This was just an idea that came to me after watching Season 8 Episode 11: Perennials. The first part has dialogue taken directly from the episode so, that's why there's a "spoilers" tag. The story is un-beta'd. If you're interesting in beta'ing this or my other story, please say so in your reviews!

Enjoy!

~ BiHS

Morgan had been expecting the blinding presence of Penelope's sun soon but that does not mean he was ready for it. He never is, really. He had been in his office not for a full minute before Garcia was behind him, already fretting and worrying as if he'd been lying in a hospital bed.

"I got shot in my bulletproof vest babygirl," he explained as calmly as he could manage with the splitting pain in his side. "I'm okay. It's just a couple bruises."

'Why don't they make better vests?" she rambled. "That's not bulletproof. It's like when you fall in the pool and your watch stops working, that's water-resistant, not waterproof. They should..."

"I am just fine. See?" Morgan interrupted, lifting his dark t-shit only to reveal the bandages wrapped around his usually unblemished abdomen.

"It's just a couple bruises."

Garcia's rambling immediately stopped, her mouth momentarily forming a small "o" shape. She stuttered, "H-How long do you have to be taped up like this?"

"Mm, I don't know," Derek speculated. 'Couple days, maybe." He kept his shirted raised if only to have more time to study and save the image of Penelope's face in his mind to someday use to his advantage.

"Oh. Okay," was the only response he received. Much to Derek's satisfaction, it seemed like he was able to stop the Reid-like rant that had previously been escaping past his favorite techie's lips. It's not as if he wasn't fond of the common intellectual rants, it's just he only had so many opportunities in which he could deal with them on a day-to-day schedule and Reid has them all booked for about the next millennium.

"You relaxed now?" he asked, sensing Garcia would be unable to ignite a conversation on her own at the moment.

"Yeah. I'm relaxed," she paused briefly before another avalanche of words fell from her mouth. "Hey. If you need someone to help, y'know, put new bindings on: re-wrap, or wrap, or un-wrap..."

A startled gasp unhinged the two agents from this apparent trance. With a quick glance over, Morgan and Garcia's eyes landed on the quickly reddening face of one Spencer Reid. Reid cleared his throat rather loudly before speaking, or rather squeaking, "Hi." After another smallcough, he continued. "Um. Hotch sent me to come get you guys. Everyone's needed at the round table." Reid stood there as if he had more to say but after a few moment of silence, it became apparent that he was done.

Morgan looked back at Garcia who was looking at the ground in between her with an almost shameful expression. He pulled his shirt back down. "Why? We just landed," he prompted Reid to say more.

"Er, he just said it was important," By now, the look on Reid's face was unreadable but still red as a tomato and with that, he swiftly turned and made an almost hasty exit.

Garcia looked up to give him a small, sheepish smile and follow the slinky doctor out of his office.

Shrugging, the Special Agent adjusted one of his looser-fitting T's to follow the rest of his team into the debriefing room.

The team had been informed of a copycat like no on had ever heard of. This serial killer was seemingly following and copying the murderers from cases solved specifically by their branch of the BAU. During this debriefing, both Garcia and Reid had pointedly been avoiding eye contact with Morgan. Assuming he was just being paranoid, Derek focused his attention entirely on Hotch as he gave the team a much details he had.

"This is now an active case which we'll be investigating along with our other cases," Hotch concluded, throwing down the offending case file.

Slowly but surely, everyone but Rossi and Hotch returned to the bullpen. Morgan had decided it was a Friday night and he was going to invite Reid over to watch crap movies on Netflix and popcorn with a carious flavored seasoning, something they did often at the end of a long case. When he walked up to Reid, his suspicions were verified as the doctor began to quickly pack, or more accurately, stuff anything and everything into his messenger bag. Reid was avoiding him.

In his haste to leave, Reid knocked over a sizable stack of completed case files. "Shit," he swore. Reid never swore. Something was definitely wrong.

"Hey, pretty boy. Need a hand?" Morgan didn't wait for a response, simply squatting to pick and gather the paper that flew furthest from Reid's desk, wincing slightly at the pain he still felt. When he stood again and turned to give Reid his papers, Derek saw Spencer's eyes travel like lighting from his backside back up to his face. Tilting his face down to conceal himself, Derek allowed himself a small smile. When he looked back to Spencer's face, a pink tint was once again present from his cheeks disappearing into the collar of his violet button-up. "Here you are, kid," Morgan said, handing the papers back to him.

