Hollow Men
Feb. 14th, 2007 01:00 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
why_me_why_notTitle: Hollow Men
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
why_me_why_not
Fandom/Pairing: Criminal Minds, Morgan/Reid
Rating/Word Count: PG, 800 words
Beta:irisgirl12000 (any remaining mistakes are mine)
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Criminal Minds. No harm intended.
Summary: Set directly after the events of "Sex, Birth, Death", Morgan checks up on Reid.
A/N: I'm a geek and was very excited when TS Eliot was quoted on the show, and I wanted to write something using other lines from that poem, which is one of my favorites.
Reid stepped out of the shower to the combined sounds of incessant pounding on the front door and his cell ringing from the bedroom. Rolling his eyes, he quickly made his way to the door. He knew who it was, and he was probably lucky the door hadn't been kicked in already. He opened the door slowly, peeking from around it to hide the fact he was only in a towel, and stared expectantly at his visitor.
"Dammit, Reid, I was about to kick the door in."
See how well he knew his friend?
"Why aren't you answering your phone?" Morgan demanded, pushing his way into the small apartment.
"I was in the shower --" Reid started.
"For the past two hours? And you didn't hear me banging on your door? The bathroom's only one wall away."
"I didn't hear you; I was lost in my own mind."
"Reid."
"Joke, sorry." Reid fiddled with the edge of his towel, pulling it more securely around him. "Jeez, Morgan, I just want to be alone for a while, okay?"
"No, it's not okay. You at least have to pick up the phone when we call! Quit worrying us!"
"Why are you worrying, and who is us?" Reid could tell this conversation was going to go downhill fast, and it would probably be better if he was at least partially clothed. "Look, you know what, nevermind. Can I at least get dressed before you finish yelling at me?"
Morgan looked Reid up and down, slowly, as if he had just now realized that he was naked and dripping wet. "Go ahead. I'll make coffee." Morgan didn't wait for a response, just turned around to make himself at home in Reid's tiny kitchen.
Reid stared after him for a moment, shaking his head, before heading to his bedroom. He needed some time alone, some time to think and try to process what had happened. He didn't want to admit that he had actually been in the shower for most of the last two hours, standing under the spray of water long after it had gone cold, trying to wash away the traces of blood on his hands, wishing the water could cleanse away the guilt he felt. It hadn't worked, of course, but he had tried.
Reid's mind was still racing, replaying, berating, and being lost in thought must have made him slower than he realized because he had just managed to slip on a pair of pants when Morgan was tapping on the open bedroom door, a mug of coffee in each hand.
"Lost in your own mind again?" The question should have been teasing, but the look in Morgan's eyes was much too serious.
Reid took one of the cups and stepped away from Morgan, clearing his throat. "You get Garcia home okay?"
"Yeah, she's a little freaked still, and she was worried about you, but she's fine now." Which meant that while he was making coffee, Morgan had called to let her know that he was here. The Protector. Too bad he couldn't protect Reid from his personal demons.
Reid crossed over to stand by the window, staring blankly out into the darkness. He saw Morgan watching him through the reflection on the glass, but when he closed his eyes to block it out, he still felt the scrutiny of that gaze. "You see that I'm okay; are you going to stand there and stare at me all night or are you going to go home?"
He heard the slight 'clink' of the coffee cup being set down seconds before he felt Morgan wrapping his arms around him from behind. Reid tensed, wanting to resist the touch.
This is the way the world ends.
Reid was used to analyzing and overthinking everything in his life. If he could take the situation apart, figure out each piece, he thought he could make it make sense. It didn't always work, of course, but Reid had never found an escape from the world inside his head -- hadn't even realized he was looking for one -- until Morgan.
This is the way the world ends.
"It's not your fault," Morgan said quietly.
"But I should have --"
"No. You did everything you were supposed to, everything you could have done." Morgan's voice was calm and steady, soothing. "It's not your fault.. Let it go."
This is the way the world ends.
Morgan was the only one who could pull Reid away from reality, the one who had taught him to push aside the thinking and just feel. As his reality shifted from the dark events to the day to the sensations Morgan evoked in him, he realized how much he had come to rely on and welcome the escape. He relaxed into Morgan's touch, a quiet whimper slipping from his lips, and just let go.
Not with a bang but a whimper.
Author:
why_me_why_notFandom/Pairing: Criminal Minds, Morgan/Reid
Rating/Word Count: PG, 800 words
Beta:
irisgirl12000 (any remaining mistakes are mine)Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Criminal Minds. No harm intended.
Summary: Set directly after the events of "Sex, Birth, Death", Morgan checks up on Reid.
A/N: I'm a geek and was very excited when TS Eliot was quoted on the show, and I wanted to write something using other lines from that poem, which is one of my favorites.
