#to then all the excitement and chaos that is the luke in LA situation

[pretty-boys-book-club]

Congratulations on 100 followers! I’m excited for your holiday celebration! I was immediately drawn to Movie #6 Nightmare Before Christmas, with Ralvez please? Just knowing how extra Spencer is about Halloween, how cute to see him bond with Luke over that 😍

Pumpkins scream in the dead of night

Pairing: light Spencer Reid x Luke Alvez

Warnings: Mentions of blood, other than that PURE FLUFF.

Word Count: 3.1k

Prompt: Person A is convinced that Halloween is the superior holiday. After growing tired of the same Christmas decorations at the office, they decide to stay the night redecorating, even requesting the help of Person B to turn the holiday cheer into holiday fear.

Author’s note: This is part of my 12 Days of Christmas (100 Followers Celebration). There’s still time to request another prompt, as requests will close on December 12th. Here you can find all the details!

Spencer could list a hundred different reasons why he didn’t enjoy Christmas. As someone who wasn’t raised particularly religious, the holiday season was just another time of year for him. He was born in Las Vegas, so he never experienced the snow filled white Christmas so many songs talked about. And the idea of holiday perfection that our culture encourages, inundated with images of families happily enjoying each other’s company during an idyllic holiday meal, was never something he experienced. His memories were of him filled with guilt over his mother not having the Christmas celebration she so coveted, knowing that even if sometimes she wasn’t well enough deep down she wished for a Christmas celebration, ate at him. That’s one of the worst things about being a sad and lonely kid, though…you think you’re alone in feeling that way. You don’t realize at the time how many other people out there are sad and lonely during Christmas as well.

It wasn’t that he hated the holiday, but if it were up to him, he'd quietly exile himself from the merrymaking so as not to dim others' bliss like a burned-out bulb on an otherwise twinkly light strand.

The fact that every year Penelope put up the same old decorations around the office aggravated the situation. It was obvious that a really long time ago someone had gone to some effort to decorate the tree, but by now, after over ten years of using the same poor plastic pine tree, it looked like it’d given up its will to live. Garcia always put up some variation of tinsel and baubles, but the lights don't even reach the top. Or, you know, cover the rest of the tree properly. Also, the team really only had time to put it up on December 10th – but then maybe Spencer should be grateful to not have to look at it for any longer…

It was just a depressing reminder that another year was almost over. In the cold, dark, ash-end of the dying year, it was always hard for Spencer to even wake up and go to work, so tired he was from the job - let alone fa-la-la along with the rest of the festive public.

He didn’t want to drag anyone else into his darkness and take the shimmer off their start but he was fed up. He was done with having to wear the same old ugly sweater he wore on every Christmas celebration, hoping it would successfully mask his despair from others. Most of the team, especially JJ and Matt, we’re too caught up in the holiday chaos, squeezing last minute shopping into their breaks, having to organise a dinner for their family, making plans as to where they would spend their Christmas, that Spencer could just fade into the background. It took too much energy to plaster on a grin and say “happy holidays” as people in the grocery store greeted him. He couldn’t find the time or the will to decorate his home, bake cookies, attend holiday performances, shop or wrap presents.

It was so different from Halloween. While it begins to get colder in the fall, the temperature is still rather bearable and even somewhat comfortable. Christmas being a winter holiday means that it’s very closely associated with the cold and snow of the season, something Spencer was sure many people, himself included, dislike. The cold freezes roads, has us up to our ankles in snow, and has us trying our best to stay warm for months.

Halloween also tends to be a far more relaxed holiday as it’s really just one night of fun trick or treating, going to a Halloween party, or even just staying home and watching scary movies. Even the decorations for Halloween tend to be more fun and creative than for Christmas, making Halloween less stressful than Christmas in pretty much every way.

Spencer was a lonely kid, but on Halloween night, he was the king of his street. He used to stare at the rows of houses and feel impossibly powerful, the nights spent awake working on his costume paying off with buckets and buckets filled with candy and adoring comments from the adults at every door. When dressing up, he could pretend to be someone else entirely different, a magician, a monster, a president of the United States, it didn’t matter - for one night only all his social inhibitions were thrown out the window. When he was wearing his costume, no one could judge him because that is what Halloween was all about. It’s always been the only day in the year when Spencer could relax, kick back and shove his face with candy. The perfect holiday.

