"You too, you beautiful goddess."

Reid could hear Morgan talking to Garcia on the phone, signing off in a normal way for them even in the middle of a case. He pinched the bridge of his nose and opened his own phone, knowing he had to speak to her anyway.

"Hey there Mister R!" she chirped. "Just had Mister Delicious on the phone."

"Hi Garcia." He sighed. "Did you get those autopsy reports?"

"I did." He could hear her clicking in the background. "I'm sending them through to you now."

"Thanks Garcia."

"No problem-o, sweet cheeks. And give all my love to that uber hunk of-"

Spencer closed the phone, fighting the urge to throw it across the room. He knew he was going to regret cutting her off, but doing so made him feel just a little better about having to listen to her flirt with Morgan again, this time using him as an unwilling messenger.

It came to find him that even back at the BAU, when he was finishing a last few bits of paperwork, most of the team already gone, and Hotch was in his office.

"Hey Reid." Garcia smiled warmly, slipping herself onto the empty portion of his desk.

"Hi Garcia." He smiled awkwardly, because he knew what was coming.

"You mad at me for something?"

He sighed.

"Yes and no. Not technically. I'm sorry I was rude."

"It's okay, G-man." she shrugged. "But what's bugging you? What did Mistress PG do?"

"It's not your fault." He leaned back in his chair thoughtfully. "I'm just.. I'm jealous."

"Jealous, how?"

"That you and Morgan flirt and-" he paused, ordering his words, "we've been dating for a year, we know the team knows even though we haven't come out, as such, but he... he never flirts with me at work."

"Do you want him to?" she asked curiously.

"I don't know, I guess I do. I'm worried he's ashamed of being with a man; of being with me. And I see how you are together, it's so easy for the two of you, that strangers think you're a couple. And I don't know when I started wanting the recognition of strangers."

"That's normal, Reid, to want people to know you're with someone."

"But I'm not sure Morgan wants that."

"Have you talked to him about this?"

"I'm not exactly doing a great job explaining it to you," he sighed, "I'm sure it would be even worse trying to explain to him that I'm jealous that he has a female friend he flirts with."

"You should talk to him."

"He doesn't even touch me anymore, you know." Reid went on, elaborating when he saw her raised eyebrow. "I mean in private things are... well they're wonderful. But when we were just friends he used to touch me sometimes. He'd squeeze my arm or put his arm around me or touch my stomach. He doesn't do it anymore, like he's afraid people will guess we're together."

"He just doesn't want to risk what you have." Penelope reasoned. "I've seen him with you, Spencer. He's never been happier. He's in love with you. Has he told you that?"

"Yeah."

"Well," she went on, "if you want to come out as the beautiful same-sex interracial power couple that you are, you should talk to him about it. Maybe when you do, he'll feel more comfortable getting his flirt on."

"Maybe."

"If you want, I can cut down the banter." She offered.

"No." Reid shook his head firmly. "No, I don't want it at the expense of the way you two are."

"You're a sweetheart, you know that?" she beamed at him. "If you don't know how to bring it up, just tell him. Tell him you want him to treat you like his boyfriend."

He nodded, hoping he'd find a way to take her advice.

"Or alternatively," she added, "you could pinch his butt while you're on a case and see what he does."

"There is not a passion so strongly rooted in the human heart as envy." - Richard Brinsley Sheridan