take one more step toward her.
aaron hotchner x F!reader
summary: the team is called in for a case that causes reader and Aaron to fake date.
t/w: classic criminal minds stuff, gore, weapons, etc. some mentions of y/n (I know I know.. sorry!), some cursing.
the couple laid side by side in the photograph, the aftermath from the killer all around. despite the gore surrounding them, they looked sadly, peaceful. their hands clasped together, as if they reached for one another one last time.
Penelope changed the slide, and several more couples filled the screen. all posed the same way. all physically similar.
"they look..." you start.
"like hotch and y/l/n," Spencer finishes for you. you and your boss briefly lock eyes before returning them to the couples. the eye contact unleashing a flutter through your stomach.
"wow, they do," Derek concludes, zooming in on one of the photos on his tablet.
"the media is calling him the cupid killer, not very creative if you ask me," Penelope says. "bodies have been found every three days like clockwork. all the couples had the same restaurant in common."
the scene plays out in your mind. the couples enjoying a nice evening out. laughing, exchanging pda, having some drinks. once they leave the restaurant, someone compliments them. tells them how cute they are. asks how long they've been together. the unsub is likable, gets them to let their guard down. and when they do...
"why has it taken so long to call us in?" hotch asks. Penelope answers with a shrug of her shoulder, disappointment laced in her features.
"wheels up in 30," hotch declares, standing and collecting his things. he catches your eyes on more time before leaving the room.
"ssa Aaron hotchner," hotch holds his hand out to the sheriff. "this is agents y/l/n, Morgan, Rossi, prentiss, jareau, and dr. Reid." you all nod hello.
"thanks for coming in so quickly. I don't know how we missed the mark on the pattern so poorly." the sheriffs says, looking embarrassed.
"the latest couple was found last night," Rossi comments, "that leaves a few days to work the profile."
"assuming he isn't hunting and keeping them alive before dumping the bodies," prentiss counters.
"reid, morgan, go to talk to the ME and find out time of death," hotch says. "JJ, Emily, I want you to go to the latest crime scene. y/n, reid, I want you two to find any connections between these couples. their similar appearance is one thing, but there has to be something else connecting them."
you and reid set up in the conference room of the local pd. Spencer scans the files at his inhuman speed, but has enough decency to wait on you to conclude your search.
"they're all boss and subordinate," you murmur. just like you and hotch. they look just like you and hotch. how is this possible? how is he able to find people that fit this exact profile?
"yeah, I picked that up too. but why?" Spencer stands, taking in the photos on the cork board. Spencer rests his chin in his hand, his brain analyzing everything he read.
"maybe he was in a similar situation and was burned?" you theorize.
"and he's using these couples as a surrogate? maybe. what if he worked for a company and was up for a promotion and the boss gave it to his girlfriend?" Spencer says. the thought sinks in.
"we keep using he, but what if its a woman?" you mention. "the murders are classic overkill. maybe she had a thing for the boss and he chose the other woman?"
"you could be on to something there. the killings all scream rage. I think we should deliver the profile."
another couple was killed and none of you felt any closer to catching the unsub. the profile was sound, the geographical profile was locked down. she managed to evade everyone.
"I hate to say this," Derek starts. "but I think we are going to have to lay a trap. she's smart. she knows we're here."
prentiss looks between you and hotch. "I think he's right."
"you up for that?" hotch asks you.
"if it helps the case," you respond. hotch nods and starts putting a plan together.
later that evening, your in your hotel changing into the "date" clothes JJ picked up at the local mall.
the little black dress she picked hugs you in all the right places, and stops mid thigh. the black stiletto heels pull the look together. JJ pulls your hear back in an intricate updo.
"I feel like I am walking to my funeral," you murmur.
jj lightly smacks your shoulder with the hairbrush. "don't say that. just think of it as getting to play pretend with your sexy boss."
you groan. "I regret telling you that."