He snapped out of his reverie when Emily asked what the rest of the team's plans were for Christmas:

“So, where is everyone going?”

“We’re taking the boys to spend Christmas with my mom back at Pennsylvania and then spending New Years Eve with Will’s family.” JJ stated happily. “I’m really looking forward to them opening their presents, I had to go to every toy store in town to find the Spider-Man doll Henry wanted. And don’t even get me started on all the baby toys for Michael.”

“Yeah, me and Kristy have really been planning for the perfect day for the kids. We’ve even hired a professional Santa. They all get so excited last year we had to stay up until two because they wanted to meet Santa.” Matt joked, eliciting laughs from all over the bullpen.

“Aw, that’s so adorable! I’m going to visit Derek and Savannah and little Hank during the break. He’s getting so big and talkative, you guys, it’s like he’s a mini-Morgan, I swear!” Penelope joined in, her Christmas tree earrings dangling around. “I even got all of Derek’s sisters matching sweaters, my brother is joining us as well. It’s gonna be so much fun!”

“Yeah, I’m spending it with Gabriel and my dad, they are very particular about how we spend Christmas so we’re probably gonna spend half of the weekend on cooking.” Tara mentioned. “I’m hungry just thinking of all the food.”

“Well, as for me, I’m gonna be hosting Christmas at Rossi’s this year, which means that I’ll be baking the perfect panettone, playing tombola and having Krystall and Hayden gossip all night long about me. But I’m excited, we’ve even set up a nativity scene on my backyard for the kids.” Rossi laughed.

“Oh, I’m sure the wine will be flowing freely too.” Emily joked. “I’m going to spend Christmas with my mom, so I’m already bracing myself for all the questions about my love life. And she’ll probably order the food from a restaurant as we both can’t cook to save our lives.” Spencer felt great that no one seemed to be paying much attention to him. But of course, just as he got up to get more coffee, JJ looked at his direction:

“What about you, Spence? You’re visiting your mom?”

“Actually…”

“Reid and Luke are staying behind in case we have any last minute cases.” Emily cut him off. “They’ve both agreed to get extra compensation for their time and will take the day off over the next bank holiday.”

“Yeah, we'll be here maintaining relentless positivity while you're gone." Luke chained in. “Really looking forward to having Reid’s ramblings all to myself.” Luke looked at Spencer right in the eye, a glint adorning his pupils.

“But won’t your families miss you?” Penelope asked sadly. “Christmas is supposed to be the perfect time to spend with your loved ones.”

“Nah, my mom is fine with having Roxy as company. We’ve spent so many Christmases alone when my dad was in the army or working on a case, it’s almost routine.” Luke looked down at his computer, really communicating how little it affected him.

“My aunts and uncles will already visit my mom, so I can see her at any other time of the year. Besides, we’ve already swapped gifts. She got me this scarf right here.” Spencer said, his voice barely above a whisper. “So I’ll be here holding down the fort.”

🎃

“Well, but you have to agree that Christmas is the most important holiday.” Luke said, boringly spinning in his chair. The duo had been stuck inside the office for at least a couple hours, no news of cases for they to consult, no phone calls, no e-mails, nothing. If it weren’t for Anderson stopping by to check if they needed any help, they would have thought that there was no one else in the entire building.

“Actually, there’s no mention of December 25th being the day of Jesus’ birth on the Bible. Most accounts place the birth from anything betweenJanuary 3rd and early April, a calculation based on an assumed date of crucifixion of April 6 coupled with the ancient belief that prophets died on the same day as their birth.” Said Spencer, much too busy writing a list of tasks he hoped to accomplish while the rest of the team was away, crossing them off one-by-one as he completed them. While he was focused, he didn’t have time to notice Luke walking over to his desk, and neither did Spencer have enough time to react before he took the paper from his hand, looking it over.

“Reorganize old files? Check if all the pens are working? Restock the coffee cabinet? Seriously? That’s how you’re planning on spending the day?”

"Give me back the paper, Alvez." Spencer stood up, but before he could get the paper, Luke was already running through the office. "Hey, give it back!"

