What It Is
Summary: They have an arrangement, but is it enough for them both?
Warning: Mild slash, but not graphic
Quote: "It can't be anything like love, can it?" - "No, no, it can't be." - "Would it be inconvenient?" - "Terribly." ~ The Philadelphia Story
It'd started out as a release for the two men, a way to escape from horrors they saw daily at work, the stresses of their home life, and, mainly, an escape from themselves. Though how it started wasn't important and neither was why, now that Reid thought about it. What was important was the rather obvious fact that they were stuck in a pattern, and one that didn't seem particularly healthy anymore. They were using each other; what started as an effort to escape, to feel good for just a few hours, had become an escape of their responsibilities and, possibly, their own feelings. He used Hotch as a crutch to keep his addiction at bay and Hotch…Hotch seemed to use him to vent his frustrations on. But recently Reid found himself caring more than he should; about their unspoken agreement and about Hotch as well.
"It can't be anything like love, can it?" Reid asked softly as slowly sat up in the bed, keeping the sheet around him some as he reached out for his boxers and pants piled on the floor.
"No," Hotch shook his head as he began to button up his shirt once more, "No, it can't be."
"Would it be inconvenient?" Reid already knew the answer but he needed to hear it for some reason. He slowly got out of the bed, pulling up and then buckling the belt of his pants.
"Terribly."
Reid frowned a little as he picked his shirt, threw it on over his head, and then hand his hands through his hair some to try and control the static that often caused it to become completely unmanageable. "Then what is it?"
Hotch turned from the mirror to see his secret lover standing before him with a quizzical look and gave a small smile. "Whatever we need it to be, like always." That answer had never failed to satisfy the other agent before so Hotch saw no reason it wouldn't now.
"And…and if I need it to be more?"
"Reid…" Hotch wasn't sure what to say exactly. He didn't want a relationship with anyone, but he also wasn't willing to give up whatever it was he had with Reid. He opened his mouth in another attempt to reply when his cell phone went off from where it'd been placed on the dresser; then Reid's went off a moment later where it lay beside Hotch's. "It's time to go back to work." Hotch said simply before grabbing his suit jacket, throwing it on, and then answering the phone.
Reid gave a sigh, nodded, and went to answer his phone as well resigned to the fact that what he and Hotch had, whatever it was, would have to be defined another time.
