Quiet as a Mouse || Abused Spencer Reid

Chapter One - Painstaking

   "Enough! I've had it up to here with you and you fucking idiocy, if I had any sense in me I'd have left you already!" The screaming echoed through the room, rebounding off of the walls, and Spencer, who up until this point has been cowering against the counter, was grabbed roughly by the arm by his boyfriend, Jackson, who proceeded to yank him downwards -- his knees hit the floor hard, with a dull knock, and Spencer resisted crying out in pain. 

   "Ple-please, Jackson. I'm s-sorry, I didn't mean to offend-" 

   "Shut up! Just fucking shut up, or I'll give you a good reason to be sorry. I swear to god, if I have to deal with your shit for another minute, I-" Tears were brimming in Spencer's eyes at the harshness of his boyfriend's tone, and before he could regulate himself, he let out a sob. He was acutely aware of how pitiful he sounded. 

   Jackson stopped, moving quickly to grab the cowering man's hair and force him to look up at him-- Spencer's eyes were blown wide with fear and his lower lip trembled as he was forced to make eye contact with his boyfriend. It felt like he was being physically burned, but as soon as his gaze jumped away, he felt the rough hand bunched on the back of his head shove him, face-first, into the tiled floor. 

   "J-Jacks, please, no- Jacks- I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" He screeched, voice rising as his mind ran wild in its panic. 

   "You're a wuss, Spencer! This isn't who I got together with!" 

   He'd been screaming in this way for the past hour. When Spencer had gotten home from work, he had unexpectedly found his boyfriend already there, sprawled on the sofa, which was unusual, considering he usually didn't get back until an hour after the younger man did. 

   It was then he found out that Jackson's boss had fired him earlier that day, for "inappropriate workplace behaviour", with no notice. He also worked in law enforcement, and Spencer knew he'd liked that job, so he was aware how horrible he probably felt right now. Of course, that also meant that Spencer would have to take the brunt of it, with Jackson taking his frustrations out on him. 

   He understood that, given that only recently, he'd told Jackson that he didn't like him drinking himself stupid every time something stressed him out. Of course, the man hadn't taken that well, but that meant that he had to find release some other way. So really, this wasn't his fault so much as it was Spencer's. 

   He heard Jackson growl, then a familiar boot connected briefly with his ribs. 

   "I don't know what I see in you sometimes, Spencer. Get yourself cleaned up." 

   Spencer sensed more than saw the older man walk over to sit down on the couch, the TV turning on, and from that moment on, things evened out mostly. 

   He painstakingly dragged himself to stand. There were only a few specks of blood on the floor, but his head was throbbing, which made him a bit queasy. He didn't think he had a concussion, but he'd check anyway, just to make sure. 

   It's alright, he tried telling himself as he knelt there, cleaning up the mess that had been made in the sudden blowout. The movements were familiar to him, having become almost natural in the past year and a half. It's going to be normal again soon. Just wait it out. 

   "Spencer!" He started violently at the sound from the next room over. "I'm starving! Start up on dinner, will you?" 

   "Of course!" Right. There was his next task to keep him distracted. This would be fine. 

   Jackson had refused to take his food out to the dining table, opting to instead eat there on the couch, calling his boyfriend over as well. 

   "Bring some beer, too." He was silent as he complied, handing it over, holding the bottle by its neck.