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severity-softly.livejournal.com) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
geekystudmuffin2009-04-19 08:39 pm
severity-softly.livejournal.com) wrote in geekystudmuffin2009-04-19 08:39 pm
With Both Hands, 2/2, Hotch/Prentiss, NC-17
Title: With Both Hands (2/2)
Authors:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
innerslytherin and severity_softly
Pairing/characters: Hotch/Prentiss
Rating: NC-17/FRAO
Summary: When Hotch is injured, Emily has to confront the way she feels about him.
Word count: ~15,500
Notes: This was written formcgarrygirl78's birthday, which is still technically a bit over 3 hours away, but we're impatient. I (Severity) wanted to write something for you, and I figured what better than to write your OTP. Of course, I wasn't sure I could do it, so I enlisted help... and as usual, we can't seem to write short. Anyway, we wound up having fun doing it (!), and we hope you enjoy it. Happy birthday, dear!
PART 1/2
The pain racing through Hotch's body was overwhelming, and he could feel hot blood soaking his shirt, the dirt under him sticking to his clothes. He was focused; keep calm, keep calm, keep calm, he was repeating, but it was growing harder to stay grounded.
"Hotch," Emily was saying. She was leaning over him, her dark hair spilling around her face. "Hotch... Aaron... wake up."
Aaron frowned, confused.
"Wake up," she told him again, and slowly he became aware of a body pressed to his side, skin against his skin. He was just wondering where his shirt had gone when the Emily leaning over him faded and his room appeared in front of his eyes.
He was breathing heavily, and he wasn't sure suddenly if the dream had woken him or the pain, but a moment later the panic finished the job. The body against him was Emily. He'd pulled her into his bed last night. Oh God.
Oh, he wanted her, but he knew he shouldn't. He groaned in pain and closed his eyes again.
"Shh," she breathed, and he felt her lips against his shoulder. "I'll get you some water for the pain meds. We slept too late; they're wearing off." Then she was rolling away from him.
He lifted a hand and pressed it to his forehead. "You don't have to," he mumbled.
"I know." He could hear the smile in her voice, and it was sort of amazing that it was there for him. "I want to. I like helping you."
He rubbed his eyes, and rolled his head to watch her. She probably wouldn't believe it if he told her she was sexy like this, in just sweats and a t-shirt and her hair a mess. And she wanted to help him, not just expecting him to be strong and do this all himself.
God, she was wonderful. This was terrible.
She flashed a smile at him, and then she padded barefoot out of the room. He lay there, staring at the pillow next to his, which still bore the imprint of her head. His shoulder was throbbing. Several minutes must have passed by the time she came back. She was balancing a bowl and a glass in one arm, clutching a spoon and two bottle of pills in the other, and he realized she'd brought him a bowl of Jack's cereal.
"I wasn't sure if the Frosted Flakes were yours or Jack's," she admitted, giving him a sheepish grin, "but you're supposed to eat when you take the antibiotics."
"I'll blame you when he pouts at me," he said, smiling faintly. It took him a moment to get to an upright position, then he wondered how he was going to eat. It would have been easier with a table, but he balanced the bowl on his leg and hoped he wouldn't spill it. "Are you eating too?" he asked.
"I will," she assured him, sitting sideways on the bed and reaching out to steady the bowl on his leg. She looked at him with such warmth that it was humbling.
He watched her for a moment, then took a bite of his cereal. Then he held a bite out for her. It was ridiculous... but it felt good too, just like sharing his sandwich had felt the night before, silly but nice. His lips quirked into a sideways smile.
She looked surprised, then she grinned at him and took the offered bite. He'd noticed before how that grin always transformed her face, but he wasn't sure if it had ever been aimed at him before. It made his heart jump.
He took another bite, then shook his head and laughed quietly. He held up the spoon for her again.
"You're the one who needs to eat," she reminded him, gesturing at the pill bottles and the glass of orange juice.
He nodded. "I'm eating," he said, and took another bite, watching her. He couldn't possibly have forgotten he was hurting if he wanted to, but this was difficult to believe. To make her happy, he ate a bit more before offering her another spoon full, then rested his wrist against his knee, his gaze tracing her face. For a moment he was silent, and he watched as her gaze on him went thoughtful, obviously wondering why he'd stopped and gotten quiet.
"I'm at a complete loss here," he admitted.
"That's okay," she said, looking back at him. After a moment she leaned in and brushed her lips against his. "Aaron, we don't have to know exactly what we're doing. I just want to spend time with you."
"This sort of spending time could be risky," he said, he put the bowl to the side and touched her cheek, but he couldn't quite hide the twinge of pain that crossed his face when his shoulders shifted.
She pulled back immediately, her eyes wide. "Did I hurt you?" she asked, touching his chest. "Relax. You need to take your meds."
"You didn't force me to move," he protested, but then inclined his head toward the bottle. He wasn't going to try to open it after trying last night. He could surely do it if he had to, but he hadn't forgotten how useless he'd felt when she'd taken it out of his hands.
She tapped a couple of pills into her palm and handed them to him to take. He sighed. "You know, this... isn't the best way to start a relationship," he said. "On drugs."
She huffed a laugh and brushed her fingers over his hair. "I'm not sure this really counts as starting a relationship," she said, sitting back and studying him. "We've known each other too long for that. We're just improving what we already have."
He laughed quietly, then leaned in and kissed her. It sent a thrill through him, one he hadn't felt in some time. "You're beautiful," he murmured, wishing he could make himself be less nervous. But on top of the issue of their jobs, he hadn't been with a woman since Haley, and he'd only been with Haley. He knew it hadn't left him in the best place, and Emily deserved so much more than a damaged man.
