A/N

Okay, I got a bit of a writer's block when working on my "Old wounds"-fic, so I had to take a step back and write something different to clear my head a little. And I ended up going back into the relationship between Blake and Reid.

In this fic, events panned out a bit different and Maeve lived and ended up in a romantic relationship with Reid. But Reid is a bit inexperienced and needs some advice from the one team member he knows won't tease him and will keep his secret.

It was one of the slower days at the BAU. You wouldn't think those existed, but they did. Hotch and Rossi were in Rossi's office discussing something that couldn't possibly be work-related, as they were laughing. JJ and Morgan were down at Garcia's computer cave learning 'some cool hacks' as Morgan put it - Blake could only hope those 'hacks' were all legal, but she doubted it - and she had been engaged in a crossword battle with Reid. At the moment, he was out picking up some drinkable coffee for them, and while she waited, she played a game of Solitaire on her computer. It was rather enjoyable for a change, not being on edge.

Reid returned and put her coffee down on her desk, and plopped down at the chair next to hers.

"Thanks," she said.

"Alex…" he mumbled.

"Yeah?"

"Could you help me with something?"

"Yeah, sure."

She closed down the game of Solitaire and turned her chair so she was facing him, and noticed something odd. His cheeks were flushed and he fiddled with the sleeve of his shirt constantly. What is this all about? she wondered, having never seen him like this before. She had noticed that he was quite unfocused today, but this was a new development.

"Is this about Maeve?" she eventually asked, as he seemed petrified and unable to get to the point. That was the only thing she could think of that would make him this unsettled.

"Yeah, but you know what, it's really nothing and I shouldn't take up your time so," he began and made a move to stand, but Blake put a hand on his shoulder to rein him in before he could get that far.

"I was playing Solitaire, Spencer. I wasn't even working. And from the look of it, whatever it is it's obviously bothering you. So tell me. If I can help in any way, I will."

Reid was quiet for almost a full minute, and Blake waited patiently, knowing that silence was most likely to make a nervous person blurt out what they were thinking about. Just when she thought Reid wouldn't speak up at all, he took a deep breath and said, almost as one word;

"Things have reached that level where we're probably going to make love."

"Oh, that's, that's good…" she was surprised that he chose to tell her something like that. "Isn't it?" she continued as she realised that he looked everything but excited at the prospect.

"No, yes, I guess, but it's just that I…" he blushed so hard she thought his face would start smouldering. Blake found it endearing. "I haven't done that before."

"Haven't done…? Oh? Oh." She tried not to smile for fear of him misinterpreting it as mocking, when in reality she was simply touched by the fact that he felt he could confide in her about something as private as that. One good look at him made her think the poor guy was going to pass out from sheer embarrassment and she quickly reassured him; "Spencer, it's okay. Breathe. Have you told her?"

"No, I don't know how I could. I was hoping you could give me some advice."

He's asking me. Not one of the guys.

"Well…" she tried to think. Surely he wasn't asking her for advice on how to properly seduce a woman, so she decided to address the safer aspect; the possibility of him lying to Maeve that he did have experience that he lacked.

"I advice you to tell her the truth. You won't be able to hide it, and she won't mind."

"But I'm thirty-one! I should have at least some experience!" he nearly shrieked. "She's going to think I'm weird!"

"No, sweetie," Blake said in a voice as soft as possible. She never used terms of endearment when speaking to her colleagues, but at the moment he was getting so worked up she had to use all means necessary to calm him down. "No, she won't think you're weird. She's going to be flattered to be your first, I'm sure."

"You think so?"

She nodded with conviction.

"Without a doubt. She loves you, Spencer. She'll want to make you feel comfortable, but she can only do that if you tell her the truth. Trust me."

"But what if I'm lousy at it?"

"Well, few excel at their first attempt, that I can vouch for without going into detail," Blake said and rolled her eyes, then she smiled. "Take it slow, and remember to communicate with her. There is no manual for these things, you know, everyone has different preferences."

He drank some coffee and looked away, blushing even harder. While Blake was a little bit embarrassed herself, the whole situation also made her feel like laughing.

"It's going to be okay," she assured him. "But you have to tell her the truth from the start to avoid any awkward situations ahead."

He nodded.

"Yeah. You're probably right. I needed to hear that. Thanks." He hesitantly glanced at her and added; "Was this uncomfortable for you?"

This time Blake had to laugh.

"Nowhere near as uncomfortable as it was for you, I believe," she said and raised a finger. "Just remember not to ask her that question, okay?"

Reid looked confused for a second, then he too laughed a little, in spite of how awkward he felt.

"No, I suppose I should phrase it differently," he said and shook his head. "Really, thanks, Alex. Let's never speak of this again."

She put on a poker face and reached for her coffee.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

The next day:

"What is the matter with Reid today anyway?" Morgan said. "He's grinning like a madman."

"He is? I haven't noticed," Blake replied. "Hey, did you guys learn anything useful from Garcia yesterday?"

As Morgan took the bait and began telling her about the skills the tech analyst had shared with them, Blake momentarily caught Reid's eye and raised her eyebrows in a silent question. He grinned in response and gave her a wink. Blake smiled and returned her attention to Morgan. Well, well, it would seem some did excel at their first attempt, after all.