ā” people's favs: Apples (luke castellan) & Scandalous (luke castellan)
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ā” about me: call me T, 21, infj, a Swiftie (rep & ttpd girlie), ravenclaw, cabin 6, very indecisive (hence the username), hopeless romantic š„
ā” current obsession: spencer reid š
ā” requests: CLOSED, but feel free to talk to me
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Please do not redistribute my work anywhere, I do not give permission for this or any translations of my works. I only publish on 3 platforms under the same username (Tumblr, Wattpad, AO3), so if you see any of my writings elsewhere, please contact me. All works are fully written by me and not generated by any AI. Also do not feed any of my works to AI, I will never ever give permission for that. Characters mentioned/written about belong to their authors/creators. Photos on fics are from Pinterest, unless stated otherwise.
Blind profiling by @shadowww-bunny
No case in BAU history had ever felt as complex or baffling as the one Morgan suddenly overheard developing behind the closed doors of the conference room.
Fun Fact by @indecisivemuch
You came in to work every day with a fun fact, determined to catch the BAU's genius with one that he wouldn't know
His Hoodie by @22marie16
Hard launching to the team by accident. You wear his hoodie on the jet plane back after an exhausting mission, and everyone notices.
The Fourth | s.r. by @blluesiide
Domestic fluff
Attention by @reidspurpleescarf
3 times you touch Spencer's hair, and 1 time he gets to enjoy it.
Sweet Storms by @sweet-t33a
Domestic fluff
SMUT
Playing Dirty: pt.1 / pt.2 by @reidloverr
I wonder what would happen if you decide to cheat in a chess game against Spencer..
Dead dove do not eat
HEADLOCK: ch. 1 / ch. 2 by @h0lym01y
You're on the hunt for an unsub who's forcing his victims to perform carnal acts or die. What you don't know is that he's set his sights on you and your colleague, Dr. Spencer Reid.
Hey girl!! I canāt believe my tumblr algorithm has made me found you! Over a year ago, I remember being obsessed with your Luke fics on AO3. They were perfect, really. Imagine my surprise when I come across yet another incredible fic, this time a Spencer Reid one, with a familiar username. Keep up the amazing work! Iām a fan!
Aww, this means so so much to me. I'm extremely happy that you have such a positive impression of my works. I'm glad the algorithm made our paths crossed again xx
And yes, I'll definitely try my best to continue writing. Thank you for such a sweet message, I'll use it as motivation to continue!
Summary: You came in to work every day with a fun fact, determined to catch the BAU's genius with one that he wouldn't know (friends to lovers, co-workers to lovers, mutual feelings, fluff, confession)
Note: my spencer reid debut fic <3 sorry if there are any inaccuracy, just started rewatching after 3 years
Word count: 10.9k (sorry)Ā
āSmall facts lead to great knowingā - Patrick Rothfuss (2011)
āI canāt believe anybody would do something like this,ā you commented whilst looking down at the two documents in your handsāyour thoroughly highlighted case dossier and your finished report. Every new case always exhibits unimaginable horror and unfortunately, there will always be something worse than your current worst.Ā
You turned to Spencer whilst perched cross-legged on the edge of his table.
The corner of the geniusās mouth curled at your words. They were the very same ones that sprouted daily despite the nature of your job. But to Spencer, there was a strange comfort in such small repetitive murmurs of disbelief.
āI gotta agree with Rossi. This job really includes some of the worst lunatics out there.ā You sighed before straightening up at a sudden thought. āActually, fun factā¦ā You noticed the way your words peeled Spencerās attention from his report. He finally glanced up, eager for the second half of that sentence.Ā
āThe word lunatic was invented based on the belief that mental illnesses were affected by moon phases.ā You beamed at the idea of potentially providing your genius friend with new knowledge.Ā
āYeah, and it actually originated from the Latin word ālunaticus,ā which means moonstruck or influenced by the moon. The word was first used for conditions like epilepsy or overall just madness,ā Spencer replied, perking up at the thought of a potential conversation about this.
The excited smile on your face instantly faltered and you groaned in feigned annoyance. Perhaps you should have known better than to think you could out-fact Spencer and say something he had not already known.
āIs there anything you donāt know, Spence?ā you glowered jokingly.
āWell, itās hard when youāre a child prodigy and genius.ā You let out a scoff-like laugh at Spencerās cocky admission, but you knew he was joking. Despite his IQ of 187, Spencer rarely ever announced himself a genius. It was a title dubbed by those around him. You knew if you had Spencerās brain, though, you would hardly ever stay as humble as him.
āIāll get you someday.ā
Your declaration drew a snort from another work desk and you twisted around to face the source of such a faithless sound.
āYou donāt believe in me, Derek?ā You arched a brow, your competitiveness rising to the surface.
āSweet girl, I believe in you for many things, but this is just not one of them.ā
āBut surely there is one single fact out there that Spencer doesnāt know about.ā Penelope piped up from next to Derek, defending you.
āWeāre talking about the same Spencer, right? Spencer Reid? Three PhDs and an IQ of Einstein?ā JJ spoke as she made her way down the bullpen.
āActually, there is no way of measuring Einsteinās IQ as he never took the test, so to say thatāā Derek quickly interrupted Spencer.
āCome on, pretty boy. Sheās backing you up.ā
āSounds like grounds to start a betting pool going,ā Rossi spoke up as he approached the whole group, briefcase in one hand, car keys in the other. ā$20 says sheāll do it within four months.ā
āI think she can do it within three months.ā Emily chimed up from her desk.
āIām placing my bet on eight months,ā Penelope added confidently.
āAlright, and if she canāt do it within one year, JJ and I will split the win,ā Derek announced before directing his next words to you, āStakes are on, sweetheart.ā He winked.
āYeah, yeah. I got it.ā You rolled your eyes before turning towards Spencer, declaring to him with exaggerated cockiness, āIām gonna get you real soon, just wait.ā
āYouāre welcome to try.ā The challenging glint in Spencerās eyes met your own. Again, you knew better than to think that you would know something Spencer did not already know. He was practically the master of facts. But, unfortunately, you were incredibly bad at quitting.
So, let the challenge begin.
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āDid you know that Australia is wider than the moon?ā you questioned the second you saw Spencer enter the office the next morning. āFun fact.ā
āYes, diameter-wise. Australia is almost 4,000 kilometres wide, while the moonās diameter is nearly 3,500 kilometres. However, in terms of their masses, the moon is still larger.ā You sighed dramatically at Spencerās reply before spinning your chair towards your computer, turning the device on.
āAnd day one status: unsuccessful,ā you grunted to yourself, catching Spencerās grin from your peripheral vision.
āOh? Itās gonna be daily?ā
āYou bet your ass itās gonna be. Thereās a betting pool and Iām unfortunately too competitive for my own good.ā You caught the amusement dancing in Spencerās gaze.Ā
āWell then, good luck.ā
āWonāt need it.ā
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āDid you know a cloud can weigh like a million pounds?ā You crossed your arms while peering at the cotton candy-like objects floating amidst the bright blue summer sky. āFun fact.ā
Both of you had your bulletproof vests on, leaning against a car while waiting for JJ to finish speaking to the press before driving back to the precinct. Another case wrapped. Another unsub locked up.
Under the nice weather, you had your cap and Spencerās sunglasses on, having forgotten yours. He had heavily insisted so, even after you had declined a handful of times.
You turned and looked at Spencer briefly. Though, for a split second, your body stilled as the sun played in his favor, casting nice highlights to his woodsy colored locks. The light crinkle of his nose and his squinting eyes made your lips curl, cause once again, it showcased just how self-sacrificing Spencer can be when it came to the people close to him.
āYeah, because they contain different states of matter like trillions of condensed water droplets and ice crystals. Its weight is equivalent to the worldās largest aircraft working at full capacity. Though despite its heaviness, clouds have lower density in comparison to the dry air around them, enabling them to float in the same way as oil floats on water.ā Spencer tried to maintain eye contact with you despite the blaring sun shining into his eyes.
āHmmā¦ā you pursed your lips before removing your navy blue cap and placing it on your friendās head. This cast a shadow over his eyes, blocking the harsh sun from blinding his vision. āBeautiful weather to fail at winning this fun fact thing again.ā
Spencer didnāt reject the clothing item.
Some time in the history of human beings, the act of sporting othersā clothing itemsāespecially of the opposite genderāhad been made to seem important. Spencer has never understood the significance in such a small exchange. But as your hat landed on his head, Spencer felt an added weight that was beyond the small clothing item.Ā
Neither did he have it in him to adjust how you had left the cap on him, even if it didnāt sit on his head perfectly.
āI still have time to get you,ā you continued after a moment of silence.
ā359 days left.ā
āMore than enough.ā
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The clock was close to hitting 11pm. The whole team was taking a short break for a fresh perspective. Most were on their phones or taking a quick nap, but Spencer and you were playing a round of cards.
āDid you know ketchup used to be medicine? Fun fact.ā
Both Emilyās and Derekās watchful gaze panned from you to Spencer, anticipating his reaction to your daily shot at winning the bet.
āAround the 1830s, yeah. They marketed it as a cure for various ailments such as indigestion and diarrhea.āĀ
Emily instantly groaned at Spencerās reply while Derek snickered. Once again, Spencer already knew the information you provided, just like the 13 previous times.
āSee? Not a single thing he doesnāt know,ā Derek chirped up, earning him a glare from the co-worker beside him.
You finally placed your next card down, instantly eying Spencer, wanting a read of his reaction to your play. There was a distant look in his eyes, a clear indication that he was taking this game just as seriously as you were.
Your eyes swept over the rest of your opponent. The un-neat edges in his usually tidy work attire and the way his hair stuck in different directions had your lips curling. They were details that only unveil during late work hours after a long day. But strangely enough, there was something endearing about the slight tiredness in his eyes and the way his cardigan hung disheveledly on him.Ā
āI won.ā
Your eyes snapped to the pile of cards on the table at Spencerās declaration.
āWhat?! No way. You must have cheated.ā
āNow, now, donāt be a sore loser just because pretty boy over here won,ā Derek teased you, despite also highly suspecting that Reid had cheated.
āAre we talking about the same pretty boy who is banned from many Vegas casinos because of his expert skill in counting cards?ā JJ countered, placing her phone down.Ā
Your co-workersā discourse began fading out of your focus as Spencer took out a ticket from his bag and handed it to you with a cheeky grin. With hesitation, you took the paper begrudgingly. You knew you had to hold your end of the deal. You had lost, after all.
You glanced back at the winner of the card game, catching his toothy grin at your sulking manners. Against all maturity, you poked your tongue out in petulance, but such childish action had Spencer laughing quietly in his spot, eyes gleaming with fondness.
āSore loser.ā
āCheater.ā
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Hotch halted in his tracks upon spotting you and Reid in the break room.
Both of your heads were side by side, just a hair short from touching, fighting to have adequate sight of the newspaper that the two of you were sharing. Each of you also sported a pen in hand, scribbling hastily onto the delicate paper with vigorous competitiveness.
The unit chief entered to refill his coffee, though his eyes continued investigating you two. In the narrow gap between your heads, Hotch caught sight of Spencer rapidly filling out a crossword puzzle. Meanwhile, just as fast, you were solving a Sudoku piece that resided on the same page.
āDid you know, like fingerprints, people also have unique tongue prints?ā you murmured, eyes still glued onto the puzzle in front of you. āFun fact.ā
āYeah, humans have unique color, tongue shape, and textural features, therefore making it a great form of identification. However, we currently do not have the suitable technology to capture intricate surface details of tongue prints. Also, switching costs are high partially because the idea of having to stick one's tongue out in public for authentication can be seen as rather awkward, unhygienic, and undignifying.ā
You pursed your lips at another unsuccessful day. But such expression vanished when you dropped your pen on the table and declared with unadulterated joy:
āDone!ā
Your victory drew a defeated noise from Spencer.
āImagine though, having to stick your tongue out at airport immigration and place it onto a public scanner or something like that.ā You cackled at Spencer's grimace and the way his body slightly shivered from such a mental image. Eventually though, your laugh reduced to a teasing smile.
Spencerās gaze lowered to the little crinkle that appeared around your eyes as you smiled, before holding eye contact with you. Spencer knew there was no such thing as āeyes twinkling,ā but you had him doubting that scientifically established truth for a second. It was lighting and he knew that, but he had to admit that he could finally somewhat understand why poets and writers were so obsessed with dedicating lines towards such a tiny detail.Ā
Because even though there was no reason for him to, his own lips began to curl, mirroring the smile on your face.
From behind you both, Aaron Hotchner took a sip of his coffee before departing the room. Though on his way out, his eyes glinted a knowing look, while his lips lifted just the slightest bit before schooling back to a neutral expression again.Ā
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āDid you know that back then, when raising a toast, people would literally drop a piece of toast into their wine?ā you blurted out the second you slid yourself into the empty seat opposite Spencer at his breakfast table. Never have you ever skipped free hotel breakfast and today was no exception.
āWell, hello to you too.ā Spencer grinned at your straight-to-business behavior.Ā
He carefully placed the coffee he made for you into your handāa casual daily routine. You took a good whiff of the comforting aroma before humming at the first taste. It was exactly how you liked it: a dash of milk along with two and a quarter teaspoon of sugar.
To date, Spencer has never asked how you liked your coffee.Ā
He simply has always gotten it right.
It was not hard to guess that he had learnt your preferences from watching you make your coffee in the past. But you could not help but wonder if he took mental notes on others the same way he did with you. However, like every other time, you dismissed it as an occupational habit. Every member has been trained to be observant and notice little details. Spencer probably knew everybodyās coffee preferences.
āIt actually originated from Ancient Rome, and back then, toast was an act to honor the gods and people would pour wine onto the floor. However, the custom evolved in many ways over time, depending on geographic regions. Around the 1600s, it became a common custom in England and this is where people would put a piece of spiced toast into their wine. They did it to improve the flavor of their beverage and also to ātoastā to good health.ā
Spencer caught your hum of satisfaction at the coffee and instantly felt pleased.
Science has long documented humans as naturally validation-seeking creatures. Your existence often humbled him from thinking he was not a recurring participant in that particular human instinct.
His eyes fell from you to your coffeeāa particular mix that has ingrained itself into his memory since your first meeting. Funny that some time since then, he could no longer look at the beverage without ever thinking of you.
Neither could Spencer for the life of him recite the coffee order of anybody else at the BAU.
ā36 days downā¦ā you murmured, already picturing yourself rummaging the internet for more fun facts tonight.
āMaybe tomorrow.ā The words came out softly, almost encouragingly. You hummed before matching his tone.
āMaybe.ā
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āFlies rub their hands as a sanitizing act, rather clean for an insect commonly associated with dirty places, no?ā you murmured before peering up from your book whilst curled up in your seat on the BAUās jet.
āYes, itās a self-grooming act. They do this primarily for two reasons. First and foremost, itās because their legs are their flavour receptors, so they rub their front legs to ensure they can taste when eating. The other motivation is to remove dust and debris, therefore, ensuring survival.ā
Your bottom lip jutted out slightly at another unsuccessful attempt.
āIāll get you tomorrowā¦ā you murmured with a teasing smile before re-immersing yourself in the fantasy world of your current novel.
Reading has become your escapism and method of self-grounding prior to any case. You tried to plunge into fictional worlds while flying to prepare yourself for the terrible realities that accompanied upcoming cases. Though at one point, Spencer started joining in. But instead of having his own book, he would lean over and scan your current page with unrealistic speed while you leisurely let each letter sink in. It became a routine that occupied your journey from Quantico, whereas on the way back, Spencer and you maintained your tradition of engaging in chess matches.Ā
Spencer spotted your finger flipping the page once more and his eyes instantly swept over the printed words hastily.
Twenty thousand words per minute. That was Spencerās known reading speed, which meant in merely two seconds or three, he was already done with the two pages in front of you both. As always, you were still reading at your own pace, unhurried. He knew he could adopt a slower speed to enjoy your chosen fictional literature. But lately, he found himself in a hurry, rushing himself to finish pages in a way that made him think maybe he was now above his previously established reading speed.Ā
Why?
His gaze flicked over to you, mulling over the familiar details that made you, you. He studied the way your fingers trace the fore-edge of the book mindlessly, lingering on the way you tease your lips with your teeth as you registered the adventure that the story was taking you on. Spencer caught the slight shift in the space between your eyebrows and how they slightly twitch according to plot progression, displaying your commitment to your reading content.
Spencer would not classify himself as a people watcher, despite his necessary observant and analytical traits as a profiler. Yet, somehow, watching you had become one of his favorite quiet activities. In your little habits were his comfort. In moments when cases were overwhelming, his eyes have made a tendency to land on you. The spike in his heartbeat would normalize, whilst rapid thoughts would regulate. It was only in moments when Spencer would get caught by you that he would tear his gaze away sheepishly, before attempting to pretend that he was looking elsewhere instead.
The sound of paper rustling pulled Spencer out of his mind, and he instantly plunged himself into the same self-established cycle again.
And despite his fondness for literature, for once, it did not hold a candle in his eyes.
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āCows have best friends, how great is that?ā
Spencer stopped eating his ice cream the second he spotted someone passing the two of you in a cow onesie, giving away why you decided on that particular fun fact. His eyes fell back on you, glimmering with amusement.Ā
āYes, cows do have a ābest friendā who they tend to share spaces and rest side by side with. Research shows that when separated, these cows would show signs of stress and anxiety with higher heart rates.ā
You hummed at that. By now, you were used to his immediate expansion on your facts, no longer surprised or disappointed every time he added onto your words.Ā
In fact, you fondly looked forward to hearing what he had to say about whatever fact you would sprout. There was a deep sense of appreciation that you have grown for this challenge. You felt like, intellectually, your general knowledge had expanded immensely, both from researching fun facts to tell Spencer and also from the informative responses that you would receive from him.
āYou know, cows also can develop what some may refer to as āaccents.ā Research observed variations in their moos based on different regions and herds.ā Spencer leaned closer to you before adding cheekily, āFun fact.ā
āNuh uh, donāt go stealing my line. Youāre not allowed to put me out of business.ā
This tore a laugh out of Spencer, and you immediately bit back a smile at such a sound.Ā
If humans have the ability to bottle noises for keepsake, you know now what sound you would try to capture.
Surprisingly, this was only the second time that Spencer and you had spent time together one-on-one out of work.Ā
With the working hours at the BAU that forced you and all your co-workers to be in close proximity for an extensive amount of time, you tend to allocate your scarce free time to those who were outside of your work circle. But something about spending time with Spencer today had struck you with an epiphany:
You really, really wanted to see Spencer outside of work more often.
Both your phones started ringing at the same time.
āPenelope, is everything okay?ā you answered quietly.
āEmily?ā Spencer whispered at the same time into his phone.
After a few seconds, you both ended your respective phone calls before slowly turning to face each other again. You scanned yours and Spencerās outfit before sighing.
āThereās not enough time to go home and change.ā The devastation in your voice was imminent.
āI know.ā
A few minutes later, both of you entered the office, and almost instantly, the noise level declined significantly as the whole team paused their actions. You winced, knowing immediately that you two were about to be the butt of many incoming jokes.
āWhoa, what time period did you guys travel back from?ā Emily teased.
āWe were at a convention, okay?ā You huffed, picking up your go-bag from under your desk for a change of clothes.
āAnd you two are dressed up asā¦?ā Rossi crossed his arms, undoubtedly amused.
The team scanned over both of your outfits. Spencer was wearing a brown fedora hat, an oxblood colored corduroy jacket, and grey pants. Despite the only semi-chilly weather, he also sported a colorful striped knitted scarf around his neck. As for you, you were in an all pink attire, but what stood out was your long pink coat, high pink boots, and long white scarf.
āThe fourth doctor and Romana II, from Doctor Who,ā Spencer answered, grabbing his go bag.
Derekās eyes comedically bulged out at that, and he immediately spun his chair towards you. āBlink twice if Reid is blackmailing you with something to make you go to this convention with him.ā You laughed at his remark.
āListen, remember the card game I lost two months ago? Thatās why I had to go, but when I actually started the show, I really enjoyed it.ā You raised your hands in surrender.
āOh, we lost another one. She got Reid-ified,ā Derek exclaimed dramatically before placing a hand on his chest in jest heartbreak, grinning at your eye roll.
By now, Spencer had returned to your side with his go-bag. Though just as you two turned around to head off and change, an abrupt flash halted you both in your steps. Blinking away the after-effect of the blinding light, you saw Penelope with her phone facing you two and a cheeky grin on her face.
āWhoa, whoa, whoa. Delete that,ā you immediately instructed, hands on your hips while your brows furrowed in fussiness. You then sucked in a deep breath and used your hand to comb through your hair before a smile broke your feigned annoyed expression. āI was not ready.ā
Then, with dramatic flair, you posed properly for the camera, grabbing Spencerās scarf exaggeratedly with both hands while tugging him lightly.Ā
Spencer was unsure if his knees had buckled due to a slight loss of balance or from your proximity. He glanced at the camera, face slightly flushed, before witnessing another flash go off, evidencing his blush and putting it on record.
Your hands were gone from his scarf like a breeze.Ā
āAlright, Iām gonna go change now.ā By the time Spencer registered your words, you were already gone. All that was left at the spot you previously occupied was his attention. Spencer's eyes eventually moved when he heard a quiet giggle from Penelope, who was indescribably entertained by the dazed look on his face.
The tech expert slowly angled her phone towards Spencer to show what she had captured, and she carefully observed Spencerās contemplative gaze. His eyes landed on you first, and they softened at the sight of your beaming face. They then traced the slope of your smile and the crinkle of your eyes before reluctantly trailing down to your hands and the way they bossily clung onto his scarf.Ā
The sentiment of pictures has always been just a concept to Spencer Reid. He does understand the logic behind peopleās attachment to colored captures of moments and why people have āimportantā photos in their wallets or have framed physical copies. But personally, he rarely ever practiced it. Yet, in this precise moment, he suddenly wanted to begin.
Without even looking at himself in the photo, Spencer murmured to Penelope:
āCan you send that to me, please? Thank you.ā
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āWhere is she?ā Derekās gaze darted up to his friend. One glance at Spencer and the man already knew who he was referring to.
āGarcia said she called in sick this morning. Why?ā
āNothing.ā
Derek scanned over Spencer from head to toe properly this time. Realisation flashed through his eyes before the man smirked as he looked back down at his work.Ā
Ah, the perks of being a profiler.
āSure, pretty boy.ā
āWhat was that looāāĀ
The sound of Spencerās phone ringing interrupted his question. He took the device out of his pocket, and the phone almost flew out of his hand when he saw your name flashing on the screen. He immediately picked up and placed the device beside his ear, breathing out your name in greeting.
Instead of your usual cheery tone, Spencer was met with a muffled voice and snifflings.
Immediately, his body stiffened.
āAre you okay?ā He was by his desk within seconds. His fingers grazed over his jacket, as if prepared to scoop the clothing up and dash out of the office if your answer indicated any distress.Ā
āMy nose is blocked. Both sides. Itās horrendous,ā then came a dramatic sigh, āIām becoming a mouth breather, Spence.ā
Your melodrama tore a laugh from Spencerās throat.
Derekās lips curled discreetly at the noise.
āAnyway, donāt think you can escape your daily fun fact just because Iām not physically in the office.ā Spencer was glad you were not physically with him, because if you were, you would have seen the idiotic grin stretching his face. But how could he not smile at your stubborn resilience, and the cute sound of your nasally voice that was slightly more high-pitched than normal.Ā
āYouāre sick, and you took a day off work, but not off the fun fact thing?ā
āIn sickness and in health, as they say.ā
Spencer accidentally snorted at your words and immediately cleared his throat in an attempt to cover it.
Derekās brows scrunched at that.
āApparently, while wired to specific scientific machines and whatnot, two lucid dreamers can have two-way communication in real time. How cool is that?ā Spencer hummed fondly at your words before sitting down, his plan to flee from office hours long gone.
āThatās quite a recent fun fact. The study was recently concluded just about two years ago,ā his voice came out soft as he focused on any sound that the technological device beside his ear could carry over from your end.Ā
He caught your hum, though the sound resembled the same one you always did while sitting next to him on the jet as the team flew back to Quantico. The noise that often preceded the soft landing of your head on his shoulder and the way heād sit straighter up to accommodate you entirely despite his germaphobia-led touch aversion.
āYou should sleep and rest,ā he whispered, despite wanting to hear your voice for longer. But selflessness came easy when you were in consideration.
Spencer carefully began listing all the things you ought to do later to get better. But halfway through, he noticed the lack of noise from the other end, except for your rhythmic breathing, signaling your sound asleep state. Spencer sighed before removing the phone from his ear. He stared at the device in long contemplation before clicking the end call button.
Finally placing down the device that signified his only contact with you today, Spencer flipped open todayās case dossier. However, he found himself re-reading the first sentence over and over again. His eyes kept scanning over the same words, and he felt the way they slid past his comprehension the same way small external details occasionally would escape his notice whenever he spent time with you.Ā
Spencerās mind kept trailing back to the phone call and to you.
Itās familiarityāhe tried to tell himself. Humans were, afterall, creatures of habit, and considering you have been swirled into his daily routine like a necessity, it made sense that the lack of your presence had set him off balance.Ā
Eventually, Spencer got up and went to the break room for coffee. But the second he opened the cupboard and his eyes landed on your mug, he felt his mouth run dry.Ā
For the past one and a half years, he has always made two cups of coffee instead of one at the start of each day.
His eyes darted to his mug right next to yours. The idea of separating them sent some sort of ache in his heart, even if logically they were just ceramic vessels.
Perhaps he had mislabeled what missing someone meant all along, because your absence was bringing a hollowness that nobody had managed to carve out of him before. It was the kind of emptiness that made him feel incomplete, as if a piece of himself was not with him. Yet, as opposed to the expected numbness that often accompanied such a feeling, Spencer felt every second of your absence with a constant stinging ache that felt too akin to withdrawal symptoms.Ā
Eventually, Spencer shut the cupboard and returned to his desk, coffee-less.
That evening after work, Spencer made a detour instead of going straight home, missing the way his friends huddled together, exchanging hushed whispers about his departure.
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Twenty two hours, forty eight minutes, and thirty one seconds.
Spencer witnessed as time quietly slipped through the cracks of his remaining strength.Ā
The whole bullpen lacked the life his work family usually colored in. The janitor had long shut off the main lights, so the only thing illuminating the space near Spencer was his desk lamp. Everybody else had gone home except for Hotch, but the unit chief was in his office, leaving Spencer as the last man standing in the bullpen.
After a few more ticks, Spencer finally tore his gaze from the timing instrument and glided his vision back down to the pen in his hand, forcing it to ink his unfinished report, but words refused to string together.Ā
Spencerās free hand began tapping his desk rhythmically in a pathetic attempt to comfort himself.
Twenty two hours, fifty one minutes, and twenty one seconds.
Spencer wanted to say that it didnāt matter. Why should it? But he knew damn well that the answer was because the team mattered to him.Ā
However, perspective was truly a funny thing. Someone could be your number one priority, and you barely just made it in their list.
Spencer averted his gaze from the unfinished report to the brand new photo frame on his desk, where a captured version of the recent memory of you two as Doctor Who characters resided.
It did not take a genius to see that you two were closer to one another than with others on the team. However, the fun fact challenge had truly unlocked another level of bond. It was the kind of connection that meant he had started placing you above the others, a position that implied he also expected more from you, cause perhaps he thought you had also valued him just as much as he treasured you in his mind.Ā
So as much as the whole team was the source of his dismay, there was a spotlight reserved for your absence, one that was beyond glaring and punched his guts in ways that others could not.
His eyes traced your face in the photograph again, like they had done every morning since he had gotten the picture framed.Ā
Oftentimes, you could never be absolutely sure where you stand in someoneās life.
Twenty two hours, fifty nine minutes, and ten seconds.
A resigned breath escaped the narrow gap between his lips.
With more effort than it usually took, Spencer got on his feet, hoping that another cup of coffee would be the cure for his inefficiency. He slowly placed more weight on one side of his body to turn around. At the same time, Spencer began rubbing his face in hopes that exhaustion and melancholy would push themselves aside for a brief moment so that he could finish this impending task.Ā
When Spencer finally reopened his eyes to navigate the darkness, he froze at the sight that was once behind him.
