Title: The Deal [For Round 14 at rounds of kink]
Author: Mickey Sixx
Fandom: The Covenant
Pairing/character: Reid Garwin/Aaron Abbott
Rating: FRT/PG-13
Disclaimer: Don't own. Don't sue.
Word Count: 3,238
Prompt: "You look like shit"
Kink: Secrets

Notes/Warnings: Well, this is pretty tame considering most of my other ROK fics. No sex, just snark and slash. And apologies for the unimaginative title, it was really the best I could do *headdesk*

"Fuck."

Reid couldn't help the smile that pulled at his lips at the slurred oath, the head of messy curls disappearing back under the sheets after he'd checked the time, "Mornin' sunshine."

"Fuck you," was the muffled answer, given so freely that Reid laughed as he pulled his jeans up.

"Did that last night, remember?"

He received a grunt in reply which only made Reid's grin widen. He should know by now that Aaron wasn't a morning person. To be awake at the crack of dawn was his version of hell, and he wouldn't hesitate to let Reid know about it either. But he couldn't help it; he needed to get back home before the others realised he was gone. Reid collected his t-shirt from the floor where he'd dumped it the night before, stuffed it over his head with a quiet snort. Caleb already knew he was gone judging by the million and one missed calls he had on his cell and the pissy voice mails to match. "Where the hell are you? You can't just disappear this close to your Ascending for fucksake. I've told you-" He stopped listening before Caleb could get into full rant-mode.

"Grumpy asshole," he muttered, poking at the lump under the covers, "I told you I gotta go early."

"Fine." He jerked under the covers, flipping them back enough to scowl at him with sleepy eyes, "Go then. Stop keeping me up."

The blond rolled his eyes, leaned over him to grab his keys from the side table, "I'm goin', I'm goin'"

"Hey." His hand was caught before he could do anything about it, fingers curling automatically to grip, and Reid glanced down in surprise. Aaron wasn't really the hand-holding type, but for a moment, Aaron's expression turned serious, frown smoothing on his brow and dark eyes clearing as they stared up at him, unblinking. Various emotions flickered and after a beat of silence, he said, "Money's on the dresser."

When the words filtered through, Reid made an indignant sound and threw his hand back, but both of them were grinning as Reid moved away. "Fucker. I hate you."

"Yeah, I hate you too." He watched the blond pick up his hoodie and stuff his arms into it, keys jangling slightly in his hand. "See you later."

And that was when Reid paused, fingers stilling on the zip of his jacket as he started to fasten it. The words were simple, used every day without a thought or care about what they meant. Never having to think about the possibility of it not happening. Swallowing roughly, he tugged the zip up sharply and avoided Aaron's eyes. "Yeah," he said, forcing the casual tone of his voice, the quick smile on his mouth, "Later."

Aaron was silent, watching him get his shit together. It was a routine now; they'd get together, have amazing sex, and one of them would leave in the morning like they were somehow guilty of being there, with someone they had no business with being with. It had been that way for the best part of a year. And he was getting tired of it.

"You better remember our deal, Garwin."

Reid stopped, his hand on the lock, ready to leave. But he couldn't turn it. He pressed his shaking fingers to the wood, turned slowly to face that cocky smile, the slight eyebrow arch, the twist of his lips that looked like a smirk. But it was the look in his eyes that meant something. Underneath the bullshit and the bravado, the snark and the casual brush-offs, was the intense stare he'd been given when they'd made the deal. Somehow it made the sickening nerves both better and worse.

"I'll be there," he said, and the quiet words sounded suspiciously like a promise. They stared for a moment longer, a message sent and received, before Aaron nodded, fell back to the mattress and sighed.

"Good. Now fuck off already and lemme sleep." Reid's surprised laugh made Aaron smile, but he hid it well. "Miss me, bitch."

"Already do."

The second the door closed behind him, Aaron's eyes popped open and stared at the wood as if staring would bring him back. He swore softly to himself, ran his hands over his face and turned to stare at the ceiling. Sleep wouldn't come back to him now, not with the nervous butterflies that were starting to clamour in his gut.

He'd just have to wait.

