?” Luke stood in their doorway, completely shocked at the sight that befell him.
When he went to pick up Roxy only 20 minutes ago, his apartment had looked completely normal. His usual 15 minute round trip took slightly longer as he stopped to pick up flowers, thinking that would be the extent of their celebrations- aside from spending the evening together.
Instead, his apartment, from what he could see from his doorway, looked like a Valentine's gift shop had thrown up all over it.
He couldn’t pretend he wasn’t shocked. Heart shaped bunting was zig-zagged across the ceiling. A pot of roses was on the coffee table, which now also had a pink table cloth over it. There was an open box of chocolates in a heart shaped box, with Valentine’s themed napkins next to it. Rose petals led from the doorway all the way to the bedroom and he assumed there’d be some in a heart shape on the bed too.
Not once had he expected Spencer of all people to do this kind of thing on a holiday. He had never expressed an interest in Valentine’s day. Whilst the two were romantic towards each other, moreso Luke than him, taking Valentine’s day so seriously was a surprise. A day made famous only by corporations when they realised they could capitalise off love and singledom by playing into people’s desire for consumerism and upping the prices on chocolate and roses just for a day. Luke really thought Spencer wouldn’t enjoy anything like that.
Not that he didn’t appreciate it. He loved being on the receiving end of a romantic gesture- even if a niggling part of his brain told him that this didn’t exactly feel like Spencer .
“Happy Valentine’s day!” Spencer had smiled and immediately hugged him, proud of the shock. He’d been planning this for a while and was worried Luke had found some hidden decorations under the bed. The total look of surprise on his face implied that he hadn’t and this was exactly that- a surprise.
“Happy Valentine’s day, Cariño!” Luke laughed in response and immediately pulled Spencer in for a kiss. They shared a moment of just them, before Luke handed him over the flower’s he’d bought.
“This feels a little underwhelming compared to what you prepared,” Luke bashfully confessed, hoping Spencer wasn’t disappointed he’d put in a lot less effort.
“No, I love them. Thank you!” Spencer replied, taking the bouquet. It was an assortment of flowers, Luke had requested it to be custom made in advance. While he didn’t know much about flowers, he just asked that it be purple and have eucalyptus in it.
“You sure you don’t want red roses?” The florist had asked, the more traditional option for Valentine’s day.
“No, purple please.” Luke insisted. Requesting Spencer’s favourite colour. Alongside it, eucalyptus. He knew Spencer loved the refreshing scent. Once the flowers started to wilt, they could pick it out and create a bunch to place in their shower to have a natural air freshener in the room.
“They’re perfect,” Spencer admired them in awe. Loving the shades of purple in this unique arrangement he’d never seen before. He blushed as he couldn’t help but think ‘ he knows me so well.’
Roxy whined as she thumped her tail against their legs, taking them out of their moment. Luke had forgotten she still needed feeding since her minder hadn’t yet that evening.
After getting their attention, she scrambled into the living room. Normally, she’d set up camp on the sofa and whine until she was fed, but this time, she saw the open plate of chocolates sitting out. Just for her, she assumed.
“Oh nooo you don’t,” Luke jogged to catch up with her, smirking at the mischief she was trying to cause only moments after coming home.
He lifted the box, putting the nearby lid back on and took it into the kitchen with him to place on a higher surface she couldn’t reach.
“I’m sorry I totally forgot.” Spencer followed behind, hoping he hadn’t ruined anything by nearly poisoning her.
“No harm done, Baby. I just don’t have the energy to be running to the vet tonight. Or paying that bill. She knows it’s bad for her, and that she’ll be made to throw up. But still, it's like a moth to a flame.”
Luke’s joking put Spencer at ease once more, knowing he wasn’t angry at him at all.
“Plus, I wanna be the one eating this, it looks great!” He saw Spencer’s brief moment of insecurity and just had to reassure he didn’t do anything wrong. Leaning over the counter to give him a kiss once again. Something about tonight was making him feel even more clingy than normal. Maybe there was a Valentine’s bug in the air.
After feeding Roxy and taking the chocolates back over to the living room, the two lay tangled in each other’s arms on the couch.
“I’ve researched a list of some of the best romantic comedies. ” Spencer said, out of the blue. Neither of them had been saying anything, just enjoying each other’s warmth. “Some of them we’ve already seen, some we can’t get on the streaming things you have. But I did ask Garcia to help me and she said that Notting Hill is a good one. We haven’t seen it, and she tells me it's on Netflix. Shall we put it on?” He asked, already grabbing the remote and handing it over to Luke.
Luke laughed at Spencer’s planning. He’d clearly put a lot of research into tonight, wanting to make their first Valentine’s day special. He also laughed at Spencer’s refusal to learn how their TV worked and accepted that Luke would always be remote monitor.
“Sure,” he complied, beginning to get it up.
As he was doing so, Spencer nervously fiddled the sleeves of his jumper. Most of his body was still very much pressed against Luke, but sitting upright now, giving him the ability to stim a little with his hands.
Luke was concerned he seemed to be worried about something. “Everything alright, Cariño?”