The smile that lit her face at his words made him feel a little better about it. It seemed impossible to think that she might not know how beautiful she was, or that she could be surprised that he would think so. She splayed her fingers against his cheek and leaned in, whispering his name against his lips.
He kissed her again, then repeated, "So beautiful." His arm was aching, but he was trying to ignore it. "I'm lucky... terrified, but lucky."
Her laughter sounded nervous. "Well, you know, I told you...I've dated guys like the Viper. Trust me when I say you have nothing to be terrified about, except the idea of getting involved with me. I'm really bad at this."
He shook his head slightly, then admitted, "I don't even remember how I am at this."
She sat back a little, her gaze steady on his. "You're doing a terrible job so far," she said, straight-faced. "Telling me we can't and we shouldn't and how terrified you are." Then her lips curved up and she kissed him slowly. "But you're lucky, because I've always found emotionally unavailable men to be sexy."
"Hey," he said quietly, his tone mock offended, but somehow the joke relaxed him. He knew it was a joke, but he also appreciated that she understood his hesitance, and wasn't taking offense. He wrapped his arm around her, leaning forward to pull her into a hungrier kiss.
Emily made a quiet noise into the kiss, one arm creeping up around his neck and holding him close. The fingers of her other hand curled against his side, then inched their way up his chest. When the kiss ended, she was breathless and looking at him like she'd forgotten her own name. She pressed her lips to his again in a short kiss, then another, and then she kissed along his jaw and up to his ear. "For so long," she whispered, "you were the BAU for me." She kissed the spot just below his ear. "And until you showed up at my apartment and asked me not to resign, I didn't believe that I'd found a place to belong."
He closed his eyes, her lips sending little shivers through him. "I'm glad that you proved me wrong back then. We need you."
"'We'?" she murmured, her lips brushing against his earlobe.
He smiled faintly. "Yes," he said. "I do as well." He titled his chin, letting her continue.
She made a satisfied noise. "Good. That's much better than 'we can't'." She scraped her teeth lightly against his neck, then sucked slowly, her hand stroking back down to press against his bare stomach.
"Well, this is pretty persuasive, actually," he said, his fingers sifting through her hair. He let out a little noise, then eased back so he could let his bad shoulder rest. "Mmm, sorry," he whispered.
"Shh," she said, lifting her head to nuzzle at his jaw. "You don't have to apologize for being injured." She sat back, quirking one eyebrow mischievously. "Besides, I'm pretty sure there are other ways for me to take care of you."
He felt himself go hot, then sucked in a breath when it sent a thrill through him. God. He was sure she was kidding, though, so he told his body to behave. He tried to say something, but it wouldn't come.
Her other eyebrow went up, and then she smirked at him. "I think that's a yes," she said, "but I wouldn't mind verbal consent." Her fingers trailed further down his stomach, and he felt his muscles quiver under her touch. There was a heat in her eyes that he hadn't seen in anyone's eyes for too long.
He cleared his throat. "Emily, I wasn't..." God, this was fast, and he knew it would be difficult to reciprocate anything without hurting himself like this. He couldn't deny he wanted it, but it felt like asking for a lot. "It's not necessary," he murmured, touching her cheek, his mouth feeling dry.
She turned her head and kissed his fingers. "I know. But it's fun." She held his gaze for a moment longer, then nodded and shifted down, kissing his chest idly. "Are you comfortable?" she murmured. "I don't want to hurt you."
"Yeah, I'm fine," he said, letting his eyes close. "God," he whispered as her lips bushed over his skin. "Emily, I'd be fine just resting with you."
"I know," she whispered. "Do you not want this? Because I want to give to you, Aaron." She licked softly at his stomach. "I want to taste you."
"Oh God," he said, those words rushing straight to his cock. "I...no, I want it. I didn't want you to think..." His breath was already coming faster. Haley never did this often, and he'd always just assumed most women didn't like doing it. Emily obviously wanted this, though. "God, Emily," he murmured.
She grinned at him, a frank, friendly grin that did funny things to his chest. Then she lowered her head and kissed his stomach again, her fingers sliding along the elastic of his pajama bottoms and tugging.
He slid his fingers into her hair, still feeling overwhelmed, though he lifted his hips to let her pull his clothes down. It put his weight on his shoulder, and he let out a little whimper of pain before he could stop, then dropped back down to the bed. "I'm fine," he said quickly, very aware that he was exposed now.
He heard her low chuckle, but he didn't have time to react before her fingers curled around him, sending a jolt of desire through his body. She just held him for a moment, clearly inspecting him. Then she gave him an admiring glance and stroked her free hand lightly along the length of his cock. He sucked in a breath.
"You're gorgeous," she murmured, and lowered her head to lick. Her tongue pressed flat against his erection, traveling slowly from root to tip, and then she dropped a kiss on the head of his cock.
He sucked in a breath, the feel of her tongue against him sending thrills through his body. He let out a long, low groan. "Emily," he whispered, brushing his fingers into her hair again. "Oh, yes."
"Mm." She breathed across his damp skin, then took him into her mouth, her tongue slipping against his skin. Her hand massaged his shaft lightly, then slid down to cup his balls. Her fingers were gentle, but her mouth was eager.
This was amazing, the wet heat engulfing him and the way her tongue was snaking its way over his shaft. He wasn't sure if he'd never had it like this or if it had just been too long, but he wasn't going to analyze it. He shifted, trying not to squirm too much.
