HotchReid the narcissist conversation
By the time of season 2, Hotch and Haley's fights had been a regular thing. Jack's one then, they started to need more bonding activities for the kid besides eating and bathing. Meanwhile, the team was struggling after the fisher king case.
Hotch and Reid had always hit off since the beginning. He was Spencer's mentor, senior, role model in many perspectives. But they also shared dry humor, nerd culture, old souls, and just overall respect and admiration for each other. That led to the many many debates and arguments just for the sake of knowledge and entertainment between them.
In one of the fights, Haley accidently called Hotch a narcissistic because his devote for the job and the title hero (she later then apologized because we all said horrible things in a fight, but the deed was done).
He couldn't let it go and it came up in a psychology discussion with Reid. He didn't out right say it, but Spencer could read between the lines that Hotch was seriously considered he was saving people for his own ego.
To Reid, Hotch was one of the most selfless people he'd ever known including Marie Curie. He just went out of his way, using all the data, statistics, observations, interactions he had of the man to defend Hotch against, well Hotch (he was too angry to track down where this thought had came from). He even dared to bring up the religious household and bottomline abusive childhood due to the outburst emotion. He did that with such passion, anger, and protectiveness Hotch had never witnessed in the past 5 years they'd worked together. Remember in the early seasons, Reid always approached the victims and suspects with this soft young innocent kind way of his, not the passive aggressive and confidence he's gained within the next years.
So at this point their relationship was still platonic and professional with a healthy dose of trust and connection. Therefore, they both was surprised by the blatant deep adoration Spencer just showed. While Hotch didn't know what to do with the butterflies set free in his stomach, Reid was confused and embarrassed. Let's say it's a strangely important moment for both of them. And that's how Reid was so sure Hotch would remember it and get his message. All that trust and hope ended up with the shortest hug Reid has had with the team throughout the 15 seasons but also the first he initiated.
"I knew you would understand."
