First of all, thank you to everyone who interacted with The Bet. Seeing reblogs, likes and comments literally made my week, I appreciate all of you!
It also boosted my motivation, so I'm back with a 5+1 prequel to the bet - It can be read standalone as well, but if you haven't read The Bet, check it out here!
This was meant to be like 2000 words max but here we are.
CW// mentions of blood/fainting, stabbing, arrest, hospitals, mentions of child kidnapping/death, use of y/n, not beta'd
5 times reader and Hotch hid their relationship + 1 time they didn't need to
The BAU rarely had quiet days. Whenever they cropped up, it meant hours of catching up on paperwork and emails, and even more so it meant getting to goof around the office without the usual level of urgency. In short, quiet days were nice.
You had spent the morning sorting through all the files in, on, or around your desk, hoping to clear up some space for the files that would surely start piling up again in the coming weeks. Old case files were sorted into one file to be moved to the proper storage rooms, while newer files were sorted according to date and case number, until you had an oldest-newest pile to work through in the afternoon.
Occasionally on quiet days, Aaron would offer to buy everyone coffee, and Emily and Derek would fight over who got to go pick it up. Today, was not one of those days. JJ and Henry had brought little Henry in for a visit, and with them came fresh muffins and cakes from the bakery near their house. A little after noon, you decided it was the perfect time for a cheap office-coffee refill, and a quiet time to sneak an extra muffin back to your desk.
The kitchen was quiet, with most of the office either holding off until lunch, or already sorted after their coffee break a couple hours earlier. You had just topped up the instant coffee when the door creaked open. You didnāt look up until a hand ghosted your lower back, and the sleeve of Aaronās suit reached your peripheral vision. He leaned against the countertop, somewhere between beside and behind you, and you turned to face him. There was a smile on his lips, but a crinkle on his forehead where heād previously been frowning at paperwork.
āCoffee?ā He just nodded as you reached past him to grab his usual āno.1 Dadā mug Spencer and JJ had bought him one Christmas as a gag gift. You filled the two mugs, enjoying the closeness you often missed out on during work hours.
āDinner,ā He spoke suddenly, catching your attention, āUs, we should get dinner.ā
You had had many dates over the 2 months since your relationship with Aaron had started, but every time he directly asked you out, whether to dinner or a movie, he always seemed unsure of himself.
āYou asking me on a date, sir?ā You teased, leaning against the counter in a perfect mirror of his position. He laughed, a quiet breathy sound that sent butterflies to your stomach.
āTrying to, yes.ā Your smile grew.
āDinner sounds lovely, Aaron,ā Your voice had become quieter, but no less audible to him as you leaned fractionally closer. āJack was telling me about the restaurant you went to last week, the one that had the dinosaur colouring sheets?ā
He nodded thoughtfully as you slid his coffee towards him. He took a sip, before leaving the mug back down on the counter. āThey had a great selection of colours,ā He said with a fond smile. You loved hearing him speak about Jack; the obvious pride displayed across his face whenever his son came into the conversation.
You were just about to ask if heād kept the coloured sheet when the doorās squeaky hinges creaked loudly, and you jumped apart. Emily stood at the doorās entrance, eyebrows raised at the scene before her. Aaron looked between you and her, moving another step back as subtly as he could.
āThanks, uh, that eyelash has been bothering me all morning!ā You blurted out, voice just slightly too loud. You brought your hand to your face, wiping at the phantom eyelash as if to remove it. With a little more distance now between you, you were able to steady your beating heart. When Aaron made no move to leave, you picked up your own coffee, added a touch of cold water, and made a beeline for the door. You rolled your eyes at Emily as you passed, pointedly not looking at the kissy face she made when Aaron had turned back to the sink. Emily moved further into the kitchen then, but Aaron was already heading for the door, eyes following you as you sat back down at your desk with a muffin he hadn't even seen you grab.
āHey Hotch?ā He paused at the door, turning to see Emily with his coffee mug in hand, holding it out as if to offer it to him, āYou forget something?ā There was an obvious teasing lilt to her tone, but he chose to ignore it, hoping he would be back in his office before the scarlet tint reached his cheeks. He wasnāt. He opted to instead hide his face behind the rim of the mug, taking a sip of the hot coffee. With one last glance towards your desk, he disappeared back into his office, and if anyone noticed the door shut a little faster than normal, no one mentioned it.
The knock on his office door alerted Aaron to your early morning arrival. He was used to being the first to the office, especially when the cases were stacking up like they were now. Since your relationship had started 4 months ago, you had taken to bringing him coffee on such days. He appreciated it.
