Work Text:
“Alright, good, we can start.” Penelope announced as she stormed into the meeting room. Derek noticed that she had her do not even think about messing with me face on which could only mean that this was serious.
“Garcia, what is this about? I didn’t get a message about a case.” Hotch asked, clearly as confused as the rest of the team.
”Well maybe you should sit back and enjoy the presentation then maybe you can profile what exactly this is about.” Penelope snapped back. Ok, Derek thought, so this is very serious.
It was in this moment that Derek finally took the space in. He wasn’t really paying attention when he walked in but now he took the time to count all the heads in the room.
“Pump the breaks,” Derek announced, “we’re missing Reid. We can’t start yet.”
“Congratulations dark chocolate, you get the first point.”
This confused the team even more.
“Is he hurt? Did something happen to him?” Asked JJ.
“I saw him this morning, he looked normal!” Prentiss piped up.
“Yeah but you know the kid, he’ll never say what’s actually bothering him.” Rossi added.
“We would have noticed something off, though. That can’t be what this is about.” Hotch said, immediately calming everyone down. It’s true, no matter how elusive Reid can be about his feelings sometimes, the team always knows when he’s not himself.
The team turned back to the board when Penelope made an a-hem noise, clearly wanting their attention back. Projected onto the screen was a poster for an amateur art show close by, leaving Derek and the others even more confused than before.
“Can anyone tell me what this is?” Penelope was clearly talking down to the team at this point. Using her is there anything you wish to tell me before I let hell break loose on you tone. Derek, along with the rest of the team, started scanning the poster trying to figure out what she was on about.
“I didn’t know Reid was doing an art show.” Hotch announced.
“And Hotch steals the next point.” Garcia said, still sounding on edge. “Now, would anybody like to tell me what we did to not receive an invitation to this lovely gathering?”
She looked at the team with such a stern expression that Derek started feeling guilty of everything he’s ever done. He was reconsidering everything he’s ever said to Reid and wondering if that was the reason why they weren’t invited. No, he thought, Reid’s not that petty. He wouldn’t not invite the whole team because of a little teasing I did. But the look on Penelope’s face made him feel less confident about that. This had to be his fault somehow. Why would Reid not include them in this?
”Come on, Garcia,” Rossi begged, “it probably has nothing to do with us. Maybe it’s just too personal for him.”
”Too personal for him to share it with us but not a lot of strangers? I find that hard to believe.” Garcia snapped again - although it wasn’t as sharp this time as she let his words sink in. “No matter, tonight is the final night before it closes and we will all be there to support our Boy Wonder.”
JJ and Hotch tried to argue in favour of Rossis’ point but one last glare from Garcia made the decision final. They were all going.
*~*~*~*
Derek stared at himself for too long in the mirror. He’d already changed his outfit four times but didn’t like them for one reason or another. One was too fancy, one was too casual, one didn’t quite fit him right, one just looked off, and now he’s onto his current outfit. Just a simple button down deep purple shirt with black pants and shoes. He looked fine but he couldn’t decide if adding a tie would be too much.
This is ridiculous, he thought, when have I ever behaved like this? He just felt so nervous. Derek felt bad that they were going behind Reid’s back like this, but he knew there was more to it than that. Derek wasn’t an idiot. He knew when he was getting a crush on someone and falling for Reid had hit him harder than any other relationship he’s had. He knew that this art show must be a big deal for Reid, he really didn’t want to mess anything up.
A text buzzing from his phone broke his spiral. It was from Penelope saying that she was waiting outside for him whenever he’s ready. She’d been kind enough to offer a ride and pay the small admission price for everyone since she made them cancel their plans for this. Everyone insisted that they could find their own way and pay for themselves but Derek took up her offer for the drive. He wouldn’t have minded driving but he couldn’t resist spending some quality time with his Baby girl. He also hoped it would calm his nerves a bit before he saw Reid.
After receiving a nice kiss on the cheek from Derek, Garcia started unloading all that she knew about the show on their way there.
“Apparently this is for the students to show off all that they’ve learned in an art class that’s been happening over the past 3 months. It was a beginner class and only the students that felt comfortable sharing their work signed up for the show, so there’s only a handful of students actually going to be there.”
”And that includes Reid.” Added Derek. He was still pondering over why Reid hadn’t invited them to his show. Or at least said anything about taking an art class!
Garcia nodded then continued, “The students participating were given a word or theme to base their works on for the show. Every student got a different one so it should be an interesting evening. I think Spencer got ‘family’.”
That must’ve been hard on him, Derek thought. He knew Spencer was close to his mom but other than that, he didn’t really have too much family in his life. It was a sore spot to the man and Derek knew that. Now he really felt bad for going behind Reid’s back.
