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geekystudmuffinTitle: Baby, It's Cold Outside (1/3)
Authors:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
innerslytherin and severity_softly
Pairing: Hotch/Reid
Rating: NC-17/FRAO
Word count: ~18,000
Summary: When Aaron invites Spencer to spend Christmas with him, things don't go as planned.
Notes: Self-beta'd; feel free to point out any mistakes. Written before The Instincts/Memoriam, so now it's mildly AU in regards to Spencer's backstory. Merry Christmas!
Aaron looked out at the bullpen from the window in his office. As was happening more often lately, he and Reid were the last two here. He wasn't sure what had Reid working more hours than usual, unless it was the relentless approach of Christmas. JJ had scaled back her hours since little William Henry was born, and Dave was out west to testify at the arraignment for the Liberty Ranch trial. Morgan and Prentiss both had family obligations for the holiday, and Garcia had taken some well-deserved vacation time to go home with Kevin and meet his family. Aaron knew he ought to be discouraging that relationship, but he couldn't help being pleased that Garcia had found someone who adored her just the way she was. She was a brilliantly unique woman, and she deserved this happiness.
It didn't do anything for Hotch's own loneliness to think about the people on his team who did have family obligations, though, considering he didn't. Haley had been intractable about the idea of Christmas. She was taking Jack to Georgia for the holiday to stay with her parents, and Hotch would have to wait until New Year's to celebrate Christmas with his son.
He pushed away from the wall and wandered out to the bullpen. Spencer didn't seem to hear him coming, and jumped when Aaron paused beside his desk.
"Still working on the Greeson file?"
Spencer shifted in his seat. Aaron wasn't about to say anything, but it was impossible to ignore that even Spencer was aware how it looked that he was spending more and more time at the office this December. Hotch wasn't entire sure why he wasn't in Vegas with his mother, but he didn't ask. When it came to Spencer's mother, it was usually best to let Spencer be the one to start the talking.
"Yeah, I'm, ah, going over the initial forensics. There was evidence that a decomposing body had been left in Greeson's closet, but they're not going to be able to use that in court." Spencer looked up. "Police error."
Hotch nodded solemnly. "Any luck finding anything else?"
"They still have the crime scene preserved. I think I'm going to go take another look tomorrow." Tomorrow was Christmas Eve, but Spencer surely knew that already, so Hotch didn't point it out.
"Don't work all day on it," he said instead. "I'd like you back here by two at the latest." He could see the statement mystified Reid, but he hadn't decided yet whether inviting Reid to spend Christmas Eve with him was a good idea, so he didn't clarify. He wanted to, but he wasn't sure whether he wanted to do it because Reid shouldn't be alone at Christmas, because Aaron didn't want to be alone at Christmas, or because Aaron could no longer suppress the lingering attraction he'd felt for Spencer Reid since the younger man joined the BAU. He would never have considered cheating on his wife...but she was no longer around to be a deterrent, even if Aaron knew he shouldn't seduce someone who technically answered to him.
Spencer frowned, blinking up at Aaron from his desk. "I-- Why? It might take longer."
"The case will still be here on Friday."
"The day after tomorrow is Thursday."
"I know," Aaron said lightly.
Spencer seemed to catch on then, and shook his head. "Oh, it's fine, I don't have any--I mean, I'm not doing anything for Christmas." He looked down at his desk and picked up one of the papers there. "I'd rather work."
"No you wouldn't," Aaron said. He took a quick breath, then said, "Anyway, you do have Christmas plans. You're spending it with me."
Spencer's head jerked up and he stared at Aaron, his mouth dropping open slightly. "I--you--" He licked his lips and tried again. "I am?"
Aaron gave him a slight smile. "Well, if you'd rather work...but I do know how to cook, and I have a nice bottle of red that I shouldn't drink by myself." He paused. "I'll warn you, though, I don't have a tree up." He hadn't had the heart to decorate the house, since Jack wouldn't be with him for the holiday.
Spencer nodded and looked down at the case file again, but Aaron could see the smile spreading across Spencer's face slowly. It was infectious. It always was--Spencer didn't smile nearly enough for a man his age--and Aaron found his own smile tugging the corners of his lips a little more.
After a moment, Spencer looked back up. "I suppose if you have egg nog, I can forgive that."
Aaron laughed softly, and then made a face. "Egg nog?"
"It's only available once a year; how could anyone resist?"
