Chapter 6
Spencer bounces his knee, listening to Morgan's light snores above him. He can already feel his body losing track of time after just twenty four hours of being in the place. The previous night's dinner time went exactly like lunch just hours before, and just a few hours ago, breakfast was hardly any different. The only note-worthy change in routine was when he caught Yates looking at him across the room and waved.
Everything is setting Spencer on edge. From seeing the little smug grin on Yates's face, to settling into a convict's routine, to hearing Morgan's snores. How can he even sleep? Yes, the napping option is always pleasant, but right now, Reid's body is polluted with energy. With energy comes anxiety since he doesn't have any cases to be thinking over.
Reid glances to his right to peer over at Fuentes's cell. He'd heard arguing not to long ago, then a harsh flesh-hitting-flesh type of sound that ended it. As his eyes adjust to the shadows across the hall, he nearly chokes on air at what he sees. Fuentes has slid out of his top bunk and is now climbing into the bottom where his sleeping roommate is occupying.
A cry of surprise rings out before a small struggle ensues. Spencer stops watching when he sees the orange jumpsuits coming off the two bodies. He slides backwards until the cold wall is behind him and he brings his knees to his chest. The sounds coming from across the hall are ones that one would only think to exist in nightmares.
Spencer clamps his hands over his ears and hums Beethoven under his breath. Not loud enough to disturb anyone, but just loud enough to take his own mind away from the present.
The awful, horrifying present.
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Spencer had just gotten through his favorite song when he feels the bed next to him dip down a bit. He removes his hands and his chin snaps up. Morgan is just inches away, hands raised in a defensive position.
It's then that Reid notices that the struggled sounds from earlier are gone, small sobs left in return from the victim.
"Reid, man, you're shaking." Morgan observes. Though the genius wants to ask if Morgan realizes what just happened, he can see that he does based on the sadness in his big, brown eyes.
"That could've been me."
"But it wasn't. I won't ever let someone hurt you like that."
"We're in prison." Spencer sighs, his fingers memorizing the coarse material of the sheets beneath him.
"It doesn't matter where we are, kid."
"Thanks." He keeps his eyes lowered so Morgan can't see the wetness there, because, my god- even after all the things he's seen with the job he has, Reid never wanted to hear that happen. Never.
The thing that's really hitting Reid hard is that he's not safe. At mealtimes, in the halls, during yard time- Fuentes is wondering around in a constricted space with him. He's a rapist as well as whatever else he did to get him locked into a maximum security prison.
"I wish Hotch would've never asked you to do this." Morgan says, efficiently interrupting his friend's thoughts, anger overshadowing his usually gentle self.
"I'm the one who said yes."
"How could you have said no?"
Silence encases the pair and the sobs eventually stop across the hall.
"The guards had to of heard that. Yet they did nothing."
"Everyone here did something to earn their place here."
"Nothing warrants that."
"I know that. They don't."
"So- if Caldwell were standing guard out there, and he heard something happen to one of us-"
"Stop worrying over it." Morgan pleads. One of his hands reach for Reid's shoulder and holds it's place there. "Nothing will happen to either of us. Worrying is just going to drive you insane."
Reid winces at the word choice.
"Uh- that's not- I'm sorry." Morgan quickly scrambles to say.
Reid breathes a small laugh at his friend's panic. "It's okay. Stop worrying- you might drive yourself insane."
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Today's lunch seems to drag by. Markey steals a hefty portion of Reid's food as usual and sulks about one of his buddies having gotten beat up.
"He's in the infirmary, all black and blue." Markey had told them when they pointed out the table's vacant seat.
"Who did it?" Morgan asks just to draw Markey into conversation.
"Some wise-crack named Cooper over in the fifth hall."
"I heard they're sending him to solitary later." A man at the end of the table heard.
"Serves him right." Markey nods before shoving a handful of crackers in his mouth.
Morgan leans over to Reid just as the hair on his neck begin to stand up. He whispers just low enough that no one can over hear. A big smile is placed on Morgan's face and his eyes are over on Markey as if a joke about the distraught man is about to be shared.
"Keep cool, Yates is walking over here."
Reid gives a fake laugh as if he'd just been told a joke. Markey frowns at the two, buying their act just a second before a tap on Reid's shoulder steals his attention.
"Max, right?" He asks, keeping up his innocent and vulnerable act.
"Yeah, meet us in the corner during yard time."
It's said friendly enough and Reid nods, wondering if he really ever had a choice. Yates's eyes flicker over to Morgan and Reid swears he sees some kind of anger shine through his neat composure.
"And Spence?" Yates says, eyes almost angrily turning away from Morgan, "stop tempting me."
Spencer's left speechless as the convict stalks off, leaving a small wink before he goes.
"That guy's bad news, Montgomery." Markey warns.
"He's been nice to me." Reid shrugs, trying to swallow the nerves accumulating in the back of his throat. He wants to promise Markey and the others he's not about to have relations with Yates- but, well, he is.
"Of course he has," one of Markey's friend's chuckle, "he's into pretty faces like you."
