By Fabrisse
Prompted by: lj user="nebula99" at the LJ Community lj user="cm_exchange"
Fandom: Criminal Minds
Word Count: ~ 2200
Rating: FRT
Pairing: Spencer Reid/Aaron Hotchner
Prompt: 3. Reid stands up for himself - Morgan is surprised, Hotch is amused, Garcia is thrilled. Can take place in the office, on a case, somewhere else entirely.
Disclaimer: I put them back when I finished playing with them.
Their most recent case had been a political minefield, and several of the powers that be at the FBI were grateful, so grateful, that the BAU had handled it delicately. They'd been called into the Hoover building to receive their praise. The Attorney General himself had shaken their hands and given his heartfelt thanks.
From Rossi's point of view the two best things about today were that they hadn't had to be in DC until nearly three o'clock giving them most of the day off and that not one iota of the love fest had gone in the direction of Erin Strauss.
When he'd found out about the praise-fest, Dave had called Aaron aside and suggested that they combine it with a Christmas get-together for the team, his treat. Aaron had thought about it and said, "Where?"
"I was thinking Capitol Grill."
"Make it Ebbitt's. The atmosphere's a little less stuffy there." Hotch softened his criticism with a faint smile.
"Yeah, I forget how young the team is," Dave said. "Not you, the rest of them."
Hotch gave a little nod of acknowledgement and waved him out.
Almost all the bigwigs were gone, now. The only one left was John Evans talking to Reid over in a corner. The rest of them were bundled up and ready to head to the restaurant.
Reid waved them on, "I'll meet you there."
The others all looked at each other. Finally Rossi shrugged, and Hotch said, "He'll meet us there."
***
It was rare for DC temperatures to drop much below freezing, but every twenty years or so, it would go below zero Fahrenheit and the Potomac would freeze over. This was one of those years.
The downstairs room at Ebbitt's was wood paneled. The Christmas decorations were minimal, but the polished brass, glass, and candles created a glowing ambiance against the harshness of winter outside.
Reid handed over his coat, gloves, hat, and scarf to the checkroom and walked over to the bar. "Dirty Martini."
"Make it a virgin." Morgan came and stood beside him with a grin.
The bartender looked between them helplessly. "May I see some ID?" he said to Reid.
Reid pulled out his driver's license and handed it to the man. "Actually, change my order to a Maker's Mark, neat. It will go better with dinner."
"Shouldn't you go easy on that stuff, Pretty Boy?"
"I'm a junkie not an alcoholic." He tipped the waiter and wandered over to Will and JJ.
Morgan stopped him before he got there. "I'm just trying to look out for you, Kid."
The room had gone quiet. Reid rested his drink on a table and turned to face him. "How old am I?"
"Twenty-something." Morgan shook his head.
"Twenty-nine. Nearly thirty, if you prefer. I can drink what I choose. I'm not a kid or a boy." He thought for a moment, then said, "Or a virgin."
The silence was broken by the rarest of sounds -- Hotch was laughing.
Out of the corner of his eye, Morgan saw Garcia exchange a tiny high-five with Henry. JJ and Emily were both rummaging in their purses. He finally said, "Really. There was a bet? On what?"
"On when our resident genius would stop you. "Garcia actually patted Reid's shoulder and handed him back his drink.
He took a sip. "Thanks, I think."
"I love him, but if Morgan had talked to anyone else the way he talked to you he'd have had either a knuckle sandwich or a suit for harassment." Garcia finished this off by standing on tip toe and kissing Morgan's cheek. "Seriously, my darling, my favorite doctor is not a child."
"Well, I guess that told me. Has it really been bothering you? For how long?"
"From the beginning. Back then I was too scared to say anything. Later, I figured it was just how you were." Reid took in his hurt expression and clapped Morgan on the shoulder. "I know you don't mean it badly, but teasing is always something I associate with cruelty, not comradery. We've overcome it, but I didn't really trust you until after Randall Garner. You never once tried to use my mom's condition as fodder for your teasing."
"Reid, man, did you really think so little of me?"
"You gave me a whistle when I failed the firearms test. I was about to ask you for coffee and advice, and you gave me a whistle."
"Wow. I ..." Morgan just shook his head and walked off toward Prentiss and Rossi who were talking in a corner.
"For what it's worth, I think you handled that well."
Reid was startled by Hotch's voice. "Really? I think I may have cost us a good working relationship."
"Morgan has a thick skin at the office, but a thin one in his personal relationships. I think he's very fond of you, and he's kicking himself about this. He'll get over it." Hotch took a sip of his bourbon. "You might get a good friend out of it."
"I hope so. It can only be that way between equals."
"So would that preclude friendship with me?"
The question intrigued Reid. He did Hotch the courtesy of giving it serious thought. "I don't think so. When we're at the office, you tell me flat out if I'm out of line. You don't wait until you're angry to explode. And, on a personal level, I know you've told me things that you haven't shared with the rest of the team." He met his colleague's eyes. "I trust you. I have from the day we met."
"I could say the same about you. You took the hardest duty a human being can have, death notification, and you handled it with kindness and dignity. I admired you for volunteering to do that."
"Morgan thought I was a robot." Waiters were bringing around hors d'oeuvres and Reid took one. "For the next three months, he turned over any notification duties to me."
"You handled the ribbing well."
"You helped." When Hotch raised his eyebrows at that, Reid continued, "Pacquette told me you'd made them all calm down before the pranks went too far. I appreciate that."
"Who'd have thought that nearly eight years later I'd be the unit chief, after having been deposed and restored, and you'd still be on my team."
"Or that Pacquette would be dead." They touched their glasses together in a toast to agents lost.