āMorning, handsome.ā You had a sleepy smile on your face as you stepped into the office. In your hands you carried two coffee cups. While you hadnāt spent the night at Aaronās apartment, you knew he would be up early and in the office at a ridiculous hour. Where there was work to be done, he was always nearby. His shoulders visibly relaxed as you placed the coffees in front of him.
āI donāt know what Iād do without you,ā He sighed, an equally tired smile on his own face. The hands of his watch ticked loudly in the otherwise quiet office, and a quick glance showed it was nearly half seven. You werenāt due in until 9. Hands now free, you pulled a chair closer, settling into it before picking back up your own coffee. You reached out and plucked a file from the desk.
āA problem shared is a problem halved!ā You argued when he raised his eyebrows at you. The usual accompanying frown was absent, so you knew he wasnāt really annoyed at the intrusion, nor the cheesy proverb. Ā
āNot when half of the problems are confidential.ā You rolled your eyes but conceded. The file was returned to the pile, and you moved to stand. āBut the company would be appreciated.ā
Your attempt to hide your smile was terrible. You blamed your tiredness. Aaron appreciated this time with you. Early enough that there was no worry about anyone seeing the fondness in his expression while you told him about your adventures in cooking the evening before, or the lovestruck smile on your face when he took your hand in his, pressing a kiss to your knuckles before returning to the file in front of him, fingers still intertwined with yours.
Well, no one except David Rossi. David who had come into work early to enjoy the peace of organising himself for the day before everyone else arrived. David who quietly closed his office door to allow you what little time together you could get at the office.
Weekends off were rare. So, when they came around, everyone celebrated. Team-bonding nights out had become more regular since Emilyās return from ādeathā. Friday nights before a weekend off were almost always spent together at a bar, club, or occasionally Rossiās house for impromptu cooking lessons. Penelope and Emily often took turns trying to wing-man for you, and even JJ joined in after a couple drinks. Usually, you used the excuse of wanting to enjoy their company, but occasionally you called an early night to get a break from their incessant need to insert themselves into your sex-life. If youād been single, you probably wouldāve appreciated it. But you werenāt.
The previous night had been one of those early nights. Aaron hadnāt come out with everyone, insisting he needed to finish up some reports and to go on without him. As much as youād enjoyed the few hours out with your team, youād decided early in the night that once youād had three drinks, you were going to go back to Aaronās apartment and enjoy the rest of the evening with him. It wasnāt often that you had the apartment to yourselves on a Friday night, but Jessica had offered to have Jack for a sleepover. You wanted to make the most of it.
To wake up naturally, no blaring alarm clock or ringing phone, was a blessing. The room was lit by dim light behind closed curtains, and the only sounds were that of birds outside and the quiet snoring of Aaron behind you. His arm was draped over your waist, keeping you warm where his bare skin touched yours. Slow mornings were good mornings. You rolled in his arms until you were facing him, tracing the outline of his face with your eyes. He really was the most handsome man youād ever seen. It was something you reminded him often.
āMorning,ā His voice, though usually deep, was always deeper in the mornings, sending shivers down your spine. Your eyes met his half-open ones, and you leaned in to press a kiss to his lips. The only thing you loved more than spending the night with Aaron, was waking up to him the next morning. He chased your lips as you leaned back, swallowing your laugh as he caught them with his. Large hands encircled your waist, pulling you impossibly closer.
Swinging a leg over his waist, you manoeuvred yourself over him without breaking the kiss, earning a groan as you rolled your hips languidly down on his. His lips broke away from yours, only to reattach further down your neck, wandering hands moving up and under your pyjama top in their search for skin. You buried your fingers in his hair, tugging gently as his hips rose to meet yours. Moving one hand to the back of your neck, the other around your back, Aaron flipped you, positioning himself on top of you. He kept his weight off you with one arm, which lay next to your head while the other resumed its journey up your side towards your chest. He took a moment to look down at you, appreciating the view below him before he returned his lips to the expanse of untouched skin below your collarbone.
Your hands were half-way to tugging at his shirt when the loud ring of his phone broke you apart. Your eyes stayed closed, a sigh leaving you as he rolled over and off you to grab the device off the side table.