Emily perks up from the other side of the room. "please, we all know you're obsessed with him."
jj finishes and steps back, admiring her work. you can't help but take in your appearance. any trace of FBI agent is gone. you look exactly like someone going out on the town with her lover.
you felt naked without your side arm, but the restaurant would be surrounded with agents and swat. besides, you know pretend or not, Aaron would protect you with his life.
as you enter the lobby, Aaron's eyes trail over your body. getting into character, you feed him a huge grin, just like you've always wanted to. Aaron holds out a hand to you and you slide your palm in his. he gives you a twirl, a rare smile on his lips. "wow," he says appreciatively.
"wow, yourself," you gesture to his outfit that is exactly his suit he arrived in. Aaron shrugs, a chuckle on his lips. "without my creds, I am just a guy in a suit taking his hot girlfriend out on a date." the words hot girlfriend hit you. so maybe there was some truth to what Emily said. you are obsessed with your boss, and have been since the day you met him.
but he's just that. your boss. and there's the age gap.
aaronâs hand comes to the small of your back as he leads you out of the lobby into a rental car.
âcanât pull up to the restaurant in government issue suvs,â you chuckle to yourself. aaronâs eyes flick over to you, a smile playing at his lips.
âthis has to look pretty believable, yeah?â his gaze is on the road, but did you detect a tiny bit of nervousness in his words?
âright. the second she suspects we arenât a real couple, she could take out everyone in the restaurant.â
âi guess im trying to figure out what youâre comfortable with and what you arenât.â
ever the gentleman. you may never get another opportunity to have aaron hotchner play a lovesick boyfriend, and you arenât going to waste it.
a nervous laugh escapes your lips. "i am comfortable with what ever sells the narrative." his brow quirks up in response. "me too," he confirms.
you and hotch follow the hostess to the booth, and hotch places a hand on the small of your back to guide you in. rather than sit across from you, he slides in next to you. his thigh presses against yours. he smiles a thanks as he takes the menus from the hostess.
"your server will be with you soon."
hotch peruses the menu while you take a second to scope out the place. prentiss and jj are set up at the bar on coms, and you passed Rossi as the two of you entered.
hotch's hand comes down to your thigh, squeezing it a little. he hasn't looked up from his menu, and the action almost second nature. "what are you going to get?" he murmurs, still studying the menu like it has the answer to the case in it.
you startle, picking up the menu as if it just materialized. "probably just a caesar salad," you say, barely glancing at the open menu. hotch's hand is burning a hole into your thigh, you can't hardly stand it.
"is this okay?" he whispers.
you smile. "Aaron, I already told you." his jaw flexes at the mention of his name. you can count on one hand the number of times you have called your boss his first name.
"good evening, you two. what can I start you off to drink?" your waitress pulls the two of your attention. when she takes you in, you see a slight flicker in her eye. hotch seems to see the same thing, because he jumps into motion. his large arm comes up around your shoulder.
"two waters," he says, holding up to fingers.
"a glass of rose, please."
"honey, you know how you get with wine," hotch chastises playfully. you lean into his neck and breathe him in.
"that's why I am ordering it, Aaron," you flirt, throwing in his name again to see if you can recreate his action from earlier. you see it immediately. his tell. the way the right side of his mouth quirks up. god, you want to kiss him.
"well aren't you guys the sweetest things," the waitress comments. "I'll be right back with your drinks and to take your order."
Aaron brings his mouth down to your ear. "what are you thinking?" about him? about the case? his large body has you nestled between him and the wall, and you have never felt safer. especially considering the two of you just spoke to the unsub.
"I think it's her," you say through a smile. "did you see how bruised her knuckles were?" as the unsub approaches your table with your drinks, hotch leans down to place a kiss beneath your ear. his eyes open and lock onto yours as he pulls away to acknowledge the unsub. you pray he doesn't notice how flushed you are.
hotch orders for the two of you as you hang onto his arm. acting like you can't get enough of this man. as the unsub turns to leave, hotch brushes his knuckles along your neck, pulling you in for a kiss. you let out a breath as his mouth connects against yours. your hands rise to grip his collar and pull him closer. his name tumbles out of your mouth and you realize how much trouble you're in.
this "trap" has only strengthened your crush on this man.
when you pull back, you look for the unsub over his shoulder. sliding your hands around his neck, you position your mouth against his ear. "she's gone." hotch turns his face towards you. his finger tips your chip up him.