Eight steps away was you, looking like a deer caught in headlights.Ā
Then came your escaped nervous laughter, like you were scared of screwing up, but that was only because you were unaware that you could almost never do wrong in Spencerās eyes. His heartāwhich Spencerās brain has been having a harder time controlling latelyāprovided you with a much larger margin for error than anybody else.
Your gentle tone filled the fragile silence that was intertwined with suspense.
āFun fact, birthday cakes are traditionally round as an Ancient Greek tradition to resemble the moon for the goddess Artemis.ā Your eyes crinkled as your lips curled into that familiar smile that had previously held Spencer powerless on numerous occasions. āHappy Birthday, Spence.ā
There you were, cake in hand after a long day of work on a gruesome case.
There you were, with a homemade cake after a long day of him thinking everybody had forgotten his birthday, or more importantly, that you had forgotten.
But maybe his probability was not entirely against him.Ā
āI know Iām quite late, but trust me, thereās an explanation. When I got to the office this morning, I realized that I had forgotten your cake at home. I was planning to grab it after work, but the case kept us all back so late, and then traffic was super bad because of a concert today. But hey, I got the cake now, and I really hope you like it.ā
You peered down at your own baking product and the slightly wonky penmanship before turning your eyes back onto Spencer.
āAlso, since itās your birthday, Iāll give you a bonus fun fact. There are roughly 30,000 people who have their birthdays on October 12th in the States, butā¦āĀ
Your voice fell quiet as your eyes diverted back to the cake again.Ā
āYouāre my favorite October 12th.ā
And right at that second, all of Spencerās previous attempts at rationalising his feelings via scientific explanations collapsed. For once, science could no longer shield him, because as much as it was a field built on facts of concrete evidence, there was also an undeniable truth: he liked you.
It might not be rational, but it was still a fact, and that alone terrified Spencer.Ā
And while he was your favorite October 12th, you were his favorite every day.
Spencer glanced down at the handmade cake and the singular purple candle pierced in the center. The tiny flame provided just enough light for the space between you both. His eyes then flicked back onto you, and they softened.
God, you were so clueless about the effect your actions have on him and his whole world.
One breath extinguished the fire, and grey smoke fluttered into the air.
Then, for the first time since he saw you five minutes ago, Spencer managed to form the only words he felt were worthy enough of your time.
āThank you.ā
Even if the significance behind those words didnāt reach you today, it was okay. But they carry the weight of his whole heart and every unspoken reason behind his gratefulness.Ā
Thank you for not forgetting about him today. Thank you for always being so kind and paying attention to the details about him. Thank you for being such an important part of his life. Thank you for choosing the exact career path that you did to lead you to him. Thank you for existing.Ā
And someday, maybe Spencer Reid will gather enough courage to tell you all of this.
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You halted in your step, and almost immediately Spencer followed suit. His eyesight followed yours, and he instantly knew what you were gonna ask from him.
āCome on, can you play for me? Please?ā you urged, and it didnāt take more than your pleading face to make him approach the instrument that lay abandoned in the corner of the hotel where the whole team was staying.
Saying ānoā became a significantly harder task for Spencer ever since he realised what kind of position his feelings were in when it came to you. It especially felt like an impossible task when your words came in that pleading tone and the smile that had him wishing stopping time was one of his abilities.
You followed Spencer and leaned against the instrument eagerly. You observed as he lightly cracked his knuckles, eying the mixture of ivory and ink-dark keys with a calculative gaze before placing his fingers delicately on them while his foot pressed gently on one of the pedals at the base.
For a moment, you wondered what Spencer would play. Maybe one of the classical pieces he liked a lot. Perhaps Bach? OrāĀ Ā
A familiar tune overtook the pleasant quietness in the empty hotel lobby, and recognition struck you with every flawless execution of each note.
First off, you knew he was a liar, saying he only dabbled in piano. But what caught you off-guard was hearing the piano version of your favorite song.Ā
It was things like this that made you conclude that Spencer Reid was one of the sweetest individuals you have ever had the privilege to know. From making you coffee daily to hunting down first editions of your favorite books (the most recent one in which he handed over along with soup the day you got sick and were off work). Now, he was learning your favorite song on the piano.Ā
Lucky felt like an inadequate word to describe your position in life when Spencer was in the equation.
Only when he finished the very modern composition did you speak up.
āI thought you only listened to classical?ā
āIā¦did,ā was all that came out of Spencerās mouth, but it was enough for you to catch his implication that he had learnt this song specifically on the piano for you.
Spencer sniffled, diverting his gaze from you shyly as he inspected the keys in front of him again.
Ever since his birthday, Spencer could constantly feel the urge to confess right on the tip of his tongue while his lips trembled in self-control to keep them to himself for now. According to the internet and its various articles, he should try to āwooā you first, and hence these actions instead of confessing right away. He wondered if you got his message. He wondered if you could tell this was his version of flirting. However, Spencer also knew that he had accidentally portrayed himself as an extremely sweet friend from your perspective, so thoughtful actions with the aim of impressing you romantically were most likely ruled as platonic gestures.Ā
You began toying with the ring on your middle finger, the flattery from his sweet action manifested itself through the heat beneath your cheeks. For the first time in your almost three years of friendship with Spencer, you were struck by a minor nerve-wracking sensation. There was also a fleeting stutter in your chest that you decisively ignored.
You moved on with a quiet murmur.
āYou know, humans owe squirrels a lot. They have planted at least thousands of trees.ā You gave him a soft smile when his eyes met yours again. āItās accidental, but no less a noble act contributing to the environment.ā
āYeah, they would bury nuts for later usage, but forget their locations. Many forgotten nuts can grow into trees, therefore, contributing to forest regeneration.āĀ
āAnddd another fun fact failure.ā You groaned, though your expression melted into a smile when you heard Spencer chuckle at that.Ā
āWe should head up. Itās getting late.ā
You nodded in agreement and began walking, but looked back briefly at Spencer. āBut itās not too late for an episode of Doctor Who, right?ā
An outstretched grin spread across Spencerās face at your words.
āNever.ā
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āNo way.ā You were speechless as you made way out of Spencerās car, staring at the building in front of you in disbelief. āDonāt tell meā¦ā
āYeah, itās for your favorite film,ā Spencer confirmed your suspicion.
āSo, it didnāt matter that I had lost, huh?ā
Shortly after your Doctor Who convention together, Spencer had invited you to this event that was two and a half months after. Though he insisted on keeping the details a secret, relaying only the dress codeāsmart casual, but whatever you were most comfortable with.
The secretive factor of the whole ordeal had you guessing in suspense for the entire two months, but now that you were here, you fully understood why.
This was the event that you both would have gone to instead of the Doctor Who convention if you had won that game of cards.
An orchestra movie concert of your favourite movie.
Spencer sucked in a deep breath, fingers toying with the loose threads of his cardigan. There he went again, attempting to present to you that he was an optionāthe best one, at thatāand giving signals that he was pursuing you. He has read at least five hundred online articles on the art of flirting in the past week alone. If Derek ever found his online searching history, Reid would never live it down.
āGod, this is the best thing ever.ā Seeing how pleased you were with his action made Spencer want to physically preen with pride.
Once you two had settled down inside, you took a couple of photos and observed your surroundings. You looked around at your neighboring audiences before averting your gaze to the empty chairs that were soon to be filled by instrumental experts. Your body was flooded with excitement at the prospect of finally being at this event.Ā
You decided to chime in with your daily fun fact just minutes before the concert was due to start.
āDid you know that thereās a planet that is ā made of diamonds?ā you whispered.
ā55 Cancri e, right?ā he matched your volume, shifting in the chair beside you to make himself comfortable.
āYeah, that one,ā you confirmed, turning your head back to him. āGo on, I know you have details on it.ā You encouraged, shifting yourself into a comfortable position as well.
ā55 Cancri e is a super-Earth exoplanet, approximately twice the size of Earth, though roughly eight times heavier in terms of mass. First sighted and discovered in 2004, scientists have found that it is a very hot and rocky planet with a molten lava ocean surface due to its incredibly close orbit to its starā¦ā
You were leaning into your palm while listening to him, clinging onto every word as they absorbed into your brain. The space you left in between you both out of consideration for Spencer gradually lessened as he leaned in closer the more he talked. His tone, too, grew more quiet as he went on, as if the information he was telling you did not exist in some cyclopaedia, but a secret passed in full trust.Ā
The corners of your lips curled at the twinkle in Spencerās eyes as he detailed out knowledge that previously sat in the corner of his brain, collecting dust.
Spencerās intellectual rambling will always be one of your favorite things about him. You loved hearing him talk and the way he enunciated each syllable so clearly, as well as his wordings and his tonal patterns. You should have gotten used to it by now, but it marvelled you every single time that you had the chance to listen to him talk about things you would rely on an internet search to know. Just like usual, today was no different.
Spencer Reid was remarkable. It was almost impossible to take your eyes off him when he talked. He was a bundle of many things that made him an individual worth a lifetime of getting to know.
You wondered if you were looking at him a little bit too fondly right now. But how could you not when he was whispering sweet facts to you as if he only wanted you to know of it? It felt almost as if this fun fact challenge had turned into a sacred tradition between you two.Ā
āEven though it is widely said that the planet is ā of diamond, this is actually still only a theory and yet to be proven. So, to dub it the Diamond Planet when theyāre not even sure if there are diamonds on the planet itself is likeā¦suspecting you are a quarter or half French and then introducing yourself as French to people anyway.ā
Your laughter burst out unfiltered, and you instantly grounded yourself by clearing your throat and pulling yourself away from Spencer slightly, putting yourself on timeout.
That was kind of embarrassing.Ā
The joke was slightly funny, but nowhere close to warranting that kind of laughter.
It sort of reminded you of the videos you have seen on the internet about the kind of laugh that people would let out in reaction to their crushās jokā
Oh.
You subtly slid deeper into your chair as thoughts shot in your mind at a hundred miles per second. Your fingers immediately curled into your palms to dig at it. You could not look back at Spencer in fear that he would notice that something was wrong.Ā
Oh God.Ā
But were you really surprised though?Ā
A part of you had seen it coming, because as much as you adore all your co-workers, you knew in the bottom of your heart that Spencer was the only one you were willing to lessen your sleeping hours to prolong hanging out and conversing with. Also, to be immune to such sweet actions, you would have to be some statue made of stone. For years now, Spencer had intently taken time to know you and go out of his way just to make you happy. If anything, you were grateful that your heart had picked someone so kind and worthy to give itself away to.
You glanced at Spencer from the corner of your eyes, and just the sight of him alone had your heart hiccupping in a way that you had become familiar with for the past month. It was the kind of stutter that you had outright been trying to ignore and written off as nothing. But unlike all the previous times, you knew you could no longer deny that man next to you was the reason for such palpitations.
And maybe it was also time to face it: you like Spencer Reid, your genius of a friend and very much also a profiler.
Your eyes snapped away from him the moment you realized the significance of playing it cool. You could not have him picking up the signs and figuring out that you have feelings for him. But then again, you have seen how clueless he was around women who were hitting on him and failing to pick up their signals. So, maybe he would not notice your current body language either.
Before you could think more on the matter, the lights dimmed and instruments began stringing together in a well-rehearsed manner. It was only then that you began breathing again, relieved that you had two hours to collect your thoughts and come to terms with the newly attained knowledge about yourself.
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āAlright, whatās the fun fact of today?ā you heard Spencerās voice before peering up and seeing him behind your chair, hands on the back of the furniture, looking down at you with a shy smile. The sight of his adorable expression made your cheeks heat up, and you had to avert your gaze to prevent him from spotting signs of your flustered state.
The other members just boarded the jet as well, settling into their own spots after a tiring case. You were much less the same, sporting the now more noticeable eye bags that matched Spencerās. Yet, that does not deter his gaze from the warmth they hold.
You gestured to Spencerās usual seat right next to you. Once he had settled down, you made your next move on his chessboard, resuming your current ongoing match with him. You could see the instant way the cogs in his brain started spinning. At that, you provided your fun fact of the day, hoping it would serve as a distraction.
āYou know, I read that there are more possible variations of chess games than the number of atoms in the universe.ā
āYeah, itās known as the Shannon numberāthe number of possible chess games, I mean, which is 10 to the power of 120. Meanwhile, the estimated number of atoms in the observable universe is 10 to the power of 80, to 10 to the power of 82.ā
He made his move, catching your discreet yawn in the corner of his eyes.
āFascinating, isnāt it?ā The weight behind your eyes turned them half-lidded. They landed on the chessboard, trying to formulate the next best move, but your brain refused to cooperate as a fog of sleepiness overclouded your judgments.
āYou donāt have to play now, you know. We can just play next time.ā
āNo, no. Give me a second, Iāll make my move.ā
āYouāre tired.ā
You slowly turned your head towards Spencer, and there it was again. You caught the concern leaking from his gaze, and it instantly reminded you just how caring Spencer was to those in his life and especially you. Your mouth formed a tired yet grateful smile at his expressed worry.
You felt sorry for those who have never had the opportunity to be the subject of his affections.
For a split second, you pondered the kind of doting that Spencer would do if he were pursuing someone romantically. You have never seen him express interest in any woman during your time at the BAU, despite the advances he has gotten from various good-looking women. But if he was already this sweet platonically, you were fairly certain your heart would give out at what he had in mind as romance.
Your shoulders finally slumped before a truthful sigh escaped from you. āYeah.ā
Unlike usual, where you would fall asleep and land on his shoulder while you were knocked out, he outright shifted to sit up straighter for you, offering his shoulder.
Spencer never admitted it out loud, but he had foolishly started wanting the friction of your skin against his or the fabric of his belongings. It was an impossible he thought would never occur, but here he was, anticipating the next rare moment of physical touch beside the one where his shoulder would become your pillow.Ā
Of course, he had noticed itāyour lack of touch when it came to him. He was devastatingly aware of your mindfulness of his germaphobia, and Spencer was grateful, he really was. However, your reservation to accommodate his tendencies had begun feeling like deprivation. In fact, Spencer could count on one hand the amount of times you had ever touched him deliberately, with the last one being one hundred and sixty three days ago.
But it was that particular initiative factor that Spencer deeply yearned for. He craved and awaited for a touch made with purpose.Ā
He wanted you to mean it.
You stilled at such a small action, gaze stopping on his shoulder. You did not want to over-interpret such a simple movement, but knowing Spencer, there were implications and significance in that little offering.Ā
You knew it had become a recurring thing. As embarrassed as you were, you could not help the fact that you were the type to move around a lot in your sleep. You had tried using an airplane pillow, leaning against the wall, and so many other methods. However, most of the time, you would still wake up on Spencerās shoulder before instantly jolting up and freeing him from the physical touch.
But the certainty on Spencerās face left your rejection stuck in your throat.
Hesitantly, you began shifting closer, giving Spencer just enough time to retract the offer if he wanted to. But he stayed confidently still as your head started leaning down before finally landing on his shoulder.
One single small action had Spencer questioning how much longer he could go on like this. How much longer could he keep these feelings tightly locked and concealed? Because Spencer was utterly gone for you. Gone in the kind of way where one casual compliment from you about the cardigan he was wearing had him immediately putting the item into his clothing rotation a lot more frequently.
āIām gonna get you some day, Spenceā¦ā Spencer watched as you drifted to sleep before closing his own eyes, all while he wished the flight back would last forever.
Unbeknownst to you both, the team exchanged knowing looks and discreet smiles at the sight they were witnessing. There had been nothing more obvious to them than this, but instead of intervening, they decided to let things play its course.Ā
Because, despite the uncertain nature surrounding the occurrence of events in life, this was the one thing everybody was sure was inevitable.
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The jet finally arrived back at Quantico around 11pm. Spencer had finished his report a few minutes before you did, but lingered behind as usual to wait for you. About two weeks ago, he had established a new routine between you both.Ā
āReady?ā Spencer carefully peeled your bag from your hand, checking his watch to see that it was already past midnight, marking a new day.
āYeahā¦ā you breathed out tiredly, eager to collapse in bed. āMore than ready.ā
You like to think you have kept it cool well, in general. But Spencerās new routine of walking you to your car after work had you a nail tip away from laying all your cards bare and revealing your feelings. Even on days when you finished your report first, he would walk you to your car before returning to the office. But the thing was:
Spencer Reid rarely ever drove to work, which meant he was going to the employee parking lot every day with you for no reason.Ā
Well, for no reason but you.
The elevator began making its descent from the sixth floor with both of you inside. You were listening carefully as Spencer discussed an academic paper he had read last night. The doors soon jerked open, revealing the fairly empty parking lot. At the sight of your car, you subtly began slowing down your steps, biting back a smile when you noticed him mirroring your change of pace.Ā
You observed as he animatedly gushed about the methodology of the research paper, paying particular attention to the tiny detail of his body language. The way his hands were passionately waving around, exaggerating certain points Spencer was trying to make. The flutter of his eyelashes as he blinked a bit faster than he usually wouldāa habit that often occurs when he speaks quickly, as you have learned. The smooth movements of his lips as his mouth tried to rush out words to match the pace of his incredibly brilliant brain.
Now that you were looking at his lips, you have to admit that it was kind of hard to look away.
Suddenly, an idea brewed in your mind, and it felt like the holy grail had finally landed in your lap. Who would have known that a random Thursday would be the day you ought to finally win this challenge and put Spencer in checkmate.
āSpence?ā Your lips curled mischievously, observing the way Spencer halted in his steps at your tone.Ā
God, despite being subjected to harsh and unflattering parking lot lights, Spencer still had the audacity to look good in a way that tugged at your heartstrings. The sight had you questioning if he was capable of ever looking bad. His warm eyes colored with interest as he eagerly awaited your next words. You took a couple more steps forward, wanting to hide the plotting expression on your face.Ā
āFun factā¦ā You paused before peering back at him. At those two words, you instantly caught the anticipation rolling off him. There was also a subtle confidence from him that signalled he was sure he already knew whatever you were planning to tell him. But you knew that this time, things would be different.Ā
With a competitive glint in your eyes, you finally divulged todayās fun fact, your voice calm and stable.
āI like you.ā
Just as you predicted, Spencer froze while his mouth fell agape. No words fell out of those talkative lips, a stark contrast to how fast he was speaking a couple of seconds ago. You practically beamed in victory at such a reaction. You wanted to celebrate, you really did. But you decided not to gloat about your win yet. Instead, you prioritised the better option: teasing your friend.
āI recalled you mentioning once that kissing spreads fewer germs than shaking hands?ā You winked playfully, expecting nothing from it. It was simply a joke to make Spencer flustered for your entertainment, and there was zero expectation that he would somehow miraculously confess that he had been secretly liking you too and would actually kiss you at your workplaceās parking lot at 1am.
Because there was no way Doctor Spencer Reid liked you, right?
You observed as his lips slowly curled up in amusement as your words sunk in, and that partially made your shoulders relaxed. Well, at least your joke landed, and your friendship would make it out intact despite your confession.
But then, out of nowhere, that closed-mouth smile stretched into a full-on grin before a chuckle of disbelief escaped from Spencer.Ā
Now, you were on alert. Instantly, you tried to read his reactionāwas he in disbelief that he was finally stumped by a fact he had not yet known of? Was he amused by your clever trick of using your own feelings as a fun fact? But the elation on his face and the awestruck look in his eyes hardly aligned with someone who had just lost a long-term challenge.
Your lips parted as you continued assessing the man, but you caught the way his eyes flickered down at that small movement before he sucked in a deep breath.
Ohā¦?
Suspicion crept in, but confirmation came quicker.
In the blink of an eye, Spencer had completely eliminated the two steps between you both, sealing you two in a proximity that was closer than you had ever been with him. His palms found your face, and they cupped your cheeks in a careful yet certain way.
Spencerās eyes darted all over your face, searching for all the clues that you were okay with what he had next in mind. He could see that your pupils were slightly dilated, as well as feel the way you were leaning into his touch and the heat that was transferring from your cheeks to his hands. Though it was only when you did not pull away and instead, had your tongue dart out to wet your lips, did Spencer kill the remaining space between your faces.
His lips slanted against yours in a desperate manner that outmatched his need for oxygen, kissing you like it was long overdue. He swallowed the gasp escaping your throat and the surprised noise that followed. There was an urgency he could not hide as his straining self-control snapped from your green light.Ā
You began kissing him back just a second or two after, and almost instantly, you heard a sigh of relief. Your lips curled, but any trace of smugness vanished when his thumb began rubbing your cheek fondly. Suddenly, you were aware of just how close you two were. Every point of contact was sending a searing heat through your body, because despite his fears of germs, Spencer was touching your skin like it was a need, rather than an obligation for moments like these.Ā
You pressed your lips harder against his.
Good lord, Spencer could do this forever.Ā
He might have been able to count the number of times you have touched him on one hand, but even with the whole team, there were not enough fingers to account for the number of times he had glanced at your lips this week alone.
Your own hands touched the sides of his waist, and you instantly caught the longing noise that escaped from Spencerās throat, echoing onto your lips. At such an encouraging sound, you curled your hands to the back of his body and snaked them up his back. Your lips smirked against his at the way he arched into your touch.Ā
One hundred and sixty three daysāSpencer reminded himself again, humming in utter satisfaction at the way those numbers spun down to zero. Finally, you were touching him on purpose and with purpose. He practically melted at the way your hands roamed so confidently without any trace of guilt that he was uncomfortable, because he was far from that.
In fact, he eagerly wanted to keep the number of days since the last time you touched him at zero permanently.Ā
You picked that precise moment to pull away, documenting the way his eyes fluttered open and dawned into existence the unadulterated glimmer of yearning in them.Ā
You have always thought he was gorgeous, but how he looked right then rendered the word inadequate. It was a vision exceeding all your daydreams, and to be the reason behind the look made you feel like you were an award winning fashion designer who had just invented a magnificent masterpiece. But unlike most, you had no intention of sharing this artwork with the world or with anybody else.
Spencer felt his heart squeeze at the sight of you again. Was it possible to miss someone so badly from not having a visual on them for approximately a minute? Maybe he was more screwed than he thought.
Breathlessly, he finally whispered the confession that he had long to say for a month.
āDespite all the facts I already know and have learnt during my whole entire life, youāre my favorite thing to study and know more about, and have been since you stepped into my life. Nothing I learnt after felt like it could outrank anything I learnt about you.ā It was true.Ā Every speck of information about you gets the forefront of his memoryās line-up, taking priority over every other knowledge. Spencer licked his own lips for remnants of you before continuing, āYouāre my favorite fun fact, you know that?ā
Your heart tugged at his words. You had no idea how you managed to compete with the vast amount of interesting information that existed in the world, but under Spencerās stare, you truly could see he meant every word.
āButā¦ā The smile on your face instantly dropped at that single word from Spencer. Good rarely ever followed that three-letter conjunction.
āBut?ā
āI do have to admit that, uhmā¦ā The familiar sheepish glint in his eyes had one of your eyebrows shooting up. āI kinda already know that fun fact already, that you liked me.ā Your hands on him stilled their movement before falling onto your sides in disbelief.
āOh, come on. You canāt be serious.ā He resisted the urge to whine at the lack of physical touch from you. āBut you looked shocked.ā
āI was shocked you actually said it. I didn't think youād do it todayā¦or tomorrowā¦or maybe everāā You slapped his arm, but he gladly welcomed that contact. Anything was better than nothing.
āI thought youāre like highly oblivious to romantic signals? Iāve seen you being completely clueless and not picking up on the fact that women were flirting with you.ā
āI think I wasnāt clueless when it came to you because my eyes were always on you.ā Those words came out shamelessly. In fact, Spencer almost sounded proud of himself. You tried not to let his words make you flustered.
āWhen did you figure it out?ā
āThat you like me? At the orchestra.ā
āHow? I barely figured it out myself that I liked you then.ā
āYeah, I could tell.ā Your huff drew a chuckle from him.
You finally peeled yourself completely away from Spencer, grabbing your bag from his hand before making your way to your car. As you unlocked the vehicle and swung the driverās door open, you could hear his footsteps following. You crouched to lean into your car and place your bag onto the passenger seat. You could feel Spencerās presence stopping just behind you, standing much closer than he had ever before tonight.
As you bent back up and leaned against your car, you didn't miss the way Spencerās fingers twitched, giving away his urges for physical contact. You crossed your arms before tilting your head back teasingly.
āIām still gonna get you someday.ā
Spencerās gaze melted to an even softer look than before at your declaration. There was a freeing component in his eyes, showcasing the joy from being able to openly look at you in the way he had really wanted to for a while. His voice lowered to a sweet, promising whisper.
āIām counting on that.ā
With that, Spencer leaned in again, wanting a second run of things before the two of you had to part ways for the night.
You grinned into the kiss and quickly wrapped your arms around him again. Quietly, your mind logged in todayās score.Ā
Day 187 status: unsuccessful.Ā
But it hardly matters when you think youāve already won something a lot better.
link to: epilogue/bonus bit
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So in awe rn, no words can truly capture how thankful I am for all of the love that I have received on fun fact, my first ever criminal minds & spencer work. Genuinely was super anxious about finally expanding my character range & also to write my longest work by far (11k) on a character Iāve never written for. But I'm glad people seem to love it and have shown so much support for it. I honestly did not anticipate for it to do this well. Just know that I appreciate every note that I have received on the work and will definitely use it as motivation to write more spencer pieces.
Again, thank you so muchh
I love you guys xxx
PS. Life got a little bit busy but Iāll get to writing another Spencer oneshot soon š«¶š¼
Summary: just because you and Spencer have gotten together, does not mean the fun fact challenge is over to you (fluff, established relationship)
Note:Ā Thank you for all of the love on fun fact. You guys are the best xx. In honor of fun fact hitting 1K notes, here is a bonus bit that did not make it to the final draft bc of the big word count (I was so sure not many people would read an 11k long fic, but thank you for proving me wrong).
Word count: 1k
You walked into the office, shrugging off the purple cardigan that was slightly bigger than your usual size and draping it over your chair. As usual, you placed your bag under your desk and turned on your PC before settling down, ready to focus for the day. Though, the second you spotted Spencer approaching, you instantly announced your daily fun fact.
āDid you know that peanut butter can be turned into diamonds? Fun fact.ā From the corner of your eyes, you saw Emily pause at your statement. Spencer, on the other hand, grinned at your words.
āGood morning.ā Spencer placed his coffee cup down on his desk first before coming to your side, holding yours out for you. You carefully took the ceramic vessel from him, muttering gratitude at his kind action. His other hand lingered on your back before withdrawing out of respect for the fact that you were both clocked in at work.Ā
His eyes soon noticed the clothing item that hung on your chair.Ā
āWas wondering where that one went,ā your boyfriend murmured.
Boyfriend. Even after three months and having grown used to calling Spencer by that title, you still feel giggly at such a term. In fact, your lips curled right then while thinking of the word again.
You took in Spencerās attire, specifically, the way that his purple button-up (coincidentally) matched the purple cardigan you had stolen from him two weeks ago. For a split second, you considered coordinating outfits deliberately with him, but in subtle ways.
āHold on a second, peanut butter can what?ā Emily double checked.
āI know, right?ā you breathed out before reaching under your desk and pulling out an information-packed tome, dropping the heavy object onto the furnitureās surface.Ā
It was Rossiās courtesy. A month and a half ago, the old man decided to give you a fact book in hopes you could still win this bet before eight months were up. Unfortunately, his gift was unable to aid you much in your intellectual combat against Spencer, and thus, failed to prevent Rossiās loss of his bet on a victory before the eight-month mark.Ā
You carefully opened to the page where you had seen the fact and held it up for Emily to see.
āWell, would you consider having a peanut butter diamond ring?ā she joked, though Spencer quickly jumped in.
āActually, I would advise against it. Oftentimes, the lab-manufactured results are small. So theyāre unsuitable for proposal rings.ā His words almost felt personal with the way Spencerās eyes fell to your hand, and you smirked teasingly.