āHello?ā His voice was still breathy as he picked up the call, but you could tell instantly it was a work call as his voice became stern and serious. He was on the call for barely thirty seconds before you realised what a work call at 9am on a Saturday meant for you both. āOf course. Iāll be there soon.ā
The disappointment at your ruined weekend plans was evident on your face. Aaron was already sitting up, stretching out sleep-sore muscles and trying to get the blood circulating back around his entire body. You opened your mouth to try and persuade him to lie back down, just for five more minutes, when your own phone rang. You didnāt need to see the caller ID to know it was Penelope, the unique ringtone sheād set for herself playing loud and clear.
āPlease god let this be a social call.ā There were nicer ways to answer the phone; you didnāt care to use one.
āI hate being the bearer of bad news, but they found a body in Monogahela national forest, and its not looking pretty,ā Penelope said, an apologetic tone to her normally cheery voice, āBut donāt worry my love, our resident Boy Genius promised to bring coffees and pastries for everyone.ā
āHeās really earning that genius title,ā You laughed, turning your head slightly to get a better view of Aaron, who was pulling dress pants out of the wardrobe and searching for a tie to match the shirt heād already laid out at the foot of the bed. He held up two options when he saw you looking. It was very domestic, and you felt all the more disappointed that in one short hour, youād be back to pretending you hadnāt spent the night - and start of the morning - between the sheets with him. Back to pretending that you werenāt planning to spend the weekend helping Jack bake cookies and cakes for his schools bake sale on Monday, and going for a run with Aaron before you tried to recreate one of Daveās pasta recipes for dinner with Jack and Jessica. Back to pretending he was just your boss.
You looked away, trying to focus back on Penelopeās words as she explained the flight times and what you needed to add to your go bag. You were glad youād put your spare overnight bag into the boot of Aarons car.
Yours eyes widened at the sudden exclamation, head whipping back around to see Aaron holding his foot. You barely had time to deduce that heād stubbed his toe before Penelopeās voice was screaming through the receiver at you.
āOH MY GOD! Was that a man???ā You were at a loss for words, trying to come up with a reasonable explanation. Thankfully, Penelope had no interest in waiting for your response. āI thought you went home early, you sly fox!ā
āListen Pen, I have to go,ā You said quickly, āSee you soon!ā
You pulled the phone away from your ear, her threats of finding out all the details later cut off as you hung up. There was a moment of silence, before you burst out laughing, clutching your stomach tightly. Aaronās laugh followed yours seconds later, both of you revelling in the ridiculousness of the situation. Seven months of secrets and it was nearly all revealed over a stubbed toe. By the time the laughter had subsided, Aaron had sat back down next to you. You leaned into him, pressing a kiss to his exposed collarbone.
āYou know sheās gonna quiz me about this the entire flight, right?ā
Cases involving children were always hard. After a week of searching and profiling and praying, the team had identified and located the unsub. Five missing children over six months. The latest victim, a young girl kidnapped from the local fair, had been the missing piece of the puzzle that led you to the unsub, but the team had been too late, arriving in time to catch the unsub wrapping her body for disposal. The arrest had been horrible, but sitting with JJ while she informed the victimās parents was even worse.
By the end of the day, you were completely and utterly drained. You wanted to be back in your own bed, in your own apartment, not in a stuffy hotel room overthinking every decision you had made. Those parents wanted their little girl back. You tried to push the thought from your mind. After nearly an hour in the vicious hell of your own company, you dragged yourself off the bed, and down the hallway to the room you knew Aaron had. You had never been more grateful for the increased hotel budget allowing the team individual rooms on this case.
He was quick to answer the door, still in his suit, though his tie hung undone around his neck. He looked roughly how you felt. Ā His frown deepened when he saw you, standing with your arms around your torso, eyes red and puffy.
āCome here,ā he said, already reaching out for you. No more words were needed as he wrapped you up in his embrace, holding you against him. The door swung shut behind you as he guided you further into the room. It was identical to yours, with a double bed in the centre, a small coffee machine and mug on the edge of a small desk, and a door leading into a small bathroom. Ā Unlike yours, most of Aaronās belongings had been packed away into his overnight bag, gun and badge sitting on top of the open bag.
āI hate cases like this,ā you whispered into his neck, letting the repetitive motion of his hand rubbing your back soothe you.
You stood together in the middle of the room for a long time before you pulled back. Not far enough to be out of Aaronās arms, but enough that you could look at him. His brow was furrowed as he met your gaze, face all full of worry and exhaustion. You reached up, running your thumb along his brow to soften the expression, smoothing out the lines. He leaned into your touch. Catching your wrist in his hand, he peppered kisses along the inside of it, following the line all the way to your palm. It was methodical, kisses following the vein as far as they could.