"So good," he moaned. "You're so... beautiful." He lifted his head to watch her, her lips stretched around him, and it sent a fresh thrill through him. God, this was really happening. "Beautiful," he murmured. "Fantastic."
She hummed, turning her head so she could look up at him, and narrowed her eyes in what he knew was a smile. She pulled back slowly, her tongue swirling around his cock until she reached the head, and then she took him in deep again, never breaking eye contact. It seemed impossible that she was actually enjoying this as much as she seemed to be. But her gaze was hungry, and she squeezed his balls gently, looking pleased at the way he whimpered in response.
His body was tingling, and he spared half a thought to wonder if part of it was the drugs kicking in, but then her tongue flicked at his slit and he gasped softly. His fingers tightened a little in her hair, and he felt a tiny appreciative smile flicker across his face before pleasure overwhelmed him again.
God, this wasn't going to last long. He closed his eyes, panting hard and trying to enjoy this a little longer. "Emily," he murmured. "Amazing."
She made a quiet noise that he felt as a renewed burst of pleasure all through him. He groaned, tensing and trying to hold out. He felt her other hand curl around his shaft, squeezing gently as she sucked.
"God, Em-- I'm going to come," he warned, fully expecting her to pull away, but instead she sucked harder, and it drove him over the edge. He arched as he came, panting her name and stroking her hair gently as she swallowed every last drop of his release--and God that was sexy. "Fuck," he panted, melting against the bed when she pulled back.
He felt her shifting against him, and then she kissed his collarbone and his neck. "That was so hot," she murmured, nuzzling at his jaw. "Doing that to you, watching you fall apart like that. God." She dragged the blankets up over them, snuggling against him.
He huffed a laugh, but wasn't really able to respond just yet. Instead, he pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head. Finally, he managed to say, "That was amazing. Want to make you feel good too." He wasn't sure how just yet, but he could feel the slight guilt creeping in now that he was able to breathe again.
She laughed. "I didn't do that to get something, Aaron. I did that because I wanted to." She snaked an arm around him and kissed his jaw. "Besides, that did make me feel good. I don't necessarily have to come to enjoy sex."
"Mmm," he hummed, and kissed her forehead. That was so hard to believe, but it was clearly true. "You're wonderful," he whispered, sliding his hand up under the back of her t-shirt. A moment later, he slid it down and under the back of her sweat pants to cup her ass. "Not entirely fair that I'm half naked and you're not, however."
She laughed. "You mean you don't think my outfit is sexy?" She shimmied against him a little, and after a moment he realized she was wriggling out of her shirt. When she leaned up to kiss him, her bare skin pressed against his.
"Mmm," he hummed into the kiss, stroking his hand back up her back, then her waist. Her skin was soft and so good. He brushed his fingertips against the side of her breast and she shivered. "You're perfect," he whispered. Oh God, what am I doing?
"Hardly," she said, but she was smiling at him. "Thank you for saying yes to me," she murmured. "I might not have had the guts to keep pushing you much longer, and I want this so much. I want you." She lifted her hand to cup his jaw. "Just you."
The mild panic in his chest let up just a little and was replaced with warmth; he smiled slowly at her. "I couldn't do this any other way."
***
Emily had been staying with him for less than two full days when the team got another case. She had given him lingering kisses goodbye and promised to come back as soon as she could. Aaron was sorry to see her go, but in a way it was good to be on his own for a few days as he tried to figure out how their relationship was changing.
Of course, he hadn't expected a few days to turn into two weeks of brief phone calls and a postcard from Detroit, but that was the job. The team came back to Virginia the same day he was expecting Jack to visit.
Emily arrived first, still dressed in her suit, with her professional makeup and high-heeled boots, and Aaron's heart jumped. God, she was sexy. And she wanted him. He greeted her with a kiss, wrapping both arms around her for the first time, though his right arm was still sore and weak.
"I missed you," she murmured.
"I missed you too," he returned honestly. He was still having little fits and panics from time to time. He knew he shouldn't be doing this. But it also seemed completely unavoidable, and now that they'd already crossed the boundary from professional to more, there wasn't any way he was going to turn back. It felt too good, too right.
He'd felt like he was going crazy for the past two weeks, not just from her being gone, but he hated not working, and was pushing himself possibly too hard with his physical therapy, wanting to get back as soon as possible. He kissed her again, slowly. "Jack's coming over," he murmured. "Soon... You look amazing."
She smiled, her fingers creeping up inside the back of his t-shirt. "So do you," she said. She kissed him, then pulled away. "If Jack's coming over, I need to get some jeans on." She carried her ready bag back towards his bedroom, then hesitated and glanced back at him.
"Should I..."
He smiled. "You're staying, aren't you?"
A smile broke across her face and she nodded. "I'll be right back," she promised. Clearly he wasn't supposed to help her change, and he supposed he could see the good sense in that, with Jack coming over soon.
When she came back to the living room, she was wearing a pair of faded jeans and a Brown University sweatshirt. She was barefoot. Aaron found himself smiling, even though he knew Haley would realize as soon as she saw Emily that they were more than co-workers now.
"You look even more amazing like that," he said, and pulled her to him with his good arm to kiss her. "I was going to make some tea, if you want some," he added.
"Please," she said, and followed him into the kitchen. "How's your arm?" she asked, hoisting herself up onto the counter to watch him work. She'd called him several times during the case, and he'd kept her updated, but he appreciated that she cared.