"do you have any idea what you do to me when you say my first name?" his words are raspy. indicative to what your kiss did to him. fuck.
you hold his brown eyes with yours way longer than you know you should. fuck pretend. "are you going to kiss me again, sir?" his pupil dilate when he registers you said sir.
"you've officially ruined that word. I am never going to be able to stand for you to call me that again," he says, pulling you towards him for another kiss. you're officially not acting, and he can't be either. this feels too real. too right.
"fuck," hotch curses against your lips as he pulls back. he adjusts his tie and leans back against the booth. he snakes his arm around your waist and pulls you flush against him. you're almost in his lap. you look up at him, pressing a kiss onto his jaw. he chuckles a little to himself, and looks down at you.
you can picture the way the two of you look to an outsider. two people madly in love.
the unsub startles both of you as she sets the food down. she steps back expectantly, waiting for the two of you to take a bite. and for the first time, it occurs to you how she gets her victims to let down their guard. there is definitely something laced in this food. hotch comes to the same realization.
"could I get some more dressing?" you ask, needing her to move on.
"of course," she mutters, turning toward the kitchen.
"she's laced this," hotch tells you, his expression turning serious. a complete 180 from how he was looking down at you a second ago.
the unsub returns, placing a cup of dressing down in front of hotch.
"thank you," he says dismissively.
she doesn't move. "how long have you been together? y'all are just so sweet," she says taking the two of you in. her face is almost manic. hotch's arm comes back around you, protectively. you curl into his side, slipping an arm around his front. it looks like you're playing up the romance, but hotch's side arm is right there under his jacket, juuuust in case.
"it's all a little new," you admit, looking up at him. "I never thought he would want to date me given our power dynamic at work."
the unsub shoots hotch a glare for a millisecond. bingo.
"I didn't want any one to get the wrong idea, love," he says, kissing your cheek.
"you're her boss?" she asks, her hands clutch her order book.
hotch shrugs as if it couldn't be helped. "I know it's frowned upon, but look at her. she's gorgeous."
"I'll let you get to your dinner," she says and abruptly leaves for the kitchen.
"she is going to follow us when we get up to leave," hotch says, looking down at his dress shirt. your cheeks redden as you remember the team has heard everything that's gone on between him and you. not your best work, forgetting about the wire. "do not engage her. I don't want to make anything worse." hotch looks to you, fishing some cash out of his wallet. he slides out of the booth, holding his hand out to help you. once you're on your feet, he pulls you against him.
now that the two of you are standing, he has to lean down further to reach your ear. goosebumps fills your arms when his mouth touches your ear. "I will protect you, okay. we have triggered her, and she's unpredictable." your arms grip his biceps and you nod against him. his lips move to your cheek and he places a chaste kiss there. you turn your head, connecting your lips together. you can't help it. something could go wrong as soon as you leave the restaurant. hotch deepens the kiss and pulls back.
not letting go of your hand, he tosses his cash onto the untouched food and makes toward the exit.
hotch leads you down the sidewalk. footsteps appear behind you almost instantly.
"do you know how much your relationship is hurting people?!" the unsub screeches. the two of you turn, and nestled in her grip is a gun. hotch holds his hands up in surrender. "I don't know what you're talking about." he takes a step towards her, angling his body so he's blocking you.
"she's your subordinate. it's inappropriate!" she says, taking a step toward you.
"maybe to some," he admits. the ubsub angles herself toward you. she knows aaron is trying to protect you. you take a step closer to him, and she steps closer to you. the hand holding her gun shakes. "but I love her."
another step to you. "no you don't!"
"Aaron," you mutter. he's trying to reason with her. trying to get close to her to stop her from making a rash decision, but it's not working.
the unsub takes one more step toward you and Aaron pulls his suit jacket off, revealing his side arm. "take one more step toward her." in a swift motion, he has his Glock in this hand, trained on her.
"you're going to shoot me?" she screams.
"I don't want to," he says. "but I will to protect her."
"she's not even prettier than me! why do you want her!?" the unsub is completely coming unraveled. you and Spencer were right, she's using couples as a stand in for who hurt her.
the unsub lifts her foot, and as she places it closer to you, a gunshot goes off.