"Or what? What is the brilliant Dr. Reid going to do?" Luke taunted, knowing that he was stronger and more agile than Spencer.

"Just... give it back to me. That way we can end the day as quickly as possible and leave." Spencer sighed. "This way Christmas is over sooner.”

Luke thought for a few seconds, measuring the options, until he decided to tear up the paper. Spencer opened his mouth and his eyes, indignant, his voice a few octaves higher: “Why did you do that?!”

"Come on, we don't have to do anything today, it's Christmas! I'm pretty sure Penelope has a DVD player around, we can go in the conference room and watch Home Alone or something.”

“It’s…I just thought since we’re stuck inside the office, might at least get some work done.”

“Reid, I swear, you're the only person I know who can take a wonderful season like Christmas and turn it into a task.”

“Christmas is overrated anyway. And I wouldn’t call this old awful decor cheery.”

“Well… If it were up to you, what would you do?”

“I would celebrate Halloween at every opportunity."

That's when a light bulb turned on inside Luke's mind: "Well, have you seen the movie A Nightmare Before Christmas?"

"I don't think so, no.”

"Really? The more you know. Anyway, you would like it, it's basically about a skeleton man, king of Halloween, who kidnaps Santa Claus and plans to deliver shrunken heads and other ghoulish gifts to children on Christmas morning.”

"What does that have to do with our situation?”

"What if... Since we're already stuck here and bored, what if we redecorate the office? With a Halloween twist." The two men were staring at each other not knowing what to do or say, what that a crazy idea? Yes, but neither seemed to care. “What if I help you enjoy Christmas for a bit?”

Anyone would have thought Luke had just told Spencer that it was, well Christmas from the grin that broke out on his face. “Really?”

“Yeah. C’mon, it’s the Great Pumpkin, Spencer Reid.”

🎃

Luke didn't know whether or not he had regretted the idea, since the task had turned out to be a bit more complicated than it had originally been. The two of them had gone to a store near the office, bought paints, papers in all different shades and other decorative items. They even stopped by the market, buying a couple of pumpkins to hollow out and put candles inside.

Spencer looked like a child filled with excitement, wrapping the sad Christmas tree in the middle of the office in a fake spider web. It felt like Luke had run a marathon, he was so tired, but every time he saw Spencer smiling, something he hadn’t done in the last few weeks, rambling a fact about Halloween and all the tradition behind it, Luke forgot all about it. He couldn’t help thinking about how adorable it was, Spencer all concentrated on painting the baubles of the tree in shades of orange and purple.

“…farmers would offer gifts and sacrifices to the gods in celebration of the winter solstice and the winter planting season. Those early rituals morphed into a holiday with a real name, Saturnalia, which honored Saturn, the Roman god of agriculture, who, like all benevolent deities, demanded his worshippers honor him with slaughtered lambs and gifts. So actually, the pumpkins make a lot of sense from a historical point-of-view.”

“That’s interesting, Spencer.” Luke was putting up cut-out of spiders and bats all around the office. It all looked kind of funny, but it seemed to raise the younger man’s spirits, so Luke went along with it.

“And, the best part of Saturnalia is that many households would choose someone to create mischief around the house during the next week, which even inspired the New Orleans tradition of hiding tiny baby figurines inside king cakes during Mardi Gras. So it’s not as if what we’re doing is completely unheard of.”

“So what you’re saying is that many of our holidays are just poor attempts at copying Roman celebrations?”

“Yeah…” Luke didn’t have to look behind him to hear Spencer dropping one of the baubles, who shattered into million pieces on the floor. “Ouch.” Spencer let out a breath, seeing his hand covered in blood.

Luke quickly rushed to his side: “Are you okay?”

“Ah, shit-yes, I’m fine, it’s just a cut.” Spencer felt so ashamed that he could dig a hole to crawl into and never come out.

“Spencer, that’s bleeding! Don’t move, there’s a first aid kit around here.” Luke’s voice came out softer and far more patient than what Spencer expected.