Reid stepped out of the shower to the combined sounds of incessant pounding on the front door and his cell ringing from the bedroom. Rolling his eyes, he quickly made his way to the door. He knew who it was, and he was probably lucky the door hadn't been kicked in already. He opened the door slowly, peeking from around it to hide the fact he was only in a towel, and stared expectantly at his visitor.
"Dammit, Reid, I was about to kick the door in."
See how well he knew his friend?
"Why aren't you answering your phone?" Morgan demanded, pushing his way into the small apartment.
"I was in the shower --" Reid started.
"For the past two hours? And you didn't hear me banging on your door? The bathroom's only one wall away."
"I didn't hear you; I was lost in my own mind."
"Reid."
"Joke, sorry." Reid fiddled with the edge of his towel, pulling it more securely around him. "Jeez, Morgan, I just want to be alone for a while, okay?"
"No, it's not okay. You at least have to pick up the phone when we call! Quit worrying us!"
"Why are you worrying, and who is us?" Reid could tell this conversation was going to go downhill fast, and it would probably be better if he was at least partially clothed. "Look, you know what, nevermind. Can I at least get dressed before you finish yelling at me?"
Morgan looked Reid up and down, slowly, as if he had just now realized that he was naked and dripping wet. "Go ahead. I'll make coffee." Morgan didn't wait for a response, just turned around to make himself at home in Reid's tiny kitchen.
Reid stared after him for a moment, shaking his head, before heading to his bedroom. He needed some time alone, some time to think and try to process what had happened. He didn't want to admit that he had actually been in the shower for most of the last two hours, standing under the spray of water long after it had gone cold, trying to wash away the traces of blood on his hands, wishing the water could cleanse away the guilt he felt. It hadn't worked, of course, but he had tried.
Reid's mind was still racing, replaying, berating, and being lost in thought must have made him slower than he realized because he had just managed to slip on a pair of pants when Morgan was tapping on the open bedroom door, a mug of coffee in each hand.
"Lost in your own mind again?" The question should have been teasing, but the look in Morgan's eyes was much too serious.
Reid took one of the cups and stepped away from Morgan, clearing his throat. "You get Garcia home okay?"
"Yeah, she's a little freaked still, and she was worried about you, but she's fine now." Which meant that while he was making coffee, Morgan had called to let her know that he was here. The Protector. Too bad he couldn't protect Reid from his personal demons.
Reid crossed over to stand by the window, staring blankly out into the darkness. He saw Morgan watching him through the reflection on the glass, but when he closed his eyes to block it out, he still felt the scrutiny of that gaze. "You see that I'm okay; are you going to stand there and stare at me all night or are you going to go home?"
He heard the slight 'clink' of the coffee cup being set down seconds before he felt Morgan wrapping his arms around him from behind. Reid tensed, wanting to resist the touch.
This is the way the world ends.
Reid was used to analyzing and overthinking everything in his life. If he could take the situation apart, figure out each piece, he thought he could make it make sense. It didn't always work, of course, but Reid had never found an escape from the world inside his head -- hadn't even realized he was looking for one -- until Morgan.
This is the way the world ends.
"It's not your fault," Morgan said quietly.
"But I should have --"
"No. You did everything you were supposed to, everything you could have done." Morgan's voice was calm and steady, soothing. "It's not your fault.. Let it go."
This is the way the world ends.
Morgan was the only one who could pull Reid away from reality, the one who had taught him to push aside the thinking and just feel. As his reality shifted from the dark events to the day to the sensations Morgan evoked in him, he realized how much he had come to rely on and welcome the escape. He relaxed into Morgan's touch, a quiet whimper slipping from his lips, and just let go.
Not with a bang but a whimper.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-02-14 02:59 pm (UTC)I also really dug your barsmex one as well. But I've never seen that show. I just thought it was hot. Period. End of story.
But I MISS QAF DAMNIT
That is all. Carry on ;)
no subject
Date: 2007-02-14 10:11 pm (UTC)The barsmex was hot. And you don't have to have seen the show. You've seen pics of the boys haven't you?
I miss QaF too! I wanna have a weekend to rewatch my favorite episodes and then maybe I could write something!
*carries on*
no subject
Date: 2007-02-14 04:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-14 10:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-14 10:48 pm (UTC)Write on!
no subject
Date: 2007-02-15 03:22 am (UTC)I've got irons in the fires of like four or five fandoms, but CM keeps pulling me away from the others. Tonight's episode spawned mad amounts of bunnies.
no subject
Date: 2007-02-15 03:04 am (UTC)There should be more of the smexing of them, I think. There's a dearth of wellwritten Morgan/Reid.
*eyes to-be-written list*
*adds CM to that list*
no subject
Date: 2007-02-15 03:20 am (UTC)*adds CM to that list*
You make me so happy