Skylar Grey – Love the Way You Lie

Six months ago, Morgan would have left when Reid came home and told him conversationally that he'd fucked another stranger in a bar. Six months ago, however, Reid hadn't been sick, at least not sick enough to notice. Now it feels like a kick in the chest, but Morgan holds the pain in.

"Did you use a condom?" he asks, and then suddenly Reid is laughing.

"What? That's what you care about? When did you stop caring, Derek? When did I stop mattering to you?" He becomes hysterical quickly, as he was apt to do these days. "What the fuck is wrong with you? You don't fight for me! You don't love me!" Reid launches at Morgan from across the room, and Morgan barely defends himself as blows and scratches meet his flesh; he brings his arms up to cover his face and turns his body away. "You don't love me!"

Morgan's blood is caught under Reid's fingernails and he's the worse for wear before Reid finally relents, turning in tight circles and muttering to himself as he drums his bloody fingers against his temples.


Rosie Thomas – Since You've Been Around

It was raining when Reid turned up at Morgan's front door. The universe seemed to have a sense of narrative sensibility, that Reid's mission to confess his feelings should be met with a downpour that left him soaking through to his bones.

"Derek," he said, in the light filtering out from the hallway. "I'm not sure how long I've been in love with you, but it seems like it's all I can remember ever feeling."

Morgan reached out and pulled him into the warmth, a hand cupped his jaw and he pulled Reid close for a kiss. Reid was wet through, drips of water falling off the strands of his hair, but that didn't stop Morgan lacing his fingers through it.

"Stay," Morgan muttered, his lips so close they brushed against Reid's with the request.


All Thieves – Turn and Turn Again

They're still bleeding when they're finally put in a room together. It can't simply be an act of mercy, but after twelve days of torture neither of them care. They both know they're going to die.

Reid is gentle as he grips Morgan's arms, but the lacerations under his palms still start to bleed again. Morgan's face is a bloody, bruised mess, and Reid isn't faring much better. When they kiss, they both realise the other is missing teeth. The kiss is full of blood, but it doesn't matter, because this is their last moment together on earth, in a metal cell with a bloodstained floor.

If Reid cared about anything anymore, he might have been able to work out how many of his bones were broken. But it didn't matter, not when nobody was coming. He presses urgently into Morgan, who wraps his arms – of which at least one was broken – around Reid, and they hold each other, lit up with pain and relishing the last of each other.


Bon Iver – Woods

They stayed in bed all day.

Morgan turned his face into the pillow in the morning, at the time he was getting nausea like clockwork, and Reid knew he was crying. He had information about pregnancy symptoms continuing for a few days after a miscarriage, but it wouldn't help Morgan to hear it. It wouldn't help him to say it.

The fact that sometime in the night Morgan had moved away from their embrace informed Reid's lack of attempt to initiate physical contact. He didn't want to upset him more, but the idea that the highly tactile man didn't want to be touched made him physically ache.

He wanted to make it better, but he couldn't fix over a year of trying and three months of happiness that had ended so quickly.


Joshua Radin – Lovely Tonight

Reid wore blue slacks, a white shirt and a grey-with-silver waistcoat and tie. His long hair was styled effortlessly, a little too perfect and neat to be accidental, but JJ had done a great job of making the soft curls look natural. If onlookers didn't know, they would never have guessed that just three hours earlier he'd been intubated and on a ventilator.

Morgan had Garcia to thank for his matching outfit, except for a charcoal shirt and dark blue tie. The table at the restaurant was decorated in similar colours, sparingly though, since Garcia had only had a few hours to mastermind it; a blue tablecloth, dotted with silver star confetti.

Reid was weak on his feet, but managed to stay standing as Morgan and Reid affirmed their relationship for the first time officially in front of their friends, and toasted over the domestic partnership paperwork they'd file at the earlier possibility. They sat down for a meal, and celebrated surviving. Morgan took Reid back to the hospital before dessert, imploring everyone to stay and celebrate for them.

In Reid's hospital room, under the gaze of a nurse that wanted to get Reid back on an IV as soon as possible, they stood together and swayed, dancing to an unheard tune.


Katy Perry – Thinking of You

Once he started dreaming of Morgan, there was no way to stop thinking about him. Every time Ethan touched him, Reid felt Morgan's hands. Every time Ethan told him he loved him, Reid smiled and didn't return the sentiment. It only seemed to make Ethan more determined, only made him try harder. He'd kiss him everywhere and make his body feel so good, but he couldn't get rid of the imagines. As he gripped Ethan's back and gasped, if he closed his eyes he could imagine Morgan against him, his flesh damp and his hands everywhere.

Even as Ethan spooned against him and told him he loved him again and Reid feigned sleep, he desperately wanted it to be Morgan instead.

He wondered if Morgan ever thought of him.


Morgan Page ft. Greg Laswell - Addicted

Reid can twirl well enough, but he can't dance like Morgan can to up-tempo music, can't sway and curl and undulate like his boyfriend can. The magic of watching is why going out to clubs has persisted as a couple's activity for them. At first he gives Morgan his blessing, and watches as he dances with other people. Morgan gets a read on him pretty quick, and pushes the boundaries, titillating his boyfriend as he sits at the bar.

Eventually it's not enough though, and one night Morgan drags Reid onto the dance floor. He's embarrassed, but Morgan puts his hands on the man's hips and guides him; he's awkward and he notices the side-eyeing he gets from other people. But the next time, all of that fades away as he notices the way Morgan is looking at him; enchanted, hungry, captivated. He is doing that, his baby-giraffe dancing is making Morgan practically mount him on the dance floor. It's the first thing he discovers he really likes about this sort of dancing.


Scars On 45 - Insecurity

"Why do you love me?"

Reid was taken aback by the question, as they sat together on the couch. He blinked several times, and continued to massage Morgan's hand with his fingers, kneading the palm.

"Because you're spectacular."

"I'm not," Morgan murmured, tugging his hand away.

"Yes, you are."

"I'm really not."

"Derek, you make me happy. You make everything more worthwhile. You are the person I trust most. I love you because I can't help it. I love you because you're the only person in existence that inspires that particular cocktail of chemicals in my brain."

"You are such a geek," Morgan breathed, but his tone was fond and he leaned in to rest his head against Reid's shoulder.


Tracey Chapman – Behind the Wall

The first time Morgan heard it through the thin walls, he went right around. Reid answered, looking dishevelled but smiling, and assured him everything was fine.

The second time, there was loud banging, and when Morgan went to investigate Reid wasn't smiling, and barely opened the door.

The third time, he heard Reid scream for mercy, and he couldn't pretend it wasn't happening, that walking away was the right thing to do. He kicked in the door and gathered Reid up, spiriting him away.

Reid stayed for two days.

The fourth time, Morgan was out, and arrived home to police cars and an ambulance outside of the building.


Sara Bareilles - Gravity

They both knew it couldn't work, not while they worked on a team together. Somehow words were not enough to stop them tumbling into each other again and again.

"We can't," Morgan breathed, even as Reid hitched up his shirt and touched the heated skin below.

"I know," he said, without stopping. "It would never work."

"It's too complicated."

"Take me to bed, Morgan."