A/N: Luke and Spencer double date with Phil and Penelope...

Chapter Seventeen

The Inevitable Double Date

Wow…Penelope could talk. People thought Spencer could ramble? He had nothing on Garcia when she had a point to make or a story to tell, like every story had to be told in the detail of a theatrical play and she was cast as all the roles, it was quite the spectacle, really. This observation was made on the inevitable double date where Spencer and Luke accompanied Phil and Penelope on a night out, although accompanied was not the most accurate, they were all friends so it didn't feel nearly as forced as it could have been although Phil and Garcia had only really met a while before when she assisted Luke in giving Lou to the recovering man.

It was actually much easier than the couple had been expecting, Garcia and Phil getting on great and sometimes they would just hang out as speak as friends otherwise they were fine pairing off and having their own moments with their dates. They'd went about some of the stalls selling christmassy gifts and handmade items, exactly Garcia's type of thing and Phil was being a gentleman carrying the few bags, the fact they weren't piled high showed she was behaving for the first date. Afterwards they went to a restaurant and admittedly Spencer was enjoying hearing Phil and Luke talk about old times in the Fugitive Task Force and the whole thing easier than he's expected, the guys sharing times they pulled off some insane stunts and funny incidents. Phil in the middle of talking about the time Luke nearly blew their cover with his bad cooking, part of their false histories including working their way up in a criminal's good graces through his restaurant "…so then this one is trying to put out the fire before the target shows up, manages just barely but his sleeve is black and still smokey, he spent half an hour trying to hide his arm and keeping it out of eye line" Phil told getting a table of giggles.

"I didn't realise you were such a menace in the kitchen, newbie" Penelope said through sniggering.

Spencer adding "now that I think about it you are the one who suggests restaurants and takeout like…all the time" he teased "I don't think I've seen you make anything fancier than French toast" and that too got some giggles.

"Well maybe you could give me some cooking lessons" Luke offered with a smile "although not gonna lie I just think you look cute in an apron" he said in a flirty tone.

"Honestly Spencer I'm impressed you got French toast" Phil said "I've seen him mess up instant noodles."

"What? How?" he asked, even Luke wasn't that bad.

"That was one time," Luke defended himself "I forgot I was boiling them, they got overcooked."

Phil just laughed "yeah for like four hours…" getting everyone to look at a sheepish looking Alvez "the water boiled away after the first hour so after that he was just drying a noodle-based cement, literally had to throw the pan in the trash it was so melded to it."

"I'm afraid for my cookware now…" Spencer said as he looked to his boyfriend.

"If we were having cooking lessons I obviously wouldn't forget about it, you're cookware is safe from me" Luke argued.

It was then Penelope decided to add "you know if you ever wanna learn good Italian food, Rossi's your guy."

"Yeah and he's rich so if you repeat noodle-gate in pasta form it won't dent the bank" Phil joked and the group tried to keep their giggling in but failed miserably, better yet when Luke said "will you stop referring to it as 'noodle-gate?'" only making it funnier "besides Rossi is still working through his shovel talk with me..." Luke added and while Penelope sniggered Spencer rolled his eyes.

Phil however grew curious and asked "what do you mean 'still' working through it?"

This time it was Spencer who answered with a shy smile "Rossi's a bit uncle-ish...towards me" and Phil smirked at Luke realising the talks weren't necessarily just friendly peer level, "and Rossi being Rossi is both affectionate and threatening" both of those descriptions of the older man's efforts in equal measure.

Luke sipped his drink and muttered "he says he'd be done with the talks if I knew more Italian," earning a chuckle before continuing and being sure to put on an Italian accent when he quoted his coworker "I think I've heard the phrase 'you don't mess with family' more times this last week than when I binged that classic gangster movie marathon."

Through giggles Phil asked "So speaking of family, you nervous about meeting the folks?" directed to the young genius. Penelope was immediately intrigued and enthusiastic "oh are mama and papa Alvez meeting wonder boy?" she practically squealed.

Spencer smiled but in truth he was nervous, family is family, in the wise words of David Rossi 'you don't mess with family' and it was important that he made a good impression - he wanted to, any anxiety was mostly helped by meeting Mariana and how nice she was, if she was any indicator about the rest of the family he would be fine. "A little" he answered "but I've already met one of Luke's sisters and she was really welcoming though so I think the jitters are just part of the formality."