You looped the fingers of your free hand into the loop of his tie, pulling him to you until your lips met his. The kiss wasnāt rushed, or hungry. It was soft and gentle, anchoring you to the present, and away from the past two days. When he pulled back, he let his forehead rest against yours, eyes still closed. It was the moment of calm you had been hoping for since youād first arrived. It wouldnāt solve all your problems, or take away all the guilt you felt, but it could keep them from overwhelming you entirely. After a minute, you opened your eyes.
āI really should head back, my bags not going to pack itself, and I do not want to be stuck here any longer than I have to be,ā you said, stepping out of his space with much difficulty. You wanted to stay, borrow his shirt to sleep in and worry about everything else tomorrow, but your flight was early, and you really didnāt want to be rushing to get packed before take-off.
āIāll be here if you need me,ā He voice was almost hoarse with how soft he spoke, pulling you back in for one last kiss. You turned then, and left the room, pulling the door shut behind you. You still felt horrible, but the heavy weight on your chest had eased off. That was all you could hope for tonight.
āIsnāt that Hotchās room?ā You froze like a deer in headlights outside the door as Spencerās voice reached your ears. You turned to look at him over your shoulder, hoping he wouldnāt notice the panic-stricken expression on your face.
āUh, yeah,ā You forced out, āYeah he uh- you see, my shower wasnāt working.ā Your brain felt fried, but the excuse wasnāt the worst youād come up with over the previous nine months. āHe let me us his. Shower.ā Spencer blinked at you, and for a frighteningly long minute, he said nothing.
āThatās nice of him,ā He said finally, lips curling into a half-smile, āHey, Emily, Derek and I were going to go down to the bar for a drink, if you want to come?ā
āSounds great, Spence,ā You mirrored his smile, āI need to pack, so Iāll meet you down there?ā He nodded, and with that he disappeared down the hall, and you took a deep breath. Youād have to tell them eventually, but not tonight. Not tonight.
You wouldnāt realise until days later that your hair had been completely dry, you had no towels with you, and your excuse had been ridiculously transparent.
You knew it was a bad idea to sit next to Aaron on the flight back, but it had been a tough case, and you couldnāt help but yearn for his comfort. Even though it had been short, everyone seemed to be feeling it. With Derek passed out across the couch, and Emily and Spencer focused on their game of cards, there hadnāt been much stopping you gingerly leaning closer to the warmth radiating from the man next to you. He acknowledged your careful closeness by letting the free hand not occupied by the case report drop to rest on your knee under the table.
The coffee youād made for yourself after boarding had only increased your adrenaline crash, and you could feel your eyelids drooping even as you fought to keep them open. It was a losing battle. The soft material of Aaronās shirt made contact with your cheek as you leaned against his shoulder. The muscles beneath you tensed, but not enough to wake you from the sleep that had taken over quite rapidly.
Aaron glanced down at you before back up at the rest of the team. JJ was nowhere to be seen, probably in the small airplane kitchen, and the others seemed to be otherwise occupied. When he was sure no one was paying any attention to your little corner of the plane, he allowed himself to relax. It was a needed comfort after the weeks work. His thumb drew soft circles on your thigh, and for the first time all week, he closed the case file and his eyes. Just a minute of peace, thatās all he needed.
The minute ended rather abruptly when the hushed voices of Emily and JJ reached his ears. He stubbornly kept his eyes shut.
āThink heād let the rest of his drool on his shoulder like that?ā Emilyās voice was just about audible, the teasing grin on her face clear in his mind even without seeing it. He thought about waking you, pretending it was all just tiredness, and moving on like there werenāt four pairs of eyes on you both. But he couldnāt. Not when your body curved toward him, unaware of its unconscious betrayal. Your hair tickled where it brushed against his neck.
Instead, he opened his eyes slowly, giving the onlookers a chance to turn away. They didnāt need to know heād heard them. He didnāt need to know they would be continuing this conversation shortly after the plane landed. Dave, who sat across the row from Aaron, hid his smirk with his coffee mug, returning his focus to his book. With one last soft look in your direction (which didnāt go unnoticed by Emily and Spencer), Aaron picked up the case file and got back to work.
āFuck.ā You were bent at the middle, hands on your knees for support as you tried to catch a breath. Derek and one of the uniformed officers were already hauling the unsub off towards a police cruiser. A second uniformed officer was searching the area for the weapon, which had been lost in the scuffle. You brushed off Emilyās concern, promising her you were just winded. Straightening up, you swallowed a wince as your hands ached to go to your stinging side. āJust, just need to sit for a minute.ā
āWeāll take care of everything here, why donāt you go with Reid, get checked out by the paramedics?ā You blinked rapidly as you tried to focus back on her words.
