Chapter 04

Eastern US airspace

"Spencer."

They were flying home. Morgan was asleep with his headphones on and his music playing. JJ was asleep with her headphones on and some superhero movie playing on her tablet. Hotch and Rossi were doing paperwork in the back end of the plane. And Blake was calling to him from the galley. He got up and went to join her. "Yeah Alex?" She'd had the kettle on; it was still hot enough for tea.

"I have a question for you. When we were working on the profile you jumped right to the idea that the older Unsub was having sex with the younger."

"Well, ephebophilia would be a logical basis for that kind of relationship..."

She interrupted him before he could go off on a tangent. "I'm not thinking about the case. Um, I know what I am asking is deeply personal and you are completely justified in telling me to mind my own business but do I need to have some sleepless nights here?"

"Why would you have some sleepless nights?" Wait a minute...

"Because you were out on your own in an adult environment when you were thirteen and in the years I have known you I have never once even heard a whisper of any sort of romantic interest."

Spencer chuckled. "To quote Garcia, I hate profilers." He peeked back through the curtains.

"JJ and Morgan are asleep. Dave and Hotch are too far away to hear. This is just between us."

Spencer took a deep breath. It wasn't like it was a huge secret. At least it shouldn't be a huge secret. It shouldn't be a thing at all. But it was and he knew why and he couldn't exactly share the reasons why with Alex, unfortunately. "All right, yes, I had a boyfriend back at CalTech. Two of them, actually. But I was over eighteen at the time, everything was entirely consensual."

Alex let out a deep breath. "Oh. Which explains a lot."

"Before you ask, yes I have tried with women, I like them too. How someone looks never mattered to me, it's about the person. But I think it's easier to understand other men."

"I wasn't going to ask."

"I have gone out with a couple of women, more or less, I joined the BAU, so it might come up." Lila had been the closest, this was true, but there was too much bureaucracy in the way to make that an honest attempt. And then there was Austen, the bartender. That attempt had ended catastrophically, as far as these things went. "No one really knows..."

"You never say anything."

"And I think they think I'm more or less asexual. It seems to comfort them."

"Which is silly."

"I know."

"I don't think anyone would say anything. I mean there is DADT, or was until recently, but I know Hotch wouldn't go there."

"I agree." Tea was ready. "But, to be honest I'm concerned about Morgan."

"Why? He's never shown any tendency toward homophobia."

"No, but he does seem me as a little brother and one of my partners back then was notably older. The other was related to someone he knows well."

Alex got it quickly. "And that might make it an issue. I can see that. Does anyone on the team know?"

"Gideon knew, but I don't think he ever told Hotch. He was there for my last relationship breaking up."

"How serious was that?"

"Two years. We couldn't legally marry so it wasn't a divorce, but..."

"Oh." Alex groaned. "Is that why there hasn't been anyone serious since? Assuming there hasn't been anyone since."

"There hasn't. I've...I've never been into the club scene. Outside of the academic environment it's turning out to be very hard to meet people. At least not...appropriate people. I tend to attract the wrong kind in...places like that."

"The wrong kind of people?" She looked him over. "Well, there can be a lot of crossover between the LGBT and BDSM communities. Slender, innocent, you don't look a day over eighteen; you attract all the Daddy Dominants, don't you?"

Spencer groaned and slumped and nodded. Alex knew a lot more than she ever let on. "Yeah." He leaned against the counter and swirled his tea, releasing the delicate spiced scent. "I want a partner, not a playmate, but the work and my academic pursuits and even looking after Mom..."

Alex chuckled. "Yeah, you're not at all submissive."

"No. Well, not that much. Ideally I'd find someone from work or even another agency but DADT has been in the way of that."

"I'm sure. Shoot." She was thinking, which might or might not be a good thing. "And even though a whole new field has opened I still can't think of anyone to play matchmaker with." Spencer winced and chuckled. "Oh, you know I have to try now. You deserve someone special. Regardless, you have my full support. And I will not out you, I promise."

Alex really was an amazing friend. He leaned in and placed a peck on her cheek. "Thank you. Sleep tonight?"

She smiled and patted his shoulder. "Like a baby."

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This chapter is set in 08x06 "The Apprenticeship"