Spencer didn’t know what to do, so he sat down on his desk, holding out his bleeding hand and waiting Luke to return with a medium-sized pouch with a faded red cross on the side. “Keep your hand still, gimme a second…” Luke took his hand and leaned closer to inspect the wound, and Spencer resisted the urge to flinch when Luke’s breath scraped against him. It was such a long time since someone held his hand. He hoped the other man didn’t notice it.

Spencer was determined to sit through this and make it as easy for Luke to clean it as fast as possible. Luke began to dab around the gash with an alcohol wipe and Spencer let out sounds of discomfort.

“Is it that bad?”

“Just get it over with, Alvez.” He whispered, noticing how easily the space between them had melted away.  Reid focused on staring at the top of Luke’s head as he leaned over their hands once more to resume wiping the cut clean. After it stopped bleeding, Luke placed a bandaid on Spencer’s hand.

“There you go.” he said, still holding Spencer’s hand. Luke ran his hand along the back of Spencer’s palm tracing delicate vessels. Reid could feel his neck and cheeks warm, no doubt his face was red. “What do you say we change places for a bit? I can paint the baubles for a bit, maybe you can focus on the cut-outs?”

Spencer tried to hum in agreement, but it came out more like a grunt, Luke looked up at him, eyes questioning. The two stood in silence for a minute. “Why are you helping me?”

“I just don’t think anyone should spend Christmas feeling down, even if it means doing silly things in the office…Do you, erm, want to talk about it?” Luke asked, wanting to be supportive but worried about overstepping.

“There’s not much to talk about, really,” Spencer confessed. “I just never had a Christmas party or really celebrated the holiday growing up. Sometimes my mom was so confused she didn’t even notice the changes in the seasons, let alone remember to decorate or buy gifts. I just don’t get the hype.”

“Well, my abuela used to tell me Christmas was never about gifts or decor. It’s about spending time with those you care about, sharing a good time.”

“It definitely is one way of looking at things…” Spencer trailed off as he shook himself out of his thoughts and stood up, glancing at his watch. “C’mon, let’s finish this, we don’t want to spend the whole night in here.”

“Sure.”

🎃

“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO THE POOR TREE?” Penelope was in shock, as soon as she walked into the office the next Monday. “Spencer Walter Reid and Luke I-don’t-know-your-middle-name Alvez, what on earth have you done? My poor little pine.”

"Oh, come on, Garcia, it actually looks better like that." Emily stated, amusement on her face.

Most of the team was chuckling as soon as they walked outside of the elevator. There was spider webs and tiny pumpkins on all of their desks, the gifts under the tree had been replaced with clumps of coal, the kitchen had a bowl filled with candy. Their desks had an assortment of creepy decorations: from fake fingers, a severed plastic head, witches hats to a skeleton sitting at one of the chairs.

“A plus for effort, guys.” Matt joked.

“Yeah, I’ve been to many Christmas parties in my life, but I’ve never seen a decor so…” David started.

“Creepy?” Luke asked.

“Spooky?” Spencer teased.

“Dreadful?” said JJ.

“I guess you could call it that, yes.”

“Why did you even do this?” Tara wondered.

“Well, we thought the old Christmas decor was getting a bit stale and decided to improve upon it.” Luke answered.

Emily came into the office: “I’m glad you enjoyed yourselves while we where out, but we’ve got a case…”

The team quickly followed her to the conference room, Spencer stayed behind to grab a cup of coffee. When he passed by his desk, there was a tiny package, wrapped in a paper with tiny smiling pumpkins, a big bow around it. He opened the gift, wondering who had left it there. Inside, there was a DVD of A Nightmare Before Christmas, the image of a tiny skeleton on a snowy hill gracing its cover.

A note fell off from Spencer’s hands, he recognized Luke’s messy handwriting: “Merry Christmas.”

🎃 SPOOKY tag 🎃 : @alexontheinternet @ralvezhq @tobias-hankel @lilliesthings @lil-stark @sweetandsunny @honeyreid

#criminal minds fic #ralvez #criminal minds #cm #luke alvez #spencer reid #ralvez fic #ralvez fanfic #ralvez fanfiction #luke alvez/spencer reid #luke alvez x spencer reid #spencer reid/luke alvez #spencer reid x luke alvez #ralvez fluff #spencer reid fanfiction #spencer reid fluff #cat writes #cw mention of blood #tw blood