"Um. Thanks." He looked uncomfortable, which was anything but usual for the two good friends. Even if they were polar opposites, the two were always comfortable in each other's presence. Reid put the papers gingerly on his desk as if to try and keep them from randomly combusting. He gave Morgan a slight smile and a shaky waved of his hand before turning to leave.

"Hey Spence," Morgan began. He waited for Reid to stop walking and turn around before he continued. "There's this movie I saw on Netflix. It looks awful, which makes it perfect for another one of our famous movie nights. You in? I even picked up some paprika and sea salt for popcorn." There was a few moment in which Reid made no effort to reply but, it was obvious his brain was thinking too many things for such a simple question.

After some time, a look of resignation passed on Reid elegant feature before his face was once again blank. A smile that didn't reach his eyes appeared before the doctor responded. "Sure. Why not. You got any red wine?" He turned around to walk towards the elevator. Jogging to get all of his things to leave, Morgan was soon by his side, waiting for the elevator to reach their floor.

It was just like Reid to ask for wine instead of beer like most men when he wanted alcohol. "Always. Not like you to drink any, though. Something the matter?" he inquired. The elevator dinged and the two men waited for the custodian and his cart to evacuate the small space before entering. Only when the doors closed, did he receive an answer.

Pressing the ground floor button, Reid replied. "Oh, yeah. Everything great. Just need to unwind I guess," he explained, shrugging. The rest of the elevator was relatively silent, other than the common noises of elevator music and artificial lights humming.

When the men exited the small space, the both headed to Morgan's car, as per usual. After these movie nights, Spencer would usually spend the night on Morgan's couch or floor, depending on whether or not the chocolate-skinned man was able to pull himself from the couch when the movie was over. When they reached the car, Morgan naturally climbed into the driver's seat. When he looked over through the passenger-side window, he saw Spencer hesitate. Now this was something that wasn't usual at all. He started the car and rolled the window furthest from him all the way down until he could see Reid's face. "I'm not gonna wait here all night, Spence," he joked, trying to keep the mood light.

"Uh," Spencer began, as he seemed to be doing rather frequently as of late. "I think I'll take my own car tonight. I don't think I'll be spending the night tonight, Derek. I'm pretty tired…" he ended unsurely, eyes shifting to the shiny coat of black pain on the car.

"Well, you can sleep after the movie, pretty boy," Derek countered, studying the other profilers face, or what he could see of it. "We do this all the time, you know the drill. Your over-night bag is already at my place and everything. We're good to go."

Reid looked up quickly and back down just as fast. With a slight sag of his shoulders, he opened the door. "Yeah, you're right. I'm just being silly, sorry." When he was seated and buckled in, Derek showed his satisfaction with Reid decision by giving a quick pat to the younger mans thigh. The offending leg went rigid immediately but, Derek decided not to comment on it. He turned on the radio and began the drive to his apartment.

Half-way through the movie, Derek was sitting on one side of the couch with Spencer on the other side as far away as he could without merging into the smooth leather. When he shifted to take some of the awful popcorn out of Spencer's bowl, the other man flinched as he never used to do before. Derek had decided that he simply couldn't take it anymore. Pausing the movie, he turned his body to look Reid directly in eyes fixed to a very confused expression. "Okay pretty boy, what's wrong? And-" Spencer inhaled as if to begin speaking but decided against his when he glimpsed the genuine concern and slight anger in the darker mans face. Morgan continued, "And don't even try to say everything's fine again because, it's obviously not." Morgan couldn't help the exasperated anger that flowed in his voice. "You've been ignoring me for the better part of 5 hours. Me. Spence, I'm your best friend, or at least that's what I thought. What aren't you telling me?" By the end of his short spiel, he was panting excessively and his eyes burned with the uncomfortable moisture setting in them.

Reid's own eyes seemed redder than before and his face looked almost pained. When he began to speak, he was barely audible. "Of course you're my best friend, Morgan. It's just… that's part of my problem. I guess. I mean, what do I know? I've never been good at these things." Spencer was speaking like someone who had already given up, soft volumes and resigned tones.