"Good as can be expected. Still going to be a while before I'm able to shoot and be in the field, but I'm hoping to be back soon. I'll just be spending a lot more time at the field offices with Reid," he said, giving her a small smile. Dave didn't think it was a good idea, actually; he was afraid Aaron would push himself too much, but Aaron couldn't stand sitting in his house much longer.
She nodded, giving him a knowing look. She'd been right when she said they were a lot alike. He wasn't sure how it was that they seemed to get along so well despite that, but he was grateful. When he'd gotten the water started, he went over to stand in front of her. She slid her knees apart so he could lean between them, and she wrapped her arms around him. "It's never right, going on a case without you," she murmured.
He reached up to stroke her hair. "Never feels right to me either," he said. "Been going crazy," he admitted, and pulled her down for a slow kiss.
"Big surprise there," she whispered when she pulled back, but she was smiling. She kissed him again, and then the doorbell rang.
"Mmm," he hummed, and kissed her briefly. "Jack'll be happy to see you," he said as he pulled away. "He asked about you on the phone."
"Did he really?" She sounded delighted by that as she followed him to the front door. When he pulled it open, Jack was already bouncing on the doorstep. Haley was still back by the car, pulling out a backpack.
"Daddy!" Jack shrieked, and threw himself at Aaron's legs. Aaron tousled his son's hair, then disengaged him so he could kneel down and hug him properly.
"Help," he murmured, and Jack wrapped his arms around Aaron's neck so Aaron could lift him with just one arm.
Jack craned around to look at Haley, then seemed to realize Emily was there. "Hi, Em'ly," he said, waving and giving her a bashful smile.
Aaron stared at him for a moment, then snorted. "Don't tell me you're getting shy."
Emily grinned at Jack. "Hi, Jack," she said. "I'm glad to see you."
Haley had paused halfway up the drive, her gaze on Emily, and Aaron knew she had already jumped to a conclusion. Of course, in this case, she was right. He hoped she would be polite. After that pause, she continued up the drive and met Emily's gaze, then looked at Aaron. "All he's talked about all day is coming to take care of you," she told him.
"Me and Emily bof can take care of Daddy," Jack said, still watching Emily.
Haley's eyebrow raised at that. "Looks like she's been doing a pretty good job," she said, her voice cool but not unkind.
"She has," Aaron said to Jack, and Jack grinned, then turned to beam at Emily again.
"You said you would," he said.
"I wouldn't want to let you down," Emily replied, reaching out and tugging on his shirt sleeve. She met Haley's gaze, but to Aaron's relief, she didn't apologize for anything.
"Thanks for bringing him over," Aaron said, and Haley nodded. "I'll see you on Sunday," she said, and held out the backpack to Emily. For just a moment after Emily took it, Haley didn't let go, but then she exhaled and turned to go.
Aaron watched her go, and nudged the door shut with his foot, then looked at Jack. He'd never seen his son this bashful before, so he leaned in and whispered in Jack's ear, "I don't think Daddy's the only one with a crush on Emily."
Jack let out a high pitched squeal. "No I don't! She's a girl!"
Aaron just laughed, and let Jack down to the floor. "Getting too heavy for your Daddy."
"Hey, Jack, should we put this away?" Emily asked. "You want to show me your room?"
Jack nodded and glanced at her, then reached up and took her hand. Aaron could practically see Emily's heart melt at that. A silly smile dawned on her face and she followed Jack out of the hall.
He went to finish the tea and pour a cup of juice for Jack. He could hear laughter from his room, and then Jack shrieked about something. A moment later Emily came out to the kitchen, giggling in a way he'd never heard before. Jack was tucked upside down under one arm, laughing wildly. Emily came over and settled Jack on the counter.
"Em'ly is ticklish!" Jack announced.
Aaron lifted his eyebrows and gasped dramatically. "Is she?" he asked, then moved over next to them, sliding his arm around her waist and crooking his fingers against her side.
Emily let out a yelp and jerked, glaring playfully at Jack. "You weren't supposed to tell Daddy that," she protested. Jack just laughed.
"You seem to have underestimated our sense of solidarity, Miss Prentiss," Aaron said.
"Yeah!" Jack exclaimed, then looked at Aaron. "What does sol'dardity mean?"
Emily laughed. "It means you're always on Daddy's side," she said, and tickled him. Jack shrieked happily.
Aaron stepped back a little, watching them happily but not getting in the way to keep from getting jostled around. God, this was perfect.
"I CANT BREATHE!" Jack yelled after a moment, and Emily stopped tickling, but they were both laughing so hard they couldn't have caught their breath anyway.
Emily leaned on Aaron, gasping with laughter. A moment later, Jack leaned against Emily, nearly falling off the counter until she caught him and moved closer.
Aaron followed, pressing her gently between him and the counter and resting his chin on her shoulder. It occurred to him a moment later that Jack might not understand, but he was still just giggling and pressing a fistful of Emily's hair to his mouth as he tried to stop.
Emily sighed, relaxing back against him, and lifted her head. The smile on her face as she looked at him sent warmth all through him. "This is what I want," she whispered, quietly enough that Jack didn't seem to hear through his giggles.
He smiled, feeling totally peaceful for the first time in a long time, then pressed his face to her neck, watching Jack over her shoulder. His weak arm slid around her waist as he lifted his good hand to touch Jack's hair, then murmured, "Me too."
“Wherever you go, go with all your heart.”
~ Confucius
Authors:
innerslytherin and severity_softly Pairing/characters: Hotch/Prentiss
Rating: NC-17/FRAO
Summary: When Hotch is injured, Emily has to confront the way she feels about him.
