Pairings: Spencer Reid x reader
Words count: little over 1k!
Summary: You and Spencer have been working together for about a year, but nothing has really happened. You two clearly have chemistry, and almost everyone sees it!
Tags: slow burn, no use of Y/N, office romance, idiots in love, coworkers to friends to lovers, no smut!! (Yet?)
You can also read on AO3 https://archiveofourown.org/works/88519696
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Spencer was smart, like super freaky smart in that way you’re kinda jealous of. But when it came to social interactions with a pretty girl? His IQ was cut in half.
You had joined the BAU not too long after Spencer had, only a few months after since they needed a replacement for some desk agent that was a little too open about those confidential case files online.
Even though you weren’t out in the field, you still really enjoyed your job. The people were great, the atmosphere was great (for a federal government job), but most of all? That one kinda weird guy who was just the right amount odd.
Your interactions were minimal at first, maybe a small smile here or there, but as months went on, your separate yet very similar jobs had you interacting more and more.
Spencer didn’t mind interacting with you. He thought you were a very lovely person! He just didn’t really know how to talk to you.
“Good morning Spencer.” You would say as you passed by him in the morning. He would give a small smile and raise his hand in a nervous wave. By lunchtime, he would’ve found a reason to talk to you.“Did you know that most serial killers agree that the reason they kill is because of environmental factors rather than neurological?” You would turn to look at him, a small smile on your face. “I didn’t, no.” “Most researchers don’t actually take their opinions seriously oddly enough, I think it’s because—“ He would pause, realizing he’s interrupting your work.“It’s an intriguing topic.” He would add out of embarrassment.
You never minded his sweet little rants, always thought they were a nice distraction from the cruel case readings you were forced to endure. “Do you have any books about it?” You’d ask, trying your best to show intrest. Spencer would light up, nodding quickly. “Should I bring it for you tomorrow?” He would ask hopefully, and you would smile and nod.
Spencer had also missed you when he was halfway across the country. While missed was a strong word for all of his complex emotions, it was the best to sum them up.Every night, when he would lay in a hotel, he would contemplate dialing your number. But what would he say? “Hey! I missed you even though we’re just colleagues so I decided to call you!” Yeah no that was really stupid. So instead he would just fall asleep, thinking he was weird for missing you.
When the team came back, the bullpen always felt louder for a few hours.You were halfway through filing the latest reports when a familiar voice quietly spoke beside your desk. “I brought it.” Spencer smiled You looked up and there Spencer stood there with a thick hardcover book held against his chest. “You remembered?” You asked, kinda surprised since you had forgotten all about it. “I have an eidetic memory.” He answered automatically. You raised an eyebrow. He blinked. “That wasn't supposed to— that came off sounding arrogant.” A laugh escaped you before you could stop it. “I appreciate you bringing this..” you smiled and took it from his hands, setting on your desk. “And I can’t wait to read it.”Ok that was a partial lie. You weren’t the biggest reader, but seeing his smile made your heart flutter.
Some of the tension immediately left his shoulders. You looked down, realizing here were dozens of tiny sticky notes poking from between chapters. “You... annotated it?” you asked, surprised. “Not for you.” He had answered quickly, too quickly You stared at him. “I mean—I annotated it years ago!” He explained quickly, now nervous of offending you.
“Thank you.” You repeated. He nodded once. “Page seventy-two is probably the most interesting.” He had added, trying to keep the conversation alive. “Only page seventy-two?” You teased, a smile crossing your lips. “…No?” He asked, unable to tell you were joking. But you smiled. “I'll make sure to read all of it then.” You laugh. He looked strangely relieved by that.
Three days later, the book was sitting back on Spencer's desk before he'd even arrived that morning.
There was a sticky note attached to the front. “Page 72 was interesting. But Page 143 was better.” A little smiley face attached on the bottom of the sticky note
Spencer stared at it for several seconds. Then he smiled.
Morgan noticed immediately. He lifted his head from his desk and spoke. “Pretty Boy.” Spencer looked up. “What's got you smiling?” That made Derek himself smile. “Nothing.” Morgan looked at the book, then at the sticky note then back at Spencer. “…Right.” Derek nodded, faking his belief. Spencer instinctively covered the note with his hand.
Morgan laughed to himself, clearly placing things together.
From then on, books quietly became a routine. Spencer would leave one on your desk before his briefing, or before he would leave for a case. You'd return it a week or two later. Sometimes there'd be a sticky note you’d leave on the cover. But sometimes he'd discover tiny question marks in the margins. Those were his favorite. It meant you'd been thinking while you read. He'd answer every single one.
One evening, everyone had left except the two of you, he was working on putting some pieces together for some killer, while you were trying to file some forms. The fluorescent lights hummed softly overhead while rain tapped against the windows. You rubbed your eyes after staring at reports for nearly six hours. “You should stop doing that.” Spencer said without even looking up. You looked over. “Doing what?” “Rubbing your eyes.” He responded, looking up with his eyebrows raised. “…Why?” You asked, kind of hesitant, but prepared for a 10 minute rant. “It can damage the cornea over time.” He stopped typing. “Oh.” You said simply. He nodded once. “…Good.”
You smiled to yourself, you appreciated his concern, it was almost sweet that he thought of that.. Though it may have just been your overthinking.
The office fell quiet again, a kind comfortably quiet. The kind of silence that would've been awkward months ago. Now it simply existed. Neither of you seemed interested in breaking it.
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Authors note: I transferred this from AO3 to here, so spacing is a little weird and off, but I’ll make sure to fix that in the next chapter!
