Drunken Genius - Chapter 2

Part 2 of "If Things Were Different" Series continues. No smut yet, but we're getting close. Enjoy!

Pairing: Reid/ Hotch

I do not own CM.

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Arriving in the slightly cluttered living room in Reid's apartment, Hotch escorted Reid to the couch. Once he was sure his friend would not fall off, Hotch went about locking the front door, removing his shoes and jacket, and starting to brew some coffee. Then he sat by Reid. "How are you feeling?"

Having watched Hotch move about his home as if he belonged there, watching the lean muscles flex under his collared dress shirt, Reid's affections rose to the surface. How could this man be so perfect - so genuinely beautiful and peaceful and caring? When Hotch sat beside him, Reid's breath caught, and he prayed his boss didn't notice. Reid focused on his hand, the one picking at a loose string on the hem of his cardigan sweater. "I'm alright. Head's just sore." He finally looked up at Hotch, meeting the man's intense gaze. "You really don't have to stay and watch over me. I don't want to inconvenience you. I'm sure you have plans and a life to get back to."

Hotch remained intently focused on Reid as the young man answered his question and then proceeded to self-deprecate. Hotch was used to Reid's feelings of inadequacy and lack of confidence, but he hated that the young man had such a low opinion of himself. If Reid ever reciprocated his feelings, Hotch would show him exactly how special he was and make sure he always remembered it. "Reid," he reassured gently, placing his hand on Reid's knee closest to him. "I have no other plans, my team and my son are my life, and my son is currently with his mother as it is not my weekend to have him. Even if I did have plans, I would have cancelled them to help you. But since I don't, there is nowhere else I'd rather be and nothing else I'd rather be doing than staying here with you, making sure you are all right. You are important to me, Spencer." Once the name was out of his mouth, he couldn't take it back. Hotch didn't know what possessed his usually calm and collected brain to call Reid by his first name. He really hoped that he hadn't made the young man uncomfortable, but he meant every word.

Reid's thinking face appeared, and Hotch knew he was done for. The genius's brain began to analyze his boss's response. After just a moment of mulling it over, Reid asked, "You care about me?"

Hotch's heart dropped to the bottom of his stomach. How could Reid not know he cared about him? Had he not shown the man the appropriate level of affection allowed between co-workers while on the job? Had he not been encouraging as a mentor and friend? "Of course," Hotch answered, trying to hide the hurt in his voice.

"As more than a co-worker?" Reid asked. Hotch nodded, not trusting his voice to not betray him.

"As more than a friend?" Reid pressed. His cheeks slightly blushed, but he schooled his features, looking at Hotch's hand still on his knee instead of at his boss's perfect face. Hope stuttered in his chest, like a runner about to take off but pausing instead.

Hotch closed his eyes, took a deep inhale to steady himself, and quickly answered before he had time to overthink the situation. "Yes."

Reid's hazel eyes snapped up to meet Hotch's dark brown ones. Reid's eyes sparkled with hope that seemed to spill over like tap-water overflowing in a sink. His face lit up in a pleasantly surprised smile. Hotch couldn't help the smirk that he reciprocated. "Me too," Reid practically whispered, like he was afraid this perfect moment would pop like a balloon if he got too loud or too excited.

"Oh really?" Hotch teased, beyond relieved to hear that his crush returned his feelings. "Since when? I'm usually much better at picking up on these things. Must be slipping in my old age."

Reid chuckled. "You are not old, Aaron, not by a long shot." If Hotch could use his first name and make him weak in the knees, Reid could too, and hopefully it would have the same effect on his usually stoic boss. "I'm actually glad to hear I wasn't glaringly obvious. I was always so worried that I was ogling you too long, or that the others or you would catch me staring and daydreaming, and that they'd tease me relentlessly. I knew you wouldn't tease me, but I was embarrassed and worried that you might not feel the same way, and that, if you found out through your brilliant deductive skills or a slip-up on my part, that you would try to let me down easy, and I'd be totally crushed…"

He knew he was rambling, so he got back on track. "But to answer your question, I have found you attractive pretty much since I started, but I first realized I had a crush on you about a year ago. You were newly divorced, you were working late one night, and so was I. You walked by my desk to get coffee. I may or may not have stared at your butt as you walked past. Pleading the 5th. I returned to my work, and the next thing I knew, you were standing beside me, placing a perfectly sugared coffee on my desk. I looked up to thank you for the kind and unnecessary gesture, and you smiled at me, like a genuine smile. Those were so rare, especially back then. My stomach flipped, and my heart raced, and I realized I was smitten." Reid's face took on a reverent, peaceful tone at the memory, softening his features and making it incredibly difficult for Hotch to not lean forward and kiss the adorable genius. "What about you? When did you realize you liked me as more than a co-worker?"

