Work Text:
Of Innocence and Empathy: A World Awakening
by Frogg
Reid, Morgan's subconcious whispered to him as he dozed, half asleep, strangely aware of the intense attention being paid him.
Gentle fingers ghosted over his back, redrawing his tattoos in tingling sensation.
He could feel the longing, the hesitance in Reid's touch, in his gaze.
Then the sharp stab of guilt and self-loathing, the questioning and comparing, dragging him from the edge of sleep.
Some days his gift of empathy was a curse, and usually at the worst possible times.
The darker emotions fled, locked away, the burn of hatred and rage banked for another, a better, opportunity, to be drowned once more in sadness.
Morgan couldn't leave Reid like that, let those raw emotions fester, any more than he could stand the brand of Reid's fingers where they rested atop the blade of shoulder.
"Reid," he rasped, voice rough with sleep and muffled by the pillow held close.
An unnatural stillness, a faint catch of breath, the sudden tang of fear. Then motion, Reid moving away.
Dredging up the energy to rotate his neck, turning towards the window, and Reid, Morgan sighed. "You're thinking too loud."
"I," Reid stammered, barely over a whisper. He sounded as if he were about to cry. "I'm s-sorry, I-"
Morgan sighed again. "Can I make this easy on you?"
Reid gulped, eyes wide, body drawn up into a half-sitting position ready to flee. "I-I...wha, what are, um." Words failed him.
"I'll take that as a yes," Morgan rumbled, suppressing a laugh. Start with the biggest piece, he told himself. "You're not Carl."
Color blossomed on Reid's face, turning him a painful shade of red.
"We'll talk more later, but yes, I..." Morgan wasn't ready to face some things. What Carl had done wasn't the only bridge he still needed to cross. "...care about you. I want you. I'm not making love to you for the first time in a cheap hotel room, especially when we're both exhausted. You have every right to touch me however you want. I know you won't hurt me." He paused, watching Reid's posture straighten, the muscles tensed for flight relaxing, watching the fear and guilt fade, to be replaced by dawning hope and... "Just don't spoon up behind me," Morgan added, avoiding.
Blinking, Reid nodded. "I, I won't, I mean, I-"
"Reid." Exasperated.
"Um. Thinking too loud?"
"C'mere." Morgan slid his left hand closer to Reid in invitation.
Moving slowly, as if he were trying not to startle a dangerous predator, Reid crept towards Morgan.
Morgan waited, watching through half-closed eyes until Reid crawled closer, then reached out and snagged him around the waist.
Reid let out a startled yelp, struggling weakly, instinctive and half-hearted, but was helpless as Morgan pulled him closer and pinned him half beneath Morgan's body.
Peering down at his prize, Morgan smiled. "Did I miss anything?"
Looking rather shell-shocked, Reid swallowed. "Um, no?"
"Good." Morgan leaned down, kissing Reid softly, chastely, before settling down half beside him. "Now go to sleep."
Reid touched his lips with the hand not trapped beneath Morgan's body. "Y-you...you said..."
"I'm not making love to you. Didn't say anything about not kissing you. Now go to sleep." There was fond exasperation thick in his voice, growing fatigue and patience wearing thin.
"O-okay," Reid answered in a small voice, finally letting muscles tensed in his abortive fight for freedom relax, sinking back into the mattress.
Morgan felt Reid's heartbeat calm beneath thin skin, felt lips pressed to his shoulder, the quick, wet swipe of tongue, the hot rush of breath over his collarbone. Then a handful of choked words, the salt-scent of tears, and nothing.
end