Spencer nodded in response, focusing on his hands now and what they were doing. Instead of trying to tell Luke what he was thinking, he carried on narrating his plans.
“I also researched the best foods to eat on Valentine's day. Whilst most of it is chocolates, I wanted something more substantial for dinner, but it didn’t seem like there was a specific food or theme to have. A lot of sources suggested eating whatever, just off each other’s bodies. But that- ew.” he trailed off, thinking about the clean up and the germs and the various transfers of bacteria that could happen.
“Some foods were also suggested to be an aphrodisiac; um avocados, again chocolate, oysters.” Once again Spencer winced at the thought of their texture alone. “But I didn’t want to insinuate that we’d- you know- because we were eating them and I didn’t want you to assume you had to because…”
“Hey, Baby.” Luke gently interjected. He placed a hand on Spencer’s knee, hoping it would take him out of the moment for a second. His rambling had quickly turned from cute and endearing to slightly concerning. Laced with turmoil and concern. “Breathe with me.”
Luke slowly began taking deep inhales and exhales, hoping Spencer would follow suit. As they had done many times together to bring him out of a panic.
“What you’ve organised now is perfect. I love it. The decorations, the chocolates, the film choice.” He began trying to ease Spencer’s worries.
“Whatever food you pick will be great, I’m sure. And don’t worry, even if it is an aphrodisiac, I’ll never assume with you. And I know you wouldn’t for me either.” Spencer shook his head in agreement.
Luke didn’t like to stop Spencer from stimming, but when he began digging his nails into his hands, he took Spencer’s hands in his own. Hoping Spencer could squeeze his hands instead of hurting himself.
“I’m so happy to spend this evening with you.”
“I wanted it to be perfect.” Spencer meekly replied.
“It is perfect, Baby.” He reassured.
“I don’t know what you’re supposed to do so I asked Penelope and I researched and I don’t know you don’t seem to- I guess I expected a different reaction. I’m sorry, I should’ve done it another way,”
“Hey, none of that. It’s perfect, like I said. I will say now that I know Garcia had some influence, some of it makes a little more sense.
“I thought this is what couples do today-”
“It is, it can be. But there is no such thing as what you’re supposed to do. Remember?”
He knew Spencer would remember the talk they’d had about what their relationship would look like, Spencer often feeling uncomfortable doing things because that’s what he learned you did in relationships. Luke had taught him that as long as they were happy and comfortable, their relationship could look like anything.
It helped them take things slow in the beginning. Luke not wanting to pressure Spencer into having sex because he thought he was supposed to. Even casual touch. Luke had made it clear that if he had a day where touch would not be welcomed- he should say so and that was okay.
Their relationship was what they made it and Luke had explained it many times to Spencer. He knew he logically understood it, but believing it was another thing. A small voice in his mind still telling him they were doing it wrong. He was doing it wrong.
“I remember.”
“Some couples do this on Valentine’s day- the cards, the streamers, the heart shaped everything. And I'm glad you did, don’t get me wrong. But you don’t have to do it because that's what you think I expect.”
“I wanted to be romantic.”
“Oh baby, this is so romantic are you kidding me?” Luke tried to put a light hearted spin on his tone, sometimes the sincerity made Spencer feel even more guilty. “I’ve been romanced to the high heavens, you’re giving Mr Darcy a run for his money.”
Spencer smirked at the ridiculous comparison. He didn’t think Mr Darcy was so great, but he did understand the reference.
“I love what you’ve done.” Luke continued. “But please don’t stress that I won’t like it. Yes, the Valentine's day tat is great and all, but you’re romantic with me all the time.”
Spencer furrowed his brow, unable to think aof a time he had been romantic like this. So Luke had no choice but to list some things.
“You bring me a coffee in bed on the weekends, you leave my towels on the radiator so they’re warm when I come home from a run. You look after Roxy for me. You read to me when I can’t sleep. All those things are infinitely more romantic than buying some stuff.
“Spencer, whatever you do is perfect because you do it. You do it out of love and thoughtfulness for me, for anyone really. That is really what is romantic.”
“You think so?” Spencer couldn’t believe that all the small silly things he was doing were perceived with such gratefulness. He couldn’t believe those were the things Luke treasured.
“I know so.”
“So I shouldn’t have bought the chocolates?” Spencer clarified once again.
“Oh you should’ve bought the chocolates. But maybe next year we can leave the bunting?”
“Okay,” he began seeing the humour in the situation just like Luke did. Despite their legs being tangled together, it wasn’t enough touch for Spencer anymore so he tackled Luke back into the couch. He pressed his face against Luke’s neck and Luke squeezed his arms tightly around him, anchoring him against his chest.
“So what do you want to eat?” Luke asked. “No themes or aphrodisiacs. Just Luke asking Spencer?”
Spencer murmured something inaudible in response.
“What was that?”
“Grilled cheese.”
“Oh Lord, I should have known.” Luke laughed a deep laugh once again, knowing Spencer had the diet of a child.
“Well you’ll have to get off me if you want me to make it.”
“Not yet.” Spencer begged, trying to get even closer to Luke’s body.
Luke kissed his hair, stroking his back up and down now. They could eat later, he was never going to refuse his boyfriend any hugs.