Summary: Spencer notices the way you always cross your arms and he jumps to conclusions you're happy to clear up.
Warnings: fluff, sweet and caring Spencer, yes that is a warning, Derek is totally over the pining
Word Count: 400
Credits: Adorable dividers by @saradika-graphics - Header by me, @lobster-graphics
You always ran cold. You have for as long as you can remember. No matter the weather, unless it was the middle of summer, your hands were always cold. You wore gloves when you could but they weren't always an option so you opted for folding your arms. You constantly folded your arms and something about the action confused Spencer.
During a quiet flight home he saw you sitting with your arms folded like always. But this time he decided to talk to you. He slid into the seat across from you and your eyes shifted from the window to him.
"Hey, um" He paused to clear his throat, unsure of how to ask his question "A-are you okay?"
You tilted your head and squinted a little but a small smile still played across your lips "I'm fine, Spence. Why do you ask?"
"Well, you often have your arms folded and that's a sign of aggression or a way to try and shut people out. I don't want you to shut me out"
"Oh" You near cooed "I didn't mean to, I'm sorry. My hands just get cold, that's all" You replied, unfolding your arms immediately.
"All the time?"
"Yeah, it's kinda annoying as hell and I can't always wear my gloves"
"Well, I-I could help"
"Yeah? How?"
"I could…hold them, maybe?"
"You'd do that?"
"Yeah. I don't want you to be cold"
Your smile widened as you held your hands out to him. Spencer hesitantly extended one of his hands and brushed his fingers across yours.
"Is this okay?"
"Mhm" You nodded "'s nice"
His fingers wrapped around both of your hands, his thumbs rubbed over your knuckles lightly and you felt warmer already.
"Is that any better?" He asked after a few minutes.
"Yes. But that doesn't mean I want you to stop"
Spencer smiled brightly and squeezed your hands ever so slightly.
"Who said I wanted to?"
You two sat like that for the rest of the flight and at some point you must have drifted off together because when you woke up you had a text from Garcia with a photo of the two of you.
My favourite love birds
You rolled your eyes before looking back at Spencer who was looking slightly awkward.
"Something wrong?"
"Uh, n-nothing"
What you didn't know was that he got the same photo from Morgan with a very different message attached.
Go on a date now before I lock you both in a room and throw away the key
Summary: A sleepless night and a beautiful sky lead you to Spencer, again.
Warnings: hurt/comfort, too much reliance on each other but who cares because it's sad
Word Count: 1k
A/n: This is set after Emily's "death", somewhere between season 6 and 7.
You lay in bed for hours, tossing back and forth, distributing the bedding everywhere. Your hair tangled and fell into your face. You couldn't sleep. Something was keeping you up.
Guilt.
Pain.
You pulled the covers back and swung your legs out of the bed, your bare feet stung slightly against the icy tiles. You stepped over to the window, pulling back the whispy half sheer curtains and gazing out the window. Stars lit up the sky like diamonds and somehow, staring into the little lights shining through the black darkness, you felt a sense of peace. Not fully, but enough to lift a feather of hurt from your shoulders.
You knew of someone else who could use that same feeling.
You knew it was a long shot, especially when you picked up your phone and noticed the bright 2:54 lighting up the screen, but you tried anyway. You sent a simple message, just a few words.
Hey, are you still up?
It only took a moment for a response, your phone buzzed in your hand as a call came in. You answered, voice soft as you hadn't used it in hours.
"Hey, I hope I didn't wake you"
"I was already up"
His voice cracked just a little, undetectable to most people, but most people didn't know Spencer Reid like you did.
"Can't sleep?" You offered, clearly knowing the answer.
"No. You?"
"No. I can't stop thinking about-" Your sentence stopped as your throat tightened, emotions closer to the surface than you thought.
"Me too"
You cleared your throat, changing the topic "Look out the window"
"At the stars?"
"Yeah" You let out a breath, almost a laugh.
"They're beautiful. Been looking at them for a while now"
The conversation lulled, both of you falling silent as you gazed at the same stars from miles away. You broke the silence, and so did he.
"Do you want me to come over?"
"Can you come over?"
You both laughed for a small moment.
"I'll be there in 20"
"Thanks"
You put your phone down as you changed quickly, just throwing on some comfortable clothes that weren't pajamas. You picked it back up along with your keys as you headed out the door, a soft smile on your lips.
At the same moment, Spencer wore the same smile.
