sharp objects :: criminal minds
↳ act one — season five
Phoebe Scott had always been brilliant and ambitious. Paired with her supportive parents, it was certain that there was nothing she couldn’t do as long as she put her mind to it; the problem was that she didn’t know what to put her mind to. That is until her mother was murdered by a serial killer while she hid in the closet with her baby sister in her arms, and a certain group of people from the FBI caught him not long after that she made up her mind.
But of course, with that event imprinted in her childhood and a controlling, verbally abusive father for a caretaker, it’s no surprise that she grew up in a way that she treated everyone around her as though they were sharp objects created to pierce through her bruised, scarred and callused yet somehow still delicate skin ― not that she ever let them.
Aaron Hotchner was not going to be an exception.
+
Nothing triggers a certain set of events more than a tragedy, and Phoebe Scott can attest to that as she packed her whole life in New York and moved to Virginia with her son, Danny, after his father’s death. But with a new life in mind, she actually finds herself in a position where she has the opportunity to get her old dream life from what felt like a lifetime ago ― but really, it’s only been five years ― to be a profiler in the Behavioural Analysis Unit.
all gifs were made by me!!
tag list: @yelenabolevas @chrissymunson @richitozier @delicateblackrose @arrthurpendragon @raith-way @claryxjackson @hiddenqveendom @decennia @lovehermioneforever @kendelias @waterloou @multifandom-oc-hell @come-along-pond @lizziesxltzmxn @maddies-buckley @bzzkills @cas-verse @foxesandmagic @issytrix @booty-boggins @reirvival (let me know if you’d like to be added or removed!)
Summary: Agent Hotchner just returned from a month of medical leave and after his first case with Dr. Scott, who was assigned to his team by his superiors without his knowledge, he informs her of his plans with her transfer to the BAU moving forward.
A/N: HAPPIEST BIRTHDAY TO ONE OF MY GREATEST LOVES, AARON HOTCHNER!! it’s already november 2 where i live and to celebrate, i thought i’d post a drabble of my hotch fic, sharp objects. i ended up writing two scenes and i’m posting them both!! i hope you enjoy them and please leave some feedback, thank you <3
Tag list: @yelenabolevas @chrissymunson @richitozier @delicateblackrose @arrthurpendragon @raith-way @claryxjackson @hiddenqveendom @decennia @lovehermioneforever @kendelias @waterloou @multifandom-oc-hell @come-along-pond @lizziesxltzmxn @maddies-buckley @bzzkills @cas-verse @foxesandmagic @issytrix @booty-boggins @reirvival (let me know if you’d like to be added or removed!)
“What?”
“I’m restarting the clock on your certification. I’ll be overseeing your training from now on,” he repeated in a much more authoritative tone ― if that was even possible ― and didn’t break eye contact. Hotch just watched as confusion filled her eyes and her lips went ajar.
Phoebe eventually scoffed. “I got that, sir. I meant...” she paused and gulped, composing herself so as to keep her professionalism, “Why? There’s no need for me to do it all over again for five hundred hours. Didn’t you speak with Morgan? He told me I was doing pretty good―”
“I’m not Morgan, Dr. Scott,” he interrupted. It sounded as though her name rolled off his tongue like poison, and he practically glared through her soul. “Yes, his evaluation of you will be greatly considered but at the end of the day, I’m team leader. I am the one responsible for this team. I’m the one who makes sure that everyone uses their skills and qualities in a way that best benefit this team as well as the bureau, and that they work well with everybody else. I’m the one who decides whether or not you can keep up with my team, do the work the way that we’ve always done it and actually do it well. I’m the one who decides whether or not you really belong here,” he finally paused, his words almost a warning. “I get the final say.”
Silence covered the already tension filled air as they stared back at each other, unsure of what the other is going to say after Hotch’s speech that felt a little dramatic (and redundant since she used to be the unit chief at her old office and knew exactly what he was talking about), but perhaps justifiable.
“If you did well with agent Morgan, then it will be in his report. I would, however, like to see you in training for myself, seeing as I already didn’t get to―”
“Do you?” she interrupted him this time, her expression blank as he raised an eyebrow at her. “All due respect, of course,” she added, almost with no regard whether her sarcasm was evident, “Do you get the final say?”
Hotch simply pressed his lips together.
“If you really have the final say, I wouldn’t even be here and we both know it,” she continued as though it wasn’t her boss she was talking to. “Here’s another thing we both know that you won’t admit; the brass wouldn’t have put me here if they didn’t think I belonged here. I’m more than qualified to have a position in this unit, agent Hotchner. I know you’ve been through quite a lot recently, and I know it seems like they took advantage of your absence by assigning me to your team without your say so, but I hope you’ll be professional enough that you won’t take your frustration out on me and give me the chance to prove to you that I deserve to be here.”
Phoebe kept her face straight as she finished her own speech; the momentary hint of pleading in her eyes caught by Hotch. They continued to stare at each other, although weirdly enough, this one felt a little less antagonistic.
She really didn’t want to be in the BAU; not at first, at least. It was just as dangerous as her last assignment, but she knew this would’ve cut off most of the time that she spent with her son, and Phoebe couldn’t afford that. Especially since he needs her now more than ever. But time went on and it felt like sign after sign was being dropped off her feet that it was time for her to come back, and when one in particular came directly from Danny, she knew she couldn’t not try it out.
And with how well things were going with the team (excluding Hotch), she has no regrets.