āWhy? You think I should have a big diamond instead of a small rock?ā Instantly, your boyfriendās ears grew hot, and you almost laughed at the way he started stuttering.Ā
āWell, I justāon average, women tend to prefer a sizable diamond ring when proposed to. But also, likeāwell, I meanāyouāā
āMe?ā
āWith your finger sizeāā
āHow do you know my finger size?ā
āYour ring was next to a couple of coins the other dayāā
āOh? And you decided to notice and remember this information, why?ā You smirked, enjoying the way your relentless teasing was turning Spencer into a mess. But in all honesty, you were not that surprised. Spencerās brain often stored information that most tend to overlook.
āYeah, Spencer. Planning to drop down on one knee soon?ā Emilyās added effort to poke at Spencer only made him more flustered, though the genius eventually was able to overcome it and continued speaking.
āWith your finger size, the most suitableāpreferences asideāwould be a 1.0-1.5 carat diamond ring, and the peanut butter manufactured ones would be nowhere near that. Besides, diamonds made of peanut butter are often discolored largely due to impurities such as hydrogen and nitrogen, which are non-carbon components, getting trapped during diamond formation processes that involve high heat. Meanwhile, diamonds are mainly made of carbon atoms.ā
āWould you like to know my diamond size preference, Spence?ā was your only reply, and those words had Spencerās face blooming bright red. Once again, he stammered to organise his words, yet a sentence could not be strung together.
Together, you and Emily burst out laughing at Spencerās speechless state. Though the two of you began shifting to get back to work. Emily returned to her own desk, amusement lingering on her face. Meanwhile, you slowly spun your chair back to your PC, your laughter replaced by a full-on smile.
Yet, Spencer did not move from his spot. In fact, the sight of you smiling and your eyes crinkling had Spencerās gaze softening.
Eighty seven days since he had told you that you were his favorite fun fact, a title Spencer continued to frequently refer to you as.
Prior to the prospect of you two, Spencer had made peace with a mundane dating-less life, living in a repetitive monotone manner. But now that he has you, that kind of life sounded dreadful. With you, mundane things became highlights of his day and the staples of his boyfriend-adjusted daily routine.
But above all, every day, he got to learn new things about you, like where you like to read in your apartment, how you like to separate your laundry, or your preferred side of the bed. Each and every new detail he discovered folded into the wrinkles of his brain like all along, the organ was made just to hold facts about you.
The genius bit back a smile.
That afternoon, Spencer walked you to your car like always. But instead of saying goodbye and heading off to the metro station by himself like before, the genius got into your passenger seat, and the two of you left the office together. As you were driving both of you back to his apartment, Spencerās eyes darted to your hand again.
Calling you his forever favorite fun fact instead?
Spencer found himself really liking the sound of that.
The corner of his lips lifted before he looked away.
Maybe someday.
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Summary: You came in to work every day with a fun fact, determined to catch the BAU's genius with one that he wouldn't know (friends to lovers, co-workers to lovers, mutual feelings, fluff, confession)
Note: my spencer reid debut fic <3 sorry if there are any inaccuracy, just started rewatching after 3 years
Word count: 10.9k (sorry)Ā
āSmall facts lead to great knowingā - Patrick Rothfuss (2011)
āI canāt believe anybody would do something like this,ā you commented whilst looking down at the two documents in your handsāyour thoroughly highlighted case dossier and your finished report. Every new case always exhibits unimaginable horror and unfortunately, there will always be something worse than your current worst.Ā
You turned to Spencer whilst perched cross-legged on the edge of his table.
The corner of the geniusās mouth curled at your words. They were the very same ones that sprouted daily despite the nature of your job. But to Spencer, there was a strange comfort in such small repetitive murmurs of disbelief.
āI gotta agree with Rossi. This job really includes some of the worst lunatics out there.ā You sighed before straightening up at a sudden thought. āActually, fun factā¦ā You noticed the way your words peeled Spencerās attention from his report. He finally glanced up, eager for the second half of that sentence.Ā
āThe word lunatic was invented based on the belief that mental illnesses were affected by moon phases.ā You beamed at the idea of potentially providing your genius friend with new knowledge.Ā
āYeah, and it actually originated from the Latin word ālunaticus,ā which means moonstruck or influenced by the moon. The word was first used for conditions like epilepsy or overall just madness,ā Spencer replied, perking up at the thought of a potential conversation about this.
The excited smile on your face instantly faltered and you groaned in feigned annoyance. Perhaps you should have known better than to think you could out-fact Spencer and say something he had not already known.
āIs there anything you donāt know, Spence?ā you glowered jokingly.
āWell, itās hard when youāre a child prodigy and genius.ā You let out a scoff-like laugh at Spencerās cocky admission, but you knew he was joking. Despite his IQ of 187, Spencer rarely ever announced himself a genius. It was a title dubbed by those around him. You knew if you had Spencerās brain, though, you would hardly ever stay as humble as him.
āIāll get you someday.ā
Your declaration drew a snort from another work desk and you twisted around to face the source of such a faithless sound.
āYou donāt believe in me, Derek?ā You arched a brow, your competitiveness rising to the surface.
āSweet girl, I believe in you for many things, but this is just not one of them.ā
āBut surely there is one single fact out there that Spencer doesnāt know about.ā Penelope piped up from next to Derek, defending you.
āWeāre talking about the same Spencer, right? Spencer Reid? Three PhDs and an IQ of Einstein?ā JJ spoke as she made her way down the bullpen.
āActually, there is no way of measuring Einsteinās IQ as he never took the test, so to say thatāā Derek quickly interrupted Spencer.
āCome on, pretty boy. Sheās backing you up.ā
āSounds like grounds to start a betting pool going,ā Rossi spoke up as he approached the whole group, briefcase in one hand, car keys in the other. ā$20 says sheāll do it within four months.ā
āI think she can do it within three months.ā Emily chimed up from her desk.
āIām placing my bet on eight months,ā Penelope added confidently.
āAlright, and if she canāt do it within one year, JJ and I will split the win,ā Derek announced before directing his next words to you, āStakes are on, sweetheart.ā He winked.
āYeah, yeah. I got it.ā You rolled your eyes before turning towards Spencer, declaring to him with exaggerated cockiness, āIām gonna get you real soon, just wait.ā
āYouāre welcome to try.ā The challenging glint in Spencerās eyes met your own. Again, you knew better than to think that you would know something Spencer did not already know. He was practically the master of facts. But, unfortunately, you were incredibly bad at quitting.
So, let the challenge begin.
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āDid you know that Australia is wider than the moon?ā you questioned the second you saw Spencer enter the office the next morning. āFun fact.ā
āYes, diameter-wise. Australia is almost 4,000 kilometres wide, while the moonās diameter is nearly 3,500 kilometres. However, in terms of their masses, the moon is still larger.ā You sighed dramatically at Spencerās reply before spinning your chair towards your computer, turning the device on.
āAnd day one status: unsuccessful,ā you grunted to yourself, catching Spencerās grin from your peripheral vision.
āOh? Itās gonna be daily?ā
āYou bet your ass itās gonna be. Thereās a betting pool and Iām unfortunately too competitive for my own good.ā You caught the amusement dancing in Spencerās gaze.Ā
āWell then, good luck.ā
āWonāt need it.ā
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āDid you know a cloud can weigh like a million pounds?ā You crossed your arms while peering at the cotton candy-like objects floating amidst the bright blue summer sky. āFun fact.ā
Both of you had your bulletproof vests on, leaning against a car while waiting for JJ to finish speaking to the press before driving back to the precinct. Another case wrapped. Another unsub locked up.
Under the nice weather, you had your cap and Spencerās sunglasses on, having forgotten yours. He had heavily insisted so, even after you had declined a handful of times.
You turned and looked at Spencer briefly. Though, for a split second, your body stilled as the sun played in his favor, casting nice highlights to his woodsy colored locks. The light crinkle of his nose and his squinting eyes made your lips curl, cause once again, it showcased just how self-sacrificing Spencer can be when it came to the people close to him.
āYeah, because they contain different states of matter like trillions of condensed water droplets and ice crystals. Its weight is equivalent to the worldās largest aircraft working at full capacity. Though despite its heaviness, clouds have lower density in comparison to the dry air around them, enabling them to float in the same way as oil floats on water.ā Spencer tried to maintain eye contact with you despite the blaring sun shining into his eyes.
āHmmā¦ā you pursed your lips before removing your navy blue cap and placing it on your friendās head. This cast a shadow over his eyes, blocking the harsh sun from blinding his vision. āBeautiful weather to fail at winning this fun fact thing again.ā
Spencer didnāt reject the clothing item.
Some time in the history of human beings, the act of sporting othersā clothing itemsāespecially of the opposite genderāhad been made to seem important. Spencer has never understood the significance in such a small exchange. But as your hat landed on his head, Spencer felt an added weight that was beyond the small clothing item.Ā
Neither did he have it in him to adjust how you had left the cap on him, even if it didnāt sit on his head perfectly.
āI still have time to get you,ā you continued after a moment of silence.
ā359 days left.ā
āMore than enough.ā
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The clock was close to hitting 11pm. The whole team was taking a short break for a fresh perspective. Most were on their phones or taking a quick nap, but Spencer and you were playing a round of cards.
āDid you know ketchup used to be medicine? Fun fact.ā
Both Emilyās and Derekās watchful gaze panned from you to Spencer, anticipating his reaction to your daily shot at winning the bet.
āAround the 1830s, yeah. They marketed it as a cure for various ailments such as indigestion and diarrhea.āĀ
Emily instantly groaned at Spencerās reply while Derek snickered. Once again, Spencer already knew the information you provided, just like the 13 previous times.
āSee? Not a single thing he doesnāt know,ā Derek chirped up, earning him a glare from the co-worker beside him.
You finally placed your next card down, instantly eying Spencer, wanting a read of his reaction to your play. There was a distant look in his eyes, a clear indication that he was taking this game just as seriously as you were.
Your eyes swept over the rest of your opponent. The un-neat edges in his usually tidy work attire and the way his hair stuck in different directions had your lips curling. They were details that only unveil during late work hours after a long day. But strangely enough, there was something endearing about the slight tiredness in his eyes and the way his cardigan hung disheveledly on him.Ā
āI won.ā
Your eyes snapped to the pile of cards on the table at Spencerās declaration.
āWhat?! No way. You must have cheated.ā
āNow, now, donāt be a sore loser just because pretty boy over here won,ā Derek teased you, despite also highly suspecting that Reid had cheated.
āAre we talking about the same pretty boy who is banned from many Vegas casinos because of his expert skill in counting cards?ā JJ countered, placing her phone down.Ā
Your co-workersā discourse began fading out of your focus as Spencer took out a ticket from his bag and handed it to you with a cheeky grin. With hesitation, you took the paper begrudgingly. You knew you had to hold your end of the deal. You had lost, after all.
You glanced back at the winner of the card game, catching his toothy grin at your sulking manners. Against all maturity, you poked your tongue out in petulance, but such childish action had Spencer laughing quietly in his spot, eyes gleaming with fondness.
āSore loser.ā
āCheater.ā
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Hotch halted in his tracks upon spotting you and Reid in the break room.
Both of your heads were side by side, just a hair short from touching, fighting to have adequate sight of the newspaper that the two of you were sharing. Each of you also sported a pen in hand, scribbling hastily onto the delicate paper with vigorous competitiveness.
The unit chief entered to refill his coffee, though his eyes continued investigating you two. In the narrow gap between your heads, Hotch caught sight of Spencer rapidly filling out a crossword puzzle. Meanwhile, just as fast, you were solving a Sudoku piece that resided on the same page.
āDid you know, like fingerprints, people also have unique tongue prints?ā you murmured, eyes still glued onto the puzzle in front of you. āFun fact.ā
āYeah, humans have unique color, tongue shape, and textural features, therefore making it a great form of identification. However, we currently do not have the suitable technology to capture intricate surface details of tongue prints. Also, switching costs are high partially because the idea of having to stick one's tongue out in public for authentication can be seen as rather awkward, unhygienic, and undignifying.ā
You pursed your lips at another unsuccessful day. But such expression vanished when you dropped your pen on the table and declared with unadulterated joy:
āDone!ā
Your victory drew a defeated noise from Spencer.
āImagine though, having to stick your tongue out at airport immigration and place it onto a public scanner or something like that.ā You cackled at Spencer's grimace and the way his body slightly shivered from such a mental image. Eventually though, your laugh reduced to a teasing smile.
Spencerās gaze lowered to the little crinkle that appeared around your eyes as you smiled, before holding eye contact with you. Spencer knew there was no such thing as āeyes twinkling,ā but you had him doubting that scientifically established truth for a second. It was lighting and he knew that, but he had to admit that he could finally somewhat understand why poets and writers were so obsessed with dedicating lines towards such a tiny detail.Ā
Because even though there was no reason for him to, his own lips began to curl, mirroring the smile on your face.
From behind you both, Aaron Hotchner took a sip of his coffee before departing the room. Though on his way out, his eyes glinted a knowing look, while his lips lifted just the slightest bit before schooling back to a neutral expression again.Ā
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āDid you know that back then, when raising a toast, people would literally drop a piece of toast into their wine?ā you blurted out the second you slid yourself into the empty seat opposite Spencer at his breakfast table. Never have you ever skipped free hotel breakfast and today was no exception.
āWell, hello to you too.ā Spencer grinned at your straight-to-business behavior.Ā
He carefully placed the coffee he made for you into your handāa casual daily routine. You took a good whiff of the comforting aroma before humming at the first taste. It was exactly how you liked it: a dash of milk along with two and a quarter teaspoon of sugar.
To date, Spencer has never asked how you liked your coffee.Ā
He simply has always gotten it right.
It was not hard to guess that he had learnt your preferences from watching you make your coffee in the past. But you could not help but wonder if he took mental notes on others the same way he did with you. However, like every other time, you dismissed it as an occupational habit. Every member has been trained to be observant and notice little details. Spencer probably knew everybodyās coffee preferences.
āIt actually originated from Ancient Rome, and back then, toast was an act to honor the gods and people would pour wine onto the floor. However, the custom evolved in many ways over time, depending on geographic regions. Around the 1600s, it became a common custom in England and this is where people would put a piece of spiced toast into their wine. They did it to improve the flavor of their beverage and also to ātoastā to good health.ā
Spencer caught your hum of satisfaction at the coffee and instantly felt pleased.
Science has long documented humans as naturally validation-seeking creatures. Your existence often humbled him from thinking he was not a recurring participant in that particular human instinct.
His eyes fell from you to your coffeeāa particular mix that has ingrained itself into his memory since your first meeting. Funny that some time since then, he could no longer look at the beverage without ever thinking of you.
Neither could Spencer for the life of him recite the coffee order of anybody else at the BAU.
ā36 days downā¦ā you murmured, already picturing yourself rummaging the internet for more fun facts tonight.
āMaybe tomorrow.ā The words came out softly, almost encouragingly. You hummed before matching his tone.
āMaybe.ā
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āFlies rub their hands as a sanitizing act, rather clean for an insect commonly associated with dirty places, no?ā you murmured before peering up from your book whilst curled up in your seat on the BAUās jet.
āYes, itās a self-grooming act. They do this primarily for two reasons. First and foremost, itās because their legs are their flavour receptors, so they rub their front legs to ensure they can taste when eating. The other motivation is to remove dust and debris, therefore, ensuring survival.ā
Your bottom lip jutted out slightly at another unsuccessful attempt.
āIāll get you tomorrowā¦ā you murmured with a teasing smile before re-immersing yourself in the fantasy world of your current novel.
Reading has become your escapism and method of self-grounding prior to any case. You tried to plunge into fictional worlds while flying to prepare yourself for the terrible realities that accompanied upcoming cases. Though at one point, Spencer started joining in. But instead of having his own book, he would lean over and scan your current page with unrealistic speed while you leisurely let each letter sink in. It became a routine that occupied your journey from Quantico, whereas on the way back, Spencer and you maintained your tradition of engaging in chess matches.Ā
Spencer spotted your finger flipping the page once more and his eyes instantly swept over the printed words hastily.
Twenty thousand words per minute. That was Spencerās known reading speed, which meant in merely two seconds or three, he was already done with the two pages in front of you both. As always, you were still reading at your own pace, unhurried. He knew he could adopt a slower speed to enjoy your chosen fictional literature. But lately, he found himself in a hurry, rushing himself to finish pages in a way that made him think maybe he was now above his previously established reading speed.Ā
Why?
His gaze flicked over to you, mulling over the familiar details that made you, you. He studied the way your fingers trace the fore-edge of the book mindlessly, lingering on the way you tease your lips with your teeth as you registered the adventure that the story was taking you on. Spencer caught the slight shift in the space between your eyebrows and how they slightly twitch according to plot progression, displaying your commitment to your reading content.
Spencer would not classify himself as a people watcher, despite his necessary observant and analytical traits as a profiler. Yet, somehow, watching you had become one of his favorite quiet activities. In your little habits were his comfort. In moments when cases were overwhelming, his eyes have made a tendency to land on you. The spike in his heartbeat would normalize, whilst rapid thoughts would regulate. It was only in moments when Spencer would get caught by you that he would tear his gaze away sheepishly, before attempting to pretend that he was looking elsewhere instead.
The sound of paper rustling pulled Spencer out of his mind, and he instantly plunged himself into the same self-established cycle again.
And despite his fondness for literature, for once, it did not hold a candle in his eyes.
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āCows have best friends, how great is that?ā
Spencer stopped eating his ice cream the second he spotted someone passing the two of you in a cow onesie, giving away why you decided on that particular fun fact. His eyes fell back on you, glimmering with amusement.Ā
āYes, cows do have a ābest friendā who they tend to share spaces and rest side by side with. Research shows that when separated, these cows would show signs of stress and anxiety with higher heart rates.ā
You hummed at that. By now, you were used to his immediate expansion on your facts, no longer surprised or disappointed every time he added onto your words.Ā
In fact, you fondly looked forward to hearing what he had to say about whatever fact you would sprout. There was a deep sense of appreciation that you have grown for this challenge. You felt like, intellectually, your general knowledge had expanded immensely, both from researching fun facts to tell Spencer and also from the informative responses that you would receive from him.
āYou know, cows also can develop what some may refer to as āaccents.ā Research observed variations in their moos based on different regions and herds.ā Spencer leaned closer to you before adding cheekily, āFun fact.ā
āNuh uh, donāt go stealing my line. Youāre not allowed to put me out of business.ā
This tore a laugh out of Spencer, and you immediately bit back a smile at such a sound.Ā
If humans have the ability to bottle noises for keepsake, you know now what sound you would try to capture.
Surprisingly, this was only the second time that Spencer and you had spent time together one-on-one out of work.Ā
With the working hours at the BAU that forced you and all your co-workers to be in close proximity for an extensive amount of time, you tend to allocate your scarce free time to those who were outside of your work circle. But something about spending time with Spencer today had struck you with an epiphany:
You really, really wanted to see Spencer outside of work more often.
Both your phones started ringing at the same time.
āPenelope, is everything okay?ā you answered quietly.
āEmily?ā Spencer whispered at the same time into his phone.
After a few seconds, you both ended your respective phone calls before slowly turning to face each other again. You scanned yours and Spencerās outfit before sighing.
āThereās not enough time to go home and change.ā The devastation in your voice was imminent.
āI know.ā
A few minutes later, both of you entered the office, and almost instantly, the noise level declined significantly as the whole team paused their actions. You winced, knowing immediately that you two were about to be the butt of many incoming jokes.
āWhoa, what time period did you guys travel back from?ā Emily teased.
āWe were at a convention, okay?ā You huffed, picking up your go-bag from under your desk for a change of clothes.
āAnd you two are dressed up asā¦?ā Rossi crossed his arms, undoubtedly amused.
The team scanned over both of your outfits. Spencer was wearing a brown fedora hat, an oxblood colored corduroy jacket, and grey pants. Despite the only semi-chilly weather, he also sported a colorful striped knitted scarf around his neck. As for you, you were in an all pink attire, but what stood out was your long pink coat, high pink boots, and long white scarf.
āThe fourth doctor and Romana II, from Doctor Who,ā Spencer answered, grabbing his go bag.
Derekās eyes comedically bulged out at that, and he immediately spun his chair towards you. āBlink twice if Reid is blackmailing you with something to make you go to this convention with him.ā You laughed at his remark.
āListen, remember the card game I lost two months ago? Thatās why I had to go, but when I actually started the show, I really enjoyed it.ā You raised your hands in surrender.
āOh, we lost another one. She got Reid-ified,ā Derek exclaimed dramatically before placing a hand on his chest in jest heartbreak, grinning at your eye roll.
By now, Spencer had returned to your side with his go-bag. Though just as you two turned around to head off and change, an abrupt flash halted you both in your steps. Blinking away the after-effect of the blinding light, you saw Penelope with her phone facing you two and a cheeky grin on her face.
āWhoa, whoa, whoa. Delete that,ā you immediately instructed, hands on your hips while your brows furrowed in fussiness. You then sucked in a deep breath and used your hand to comb through your hair before a smile broke your feigned annoyed expression. āI was not ready.ā
Then, with dramatic flair, you posed properly for the camera, grabbing Spencerās scarf exaggeratedly with both hands while tugging him lightly.Ā
Spencer was unsure if his knees had buckled due to a slight loss of balance or from your proximity. He glanced at the camera, face slightly flushed, before witnessing another flash go off, evidencing his blush and putting it on record.
Your hands were gone from his scarf like a breeze.Ā
āAlright, Iām gonna go change now.ā By the time Spencer registered your words, you were already gone. All that was left at the spot you previously occupied was his attention. Spencer's eyes eventually moved when he heard a quiet giggle from Penelope, who was indescribably entertained by the dazed look on his face.
The tech expert slowly angled her phone towards Spencer to show what she had captured, and she carefully observed Spencerās contemplative gaze. His eyes landed on you first, and they softened at the sight of your beaming face. They then traced the slope of your smile and the crinkle of your eyes before reluctantly trailing down to your hands and the way they bossily clung onto his scarf.Ā
The sentiment of pictures has always been just a concept to Spencer Reid. He does understand the logic behind peopleās attachment to colored captures of moments and why people have āimportantā photos in their wallets or have framed physical copies. But personally, he rarely ever practiced it. Yet, in this precise moment, he suddenly wanted to begin.
Without even looking at himself in the photo, Spencer murmured to Penelope:
āCan you send that to me, please? Thank you.ā
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āWhere is she?ā Derekās gaze darted up to his friend. One glance at Spencer and the man already knew who he was referring to.
āGarcia said she called in sick this morning. Why?ā
āNothing.ā
Derek scanned over Spencer from head to toe properly this time. Realisation flashed through his eyes before the man smirked as he looked back down at his work.Ā
Ah, the perks of being a profiler.
āSure, pretty boy.ā
āWhat was that looāāĀ
The sound of Spencerās phone ringing interrupted his question. He took the device out of his pocket, and the phone almost flew out of his hand when he saw your name flashing on the screen. He immediately picked up and placed the device beside his ear, breathing out your name in greeting.
Instead of your usual cheery tone, Spencer was met with a muffled voice and snifflings.
Immediately, his body stiffened.
āAre you okay?ā He was by his desk within seconds. His fingers grazed over his jacket, as if prepared to scoop the clothing up and dash out of the office if your answer indicated any distress.Ā
āMy nose is blocked. Both sides. Itās horrendous,ā then came a dramatic sigh, āIām becoming a mouth breather, Spence.ā
Your melodrama tore a laugh from Spencerās throat.
Derekās lips curled discreetly at the noise.
āAnyway, donāt think you can escape your daily fun fact just because Iām not physically in the office.ā Spencer was glad you were not physically with him, because if you were, you would have seen the idiotic grin stretching his face. But how could he not smile at your stubborn resilience, and the cute sound of your nasally voice that was slightly more high-pitched than normal.Ā
āYouāre sick, and you took a day off work, but not off the fun fact thing?ā
āIn sickness and in health, as they say.ā
Spencer accidentally snorted at your words and immediately cleared his throat in an attempt to cover it.
Derekās brows scrunched at that.
āApparently, while wired to specific scientific machines and whatnot, two lucid dreamers can have two-way communication in real time. How cool is that?ā Spencer hummed fondly at your words before sitting down, his plan to flee from office hours long gone.
āThatās quite a recent fun fact. The study was recently concluded just about two years ago,ā his voice came out soft as he focused on any sound that the technological device beside his ear could carry over from your end.Ā
He caught your hum, though the sound resembled the same one you always did while sitting next to him on the jet as the team flew back to Quantico. The noise that often preceded the soft landing of your head on his shoulder and the way heād sit straighter up to accommodate you entirely despite his germaphobia-led touch aversion.
āYou should sleep and rest,ā he whispered, despite wanting to hear your voice for longer. But selflessness came easy when you were in consideration.
Spencer carefully began listing all the things you ought to do later to get better. But halfway through, he noticed the lack of noise from the other end, except for your rhythmic breathing, signaling your sound asleep state. Spencer sighed before removing the phone from his ear. He stared at the device in long contemplation before clicking the end call button.
Finally placing down the device that signified his only contact with you today, Spencer flipped open todayās case dossier. However, he found himself re-reading the first sentence over and over again. His eyes kept scanning over the same words, and he felt the way they slid past his comprehension the same way small external details occasionally would escape his notice whenever he spent time with you.Ā
Spencerās mind kept trailing back to the phone call and to you.
Itās familiarityāhe tried to tell himself. Humans were, afterall, creatures of habit, and considering you have been swirled into his daily routine like a necessity, it made sense that the lack of your presence had set him off balance.Ā
Eventually, Spencer got up and went to the break room for coffee. But the second he opened the cupboard and his eyes landed on your mug, he felt his mouth run dry.Ā
For the past one and a half years, he has always made two cups of coffee instead of one at the start of each day.
His eyes darted to his mug right next to yours. The idea of separating them sent some sort of ache in his heart, even if logically they were just ceramic vessels.
Perhaps he had mislabeled what missing someone meant all along, because your absence was bringing a hollowness that nobody had managed to carve out of him before. It was the kind of emptiness that made him feel incomplete, as if a piece of himself was not with him. Yet, as opposed to the expected numbness that often accompanied such a feeling, Spencer felt every second of your absence with a constant stinging ache that felt too akin to withdrawal symptoms.Ā
Eventually, Spencer shut the cupboard and returned to his desk, coffee-less.
That evening after work, Spencer made a detour instead of going straight home, missing the way his friends huddled together, exchanging hushed whispers about his departure.
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Twenty two hours, forty eight minutes, and thirty one seconds.
Spencer witnessed as time quietly slipped through the cracks of his remaining strength.Ā
The whole bullpen lacked the life his work family usually colored in. The janitor had long shut off the main lights, so the only thing illuminating the space near Spencer was his desk lamp. Everybody else had gone home except for Hotch, but the unit chief was in his office, leaving Spencer as the last man standing in the bullpen.
After a few more ticks, Spencer finally tore his gaze from the timing instrument and glided his vision back down to the pen in his hand, forcing it to ink his unfinished report, but words refused to string together.Ā
Spencerās free hand began tapping his desk rhythmically in a pathetic attempt to comfort himself.
Twenty two hours, fifty one minutes, and twenty one seconds.
Spencer wanted to say that it didnāt matter. Why should it? But he knew damn well that the answer was because the team mattered to him.Ā
However, perspective was truly a funny thing. Someone could be your number one priority, and you barely just made it in their list.
Spencer averted his gaze from the unfinished report to the brand new photo frame on his desk, where a captured version of the recent memory of you two as Doctor Who characters resided.
It did not take a genius to see that you two were closer to one another than with others on the team. However, the fun fact challenge had truly unlocked another level of bond. It was the kind of connection that meant he had started placing you above the others, a position that implied he also expected more from you, cause perhaps he thought you had also valued him just as much as he treasured you in his mind.Ā
So as much as the whole team was the source of his dismay, there was a spotlight reserved for your absence, one that was beyond glaring and punched his guts in ways that others could not.
His eyes traced your face in the photograph again, like they had done every morning since he had gotten the picture framed.Ā
Oftentimes, you could never be absolutely sure where you stand in someoneās life.
Twenty two hours, fifty nine minutes, and ten seconds.
A resigned breath escaped the narrow gap between his lips.
With more effort than it usually took, Spencer got on his feet, hoping that another cup of coffee would be the cure for his inefficiency. He slowly placed more weight on one side of his body to turn around. At the same time, Spencer began rubbing his face in hopes that exhaustion and melancholy would push themselves aside for a brief moment so that he could finish this impending task.Ā
When Spencer finally reopened his eyes to navigate the darkness, he froze at the sight that was once behind him.