"Well I can tell you they're nice folks, I haven't met them much but the first time was when I missed a flight and spent thanksgiving with them," Phil reassured "I don't know how Luke is so bad in the kitchen when his mom is like Delia Smith" and Spencer smiled, feeling a bit better about meeting them.

"We're going to visit them just before Christmas so hopefully they're in a jolly mood" Spencer said, almost trying to reassure himself it would go alright.

"So soon," Penelope mused "it's not nearly enough time for me to put all the anxieties and overthinking into full effect" she joked before taking a bite of her food, shamelessly enjoying every bite.

"Oh no…however will I have the traditional emotionally crippling family experience these holidays are all about?" Spencer reacted sarcastically, his social skills night and day compared to earlier in the BAU although only Penelope could see the full effect of it and it made her grin.

Phil chuckled before saying to his friend "you know Luke, your folks might like him so much they give you the shovel talk about him!"

Luke just shook his head with a big grin and said "well I think it's about time we restore the balance a little, go on Phil..." and gestured for Phil to take his turn giving a shovel talk to the good doctor and the hilarious awkwardness left no one from giggles especially as Phil clearly drew a blank and wasn't really a 'shovel talk kind of guy'.

Spencer smiled and decided to put the guy out of his misery "it's okay, I can tell from the look in your eyes I've to 'treat him right'...'or else'" and both Luke and Garcia were in full giggle mode and Phil looked grateful that he didn't actually have to speak.

"The very idea of someone saying 'or else' to the Dr Spencer Reid just feels wrong" Phil admitted and the others agreed.

Finishing up dinner the four headed to a nearby bar for a couple drinks, the two buddies had beers while Garcia ordered a mojito while Spencer had an espresso martini, enjoying the coffee based drink JJ had introduced him to a while ago though he never drank like Penelope could, tipsy occasionally but never drunk and not one to hit the hard stuff, at least with cocktails they were mixed with so much juice and soft drinks they were more dangerous for the sugar and deceptive drinkability than anything else. They talked and joked some more, Penelope telling in great detail the whole funny scenario around betting on Tara and Matt over who would realise last.

When Penelope got up, offering to get the next round of beers for the guys while Spencer slowly sipped his martini and Luke made sure to say "no 'traffic lights', I'm watching you" jokingly but he knew better than to underestimate the blonde. She confidently replied "I won't, but I do believe my idea for traffic lights might have helped things along for you two" gesturing to the couple with a smirk "you're welcome" she said triumphantly before heading to the bar.

Shaking their heads Phil raised a brow, angling for an explanation and they were quick to explain the drinking exercise along with telling truths that happened on the night they admitted their feelings to each other, some dutch courage to face something so important. They had a little time as Penelope's drink took time to prepare, so Luke asked Phil what he thought of Garcia, implying no pressure but it was hard not to add any given the double date. Phil managed to blush against his handsome complexion and the bar's mixed lighting before admitting "she sure is something…you're stories didn't quite do the lady justice" and his smile told them it was in a good way.

When Garcia came back she gave the ice cold beers to Luke and Phil and sat with her brightly coloured cocktail, immediately sipping the no doubt sweet concoction before she ended up in her own little conversation with Phil while Spencer and Luke spoke in theirs, the music and bustle of people making enough privacy for each pair. Luke said quietly to Spencer "Looks promising so far…" about Phil and Penelope getting along, whatever they were talking about made the blonde snort with laughter and then get real embarrassed, Phil only finding it cute.

Spencer smiled "that's a relief, what happens on a double date that goes wrong?"

"Uh…run?" Luke offered getting a chuckle at the silly answer, and they found themselves just admiring each other in the lights of the bar, how rugged Luke was and the pretty boy features on the genius, as much as it was great to talk and listen, get to know the facts and stories, there was something about just being comfortable in the other's presence, enjoying the energy of your partner and the comfortable silences making your heart happy.