"At what things?" Morgan asked, scooting a bit closer to his best friend. "You can tell me, pretty boy. It's obvious you're upset." After almost 5 minutes of total silence, it seemed as if he wouldn't be getting a reply. "Spence-" and there, the sentence died on his lips, as the lips of Spencer Reid rushed to his, in a crushing kiss. Derek didn't have much of a chance to react because just as quickly as those smooth lips had connected with his, seemingly they were gone and with them went the warmth of Reid's body. Reopening his eyes, (when had he closed them?) Morgan looked up to flushed skin and jittery hands.

"Fuck. Damnit, Spencer," Reid scolded himself. "Derek… Derek, I'm so sorry. I- I don't know… It's just I saw you and Garcia today and… I was jealous I guess? I don't know. We're just friends, I know. But…" Spencer stopped when he realized Derek wasn't moving. "…Derek?"

Morgan was frozen to his seat but, not for the reasons that Reid apparently assumed. He was… happy? Happy didn't say enough about the way his heart felt. "I've been looking for someone for so long it seems I've been ignoring the someone I already had," Morgan though to himself. He was lost in his thoughts until motion in his peripheral caught his attention. Reid was leaving. He practically jumped from his position, not even noticing the pain his bruises caused him or the pain from practically ripping his bare skin away from the leather. "Reid, wait up," he said frantically. When Reid turned around, tears streaked his wonderful features. "No. No, don't cry, pretty boy." Morgan lifted his hand to wipe the tears from his friends face.

"I just, I know I've ruined this friendship. You don't feel the same. Hell, I don't even think you like men at all! I'm sorry, Derek. I really am. I'd ask for you to forget all of this but even if you do, I won't. I can't. And not just because I'm a genius with an outstanding memory but because I actually do care about you and, I've been ignoring these feelings for so long and-" and there, the sentence died, as their lips connected for the second time that night. This kiss was less desperate, more honest than the first. When the two men came up for air, Morgan's hands were tangled into Reid's hair and, Reid's hands had somehow made their way to Derek's hips.

Morgan was the first to speak. "Pretty boy, you could never ruin our friendship. No matter what you do, you're stuck with me, I'm afraid." This made the younger man laugh, if only a bit. Taking one of his hands from Reid's hair, Morgan wiped the remaining tears from his face. "I've experimented with men before, Spence. Given I was younger and 'naive' but, it was not unpleasant. And that was with someone I didn't already love as a friend first. If this is what you want, we can try it. If it doesn't work, we can do back to the way things were. No hard feelings. We'll always be friends, I can promise you that. Can you promise me?"

"I can't promise my feelings for you won't disturb our friendship if this doesn't work," At Morgan's look of disappointment, Reid continued. "But, I can promise to never give up on us."

"That's more than enough for me, pretty boy." Morgan answered, placing a small kiss to the corner of Spencer's mouth. When he looked bad to the younger man, he was smiling. "What's that smile for?"

With a coy look on his face, Spencer chuckled. "I'll just probably never get used to being able to touch you so intimately. I've been imaging what it would be like for so long and it's still so much better…" Spencer stopped when Morgan began to laugh quietly. "What's so funny?" he asked, nervously.

"You're just really cute," came Morgan's reply. "And, extremely cheesy." He gave Reid one of his million-dollar smiles and punctuated his happiness with his mouth on Spencer's neck. Spencer moaned quietly. "That should leave a mark," Derek mumbled, voice muffled by skin. Lifting his mouth to Reid's ear, he purred, "And, you can touch me as intimately as you'd like." Spencer basically squeaked at that. Walking toward his bedroom and leaving Reid standing like a statue, Morgan called out over his shoulder. "I hope that brain of yours has deduced that you're sleeping in my bed tonight, pretty boy. I want to hold you and never let you go now that I can. No arguments."

It was merely seconds after that comment that Morgan heard sure footsteps following behind him. If Spencer's love was the bullet, he'd gladly burn his bullet-resistant vest.

A/N:

For new readers, thanks for reading! Leave a review? That would be lovely.

For any of you waiting for the concluding chapter of my Sherlock fic Improbabilities, I'm so sorry! I think reading smut is lovely but, writing smut if frightening. I will get it done, promise!

Thanks for reading,
~Love BiHS.