Eight steps away was you, looking like a deer caught in headlights.Ā
Then came your escaped nervous laughter, like you were scared of screwing up, but that was only because you were unaware that you could almost never do wrong in Spencerās eyes. His heartāwhich Spencerās brain has been having a harder time controlling latelyāprovided you with a much larger margin for error than anybody else.
Your gentle tone filled the fragile silence that was intertwined with suspense.
āFun fact, birthday cakes are traditionally round as an Ancient Greek tradition to resemble the moon for the goddess Artemis.ā Your eyes crinkled as your lips curled into that familiar smile that had previously held Spencer powerless on numerous occasions. āHappy Birthday, Spence.ā
There you were, cake in hand after a long day of work on a gruesome case.
There you were, with a homemade cake after a long day of him thinking everybody had forgotten his birthday, or more importantly, that you had forgotten.
But maybe his probability was not entirely against him.Ā
āI know Iām quite late, but trust me, thereās an explanation. When I got to the office this morning, I realized that I had forgotten your cake at home. I was planning to grab it after work, but the case kept us all back so late, and then traffic was super bad because of a concert today. But hey, I got the cake now, and I really hope you like it.ā
You peered down at your own baking product and the slightly wonky penmanship before turning your eyes back onto Spencer.
āAlso, since itās your birthday, Iāll give you a bonus fun fact. There are roughly 30,000 people who have their birthdays on October 12th in the States, butā¦āĀ
Your voice fell quiet as your eyes diverted back to the cake again.Ā
āYouāre my favorite October 12th.ā
And right at that second, all of Spencerās previous attempts at rationalising his feelings via scientific explanations collapsed. For once, science could no longer shield him, because as much as it was a field built on facts of concrete evidence, there was also an undeniable truth: he liked you.
It might not be rational, but it was still a fact, and that alone terrified Spencer.Ā
And while he was your favorite October 12th, you were his favorite every day.
Spencer glanced down at the handmade cake and the singular purple candle pierced in the center. The tiny flame provided just enough light for the space between you both. His eyes then flicked back onto you, and they softened.
God, you were so clueless about the effect your actions have on him and his whole world.
One breath extinguished the fire, and grey smoke fluttered into the air.
Then, for the first time since he saw you five minutes ago, Spencer managed to form the only words he felt were worthy enough of your time.
āThank you.ā
Even if the significance behind those words didnāt reach you today, it was okay. But they carry the weight of his whole heart and every unspoken reason behind his gratefulness.Ā
Thank you for not forgetting about him today. Thank you for always being so kind and paying attention to the details about him. Thank you for being such an important part of his life. Thank you for choosing the exact career path that you did to lead you to him. Thank you for existing.Ā
And someday, maybe Spencer Reid will gather enough courage to tell you all of this.
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You halted in your step, and almost immediately Spencer followed suit. His eyesight followed yours, and he instantly knew what you were gonna ask from him.
āCome on, can you play for me? Please?ā you urged, and it didnāt take more than your pleading face to make him approach the instrument that lay abandoned in the corner of the hotel where the whole team was staying.
Saying ānoā became a significantly harder task for Spencer ever since he realised what kind of position his feelings were in when it came to you. It especially felt like an impossible task when your words came in that pleading tone and the smile that had him wishing stopping time was one of his abilities.
You followed Spencer and leaned against the instrument eagerly. You observed as he lightly cracked his knuckles, eying the mixture of ivory and ink-dark keys with a calculative gaze before placing his fingers delicately on them while his foot pressed gently on one of the pedals at the base.
For a moment, you wondered what Spencer would play. Maybe one of the classical pieces he liked a lot. Perhaps Bach? OrāĀ Ā
A familiar tune overtook the pleasant quietness in the empty hotel lobby, and recognition struck you with every flawless execution of each note.
First off, you knew he was a liar, saying he only dabbled in piano. But what caught you off-guard was hearing the piano version of your favorite song.Ā
It was things like this that made you conclude that Spencer Reid was one of the sweetest individuals you have ever had the privilege to know. From making you coffee daily to hunting down first editions of your favorite books (the most recent one in which he handed over along with soup the day you got sick and were off work). Now, he was learning your favorite song on the piano.Ā
Lucky felt like an inadequate word to describe your position in life when Spencer was in the equation.
Only when he finished the very modern composition did you speak up.
āI thought you only listened to classical?ā
āIā¦did,ā was all that came out of Spencerās mouth, but it was enough for you to catch his implication that he had learnt this song specifically on the piano for you.
Spencer sniffled, diverting his gaze from you shyly as he inspected the keys in front of him again.
Ever since his birthday, Spencer could constantly feel the urge to confess right on the tip of his tongue while his lips trembled in self-control to keep them to himself for now. According to the internet and its various articles, he should try to āwooā you first, and hence these actions instead of confessing right away. He wondered if you got his message. He wondered if you could tell this was his version of flirting. However, Spencer also knew that he had accidentally portrayed himself as an extremely sweet friend from your perspective, so thoughtful actions with the aim of impressing you romantically were most likely ruled as platonic gestures.Ā
You began toying with the ring on your middle finger, the flattery from his sweet action manifested itself through the heat beneath your cheeks. For the first time in your almost three years of friendship with Spencer, you were struck by a minor nerve-wracking sensation. There was also a fleeting stutter in your chest that you decisively ignored.
You moved on with a quiet murmur.
āYou know, humans owe squirrels a lot. They have planted at least thousands of trees.ā You gave him a soft smile when his eyes met yours again. āItās accidental, but no less a noble act contributing to the environment.ā
āYeah, they would bury nuts for later usage, but forget their locations. Many forgotten nuts can grow into trees, therefore, contributing to forest regeneration.āĀ
āAnddd another fun fact failure.ā You groaned, though your expression melted into a smile when you heard Spencer chuckle at that.Ā
āWe should head up. Itās getting late.ā
You nodded in agreement and began walking, but looked back briefly at Spencer. āBut itās not too late for an episode of Doctor Who, right?ā
An outstretched grin spread across Spencerās face at your words.
āNever.ā
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āNo way.ā You were speechless as you made way out of Spencerās car, staring at the building in front of you in disbelief. āDonāt tell meā¦ā
āYeah, itās for your favorite film,ā Spencer confirmed your suspicion.
āSo, it didnāt matter that I had lost, huh?ā
Shortly after your Doctor Who convention together, Spencer had invited you to this event that was two and a half months after. Though he insisted on keeping the details a secret, relaying only the dress codeāsmart casual, but whatever you were most comfortable with.
The secretive factor of the whole ordeal had you guessing in suspense for the entire two months, but now that you were here, you fully understood why.
This was the event that you both would have gone to instead of the Doctor Who convention if you had won that game of cards.
An orchestra movie concert of your favourite movie.
Spencer sucked in a deep breath, fingers toying with the loose threads of his cardigan. There he went again, attempting to present to you that he was an optionāthe best one, at thatāand giving signals that he was pursuing you. He has read at least five hundred online articles on the art of flirting in the past week alone. If Derek ever found his online searching history, Reid would never live it down.
āGod, this is the best thing ever.ā Seeing how pleased you were with his action made Spencer want to physically preen with pride.
Once you two had settled down inside, you took a couple of photos and observed your surroundings. You looked around at your neighboring audiences before averting your gaze to the empty chairs that were soon to be filled by instrumental experts. Your body was flooded with excitement at the prospect of finally being at this event.Ā
You decided to chime in with your daily fun fact just minutes before the concert was due to start.
āDid you know that thereās a planet that is ā made of diamonds?ā you whispered.
ā55 Cancri e, right?ā he matched your volume, shifting in the chair beside you to make himself comfortable.
āYeah, that one,ā you confirmed, turning your head back to him. āGo on, I know you have details on it.ā You encouraged, shifting yourself into a comfortable position as well.
ā55 Cancri e is a super-Earth exoplanet, approximately twice the size of Earth, though roughly eight times heavier in terms of mass. First sighted and discovered in 2004, scientists have found that it is a very hot and rocky planet with a molten lava ocean surface due to its incredibly close orbit to its starā¦ā
You were leaning into your palm while listening to him, clinging onto every word as they absorbed into your brain. The space you left in between you both out of consideration for Spencer gradually lessened as he leaned in closer the more he talked. His tone, too, grew more quiet as he went on, as if the information he was telling you did not exist in some cyclopaedia, but a secret passed in full trust.Ā
The corners of your lips curled at the twinkle in Spencerās eyes as he detailed out knowledge that previously sat in the corner of his brain, collecting dust.
Spencerās intellectual rambling will always be one of your favorite things about him. You loved hearing him talk and the way he enunciated each syllable so clearly, as well as his wordings and his tonal patterns. You should have gotten used to it by now, but it marvelled you every single time that you had the chance to listen to him talk about things you would rely on an internet search to know. Just like usual, today was no different.
Spencer Reid was remarkable. It was almost impossible to take your eyes off him when he talked. He was a bundle of many things that made him an individual worth a lifetime of getting to know.
You wondered if you were looking at him a little bit too fondly right now. But how could you not when he was whispering sweet facts to you as if he only wanted you to know of it? It felt almost as if this fun fact challenge had turned into a sacred tradition between you two.Ā
āEven though it is widely said that the planet is ā of diamond, this is actually still only a theory and yet to be proven. So, to dub it the Diamond Planet when theyāre not even sure if there are diamonds on the planet itself is likeā¦suspecting you are a quarter or half French and then introducing yourself as French to people anyway.ā
Your laughter burst out unfiltered, and you instantly grounded yourself by clearing your throat and pulling yourself away from Spencer slightly, putting yourself on timeout.
That was kind of embarrassing.Ā
The joke was slightly funny, but nowhere close to warranting that kind of laughter.
It sort of reminded you of the videos you have seen on the internet about the kind of laugh that people would let out in reaction to their crushās jokā
Oh.
You subtly slid deeper into your chair as thoughts shot in your mind at a hundred miles per second. Your fingers immediately curled into your palms to dig at it. You could not look back at Spencer in fear that he would notice that something was wrong.Ā
Oh God.Ā
But were you really surprised though?Ā
A part of you had seen it coming, because as much as you adore all your co-workers, you knew in the bottom of your heart that Spencer was the only one you were willing to lessen your sleeping hours to prolong hanging out and conversing with. Also, to be immune to such sweet actions, you would have to be some statue made of stone. For years now, Spencer had intently taken time to know you and go out of his way just to make you happy. If anything, you were grateful that your heart had picked someone so kind and worthy to give itself away to.
You glanced at Spencer from the corner of your eyes, and just the sight of him alone had your heart hiccupping in a way that you had become familiar with for the past month. It was the kind of stutter that you had outright been trying to ignore and written off as nothing. But unlike all the previous times, you knew you could no longer deny that man next to you was the reason for such palpitations.
And maybe it was also time to face it: you like Spencer Reid, your genius of a friend and very much also a profiler.
Your eyes snapped away from him the moment you realized the significance of playing it cool. You could not have him picking up the signs and figuring out that you have feelings for him. But then again, you have seen how clueless he was around women who were hitting on him and failing to pick up their signals. So, maybe he would not notice your current body language either.
Before you could think more on the matter, the lights dimmed and instruments began stringing together in a well-rehearsed manner. It was only then that you began breathing again, relieved that you had two hours to collect your thoughts and come to terms with the newly attained knowledge about yourself.
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āAlright, whatās the fun fact of today?ā you heard Spencerās voice before peering up and seeing him behind your chair, hands on the back of the furniture, looking down at you with a shy smile. The sight of his adorable expression made your cheeks heat up, and you had to avert your gaze to prevent him from spotting signs of your flustered state.
The other members just boarded the jet as well, settling into their own spots after a tiring case. You were much less the same, sporting the now more noticeable eye bags that matched Spencerās. Yet, that does not deter his gaze from the warmth they hold.
You gestured to Spencerās usual seat right next to you. Once he had settled down, you made your next move on his chessboard, resuming your current ongoing match with him. You could see the instant way the cogs in his brain started spinning. At that, you provided your fun fact of the day, hoping it would serve as a distraction.
āYou know, I read that there are more possible variations of chess games than the number of atoms in the universe.ā
āYeah, itās known as the Shannon numberāthe number of possible chess games, I mean, which is 10120. Meanwhile, the estimated number of atoms in the observable universe is 1080to 1082.ā
He made his move, catching your discreet yawn in the corner of his eyes.
āFascinating, isnāt it?ā The weight behind your eyes turned them half-lidded. They landed on the chessboard, trying to formulate the next best move, but your brain refused to cooperate as a fog of sleepiness overclouded your judgments.
āYou donāt have to play now, you know. We can just play next time.ā
āNo, no. Give me a second, Iāll make my move.ā
āYouāre tired.ā
You slowly turned your head towards Spencer, and there it was again. You caught the concern leaking from his gaze, and it instantly reminded you just how caring Spencer was to those in his life and especially you. Your mouth formed a tired yet grateful smile at his expressed worry.
You felt sorry for those who have never had the opportunity to be the subject of his affections.
For a split second, you pondered the kind of doting that Spencer would do if he were pursuing someone romantically. You have never seen him express interest in any woman during your time at the BAU, despite the advances he has gotten from various good-looking women. But if he was already this sweet platonically, you were fairly certain your heart would give out at what he had in mind as romance.
Your shoulders finally slumped before a truthful sigh escaped from you. āYeah.ā
Unlike usual, where you would fall asleep and land on his shoulder while you were knocked out, he outright shifted to sit up straighter for you, offering his shoulder.
Spencer never admitted it out loud, but he had foolishly started wanting the friction of your skin against his or the fabric of his belongings. It was an impossible he thought would never occur, but here he was, anticipating the next rare moment of physical touch beside the one where his shoulder would become your pillow.Ā
Of course, he had noticed itāyour lack of touch when it came to him. He was devastatingly aware of your mindfulness of his germaphobia, and Spencer was grateful, he really was. However, your reservation to accommodate his tendencies had begun feeling like deprivation. In fact, Spencer could count on one hand the amount of times you had ever touched him deliberately, with the last one being one hundred and sixty three days ago.
But it was that particular initiative factor that Spencer deeply yearned for. He craved and awaited for a touch made with purpose.Ā
He wanted you to mean it.
You stilled at such a small action, gaze stopping on his shoulder. You did not want to over-interpret such a simple movement, but knowing Spencer, there were implications and significance in that little offering.Ā
You knew it had become a recurring thing. As embarrassed as you were, you could not help the fact that you were the type to move around a lot in your sleep. You had tried using an airplane pillow, leaning against the wall, and so many other methods. However, most of the time, you would still wake up on Spencerās shoulder before instantly jolting up and freeing him from the physical touch.
But the certainty on Spencerās face left your rejection stuck in your throat.
Hesitantly, you began shifting closer, giving Spencer just enough time to retract the offer if he wanted to. But he stayed confidently still as your head started leaning down before finally landing on his shoulder.
One single small action had Spencer questioning how much longer he could go on like this. How much longer could he keep these feelings tightly locked and concealed? Because Spencer was utterly gone for you. Gone in the kind of way where one casual compliment from you about the cardigan he was wearing had him immediately putting the item into his clothing rotation a lot more frequently.
āIām gonna get you some day, Spenceā¦ā Spencer watched as you drifted to sleep before closing his own eyes, all while he wished the flight back would last forever.
Unbeknownst to you both, the team exchanged knowing looks and discreet smiles at the sight they were witnessing. There had been nothing more obvious to them than this, but instead of intervening, they decided to let things play its course.Ā
Because, despite the uncertain nature surrounding the occurrence of events in life, this was the one thing everybody was sure was inevitable.
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The jet finally arrived back at Quantico around 11pm. Spencer had finished his report a few minutes before you did, but lingered behind as usual to wait for you. About two weeks ago, he had established a new routine between you both.Ā
āReady?ā Spencer carefully peeled your bag from your hand, checking his watch to see that it was already past midnight, marking a new day.
āYeahā¦ā you breathed out tiredly, eager to collapse in bed. āMore than ready.ā
You like to think you have kept it cool well, in general. But Spencerās new routine of walking you to your car after work had you a nail tip away from laying all your cards bare and revealing your feelings. Even on days when you finished your report first, he would walk you to your car before returning to the office. But the thing was:
Spencer Reid rarely ever drove to work, which meant he was going to the employee parking lot every day with you for no reason.Ā
Well, for no reason but you.
The elevator began making its descent from the sixth floor with both of you inside. You were listening carefully as Spencer discussed an academic paper he had read last night. The doors soon jerked open, revealing the fairly empty parking lot. At the sight of your car, you subtly began slowing down your steps, biting back a smile when you noticed him mirroring your change of pace.Ā
You observed as he animatedly gushed about the methodology of the research paper, paying particular attention to the tiny detail of his body language. The way his hands were passionately waving around, exaggerating certain points Spencer was trying to make. The flutter of his eyelashes as he blinked a bit faster than he usually wouldāa habit that often occurs when he speaks quickly, as you have learned. The smooth movements of his lips as his mouth tried to rush out words to match the pace of his incredibly brilliant brain.
Now that you were looking at his lips, you have to admit that it was kind of hard to look away.
Suddenly, an idea brewed in your mind, and it felt like the holy grail had finally landed in your lap. Who would have known that a random Thursday would be the day you ought to finally win this challenge and put Spencer in checkmate.
āSpence?ā Your lips curled mischievously, observing the way Spencer halted in his steps at your tone.Ā
God, despite being subjected to harsh and unflattering parking lot lights, Spencer still had the audacity to look good in a way that tugged at your heartstrings. The sight had you questioning if he was capable of ever looking bad. His warm eyes colored with interest as he eagerly awaited your next words. You took a couple more steps forward, wanting to hide the plotting expression on your face.Ā
āFun factā¦ā You paused before peering back at him. At those two words, you instantly caught the anticipation rolling off him. There was also a subtle confidence from him that signalled he was sure he already knew whatever you were planning to tell him. But you knew that this time, things would be different.Ā
With a competitive glint in your eyes, you finally divulged todayās fun fact, your voice calm and stable.
āI like you.ā
Just as you predicted, Spencer froze while his mouth fell agape. No words fell out of those talkative lips, a stark contrast to how fast he was speaking a couple of seconds ago. You practically beamed in victory at such a reaction. You wanted to celebrate, you really did. But you decided not to gloat about your win yet. Instead, you prioritised the better option: teasing your friend.
āI recalled you mentioning once that kissing spreads fewer germs than shaking hands?ā You winked playfully, expecting nothing from it. It was simply a joke to make Spencer flustered for your entertainment, and there was zero expectation that he would somehow miraculously confess that he had been secretly liking you too and would actually kiss you at your workplaceās parking lot at 1am.
Because there was no way Doctor Spencer Reid liked you, right?
You observed as his lips slowly curled up in amusement as your words sunk in, and that partially made your shoulders relaxed. Well, at least your joke landed, and your friendship would make it out intact despite your confession.
But then, out of nowhere, that closed-mouth smile stretched into a full-on grin before a chuckle of disbelief escaped from Spencer.Ā
Now, you were on alert. Instantly, you tried to read his reactionāwas he in disbelief that he was finally stumped by a fact he had not yet known of? Was he amused by your clever trick of using your own feelings as a fun fact? But the elation on his face and the awestruck look in his eyes hardly aligned with someone who had just lost a long-term challenge.
Your lips parted as you continued assessing the man, but you caught the way his eyes flickered down at that small movement before he sucked in a deep breath.
Ohā¦?
Suspicion crept in, but confirmation came quicker.
In the blink of an eye, Spencer had completely eliminated the two steps between you both, sealing you two in a proximity that was closer than you had ever been with him. His palms found your face, and they cupped your cheeks in a careful yet certain way.
Spencerās eyes darted all over your face, searching for all the clues that you were okay with what he had next in mind. He could see that your pupils were slightly dilated, as well as feel the way you were leaning into his touch and the heat that was transferring from your cheeks to his hands. Though it was only when you did not pull away and instead, had your tongue dart out to wet your lips, did Spencer kill the remaining space between your faces.
His lips slanted against yours in a desperate manner that outmatched his need for oxygen, kissing you like it was long overdue. He swallowed the gasp escaping your throat and the surprised noise that followed. There was an urgency he could not hide as his straining self-control snapped from your green light.Ā
You began kissing him back just a second or two after, and almost instantly, you heard a sigh of relief. Your lips curled, but any trace of smugness vanished when his thumb began rubbing your cheek fondly. Suddenly, you were aware of just how close you two were. Every point of contact was sending a searing heat through your body, because despite his fears of germs, Spencer was touching your skin like it was a need, rather than an obligation for moments like these.Ā
You pressed your lips harder against his.
Good lord, Spencer could do this forever.Ā
He might have been able to count the number of times you have touched him on one hand, but even with the whole team, there were not enough fingers to account for the number of times he had glanced at your lips this week alone.
Your own hands touched the sides of his waist, and you instantly caught the longing noise that escaped from Spencerās throat, echoing onto your lips. At such an encouraging sound, you curled your hands to the back of his body and snaked them up his back. Your lips smirked against his at the way he arched into your touch.Ā
One hundred and sixty three daysāSpencer reminded himself again, humming in utter satisfaction at the way those numbers spun down to zero. Finally, you were touching him on purpose and with purpose. He practically melted at the way your hands roamed so confidently without any trace of guilt that he was uncomfortable, because he was far from that.
In fact, he eagerly wanted to keep the number of days since the last time you touched him at zero permanently.Ā
You picked that precise moment to pull away, documenting the way his eyes fluttered open and dawned into existence the unadulterated glimmer of yearning in them.Ā
You have always thought he was gorgeous, but how he looked right then rendered the word inadequate. It was a vision exceeding all your daydreams, and to be the reason behind the look made you feel like you were an award winning fashion designer who had just invented a magnificent masterpiece. But unlike most, you had no intention of sharing this artwork with the world or with anybody else.
Spencer felt his heart squeeze at the sight of you again. Was it possible to miss someone so badly from not having a visual on them for approximately a minute? Maybe he was more screwed than he thought.
Breathlessly, he finally whispered the confession that he had long to say for a month.
āDespite all the facts I already know and have learnt during my whole entire life, youāre my favorite thing to study and know more about, and have been since you stepped into my life. Nothing I learnt after felt like it could outrank anything I learnt about you.ā It was true.Ā Every speck of information about you gets the forefront of his memoryās line-up, taking priority over every other knowledge. Spencer licked his own lips for remnants of you before continuing, āYouāre my favorite fun fact, you know that?ā
Your heart tugged at his words. You had no idea how you managed to compete with the vast amount of interesting information that existed in the world, but under Spencerās stare, you truly could see he meant every word.
āButā¦ā The smile on your face instantly dropped at that single word from Spencer. Good rarely ever followed that three-letter conjunction.
āBut?ā
āI do have to admit that, uhmā¦ā The familiar sheepish glint in his eyes had one of your eyebrows shooting up. āI kinda already know that fun fact already, that you liked me.ā Your hands on him stilled their movement before falling onto your sides in disbelief.
āOh, come on. You canāt be serious.ā He resisted the urge to whine at the lack of physical touch from you. āBut you looked shocked.ā
āI was shocked you actually said it. I didn't think youād do it todayā¦or tomorrowā¦or maybe everāā You slapped his arm, but he gladly welcomed that contact. Anything was better than nothing.
āI thought youāre like highly oblivious to romantic signals? Iāve seen you being completely clueless and not picking up on the fact that women were flirting with you.ā
āI think I wasnāt clueless when it came to you because my eyes were always on you.ā Those words came out shamelessly. In fact, Spencer almost sounded proud of himself. You tried not to let his words make you flustered.
āWhen did you figure it out?ā
āThat you like me? At the orchestra.ā
āHow? I barely figured it out myself that I liked you then.ā
āYeah, I could tell.ā Your huff drew a chuckle from him.
You finally peeled yourself completely away from Spencer, grabbing your bag from his hand before making your way to your car. As you unlocked the vehicle and swung the driverās door open, you could hear his footsteps following. You crouched to lean into your car and place your bag onto the passenger seat. You could feel Spencerās presence stopping just behind you, standing much closer than he had ever before tonight.
As you bent back up and leaned against your car, you didn't miss the way Spencerās fingers twitched, giving away his urges for physical contact. You crossed your arms before tilting your head back teasingly.
āIām still gonna get you someday.ā
Spencerās gaze melted to an even softer look than before at your declaration. There was a freeing component in his eyes, showcasing the joy from being able to openly look at you in the way he had really wanted to for a while. His voice lowered to a sweet, promising whisper.
āIām counting on that.ā
With that, Spencer leaned in again, wanting a second run of things before the two of you had to part ways for the night.
You grinned into the kiss and quickly wrapped your arms around him again. Quietly, your mind logged in todayās score.Ā
Day 187 status: unsuccessful.Ā
But it hardly matters when you think youāve already won something a lot better.
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First off, cutest concept for Spencer, I'm actually obsessed
In the narrow gap between your heads, Hotch caught sight of Spencer rapidly filling out a crossword puzzle. Meanwhile, just as fast, you were solving a Sudoku piece that resided on the same page.
Adorable. Just, adorable.
To date, Spencer has never asked how you liked your coffee.Ā
He simply has always gotten it right.
Raising the metaphorical bar for romance right here, actually.
Then, with dramatic flair, you posed properly for the camera, grabbing Spencerās scarf exaggeratedly with both hands while tugging him lightly.Ā
Love that they dress up together, also love how flustered Spencer gets because of this
āIn sickness and in health, as they say.ā
Spencer accidentally snorted at your words and immediately cleared his throat in an attempt to cover it.
I mean,,, they're both so oblivious its adorable
āAlso, since itās your birthday, Iāll give you a bonus fun fact. There are roughly 30,000 people who have their birthdays on October 12th in the States, butā¦āĀ
Your voice fell quiet as your eyes diverted back to the cake again.Ā
āYouāre my favorite October 12th.ā
This is probably the sweetest thing anyone could ever say, actually
āI thought you only listened to classical?ā
āIā¦did,ā was all that came out of Spencerās mouth, but it was enough for you to catch his implication that he had learnt this song specifically on the piano for you.
swoon,,,
It sort of reminded you of the videos you have seen on the internet about the kind of laugh that people would let out in reaction to their crushās jokā
Oh.
Beautiful, I love an Oh. Oh. moment, and this one is so good
He was devastatingly aware of your mindfulness of his germaphobia, and Spencer was grateful, he really was. However, your reservation to accommodate his tendencies had begun feeling like deprivation.
I adore how you actually address his germaphobia and treat it so gently and kindly. I appreciate it sooo much as someone who loves Spencer as a character so thank you for this moment!
āFun factā¦ā You paused before peering back at him. At those two words, you instantly caught the anticipation rolling off him. There was also a subtle confidence from him that signalled he was sure he already knew whatever you were planning to tell him. But you knew that this time, things would be different.Ā
With a competitive glint in your eyes, you finally divulged todayās fun fact, your voice calm and stable.
āI like you.ā
Fun fact, I actually squealed when I got to this moment, it's so cute and I was truly so happy you did this cause it's perfect
āI do have to admit that, uhmā¦ā The familiar sheepish glint in his eyes had one of your eyebrows shooting up. āI kinda already know that fun fact already, that you liked me.ā Your hands on him stilled their movement before falling onto your sides in disbelief.
This is so funny, actually. Perfect way to end such an amazing fic!
Summary: You came in to work every day with a fun fact, determined to catch the BAU's genius with one that he wouldn't know (friends to lovers, co-workers to lovers, mutual feelings, fluff, confession)
Note: my spencer reid debut fic <3 sorry if there are any inaccuracy, just started rewatching after 3 years
Word count: 10.9k (sorry)Ā
āSmall facts lead to great knowingā - Patrick Rothfuss (2011)
āI canāt believe anybody would do something like this,ā you commented whilst looking down at the two documents in your handsāyour thoroughly highlighted case dossier and your finished report. Every new case always exhibits unimaginable horror and unfortunately, there will always be something worse than your current worst.Ā
You turned to Spencer whilst perched cross-legged on the edge of his table.