āIām okay, Em, really,ā Your chest felt like it was on fire with every breath you took, but you forced a reassuring smile. She didnāt look reassured. āFine, mom, Iāll get checked when Reidās done.ā
Emilyās concerned look didnāt fade, but she nodded, and you turned back towards the line of black SUVs. Once she had moved off to help make a perimeter around the scene, you slowly walked back to them. Thankfully, the lights and sirens had since been switched off. You pulled yourself into the passenger seat, trying to pretend it didnāt hurt so much. You couldnāt be weak in front of your team. Youād gotten a shock, thatās all. You were fine.
Ā A wave of tiredness crashed over you as soon as you sat down, leaning forward to balance yourself against the dash. You werenāt catching your breath, instead finding it harder and harder to fill your lungs. A few more minutes, thatās all you needed. You tried desperately to convince yourself the words were true, but as another breath burned its way down your trachea, panic started to set in. All too suddenly, your FBI vest felt too tight, your arms heavy as you tried to tear it off. With a lot of activity, you managed to get it loosened, but as soon as the pressure was released, your head started to spin rapidly. You closed your eyes tightly, trying to dispel the feeling, but within seconds, a darkness had swallowed you.
It couldāve been seconds, minutes, or hours before a sliver of consciousness crept back into your body. There was a noise to your left, and you dazedly tried to turn your head, but it wouldnāt move. You tried to focus on the window in front of you, but your vision was swimming. Feeling wobbly, you tried to push yourself up straighter, tried to turn and move, and then there was a warm hand on your shoulder, pushing you gently back against the seat.
āStay still.ā The words were commanding, but the voice was laced with worry. āThe paramedics are almost here.ā And then, more distant as if the owner of the voice had moved away from you, he yelled, āWhere are the medics?!ā
You didnāt remember much after that, holding onto the voice as you drifted in and out of consciousness. Aaron remembered the whole journey too clearly. Guilt crept through him, worsening the longer it took to reach the hospital. He was sent to the waiting room while you were rushed into surgery. With an abundance of time, and a lack of answers, all he could do was replay the scene in his mind over and over and over again.
The arrest was meant to be easy. With no victims in the house, and no wives or kids in the picture to be used as hostages, it shouldāve been easy to disarm the suspect and bring him into custody. Instead, he had let you just close enough to him to grab you and press a small knife against your side. Youād let your guard down when heād given up so easily. You shouldāve known better. It was a tense negotiation, the point of the blade piercing the material of your vest as JJ spoke to the man, Derek sneaking slowly behind him.
As soon as the unsub was fully distracted by JJ, Derek had moved in. Tackling the unsub to the ground had knocked you down with them, your head hitting the ground with a thump. The knife went skittering off as the manās arm collided with the ground, but with Derekās knee against his back and arms pressing down on his shoulders, he quickly lost the fight.
Aaron wanted to rush to you, to gather you in his arms and not let you go, but the captain of the police department had already turned his attention to the growing crowd of journalists and bystanders trying to get closer to get the full story. Emily had already gone to you, so with an unconscious scowl, Aaron turned and followed the captain towards the tape. Ā
It wasnāt long before he was joined by JJ and Dave, as the trio attempted to subdue the now impatient journalists and horrified neighbours.
āHotch!ā Emilyās voice carried over the commotion to reach his ears. He turned to watch her as she weaved through the crowd of officers to reach him. Dave glanced at them, before redirecting the journalists in front of them onto another question, leaving Aaron the gap he needed to step back.
āWhatās wrong?ā He didnāt wait for her to come to a stop, the concerned look on her face clueing him into the fact something was amiss.
āIts y/n.ā Aaron swore in that moment his heart stopped beating. āThey promised theyād get checked out by the medics, but Reid said they havenāt been anywhere near the ambulances.ā
A quick glance over his shoulder showed JJ and Dave gaining control of the mob, and he nodded to Emily, already striding away from the mass of bodies. She was quick to follow. Taking the lead, she headed back towards the SUVs, where she assumed you mustāve gone. She hadnāt seen you when she passed, but it had been a quick pass.
Aaron himself nearly missed your figure through the tinted windows, slumped down in the seat. His heart stopped for a second time that day.
