Dazed | Spencer Reid FanFiction

Chapter 18: I Will Always Love You*

We make it through all of September without any more pictures showing up at our doorstep or any moments where we felt we were being watched. It's now October and Spencer is in full Halloween mode. I am half in Halloween mode and half in Spencer's birthday mode. We are at Home Goods now, Spencer is having the time of his life. This is our first Halloween in the new house and he's so excited to get to decorate the house and to have a yard to decorate for Halloween. I think he has picked out at least 20 different decorative pumpkins - we had to get a second cart just for pumpkins.
I consider this part of Spencer's birthday in a way and I let him go crazy for his favorite holiday. He's picking out Halloween themed coffee mugs to feed his coffee addiction further and combine his love for coffee and for Halloween. I just sit back and smile as I watch him have the time of his life. I did tell Spencer his limit was two carts and he told me that was reasonable when we entered the store, now I think he's regretting that choice. We have signs and lights and pumpkins and ghosts and dishes and mugs and so much more.
Spencer sets aside a budget specifically for Halloween every year because it's his favorite and I have started to set aside a budget specifically for Christmas every year so that I can go equally as crazy for Christmas. Spencer is a happy clam and doesn't bat an eye at the price - it's more than my car payment - and happily walks with me and the two carts to load up the car with all of his new stuff. We work together and load up the car with ease. I think the training with Morgan has helped me increase my strength and tone up so much over the last couple of months.
We immediately drive home and start setting up all of Spencer's new Halloween goodies. He's set up the signs and the decorations for the porch. I allowed him one singular Halloween inflatable for the yard. I think they're tacky as hell, but if it makes him happy then I'll let him have it. He picked out a giant pumpkin inflatable and he's angled it so he can see it from the porch and so people who drive by can see it as well. He's sitting on the porch now and admiring all of his hard work while I tidy up the house from his excitement and set up a surprise activity I have picked out for us.
       I picked out a painting activity for us, so I'm setting up two easels with canvases, paint palettes with the paint already in them, paint brushes, cups with water, and paper towels. I lit a fall scented candle and set up "Hocus Pocus" to press play on the tv screen when he comes back inside. The last thing I have to do is take the slice and bake Halloween themed cookies that are currently baking out of the oven. As I'm pulling them from the oven I hear the front door open and foot steps from Spencer walking in and towards the kitchen. He stops in his tracks when he takes in the scene before him and asks "what's all this?" I smile as I put down the cookie sheet on a hot pad and tell him "a little Halloween themed surprise. I know it's your favorite so I have a few tricks up my sleeve this year."
Spencer smiles and raises his eyebrows a few times in response. I chuckle and nod "a few of those tricks, too, yes." He chuckles and walks over to me "so I get tricks and treats this year? I don't have to choose?" I laugh heartily and shake my head "you get all of me, Dr. Reid." He smiles and says "I wouldn't have it any other way, Mrs. Reid." He pecks my lips and kisses down my neck a little bit before I pull away. I tell him "we need to do this activity together before we just end up in bed together all night."
        He laughs and nods "true. I'm still on a Home Goods Halloween high." I hum and tell him "which is why we are having a Halloween themed painting night with cookies and "Hocus Pocus." Go put on some clothes that you won't mind getting paint on them." He kisses me once more and nods "yes ma'am." He winks at me and I just about lose my resolve to see this activity through.
        I am letting the cookies cool and waiting for Spencer as I press play on the movie. Spencer quickly returns in an old t shirt and sweat pants, glowing with excitement. I smile at him and we get started on painting our versions of the sample picture I picked out. It's a cute little ghost holding a pumpkin. We angle away from each other so we can't see what the other one is doing. I paint a little pink bow on my ghost and make my pumpkin a happy Jack o lantern. I paint a bunch of stars in the sky and a full moon. Spencer is still painting with his tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth when I'm done, so I start painting other little pumpkins on the grass to make it look like my ghost is in a pumpkin patch.
Spencer is blushing and nervous when he tells me "I'm ready. I'm proud of it, but I know it's not the best." I give him a smile and tell him "I just know it's going to be great." He blushes harder and says "flip them on 3?" I nod and we count together "1, 2, 3." I gasp in shock and awe at the fact that Spencer's picture looks like it was from a Tim Burton film of some kind. Spencer's eyes widen at my ghost and he says "wow, yours looks awesome." I smile and tell him "thanks, Spencer. I love yours! Very Halloween-esque." He blushes and tells me "mine isn't as good as yours is." I laugh and shake my head "there is no better or worse, we just use different styles. I for one am very grateful for that added diversity in our relationship."
He smiles and closes the distance between us, pecking me on the lips. He asks me "how about we cuddle on the couch with the cookies and watch another scary movie?" I hum "that sounds like an amazing plan." We gather all of our things and cuddle up on the couch together. We picked a new movie, "The Nightmare Before Christmas." We are watching it from the beginning as I ask Spencer "what do you want for your birthday, Spencer?" He smiles "I have everything I could ever want right now." I blush and shake my head "that doesn't help me plan your birthday." He chuckles and says "I just want something simple, no surprises this year. There's been enough of those lately."
I nod in agreement. He tells me "Garcia and Morgan keep wanting me to go with them to check out some new bar. Why don't we just plan for the team to join us and we can celebrate then? Just something small and fun together." I smile and nod "that sounds great. Want me to bake something?" Spencer hums and says "a chocolate cake." I smile and nod "your wish is my command, birthday boy." We kiss for a few seconds when I ask him with a fake pout "does the no surprises rule mean I can't surprise you after the bar at home that night?" Spencer laughs and says "I'll be very disappointed if you don't." I grin broadly and nod "okay, your wish is my command, baby."