The corner of the geniusās mouth curled at your words. They were the very same ones that sprouted daily despite the nature of your job. But to Spencer, there was a strange comfort in such small repetitive murmurs of disbelief.
āI gotta agree with Rossi. This job really includes some of the worst lunatics out there.ā You sighed before straightening up at a sudden thought. āActually, fun factā¦ā You noticed the way your words peeled Spencerās attention from his report. He finally glanced up, eager for the second half of that sentence.Ā
āThe word lunatic was invented based on the belief that mental illnesses were affected by moon phases.ā You beamed at the idea of potentially providing your genius friend with new knowledge.Ā
āYeah, and it actually originated from the Latin word ālunaticus,ā which means moonstruck or influenced by the moon. The word was first used for conditions like epilepsy or overall just madness,ā Spencer replied, perking up at the thought of a potential conversation about this.
The excited smile on your face instantly faltered and you groaned in feigned annoyance. Perhaps you should have known better than to think you could out-fact Spencer and say something he had not already known.
āIs there anything you donāt know, Spence?ā you glowered jokingly.
āWell, itās hard when youāre a child prodigy and genius.ā You let out a scoff-like laugh at Spencerās cocky admission, but you knew he was joking. Despite his IQ of 187, Spencer rarely ever announced himself a genius. It was a title dubbed by those around him. You knew if you had Spencerās brain, though, you would hardly ever stay as humble as him.
āIāll get you someday.ā
Your declaration drew a snort from another work desk and you twisted around to face the source of such a faithless sound.
āYou donāt believe in me, Derek?ā You arched a brow, your competitiveness rising to the surface.
āSweet girl, I believe in you for many things, but this is just not one of them.ā
āBut surely there is one single fact out there that Spencer doesnāt know about.ā Penelope piped up from next to Derek, defending you.
āWeāre talking about the same Spencer, right? Spencer Reid? Three PhDs and an IQ of Einstein?ā JJ spoke as she made her way down the bullpen.
āActually, there is no way of measuring Einsteinās IQ as he never took the test, so to say thatāā Derek quickly interrupted Spencer.
āCome on, pretty boy. Sheās backing you up.ā
āSounds like grounds to start a betting pool going,ā Rossi spoke up as he approached the whole group, briefcase in one hand, car keys in the other. ā$20 says sheāll do it within four months.ā
āI think she can do it within three months.ā Emily chimed up from her desk.
āIām placing my bet on eight months,ā Penelope added confidently.
āAlright, and if she canāt do it within one year, JJ and I will split the win,ā Derek announced before directing his next words to you, āStakes are on, sweetheart.ā He winked.
āYeah, yeah. I got it.ā You rolled your eyes before turning towards Spencer, declaring to him with exaggerated cockiness, āIām gonna get you real soon, just wait.ā
āYouāre welcome to try.ā The challenging glint in Spencerās eyes met your own. Again, you knew better than to think that you would know something Spencer did not already know. He was practically the master of facts. But, unfortunately, you were incredibly bad at quitting.
So, let the challenge begin.
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āDid you know that Australia is wider than the moon?ā you questioned the second you saw Spencer enter the office the next morning. āFun fact.ā
āYes, diameter-wise. Australia is almost 4,000 kilometres wide, while the moonās diameter is nearly 3,500 kilometres. However, in terms of their masses, the moon is still larger.ā You sighed dramatically at Spencerās reply before spinning your chair towards your computer, turning the device on.
āAnd day one status: unsuccessful,ā you grunted to yourself, catching Spencerās grin from your peripheral vision.
āOh? Itās gonna be daily?ā
āYou bet your ass itās gonna be. Thereās a betting pool and Iām unfortunately too competitive for my own good.ā You caught the amusement dancing in Spencerās gaze.Ā
āWell then, good luck.ā
āWonāt need it.ā
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āDid you know a cloud can weigh like a million pounds?ā You crossed your arms while peering at the cotton candy-like objects floating amidst the bright blue summer sky. āFun fact.ā
Both of you had your bulletproof vests on, leaning against a car while waiting for JJ to finish speaking to the press before driving back to the precinct. Another case wrapped. Another unsub locked up.
Under the nice weather, you had your cap and Spencerās sunglasses on, having forgotten yours. He had heavily insisted so, even after you had declined a handful of times.
You turned and looked at Spencer briefly. Though, for a split second, your body stilled as the sun played in his favor, casting nice highlights to his woodsy colored locks. The light crinkle of his nose and his squinting eyes made your lips curl, cause once again, it showcased just how self-sacrificing Spencer can be when it came to the people close to him.
āYeah, because they contain different states of matter like trillions of condensed water droplets and ice crystals. Its weight is equivalent to the worldās largest aircraft working at full capacity. Though despite its heaviness, clouds have lower density in comparison to the dry air around them, enabling them to float in the same way as oil floats on water.ā Spencer tried to maintain eye contact with you despite the blaring sun shining into his eyes.
āHmmā¦ā you pursed your lips before removing your navy blue cap and placing it on your friendās head. This cast a shadow over his eyes, blocking the harsh sun from blinding his vision. āBeautiful weather to fail at winning this fun fact thing again.ā
Spencer didnāt reject the clothing item.
Some time in the history of human beings, the act of sporting othersā clothing itemsāespecially of the opposite genderāhad been made to seem important. Spencer has never understood the significance in such a small exchange. But as your hat landed on his head, Spencer felt an added weight that was beyond the small clothing item.Ā
Neither did he have it in him to adjust how you had left the cap on him, even if it didnāt sit on his head perfectly.
āI still have time to get you,ā you continued after a moment of silence.
ā359 days left.ā
āMore than enough.ā
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The clock was close to hitting 11pm. The whole team was taking a short break for a fresh perspective. Most were on their phones or taking a quick nap, but Spencer and you were playing a round of cards.
āDid you know ketchup used to be medicine? Fun fact.ā
Both Emilyās and Derekās watchful gaze panned from you to Spencer, anticipating his reaction to your daily shot at winning the bet.
āAround the 1830s, yeah. They marketed it as a cure for various ailments such as indigestion and diarrhea.āĀ
Emily instantly groaned at Spencerās reply while Derek snickered. Once again, Spencer already knew the information you provided, just like the 13 previous times.
āSee? Not a single thing he doesnāt know,ā Derek chirped up, earning him a glare from the co-worker beside him.
You finally placed your next card down, instantly eying Spencer, wanting a read of his reaction to your play. There was a distant look in his eyes, a clear indication that he was taking this game just as seriously as you were.
Your eyes swept over the rest of your opponent. The un-neat edges in his usually tidy work attire and the way his hair stuck in different directions had your lips curling. They were details that only unveil during late work hours after a long day. But strangely enough, there was something endearing about the slight tiredness in his eyes and the way his cardigan hung disheveledly on him.Ā
āI won.ā
Your eyes snapped to the pile of cards on the table at Spencerās declaration.
āWhat?! No way. You must have cheated.ā
āNow, now, donāt be a sore loser just because pretty boy over here won,ā Derek teased you, despite also highly suspecting that Reid had cheated.
āAre we talking about the same pretty boy who is banned from many Vegas casinos because of his expert skill in counting cards?ā JJ countered, placing her phone down.Ā
Your co-workersā discourse began fading out of your focus as Spencer took out a ticket from his bag and handed it to you with a cheeky grin. With hesitation, you took the paper begrudgingly. You knew you had to hold your end of the deal. You had lost, after all.
You glanced back at the winner of the card game, catching his toothy grin at your sulking manners. Against all maturity, you poked your tongue out in petulance, but such childish action had Spencer laughing quietly in his spot, eyes gleaming with fondness.
āSore loser.ā
āCheater.ā
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Hotch halted in his tracks upon spotting you and Reid in the break room.
Both of your heads were side by side, just a hair short from touching, fighting to have adequate sight of the newspaper that the two of you were sharing. Each of you also sported a pen in hand, scribbling hastily onto the delicate paper with vigorous competitiveness.
The unit chief entered to refill his coffee, though his eyes continued investigating you two. In the narrow gap between your heads, Hotch caught sight of Spencer rapidly filling out a crossword puzzle. Meanwhile, just as fast, you were solving a Sudoku piece that resided on the same page.
āDid you know, like fingerprints, people also have unique tongue prints?ā you murmured, eyes still glued onto the puzzle in front of you. āFun fact.ā
āYeah, humans have unique color, tongue shape, and textural features, therefore making it a great form of identification. However, we currently do not have the suitable technology to capture intricate surface details of tongue prints. Also, switching costs are high partially because the idea of having to stick one's tongue out in public for authentication can be seen as rather awkward, unhygienic, and undignifying.ā
You pursed your lips at another unsuccessful day. But such expression vanished when you dropped your pen on the table and declared with unadulterated joy:
āDone!ā
Your victory drew a defeated noise from Spencer.
āImagine though, having to stick your tongue out at airport immigration and place it onto a public scanner or something like that.ā You cackled at Spencer's grimace and the way his body slightly shivered from such a mental image. Eventually though, your laugh reduced to a teasing smile.
Spencerās gaze lowered to the little crinkle that appeared around your eyes as you smiled, before holding eye contact with you. Spencer knew there was no such thing as āeyes twinkling,ā but you had him doubting that scientifically established truth for a second. It was lighting and he knew that, but he had to admit that he could finally somewhat understand why poets and writers were so obsessed with dedicating lines towards such a tiny detail.Ā
Because even though there was no reason for him to, his own lips began to curl, mirroring the smile on your face.
From behind you both, Aaron Hotchner took a sip of his coffee before departing the room. Though on his way out, his eyes glinted a knowing look, while his lips lifted just the slightest bit before schooling back to a neutral expression again.Ā
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āDid you know that back then, when raising a toast, people would literally drop a piece of toast into their wine?ā you blurted out the second you slid yourself into the empty seat opposite Spencer at his breakfast table. Never have you ever skipped free hotel breakfast and today was no exception.
āWell, hello to you too.ā Spencer grinned at your straight-to-business behavior.Ā
He carefully placed the coffee he made for you into your handāa casual daily routine. You took a good whiff of the comforting aroma before humming at the first taste. It was exactly how you liked it: a dash of milk along with two and a quarter teaspoon of sugar.
To date, Spencer has never asked how you liked your coffee.Ā
He simply has always gotten it right.
It was not hard to guess that he had learnt your preferences from watching you make your coffee in the past. But you could not help but wonder if he took mental notes on others the same way he did with you. However, like every other time, you dismissed it as an occupational habit. Every member has been trained to be observant and notice little details. Spencer probably knew everybodyās coffee preferences.
āIt actually originated from Ancient Rome, and back then, toast was an act to honor the gods and people would pour wine onto the floor. However, the custom evolved in many ways over time, depending on geographic regions. Around the 1600s, it became a common custom in England and this is where people would put a piece of spiced toast into their wine. They did it to improve the flavor of their beverage and also to ātoastā to good health.ā
Spencer caught your hum of satisfaction at the coffee and instantly felt pleased.
Science has long documented humans as naturally validation-seeking creatures. Your existence often humbled him from thinking he was not a recurring participant in that particular human instinct.
His eyes fell from you to your coffeeāa particular mix that has ingrained itself into his memory since your first meeting. Funny that some time since then, he could no longer look at the beverage without ever thinking of you.
Neither could Spencer for the life of him recite the coffee order of anybody else at the BAU.
ā36 days downā¦ā you murmured, already picturing yourself rummaging the internet for more fun facts tonight.
āMaybe tomorrow.ā The words came out softly, almost encouragingly. You hummed before matching his tone.
āMaybe.ā
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āFlies rub their hands as a sanitizing act, rather clean for an insect commonly associated with dirty places, no?ā you murmured before peering up from your book whilst curled up in your seat on the BAUās jet.
āYes, itās a self-grooming act. They do this primarily for two reasons. First and foremost, itās because their legs are their flavour receptors, so they rub their front legs to ensure they can taste when eating. The other motivation is to remove dust and debris, therefore, ensuring survival.ā
Your bottom lip jutted out slightly at another unsuccessful attempt.
āIāll get you tomorrowā¦ā you murmured with a teasing smile before re-immersing yourself in the fantasy world of your current novel.
Reading has become your escapism and method of self-grounding prior to any case. You tried to plunge into fictional worlds while flying to prepare yourself for the terrible realities that accompanied upcoming cases. Though at one point, Spencer started joining in. But instead of having his own book, he would lean over and scan your current page with unrealistic speed while you leisurely let each letter sink in. It became a routine that occupied your journey from Quantico, whereas on the way back, Spencer and you maintained your tradition of engaging in chess matches.Ā
Spencer spotted your finger flipping the page once more and his eyes instantly swept over the printed words hastily.
Twenty thousand words per minute. That was Spencerās known reading speed, which meant in merely two seconds or three, he was already done with the two pages in front of you both. As always, you were still reading at your own pace, unhurried. He knew he could adopt a slower speed to enjoy your chosen fictional literature. But lately, he found himself in a hurry, rushing himself to finish pages in a way that made him think maybe he was now above his previously established reading speed.Ā
Why?
His gaze flicked over to you, mulling over the familiar details that made you, you. He studied the way your fingers trace the fore-edge of the book mindlessly, lingering on the way you tease your lips with your teeth as you registered the adventure that the story was taking you on. Spencer caught the slight shift in the space between your eyebrows and how they slightly twitch according to plot progression, displaying your commitment to your reading content.
Spencer would not classify himself as a people watcher, despite his necessary observant and analytical traits as a profiler. Yet, somehow, watching you had become one of his favorite quiet activities. In your little habits were his comfort. In moments when cases were overwhelming, his eyes have made a tendency to land on you. The spike in his heartbeat would normalize, whilst rapid thoughts would regulate. It was only in moments when Spencer would get caught by you that he would tear his gaze away sheepishly, before attempting to pretend that he was looking elsewhere instead.
The sound of paper rustling pulled Spencer out of his mind, and he instantly plunged himself into the same self-established cycle again.
And despite his fondness for literature, for once, it did not hold a candle in his eyes.
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āCows have best friends, how great is that?ā
Spencer stopped eating his ice cream the second he spotted someone passing the two of you in a cow onesie, giving away why you decided on that particular fun fact. His eyes fell back on you, glimmering with amusement.Ā
āYes, cows do have a ābest friendā who they tend to share spaces and rest side by side with. Research shows that when separated, these cows would show signs of stress and anxiety with higher heart rates.ā
You hummed at that. By now, you were used to his immediate expansion on your facts, no longer surprised or disappointed every time he added onto your words.Ā
In fact, you fondly looked forward to hearing what he had to say about whatever fact you would sprout. There was a deep sense of appreciation that you have grown for this challenge. You felt like, intellectually, your general knowledge had expanded immensely, both from researching fun facts to tell Spencer and also from the informative responses that you would receive from him.
āYou know, cows also can develop what some may refer to as āaccents.ā Research observed variations in their moos based on different regions and herds.ā Spencer leaned closer to you before adding cheekily, āFun fact.ā
āNuh uh, donāt go stealing my line. Youāre not allowed to put me out of business.ā
This tore a laugh out of Spencer, and you immediately bit back a smile at such a sound.Ā
If humans have the ability to bottle noises for keepsake, you know now what sound you would try to capture.
Surprisingly, this was only the second time that Spencer and you had spent time together one-on-one out of work.Ā
With the working hours at the BAU that forced you and all your co-workers to be in close proximity for an extensive amount of time, you tend to allocate your scarce free time to those who were outside of your work circle. But something about spending time with Spencer today had struck you with an epiphany:
You really, really wanted to see Spencer outside of work more often.
Both your phones started ringing at the same time.
āPenelope, is everything okay?ā you answered quietly.
āEmily?ā Spencer whispered at the same time into his phone.
After a few seconds, you both ended your respective phone calls before slowly turning to face each other again. You scanned yours and Spencerās outfit before sighing.
āThereās not enough time to go home and change.ā The devastation in your voice was imminent.
āI know.ā
A few minutes later, both of you entered the office, and almost instantly, the noise level declined significantly as the whole team paused their actions. You winced, knowing immediately that you two were about to be the butt of many incoming jokes.
āWhoa, what time period did you guys travel back from?ā Emily teased.
āWe were at a convention, okay?ā You huffed, picking up your go-bag from under your desk for a change of clothes.
āAnd you two are dressed up asā¦?ā Rossi crossed his arms, undoubtedly amused.
The team scanned over both of your outfits. Spencer was wearing a brown fedora hat, an oxblood colored corduroy jacket, and grey pants. Despite the only semi-chilly weather, he also sported a colorful striped knitted scarf around his neck. As for you, you were in an all pink attire, but what stood out was your long pink coat, high pink boots, and long white scarf.
āThe fourth doctor and Romana II, from Doctor Who,ā Spencer answered, grabbing his go bag.
Derekās eyes comedically bulged out at that, and he immediately spun his chair towards you. āBlink twice if Reid is blackmailing you with something to make you go to this convention with him.ā You laughed at his remark.
āListen, remember the card game I lost two months ago? Thatās why I had to go, but when I actually started the show, I really enjoyed it.ā You raised your hands in surrender.
āOh, we lost another one. She got Reid-ified,ā Derek exclaimed dramatically before placing a hand on his chest in jest heartbreak, grinning at your eye roll.
By now, Spencer had returned to your side with his go-bag. Though just as you two turned around to head off and change, an abrupt flash halted you both in your steps. Blinking away the after-effect of the blinding light, you saw Penelope with her phone facing you two and a cheeky grin on her face.
āWhoa, whoa, whoa. Delete that,ā you immediately instructed, hands on your hips while your brows furrowed in fussiness. You then sucked in a deep breath and used your hand to comb through your hair before a smile broke your feigned annoyed expression. āI was not ready.ā
Then, with dramatic flair, you posed properly for the camera, grabbing Spencerās scarf exaggeratedly with both hands while tugging him lightly.Ā
Spencer was unsure if his knees had buckled due to a slight loss of balance or from your proximity. He glanced at the camera, face slightly flushed, before witnessing another flash go off, evidencing his blush and putting it on record.
Your hands were gone from his scarf like a breeze.Ā
āAlright, Iām gonna go change now.ā By the time Spencer registered your words, you were already gone. All that was left at the spot you previously occupied was his attention. Spencer's eyes eventually moved when he heard a quiet giggle from Penelope, who was indescribably entertained by the dazed look on his face.
The tech expert slowly angled her phone towards Spencer to show what she had captured, and she carefully observed Spencerās contemplative gaze. His eyes landed on you first, and they softened at the sight of your beaming face. They then traced the slope of your smile and the crinkle of your eyes before reluctantly trailing down to your hands and the way they bossily clung onto his scarf.Ā
The sentiment of pictures has always been just a concept to Spencer Reid. He does understand the logic behind peopleās attachment to colored captures of moments and why people have āimportantā photos in their wallets or have framed physical copies. But personally, he rarely ever practiced it. Yet, in this precise moment, he suddenly wanted to begin.
Without even looking at himself in the photo, Spencer murmured to Penelope:
āCan you send that to me, please? Thank you.ā
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āWhere is she?ā Derekās gaze darted up to his friend. One glance at Spencer and the man already knew who he was referring to.
āGarcia said she called in sick this morning. Why?ā
āNothing.ā
Derek scanned over Spencer from head to toe properly this time. Realisation flashed through his eyes before the man smirked as he looked back down at his work.Ā
Ah, the perks of being a profiler.
āSure, pretty boy.ā
āWhat was that looāāĀ
The sound of Spencerās phone ringing interrupted his question. He took the device out of his pocket, and the phone almost flew out of his hand when he saw your name flashing on the screen. He immediately picked up and placed the device beside his ear, breathing out your name in greeting.
Instead of your usual cheery tone, Spencer was met with a muffled voice and snifflings.
Immediately, his body stiffened.
āAre you okay?ā He was by his desk within seconds. His fingers grazed over his jacket, as if prepared to scoop the clothing up and dash out of the office if your answer indicated any distress.Ā
āMy nose is blocked. Both sides. Itās horrendous,ā then came a dramatic sigh, āIām becoming a mouth breather, Spence.ā
Your melodrama tore a laugh from Spencerās throat.
Derekās lips curled discreetly at the noise.
āAnyway, donāt think you can escape your daily fun fact just because Iām not physically in the office.ā Spencer was glad you were not physically with him, because if you were, you would have seen the idiotic grin stretching his face. But how could he not smile at your stubborn resilience, and the cute sound of your nasally voice that was slightly more high-pitched than normal.Ā
āYouāre sick, and you took a day off work, but not off the fun fact thing?ā
āIn sickness and in health, as they say.ā
Spencer accidentally snorted at your words and immediately cleared his throat in an attempt to cover it.
Derekās brows scrunched at that.
āApparently, while wired to specific scientific machines and whatnot, two lucid dreamers can have two-way communication in real time. How cool is that?ā Spencer hummed fondly at your words before sitting down, his plan to flee from office hours long gone.
āThatās quite a recent fun fact. The study was recently concluded just about two years ago,ā his voice came out soft as he focused on any sound that the technological device beside his ear could carry over from your end.Ā
He caught your hum, though the sound resembled the same one you always did while sitting next to him on the jet as the team flew back to Quantico. The noise that often preceded the soft landing of your head on his shoulder and the way heād sit straighter up to accommodate you entirely despite his germaphobia-led touch aversion.
āYou should sleep and rest,ā he whispered, despite wanting to hear your voice for longer. But selflessness came easy when you were in consideration.
Spencer carefully began listing all the things you ought to do later to get better. But halfway through, he noticed the lack of noise from the other end, except for your rhythmic breathing, signaling your sound asleep state. Spencer sighed before removing the phone from his ear. He stared at the device in long contemplation before clicking the end call button.
Finally placing down the device that signified his only contact with you today, Spencer flipped open todayās case dossier. However, he found himself re-reading the first sentence over and over again. His eyes kept scanning over the same words, and he felt the way they slid past his comprehension the same way small external details occasionally would escape his notice whenever he spent time with you.Ā
Spencerās mind kept trailing back to the phone call and to you.
Itās familiarityāhe tried to tell himself. Humans were, afterall, creatures of habit, and considering you have been swirled into his daily routine like a necessity, it made sense that the lack of your presence had set him off balance.Ā
Eventually, Spencer got up and went to the break room for coffee. But the second he opened the cupboard and his eyes landed on your mug, he felt his mouth run dry.Ā
For the past one and a half years, he has always made two cups of coffee instead of one at the start of each day.
His eyes darted to his mug right next to yours. The idea of separating them sent some sort of ache in his heart, even if logically they were just ceramic vessels.
Perhaps he had mislabeled what missing someone meant all along, because your absence was bringing a hollowness that nobody had managed to carve out of him before. It was the kind of emptiness that made him feel incomplete, as if a piece of himself was not with him. Yet, as opposed to the expected numbness that often accompanied such a feeling, Spencer felt every second of your absence with a constant stinging ache that felt too akin to withdrawal symptoms.Ā
Eventually, Spencer shut the cupboard and returned to his desk, coffee-less.
That evening after work, Spencer made a detour instead of going straight home, missing the way his friends huddled together, exchanging hushed whispers about his departure.
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Twenty two hours, forty eight minutes, and thirty one seconds.
Spencer witnessed as time quietly slipped through the cracks of his remaining strength.Ā
The whole bullpen lacked the life his work family usually colored in. The janitor had long shut off the main lights, so the only thing illuminating the space near Spencer was his desk lamp. Everybody else had gone home except for Hotch, but the unit chief was in his office, leaving Spencer as the last man standing in the bullpen.
After a few more ticks, Spencer finally tore his gaze from the timing instrument and glided his vision back down to the pen in his hand, forcing it to ink his unfinished report, but words refused to string together.Ā
Spencerās free hand began tapping his desk rhythmically in a pathetic attempt to comfort himself.
Twenty two hours, fifty one minutes, and twenty one seconds.
Spencer wanted to say that it didnāt matter. Why should it? But he knew damn well that the answer was because the team mattered to him.Ā
However, perspective was truly a funny thing. Someone could be your number one priority, and you barely just made it in their list.
Spencer averted his gaze from the unfinished report to the brand new photo frame on his desk, where a captured version of the recent memory of you two as Doctor Who characters resided.
It did not take a genius to see that you two were closer to one another than with others on the team. However, the fun fact challenge had truly unlocked another level of bond. It was the kind of connection that meant he had started placing you above the others, a position that implied he also expected more from you, cause perhaps he thought you had also valued him just as much as he treasured you in his mind.Ā
So as much as the whole team was the source of his dismay, there was a spotlight reserved for your absence, one that was beyond glaring and punched his guts in ways that others could not.
His eyes traced your face in the photograph again, like they had done every morning since he had gotten the picture framed.Ā
Oftentimes, you could never be absolutely sure where you stand in someoneās life.
Twenty two hours, fifty nine minutes, and ten seconds.
A resigned breath escaped the narrow gap between his lips.
With more effort than it usually took, Spencer got on his feet, hoping that another cup of coffee would be the cure for his inefficiency. He slowly placed more weight on one side of his body to turn around. At the same time, Spencer began rubbing his face in hopes that exhaustion and melancholy would push themselves aside for a brief moment so that he could finish this impending task.Ā
When Spencer finally reopened his eyes to navigate the darkness, he froze at the sight that was once behind him.
Eight steps away was you, looking like a deer caught in headlights.Ā
Then came your escaped nervous laughter, like you were scared of screwing up, but that was only because you were unaware that you could almost never do wrong in Spencerās eyes. His heartāwhich Spencerās brain has been having a harder time controlling latelyāprovided you with a much larger margin for error than anybody else.
Your gentle tone filled the fragile silence that was intertwined with suspense.
āFun fact, birthday cakes are traditionally round as an Ancient Greek tradition to resemble the moon for the goddess Artemis.ā Your eyes crinkled as your lips curled into that familiar smile that had previously held Spencer powerless on numerous occasions. āHappy Birthday, Spence.ā
There you were, cake in hand after a long day of work on a gruesome case.
There you were, with a homemade cake after a long day of him thinking everybody had forgotten his birthday, or more importantly, that you had forgotten.
But maybe his probability was not entirely against him.Ā
āI know Iām quite late, but trust me, thereās an explanation. When I got to the office this morning, I realized that I had forgotten your cake at home. I was planning to grab it after work, but the case kept us all back so late, and then traffic was super bad because of a concert today. But hey, I got the cake now, and I really hope you like it.ā
You peered down at your own baking product and the slightly wonky penmanship before turning your eyes back onto Spencer.
āAlso, since itās your birthday, Iāll give you a bonus fun fact. There are roughly 30,000 people who have their birthdays on October 12th in the States, butā¦āĀ
Your voice fell quiet as your eyes diverted back to the cake again.Ā
āYouāre my favorite October 12th.ā
And right at that second, all of Spencerās previous attempts at rationalising his feelings via scientific explanations collapsed. For once, science could no longer shield him, because as much as it was a field built on facts of concrete evidence, there was also an undeniable truth: he liked you.
It might not be rational, but it was still a fact, and that alone terrified Spencer.Ā
And while he was your favorite October 12th, you were his favorite every day.
Spencer glanced down at the handmade cake and the singular purple candle pierced in the center. The tiny flame provided just enough light for the space between you both. His eyes then flicked back onto you, and they softened.
God, you were so clueless about the effect your actions have on him and his whole world.
One breath extinguished the fire, and grey smoke fluttered into the air.
Then, for the first time since he saw you five minutes ago, Spencer managed to form the only words he felt were worthy enough of your time.
āThank you.ā
Even if the significance behind those words didnāt reach you today, it was okay. But they carry the weight of his whole heart and every unspoken reason behind his gratefulness.Ā
Thank you for not forgetting about him today. Thank you for always being so kind and paying attention to the details about him. Thank you for being such an important part of his life. Thank you for choosing the exact career path that you did to lead you to him. Thank you for existing.Ā
And someday, maybe Spencer Reid will gather enough courage to tell you all of this.
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You halted in your step, and almost immediately Spencer followed suit. His eyesight followed yours, and he instantly knew what you were gonna ask from him.
āCome on, can you play for me? Please?ā you urged, and it didnāt take more than your pleading face to make him approach the instrument that lay abandoned in the corner of the hotel where the whole team was staying.