Reid thought he'd been doing pretty well until he'd stumbled against the antique sideboard in the hallway. Caleb's burning stare managed to show both his annoyance and his worry over him, and Reid really wished he would stop. He could handle the anger, baited him into it most times, but he hated the worry - hated the knowledge that he was the one to cause it. And he couldn't escape it this time.

He faked nonchalance as he leaned against the sideboard, determined not to show his discomfort as his ribs screamed out at the movement, "I guess this is the part where you slap my wrist and send me back to bed, huh."

Caleb swallowed the retort that crawled to the tip of his tongue and swallowed it hard, voice even as he asked, "What are you doing?"

"Right now?" Reid cocked his head to the side, unable to resist, "I was just gonna go for a run. Wanna come with?"

Caleb snorted, shook his head, "Jesus, Reid..."

The blond tipped his head back, eyes on the ceiling, "Shit, Caleb. I'm fine, ok? I'm over the Ascending and, surprise, I'm not dead yet, so you can quit fussing."

The last 48 hours were a blur. He didn't remember much about his Ascending; just the pain as the Power hit. The Power that shredded his entire being over and over again with what felt like rusty nails. And the haunted, scared look mirrored in three pairs of eyes before he passed out into oblivion. From there he was in and out of consciousness until he finally came around feeling bruised and battered and as weak as a kitten.

But he wasn't dead, and that's all that mattered in the end.

"What the hell are you doing out of bed?"

Reid groaned softly as Tyler's voice carried through the hall, "Great." He glanced at the youngest member of their coven as he came up beside Caleb, closely followed by Pogue.

"You shouldn't be up."

"Oh for God sake," Reid muttered, running a hand through his hair and pulling on the ends to stop him from reaching out and strangling one of them, "Guys, seriously, you gotta stop hovering. Fuck, I don't have time for this." He glanced at the grandfather clock, moved to stand, and wasn't quite quick enough to cover the wince. Tyler stepped forward to help him and Reid glared at him, but it was Caleb's hand that stopped him getting any closer.

"Where are you going?"

"I gotta meet someone," the blond grumbled, turning slowly to look for his car keys, anyone's car keys.

"You gotta meet someone."

"Yes," Reid huffed, "You deaf or something? I gotta meet someone. Like, now."

He found the keys to the SUV and nabbed them, only to find them plucked out of his hand a second later. "I'm sure they can wait a few days," he said, moving the keys away when Reid reached for them.

"Don't fuck with me Caleb," he said darkly.

"Don't fuck with you?" Caleb replied incredulously, feeling his anger flare again, "We listened to you scream, we watched you claw at yourself until you were bloody, knowing we couldn't do a damn thing about it, and now you want to drive around fucking town like nothing's wrong?"

Reid looked down at his own arm, at the bandages that were half-hidden by the long-sleeved t-shirt he'd struggled into before he'd started down the stairs. The skin was broken, his bones were bruised, but he was still alive - he kept telling himself that. He knew how serious it was, he could feel it, under his skin; he just wished they'd stop treating him with kid gloves. Determination was clear in the set of his jaw, and Reid looked up and met Caleb's eyes head on.

"This is important to me," he said firmly, all bullshit dropped from his tone, his expression, "This is damn fucking important to me, Caleb. I made a deal. I wont go back on it just because you're still holding on to your fear. I'm here," he grabbed Caleb's arm, squeezed, "I'm here. And if you won't take me, I'll dive myself. But I have to get there."

They stared at each other for long moments, and his sincerity must have gotten through because Caleb huffed and stepped back. "Fine," he conceded, "But we're going with you, no arguments."

'He's gonna kill me,' he thought even as he nodded slowly in agreement. "Ok."

On the way out of the house, Pouge patted him on the shoulder and gave him a look that Reid took to be half sympathetic and half confused. "I hope she's worth it," he said.

It was only after he'd settled into the back of the car and told Caleb where to go that he realised what Pogue had said. He hadn't thought about it before, about what this... thing with Aaron really meant to him. A small smile stretched his mouth as he watched the scenery pass by.

"He is."