Rossi came up to them. "Dinner is about to be served. Hotch, I'm putting Ambassador Prentiss to your right. I thought it might be better to put JJ to your left, but I can put Emily there."
"Whatever Miss Manners' thinks is best Dave. It's not like we have an even split on the sexes, even with Jordan Todd and Morgan's girlfriend."
"Put me on a corner with Henry. Let Will have some adult conversation for a change."
"Sure, Spencer."
Reid and Hotch smiled at each other and headed to the table.
***
Hotch put a hand on Reid's shoulder. "Let me take over, Spencer. I've finished my meal, you should have a chance to do the same."
Reid had left the room a few minutes earlier when Henry started screaming.
"Thank you." He pondered for a moment, then added, "Aaron."
Hotch beamed at him and threw his napkin over his shoulder. "It's not like I've never had to burp a baby before."
They transferred Henry between them, and Reid went back to the party.
JJ came out about fifteen minutes later. "You look so content with him asleep."
"He was fascinated by Reid, though. Let me pass along the dirty napkin."
"He didn't get your suit, did he?"
"I don't know. If he did, it's okay. I enjoyed it, JJ."
"Go get your dessert." She gave him a shy smile. "Will is guarding mine from Morgan's machinations."
"He's quiet. Can't you bring him back in?"
JJ blushed. "I actually wanted to get away from Ambassador Prentiss for awhile. She keeps trying to give me parenting tips."
He nodded. "I completely understand. Don't wait too long to come back. We're apparently doing something called a Yankee swap."
***
At the end of the evening, Hotch notice Reid bundling up. "How are you getting home?"
"It's only two miles. I walk it all the time." Reid pulled on his gloves.
"Not in zero degree weather. Come on, I know you can quote me chapter and verse on human flesh freezing." Hotch smiled warmly. "I'll drop you at home. Two miles isn't out of my way."
Reid seemed to debate whether to argue for a moment, but then nodded, loosening his clothing so he didn't overheat.
The whole party walked to the parking garage. Everyone had a last "thank you" for the gifts in the swap and a last pat for Henry as he was fastened in his seat.
As the rest of them pulled out of the lot, Hotch motioned Reid over to his car, only to find the electronic opener didn't respond. He opened the passenger's and driver's sides manually, then tried the ignition. The battery was dead.
"Looks like you'll be walking home with me," Reid said.
"I'll call three A."
"The wait for that can be over six hours. No one was prepared for this level of cold."
Hotch thought. "The Willard is right around the corner. I'll just check in there, and you'll take a cab."
"Let me make sure you can get a room. If not, you may need my emergency air mattress."
They trudged out of the parking lot, stopping to leave Hotch's license number and cell phone information with the attendant. The guy was understanding. Hotch wasn't the first person with the problem since the severe cold snap started.
The receptionist at the Willard was very sorry, but with the airports having closed down because it was too cold for planes to fly, there wasn't a room to be had in greater DC. He did call them a cab.
Hotch looked at the large apartment building where the cabbie let them out. "I never would have pictured you for a place like this?"
"Why not? It's cheap, near everything, and I get a law enforcement discount on my rent."
"It's so sixties modern. I guess the way you dress makes me think of you in older settings."
"Are you kidding? In Vegas, a place this old is an historic landmark." Reid grinned as they passed the security guard. He stopped and checked his mail box before taking Hotch to the second bank of elevators. "I'm on the top floor." He hit the button for eight and sorted through his mail.
They went to the right and stopped at the second apartment on the left hand side. Reid took Hotch's coat and hung his own at the same time.
Hotch said, "It's freezing in here."
"The glass door out to the balcony is a heat suck in weather like this. Fortunately, the phenomenon doesn't occur that often." He looked around his apartment. "I'm being a bad host. Would you like a cup of tea or something to warm you while I dig out the air mattress and divide the blankets?"
"I'll be fine." Hotch puzzled for a moment. "Divide the blankets? Did you need all your blankets last night?"
"Yeah, but I'll be fine. I'm more worried about you sleeping in the living room. I hadn't thought about how cold the windows made it."
"Unless you sleep in a twin bed, we could always share. Body heat would be welcomed."
Reid gave a wincing smile. "Not a bad idea, but..."
"But?"
Hotch was taken off guard by two large hands framing his face, pulling him into a lingering kiss. He held onto Reid's elbows and let the younger man lead. The press of Spencer's lips against his own started sweet. Underneath the gentleness, he could feel a passion kept in check and was shocked by how much that idea turned him on. He parted his lips responding to the heat he felt from the younger man.
When they broke, panting, Reid's dark hazel eyes were boring into his. They seemed huge this close.
Reid said, "It's probably best if I find that air mattress."
"No. Spencer. It's okay. I think killer cold is a pretty good reason to share the bed, and I trust you."
"Even after?" His gesture was eloquent.
"Because I could feel you holding back." Hotch's voice went deep and his natural accent came out a bit. "You didn't need to."
The blush that suffused Reid's face was spectacular. "We've both been drinking tonight, Aaron. You might not feel the same way in the morning. I think I have a spare set of pajamas somewhere." He stepped away and opened the door to a huge walk-in closet.
"Can you tell me where the bathroom is?" Hotch accepted the change of subject.
"Yeah." He pointed to the other edge of the closet. "There should be a spare toothbrush and disposable razor under the sink." He handed Aaron a set of flannel pajamas.
"Thanks. Reid. Spencer, if it's awkward…"
"You're right, Aaron. It's too cold to worry about anything but keeping warm."
They smiled shyly at each other, recognizing a new beginning, and Hotch headed off to get ready for bed.
~
end