Garcia and Derek were the last to arrive, with the rest of the team waiting for them outside. They exchanged quick hugs and hellos before paying and heading in. The building itself was pretty unassuming. It looked like a small apartment building - 3 floors max - with a bit of money put into keeping the outside looking clean. Once they got inside, though, there was no question that they were in the right place. As they stepped in, the team found themselves in a long hallway with lockers and closed doors on either side. The walls were covered in art that were created with different mediums and signed by different names. Derek could only assume that these were the works of previous students and teachers. At the end of the hallway were a pair of open doors which was clearly the room where the art was being showed. Derek took a deep breath to calm his rising nerves before he followed the rest of the team inside.
The place was beautifully set up with little booths and half walls in the middle of the room to give each artist their own private corner to show off their work. The team didn’t hover too long but they glanced at the other works set up on their way to find Spencer. Most of the work they passed was on paper or a proper canvas but some of the students had taken to other mediums like sculpting or mending different fabrics together to get their themes across. It was all very intriguing but Derek only had one artist on his mind.
They found Spencer in his own little corner, fixing the angle of one of his paintings. He must of heard them coming because he quickly turned around and took a step to the side on reflex as if he’s been doing it all night. His polite smile dropped to confusion when he registered the BAU in front of him but that quickly changed to his real grin when Penelope ran forward with open arms, engulfing him in a big hug.
“What are you guys doing here?” Spencer asked, clearly still stunned at their arrival.
“We’re here to support you, of course!” JJ said, a warm smile on her face.
“But how did you…” he trailed off, but Derek knew what he was trying to get across. They shouldn’t have known, how did they do it?
Garcia let out a dramatic huff. “As if you could ever hide anything from us.”
Spencer let out a light laugh but Derek could feel the nervousness coming off of him. Maybe this was a bad idea. They should just leave. They’ve all been focusing on Spencer and haven’t gotten a good look at his art, if they leave now then no harm would be done.
But Spencer didn’t ask them to leave. He just took a half step back and gestured to his work as if to say well, here it is and the team turned towards it to feast their eyes. Derek continued to stare right at Spencer as he watched the team take in his artwork. He looked more calm than he did a moment ago but Derek could tell he wasn’t very comfortable being there as they looked at his work. All Derek could do was take in the slight curve downward of his brows and the side of his mouth where Spencer kept picking at with his teeth and keep wondering if being here was the right thing to do.
A gasp from Emily and a light hand on his shoulder from Rossi brought his attention away from the young man and towards the art on display.
Reid’s work was impressive, there’s no doubting that. There were multiple canvases of painted snapshots of life at the BAU and in the middle, a simple piece of paper in Spencer’s handwriting that said ‘Family’. The images were incredibly realistic and were hard to look away from. The amount of detail that was put into each canvas was breathtaking. Spencer wasn’t in any of the paintings himself, but rather they were painted from Spencer’s perspective. Derek’s eyes slowly gathered every last detail before moving onto the next canvases until finally he saw one that made him stop.
There, tucked in beside a painting of Hotch and JJ talking all serious, was a painting of Derek mid laugh. This one was quite different from the rest and Derek couldn’t believe that his eyes didn’t go to it first. Where all the other paintings had at least two team members in them, this one only featured Derek. Where all the other paintings had the subject pointed toward the audience as if they were in the conversation, this one had Derek facing away, as if he was caught in this private moment. All the other paintings were realistic and had what Derek could only describe as natural colouring, but this painting had Derek painted in warm colours with a background almost abstract as if it didn’t matter nearly as much as Derek himself.
Derek was having a hard time looking away. The painting of himself moved him dearly. The painting radiated love. The Derek Morgan in the painting looked loved. He felt exposed like this but knowing that the artist was Dr. Spencer Reid, Derek found that he didn’t mind. It was power like he’d never felt. Derek never thought that art could an affect him this much.
Derek could only tear his eyes away to look at Reid and when he did he found the man already staring at him. Bottom lip between his teeth, eyebrows still slightly curved down. Suddenly Derek understood. The team not being invited actually was his fault. Spencer was afraid of how Derek would take this painting and couldn’t let any of them see it. Derek knew it to be true, the look on his face told him as much.
“It’s beautiful,” Derek said softly, not breaking eye contact. “It’s all beautiful.”
Spencer gave a small and almost relieved looking smile before he was enveloped into another hug from Penelope with the rest of the team following suit. Derek stayed behind while they did, feeling too raw to hug Reid right now.
The night went on and as it got later the team slowly started to trickle out with the rest of the viewers, giving Spencer a big hug and a ‘Congratulations’ as they left. When it came down to Spencer, Derek and Penelope, Derek politely - and quietly - shooed her off saying that he could find his own way home. Penelope just gave him a knowing smile and went to hug Spencer goodbye.
Derek joined Spencer by his side again and they both looked out at the room. Most people had left at this point and a few students were already starting to take their exhibits down. It was calm and more relaxed than it had been when they arrived.
“Hey,” Spencer said softly, leaning slightly towards Derek as he did, “come with me. I want to show you someone.”
