5
The weekend could not have gone better. A trip to the bookstore had turned into a two hour coffee, which had turned into a stroll around the park, and he had driven her home in comfortable silence. Turned out she lived not far from the BAU, and she let him know that her office was, in fact, just a block away. Thus followed a silence in which both of them failed to say whatever it was they wanted to say, and then she was gone.
Spencer recalled all of this as the pulled into his parking spot and took the elevator up to be BAU, a stupid grin plastered across his face. He even caught himself humming and ceased immediately.
That day's double homicide did not quash his merriment, nor did the murder-suicide left on his desk two days later. Then, on Thursday, he told Morgan.
"I'm thinking about joining a gym."
His friend choked on his coffee. "You what?"
"I need to start getting some exercise." Spencer explained, gripping his non-existent bicep for emphasis.
Morgan leaned across the table. "Who is she?"
"Who?"
"In all the years I've known you, after all the times I offered to show you the ropes, you're choosing to get fit now?"
"Yes."
"I'll ask again: who is she?"
He shifted in his chair, looking down at his flimsy hands. "There is no 'she'. That's the problem."
Derek's eyes widened. "Oooh. Well I know a few girls -"
"No." Spencer cut him off. He knew Morgan's type, and knew he wasn't interested in that. "I...I just need the confidence to do it on my own."
Derek studied him for a minute. "Okay. You can come with me to the gym on Saturday and I'll help you put together a routine."
"But on Saturdays I have -"
"Your nerd meetings. I know. We're going Saturday morning. 0800 hours."
Spencer groaned, yet could not conceal his smile. He'd gotten Morgan to do exactly what he wanted.
If there wasn't already a law against getting up early on a Saturday, Spencer was going to enact one. Even his car groaned and yawned underneath him as he pulled into the cramped parking lot next to Morgan's gym. Two hulking men came out the door as he got his bag from the trunk, and watched with amusement as he went through the door. Derek was waiting for him already, and groaned when he walked in.
"You look like a librarian."
"I was going to change here!" Spencer retorted, brandishing his brand-new sports bag full of brand-new athletic attire.
"Fine, just quickly. Before these guys home in on you."
"Believe me, seeing me in this will act as more of an accelerant than a deterant."
"Just get going!"
He looked dumb. The saggy sweatpants and lycra t-shirt only emphasised how awkward and bony he was, and his hair...he didn't know what to do with his hair. It wasn't long enough to tie back, but he didn't want it getting in his eyes. Perhaps he should have gelled it back? Or maybe a hairband? No, Morgan would never let him hear the end of it if he wore a hairband. He would just have to deal with it. He liked the trainers, though. They were light and soft and breathable. He bounced a bit on his toes. Yep, he liked these shoes.
Derek stifled a laugh as he walked out, but that was okay. It was odd seeing Spencer Reid out of his signature wardrobe, he knew. When he swiped his visitor's card and entered among all of the machines and toned bodies, that's when he hesitated.
A light shove between his shoulder blades helped. "Just remember, Reid. Everyone here is just doing their own thing. Most of 'em won't even look at you."
Derek had been right, the majority of the people around them were far too absorbed in their own workouts to even notice them as they walked around. Sure, there were a few curious glances, but people turned away after a second lest they lose count of their reps, or whatever. Spencer actually managed to learn a lot, and Morgan was surprisingly patient with him, allowing him to select his own weights, and allowing to try as much - or as little - as he wanted.
The rowing machine was the worst. The absolute worst. It hurt every inch of his body, but Spencer pushed himself through an entire 'set' before collapsing on it in a heap of gangly limbs. Derek patted him on the back.
"Nice try, kid. Take a break, I'll be right back." He hurried for the restroom.
Still huffing, he reclined back, sweat dripping down his face. Maybe he would try yoga, or even -
"Spencer?"
"Roisin!" He attempted to stand, only to flop back down onto the stool. "I didn't expect to see you here!"
She patted her damp hair. "Same...this is the only place near my house with a pool."
Spencer ran his towel over his face and hair. "Did you know that swimming is the most effective way to improve lung capacity. In Germany they did an experiment using three subjects - one swimming, one jogging and one cycling - in order to better understand the effects of these exercises on the heart and lungs -"
"Yeah, I...I think I read that study."
"You did?"
"Uh-huh. Listen, Spencer; are you going to the meeting today?"
"Of course, why?"
"Oh...no reason." Her eyes widened. "Your friend is coming back. I-I better go…"
She scampered off without so much as a 'goodbye'.
Morgan came striding up, a grin plastered across his face. "Who was that?"
Spencer shrugged, flushing a spectacular shade of pink. "She just wanted to know where the convenience store was."
"Did you get her number?"
"No."
This earned a pat on the shoulder. "You've a lot to learn, Kid."