āGet a medic!ā It was his voice yelling out, but it sounded distant, even to his own ears. With the door flung open, he put his hand on your shoulder and shook. Your head lolled with the motion, but your eyes fought to open. You were alive. Feeling resistance under his fingers, he gently pushed you back against the seat, eyes scanning your figure trying to find the damage. āStay still,ā He tried to keep his voice steady and calm, swallowing the lump in his throat as a trail of red caught his attention. The bottom of your vest was torn and a shaded darker than the rest, a small red trail leaking out from underneath onto your white shirt. Carefully manoeuvring you to a position where he had better access, he pressed down hard against the dark spot.
āThe paramedics are almost here.ā He couldnāt tell if you could still hear him, your eyelids fluttering rapidly. He leaned out of the car as far as he could without lessening the pressure, āWhere are the medics?!ā
He could see two people in high vis jackets approaching quickly, Emily leading the way. Two big bags and a stretcher was carried between the two, and it was only mere seconds before they were ushering him back and out of their way so they could assess the damage.
Whatever they decided, it wasnāt good. They removed your vest, and shirt, and by the amount of packing being shoved back into one of the bags, the bleeding wasnāt slowing. If he wasnāt so panicked, Aaron wouldāve appreciated how efficiently they worked. It was only five minutes before you were being packed into the back of the ambulance. Dave had been left in charge at the scene, with instructions to come to the hospital as soon as everything was cleared at the scene and the precinct.
The paramedic in the back with Aaron ā Thomas, as heād introduced himself ā busied himself with taking sets of vitals every 5 minutes, monitoring the pressure bandages around your abdomen, and ensuring the flow of oxygen was at a steady level. All the while, he tried to keep Aaron clued into what was happening for every step.
By the time theyād reached the hospital, you had a sickly pallor. You were rushed immediately into an emergency theatre. Once the doors closed in front of him, it took every ounce of strength to carry his body to the waiting room. He sat for what felt like days, before a nurse came to find him. In reality it had been an intensive two-hour surgery, and a thankfully uneventful recovery. On route to your room, he was given the news that everything had gone smoothly. Luck had been on your side, and the wound had missed everything important. It had only barely nicked a large vein, which had caused the large bleed, but had been easy to fix. It would be at least six weeks of desk duty, but you would recover.
Sitting at your bedside, Aaron gripped your hand in his, careful not to squeeze too hard. He was positive youād hit him if you felt he was treating you as if you were fragile, but until you woke up, he would take that chance. With the adrenaline dropping and the relief flooding in, all he could do was hold on and not let go. After 40 minutes of watching for signs of you waking up, Aaron could feel his eyelids dropping. He didnāt try keep them open, instead shuffling the chair closer to the edge of the bed. You would be there when he woke, as he would be when you woke.
Which you did, just over an hour later. Aaron was still asleep, and you were careful not to wake him. If it took you getting stabbed to get him a few extra hours of sleep, you were making damn sure he got all he could. A nurse came into the room shortly after you woke, and Aaron slept through the check-up. It was your turn to watch him. Admiring the calm in his sleepy features, and gently squeezing the hand still clutching yours. The nurse had let you know heād been there from the second he'd been allowed in the room. You didnāt need to hear the words. You knew he loved you.
āYou can see them now.ā
It had been a longer wait for the rest of the team, whoād arrived shortly after Aaron had left the waiting room. Together they stood and followed the nurse down the hallway into a quieter section of the hospital. Through the open door, they could see you, attached to tubes and wires, but eyes open and sitting up. Next to you was Aaron. The spare visitors seat had been pulled as close to the bed as possible, and thatās where he sat. He was clearly asleep, given the closed eyes and steady breaths. He was leaned slightly towards you, head tilted down. With his sleeves rolled to his elbows, his tie loose around his neck, and his hair in disarray, he looked about as unkempt as the team had ever seen him. But he also looked calm. His usually furrowed brow was relaxed, and his lips forwent their usual downturn in exchange for a slightly parted straight line. Your thumb absentmindedly smoothed over the skin of his knuckles, and you smiled fondly at his sleeping figure. It was sickeningly obvious from your expression that you had so much love for him.
When you finally felt eyes on you, you looked up to see four eager faces greeting you just outside your door. The fond smile on your face only got fonder as they quietly piled into the room. The noise woke Aaron, whoās eyes immediately found yours. Pulling your joined hands up, he pressed his lips to the back of your hand, before straightening up in the seat. He didnāt drop your hand.
Surrounded by your family, you couldnāt help but think that really, you were going to be just fine.
turnnoffyourmind
romaincrisis
theartofmadeline
snowghoul
baratheonpilled
