Title: Faith
Pairing: Derek Morgan/Spencer Reid
Fandom: Criminal Minds
Rating: G
Length: 490
Summary: The faith that Reid's lover has in him helps give Reid the boost he needs to solve a case.

Dr Spencer Reid blinked furiously and forcibly resisted the urge to rub his eyes as the series of numbers that he was staring at blurred and seemed to move once more. He had been focusing on this particular sequence of numbers for the last few hours to no avail. He knew that they were of some significance, that there was something of importance hidden within them but he just couldn’t find it. And as long as he couldn’t find the relevance of the numbers, the case went unsolved and they were quickly running out of time. Someone’s life rested on him.

Fumbling for his ever present mug of coffee, he couldn’t help but moan when, as he tried to take a large gulp, it turned out to be empty. Feeling more than a little disgruntled, he turned his attention back to the dancing numbers in front of him, desperately trying to ignore the building pressure in his skull.

He didn’t know how long he had been staring at them again when he smelt the delectable scent of fresh coffee as, simultaneously, fingers threaded themselves into his hair accompanied by the low familiar rumble of his lover’s voice drifting into his ear.

“You looked as though you were in dire need of caffeine, kid.”

His eyes drifted shut with pleasure as Morgan’s fingers started to firmly massage his scalp, something that had, on occasion, sent Reid boneless and practically purring in pleasure. Now, it eased the tension that had started to build up in his cranium. Reaching out for the coffee, Reid hummed happily as the first mouthful of generously sweetened caffeine burst onto his taste buds.

“How’s it going, pretty boy?”

“There’s something in these numbers, I know it but I just can’t see it.”

“You’ll find it. If anyone’s going to find it, it’ll be you. I have faith in you, Reid.”

Reid didn’t doubt Morgan’s words. Past experience had taught him that, no matter what he did, Morgan’s faith in his abilities never wavered. Knowing that a break could only be beneficial for him, regardless of how reluctant he was to do so, Reid inhaled his coffee and allowed his mind to drift as Morgan’s fingers unerringly sought out and soothed the pockets of tension that had formed. Morgan had just eased one particularly painful and stubborn spot at the base of Reid’s skull when Reid’s brain, unconsciously continuing to solve the puzzle, connected the dots and he sat bolt upright.

“That’s it!” He scrabbled for pen and paper, hand flying furiously across the page as he collated the data. “I know where he’ll strike next. Get Hotch and the rest of the team!”

Reid was so wrapped up in what he was doing that it was only after Morgan had left the room that he registered the kiss that Morgan had bussed against his temple and that murmured words.

“Never doubted you for a second, pretty boy.”