Saying ānoā became a significantly harder task for Spencer ever since he realised what kind of position his feelings were in when it came to you. It especially felt like an impossible task when your words came in that pleading tone and the smile that had him wishing stopping time was one of his abilities.
You followed Spencer and leaned against the instrument eagerly. You observed as he lightly cracked his knuckles, eying the mixture of ivory and ink-dark keys with a calculative gaze before placing his fingers delicately on them while his foot pressed gently on one of the pedals at the base.
For a moment, you wondered what Spencer would play. Maybe one of the classical pieces he liked a lot. Perhaps Bach? OrāĀ Ā
A familiar tune overtook the pleasant quietness in the empty hotel lobby, and recognition struck you with every flawless execution of each note.
First off, you knew he was a liar, saying he only dabbled in piano. But what caught you off-guard was hearing the piano version of your favorite song.Ā
It was things like this that made you conclude that Spencer Reid was one of the sweetest individuals you have ever had the privilege to know. From making you coffee daily to hunting down first editions of your favorite books (the most recent one in which he handed over along with soup the day you got sick and were off work). Now, he was learning your favorite song on the piano.Ā
Lucky felt like an inadequate word to describe your position in life when Spencer was in the equation.
Only when he finished the very modern composition did you speak up.
āI thought you only listened to classical?ā
āIā¦did,ā was all that came out of Spencerās mouth, but it was enough for you to catch his implication that he had learnt this song specifically on the piano for you.
Spencer sniffled, diverting his gaze from you shyly as he inspected the keys in front of him again.
Ever since his birthday, Spencer could constantly feel the urge to confess right on the tip of his tongue while his lips trembled in self-control to keep them to himself for now. According to the internet and its various articles, he should try to āwooā you first, and hence these actions instead of confessing right away. He wondered if you got his message. He wondered if you could tell this was his version of flirting. However, Spencer also knew that he had accidentally portrayed himself as an extremely sweet friend from your perspective, so thoughtful actions with the aim of impressing you romantically were most likely ruled as platonic gestures.Ā
You began toying with the ring on your middle finger, the flattery from his sweet action manifested itself through the heat beneath your cheeks. For the first time in your almost three years of friendship with Spencer, you were struck by a minor nerve-wracking sensation. There was also a fleeting stutter in your chest that you decisively ignored.
You moved on with a quiet murmur.
āYou know, humans owe squirrels a lot. They have planted at least thousands of trees.ā You gave him a soft smile when his eyes met yours again. āItās accidental, but no less a noble act contributing to the environment.ā
āYeah, they would bury nuts for later usage, but forget their locations. Many forgotten nuts can grow into trees, therefore, contributing to forest regeneration.āĀ
āAnddd another fun fact failure.ā You groaned, though your expression melted into a smile when you heard Spencer chuckle at that.Ā
āWe should head up. Itās getting late.ā
You nodded in agreement and began walking, but looked back briefly at Spencer. āBut itās not too late for an episode of Doctor Who, right?ā
An outstretched grin spread across Spencerās face at your words.
āNever.ā
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āNo way.ā You were speechless as you made way out of Spencerās car, staring at the building in front of you in disbelief. āDonāt tell meā¦ā
āYeah, itās for your favorite film,ā Spencer confirmed your suspicion.
āSo, it didnāt matter that I had lost, huh?ā
Shortly after your Doctor Who convention together, Spencer had invited you to this event that was two and a half months after. Though he insisted on keeping the details a secret, relaying only the dress codeāsmart casual, but whatever you were most comfortable with.
The secretive factor of the whole ordeal had you guessing in suspense for the entire two months, but now that you were here, you fully understood why.
This was the event that you both would have gone to instead of the Doctor Who convention if you had won that game of cards.
An orchestra movie concert of your favourite movie.
Spencer sucked in a deep breath, fingers toying with the loose threads of his cardigan. There he went again, attempting to present to you that he was an optionāthe best one, at thatāand giving signals that he was pursuing you. He has read at least five hundred online articles on the art of flirting in the past week alone. If Derek ever found his online searching history, Reid would never live it down.
āGod, this is the best thing ever.ā Seeing how pleased you were with his action made Spencer want to physically preen with pride.
Once you two had settled down inside, you took a couple of photos and observed your surroundings. You looked around at your neighboring audiences before averting your gaze to the empty chairs that were soon to be filled by instrumental experts. Your body was flooded with excitement at the prospect of finally being at this event.Ā
You decided to chime in with your daily fun fact just minutes before the concert was due to start.
āDid you know that thereās a planet that is ā made of diamonds?ā you whispered.
ā55 Cancri e, right?ā he matched your volume, shifting in the chair beside you to make himself comfortable.
āYeah, that one,ā you confirmed, turning your head back to him. āGo on, I know you have details on it.ā You encouraged, shifting yourself into a comfortable position as well.
ā55 Cancri e is a super-Earth exoplanet, approximately twice the size of Earth, though roughly eight times heavier in terms of mass. First sighted and discovered in 2004, scientists have found that it is a very hot and rocky planet with a molten lava ocean surface due to its incredibly close orbit to its starā¦ā
You were leaning into your palm while listening to him, clinging onto every word as they absorbed into your brain. The space you left in between you both out of consideration for Spencer gradually lessened as he leaned in closer the more he talked. His tone, too, grew more quiet as he went on, as if the information he was telling you did not exist in some cyclopaedia, but a secret passed in full trust.Ā
The corners of your lips curled at the twinkle in Spencerās eyes as he detailed out knowledge that previously sat in the corner of his brain, collecting dust.
Spencerās intellectual rambling will always be one of your favorite things about him. You loved hearing him talk and the way he enunciated each syllable so clearly, as well as his wordings and his tonal patterns. You should have gotten used to it by now, but it marvelled you every single time that you had the chance to listen to him talk about things you would rely on an internet search to know. Just like usual, today was no different.
Spencer Reid was remarkable. It was almost impossible to take your eyes off him when he talked. He was a bundle of many things that made him an individual worth a lifetime of getting to know.
You wondered if you were looking at him a little bit too fondly right now. But how could you not when he was whispering sweet facts to you as if he only wanted you to know of it? It felt almost as if this fun fact challenge had turned into a sacred tradition between you two.Ā
āEven though it is widely said that the planet is ā of diamond, this is actually still only a theory and yet to be proven. So, to dub it the Diamond Planet when theyāre not even sure if there are diamonds on the planet itself is likeā¦suspecting you are a quarter or half French and then introducing yourself as French to people anyway.ā
Your laughter burst out unfiltered, and you instantly grounded yourself by clearing your throat and pulling yourself away from Spencer slightly, putting yourself on timeout.
That was kind of embarrassing.Ā
The joke was slightly funny, but nowhere close to warranting that kind of laughter.
It sort of reminded you of the videos you have seen on the internet about the kind of laugh that people would let out in reaction to their crushās jokā
Oh.
You subtly slid deeper into your chair as thoughts shot in your mind at a hundred miles per second. Your fingers immediately curled into your palms to dig at it. You could not look back at Spencer in fear that he would notice that something was wrong.Ā
Oh God.Ā
But were you really surprised though?Ā
A part of you had seen it coming, because as much as you adore all your co-workers, you knew in the bottom of your heart that Spencer was the only one you were willing to lessen your sleeping hours to prolong hanging out and conversing with. Also, to be immune to such sweet actions, you would have to be some statue made of stone. For years now, Spencer had intently taken time to know you and go out of his way just to make you happy. If anything, you were grateful that your heart had picked someone so kind and worthy to give itself away to.
You glanced at Spencer from the corner of your eyes, and just the sight of him alone had your heart hiccupping in a way that you had become familiar with for the past month. It was the kind of stutter that you had outright been trying to ignore and written off as nothing. But unlike all the previous times, you knew you could no longer deny that man next to you was the reason for such palpitations.
And maybe it was also time to face it: you like Spencer Reid, your genius of a friend and very much also a profiler.
Your eyes snapped away from him the moment you realized the significance of playing it cool. You could not have him picking up the signs and figuring out that you have feelings for him. But then again, you have seen how clueless he was around women who were hitting on him and failing to pick up their signals. So, maybe he would not notice your current body language either.
Before you could think more on the matter, the lights dimmed and instruments began stringing together in a well-rehearsed manner. It was only then that you began breathing again, relieved that you had two hours to collect your thoughts and come to terms with the newly attained knowledge about yourself.
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āAlright, whatās the fun fact of today?ā you heard Spencerās voice before peering up and seeing him behind your chair, hands on the back of the furniture, looking down at you with a shy smile. The sight of his adorable expression made your cheeks heat up, and you had to avert your gaze to prevent him from spotting signs of your flustered state.
The other members just boarded the jet as well, settling into their own spots after a tiring case. You were much less the same, sporting the now more noticeable eye bags that matched Spencerās. Yet, that does not deter his gaze from the warmth they hold.
You gestured to Spencerās usual seat right next to you. Once he had settled down, you made your next move on his chessboard, resuming your current ongoing match with him. You could see the instant way the cogs in his brain started spinning. At that, you provided your fun fact of the day, hoping it would serve as a distraction.
āYou know, I read that there are more possible variations of chess games than the number of atoms in the universe.ā
āYeah, itās known as the Shannon numberāthe number of possible chess games, I mean, which is 10120. Meanwhile, the estimated number of atoms in the observable universe is 1080to 1082.ā
He made his move, catching your discreet yawn in the corner of his eyes.
āFascinating, isnāt it?ā The weight behind your eyes turned them half-lidded. They landed on the chessboard, trying to formulate the next best move, but your brain refused to cooperate as a fog of sleepiness overclouded your judgments.
āYou donāt have to play now, you know. We can just play next time.ā
āNo, no. Give me a second, Iāll make my move.ā
āYouāre tired.ā
You slowly turned your head towards Spencer, and there it was again. You caught the concern leaking from his gaze, and it instantly reminded you just how caring Spencer was to those in his life and especially you. Your mouth formed a tired yet grateful smile at his expressed worry.
You felt sorry for those who have never had the opportunity to be the subject of his affections.
For a split second, you pondered the kind of doting that Spencer would do if he were pursuing someone romantically. You have never seen him express interest in any woman during your time at the BAU, despite the advances he has gotten from various good-looking women. But if he was already this sweet platonically, you were fairly certain your heart would give out at what he had in mind as romance.
Your shoulders finally slumped before a truthful sigh escaped from you. āYeah.ā
Unlike usual, where you would fall asleep and land on his shoulder while you were knocked out, he outright shifted to sit up straighter for you, offering his shoulder.
Spencer never admitted it out loud, but he had foolishly started wanting the friction of your skin against his or the fabric of his belongings. It was an impossible he thought would never occur, but here he was, anticipating the next rare moment of physical touch beside the one where his shoulder would become your pillow.Ā
Of course, he had noticed itāyour lack of touch when it came to him. He was devastatingly aware of your mindfulness of his germaphobia, and Spencer was grateful, he really was. However, your reservation to accommodate his tendencies had begun feeling like deprivation. In fact, Spencer could count on one hand the amount of times you had ever touched him deliberately, with the last one being one hundred and sixty three days ago.
But it was that particular initiative factor that Spencer deeply yearned for. He craved and awaited for a touch made with purpose.Ā
He wanted you to mean it.
You stilled at such a small action, gaze stopping on his shoulder. You did not want to over-interpret such a simple movement, but knowing Spencer, there were implications and significance in that little offering.Ā
You knew it had become a recurring thing. As embarrassed as you were, you could not help the fact that you were the type to move around a lot in your sleep. You had tried using an airplane pillow, leaning against the wall, and so many other methods. However, most of the time, you would still wake up on Spencerās shoulder before instantly jolting up and freeing him from the physical touch.
But the certainty on Spencerās face left your rejection stuck in your throat.
Hesitantly, you began shifting closer, giving Spencer just enough time to retract the offer if he wanted to. But he stayed confidently still as your head started leaning down before finally landing on his shoulder.
One single small action had Spencer questioning how much longer he could go on like this. How much longer could he keep these feelings tightly locked and concealed? Because Spencer was utterly gone for you. Gone in the kind of way where one casual compliment from you about the cardigan he was wearing had him immediately putting the item into his clothing rotation a lot more frequently.
āIām gonna get you some day, Spenceā¦ā Spencer watched as you drifted to sleep before closing his own eyes, all while he wished the flight back would last forever.
Unbeknownst to you both, the team exchanged knowing looks and discreet smiles at the sight they were witnessing. There had been nothing more obvious to them than this, but instead of intervening, they decided to let things play its course.Ā
Because, despite the uncertain nature surrounding the occurrence of events in life, this was the one thing everybody was sure was inevitable.
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The jet finally arrived back at Quantico around 11pm. Spencer had finished his report a few minutes before you did, but lingered behind as usual to wait for you. About two weeks ago, he had established a new routine between you both.Ā
āReady?ā Spencer carefully peeled your bag from your hand, checking his watch to see that it was already past midnight, marking a new day.
āYeahā¦ā you breathed out tiredly, eager to collapse in bed. āMore than ready.ā
You like to think you have kept it cool well, in general. But Spencerās new routine of walking you to your car after work had you a nail tip away from laying all your cards bare and revealing your feelings. Even on days when you finished your report first, he would walk you to your car before returning to the office. But the thing was:
Spencer Reid rarely ever drove to work, which meant he was going to the employee parking lot every day with you for no reason.Ā
Well, for no reason but you.
The elevator began making its descent from the sixth floor with both of you inside. You were listening carefully as Spencer discussed an academic paper he had read last night. The doors soon jerked open, revealing the fairly empty parking lot. At the sight of your car, you subtly began slowing down your steps, biting back a smile when you noticed him mirroring your change of pace.Ā
You observed as he animatedly gushed about the methodology of the research paper, paying particular attention to the tiny detail of his body language. The way his hands were passionately waving around, exaggerating certain points Spencer was trying to make. The flutter of his eyelashes as he blinked a bit faster than he usually wouldāa habit that often occurs when he speaks quickly, as you have learned. The smooth movements of his lips as his mouth tried to rush out words to match the pace of his incredibly brilliant brain.
Now that you were looking at his lips, you have to admit that it was kind of hard to look away.
Suddenly, an idea brewed in your mind, and it felt like the holy grail had finally landed in your lap. Who would have known that a random Thursday would be the day you ought to finally win this challenge and put Spencer in checkmate.
āSpence?ā Your lips curled mischievously, observing the way Spencer halted in his steps at your tone.Ā
God, despite being subjected to harsh and unflattering parking lot lights, Spencer still had the audacity to look good in a way that tugged at your heartstrings. The sight had you questioning if he was capable of ever looking bad. His warm eyes colored with interest as he eagerly awaited your next words. You took a couple more steps forward, wanting to hide the plotting expression on your face.Ā
āFun factā¦ā You paused before peering back at him. At those two words, you instantly caught the anticipation rolling off him. There was also a subtle confidence from him that signalled he was sure he already knew whatever you were planning to tell him. But you knew that this time, things would be different.Ā
With a competitive glint in your eyes, you finally divulged todayās fun fact, your voice calm and stable.
āI like you.ā
Just as you predicted, Spencer froze while his mouth fell agape. No words fell out of those talkative lips, a stark contrast to how fast he was speaking a couple of seconds ago. You practically beamed in victory at such a reaction. You wanted to celebrate, you really did. But you decided not to gloat about your win yet. Instead, you prioritised the better option: teasing your friend.
āI recalled you mentioning once that kissing spreads fewer germs than shaking hands?ā You winked playfully, expecting nothing from it. It was simply a joke to make Spencer flustered for your entertainment, and there was zero expectation that he would somehow miraculously confess that he had been secretly liking you too and would actually kiss you at your workplaceās parking lot at 1am.
Because there was no way Doctor Spencer Reid liked you, right?
You observed as his lips slowly curled up in amusement as your words sunk in, and that partially made your shoulders relaxed. Well, at least your joke landed, and your friendship would make it out intact despite your confession.
But then, out of nowhere, that closed-mouth smile stretched into a full-on grin before a chuckle of disbelief escaped from Spencer.Ā
Now, you were on alert. Instantly, you tried to read his reactionāwas he in disbelief that he was finally stumped by a fact he had not yet known of? Was he amused by your clever trick of using your own feelings as a fun fact? But the elation on his face and the awestruck look in his eyes hardly aligned with someone who had just lost a long-term challenge.
Your lips parted as you continued assessing the man, but you caught the way his eyes flickered down at that small movement before he sucked in a deep breath.
Ohā¦?
Suspicion crept in, but confirmation came quicker.
In the blink of an eye, Spencer had completely eliminated the two steps between you both, sealing you two in a proximity that was closer than you had ever been with him. His palms found your face, and they cupped your cheeks in a careful yet certain way.
Spencerās eyes darted all over your face, searching for all the clues that you were okay with what he had next in mind. He could see that your pupils were slightly dilated, as well as feel the way you were leaning into his touch and the heat that was transferring from your cheeks to his hands. Though it was only when you did not pull away and instead, had your tongue dart out to wet your lips, did Spencer kill the remaining space between your faces.
His lips slanted against yours in a desperate manner that outmatched his need for oxygen, kissing you like it was long overdue. He swallowed the gasp escaping your throat and the surprised noise that followed. There was an urgency he could not hide as his straining self-control snapped from your green light.Ā
You began kissing him back just a second or two after, and almost instantly, you heard a sigh of relief. Your lips curled, but any trace of smugness vanished when his thumb began rubbing your cheek fondly. Suddenly, you were aware of just how close you two were. Every point of contact was sending a searing heat through your body, because despite his fears of germs, Spencer was touching your skin like it was a need, rather than an obligation for moments like these.Ā
You pressed your lips harder against his.
Good lord, Spencer could do this forever.Ā
He might have been able to count the number of times you have touched him on one hand, but even with the whole team, there were not enough fingers to account for the number of times he had glanced at your lips this week alone.
Your own hands touched the sides of his waist, and you instantly caught the longing noise that escaped from Spencerās throat, echoing onto your lips. At such an encouraging sound, you curled your hands to the back of his body and snaked them up his back. Your lips smirked against his at the way he arched into your touch.Ā
One hundred and sixty three daysāSpencer reminded himself again, humming in utter satisfaction at the way those numbers spun down to zero. Finally, you were touching him on purpose and with purpose. He practically melted at the way your hands roamed so confidently without any trace of guilt that he was uncomfortable, because he was far from that.
In fact, he eagerly wanted to keep the number of days since the last time you touched him at zero permanently.Ā
You picked that precise moment to pull away, documenting the way his eyes fluttered open and dawned into existence the unadulterated glimmer of yearning in them.Ā
You have always thought he was gorgeous, but how he looked right then rendered the word inadequate. It was a vision exceeding all your daydreams, and to be the reason behind the look made you feel like you were an award winning fashion designer who had just invented a magnificent masterpiece. But unlike most, you had no intention of sharing this artwork with the world or with anybody else.
Spencer felt his heart squeeze at the sight of you again. Was it possible to miss someone so badly from not having a visual on them for approximately a minute? Maybe he was more screwed than he thought.
Breathlessly, he finally whispered the confession that he had long to say for a month.
āDespite all the facts I already know and have learnt during my whole entire life, youāre my favorite thing to study and know more about, and have been since you stepped into my life. Nothing I learnt after felt like it could outrank anything I learnt about you.ā It was true.Ā Every speck of information about you gets the forefront of his memoryās line-up, taking priority over every other knowledge. Spencer licked his own lips for remnants of you before continuing, āYouāre my favorite fun fact, you know that?ā
Your heart tugged at his words. You had no idea how you managed to compete with the vast amount of interesting information that existed in the world, but under Spencerās stare, you truly could see he meant every word.
āButā¦ā The smile on your face instantly dropped at that single word from Spencer. Good rarely ever followed that three-letter conjunction.
āBut?ā
āI do have to admit that, uhmā¦ā The familiar sheepish glint in his eyes had one of your eyebrows shooting up. āI kinda already know that fun fact already, that you liked me.ā Your hands on him stilled their movement before falling onto your sides in disbelief.
āOh, come on. You canāt be serious.ā He resisted the urge to whine at the lack of physical touch from you. āBut you looked shocked.ā
āI was shocked you actually said it. I didn't think youād do it todayā¦or tomorrowā¦or maybe everāā You slapped his arm, but he gladly welcomed that contact. Anything was better than nothing.
āI thought youāre like highly oblivious to romantic signals? Iāve seen you being completely clueless and not picking up on the fact that women were flirting with you.ā
āI think I wasnāt clueless when it came to you because my eyes were always on you.ā Those words came out shamelessly. In fact, Spencer almost sounded proud of himself. You tried not to let his words make you flustered.
āWhen did you figure it out?ā
āThat you like me? At the orchestra.ā
āHow? I barely figured it out myself that I liked you then.ā
āYeah, I could tell.ā Your huff drew a chuckle from him.
You finally peeled yourself completely away from Spencer, grabbing your bag from his hand before making your way to your car. As you unlocked the vehicle and swung the driverās door open, you could hear his footsteps following. You crouched to lean into your car and place your bag onto the passenger seat. You could feel Spencerās presence stopping just behind you, standing much closer than he had ever before tonight.
As you bent back up and leaned against your car, you didn't miss the way Spencerās fingers twitched, giving away his urges for physical contact. You crossed your arms before tilting your head back teasingly.
āIām still gonna get you someday.ā
Spencerās gaze melted to an even softer look than before at your declaration. There was a freeing component in his eyes, showcasing the joy from being able to openly look at you in the way he had really wanted to for a while. His voice lowered to a sweet, promising whisper.
āIām counting on that.ā
With that, Spencer leaned in again, wanting a second run of things before the two of you had to part ways for the night.
You grinned into the kiss and quickly wrapped your arms around him again. Quietly, your mind logged in todayās score.Ā
Day 187 status: unsuccessful.Ā
But it hardly matters when you think youāve already won something a lot better.
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I. Love. This. SO MUCH š„¹š„¹ I do not exist in solid form anymore, you can find me as a puddle on the floor because this FLUFF has melted me completely.
āDespite all the facts I already know and have learnt during my whole entire life, youāre my favorite thing to study and know more about, and have been since you stepped into my life. Nothing I learnt after felt like it could outrank anything I learnt about you.ā āYouāre my favorite fun fact, you know that?ā
HELLO?? This is a masterpiece, I will be reading this once a day for the foreseeable future because again its a masterpiece
Summary: You came in to work every day with a fun fact, determined to catch the BAU's genius with one that he wouldn't know (friends to lovers, co-workers to lovers, mutual feelings, fluff, confession)
Note: my spencer reid debut fic <3 sorry if there are any inaccuracy, just started rewatching after 3 years
Word count: 10.9k (sorry)Ā
āSmall facts lead to great knowingā - Patrick Rothfuss (2011)
āI canāt believe anybody would do something like this,ā you commented whilst looking down at the two documents in your handsāyour thoroughly highlighted case dossier and your finished report. Every new case always exhibits unimaginable horror and unfortunately, there will always be something worse than your current worst.Ā
You turned to Spencer whilst perched cross-legged on the edge of his table.
The corner of the geniusās mouth curled at your words. They were the very same ones that sprouted daily despite the nature of your job. But to Spencer, there was a strange comfort in such small repetitive murmurs of disbelief.
āI gotta agree with Rossi. This job really includes some of the worst lunatics out there.ā You sighed before straightening up at a sudden thought. āActually, fun factā¦ā You noticed the way your words peeled Spencerās attention from his report. He finally glanced up, eager for the second half of that sentence.Ā
āThe word lunatic was invented based on the belief that mental illnesses were affected by moon phases.ā You beamed at the idea of potentially providing your genius friend with new knowledge.Ā
āYeah, and it actually originated from the Latin word ālunaticus,ā which means moonstruck or influenced by the moon. The word was first used for conditions like epilepsy or overall just madness,ā Spencer replied, perking up at the thought of a potential conversation about this.
The excited smile on your face instantly faltered and you groaned in feigned annoyance. Perhaps you should have known better than to think you could out-fact Spencer and say something he had not already known.
āIs there anything you donāt know, Spence?ā you glowered jokingly.
āWell, itās hard when youāre a child prodigy and genius.ā You let out a scoff-like laugh at Spencerās cocky admission, but you knew he was joking. Despite his IQ of 187, Spencer rarely ever announced himself a genius. It was a title dubbed by those around him. You knew if you had Spencerās brain, though, you would hardly ever stay as humble as him.
āIāll get you someday.ā
Your declaration drew a snort from another work desk and you twisted around to face the source of such a faithless sound.
āYou donāt believe in me, Derek?ā You arched a brow, your competitiveness rising to the surface.
āSweet girl, I believe in you for many things, but this is just not one of them.ā
āBut surely there is one single fact out there that Spencer doesnāt know about.ā Penelope piped up from next to Derek, defending you.
āWeāre talking about the same Spencer, right? Spencer Reid? Three PhDs and an IQ of Einstein?ā JJ spoke as she made her way down the bullpen.
āActually, there is no way of measuring Einsteinās IQ as he never took the test, so to say thatāā Derek quickly interrupted Spencer.
āCome on, pretty boy. Sheās backing you up.ā
āSounds like grounds to start a betting pool going,ā Rossi spoke up as he approached the whole group, briefcase in one hand, car keys in the other. ā$20 says sheāll do it within four months.ā
āI think she can do it within three months.ā Emily chimed up from her desk.
āIām placing my bet on eight months,ā Penelope added confidently.
āAlright, and if she canāt do it within one year, JJ and I will split the win,ā Derek announced before directing his next words to you, āStakes are on, sweetheart.ā He winked.
āYeah, yeah. I got it.ā You rolled your eyes before turning towards Spencer, declaring to him with exaggerated cockiness, āIām gonna get you real soon, just wait.ā
āYouāre welcome to try.ā The challenging glint in Spencerās eyes met your own. Again, you knew better than to think that you would know something Spencer did not already know. He was practically the master of facts. But, unfortunately, you were incredibly bad at quitting.
So, let the challenge begin.
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āDid you know that Australia is wider than the moon?ā you questioned the second you saw Spencer enter the office the next morning. āFun fact.ā
āYes, diameter-wise. Australia is almost 4,000 kilometres wide, while the moonās diameter is nearly 3,500 kilometres. However, in terms of their masses, the moon is still larger.ā You sighed dramatically at Spencerās reply before spinning your chair towards your computer, turning the device on.
āAnd day one status: unsuccessful,ā you grunted to yourself, catching Spencerās grin from your peripheral vision.
āOh? Itās gonna be daily?ā
āYou bet your ass itās gonna be. Thereās a betting pool and Iām unfortunately too competitive for my own good.ā You caught the amusement dancing in Spencerās gaze.Ā
āWell then, good luck.ā
āWonāt need it.ā
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āDid you know a cloud can weigh like a million pounds?ā You crossed your arms while peering at the cotton candy-like objects floating amidst the bright blue summer sky. āFun fact.ā
Both of you had your bulletproof vests on, leaning against a car while waiting for JJ to finish speaking to the press before driving back to the precinct. Another case wrapped. Another unsub locked up.
Under the nice weather, you had your cap and Spencerās sunglasses on, having forgotten yours. He had heavily insisted so, even after you had declined a handful of times.
You turned and looked at Spencer briefly. Though, for a split second, your body stilled as the sun played in his favor, casting nice highlights to his woodsy colored locks. The light crinkle of his nose and his squinting eyes made your lips curl, cause once again, it showcased just how self-sacrificing Spencer can be when it came to the people close to him.
āYeah, because they contain different states of matter like trillions of condensed water droplets and ice crystals. Its weight is equivalent to the worldās largest aircraft working at full capacity. Though despite its heaviness, clouds have lower density in comparison to the dry air around them, enabling them to float in the same way as oil floats on water.ā Spencer tried to maintain eye contact with you despite the blaring sun shining into his eyes.
āHmmā¦ā you pursed your lips before removing your navy blue cap and placing it on your friendās head. This cast a shadow over his eyes, blocking the harsh sun from blinding his vision. āBeautiful weather to fail at winning this fun fact thing again.ā
Spencer didnāt reject the clothing item.
Some time in the history of human beings, the act of sporting othersā clothing itemsāespecially of the opposite genderāhad been made to seem important. Spencer has never understood the significance in such a small exchange. But as your hat landed on his head, Spencer felt an added weight that was beyond the small clothing item.Ā
Neither did he have it in him to adjust how you had left the cap on him, even if it didnāt sit on his head perfectly.