Derek nodded and allowed the other man to lead him down the hallway that he and the team had previously taken to get there. Spencer quickly looked over his shoulder to make sure they weren’t being followed before leading them both into a door just off the hallway. Inside was a large studio that Derek assumed Reid had taken his classes in. There were empty easels around the room, tables tucked away in corners and, of course, more art on display everywhere you looked. The room was only being illuminated by the lights outside the building filtering in through the windows so Derek made a move to turn the light on.
“Wait!” Spencer called out, “we aren’t supposed to be in here. I don’t want anyone seeing the light on and come investigate.”
Derek put his hands jokingly in the air as if to say he surrendered. Reid nodded then turned his back to the other man to start digging through a cabinet space that was behind him. He finally grabbed what he’d been looking for, took a deep stabilizing breath, and turned to face Derek.
“I was going to put this in the show,” Reid started slowly, “but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I want you to see it.”
Derek nodded and waited for Spencer to get his nerve before turning the canvas around to show him.
It was another painting but this one was of Spencer’s mother. Diana was sitting in a big chair reading from a book with a playful smile on her face. Like Derek’s portrait, there wasn’t too much detail in the background so your eyes really focused in on his mom. The colouring was warm as well but not as much as Derek’s had been. She also radiated love. It was beautiful.
”I wanted to put it up, honestly. But this part of my life is so private to me. I didn’t want people to ask about her. I didn’t want people to judge her. I didn’t want that kind of attention.” Spencer admitted quietly.
Derek met his eyes again, so many questions filling his head. Why are you showing me? Would you have shown the rest of the team? Will you tell them? Am I as special to you as you are to me? But the only words that left Derek’s mouth were “Thank you. For showing me.”
Spencer gave a quiet and content smile before tucking the painting back away. When he turned back to Derek, he had an unusual expression on his face. It looked like it could have been hope.
Spencer took a tentative step forward and when Derek didn’t move back, he took the remaining distance slowly and folded himself in Derek’s arms. It was a comforting hug for both men. Derek encircled his arms around Reid’s waist and Reid had his wrapped tightly around Derek’s shoulders.
“I need to ask you something.” Derek said slowly, but before he could Reid beat him to the punch.
“I’m in love with you.”
Both men stood in the silence for a moment, still wrapped in each others arms before Reid continued.
“I’ve known for a while but this art class really brought it out. I’d find myself sketching you often for warm ups and projects. My teacher said I must think of you very fondly since I couldn’t help but paint you differently. She was right.” Reid pulled back from the hug slightly so he could look him in the eye but Derek didn’t let him get far.
“This doesn’t have to mean anything, but I had to tell you.”
Derek couldn’t help the smile that started to stretch across his face. Doesn’t have to mean anything, of course it does. This is all he’s ever wanted, it means everything.
Spencer’s face started to mimic the overjoyed smile that was shining on Derek’s face. Before he even got a chance to respond, Spencer closed the distance and kissed him.
Derek wasted no time returning the kiss, leaning his whole body into it. His hands gently caressing the other man’s back, his chin tilted ever so slightly to get the best angle. This was the best kiss Derek’s had. They fit together so well.
What started slow and almost timid quickly turned hungry and powerful. As Reid started searching Derek’s body with one hand, Derek took that as an invitation to start pouring all the pent up emotions he’s been storing. He started biting playfully at Spencer’s lower lip and licking hungrily into his mouth every chance he got. It was obscene and would have been disgusting to watch but both men were so starved of each other they couldn’t help themselves. Derek wrapping his hands around the outside of Reid’s thighs and smoothly hoisted him up on the nearest table. Reid answered immediately by wrapping his legs around Derek’s waist, bringing them impossibly closer.
Much to Derek’s dismay, Reid pulled away from the kiss, putting a hand of Derek’s chest to prevent him from chasing his lips. The whine of displeasure that escaped his lips is something that Derek will never admit to. Spencer looked way too pleased with himself.
“Was this too much?” Derek asked.
“No.”
”Did you want me to stop?”
”Well… no-“
At that, Derek immediately attached his lips to Spencer’s neck. The sound of shock and enjoyment that came from Spencer’s mouth cut off whatever else he had been trying to say. Derek couldn’t help but smile into his throat. With the way that Spencer tilted his head back to provide a better angel only made him work harder on the task at hand. He never thought Spencer would be so vocal but now that he does he never wants to have silence in his life.
After another moment of Derek getting his way, Spencer pushed back again.
“Seriously,” Spencer says, trying not to laugh from his giddiness, “we really need to get out of here.”
Derek took a moment to really take Spencer in. His hair all ruffled. His kiss-swollen lips. The mark that was starting to appear on his neck. His shirt and tie all disheveled. Derek took a moment to tuck a piece of hair behind his ear. I’m in love with this man, he thought happily to himself.
“I saw a nice restaurant a few blocks from here. You in the mood for a walk?” Derek asked, not wanting this evening to end.
Reid let the smile grow even bigger on his face. “I’ll grab my things.”