He looked out over the Bay. The water was calm, lapping gently at the thin strip of shoreline, and the sun was half way towards sinking under the clear horizon. The spring air was fresh and warm against his face, breathing life into his skin, and Reid just stood for a moment and let it wash over him. But nothing would get rid of the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.

He wasn't here.

They'd made a deal. When Reid finally told him about the Power, about what his birthday really meant, Aaron hadn't turned away. He didn't run, didn't laugh, didn't say he was crazy. He'd kissed him; and then he'd fucked him with a heat that had driven Reid insane, burned him up from the inside out until he could barely remember his own name. And then he'd looked at him - the same way he'd looked at him that morning - and made him promise to meet him at Ipswich Bay two days after his birthday. Reid hadn't been able to say no.

And now he was here, feeling more and more like he was going to fall down of exhaustion, and Aaron was no where to be seen.

"Reid?" He closed his eyes, "Reid, c'mon, you need to go home."

"Not yet."

"Damnit-"

"Not yet!" He snapped, hating the break in his voice that betrayed him. They stood close behind him, ready to catch him if he fell, and somehow he loved them more for that. He might bitch and gripe about the fussing, but shit, he knew he'd be lost without them. "Sorry," he said into the sudden silence, "Sorry. He should be here by now."

"Wait. He?" This came from Pogue and Reid could just image his face, the confusion, "But I thought..."

Reid snorted, "Yeah, you'd make a shit detective."

"Can we cut the mysterious bullshit?" This from Tyler; pissed off and worried, "What the hell is going on?"

"Ty-"

"No!" The youngest moved the few steps it took to get to Reid, stood in front of him, "You put us through hell, Reid, thinking that you wouldn't survive it, that you wouldn't pull through. Jesus Christ, it's a fucking miracle you're still alive, and now you're playing games with us?"

"Fuck you, Ty," he growled, Power flaring with his anger, eyes flickering from blue to black to blue, "I'm not the one playing games. We had a deal; I'm here and he's not. Guess I was wrong to trust him, huh." The hurt crept up inside him, made him feel sick.

Tyler stared at him in disbelief, "Trust who?"

But before Reid could answer, another voice chipped in from behind. "You're late."

Reid watched Tyler's head snap up, knew Caleb and Pogue had done the same. In two words the hurt and the sickness fled. He swayed as relief flooded him, suddenly light-headed, and he had to grab a hold of Tyler to keep himself steady, turning to look.

"What the fuck are you doing here, Abbott?"

The challenge in Pogue's voice didn't go unnoticed, and he spared him a quick glance before moving his gaze back to Reid. The shock of it hit him hard, right down inside in a place he couldn't name. He looked sick; skin sallow and unhealthy, eyes over-bright, and Aaron could tell by the way his fingers gripped Tyler's arm that he could barely keep himself upright. He didn't know what he was expecting when he came down here, but it wasn't this.

"You look like shit." The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them, but the biting tone wasn't nearly as harsh as it should have been. Reid's lips twitched, and out of the corner of his eye he saw Danvers holding the biker back.

"So people keep saying," Reid said, and everyone heard the exhaustion in his voice.

He looked him up and down, "Still alive then?"

Reid's insides twisted, heart thumping too fast in his chest, but he kept his face impassive, "Looks like it."

"Pity." He couldn't hold back the snort at that, the curve of his lips as he failed to fight the smile.

Tyler looked between them, "Ok, someone going to tell us what's going on here? Reid?"

Neither of them answered.

"I'm not the one who's late," Reid said, a slice of the hurt creeping into his words. Did you give up on me? Aaron heard it, hated it, but he shrugged and feigned nonchalance.

"Been here all day waiting for your lazy ass. I got bored."

Reid slowly uncurled his fingers from Tyler's arm, took a step forward, and felt weirdly happy when he saw Aaron twitch - bracing himself. "Your own fault for waiting."