"Keep an eye out before someone like that curly-haired bastard steals him." Markey whispers loudly to Morgan. The older agent is eyeing up Reid, obviously lost in his own mind.
"I will."
The words are said absentmindedly yet still have a shiver-inducing effect on Reid. He crosses his legs to keep himself detached but he feels what Morgan's eyes are doing to him.
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"He's jealous." Morgan says immediately after the pair had been locked back into the cell. They sit on the ground, close together, to be able to speak in low tones. "Yates is already trying to take a claim to you- the pet name, the flirting, the glares at me-"
"Why did he come and tell me to meet with him anyway?"
"Maybe he was worried you'd choose me over him. With his possessive personality, that isn't an option without a major blow to his ego being taken."
"He said it like⦠there's something special he has planned and he doesn't want me to miss out on."
"Yates wants you to trust him." Morgan frowns. "This could end badly if he suspects us being moles."
"He was a human trafficking security guard- that equals strength of the body, not brain. As long as I play into what he wants me to be, there's nothing to worry about."
"I hope not." Morgan sighs, running a hand over his head, "Cause damn, kid,- it's only been twenty four hours and Yates thinks he owns you."
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As soon as he's set free in the yard, Spencer hurries to find Yates. The dark curls aren't hard to find- they stand out from all the buzz cuts and greasy mops sported by the other men.
"Here I am." Spencer says awkwardly, walking up to where Yates is facing Jared and talking away. The convict turns quickly, a smirk on his face.
"Yes, here you are."
The brown eyes are taking in Spencer's face so carefully he's tempted to run away.
"That black eye really does make you look tough."
"Thanks?" Reid responds. Truth be told, he'd forgotten all about the black eye Fuentes gave him. The bruised ribs, though- those still ache continuously.
"About your cell mate-" Yates starts, motioning Spencer to follow him away from where his usual group is gathered, "Is there something going on, there?"
"N-not really. We both came from the same county jail- so, um, keeping a friendship just kinda happened."
"What's he in for?"
Spencer looks down and nudges dirt around with his foot, feeling horribly guilty to discuss the lies about Morgan to this low life. "Gang related activity."
"Not surprising." Yates muses.
"Earlier- you sounded like there was something big to discuss." Reid prompts, eyes going back up to the chocolate orbs. A tiny- hardly noticeable scar resides right under Max's lip. The thin white line blends in oddly well with the light tan on the man's skin.
"Let's be real here, Spencer. Guys like you don't make it through the jail experience very easily. If you'd stick with us- we'd keep you safe."
"At what price?"
Max cocks an eyebrow.
"There's always a price, I'm not stupid." Reid says it as jokingly as he can, trying to ease the tension from his body. Thankfully, Max takes the poorly masked tension as worry rather than disgust.
"Well, I'm sure you've noticed how lonely life in prison can be. All I want is someone to make the time pass easier." One of Yates's hands come up to brush Spencer's hair back. It's so gentle that Spencer begins to get scared at their proximity for the first time that day. When had Max moved this close?
Before he can even get his brain to fight through the terror and just think, warmth is encasing Spencer. Hands are encircling his waist, lips taking to his own, and the body heat from Max being infused with his own. Max doesn't have to bend much to reach Spencer's lip, creating a shocking realization of how comfortable kissing between the two of them is.
Spencer wants to hide because of what feelings are stirred in himself. On one hand, he likes this. Yates isn't rough or mean to him- nor is he some gross man he can easily be repulsed by. Shamefully enough, he doesn't mind this. The fact that he's a criminal should hit Spencer deeper than it does- but Max didn't slaughter or rape innocent people. He stood guard outside a goddamn building at the wrong time. On the other hand, Spencer's body is telling him how wrong it all is. He doesn't want a convict's promises of safety and company- he wants the company and safety he's always known and trusted.
Reid just wants Morgan.
The kiss ends much too soon for Spencer to finish processing his thoughts. He's still reeling over the last statement his conscious had concocted-
"Are you okay, Spencer?"
He nods, still numb. His face is flushed so he thinks fast. "I just- I never really even considered whether or not I'm gay."
"Did you hate that I kissed you?"
"N-no." Spencer admits.
"Labels aren't important, it's how you feel that does. No label can sum that up."
Spencer nods once again, trying to understand how it got to this. He's trusting what a convict has to say, as well as honestly enjoying the way he feels when their hands link together.
"Your friend is watching us." Max chuckles.
Spencer's eyes glance to find that he's right and his face heats up yet again.
"I need to think about this-"
"I figured you would." Max answers, his nose lightly pressed against Spencer's cheek in a display of affection. His lips close the distance once more for just a second before his warmth is completely gone. "Tomorrow, then."
The buzzer rings and Maxwell hurries to his group, leaving Spencer dazed and lost. He can feel eyes staring at his back and he turns to find Fuentes's gaze locked on him.
How, in twenty four hours, has he gotten into this? A possible relationship with a man targeted by the CIA, harboring possible lust for Morgan, and worst of all- he's wound up on the radar of a rapist.