āI still have time to get you,ā you continued after a moment of silence.
ā359 days left.ā
āMore than enough.ā
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The clock was close to hitting 11pm. The whole team was taking a short break for a fresh perspective. Most were on their phones or taking a quick nap, but Spencer and you were playing a round of cards.
āDid you know ketchup used to be medicine? Fun fact.ā
Both Emilyās and Derekās watchful gaze panned from you to Spencer, anticipating his reaction to your daily shot at winning the bet.
āAround the 1830s, yeah. They marketed it as a cure for various ailments such as indigestion and diarrhea.āĀ
Emily instantly groaned at Spencerās reply while Derek snickered. Once again, Spencer already knew the information you provided, just like the 13 previous times.
āSee? Not a single thing he doesnāt know,ā Derek chirped up, earning him a glare from the co-worker beside him.
You finally placed your next card down, instantly eying Spencer, wanting a read of his reaction to your play. There was a distant look in his eyes, a clear indication that he was taking this game just as seriously as you were.
Your eyes swept over the rest of your opponent. The un-neat edges in his usually tidy work attire and the way his hair stuck in different directions had your lips curling. They were details that only unveil during late work hours after a long day. But strangely enough, there was something endearing about the slight tiredness in his eyes and the way his cardigan hung disheveledly on him.Ā
āI won.ā
Your eyes snapped to the pile of cards on the table at Spencerās declaration.
āWhat?! No way. You must have cheated.ā
āNow, now, donāt be a sore loser just because pretty boy over here won,ā Derek teased you, despite also highly suspecting that Reid had cheated.
āAre we talking about the same pretty boy who is banned from many Vegas casinos because of his expert skill in counting cards?ā JJ countered, placing her phone down.Ā
Your co-workersā discourse began fading out of your focus as Spencer took out a ticket from his bag and handed it to you with a cheeky grin. With hesitation, you took the paper begrudgingly. You knew you had to hold your end of the deal. You had lost, after all.
You glanced back at the winner of the card game, catching his toothy grin at your sulking manners. Against all maturity, you poked your tongue out in petulance, but such childish action had Spencer laughing quietly in his spot, eyes gleaming with fondness.
āSore loser.ā
āCheater.ā
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Hotch halted in his tracks upon spotting you and Reid in the break room.
Both of your heads were side by side, just a hair short from touching, fighting to have adequate sight of the newspaper that the two of you were sharing. Each of you also sported a pen in hand, scribbling hastily onto the delicate paper with vigorous competitiveness.
The unit chief entered to refill his coffee, though his eyes continued investigating you two. In the narrow gap between your heads, Hotch caught sight of Spencer rapidly filling out a crossword puzzle. Meanwhile, just as fast, you were solving a Sudoku piece that resided on the same page.
āDid you know, like fingerprints, people also have unique tongue prints?ā you murmured, eyes still glued onto the puzzle in front of you. āFun fact.ā
āYeah, humans have unique color, tongue shape, and textural features, therefore making it a great form of identification. However, we currently do not have the suitable technology to capture intricate surface details of tongue prints. Also, switching costs are high partially because the idea of having to stick one's tongue out in public for authentication can be seen as rather awkward, unhygienic, and undignifying.ā
You pursed your lips at another unsuccessful day. But such expression vanished when you dropped your pen on the table and declared with unadulterated joy:
āDone!ā
Your victory drew a defeated noise from Spencer.
āImagine though, having to stick your tongue out at airport immigration and place it onto a public scanner or something like that.ā You cackled at Spencer's grimace and the way his body slightly shivered from such a mental image. Eventually though, your laugh reduced to a teasing smile.
Spencerās gaze lowered to the little crinkle that appeared around your eyes as you smiled, before holding eye contact with you. Spencer knew there was no such thing as āeyes twinkling,ā but you had him doubting that scientifically established truth for a second. It was lighting and he knew that, but he had to admit that he could finally somewhat understand why poets and writers were so obsessed with dedicating lines towards such a tiny detail.Ā
Because even though there was no reason for him to, his own lips began to curl, mirroring the smile on your face.
From behind you both, Aaron Hotchner took a sip of his coffee before departing the room. Though on his way out, his eyes glinted a knowing look, while his lips lifted just the slightest bit before schooling back to a neutral expression again.Ā
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āDid you know that back then, when raising a toast, people would literally drop a piece of toast into their wine?ā you blurted out the second you slid yourself into the empty seat opposite Spencer at his breakfast table. Never have you ever skipped free hotel breakfast and today was no exception.
āWell, hello to you too.ā Spencer grinned at your straight-to-business behavior.Ā
He carefully placed the coffee he made for you into your handāa casual daily routine. You took a good whiff of the comforting aroma before humming at the first taste. It was exactly how you liked it: a dash of milk along with two and a quarter teaspoon of sugar.
To date, Spencer has never asked how you liked your coffee.Ā
He simply has always gotten it right.
It was not hard to guess that he had learnt your preferences from watching you make your coffee in the past. But you could not help but wonder if he took mental notes on others the same way he did with you. However, like every other time, you dismissed it as an occupational habit. Every member has been trained to be observant and notice little details. Spencer probably knew everybodyās coffee preferences.
āIt actually originated from Ancient Rome, and back then, toast was an act to honor the gods and people would pour wine onto the floor. However, the custom evolved in many ways over time, depending on geographic regions. Around the 1600s, it became a common custom in England and this is where people would put a piece of spiced toast into their wine. They did it to improve the flavor of their beverage and also to ātoastā to good health.ā
Spencer caught your hum of satisfaction at the coffee and instantly felt pleased.
Science has long documented humans as naturally validation-seeking creatures. Your existence often humbled him from thinking he was not a recurring participant in that particular human instinct.
His eyes fell from you to your coffeeāa particular mix that has ingrained itself into his memory since your first meeting. Funny that some time since then, he could no longer look at the beverage without ever thinking of you.
Neither could Spencer for the life of him recite the coffee order of anybody else at the BAU.
ā36 days downā¦ā you murmured, already picturing yourself rummaging the internet for more fun facts tonight.
āMaybe tomorrow.ā The words came out softly, almost encouragingly. You hummed before matching his tone.
āMaybe.ā
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āFlies rub their hands as a sanitizing act, rather clean for an insect commonly associated with dirty places, no?ā you murmured before peering up from your book whilst curled up in your seat on the BAUās jet.
āYes, itās a self-grooming act. They do this primarily for two reasons. First and foremost, itās because their legs are their flavour receptors, so they rub their front legs to ensure they can taste when eating. The other motivation is to remove dust and debris, therefore, ensuring survival.ā
Your bottom lip jutted out slightly at another unsuccessful attempt.
āIāll get you tomorrowā¦ā you murmured with a teasing smile before re-immersing yourself in the fantasy world of your current novel.
Reading has become your escapism and method of self-grounding prior to any case. You tried to plunge into fictional worlds while flying to prepare yourself for the terrible realities that accompanied upcoming cases. Though at one point, Spencer started joining in. But instead of having his own book, he would lean over and scan your current page with unrealistic speed while you leisurely let each letter sink in. It became a routine that occupied your journey from Quantico, whereas on the way back, Spencer and you maintained your tradition of engaging in chess matches.Ā
Spencer spotted your finger flipping the page once more and his eyes instantly swept over the printed words hastily.
Twenty thousand words per minute. That was Spencerās known reading speed, which meant in merely two seconds or three, he was already done with the two pages in front of you both. As always, you were still reading at your own pace, unhurried. He knew he could adopt a slower speed to enjoy your chosen fictional literature. But lately, he found himself in a hurry, rushing himself to finish pages in a way that made him think maybe he was now above his previously established reading speed.Ā
Why?
His gaze flicked over to you, mulling over the familiar details that made you, you. He studied the way your fingers trace the fore-edge of the book mindlessly, lingering on the way you tease your lips with your teeth as you registered the adventure that the story was taking you on. Spencer caught the slight shift in the space between your eyebrows and how they slightly twitch according to plot progression, displaying your commitment to your reading content.
Spencer would not classify himself as a people watcher, despite his necessary observant and analytical traits as a profiler. Yet, somehow, watching you had become one of his favorite quiet activities. In your little habits were his comfort. In moments when cases were overwhelming, his eyes have made a tendency to land on you. The spike in his heartbeat would normalize, whilst rapid thoughts would regulate. It was only in moments when Spencer would get caught by you that he would tear his gaze away sheepishly, before attempting to pretend that he was looking elsewhere instead.
The sound of paper rustling pulled Spencer out of his mind, and he instantly plunged himself into the same self-established cycle again.
And despite his fondness for literature, for once, it did not hold a candle in his eyes.
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āCows have best friends, how great is that?ā
Spencer stopped eating his ice cream the second he spotted someone passing the two of you in a cow onesie, giving away why you decided on that particular fun fact. His eyes fell back on you, glimmering with amusement.Ā
āYes, cows do have a ābest friendā who they tend to share spaces and rest side by side with. Research shows that when separated, these cows would show signs of stress and anxiety with higher heart rates.ā
You hummed at that. By now, you were used to his immediate expansion on your facts, no longer surprised or disappointed every time he added onto your words.Ā
In fact, you fondly looked forward to hearing what he had to say about whatever fact you would sprout. There was a deep sense of appreciation that you have grown for this challenge. You felt like, intellectually, your general knowledge had expanded immensely, both from researching fun facts to tell Spencer and also from the informative responses that you would receive from him.
āYou know, cows also can develop what some may refer to as āaccents.ā Research observed variations in their moos based on different regions and herds.ā Spencer leaned closer to you before adding cheekily, āFun fact.ā
āNuh uh, donāt go stealing my line. Youāre not allowed to put me out of business.ā
This tore a laugh out of Spencer, and you immediately bit back a smile at such a sound.Ā
If humans have the ability to bottle noises for keepsake, you know now what sound you would try to capture.
Surprisingly, this was only the second time that Spencer and you had spent time together one-on-one out of work.Ā
With the working hours at the BAU that forced you and all your co-workers to be in close proximity for an extensive amount of time, you tend to allocate your scarce free time to those who were outside of your work circle. But something about spending time with Spencer today had struck you with an epiphany:
You really, really wanted to see Spencer outside of work more often.
Both your phones started ringing at the same time.
āPenelope, is everything okay?ā you answered quietly.
āEmily?ā Spencer whispered at the same time into his phone.
After a few seconds, you both ended your respective phone calls before slowly turning to face each other again. You scanned yours and Spencerās outfit before sighing.
āThereās not enough time to go home and change.ā The devastation in your voice was imminent.
āI know.ā
A few minutes later, both of you entered the office, and almost instantly, the noise level declined significantly as the whole team paused their actions. You winced, knowing immediately that you two were about to be the butt of many incoming jokes.
āWhoa, what time period did you guys travel back from?ā Emily teased.
āWe were at a convention, okay?ā You huffed, picking up your go-bag from under your desk for a change of clothes.
āAnd you two are dressed up asā¦?ā Rossi crossed his arms, undoubtedly amused.
The team scanned over both of your outfits. Spencer was wearing a brown fedora hat, an oxblood colored corduroy jacket, and grey pants. Despite the only semi-chilly weather, he also sported a colorful striped knitted scarf around his neck. As for you, you were in an all pink attire, but what stood out was your long pink coat, high pink boots, and long white scarf.
āThe fourth doctor and Romana II, from Doctor Who,ā Spencer answered, grabbing his go bag.
Derekās eyes comedically bulged out at that, and he immediately spun his chair towards you. āBlink twice if Reid is blackmailing you with something to make you go to this convention with him.ā You laughed at his remark.
āListen, remember the card game I lost two months ago? Thatās why I had to go, but when I actually started the show, I really enjoyed it.ā You raised your hands in surrender.
āOh, we lost another one. She got Reid-ified,ā Derek exclaimed dramatically before placing a hand on his chest in jest heartbreak, grinning at your eye roll.
By now, Spencer had returned to your side with his go-bag. Though just as you two turned around to head off and change, an abrupt flash halted you both in your steps. Blinking away the after-effect of the blinding light, you saw Penelope with her phone facing you two and a cheeky grin on her face.
āWhoa, whoa, whoa. Delete that,ā you immediately instructed, hands on your hips while your brows furrowed in fussiness. You then sucked in a deep breath and used your hand to comb through your hair before a smile broke your feigned annoyed expression. āI was not ready.ā
Then, with dramatic flair, you posed properly for the camera, grabbing Spencerās scarf exaggeratedly with both hands while tugging him lightly.Ā
Spencer was unsure if his knees had buckled due to a slight loss of balance or from your proximity. He glanced at the camera, face slightly flushed, before witnessing another flash go off, evidencing his blush and putting it on record.
Your hands were gone from his scarf like a breeze.Ā
āAlright, Iām gonna go change now.ā By the time Spencer registered your words, you were already gone. All that was left at the spot you previously occupied was his attention. Spencer's eyes eventually moved when he heard a quiet giggle from Penelope, who was indescribably entertained by the dazed look on his face.
The tech expert slowly angled her phone towards Spencer to show what she had captured, and she carefully observed Spencerās contemplative gaze. His eyes landed on you first, and they softened at the sight of your beaming face. They then traced the slope of your smile and the crinkle of your eyes before reluctantly trailing down to your hands and the way they bossily clung onto his scarf.Ā
The sentiment of pictures has always been just a concept to Spencer Reid. He does understand the logic behind peopleās attachment to colored captures of moments and why people have āimportantā photos in their wallets or have framed physical copies. But personally, he rarely ever practiced it. Yet, in this precise moment, he suddenly wanted to begin.
Without even looking at himself in the photo, Spencer murmured to Penelope:
āCan you send that to me, please? Thank you.ā
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āWhere is she?ā Derekās gaze darted up to his friend. One glance at Spencer and the man already knew who he was referring to.
āGarcia said she called in sick this morning. Why?ā
āNothing.ā
Derek scanned over Spencer from head to toe properly this time. Realisation flashed through his eyes before the man smirked as he looked back down at his work.Ā
Ah, the perks of being a profiler.
āSure, pretty boy.ā
āWhat was that looāāĀ
The sound of Spencerās phone ringing interrupted his question. He took the device out of his pocket, and the phone almost flew out of his hand when he saw your name flashing on the screen. He immediately picked up and placed the device beside his ear, breathing out your name in greeting.
Instead of your usual cheery tone, Spencer was met with a muffled voice and snifflings.
Immediately, his body stiffened.
āAre you okay?ā He was by his desk within seconds. His fingers grazed over his jacket, as if prepared to scoop the clothing up and dash out of the office if your answer indicated any distress.Ā
āMy nose is blocked. Both sides. Itās horrendous,ā then came a dramatic sigh, āIām becoming a mouth breather, Spence.ā
Your melodrama tore a laugh from Spencerās throat.
Derekās lips curled discreetly at the noise.
āAnyway, donāt think you can escape your daily fun fact just because Iām not physically in the office.ā Spencer was glad you were not physically with him, because if you were, you would have seen the idiotic grin stretching his face. But how could he not smile at your stubborn resilience, and the cute sound of your nasally voice that was slightly more high-pitched than normal.Ā
āYouāre sick, and you took a day off work, but not off the fun fact thing?ā
āIn sickness and in health, as they say.ā
Spencer accidentally snorted at your words and immediately cleared his throat in an attempt to cover it.
Derekās brows scrunched at that.
āApparently, while wired to specific scientific machines and whatnot, two lucid dreamers can have two-way communication in real time. How cool is that?ā Spencer hummed fondly at your words before sitting down, his plan to flee from office hours long gone.
āThatās quite a recent fun fact. The study was recently concluded just about two years ago,ā his voice came out soft as he focused on any sound that the technological device beside his ear could carry over from your end.Ā
He caught your hum, though the sound resembled the same one you always did while sitting next to him on the jet as the team flew back to Quantico. The noise that often preceded the soft landing of your head on his shoulder and the way heād sit straighter up to accommodate you entirely despite his germaphobia-led touch aversion.
āYou should sleep and rest,ā he whispered, despite wanting to hear your voice for longer. But selflessness came easy when you were in consideration.
Spencer carefully began listing all the things you ought to do later to get better. But halfway through, he noticed the lack of noise from the other end, except for your rhythmic breathing, signaling your sound asleep state. Spencer sighed before removing the phone from his ear. He stared at the device in long contemplation before clicking the end call button.
Finally placing down the device that signified his only contact with you today, Spencer flipped open todayās case dossier. However, he found himself re-reading the first sentence over and over again. His eyes kept scanning over the same words, and he felt the way they slid past his comprehension the same way small external details occasionally would escape his notice whenever he spent time with you.Ā
Spencerās mind kept trailing back to the phone call and to you.
Itās familiarityāhe tried to tell himself. Humans were, afterall, creatures of habit, and considering you have been swirled into his daily routine like a necessity, it made sense that the lack of your presence had set him off balance.Ā
Eventually, Spencer got up and went to the break room for coffee. But the second he opened the cupboard and his eyes landed on your mug, he felt his mouth run dry.Ā
For the past one and a half years, he has always made two cups of coffee instead of one at the start of each day.
His eyes darted to his mug right next to yours. The idea of separating them sent some sort of ache in his heart, even if logically they were just ceramic vessels.
Perhaps he had mislabeled what missing someone meant all along, because your absence was bringing a hollowness that nobody had managed to carve out of him before. It was the kind of emptiness that made him feel incomplete, as if a piece of himself was not with him. Yet, as opposed to the expected numbness that often accompanied such a feeling, Spencer felt every second of your absence with a constant stinging ache that felt too akin to withdrawal symptoms.Ā
Eventually, Spencer shut the cupboard and returned to his desk, coffee-less.
That evening after work, Spencer made a detour instead of going straight home, missing the way his friends huddled together, exchanging hushed whispers about his departure.
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Twenty two hours, forty eight minutes, and thirty one seconds.
Spencer witnessed as time quietly slipped through the cracks of his remaining strength.Ā
The whole bullpen lacked the life his work family usually colored in. The janitor had long shut off the main lights, so the only thing illuminating the space near Spencer was his desk lamp. Everybody else had gone home except for Hotch, but the unit chief was in his office, leaving Spencer as the last man standing in the bullpen.
After a few more ticks, Spencer finally tore his gaze from the timing instrument and glided his vision back down to the pen in his hand, forcing it to ink his unfinished report, but words refused to string together.Ā
Spencerās free hand began tapping his desk rhythmically in a pathetic attempt to comfort himself.
Twenty two hours, fifty one minutes, and twenty one seconds.
Spencer wanted to say that it didnāt matter. Why should it? But he knew damn well that the answer was because the team mattered to him.Ā
However, perspective was truly a funny thing. Someone could be your number one priority, and you barely just made it in their list.
Spencer averted his gaze from the unfinished report to the brand new photo frame on his desk, where a captured version of the recent memory of you two as Doctor Who characters resided.
It did not take a genius to see that you two were closer to one another than with others on the team. However, the fun fact challenge had truly unlocked another level of bond. It was the kind of connection that meant he had started placing you above the others, a position that implied he also expected more from you, cause perhaps he thought you had also valued him just as much as he treasured you in his mind.Ā
So as much as the whole team was the source of his dismay, there was a spotlight reserved for your absence, one that was beyond glaring and punched his guts in ways that others could not.
His eyes traced your face in the photograph again, like they had done every morning since he had gotten the picture framed.Ā
Oftentimes, you could never be absolutely sure where you stand in someoneās life.
Twenty two hours, fifty nine minutes, and ten seconds.
A resigned breath escaped the narrow gap between his lips.
With more effort than it usually took, Spencer got on his feet, hoping that another cup of coffee would be the cure for his inefficiency. He slowly placed more weight on one side of his body to turn around. At the same time, Spencer began rubbing his face in hopes that exhaustion and melancholy would push themselves aside for a brief moment so that he could finish this impending task.Ā
When Spencer finally reopened his eyes to navigate the darkness, he froze at the sight that was once behind him.
Eight steps away was you, looking like a deer caught in headlights.Ā
Then came your escaped nervous laughter, like you were scared of screwing up, but that was only because you were unaware that you could almost never do wrong in Spencerās eyes. His heartāwhich Spencerās brain has been having a harder time controlling latelyāprovided you with a much larger margin for error than anybody else.
Your gentle tone filled the fragile silence that was intertwined with suspense.
āFun fact, birthday cakes are traditionally round as an Ancient Greek tradition to resemble the moon for the goddess Artemis.ā Your eyes crinkled as your lips curled into that familiar smile that had previously held Spencer powerless on numerous occasions. āHappy Birthday, Spence.ā
There you were, cake in hand after a long day of work on a gruesome case.
There you were, with a homemade cake after a long day of him thinking everybody had forgotten his birthday, or more importantly, that you had forgotten.
But maybe his probability was not entirely against him.Ā
āI know Iām quite late, but trust me, thereās an explanation. When I got to the office this morning, I realized that I had forgotten your cake at home. I was planning to grab it after work, but the case kept us all back so late, and then traffic was super bad because of a concert today. But hey, I got the cake now, and I really hope you like it.ā
You peered down at your own baking product and the slightly wonky penmanship before turning your eyes back onto Spencer.
āAlso, since itās your birthday, Iāll give you a bonus fun fact. There are roughly 30,000 people who have their birthdays on October 12th in the States, butā¦āĀ
Your voice fell quiet as your eyes diverted back to the cake again.Ā
āYouāre my favorite October 12th.ā
And right at that second, all of Spencerās previous attempts at rationalising his feelings via scientific explanations collapsed. For once, science could no longer shield him, because as much as it was a field built on facts of concrete evidence, there was also an undeniable truth: he liked you.
It might not be rational, but it was still a fact, and that alone terrified Spencer.Ā
And while he was your favorite October 12th, you were his favorite every day.
Spencer glanced down at the handmade cake and the singular purple candle pierced in the center. The tiny flame provided just enough light for the space between you both. His eyes then flicked back onto you, and they softened.
God, you were so clueless about the effect your actions have on him and his whole world.
One breath extinguished the fire, and grey smoke fluttered into the air.
Then, for the first time since he saw you five minutes ago, Spencer managed to form the only words he felt were worthy enough of your time.
āThank you.ā
Even if the significance behind those words didnāt reach you today, it was okay. But they carry the weight of his whole heart and every unspoken reason behind his gratefulness.Ā
Thank you for not forgetting about him today. Thank you for always being so kind and paying attention to the details about him. Thank you for being such an important part of his life. Thank you for choosing the exact career path that you did to lead you to him. Thank you for existing.Ā
And someday, maybe Spencer Reid will gather enough courage to tell you all of this.
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You halted in your step, and almost immediately Spencer followed suit. His eyesight followed yours, and he instantly knew what you were gonna ask from him.
āCome on, can you play for me? Please?ā you urged, and it didnāt take more than your pleading face to make him approach the instrument that lay abandoned in the corner of the hotel where the whole team was staying.
Saying ānoā became a significantly harder task for Spencer ever since he realised what kind of position his feelings were in when it came to you. It especially felt like an impossible task when your words came in that pleading tone and the smile that had him wishing stopping time was one of his abilities.
You followed Spencer and leaned against the instrument eagerly. You observed as he lightly cracked his knuckles, eying the mixture of ivory and ink-dark keys with a calculative gaze before placing his fingers delicately on them while his foot pressed gently on one of the pedals at the base.
For a moment, you wondered what Spencer would play. Maybe one of the classical pieces he liked a lot. Perhaps Bach? OrāĀ Ā
A familiar tune overtook the pleasant quietness in the empty hotel lobby, and recognition struck you with every flawless execution of each note.
First off, you knew he was a liar, saying he only dabbled in piano. But what caught you off-guard was hearing the piano version of your favorite song.Ā
It was things like this that made you conclude that Spencer Reid was one of the sweetest individuals you have ever had the privilege to know. From making you coffee daily to hunting down first editions of your favorite books (the most recent one in which he handed over along with soup the day you got sick and were off work). Now, he was learning your favorite song on the piano.Ā
Lucky felt like an inadequate word to describe your position in life when Spencer was in the equation.
Only when he finished the very modern composition did you speak up.
āI thought you only listened to classical?ā
āIā¦did,ā was all that came out of Spencerās mouth, but it was enough for you to catch his implication that he had learnt this song specifically on the piano for you.
Spencer sniffled, diverting his gaze from you shyly as he inspected the keys in front of him again.
Ever since his birthday, Spencer could constantly feel the urge to confess right on the tip of his tongue while his lips trembled in self-control to keep them to himself for now. According to the internet and its various articles, he should try to āwooā you first, and hence these actions instead of confessing right away. He wondered if you got his message. He wondered if you could tell this was his version of flirting. However, Spencer also knew that he had accidentally portrayed himself as an extremely sweet friend from your perspective, so thoughtful actions with the aim of impressing you romantically were most likely ruled as platonic gestures.Ā
You began toying with the ring on your middle finger, the flattery from his sweet action manifested itself through the heat beneath your cheeks. For the first time in your almost three years of friendship with Spencer, you were struck by a minor nerve-wracking sensation. There was also a fleeting stutter in your chest that you decisively ignored.
You moved on with a quiet murmur.
āYou know, humans owe squirrels a lot. They have planted at least thousands of trees.ā You gave him a soft smile when his eyes met yours again. āItās accidental, but no less a noble act contributing to the environment.ā
āYeah, they would bury nuts for later usage, but forget their locations. Many forgotten nuts can grow into trees, therefore, contributing to forest regeneration.āĀ
āAnddd another fun fact failure.ā You groaned, though your expression melted into a smile when you heard Spencer chuckle at that.Ā
āWe should head up. Itās getting late.ā
You nodded in agreement and began walking, but looked back briefly at Spencer. āBut itās not too late for an episode of Doctor Who, right?ā
An outstretched grin spread across Spencerās face at your words.
āNever.ā
ļ¹ ļ¹ ļ¹ ļ¹ ļ¹ ļ¹ ļ¹ ļ¹
āNo way.ā You were speechless as you made way out of Spencerās car, staring at the building in front of you in disbelief. āDonāt tell meā¦ā
āYeah, itās for your favorite film,ā Spencer confirmed your suspicion.
āSo, it didnāt matter that I had lost, huh?ā
Shortly after your Doctor Who convention together, Spencer had invited you to this event that was two and a half months after. Though he insisted on keeping the details a secret, relaying only the dress codeāsmart casual, but whatever you were most comfortable with.
The secretive factor of the whole ordeal had you guessing in suspense for the entire two months, but now that you were here, you fully understood why.
This was the event that you both would have gone to instead of the Doctor Who convention if you had won that game of cards.
An orchestra movie concert of your favourite movie.
Spencer sucked in a deep breath, fingers toying with the loose threads of his cardigan. There he went again, attempting to present to you that he was an optionāthe best one, at thatāand giving signals that he was pursuing you. He has read at least five hundred online articles on the art of flirting in the past week alone. If Derek ever found his online searching history, Reid would never live it down.
āGod, this is the best thing ever.ā Seeing how pleased you were with his action made Spencer want to physically preen with pride.
Once you two had settled down inside, you took a couple of photos and observed your surroundings. You looked around at your neighboring audiences before averting your gaze to the empty chairs that were soon to be filled by instrumental experts. Your body was flooded with excitement at the prospect of finally being at this event.Ā
You decided to chime in with your daily fun fact just minutes before the concert was due to start.
āDid you know that thereās a planet that is ā made of diamonds?ā you whispered.
ā55 Cancri e, right?ā he matched your volume, shifting in the chair beside you to make himself comfortable.
āYeah, that one,ā you confirmed, turning your head back to him. āGo on, I know you have details on it.ā You encouraged, shifting yourself into a comfortable position as well.
ā55 Cancri e is a super-Earth exoplanet, approximately twice the size of Earth, though roughly eight times heavier in terms of mass. First sighted and discovered in 2004, scientists have found that it is a very hot and rocky planet with a molten lava ocean surface due to its incredibly close orbit to its starā¦ā
You were leaning into your palm while listening to him, clinging onto every word as they absorbed into your brain. The space you left in between you both out of consideration for Spencer gradually lessened as he leaned in closer the more he talked. His tone, too, grew more quiet as he went on, as if the information he was telling you did not exist in some cyclopaedia, but a secret passed in full trust.Ā
The corners of your lips curled at the twinkle in Spencerās eyes as he detailed out knowledge that previously sat in the corner of his brain, collecting dust.