Word count: ~15,500
Notes: This was written for
mcgarrygirl78's birthday, which is still technically a bit over 3 hours away, but we're impatient. I (Severity) wanted to write something for you, and I figured what better than to write your OTP. Of course, I wasn't sure I could do it, so I enlisted help... and as usual, we can't seem to write short. Anyway, we wound up having fun doing it (!), and we hope you enjoy it. Happy birthday, dear! PART 1/2
The pain racing through Hotch's body was overwhelming, and he could feel hot blood soaking his shirt, the dirt under him sticking to his clothes. He was focused; keep calm, keep calm, keep calm, he was repeating, but it was growing harder to stay grounded.
"Hotch," Emily was saying. She was leaning over him, her dark hair spilling around her face. "Hotch... Aaron... wake up."
Aaron frowned, confused.
"Wake up," she told him again, and slowly he became aware of a body pressed to his side, skin against his skin. He was just wondering where his shirt had gone when the Emily leaning over him faded and his room appeared in front of his eyes.
He was breathing heavily, and he wasn't sure suddenly if the dream had woken him or the pain, but a moment later the panic finished the job. The body against him was Emily. He'd pulled her into his bed last night. Oh God.
Oh, he wanted her, but he knew he shouldn't. He groaned in pain and closed his eyes again.
"Shh," she breathed, and he felt her lips against his shoulder. "I'll get you some water for the pain meds. We slept too late; they're wearing off." Then she was rolling away from him.
He lifted a hand and pressed it to his forehead. "You don't have to," he mumbled.
"I know." He could hear the smile in her voice, and it was sort of amazing that it was there for him. "I want to. I like helping you."
He rubbed his eyes, and rolled his head to watch her. She probably wouldn't believe it if he told her she was sexy like this, in just sweats and a t-shirt and her hair a mess. And she wanted to help him, not just expecting him to be strong and do this all himself.
God, she was wonderful. This was terrible.
She flashed a smile at him, and then she padded barefoot out of the room. He lay there, staring at the pillow next to his, which still bore the imprint of her head. His shoulder was throbbing. Several minutes must have passed by the time she came back. She was balancing a bowl and a glass in one arm, clutching a spoon and two bottle of pills in the other, and he realized she'd brought him a bowl of Jack's cereal.
"I wasn't sure if the Frosted Flakes were yours or Jack's," she admitted, giving him a sheepish grin, "but you're supposed to eat when you take the antibiotics."
"I'll blame you when he pouts at me," he said, smiling faintly. It took him a moment to get to an upright position, then he wondered how he was going to eat. It would have been easier with a table, but he balanced the bowl on his leg and hoped he wouldn't spill it. "Are you eating too?" he asked.
"I will," she assured him, sitting sideways on the bed and reaching out to steady the bowl on his leg. She looked at him with such warmth that it was humbling.
He watched her for a moment, then took a bite of his cereal. Then he held a bite out for her. It was ridiculous... but it felt good too, just like sharing his sandwich had felt the night before, silly but nice. His lips quirked into a sideways smile.
She looked surprised, then she grinned at him and took the offered bite. He'd noticed before how that grin always transformed her face, but he wasn't sure if it had ever been aimed at him before. It made his heart jump.
He took another bite, then shook his head and laughed quietly. He held up the spoon for her again.
"You're the one who needs to eat," she reminded him, gesturing at the pill bottles and the glass of orange juice.
He nodded. "I'm eating," he said, and took another bite, watching her. He couldn't possibly have forgotten he was hurting if he wanted to, but this was difficult to believe. To make her happy, he ate a bit more before offering her another spoon full, then rested his wrist against his knee, his gaze tracing her face. For a moment he was silent, and he watched as her gaze on him went thoughtful, obviously wondering why he'd stopped and gotten quiet.
"I'm at a complete loss here," he admitted.
"That's okay," she said, looking back at him. After a moment she leaned in and brushed her lips against his. "Aaron, we don't have to know exactly what we're doing. I just want to spend time with you."
"This sort of spending time could be risky," he said, he put the bowl to the side and touched her cheek, but he couldn't quite hide the twinge of pain that crossed his face when his shoulders shifted.
She pulled back immediately, her eyes wide. "Did I hurt you?" she asked, touching his chest. "Relax. You need to take your meds."
"You didn't force me to move," he protested, but then inclined his head toward the bottle. He wasn't going to try to open it after trying last night. He could surely do it if he had to, but he hadn't forgotten how useless he'd felt when she'd taken it out of his hands.
She tapped a couple of pills into her palm and handed them to him to take. He sighed. "You know, this... isn't the best way to start a relationship," he said. "On drugs."
She huffed a laugh and brushed her fingers over his hair. "I'm not sure this really counts as starting a relationship," she said, sitting back and studying him. "We've known each other too long for that. We're just improving what we already have."
He laughed quietly, then leaned in and kissed her. It sent a thrill through him, one he hadn't felt in some time. "You're beautiful," he murmured, wishing he could make himself be less nervous. But on top of the issue of their jobs, he hadn't been with a woman since Haley, and he'd only been with Haley. He knew it hadn't left him in the best place, and Emily deserved so much more than a damaged man.
The smile that lit her face at his words made him feel a little better about it. It seemed impossible to think that she might not know how beautiful she was, or that she could be surprised that he would think so. She splayed her fingers against his cheek and leaned in, whispering his name against his lips.