You knew he had been having a hard time, you had to but it didn't hit you quite like it did him. He appeared at your door for weeks, crying. You brought him in every time and comforted him. The comfort you gave him helped you too, it let you know you weren't alone with your pain. At some point, you think you crossed some kind of a line, maybe. Comfort turned into reliance, reliance into addiction. It became that neither of you could get through a day without seeing each other. Working together made it seem more reasonable, weekends were spent indulging. Indulging in each other, for hours. Just sitting together, a quiet understanding of feelings and acceptance of codependency. You knew you were too dependent on him and he knew he was too dependent on you, but neither of you stopped.
That same smile still graced your lips as you walked through his building's lobby, up the stairs - his elevator was always broken for no reason - and down the hallway. You stood before his door, staring at the gold lettering, a familiar sight. Then you knocked, three gentle raps. He opened it immediately, as if he were standing there waiting - he was - and motioned for you to come in.
"Hey, um, thanks"
His voice was even softer than on the phone, slightly timid now that you were in front of him. His eyes darted between you and the floor, even after all these weeks doing…. whatever this was, he was still remarkably shy around you.
"It's okay. I um, I like coming here"
"I like it when you're here"
His answer came quicker than he intended but that didn't mean it was true. You followed him through to the living room. It was almost comical how awkward you both were, sitting on the couch as far apart as possible.
"I-I don't know what to do" He started.
"About what?"
"What I feel"
"I know. It feels like that for me too"
"How do you deal with it? You're always so much more put together than me"
You laughed breathily "I'm not that great. Normally I don't really deal with anything. Just move on to something else, work a case. But this isn't really normal"
"No, it's not"
"I haven't felt this way before. She was my friend, she was family. And now I'm talking about her in the past tense"
"I-I know, It's wrong. She should be here"
"She should"
You fell into silence again, shifting slightly closer.
"I know I feel a little better when you're here" He murmured softly, his head remained glued to his lap, staring at his fidgeting hands.
"So do I"
You reached across, your fingers brushing his knuckles, asking for permission with the slight touch. Spencer's palm opened, his hand slotting against yours just right.
"It's been two months and I still cry about her" He paused, taking in a deep breath, the words weighing heavy on his chest "Is that normal?"
You nodded your head, your voice getting thicker "Yeah" you breathed out "I still do"
You moved closer again.
You woke up to a heavy warmth on your body. Your eyes fluttered as they opened, looking down to see Spencer. The first thing you saw was his hair, thick brown locks curled around your fingers that you hadn't even noticed were there. His head was resting on your chest, raising and lowering with your breathing. His arms were wrapped around your torso, meeting behind your back as you lay on them, firm and steady.
You smiled, your fingers grazing gently against his scalp, soothing. His hands squeezed behind your back as he let out a small sound, something between a groan and a huff. His head burrowed further against your chest, constant in the warmth of you. You glanced up, noticing the time displayed on the kitchen clock.
You leant down, whispering softly in his ear "Spence, Spencer, wake up sweetie, we gotta go to work"
He heard you but didn't respond, pretending to still be asleep. He ignored your words, all but one, sweetie. It sounded so soft and positively domestic, he thought about how he could get used to it, this. He could easily get used to your gentle morning tone, you calling him sweetie, and him waking up in your arms.
He had always wondered what people meant when they said grief brings people together.
Your camera roll if.... you were dating Aaron Hotchner
You felt your phone vibrate in your pocket and when you saw the message your face lit up instantly. Aaron noticed your wide grin and took a few steps until he was behind you. He wrapped his arms around your waist and rested his chin on your shoulder, pressing his lips to your skin in a gentle kiss.
"Did Garcia send you more photoshopped pictures?"
"Nope this is from Reid, look" You held your phone up to him, showing the smiling selfies "I finally have proof"
"Proof of what?"
"Proof that you know how to smile"
"Hey! I smile"
"At home when we're alone, but now I have photographic evidence"
"Well I hope you like it because that's all you'll be getting" He huffed as he stepped back, dropping his arms from your waist.
"Aww, baby I'm sorry, can I make it up to you?" Your tone carried the same mischievous glint that shone in your eyes.
"I guess we'll have to find out"
"Whatcha doin'?" Garcia whispered in your ear as you looked at your phone.
"Uh, nothing"
"Nu-uh, I know you and I know that's your 'it's not really nothing' voice, what's going on?"
"I just took a photo, that's all"
"Of what?"
"Nothing"
"Y/n"
"Ugh, fine, Hotch"
"Really?"
"Well look at him! He's all adorable and sleepy"
"Rossi's asleep over there, you gonna snap a pic of him too?"
"Oh God you're unbearably in love" Morgan groaned from next to Garcia.
She hit him in the chest and rolled her eyes "Shut up, they're precious!"
You ignored their bickering and looked back over the Hotch, gently grasping his hand in yours and smiling contentedly.