Spencerās intellectual rambling will always be one of your favorite things about him. You loved hearing him talk and the way he enunciated each syllable so clearly, as well as his wordings and his tonal patterns. You should have gotten used to it by now, but it marvelled you every single time that you had the chance to listen to him talk about things you would rely on an internet search to know. Just like usual, today was no different.
Spencer Reid was remarkable. It was almost impossible to take your eyes off him when he talked. He was a bundle of many things that made him an individual worth a lifetime of getting to know.
You wondered if you were looking at him a little bit too fondly right now. But how could you not when he was whispering sweet facts to you as if he only wanted you to know of it? It felt almost as if this fun fact challenge had turned into a sacred tradition between you two.Ā
āEven though it is widely said that the planet is ā of diamond, this is actually still only a theory and yet to be proven. So, to dub it the Diamond Planet when theyāre not even sure if there are diamonds on the planet itself is likeā¦suspecting you are a quarter or half French and then introducing yourself as French to people anyway.ā
Your laughter burst out unfiltered, and you instantly grounded yourself by clearing your throat and pulling yourself away from Spencer slightly, putting yourself on timeout.
That was kind of embarrassing.Ā
The joke was slightly funny, but nowhere close to warranting that kind of laughter.
It sort of reminded you of the videos you have seen on the internet about the kind of laugh that people would let out in reaction to their crushās jokā
Oh.
You subtly slid deeper into your chair as thoughts shot in your mind at a hundred miles per second. Your fingers immediately curled into your palms to dig at it. You could not look back at Spencer in fear that he would notice that something was wrong.Ā
Oh God.Ā
But were you really surprised though?Ā
A part of you had seen it coming, because as much as you adore all your co-workers, you knew in the bottom of your heart that Spencer was the only one you were willing to lessen your sleeping hours to prolong hanging out and conversing with. Also, to be immune to such sweet actions, you would have to be some statue made of stone. For years now, Spencer had intently taken time to know you and go out of his way just to make you happy. If anything, you were grateful that your heart had picked someone so kind and worthy to give itself away to.
You glanced at Spencer from the corner of your eyes, and just the sight of him alone had your heart hiccupping in a way that you had become familiar with for the past month. It was the kind of stutter that you had outright been trying to ignore and written off as nothing. But unlike all the previous times, you knew you could no longer deny that man next to you was the reason for such palpitations.
And maybe it was also time to face it: you like Spencer Reid, your genius of a friend and very much also a profiler.
Your eyes snapped away from him the moment you realized the significance of playing it cool. You could not have him picking up the signs and figuring out that you have feelings for him. But then again, you have seen how clueless he was around women who were hitting on him and failing to pick up their signals. So, maybe he would not notice your current body language either.
Before you could think more on the matter, the lights dimmed and instruments began stringing together in a well-rehearsed manner. It was only then that you began breathing again, relieved that you had two hours to collect your thoughts and come to terms with the newly attained knowledge about yourself.
ļ¹ ļ¹ ļ¹ ļ¹ ļ¹ ļ¹ ļ¹ ļ¹
āAlright, whatās the fun fact of today?ā you heard Spencerās voice before peering up and seeing him behind your chair, hands on the back of the furniture, looking down at you with a shy smile. The sight of his adorable expression made your cheeks heat up, and you had to avert your gaze to prevent him from spotting signs of your flustered state.
The other members just boarded the jet as well, settling into their own spots after a tiring case. You were much less the same, sporting the now more noticeable eye bags that matched Spencerās. Yet, that does not deter his gaze from the warmth they hold.
You gestured to Spencerās usual seat right next to you. Once he had settled down, you made your next move on his chessboard, resuming your current ongoing match with him. You could see the instant way the cogs in his brain started spinning. At that, you provided your fun fact of the day, hoping it would serve as a distraction.
āYou know, I read that there are more possible variations of chess games than the number of atoms in the universe.ā
āYeah, itās known as the Shannon numberāthe number of possible chess games, I mean, which is 10 to the power of 120. Meanwhile, the estimated number of atoms in the observable universe is 10 to the power of 80, to 10 to the power of 82.ā
He made his move, catching your discreet yawn in the corner of his eyes.
āFascinating, isnāt it?ā The weight behind your eyes turned them half-lidded. They landed on the chessboard, trying to formulate the next best move, but your brain refused to cooperate as a fog of sleepiness overclouded your judgments.
āYou donāt have to play now, you know. We can just play next time.ā
āNo, no. Give me a second, Iāll make my move.ā
āYouāre tired.ā
You slowly turned your head towards Spencer, and there it was again. You caught the concern leaking from his gaze, and it instantly reminded you just how caring Spencer was to those in his life and especially you. Your mouth formed a tired yet grateful smile at his expressed worry.
You felt sorry for those who have never had the opportunity to be the subject of his affections.
For a split second, you pondered the kind of doting that Spencer would do if he were pursuing someone romantically. You have never seen him express interest in any woman during your time at the BAU, despite the advances he has gotten from various good-looking women. But if he was already this sweet platonically, you were fairly certain your heart would give out at what he had in mind as romance.
Your shoulders finally slumped before a truthful sigh escaped from you. āYeah.ā
Unlike usual, where you would fall asleep and land on his shoulder while you were knocked out, he outright shifted to sit up straighter for you, offering his shoulder.
Spencer never admitted it out loud, but he had foolishly started wanting the friction of your skin against his or the fabric of his belongings. It was an impossible he thought would never occur, but here he was, anticipating the next rare moment of physical touch beside the one where his shoulder would become your pillow.Ā
Of course, he had noticed itāyour lack of touch when it came to him. He was devastatingly aware of your mindfulness of his germaphobia, and Spencer was grateful, he really was. However, your reservation to accommodate his tendencies had begun feeling like deprivation. In fact, Spencer could count on one hand the amount of times you had ever touched him deliberately, with the last one being one hundred and sixty three days ago.
But it was that particular initiative factor that Spencer deeply yearned for. He craved and awaited for a touch made with purpose.Ā
He wanted you to mean it.
You stilled at such a small action, gaze stopping on his shoulder. You did not want to over-interpret such a simple movement, but knowing Spencer, there were implications and significance in that little offering.Ā
You knew it had become a recurring thing. As embarrassed as you were, you could not help the fact that you were the type to move around a lot in your sleep. You had tried using an airplane pillow, leaning against the wall, and so many other methods. However, most of the time, you would still wake up on Spencerās shoulder before instantly jolting up and freeing him from the physical touch.
But the certainty on Spencerās face left your rejection stuck in your throat.
Hesitantly, you began shifting closer, giving Spencer just enough time to retract the offer if he wanted to. But he stayed confidently still as your head started leaning down before finally landing on his shoulder.
One single small action had Spencer questioning how much longer he could go on like this. How much longer could he keep these feelings tightly locked and concealed? Because Spencer was utterly gone for you. Gone in the kind of way where one casual compliment from you about the cardigan he was wearing had him immediately putting the item into his clothing rotation a lot more frequently.
āIām gonna get you some day, Spenceā¦ā Spencer watched as you drifted to sleep before closing his own eyes, all while he wished the flight back would last forever.
Unbeknownst to you both, the team exchanged knowing looks and discreet smiles at the sight they were witnessing. There had been nothing more obvious to them than this, but instead of intervening, they decided to let things play its course.Ā
Because, despite the uncertain nature surrounding the occurrence of events in life, this was the one thing everybody was sure was inevitable.
ļ¹ ļ¹ ļ¹
The jet finally arrived back at Quantico around 11pm. Spencer had finished his report a few minutes before you did, but lingered behind as usual to wait for you. About two weeks ago, he had established a new routine between you both.Ā
āReady?ā Spencer carefully peeled your bag from your hand, checking his watch to see that it was already past midnight, marking a new day.
āYeahā¦ā you breathed out tiredly, eager to collapse in bed. āMore than ready.ā
You like to think you have kept it cool well, in general. But Spencerās new routine of walking you to your car after work had you a nail tip away from laying all your cards bare and revealing your feelings. Even on days when you finished your report first, he would walk you to your car before returning to the office. But the thing was:
Spencer Reid rarely ever drove to work, which meant he was going to the employee parking lot every day with you for no reason.Ā
Well, for no reason but you.
The elevator began making its descent from the sixth floor with both of you inside. You were listening carefully as Spencer discussed an academic paper he had read last night. The doors soon jerked open, revealing the fairly empty parking lot. At the sight of your car, you subtly began slowing down your steps, biting back a smile when you noticed him mirroring your change of pace.Ā
You observed as he animatedly gushed about the methodology of the research paper, paying particular attention to the tiny detail of his body language. The way his hands were passionately waving around, exaggerating certain points Spencer was trying to make. The flutter of his eyelashes as he blinked a bit faster than he usually wouldāa habit that often occurs when he speaks quickly, as you have learned. The smooth movements of his lips as his mouth tried to rush out words to match the pace of his incredibly brilliant brain.
Now that you were looking at his lips, you have to admit that it was kind of hard to look away.
Suddenly, an idea brewed in your mind, and it felt like the holy grail had finally landed in your lap. Who would have known that a random Thursday would be the day you ought to finally win this challenge and put Spencer in checkmate.
āSpence?ā Your lips curled mischievously, observing the way Spencer halted in his steps at your tone.Ā
God, despite being subjected to harsh and unflattering parking lot lights, Spencer still had the audacity to look good in a way that tugged at your heartstrings. The sight had you questioning if he was capable of ever looking bad. His warm eyes colored with interest as he eagerly awaited your next words. You took a couple more steps forward, wanting to hide the plotting expression on your face.Ā
āFun factā¦ā You paused before peering back at him. At those two words, you instantly caught the anticipation rolling off him. There was also a subtle confidence from him that signalled he was sure he already knew whatever you were planning to tell him. But you knew that this time, things would be different.Ā
With a competitive glint in your eyes, you finally divulged todayās fun fact, your voice calm and stable.
āI like you.ā
Just as you predicted, Spencer froze while his mouth fell agape. No words fell out of those talkative lips, a stark contrast to how fast he was speaking a couple of seconds ago. You practically beamed in victory at such a reaction. You wanted to celebrate, you really did. But you decided not to gloat about your win yet. Instead, you prioritised the better option: teasing your friend.
āI recalled you mentioning once that kissing spreads fewer germs than shaking hands?ā You winked playfully, expecting nothing from it. It was simply a joke to make Spencer flustered for your entertainment, and there was zero expectation that he would somehow miraculously confess that he had been secretly liking you too and would actually kiss you at your workplaceās parking lot at 1am.
Because there was no way Doctor Spencer Reid liked you, right?
You observed as his lips slowly curled up in amusement as your words sunk in, and that partially made your shoulders relaxed. Well, at least your joke landed, and your friendship would make it out intact despite your confession.
But then, out of nowhere, that closed-mouth smile stretched into a full-on grin before a chuckle of disbelief escaped from Spencer.Ā
Now, you were on alert. Instantly, you tried to read his reactionāwas he in disbelief that he was finally stumped by a fact he had not yet known of? Was he amused by your clever trick of using your own feelings as a fun fact? But the elation on his face and the awestruck look in his eyes hardly aligned with someone who had just lost a long-term challenge.
Your lips parted as you continued assessing the man, but you caught the way his eyes flickered down at that small movement before he sucked in a deep breath.
Ohā¦?
Suspicion crept in, but confirmation came quicker.
In the blink of an eye, Spencer had completely eliminated the two steps between you both, sealing you two in a proximity that was closer than you had ever been with him. His palms found your face, and they cupped your cheeks in a careful yet certain way.
Spencerās eyes darted all over your face, searching for all the clues that you were okay with what he had next in mind. He could see that your pupils were slightly dilated, as well as feel the way you were leaning into his touch and the heat that was transferring from your cheeks to his hands. Though it was only when you did not pull away and instead, had your tongue dart out to wet your lips, did Spencer kill the remaining space between your faces.
His lips slanted against yours in a desperate manner that outmatched his need for oxygen, kissing you like it was long overdue. He swallowed the gasp escaping your throat and the surprised noise that followed. There was an urgency he could not hide as his straining self-control snapped from your green light.Ā
You began kissing him back just a second or two after, and almost instantly, you heard a sigh of relief. Your lips curled, but any trace of smugness vanished when his thumb began rubbing your cheek fondly. Suddenly, you were aware of just how close you two were. Every point of contact was sending a searing heat through your body, because despite his fears of germs, Spencer was touching your skin like it was a need, rather than an obligation for moments like these.Ā
You pressed your lips harder against his.
Good lord, Spencer could do this forever.Ā
He might have been able to count the number of times you have touched him on one hand, but even with the whole team, there were not enough fingers to account for the number of times he had glanced at your lips this week alone.
Your own hands touched the sides of his waist, and you instantly caught the longing noise that escaped from Spencerās throat, echoing onto your lips. At such an encouraging sound, you curled your hands to the back of his body and snaked them up his back. Your lips smirked against his at the way he arched into your touch.Ā
One hundred and sixty three daysāSpencer reminded himself again, humming in utter satisfaction at the way those numbers spun down to zero. Finally, you were touching him on purpose and with purpose. He practically melted at the way your hands roamed so confidently without any trace of guilt that he was uncomfortable, because he was far from that.
In fact, he eagerly wanted to keep the number of days since the last time you touched him at zero permanently.Ā
You picked that precise moment to pull away, documenting the way his eyes fluttered open and dawned into existence the unadulterated glimmer of yearning in them.Ā
You have always thought he was gorgeous, but how he looked right then rendered the word inadequate. It was a vision exceeding all your daydreams, and to be the reason behind the look made you feel like you were an award winning fashion designer who had just invented a magnificent masterpiece. But unlike most, you had no intention of sharing this artwork with the world or with anybody else.
Spencer felt his heart squeeze at the sight of you again. Was it possible to miss someone so badly from not having a visual on them for approximately a minute? Maybe he was more screwed than he thought.
Breathlessly, he finally whispered the confession that he had long to say for a month.
āDespite all the facts I already know and have learnt during my whole entire life, youāre my favorite thing to study and know more about, and have been since you stepped into my life. Nothing I learnt after felt like it could outrank anything I learnt about you.ā It was true.Ā Every speck of information about you gets the forefront of his memoryās line-up, taking priority over every other knowledge. Spencer licked his own lips for remnants of you before continuing, āYouāre my favorite fun fact, you know that?ā
Your heart tugged at his words. You had no idea how you managed to compete with the vast amount of interesting information that existed in the world, but under Spencerās stare, you truly could see he meant every word.
āButā¦ā The smile on your face instantly dropped at that single word from Spencer. Good rarely ever followed that three-letter conjunction.
āBut?ā
āI do have to admit that, uhmā¦ā The familiar sheepish glint in his eyes had one of your eyebrows shooting up. āI kinda already know that fun fact already, that you liked me.ā Your hands on him stilled their movement before falling onto your sides in disbelief.
āOh, come on. You canāt be serious.ā He resisted the urge to whine at the lack of physical touch from you. āBut you looked shocked.ā
āI was shocked you actually said it. I didn't think youād do it todayā¦or tomorrowā¦or maybe everāā You slapped his arm, but he gladly welcomed that contact. Anything was better than nothing.
āI thought youāre like highly oblivious to romantic signals? Iāve seen you being completely clueless and not picking up on the fact that women were flirting with you.ā
āI think I wasnāt clueless when it came to you because my eyes were always on you.ā Those words came out shamelessly. In fact, Spencer almost sounded proud of himself. You tried not to let his words make you flustered.
āWhen did you figure it out?ā
āThat you like me? At the orchestra.ā
āHow? I barely figured it out myself that I liked you then.ā
āYeah, I could tell.ā Your huff drew a chuckle from him.
You finally peeled yourself completely away from Spencer, grabbing your bag from his hand before making your way to your car. As you unlocked the vehicle and swung the driverās door open, you could hear his footsteps following. You crouched to lean into your car and place your bag onto the passenger seat. You could feel Spencerās presence stopping just behind you, standing much closer than he had ever before tonight.
As you bent back up and leaned against your car, you didn't miss the way Spencerās fingers twitched, giving away his urges for physical contact. You crossed your arms before tilting your head back teasingly.
āIām still gonna get you someday.ā
Spencerās gaze melted to an even softer look than before at your declaration. There was a freeing component in his eyes, showcasing the joy from being able to openly look at you in the way he had really wanted to for a while. His voice lowered to a sweet, promising whisper.
āIām counting on that.ā
With that, Spencer leaned in again, wanting a second run of things before the two of you had to part ways for the night.
You grinned into the kiss and quickly wrapped your arms around him again. Quietly, your mind logged in todayās score.Ā
Day 187 status: unsuccessful.Ā
But it hardly matters when you think youāve already won something a lot better.
link to: epilogue/bonus bit
ć»āć»āć»āć»āć»āć»
ā” navigation ā masterlist
ā” spencer reid masterlist
ā” join my spencer reid tag list (or to remove yourself from)
You came in to work every day with a fun fact, determined to catch the BAU's genius with one that he wouldn't know (friends to lovers, co-workers to lovers, mutual feelings, fluff, confession)
š” peanut butter (fun fact epilogue/bonus bit)
just because you and Spencer have gotten together, does not mean the fun fact challenge is over to you (fluff, established relationship)
Translated works without permission (mine and possibly other tumblr authors)
3 of my works have been translated without my permission and it is among the 373 translated tumblr fics on this Wattpad account @ Mel_Potter_Black. Based on my case with them, I have a feeling that they also have not approached and asked for permission from a lot of tumblr authors.
Their translated works include: 186 Theodore Nott fics, 40 Percy Jackson tumblr fics, 50 James Potter fics, 25 Luke Castellan fics, 49 Mattheo Riddle fics, 23 Draco Malfoy fics.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
First and foremost, I have explicitly stated on my pinned Tumblr post that I do not want my works translated or redistributed elsewhere.
Long story short, there were a lot of red flags that this account has displayed.
They blocked someone who had questioned them if they had my permission to translate my works.
They have never even reached out to me asking for permission.
They translated my works even though I have stated very clearly that I do not want my works translated.
They never replied to me and even deleted my comment politely asking them to remove my work because they never had my permission and that I donāt want my works translated (though, fortunately they did remove the translated works as asked, so at least thatās the plus side). This once again wiped clean evidence of permission issue on their account, very much continuing a ācovering up their trackā behavior.
They also translated one of the original authorās usernames into Portuguese too, which is strange and improper crediting because that defeats the whole point of crediting overall, as readers won't even be able to trace back to the original author at all (especially if you are not linking to the original work or the original authorās page, which they are not doing).
Given their highly questionable and suspicious behaviors to my case (did not ask for my permission, translated works from an author who does not want their works translated, attempted to hide the fact that they have never gotten permission from me (the original author), blocked those who question it, shows signs of improper crediting), I have reasons to suspect that many tumblr authors of the other 370 translated works on this Wattpad account also do not know that their works have been translated, and that this Wattpad account have translated without their permission and/or improperly credit them.
I did contemplate for a while whether to write and publish about this too. However, I feel like itās all too suspicious for me to just ignore and 300+ fics is a lot. Also, the fact that they straight up blocked the person who questioned if they had my permission implied that they must feel like what they are doing is not right.
Soā¦if you are a tumblr writer of any of the characters mentioned above (especially Theodore Nott because 186 is INSANE if most of them don't have the original author's permissions and/or authors donāt want their works translated), just be aware that your works may have been translated without permission. And if the issue of translation without permission is personally important to you, maybe check to see if your works are on their account and ask them to take it down if you want to.
Edit: Wellā¦from the reblogs and comments Iāve gotten, it seems that they are indeed translating without the permission of MANY tumblr authors. So if you guys have a little spare time, please go report this account šš¼ . This would mean a lot to me and so many tumblr authors.
Edit 2: To the other writersā¦do not directly ask the account to remove your specific fics like I did before submitting a claim to Wattpad. I realised this mistake after Iāve done it. But you need to send URL links of the translated fics on their page and links to your original works on tumblr in the claim for them to investigate. So ONLY ask the account to take down the translated versions of your work if Wattpad doesnāt do anything about your case
PS. Though, please donāt send them death threats or something like that. They could be a child who doesnāt know any better for all we know.
Translated works without permission (mine and possibly other tumblr authors)
3 of my works have been translated without my permission and it is among the 373 translated tumblr fics on this Wattpad account @ Mel_Potter_Black. Based on my case with them, I have a feeling that they also have not approached and asked for permission from a lot of tumblr authors.
Their translated works include: 186 Theodore Nott fics, 40 Percy Jackson tumblr fics, 50 James Potter fics, 25 Luke Castellan fics, 49 Mattheo Riddle fics, 23 Draco Malfoy fics.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
First and foremost, I have explicitly stated on my pinned Tumblr post that I do not want my works translated or redistributed elsewhere.
Long story short, there were a lot of red flags that this account has displayed.
They blocked someone who had questioned them if they had my permission to translate my works.
They have never even reached out to me asking for permission.
They translated my works even though I have stated very clearly that I do not want my works translated.
They never replied to me and even deleted my comment politely asking them to remove my work because they never had my permission and that I donāt want my works translated (though, fortunately they did remove the translated works as asked, so at least thatās the plus side). This once again wiped clean evidence of permission issue on their account, very much continuing a ācovering up their trackā behavior.
They also translated one of the original authorās usernames into Portuguese too, which is strange and improper crediting because that defeats the whole point of crediting overall, as readers won't even be able to trace back to the original author at all (especially if you are not linking to the original work or the original authorās page, which they are not doing).
Given their highly questionable and suspicious behaviors to my case (did not ask for my permission, translated works from an author who does not want their works translated, attempted to hide the fact that they have never gotten permission from me (the original author), blocked those who question it, shows signs of improper crediting), I have reasons to suspect that many tumblr authors of the other 370 translated works on this Wattpad account also do not know that their works have been translated, and that this Wattpad account have translated without their permission and/or improperly credit them.
I did contemplate for a while whether to write and publish about this too. However, I feel like itās all too suspicious for me to just ignore and 300+ fics is a lot. Also, the fact that they straight up blocked the person who questioned if they had my permission implied that they must feel like what they are doing is not right.
Soā¦if you are a tumblr writer of any of the characters mentioned above (especially Theodore Nott because 186 is INSANE if most of them don't have the original author's permissions and/or authors donāt want their works translated), just be aware that your works may have been translated without permission. And if the issue of translation without permission is personally important to you, maybe check to see if your works are on their account and ask them to take it down if you want to.
PS. Though, please donāt send them death threats or something like that. They could be a child who doesnāt know any better for all we know.
Translated works without permission (mine and possibly other tumblr authors)
3 of my works have been translated without my permission and it is among the 373 translated tumblr fics on this Wattpad account @ Mel_Potter_Black. Based on my case with them, I have a feeling that they also have not approached and asked for permission from a lot of tumblr authors.
Their translated works include: 186 Theodore Nott fics, 40 Percy Jackson tumblr fics, 50 James Potter fics, 25 Luke Castellan fics, 49 Mattheo Riddle fics, 23 Draco Malfoy fics.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
First and foremost, I have explicitly stated on my pinned Tumblr post that I do not want my works translated or redistributed elsewhere.
Long story short, there were a lot of red flags that this account has displayed.
They blocked someone who had questioned them if they had my permission to translate my works.
They have never even reached out to me asking for permission.
They translated my works even though I have stated very clearly that I do not want my works translated.
They never replied to me and even deleted my comment politely asking them to remove my work because they never had my permission and that I donāt want my works translated (though, fortunately they did remove the translated works as asked, so at least thatās the plus side). This once again wiped clean evidence of permission issue on their account, very much continuing a ācovering up their trackā behavior.
They also translated one of the original authorās usernames into Portuguese too, which is strange and improper crediting because that defeats the whole point of crediting overall, as readers won't even be able to trace back to the original author at all (especially if you are not linking to the original work or the original authorās page, which they are not doing).
Given their highly questionable and suspicious behaviors to my case (did not ask for my permission, translated works from an author who does not want their works translated, attempted to hide the fact that they have never gotten permission from me (the original author), blocked those who question it, shows signs of improper crediting), I have reasons to suspect that many tumblr authors of the other 370 translated works on this Wattpad account also do not know that their works have been translated, and that this Wattpad account have translated without their permission and/or improperly credit them.
I did contemplate for a while whether to write and publish about this too. However, I feel like itās all too suspicious for me to just ignore and 300+ fics is a lot. Also, the fact that they straight up blocked the person who questioned if they had my permission implied that they must feel like what they are doing is not right.
Soā¦if you are a tumblr writer of any of the characters mentioned above (especially Theodore Nott because 186 is INSANE if most of them don't have the original author's permissions and/or authors donāt want their works translated), just be aware that your works may have been translated without permission. And if the issue of translation without permission is personally important to you, maybe check to see if your works are on their account and ask them to take it down if you want to.
PS. Though, please donāt send them death threats or something like that. They could be a child who doesnāt know any better for all we know.
Horrified to find that SEVERAL of my fics have been stolen by this account despite my explicit disclaimer asking for my works not to be translated without consent.
Furthermore this user has incorrectly given credit to other tumblr users for MY WORK.
Translated works without permission (mine and possibly other tumblr authors)
3 of my works have been translated without my permission and it is among the 373 translated tumblr fics on this Wattpad account @ Mel_Potter_Black. Based on my case with them, I have a feeling that they also have not approached and asked for permission from a lot of tumblr authors.
Their translated works include: 186 Theodore Nott fics, 40 Percy Jackson tumblr fics, 50 James Potter fics, 25 Luke Castellan fics, 49 Mattheo Riddle fics, 23 Draco Malfoy fics.
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First and foremost, I have explicitly stated on my pinned Tumblr post that I do not want my works translated or redistributed elsewhere.
Long story short, there were a lot of red flags that this account has displayed.
They blocked someone who had questioned them if they had my permission to translate my works.
They have never even reached out to me asking for permission.
They translated my works even though I have stated very clearly that I do not want my works translated.
They never replied to me and even deleted my comment politely asking them to remove my work because they never had my permission and that I donāt want my works translated (though, fortunately they did remove the translated works as asked, so at least thatās the plus side). This once again wiped clean evidence of permission issue on their account, very much continuing a ācovering up their trackā behavior.
They also translated one of the original authorās usernames into Portuguese too, which is strange and improper crediting because that defeats the whole point of crediting overall, as readers won't even be able to trace back to the original author at all (especially if you are not linking to the original work or the original authorās page, which they are not doing).
Given their highly questionable and suspicious behaviors to my case (did not ask for my permission, translated works from an author who does not want their works translated, attempted to hide the fact that they have never gotten permission from me (the original author), blocked those who question it, shows signs of improper crediting), I have reasons to suspect that many tumblr authors of the other 370 translated works on this Wattpad account also do not know that their works have been translated, and that this Wattpad account have translated without their permission and/or improperly credit them.
I did contemplate for a while whether to write and publish about this too. However, I feel like itās all too suspicious for me to just ignore and 300+ fics is a lot. Also, the fact that they straight up blocked the person who questioned if they had my permission implied that they must feel like what they are doing is not right.
Soā¦if you are a tumblr writer of any of the characters mentioned above (especially Theodore Nott because 186 is INSANE if most of them don't have the original author's permissions and/or authors donāt want their works translated), just be aware that your works may have been translated without permission. And if the issue of translation without permission is personally important to you, maybe check to see if your works are on their account and ask them to take it down if you want to.
Edit: Wellā¦from the reblogs and comments Iāve gotten, it seems that they are indeed translating without the permission of MANY tumblr authors. So if you guys have a little spare time, please go report this account šš¼ . This would mean a lot to me and so many tumblr authors.
Edit 2: To the other writersā¦do not directly ask the account to remove your specific fics like I did before submitting a claim to Wattpad. I realised this mistake after Iāve done it. But you need to send URL links of the translated fics on their page and links to your original works on tumblr in the claim for them to investigate. So ONLY ask the account to take down the translated versions of your work if Wattpad doesnāt do anything about your case
PS. Though, please donāt send them death threats or something like that. They could be a child who doesnāt know any better for all we know.