He kissed her again, then repeated, "So beautiful." His arm was aching, but he was trying to ignore it. "I'm lucky... terrified, but lucky."
Her laughter sounded nervous. "Well, you know, I told you...I've dated guys like the Viper. Trust me when I say you have nothing to be terrified about, except the idea of getting involved with me. I'm really bad at this."
He shook his head slightly, then admitted, "I don't even remember how I am at this."
She sat back a little, her gaze steady on his. "You're doing a terrible job so far," she said, straight-faced. "Telling me we can't and we shouldn't and how terrified you are." Then her lips curved up and she kissed him slowly. "But you're lucky, because I've always found emotionally unavailable men to be sexy."
"Hey," he said quietly, his tone mock offended, but somehow the joke relaxed him. He knew it was a joke, but he also appreciated that she understood his hesitance, and wasn't taking offense. He wrapped his arm around her, leaning forward to pull her into a hungrier kiss.
Emily made a quiet noise into the kiss, one arm creeping up around his neck and holding him close. The fingers of her other hand curled against his side, then inched their way up his chest. When the kiss ended, she was breathless and looking at him like she'd forgotten her own name. She pressed her lips to his again in a short kiss, then another, and then she kissed along his jaw and up to his ear. "For so long," she whispered, "you were the BAU for me." She kissed the spot just below his ear. "And until you showed up at my apartment and asked me not to resign, I didn't believe that I'd found a place to belong."
He closed his eyes, her lips sending little shivers through him. "I'm glad that you proved me wrong back then. We need you."
"'We'?" she murmured, her lips brushing against his earlobe.
He smiled faintly. "Yes," he said. "I do as well." He titled his chin, letting her continue.
She made a satisfied noise. "Good. That's much better than 'we can't'." She scraped her teeth lightly against his neck, then sucked slowly, her hand stroking back down to press against his bare stomach.
"Well, this is pretty persuasive, actually," he said, his fingers sifting through her hair. He let out a little noise, then eased back so he could let his bad shoulder rest. "Mmm, sorry," he whispered.
"Shh," she said, lifting her head to nuzzle at his jaw. "You don't have to apologize for being injured." She sat back, quirking one eyebrow mischievously. "Besides, I'm pretty sure there are other ways for me to take care of you."
He felt himself go hot, then sucked in a breath when it sent a thrill through him. God. He was sure she was kidding, though, so he told his body to behave. He tried to say something, but it wouldn't come.
Her other eyebrow went up, and then she smirked at him. "I think that's a yes," she said, "but I wouldn't mind verbal consent." Her fingers trailed further down his stomach, and he felt his muscles quiver under her touch. There was a heat in her eyes that he hadn't seen in anyone's eyes for too long.
He cleared his throat. "Emily, I wasn't..." God, this was fast, and he knew it would be difficult to reciprocate anything without hurting himself like this. He couldn't deny he wanted it, but it felt like asking for a lot. "It's not necessary," he murmured, touching her cheek, his mouth feeling dry.
She turned her head and kissed his fingers. "I know. But it's fun." She held his gaze for a moment longer, then nodded and shifted down, kissing his chest idly. "Are you comfortable?" she murmured. "I don't want to hurt you."
"Yeah, I'm fine," he said, letting his eyes close. "God," he whispered as her lips bushed over his skin. "Emily, I'd be fine just resting with you."
"I know," she whispered. "Do you not want this? Because I want to give to you, Aaron." She licked softly at his stomach. "I want to taste you."
"Oh God," he said, those words rushing straight to his cock. "I...no, I want it. I didn't want you to think..." His breath was already coming faster. Haley never did this often, and he'd always just assumed most women didn't like doing it. Emily obviously wanted this, though. "God, Emily," he murmured.
She grinned at him, a frank, friendly grin that did funny things to his chest. Then she lowered her head and kissed his stomach again, her fingers sliding along the elastic of his pajama bottoms and tugging.
He slid his fingers into her hair, still feeling overwhelmed, though he lifted his hips to let her pull his clothes down. It put his weight on his shoulder, and he let out a little whimper of pain before he could stop, then dropped back down to the bed. "I'm fine," he said quickly, very aware that he was exposed now.
He heard her low chuckle, but he didn't have time to react before her fingers curled around him, sending a jolt of desire through his body. She just held him for a moment, clearly inspecting him. Then she gave him an admiring glance and stroked her free hand lightly along the length of his cock. He sucked in a breath.
"You're gorgeous," she murmured, and lowered her head to lick. Her tongue pressed flat against his erection, traveling slowly from root to tip, and then she dropped a kiss on the head of his cock.
He sucked in a breath, the feel of her tongue against him sending thrills through his body. He let out a long, low groan. "Emily," he whispered, brushing his fingers into her hair again. "Oh, yes."
"Mm." She breathed across his damp skin, then took him into her mouth, her tongue slipping against his skin. Her hand massaged his shaft lightly, then slid down to cup his balls. Her fingers were gentle, but her mouth was eager.
This was amazing, the wet heat engulfing him and the way her tongue was snaking its way over his shaft. He wasn't sure if he'd never had it like this or if it had just been too long, but he wasn't going to analyze it. He shifted, trying not to squirm too much.
"So good," he moaned. "You're so... beautiful." He lifted his head to watch her, her lips stretched around him, and it sent a fresh thrill through him. God, this was really happening. "Beautiful," he murmured. "Fantastic."
