I want to thank those who commented on my other fics! They helped me get out off this zombie slump. I was about to eat a rancid brain but your comments brought me back to life. Thanks! This fic wont be an OC/anyone. If I play my cards right, it'll be H/R because I wanted to try something a little different and it's fun.
I don't own Criminal Minds because if I did I would totally put a bounce house somewhere.
Please enjoy : )
"God it's c-cold!" Garcia huddled into her thick nautical coat and began walk as fast as her vintage purple boots could take her. "I hate January. I'm more of an April girl."
Reid and Prentiss caught up with her. Both glanced at the frozen sidewalk ahead and wondered when the 'special place that makes Starbucks coffee look like drain fluid' was coming up. They were all freezing. Reid especially even though he had a thick black pea coat on. Something J.J. bought him a few years back to replace that tacky long coat that made him look like a time traveler on crack.
"Here we are!" Garcia bounced and pointed at the small café with jazz hands. "Tada!"
"Ooh," Emily rubbed her hands together in delight. They both walked in the store and it was… different. The tables still had their tree like features and there were twinkling LED lights on the walls. "Looks cute and cozy. Was this made in magical fairytale land?" Prentiss pointed at the gnome on the window.
"Gnomes are," Reid began one of his lectures but he had an inkling that the two women didn't want to hear any of it. The inkling was both girls crossing their arms and gave them the 'oh no you aren't just about to do what I think you're going to do' glare. He slowly closed his mouth then quirked an apologetic smile, "Sorry. It's cute."
Garcia gasped dramatically, "Holy crackers! Reid! You stopped yourself from ranting."
Reid rubbed his arm trying to warm himself and to keep away the bashfulness at the same time. Prentiss patted his back to encourage the young man to keep moving. The genius did exactly that. He sped up to the counter and ordered his coffee, "Do you have any extra sugar packets?" he asked the barista. Garcia and Emily chuckled before they found a good table to sit.
"Aren't you going order anything?" Prentiss asked the techno pixie who sat in front of her.
"I will once they restock the sugar packets," Garcia giggled, "I know the owner. We used to date a while back and he always grabs my order. I'm special that way."
"You should've told Dr. Caffeine before he scared the barista," Prentiss giggled, pointing at the now bubbly Reid cupping his beloved drink.
Garcia rolled he eyes but amused by Reid's enthusiasm, "Never got the chance to tell him. You saw how fast he ran toward the counter. Geez."
A middle aged man that looked like he could be Rossi's younger brother walked up to them and flashed them a welcoming smile, "Hello Penelope."
"Hi Stuart!" Garcia got up and gave him a hug, "What's the special today?"
"For you my dear, anything you want is free. That includes your friends," Stuart said.
Reid looked rather bummed when he realized he already bought his coffee. Stuart noticed the young man's pout and gave a friendly wink, "Don't worry sir, I'll give you a cinnamon roll on the house."
"I like cinnamon rolls," Reid's face brightened like a two year old on Christmas morning. Stuart nodded kindly then walked away.
"You're so cute when you get all child like Reid," Garcia clutched her hands together and placed them next to her cheek. Reid pouted comically, feigning the hurt in his eyes.
"Before sour puss decides to strangle us," Emily leaned closer to Garcia, "So what's the story with Stuart? He seems like a really nice guy."
Reid took a drink form his sugar laced coffee. He could see Stuart help a fresh faced barista on how to work the register. Stuart was patient and seemed almost fatherly. Kind of like a young Santa Clause, Reid thought.
"Oh it's one of those relationships where we were better off as friends," Garcia smiled a little, "He's such a sweetheart but he doesn't give me that whole thump thump thump your heart is going to fly off your chest kind of feeling."
Prentiss leaned back in her chair, "I know what you mean. The part where you get obsessive and can't stop thinking about him? Where even the smallest touch gives you this tingling feeling?"
"Don't forget the passionate animalistic sex," Garcia pointed out as a matter of fact. Reid chocked on his hot coffee and his eyes began to water because of the burning pain. The girls glanced at each other and grinned.
"What Reid?" Prentiss slid closer to her recovering friend, "You never got that tingling feeling?"
Reid stood still with his brow furrowed. Panic settled on his eyes. He soon noticed the two giving him curious and expected looks. To his right, Garcia was biting her red lips. To his left, Prentiss's eyes seemed to bulge a little. Like she's trying really hard to read his mind. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, "Uh… yeah… suuure."
"Was it Lila?" Garcia asked flatly. She obviously didn't like her. "Hm?"
Reid shook his head, "No! She was used to having all this attention and she was just isolated. A-and… she initiated that… please don't ask Prentiss I'm sure Garcia told you about it."
"Every juice detail," Prentiss crossed her arms looking satisfied. Before Prentiss began her interrogation, Stuart reappeared with their drinks and food. "For the lovely ladies and the nice gentleman."
"Thank you," they all said as they received their orders. Reid was the most thankful out of the three but suppressed his joy so the she-wolves couldn't smell it and began to attack again.
"Will that be all?" Stuart asked. The three shook their heads and thanked him again. Stuart smiled kindly, "If you want anything else don't be afraid to ask."
Garcia danced in her seat in excitement, "Hey Emily," the tech motioned to the line of people ordering their drinks, "Check out that hot tottie."
All three friends turned to that direction to spot a tall dark haired man with chiseled features wearing a long black winter coat standing only a few feet away from the counter. Reid still had his cinnamon roll hanging in his mouth.
"My my my," Prentiss laughed to herself, "Someone shoot me. I think I channeled Morgan."