Luke leaned forward, hot breath over Spencer's neck and ear as he said "double date's went great and all…but man I wanna take off and get to bed" his tone making it abundantly clear he wasn't talking about sleep, Spencer's cheeks burning red immediately not expecting this talk so close to friends. Then while they were distracted and at an angle what he was doing wasn't obvious Luke took Spencer's earlobe into his mouth, caressing it with his tongue and teasing him, teeth nibbling and grazing the sensitive flesh, stubble adding to the sensations getting the genius all sorts of flushed.

Alvez pulled away with a smirk, just enough to take in his boyfriend's expression, seeing the man a little shy but undeniably on board for some excitement the moment they could get home. Spencer this time leaned in a little closer, from the outside it would seem just like they were trying to hear each other clearly in the bar but when he whispered "I'd like that…" and although he was blushing something terrible the good doctor decided to tease right back "...how about I ride you tonight?" his voice so quiet and low Alvez felt a shiver down his spine at the mere thought and Spencer sure knew how to get his engine running, the surprise of the bold use of words making the ex-ranger stare heatedly and Spencer didn't wait for an answer before whispering again and Luke didn't have to see him to know he was smirking "you being away on cases so much and me being stuck teaching's got me feeling lonely…" and the idea of Spencer waiting for him, aching for him, 'un-fucked' and dissatisfied for any length of time making Luke feel like having him here and now "you have no idea how much I miss you and your big c-" Spencer said and knew he had Luke as putty in his hands, cut off by a sudden kiss but both knew exactly which body part he was about to mention.

Cruelly however Spencer pulled back grinning, knowing full well they wouldn't be getting out of this double date quite yet no matter how much Luke wanted to just race home and have him, but on the plus side the fire in those brown eyes told Spencer he'd be getting it hard tonight and he was perfectly fine with that - looking forward actually. Luke meanwhile was stunned, his seemingly innocent and shy Spencer teasing him to the point he was embarrassingly half hard in public and having to angle his body so friends couldn't see, trying to calm himself but fuck that was hot.

Eventually Penelope decided she should leave for home, she might have a day off but she was going to drive and see her step brother so couldn't be too wild tonight and she was sure Sergio would be missing her dearly. Phil ever the gentleman and for a private moment with her saw her to her chariot, a.k.a. her cab and the couple waved they goodnights to Garcia leaving them alone. They watched as Phil and Penelope moved through the crowd to the exit, the moment they were out of sight Luke moved forward and claimed his boyfriends lips in a fierce kiss, arms shamelessly pulling the lithe body against his own.

Parting with heated smiles the pair gazed into the other's eyes "you little tease" Luke said, keeping them closely pressed against his boyfriend and nuzzling his neck, Spencer chuckling knowing he'd gotten Luke needy so easily "and hell yeah you're riding me tonight…" Luke said, hands sliding to his lover's hips and kneading him there and since Spencer started it he continued "I'll give you all the cock you can take, baby" he said gruffly, arousal clear in his voice and Spencer felt an ache in him to just get home already but they had to see the night through, being the good friends that they were.

Leaning into each other they joined in a kiss, Spencer's arms moving up over broad shoulders deepening it, tongues dancing with the other and drawing out a hot moan. Reid had never had a relationship like this, so desire fuelled and being desired as he was, sure he'd found people to be attractive or beautiful, but the heat between them, the need, was a fire that burned purely between them in just the right way. Parting they only made themselves calm down as they knew Phil would likely be back soon and eventually they were right, though the man seemed to have had a good time himself.

"Hey guys, that's Penelope safely on her way home, thanks for setting this up…seriously" he said sincerely and while he had expected to be asked about how things went or at least a cheeky 'you're welcome' instead he saw a pair of entertained smiled. "What?"

"Phil, you are covered in lipstick" Luke said and chuckled when he watched Phil realise what was said and he immediately brought out his phone using the camera's reverse function as a mirror he realised he was indeed peppered with red lipstick stains over his lips and ever a bold almost cartoonish one on his cheek. "I presume the night has went well" Luke added before passing the man a napkin to try and clean himself up at least a little. The night in general clearly having went well and maybe they should even do this again, especially if they got to laugh at the man only making the mess of lipstick worse but entirely unbothered by it, if anything more than happy to be in the mess to start with.

Quote: "Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value;
rather it is one of those things which give value to survival."

― C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves