Reid's never been good at gift-giving, which probably shouldn't be the case considering he's usually able to assess lifestyles and pleasures just be observing a person and their common surroundings but Reid thinks the real problem is that he always overthinks it. The BAU had tried an office Secret Santa once, putting a $25 limit on gifts, but Reid had pulled Garcia and ended up spending close to $200 on products from a particular makeup brand he'd seen her use once. When she'd opened the gift, everyone had gone silent before turning to Reid all at once with accusatory (and amused) glances while Rossi had asked, "Really? He couldn't have pulled me?"
The following year, Secret Santa had been noticeably replaced with the simple deliverance of candy canes to every one the team.
So it's fair, he thinks, to be a little nervous when Luke tears at the wrapping paper and carefully slides the miniature wheel from its box. His friend goes silent for a moment, and Reid almost says something about how he'd kept the receipt and can easily return it when he catches sight of Luke's expression. He looks... pleased, not in the way that Garcia had when she'd realized just how grand a bounty she'd received from Reid that one year, but in exactly the way Reid had hoped he would.
He knows it couldn't have been easy for Luke to reveal so much of himself that night, to express the sort of things Reid isn't sure he'd be able to himself in such an eloquent way. There'd been a calmness in Luke's tone that evening, an acceptance that had been evidence enough of how unashamed he is about the man he's become, the werewolf he's become, and he'd trusted Reid to pay the same respect in his response. Luke needn't have worried, Reid had already decided by the time the story had reached the part about Valentine suggesting Luke kill himself that he could never walk away from this man. He knows that Luke is more than capable of protecting himself, but Reid has tasked himself with making sure that he never gives Luke any cause for unnecessary pain.
They may speak of difficult pasts when they're together, but it's only because of the trust they've come to have in one another. Reid wouldn't tell just anyone about what has happened in his life, about the horrors he's seen or the troubles he's faced and in fact, Luke is the only one who knows about any of it in Darrow so far. There's a reason for that, a very good reason, and it's expanded to include this sight of Luke right now, holding the reminder of that night in the park close to him and smiling the way he is. Reid only wishes he could reach for his phone to take a photo of this moment because he wholly appreciates the fact that he's played a part in inspiring that smile.
When Luke tells him to follow him, Reid offers no objection. He hasn't said anything yet because he doesn't know what he could possibly say that wouldn't degenerate into mumbling or stuttering because what he wants to explain is how much that night at the amusement park had truly meant to him. He wants to tell Luke that every time they see each other, his heart feels like it's expanding for him, for this easy rapport they've developed, and for everything he thinks and envisions when he walks away. It's not that his mind is constantly on Luke, he has other obligations and things of interest to attend to, of course; but he can't just explain away how Luke pops into his mind randomly throughout the day with friendship. Morgan had been his friend, but Reid hadn't wondered more than once what it might be like to kiss him. JJ had been his friend, but Reid hadn't spent a great deal of time imagining her hands exploring his body and finding all the most sensitive parts of him.
It isn't just infatuation, Reid knows what that consists of and this is so much more. This is stronger, he feels drawn to Luke, and he doesn't know why that is but then again, he's not sure he needs to know. All that's clear to him is that he feels comfortable here, safe and content, and doesn't feel that way with most people. He's seen too much to trust too quickly but with Luke, things have been different. Things have been easy.
"I'm glad you like it," he finally says, his voice soft as he stands in the doorway to what's obviously an office with his hands tucked in his pockets. "I wasn't sure if it'd click with you the way it did with me, I just-- Anyway, I thought about getting you a book of poetry, but I figured you'd already have it and buying from the competition just seemed cruel."
He pauses, biting down on his lip as he toys with whether he ought to say what he does next. "Did I tell you, by the way?" He shifts, feeling his wallet in his back pocket and knowing very well that he hadn't spoken to Luke of this yet. "I got another one of those poems in my mailbox. Cummings this time, this beautiful excerpt from 'somewhere i have never travelled, gladly beyond.' It's funny, really. Every time I get another one, it reflects things that I've been feeling myself." He lowers his eyes, unable to hold Luke's gaze, and toes at the floor. "I really need to find out who's sending them to me because they're clearly worth knowing."