She hummed, turning her head so she could look up at him, and narrowed her eyes in what he knew was a smile. She pulled back slowly, her tongue swirling around his cock until she reached the head, and then she took him in deep again, never breaking eye contact. It seemed impossible that she was actually enjoying this as much as she seemed to be. But her gaze was hungry, and she squeezed his balls gently, looking pleased at the way he whimpered in response.
His body was tingling, and he spared half a thought to wonder if part of it was the drugs kicking in, but then her tongue flicked at his slit and he gasped softly. His fingers tightened a little in her hair, and he felt a tiny appreciative smile flicker across his face before pleasure overwhelmed him again.
God, this wasn't going to last long. He closed his eyes, panting hard and trying to enjoy this a little longer. "Emily," he murmured. "Amazing."
She made a quiet noise that he felt as a renewed burst of pleasure all through him. He groaned, tensing and trying to hold out. He felt her other hand curl around his shaft, squeezing gently as she sucked.
"God, Em-- I'm going to come," he warned, fully expecting her to pull away, but instead she sucked harder, and it drove him over the edge. He arched as he came, panting her name and stroking her hair gently as she swallowed every last drop of his release--and God that was sexy. "Fuck," he panted, melting against the bed when she pulled back.
He felt her shifting against him, and then she kissed his collarbone and his neck. "That was so hot," she murmured, nuzzling at his jaw. "Doing that to you, watching you fall apart like that. God." She dragged the blankets up over them, snuggling against him.
He huffed a laugh, but wasn't really able to respond just yet. Instead, he pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head. Finally, he managed to say, "That was amazing. Want to make you feel good too." He wasn't sure how just yet, but he could feel the slight guilt creeping in now that he was able to breathe again.
She laughed. "I didn't do that to get something, Aaron. I did that because I wanted to." She snaked an arm around him and kissed his jaw. "Besides, that did make me feel good. I don't necessarily have to come to enjoy sex."
"Mmm," he hummed, and kissed her forehead. That was so hard to believe, but it was clearly true. "You're wonderful," he whispered, sliding his hand up under the back of her t-shirt. A moment later, he slid it down and under the back of her sweat pants to cup her ass. "Not entirely fair that I'm half naked and you're not, however."
She laughed. "You mean you don't think my outfit is sexy?" She shimmied against him a little, and after a moment he realized she was wriggling out of her shirt. When she leaned up to kiss him, her bare skin pressed against his.
"Mmm," he hummed into the kiss, stroking his hand back up her back, then her waist. Her skin was soft and so good. He brushed his fingertips against the side of her breast and she shivered. "You're perfect," he whispered. Oh God, what am I doing?
"Hardly," she said, but she was smiling at him. "Thank you for saying yes to me," she murmured. "I might not have had the guts to keep pushing you much longer, and I want this so much. I want you." She lifted her hand to cup his jaw. "Just you."
The mild panic in his chest let up just a little and was replaced with warmth; he smiled slowly at her. "I couldn't do this any other way."
***
Emily had been staying with him for less than two full days when the team got another case. She had given him lingering kisses goodbye and promised to come back as soon as she could. Aaron was sorry to see her go, but in a way it was good to be on his own for a few days as he tried to figure out how their relationship was changing.
Of course, he hadn't expected a few days to turn into two weeks of brief phone calls and a postcard from Detroit, but that was the job. The team came back to Virginia the same day he was expecting Jack to visit.
Emily arrived first, still dressed in her suit, with her professional makeup and high-heeled boots, and Aaron's heart jumped. God, she was sexy. And she wanted him. He greeted her with a kiss, wrapping both arms around her for the first time, though his right arm was still sore and weak.
"I missed you," she murmured.
"I missed you too," he returned honestly. He was still having little fits and panics from time to time. He knew he shouldn't be doing this. But it also seemed completely unavoidable, and now that they'd already crossed the boundary from professional to more, there wasn't any way he was going to turn back. It felt too good, too right.
He'd felt like he was going crazy for the past two weeks, not just from her being gone, but he hated not working, and was pushing himself possibly too hard with his physical therapy, wanting to get back as soon as possible. He kissed her again, slowly. "Jack's coming over," he murmured. "Soon... You look amazing."
She smiled, her fingers creeping up inside the back of his t-shirt. "So do you," she said. She kissed him, then pulled away. "If Jack's coming over, I need to get some jeans on." She carried her ready bag back towards his bedroom, then hesitated and glanced back at him.
"Should I..."
He smiled. "You're staying, aren't you?"
A smile broke across her face and she nodded. "I'll be right back," she promised. Clearly he wasn't supposed to help her change, and he supposed he could see the good sense in that, with Jack coming over soon.
When she came back to the living room, she was wearing a pair of faded jeans and a Brown University sweatshirt. She was barefoot. Aaron found himself smiling, even though he knew Haley would realize as soon as she saw Emily that they were more than co-workers now.
"You look even more amazing like that," he said, and pulled her to him with his good arm to kiss her. "I was going to make some tea, if you want some," he added.
"Please," she said, and followed him into the kitchen. "How's your arm?" she asked, hoisting herself up onto the counter to watch him work. She'd called him several times during the case, and he'd kept her updated, but he appreciated that she cared.
"Good as can be expected. Still going to be a while before I'm able to shoot and be in the field, but I'm hoping to be back soon. I'll just be spending a lot more time at the field offices with Reid," he said, giving her a small smile. Dave didn't think it was a good idea, actually; he was afraid Aaron would push himself too much, but Aaron couldn't stand sitting in his house much longer.