Spencer's eyes had lit up, and Aaron felt a little warmed. "Easily, actually. But as long as I don't have to drink it myself..."
"When was the last time you actually had any egg nog?" Spencer demanded. "I didn't like it when I was a kid, but my mom said I would someday, and she was right."
Aaron shook his head. "Maybe if it's heavy on the rum, I suppose," he joked. "So you'll be back by two tomorrow? You don't have to bring anything except yourself. I haven't cooked for anyone in too long. It'll be nice."
"If you're sure," Spencer said, and Aaron could almost see some sort of genius plot forming in his head. He nodded. He didn't want Spencer to feel obliged to do anything special, but he was interested in seeing what he had in mind. Maybe, if he tried very hard, he could persuade Spencer to spend the night. Christmas might not feel so bleak waking up with someone else in the house, even if it wasn't the same as having a family there.
"I'm sure," Aaron replied. "Are you leaving now?"
Spencer glanced at the clock. It was nearly eight. They were leaving later and later the closer Christmas got, but Aaron felt satisfied that he seemed to have put an end to that cycle, even if just for a couple of days.
"Are you leaving?" Spencer replied.
Aaron looked at Spencer for a moment, and then inclined his head toward the elevator. "I'll walk you down," he said, at which Spencer's smile widened more. He waited for Spencer to put the case file back together before leading the way to the elevator.
Spencer told him about the origins of egg nog as they made their way to the parking lot, and Aaron found himself feeling more comfortable with his decision to invite Spencer over. He was a good friend, someone Aaron genuinely liked, and just because they spent time together for the holiday didn't mean anything inappropriate.
When they got to Aaron's car, they paused, talking for a few more minutes, before he realized Spencer was taking the train home. "I'll drop you off at the train station," he offered, and didn't relent until Spencer agreed.
He smiled all the way home.
PART TWO
Authors:
innerslytherin and severity_softlyPairing: Hotch/Reid
Rating: NC-17/FRAO
Word count: ~18,000
Summary: When Aaron invites Spencer to spend Christmas with him, things don't go as planned.
Notes: Self-beta'd; feel free to point out any mistakes. Written before The Instincts/Memoriam, so now it's mildly AU in regards to Spencer's backstory. Merry Christmas!
Aaron looked out at the bullpen from the window in his office. As was happening more often lately, he and Reid were the last two here. He wasn't sure what had Reid working more hours than usual, unless it was the relentless approach of Christmas. JJ had scaled back her hours since little William Henry was born, and Dave was out west to testify at the arraignment for the Liberty Ranch trial. Morgan and Prentiss both had family obligations for the holiday, and Garcia had taken some well-deserved vacation time to go home with Kevin and meet his family. Aaron knew he ought to be discouraging that relationship, but he couldn't help being pleased that Garcia had found someone who adored her just the way she was. She was a brilliantly unique woman, and she deserved this happiness.
It didn't do anything for Hotch's own loneliness to think about the people on his team who did have family obligations, though, considering he didn't. Haley had been intractable about the idea of Christmas. She was taking Jack to Georgia for the holiday to stay with her parents, and Hotch would have to wait until New Year's to celebrate Christmas with his son.
He pushed away from the wall and wandered out to the bullpen. Spencer didn't seem to hear him coming, and jumped when Aaron paused beside his desk.
"Still working on the Greeson file?"
Spencer shifted in his seat. Aaron wasn't about to say anything, but it was impossible to ignore that even Spencer was aware how it looked that he was spending more and more time at the office this December. Hotch wasn't entire sure why he wasn't in Vegas with his mother, but he didn't ask. When it came to Spencer's mother, it was usually best to let Spencer be the one to start the talking.
"Yeah, I'm, ah, going over the initial forensics. There was evidence that a decomposing body had been left in Greeson's closet, but they're not going to be able to use that in court." Spencer looked up. "Police error."
Hotch nodded solemnly. "Any luck finding anything else?"
"They still have the crime scene preserved. I think I'm going to go take another look tomorrow." Tomorrow was Christmas Eve, but Spencer surely knew that already, so Hotch didn't point it out.