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The following year, Secret Santa had been noticeably replaced with the simple deliverance of candy canes to every one the team.
So it's fair, he thinks, to be a little nervous when Luke tears at the wrapping paper and carefully slides the miniature wheel from its box. His friend goes silent for a moment, and Reid almost says something about how he'd kept the receipt and can easily return it when he catches sight of Luke's expression. He looks... pleased, not in the way that Garcia had when she'd realized just how grand a bounty she'd received from Reid that one year, but in exactly the way Reid had hoped he would.
He knows it couldn't have been easy for Luke to reveal so much of himself that night, to express the sort of things Reid isn't sure he'd be able to himself in such an eloquent way. There'd been a calmness in Luke's tone that evening, an acceptance that had been evidence enough of how unashamed he is about the man he's become, the werewolf he's become, and he'd trusted Reid to pay the same respect in his response. Luke needn't have worried, Reid had already decided by the time the story had reached the part about Valentine suggesting Luke kill himself that he could never walk away from this man. He knows that Luke is more than capable of protecting himself, but Reid has tasked himself with making sure that he never gives Luke any cause for unnecessary pain.
They may speak of difficult pasts when they're together, but it's only because of the trust they've come to have in one another. Reid wouldn't tell just anyone about what has happened in his life, about the horrors he's seen or the troubles he's faced and in fact, Luke is the only one who knows about any of it in Darrow so far. There's a reason for that, a very good reason, and it's expanded to include this sight of Luke right now, holding the reminder of that night in the park close to him and smiling the way he is. Reid only wishes he could reach for his phone to take a photo of this moment because he wholly appreciates the fact that he's played a part in inspiring that smile.
When Luke tells him to follow him, Reid offers no objection. He hasn't said anything yet because he doesn't know what he could possibly say that wouldn't degenerate into mumbling or stuttering because what he wants to explain is how much that night at the amusement park had truly meant to him. He wants to tell Luke that every time they see each other, his heart feels like it's expanding for him, for this easy rapport they've developed, and for everything he thinks and envisions when he walks away. It's not that his mind is constantly on Luke, he has other obligations and things of interest to attend to, of course; but he can't just explain away how Luke pops into his mind randomly throughout the day with friendship. Morgan had been his friend, but Reid hadn't wondered more than once what it might be like to kiss him. JJ had been his friend, but Reid hadn't spent a great deal of time imagining her hands exploring his body and finding all the most sensitive parts of him.
It isn't just infatuation, Reid knows what that consists of and this is so much more. This is stronger, he feels drawn to Luke, and he doesn't know why that is but then again, he's not sure he needs to know. All that's clear to him is that he feels comfortable here, safe and content, and doesn't feel that way with most people. He's seen too much to trust too quickly but with Luke, things have been different. Things have been easy.
"I'm glad you like it," he finally says, his voice soft as he stands in the doorway to what's obviously an office with his hands tucked in his pockets. "I wasn't sure if it'd click with you the way it did with me, I just-- Anyway, I thought about getting you a book of poetry, but I figured you'd already have it and buying from the competition just seemed cruel."
He pauses, biting down on his lip as he toys with whether he ought to say what he does next. "Did I tell you, by the way?" He shifts, feeling his wallet in his back pocket and knowing very well that he hadn't spoken to Luke of this yet. "I got another one of those poems in my mailbox. Cummings this time, this beautiful excerpt from 'somewhere i have never travelled, gladly beyond.' It's funny, really. Every time I get another one, it reflects things that I've been feeling myself." He lowers his eyes, unable to hold Luke's gaze, and toes at the floor. "I really need to find out who's sending them to me because they're clearly worth knowing."