Husband and Wife - Aaron Hotchner
summary: working alongside Aaron Hotchner at the BAU means most people have no idea you’re married. But when a local detective starts taking a little too much interest in you during an out-of-state case, Aaron’s patience begins to wear thin— until he finally decides to make your relationship impossible for anyone to misunderstand
authors note: I hope you enjoy. Your support for my writing is very much appreciated 🥰💗💗
The thing about working at the BAU with your husband is that people rarely realize you’re married.
Aaron Hotchner isn’t exactly the type to wear his heart on his sleeve. He doesn’t hover around you, doesn’t sneak kisses in hallways, doesn’t drape an arm around your shoulders during briefings. To everyone else, he’s Unit Chief first and husband second.
He’s the man who brings you coffee exactly how you like it before every flight. The man who always notices when you’re tired. The man who calls you sweetheart in a voice so soft nobody would ever believe it came from the same person who can stare down serial killers without blinking.
You keep things professional. You don’t want your marriage becoming office gossip, and honestly, the team respects that.
Reid figured it out three years ago because he noticed Aaron unconsciously turns toward you whenever someone raises their voice.
Which is exactly how you find yourself in the middle of a homicide investigation in Colorado with a problem neither of you expected.
His name is Detective Ryan Walker.
And Detective Ryan Walker has decided he likes you.
The first time Aaron notices it, he says nothing.
You’re standing at the local precinct reviewing victim files when Walker appears beside your desk.
“Need anything?” he asks.
You smile politely. “Just the autopsy reports.”
Aaron looks up from across the room.
Aaron tells himself he’s imagining things.
Then Walker starts finding excuses to be around you.
If you’re there, somehow Detective Walker is there too.
You notice it eventually.
Mostly because Morgan notices it.
“Oh, he’s got it bad,” Morgan says while the two of you wait for coffee.
But then Walker appears from nowhere holding your coffee.
The exact one you’d ordered.
Morgan doesn’t even try to hide his laughter.
Unfortunately, Aaron sees it too.
And Aaron is handling it… poorly.
Which means nobody else notices.
You notice the slight tightening of his jaw whenever Walker stands too close.
You notice the way Aaron’s answers become shorter whenever the detective directs questions toward you.
Walker seems completely oblivious to the fact that your husband is staring at him like he’s considering several felony-level solutions.
One night, after fourteen straight hours on the case, you finally find Aaron alone in the conference room.
He’s reviewing geographical profiles.
You close the door behind you.
His eyes lift immediately.
The tension in his face softens.
You walk over and sit beside him.
For a moment neither of you speaks.
Then you reach for his hand under the table.
His fingers immediately lace with yours.
Aaron stares at the case file.
His expression remains perfectly serious.
“He’s a local detective.”
“He hasn’t actually said anything inappropriate.”
Aaron finally looks at you.
You smile despite yourself.
His expression softens immediately.
“You’re the only person I want.”
You lean over and kiss his cheek.
The faintest hint of pink appears on the tips of his ears.
The case drags on for another four days.
Four days of Walker appearing beside you every chance he gets.
Four days of Aaron pretending he isn’t bothered.
Four days of Morgan looking increasingly entertained.
Then everything goes sideways.
The unsub takes a hostage.
And by the time the case finally ends, every nerve in Aaron’s body is stretched dangerously thin.
The arrest happens just before midnight.
The team gathers outside the precinct while paperwork gets finalized.
You lean against a patrol car while waiting for Aaron.
At this point you’re almost impressed by his dedication.
“Looks like we’re done here.”
“I was thinking maybe before you leave town—”
You already know where this is going.
Not because you’re interested.
You actually feel bad for him.
Because standing twenty feet away is Aaron Hotchner.
And Aaron has definitely heard that.
Before you can finish, a familiar voice cuts through the night.
Looking every bit like the Unit Chief everyone fears.
Except his eyes are fixed entirely on you.
The detective straightens.
Aaron doesn’t answer him.
Instead he stops directly in front of you.
Close enough that your heart immediately starts racing.
For a second, the world seems to disappear.
Then Aaron reaches up and gently brushes a strand of hair behind your ear.
The gesture is unexpectedly intimate.
The detective looks confused.
Morgan, somewhere in the background, starts grinning.
Aaron never takes his eyes off you.
“You ready to go home, sweetheart?”
You feel your lips twitch.
Aaron’s hand settles against your waist.
Completely unbothered by the audience.
And suddenly Walker understands.
Aaron finally glances at him.
The look he gives the detective is perfectly polite.
Which somehow makes it worse.
“My wife and I have an early flight.”
The silence that follows is spectacular.
Aaron’s arm tightens slightly around your waist.
Just enough to remind everyone exactly where he stands.
The detective immediately looks horrified.
You bury your face against Aaron’s shoulder to hide your smile.
Walker mutters several apologies before practically fleeing the scene.
The second he’s gone, the team loses it.
Garcia is cackling over speakerphone.
Aaron ignores all of them.
Then he leans down and presses a quick kiss to your forehead.
Right in front of everyone.
A collective chorus of shocked noises erupts from the team.
For once, he genuinely doesn’t care.
And when he looks at you, all the jealousy and frustration from the last week has vanished.
Replaced by something much softer.
Something that belongs only to the two of you.
His expression finally breaks into a rare, genuine smile.