"Don't work all day on it," he said instead. "I'd like you back here by two at the latest." He could see the statement mystified Reid, but he hadn't decided yet whether inviting Reid to spend Christmas Eve with him was a good idea, so he didn't clarify. He wanted to, but he wasn't sure whether he wanted to do it because Reid shouldn't be alone at Christmas, because Aaron didn't want to be alone at Christmas, or because Aaron could no longer suppress the lingering attraction he'd felt for Spencer Reid since the younger man joined the BAU. He would never have considered cheating on his wife...but she was no longer around to be a deterrent, even if Aaron knew he shouldn't seduce someone who technically answered to him.
Spencer frowned, blinking up at Aaron from his desk. "I-- Why? It might take longer."
"The case will still be here on Friday."
"The day after tomorrow is Thursday."
"I know," Aaron said lightly.
Spencer seemed to catch on then, and shook his head. "Oh, it's fine, I don't have any--I mean, I'm not doing anything for Christmas." He looked down at his desk and picked up one of the papers there. "I'd rather work."
"No you wouldn't," Aaron said. He took a quick breath, then said, "Anyway, you do have Christmas plans. You're spending it with me."
Spencer's head jerked up and he stared at Aaron, his mouth dropping open slightly. "I--you--" He licked his lips and tried again. "I am?"
Aaron gave him a slight smile. "Well, if you'd rather work...but I do know how to cook, and I have a nice bottle of red that I shouldn't drink by myself." He paused. "I'll warn you, though, I don't have a tree up." He hadn't had the heart to decorate the house, since Jack wouldn't be with him for the holiday.
Spencer nodded and looked down at the case file again, but Aaron could see the smile spreading across Spencer's face slowly. It was infectious. It always was--Spencer didn't smile nearly enough for a man his age--and Aaron found his own smile tugging the corners of his lips a little more.
After a moment, Spencer looked back up. "I suppose if you have egg nog, I can forgive that."
Aaron laughed softly, and then made a face. "Egg nog?"
"It's only available once a year; how could anyone resist?"
Spencer's eyes had lit up, and Aaron felt a little warmed. "Easily, actually. But as long as I don't have to drink it myself..."
"When was the last time you actually had any egg nog?" Spencer demanded. "I didn't like it when I was a kid, but my mom said I would someday, and she was right."
Aaron shook his head. "Maybe if it's heavy on the rum, I suppose," he joked. "So you'll be back by two tomorrow? You don't have to bring anything except yourself. I haven't cooked for anyone in too long. It'll be nice."
"If you're sure," Spencer said, and Aaron could almost see some sort of genius plot forming in his head. He nodded. He didn't want Spencer to feel obliged to do anything special, but he was interested in seeing what he had in mind. Maybe, if he tried very hard, he could persuade Spencer to spend the night. Christmas might not feel so bleak waking up with someone else in the house, even if it wasn't the same as having a family there.
"I'm sure," Aaron replied. "Are you leaving now?"
Spencer glanced at the clock. It was nearly eight. They were leaving later and later the closer Christmas got, but Aaron felt satisfied that he seemed to have put an end to that cycle, even if just for a couple of days.
"Are you leaving?" Spencer replied.
Aaron looked at Spencer for a moment, and then inclined his head toward the elevator. "I'll walk you down," he said, at which Spencer's smile widened more. He waited for Spencer to put the case file back together before leading the way to the elevator.
Spencer told him about the origins of egg nog as they made their way to the parking lot, and Aaron found himself feeling more comfortable with his decision to invite Spencer over. He was a good friend, someone Aaron genuinely liked, and just because they spent time together for the holiday didn't mean anything inappropriate.
When they got to Aaron's car, they paused, talking for a few more minutes, before he realized Spencer was taking the train home. "I'll drop you off at the train station," he offered, and didn't relent until Spencer agreed.
He smiled all the way home.
PART TWO
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2008-12-23 05:45 am (UTC)And Aaron has given him the "hurt her and they will never find the body" speech already anyway. ^^
I am appalled -- appalled -- at Aaron's opinion of eggnogg. Clearly he has never had Eggnog French Toast, which means his veneer of civilization has just been exposed as nothing more than an appearance covering the barbaric truth.
DragonLady
no subject
Date: 2008-12-24 12:05 am (UTC)And he has TOTALLY given that speech! You know, he probably gives that speech to anyone who seriously dates one of his team members. *G* I guess maybe
no subject
Date: 2008-12-24 12:07 am (UTC)OMFG FINALLY. THANK YOU.
*g*
no subject
Date: 2008-12-24 12:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-12-24 01:19 am (UTC)Thank you!