She nodded, giving him a knowing look. She'd been right when she said they were a lot alike. He wasn't sure how it was that they seemed to get along so well despite that, but he was grateful. When he'd gotten the water started, he went over to stand in front of her. She slid her knees apart so he could lean between them, and she wrapped her arms around him. "It's never right, going on a case without you," she murmured.
He reached up to stroke her hair. "Never feels right to me either," he said. "Been going crazy," he admitted, and pulled her down for a slow kiss.
"Big surprise there," she whispered when she pulled back, but she was smiling. She kissed him again, and then the doorbell rang.
"Mmm," he hummed, and kissed her briefly. "Jack'll be happy to see you," he said as he pulled away. "He asked about you on the phone."
"Did he really?" She sounded delighted by that as she followed him to the front door. When he pulled it open, Jack was already bouncing on the doorstep. Haley was still back by the car, pulling out a backpack.
"Daddy!" Jack shrieked, and threw himself at Aaron's legs. Aaron tousled his son's hair, then disengaged him so he could kneel down and hug him properly.
"Help," he murmured, and Jack wrapped his arms around Aaron's neck so Aaron could lift him with just one arm.
Jack craned around to look at Haley, then seemed to realize Emily was there. "Hi, Em'ly," he said, waving and giving her a bashful smile.
Aaron stared at him for a moment, then snorted. "Don't tell me you're getting shy."
Emily grinned at Jack. "Hi, Jack," she said. "I'm glad to see you."
Haley had paused halfway up the drive, her gaze on Emily, and Aaron knew she had already jumped to a conclusion. Of course, in this case, she was right. He hoped she would be polite. After that pause, she continued up the drive and met Emily's gaze, then looked at Aaron. "All he's talked about all day is coming to take care of you," she told him.
"Me and Emily bof can take care of Daddy," Jack said, still watching Emily.
Haley's eyebrow raised at that. "Looks like she's been doing a pretty good job," she said, her voice cool but not unkind.
"She has," Aaron said to Jack, and Jack grinned, then turned to beam at Emily again.
"You said you would," he said.
"I wouldn't want to let you down," Emily replied, reaching out and tugging on his shirt sleeve. She met Haley's gaze, but to Aaron's relief, she didn't apologize for anything.
"Thanks for bringing him over," Aaron said, and Haley nodded. "I'll see you on Sunday," she said, and held out the backpack to Emily. For just a moment after Emily took it, Haley didn't let go, but then she exhaled and turned to go.
Aaron watched her go, and nudged the door shut with his foot, then looked at Jack. He'd never seen his son this bashful before, so he leaned in and whispered in Jack's ear, "I don't think Daddy's the only one with a crush on Emily."
Jack let out a high pitched squeal. "No I don't! She's a girl!"
Aaron just laughed, and let Jack down to the floor. "Getting too heavy for your Daddy."
"Hey, Jack, should we put this away?" Emily asked. "You want to show me your room?"
Jack nodded and glanced at her, then reached up and took her hand. Aaron could practically see Emily's heart melt at that. A silly smile dawned on her face and she followed Jack out of the hall.
He went to finish the tea and pour a cup of juice for Jack. He could hear laughter from his room, and then Jack shrieked about something. A moment later Emily came out to the kitchen, giggling in a way he'd never heard before. Jack was tucked upside down under one arm, laughing wildly. Emily came over and settled Jack on the counter.
"Em'ly is ticklish!" Jack announced.
Aaron lifted his eyebrows and gasped dramatically. "Is she?" he asked, then moved over next to them, sliding his arm around her waist and crooking his fingers against her side.
Emily let out a yelp and jerked, glaring playfully at Jack. "You weren't supposed to tell Daddy that," she protested. Jack just laughed.
"You seem to have underestimated our sense of solidarity, Miss Prentiss," Aaron said.
"Yeah!" Jack exclaimed, then looked at Aaron. "What does sol'dardity mean?"
Emily laughed. "It means you're always on Daddy's side," she said, and tickled him. Jack shrieked happily.
Aaron stepped back a little, watching them happily but not getting in the way to keep from getting jostled around. God, this was perfect.
"I CANT BREATHE!" Jack yelled after a moment, and Emily stopped tickling, but they were both laughing so hard they couldn't have caught their breath anyway.
Emily leaned on Aaron, gasping with laughter. A moment later, Jack leaned against Emily, nearly falling off the counter until she caught him and moved closer.
Aaron followed, pressing her gently between him and the counter and resting his chin on her shoulder. It occurred to him a moment later that Jack might not understand, but he was still just giggling and pressing a fistful of Emily's hair to his mouth as he tried to stop.
Emily sighed, relaxing back against him, and lifted her head. The smile on her face as she looked at him sent warmth all through him. "This is what I want," she whispered, quietly enough that Jack didn't seem to hear through his giggles.
He smiled, feeling totally peaceful for the first time in a long time, then pressed his face to her neck, watching Jack over her shoulder. His weak arm slid around her waist as he lifted his good hand to touch Jack's hair, then murmured, "Me too."
~ Confucius
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If I bat my eyelashes fetchingly, maybe y'all could write some?
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I don't see Prentiss as a geek. Just because one calls themself a geek, does not a geek make, and being occasionally socially awkward doesn't make one a geek either. I can't imagine Reid and Prentiss as anything more than "work friends".
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Understood. There are some pairings I can't see either. You still make me want to read them.
Love that icon.
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And I'm glad we get people to try new stuff! I'll admit that while I don't care for Prentiss/Reid, I actually have a Prentiss/Reid drabble in my memories, so even I read outside my box sometimes. ;)