Now it was Hotch's turn to blush. First, Reid had used his first name, and it sent an all too pleasurable jolt to his lower abdomen. Then he was called upon to share his story, detailing his decent into this vortex of adoration and no small amount of lust. He, however, managed to maintain eye-contact with Reid as he shared. "Honestly, it was around the same time. I'd found you attractive from day one, but you were off-limits. I was married, I had a son, and I was your direct supervisor. I buried the attraction as deeply as possible and pressed on with my life. Then everything happened with Haley, and suddenly I was open to the possibility of moving on romantically. I let myself really reflect on what I wanted in a partner and who I could see myself being happy with. You immediately came to mind, and there you stayed, like an ear-worm. You managed to sneak into my thoughts more and more often, until I found myself needing to be around you. That's why I started bringing you coffees. I needed an excuse to walk by your desk, to chat, to get to know you beyond just your incredible abilities in the field. I still have to figure out how to deal with being your supervisor, but, when you asked me how I felt about you, I knew I couldn't lie to you. I couldn't let this opportunity pass without confessing, to quote Ms. Austen, that you have bewitched me, body and soul, and it may be soon to say it, but I'm in love with you, and have been for months now."

Reid's mouth was slightly agape at the declaration, and Hotch winced internally. Had he gone too far? Had he completely ruined the moment? Had he pushed Reid away? He pled to any god listening that that wasn't the case. He needed to be near Reid like he was the only air left to breathe.

Reid's movement pulled Hotch out of his thoughts. Slowly, like he wasn't sure if this was real or a dream, and he wanted to savor the moment just in case, Reid leaned forward, brought a delicate hand to the side of Hotch's stubbly face, and pressed his lips to Hotch's. Basking in the warm glow of new love, Hotch pressed and moved his lips against Reid's, encouraging the less experienced man to continue or go further, but leaving the decision up to Reid.

Taking the hint, Reid parted his lips, and Hotch immediately delved in, accepting the invitation. His tongue skated along teeth and tongue as he learned every inch of Reid's delicious mouth. When Reid kissed back, Hotch received another tug of lust. Squelching it for now, he focused on bringing pleasure to the young man across from him. After a few minutes, Hotch had to pause for air, almost gasping. Reid too was breathless and smiling.

"Please tell me this is not a dream, that you're really here, because statistically this is not probable," Reid pled breathlessly.

Hotch grinned and chuckled. "I'm really here." He pulled Reid closer, hugging him to his chest. Reid, every the nose-to-the-neck/shoulder hugger, breathed in deeply, enjoying the heady, lusty feeling brought on by Hotch's unique smell. Hotch continued, "This is definitely not a dream." In a slightly huskier voice, he added, "If it were, we would both be wearing a lot less clothing." Something about not looking at Reid's face in that moment had emboldened him to tease the genius, to test the waters. He knew it was too soon to force his way into the young man's bed, but he needed Reid to know that he was willing when Reid was ready.

Reid stiffened slightly at the unexpected comment, but it emboldened him after a second. Hotch sat with his back towards the back of the couch but was angled sideways due to the kiss and the hug. Without breaking their embrace, Reid adjusted his position, pulled himself closer to Hotch while pushing Hotch back to a more natural position, and then slid one of his ridiculously long legs across his boss's lap. Successfully straddling Hotch, Reid placed a kiss to the spot where Hotch's neck met his shoulder. This earned him a throaty groan from the man below him. Pleased with himself, Reid placed more kisses along Hotch's neck and up to his jaw, then trailing them to his ear, where Reid gave the lobe a loving nip. Hotch's hips jerked at the sensation, and Reid could feel the proof that Hotch did indeed like him in a very unprofessional way.