The Evening
Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.
He caught fish from the stream – granted not very big ones but there were a few. Hotchner remained strangely withdrawn and quiet, his blanket tucked up on his knees.
Reid got dressed again and sat with his back to a tree looking at Hotch.
"Right." Floyd stood and rubbed his hands together. "Just over there are something's I need to make this food taste good and I am sure I saw something I can smoke. You two wait here. I will be just over there. Not out of sight ok?"
Aaron kept his head down. Spencer shrugged. "Whatever."
A frown across Floyd's face. They needed a boost and he was fresh out of smokes. "Spence you want to come and help?"
"No – I don't know what you are looking for."
Floyd shrugged and walked over towards some long grass at the edge. He started plucking stems and pulling up roots. Spencer watched him for a while and then walked over to Aaron and sat down.
"Hey." He said quietly. "You alright?" A very tentative hand reached out and touched Aarons knee.
Hotch just sat looking at it. "What's going on Spencer?" His voice was low – almost a whisper.
"Going on with what?" Fingers tightening on his knee.
"With you. With him."
Spencer had never seen Hotch like this. This wasn't the self confidant Hotch he knew so well. This wasn't his protector. He wasn't sure what this person was.
"Nothing which hasn't been going on for years. Nothing will ever change with him. He will always be the same." Reid looked over to where Floyd was collecting bit for the food and to smoke. "He's OK. He loves me Aaron. He would never hurt me."
"What are you talking about Reid? Just think about what you just said."
Reid got up and went back to where he had been sitting. Floyd was just coming back again and sat down with the fish and carefully prepared them. He got one ready and skewered it.
"Aaron." He handed the fish over. "Just hold it over the fire. You will know when it's done." He moved to Reid. "Spence – here." He gave him a fish on a stick. "Just do what Aaron is doing. Be careful. Don't burn yourself."
Flanders sat back and watched. His internal smirk got bigger.
He laid out on his lap a mix of herbs and leaves and grasses. He also had some large leaves. Like the waxy ones Hotch had found earlier, but these was beginning to dry out. He rolled himself the most vile evil looking smoke known to mankind and smiled at it. It lit with a 'fwump' when he put it to the flames of the fire. Then moved back and watched his two men eat. The smoke from the revolting thing he had made drifted over towards Spencer who was sitting chewing on his fish. Reid looked up pulling a face.
"This tastes strange Floyd. What did you put in it?"
'Like I am going to tell you that.'
"Stick more of those herbs in it." He gestured towards a pile of stuff on the floor.
Reid shook his head. "It's ok." It was unlikely that something which made the fish taste funny was going to make it taste good by putting more funny tasting stuff in it so he carried on eating it, even though it seemed to have a strange bitter taste to it.
Floyd watched Aaron picking at the fish and then back to Reid. He got up and walked over and then sat down with Reid. He watched him finish his food then offered the smoke.
"Here – mild painkillers in the grasses and berries, if you inhale."
"I don't smoke."
"You're not a junky drug addict either. It will help. Promise."
Reid awkwardly took it from Floyd. He looked up to see Aaron looking back at them and put the smoke to his lips.
He coughed and wanted to be sick. Beads of sweat popped out on his forehead and trickled into his eyes. It made his feel woozy and dizzy but he managed a sickly smile.
"Thank you. I'm not sure that is going to help though."
"Oh believe me Sunshine. It will do you the power of good." He gave his dog a friendly pat on the head and returned to where he had been sitting. He sat and looked over at Aaron and winked.
As the night drew in they each sat and watched the other.
There was no way in hell Reid was going to sleep. He didn't trust Aaron – or was it Floyd? He was getting confused about all of this now. One minute needing them both so much it hurt, yet the next not wanting to be anywhere near either of them or just wanting to be held and feel safe, or feeling that passion.
Aaron just sat and looked from one companion to the next. He was tired and headachy and actually needed to sleep. "I am going to take an hour or so. I need to recharge. Wake me up later."
He didn't wait for a reply. He wasn't expecting one and he didn't get one. Reid just sat and looked at Aaron curled up under his blanket and suddenly again felt that overwhelming need to be there too. Spencer yawned and looked at Floyd who was looking right back at him.
"Feeling tired? Lay down. I won't be sleeping."
"I don't want to sleep." His eyes were beginning to lose focus.
"I know you don't, but you look tired. Just relax for a while."
Reid tried to get up and move over to Aaron, but his legs wouldn't let him. He didn't think he had ever been this tired. He looked over at Floyd who was looking back at him. "What did you do to me?" His voice not much more than a whisper.
"Nothing babe. You know I would do anything to harm you. Just relax. I will be awake." And he watched Reid slowly slide sideways with a sigh. Floyd got up and moved over to him holding another smoke. "Spence?" A gentle tap with his toe. "Are you sleeping?" A shake now and smoke blown in his face.
A sudden stomach churning need came over him as he looked down at the drugged and sleeping form. It would be so easy and in the state he is in he probably would never even know but he knew he was still bleeding and the last thing he wanted was a dead Spence. That just wouldn't be right. He sat next to him for a while and then rolled him onto his back. Hot kisses on an unresponsive mouth; his hands ran over every bit of Spencer he could reach.
"You are so lucky you are in the condition you are in Spence." He ran his tongue over the sleeping mouth and then stood up and looked over at Aaron. This was the prize he was really after. This was what this had all been about. Now to go in with his winning ticket and make a claim. One more blast of smoke at Spencer who looked quite like an angel on his back there and now suddenly the urge to hurt. Again he looked over at the sleeping Aaron and then back to Reid. He crouched down and pulled his shoulder so he was laying on his side facing him. Defenceless and beautiful. Floyd stood up. His boot made hard contact with Reid's ribs and Floyd heard the sleeping Spencer let out a gasp. No blood though. He was in the mood for blood. The kick to Reid's face split his lip and made blood run from his nose.
"That's more like it." He watched the red ooze trickle down the side of his face for a while and then moved back a few steps. He wanted to remember that image. It gave him shivers down his spine and caused his toes to curl up inside his boots. Again he looked over at Aaron and now slowly made his way over to him.
"Aaron? Are you awake?" A sleepy muttering in reply. That was good, he didn't need him to be fully awake, just aware enough. He lay down behind Hotch and pulled the blanket over them both. Reid's ripped shirt was pulled from Aaron's hands and thrown the side. "We wont need that anymore." He wrapped his arms around the sleeping agent and planted soft kisses on the back of his neck. He felt Hotch adjust the way the was laying to permit Floyd to pull him in tight and close.
Floyd could smell the scent of manly sweat and leaf mould in Aaron's hair and his hands unclipped the jacket and then slowly and carefully unbuttoned the top few buttons on his shirt. He slid in his hand against the warm 'You can't have everything – every-time.' skin. Floyd let out a soft moan of delight which was matched shortly afterwards by Aaron.
He didn't sleep. He hardly ever slept, but tonight he allowed his brain to relax and enjoy himself fully. He now knew what Spencer experienced when with this man. Total unadulterated peace. He closed his eyes and buried his head into the back of Aaron's neck.
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