“Dr. Scott,” he sighed, finally trailing his eyes away from her as he sat down in his chair then leaned forward, hands intertwined on top of a couple of files. “This is your chance,” he informed her as his eyes found hers again, and what she had to do just so he wouldn’t hear her breath hitch. Fuck, she thought, I’m so fucked. “But if you don’t think I’m professional enough, or if you just don’t want to train under me―which is the only thing stopping you from certifying as a profiler―you can leave.” Hotch told her sincerely and even shrugged a couple of times, but she just looked at him in surprise. Did he seriously just quote me? “I’ll be more than happy to recommend you to whichever unit you’d like to transfer―”
“No!” Phoebe exclaimed, embarrassingly too loud and too eager that she had to subtly clear her throat and compose herself. “No, sir,” she repeated with a shake of her head, much more professional this time. But she couldn’t stop herself from letting out a small smile, “Getting rid of me isn’t gonna be that easy.”
Hotch smirked slightly, something so subtle that Phoebe just barely missed it as he dismissed her. She gave him a brief nod before she left him in the comfort of his office, and once the doors clicked shut, he couldn’t help but continue his paperwork in amusement.
Dr. Phoebe Scott belonged there, all right. The Behavioural Analysis Unit was like a huge puzzle with a missing piece, and she fit perfectly.
"I'm going to kiss you. Okay? Just...just let me kiss you." + pheebs and Hotch?
if anyone asks, i’ll just be in the corner crying. cw: angst.
It felt like goodbye.
It wasn’t, though, not really. Goodbye to the warmth from each other’s touch, the contentment from each other’s kiss, and the comfort from each other’s presence, perhaps. The happiness, the domesticity, the love; replaced by an ache that can only be soothed by the very thing they’re letting go ― each other.
But no, not goodbye.
They were going to see each other again, and they were going to spend more time together. In the morning when they’re getting ready for the day, they’ll see each other through the windows of their houses, just right next door. When they leave for the day to drive their sons to school then themselves to work. When they arrive at the office then go on to solve cases together and do their jobs side by side. When their sons get together for a playdate. When the team goes out for drinks or dinner at Rossi’s mansion. When they go for a run or a bike ride at the park. When they go for coffee, laundry, gym, even the goddamn supermarket.
Their lives so unbelievably intertwined like weaves in a fabric that it simply cannot be goodbye.
Eyes glistened, hearts racing, heavy and uneven breaths. Phoebe and Aaron stayed where they stood as the former buried her nails deep onto her palms in anticipation while the latter contemplated what to say next, until he realised that there isn’t anything he wanted to say. Nothing important, nothing helpful. Not at that moment. But the things he wanted to do? Plenty, and none of them rational.
He decided to stick to something he could control, yet still be able to keep with him and cherish forever as he slowly moved closer to Phoebe.
“I’m going to kiss you. Okay?” he finally said, his words no more than a whisper as he raised a hand to her face, barely even hovering as though the moment his skin makes contact with hers, he’d lose it. He’d change his mind, be as irrational and as selfish as he can be and take her in his arms and never let go. “Just...” he barely breathed out the moment his fingers touched the side of her face, stray strands of her hair gently brushed off and tucked behind her ear. “Just let me kiss you.”
Aaron slid the rest of his fingers beneath her ear while his thumb caressed her cheek, and he melted at the way she leaned into his touch. His soft, brown eyes looked into her own like he was searching for something. Permission, maybe, or a hint. Something, anything that tells him she wanted this as much as he does―he doesn’t.
And he did see it, for a moment. That hint of regret when she tried but failed to fight back the single tear that streamed down her cheek, and when she held onto his arm the moment he gave her a small, sad smile as he gently wiped it off.
But it wasn’t the only thing he found.
There was desperation and pleading alongside the hurt and the urge to stop what she’s doing, take back everything she said and ask him to stay with her instead. Desperation, because this isn’t what she wanted; it’s what she needed to do for herself and pleading, because she can’t do it without his help and she needed him to let her do this.
Phoebe let out a shaky breath as he leaned closer and if it was even possible, prompted her heart to beat faster. She looked back and forth from his eyes to his lips and physically ached for him to kiss her lips as though it’s for the last time.
It was, but he didn’t.
Instead, he went up her forehead and left a soft, long kiss that merely broke her heart even more, and before she could even bask in the warmth, the contentment, and the comfort of him one last time, he pulled away. He let go of her face and left a trail of electricity on her arm as his hand dropped down, then turned around and walked out the door without a word that contributed a hollow feeling to her aching, tightened chest.
No, not goodbye. Worse.
various prompts by @asirensrage!! send me a prompt <3 tagging @starlit-ocs @come-along-pond @luucypevensie
rules: write the latest line from your wip and tag as many people as there are words in the line. make a new post, don’t reblog.
tagged by my loves @witchofinterest & @richitozier & @claryxjackson <3
Phoebe smiled meekly, “Hope’s a good thing, but nothing will ever happen if you don’t make it happen.”
― sharp objects, prologue
gonna tag some ppl from my tag list; @come-along-pond @hiddenqveendom @starlit-ocs @chrissymunson @guardiansofheroes @arrthurpendragon @jvstjewels @raith-way @lovehermioneforever @kendelias @waterloou @multifandom-oc-hell @lizziesxltzmxn @maddies-buckley @cas-verse @booty-boggins @reirvival + anyone else who’d like to do it!