He knew the exact moment when he cracked, saw it in his eyes first before the cocky line of his mouth thinned, betraying his real emotions. "Fuck," he said around a disbelieving laugh, shaking his head as he tore his eyes away from Reid, hands fisting in his hair, "Fuck"

He couldn't keep up the pretense any longer, relief and anxiousness breaking down his barriers in record time. In two strides he'd reached the blond, and no-one had time to react as his arms closed around him and held tight. Three pairs of eyes widened when Reid's arms came up to return the embrace, fingers twisting in the material of his shirt. He was exhausted and even though his ribs hurt at the fierceness of the contact, Reid wouldn't pull away. He needed it more than anything his brothers could give him.

There had been a moment, when he'd been standing in the abandoned barn just outside of town, waiting for the Power to come, that he thought he'd never feel this again.

"Fucking asshole. Been so screwed up." The words were mumbled into his shoulder, hot breath rushing through his t-shirt. Reid closed his eyes, listened to the truth in his voice, "Why'd you make me wait?"

He laughed softly, "Hey, it's not like its easy getting your ass kicked to hell and back. Besides, this deal was your idea, I didn't make you do anything. Coulda left at any time."

"Couldn't. Not until I knew."

Tyler blinked slowly, the cogs turning and clicking into place in his head. "So that's why you've been sneaking out so much."

"Sneaking out? What?" Pogue watched Reid pull back, turn to face them, and couldn't not notice the way Abbott's hand stayed on his hip, the expression on his face clearly saying he didn't give a fuck what they thought about it. "You're..."

"Dating Aaron? Yeah," the blond finished for him, amused tone masking the pain he was feeling, "I am."

"Have been for nearly a year." It was the first time Aaron had spoke directly to them, the sneer still there, but somehow different from usual. He rolled his eyes when Pogue stared at him, "Oh for godsake, Parry, don't get your panties in a knot."

"But you hate him! You're an asshole." He exclaimed.

"Never hated him," Aaron sighed it out like he was talking to a child, "It just pissed me off that he dropped me so quick for you three. Which is why I'm an asshole."

Caleb ran his hands over his face, "They were tight, remember? Before..."

"Before the Power kicked in when we were 13," Reid finished, "And we forgot about our other friends." He swayed slightly, feeling light-headed with the pain that throbbed throughout his body, "Guys-"

Aaron caught him, moved until he'd banded an arm around his waist and propped him up. He sent a muted glare to the other three, "Are we done bitching? Because Reid's heavy and I don't want to carry his fat ass back to the car." Even though the words were casual and careless, his the hand that gripped his side told a completely different story.

Reid snorted, didn't have the energy to resist leaning on him, "Prick." He winced as his head throbbed, pressed it to Aaron's shoulder, "Fuck."

Caleb pulled himself together, nodded, "Ok. Let's get him home." He glanced at Pogue when he opened his mouth, the look sent his way made him close it again and nod, "We'll deal with this later. Shit, I told him he shouldn't be out of bed yet."

"Newsflash, Danvers," Aaron said, "Reid's a stubborn moron."

"You asked me to come here."

"Shut up."

Tyler snickered as they started to walk back to the cars, bringing up the rear and keeping an eye on everyone. "Wow, I can see why it's worked for so long. You're perfect for each other."

"Jesus Christ, don't say that," Pogue groaned from up front, "It's too frickin weird to think about it."

"Shut up," Reid said weakly from Aaron's shoulder. Pogue blinked and turned back to look at him, registering the worn out tone of his voice. Guilt slithered down into the pit of his stomach, "Not now, k? Wanna go home."

Nobody could say anything to that.

"I'm sorry I dragged you out here," Aaron murmured, too low for anyone but Reid to catch it. All sarcasm and bullshit put aside. Reid smiled a little, eyes heavy.

"No you're not," he replied, "Just like I'm not sorry for coming." He rubbed his cheek into the soft material of his t-shirt, "You gonna tuck me in?"

Aaron smirked, took more of his weight as the blond faltered, "I'm not your nursemaid, Garwin."

He hummed, his mind drifting as fatigue and pain pulled him under. If he'd been thinking straight, he wouldn't have said it, but the words just tripped out of his mouth without his mind's consent. "'ove you."

The dark haired teen swallowed roughly, carried on walking with him until they saw the cars, and felt his insides twist at the truth they'd both been hiding from.

"Yeah," he said, voice thick with emotion, "Yeah. Me too."