The man turned around again and the two women Ooh'd and Aah'd. Reid on the other hand, squeaked and hid his face with a napkin. The doctor kicked himself mentally. 1. Did he just squeak? 2. Did he subconsciously hide himself behind a napkin? And 3. Did both actions unintentionally grab everyone in the café's attention? Reid slowly peeked out of the napkin and confirmed his suspicions. Great.
"Spencer?" The man Garcia and Prentiss were drooling over cocked his head and took a few steps closer to the group. The girls' eyes grew wide with hope, curiosity, and exhilaration. This guy could as easily be mistaken for a famous actor, with dark brown wavy hair and large light blue eyes.
"Spencer Reid?" he chuckled and was now a few feet away from the genius who by now, put the napkin down on the table. "That is you! Hi!"
Reid forced a smile and waved ungracefully, "H-hi Nick," he stood and brought out his hand for Nick to shake. Nick shook back and smiled warmly.
"It's been a long time," Reid said.
"It sure is," the man had a deep British accent. That realization caused the girls' eyes to graduate to hub cap size. "Are these your friends?"
"Yeah," Reid blushed, "This is Emily Prentiss and Penelope Garcia. They're my friends and also happen to be my co-workers at the FBI."
Nick's jaw dropped to the floor, "FBI? You're a bloody Fed?" Nick chuckled but soon noticed his rude behavior, "Oh sorry ladies," he began to shake their hands, "I'm Nicolas Brahms. Reid's ex-boyfriend from our Caltech days. It's nice to meet you."
"Ex-B-boyfriend?" Garcia was shocked in the first second when she heard the word 'ex-boyfriend'. Now she was squealing and clasping her hands together in pure delight. At this point, Reid wanted to die. Prentiss was immobilized.
"My, aren't you adorable? If I weren't into cute men I'd ask you out in a second," Nick playfully winked. Garcia let out a girly giggle, "Oh you."
Nick turned his attention back to Reid who was now completely red, "I'm sorry to interrupt your lunch Spencer," He handed out his business card, "We should talk sometime okay? Catch up a little."
Reid nodded and took the card gently, "Okay," he gave Nick his own card, "That'll be nice."
Nick patted Reid on the shoulder and gave him a warm happy grin, "Yep. It was nice meeting you again… I'll let you have your lunch," Nick backed away a little, "Have a nice day," He flashed one last grin and continued to his spot in the line that just started to move.
Prentiss was still immobilized. Garcia had a stupid grin on her face. Reid sat back on his chair and exhaled, waiting for what he expected an A-bomb of a reaction.
…
"Reid!" Garcia grabbed his hand and shook it, "Seriously? Oh my god oh my god oh my god. How did you get such a catch? So many questions I don't know where to start."
"Can we leave now?" Reid pushed his cinnamon roll away from his body. He thinks he wont be able to have cinnamon rolls in a long time. "Please?"
"Of course of course!" Garcia hurriedly gathered her things then grabbed Reid's arm, dragged him to the door. Prentiss snapped out of her stupor and realized that Garcia could just as easily drive back to the office without her. "Oh crap!" She ran out after them.
Rossi peeked out from Hotch's window and raised a thick eyebrow, "What is this?"
Garcia was pissed. She was speeding through the bullpen and then to her office with Reid and Prentiss far behind her. Reid looked hurt and was about to withdraw. Prentiss stood by Reid and tried to comfort her fellow agent with coffee and a kit-kat. Reid kindly refused the two.
"What are you looking at?" Hotch stacked some folders that were a little too disorganized for his taste and placed them in a neat order.
Rossi turned around and had a puzzled expression on his face, "Looks like our children had a fight during lunch."
Hotch sighed, "Please stop referring the rest of the team as 'our children', and which ones?"
"Garcia and Reid," Rossi turned to look back out the window. Reid looked like he was in deep despair with his head on his desk. Morgan showed up and tried to cheer him up with a Mars bars this time. Rossi wondered where the team was getting all this candy. "Looks like it was pretty brutal. Garcia probably sucked his soul dry."
"That's odd," Hotch snapped from his organizing ritual and frowned, "They occasionally get into little arguments but a fight? Must be something really important."
"Looks like Garcia found out," Rossi chuckled.
"What?" Hotch asked.
Rossi smirked, "Nothing."
Hotch walked up to see the scene down below. Reid did look like he was about to fade away into nothingness. J.J. was next to him this time and rubbed his back gently. She grabbed some Nerds candy from her coat pocket and presented it to Reid. Reid only pushed it away from his desk. "This does look serious."
Reid couldn't concentrate on his paperwork. He scrunched up his face when Garcia's words of, "Don't you trust me?" echoed in his ears. Also the fact that Nick's sudden re-appearance brought out a lot of old wounds that he thought were gone. Old wounds apparently become fresh new wounds if hit at the same place. Reid clutched his head. That didn't make any sense!
He let out an exasperated sigh and stared at his paperwork again. The young genius smiled when an old memory sprung up from out of the shadows of his mind. Something to keep the gloominess away. He had to try.
It was a bright warm day in Pasadena. Then again, it was always bright and warm and you couldn't stop it if you had the power to. Reid was sitting on the bus bench waiting for his route to finally appear. It was his luck that it was the bus took thirty minutes to come by. He cursed his route. Either way, it gave him time to relax and focus on his reading.
While he was reading he tried to avoid the looks he would get every time he turned a page every minute or so. Sometimes he could ignore them if the story was a very good one that made it easy for him to escape into. This wasn't one of those books.
Turn.
Turn.
Turn.
"Excuse me, I'm trying to read my book and I don't appreciate you staring at me like a circus animal," Reid placed his book down and glared at his neighbor.
The young man blinked when he found out he was caught staring, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stare… I guess I did it with out knowing," he chuckled.
"That's okay, I get that a lot," Reid opened the book again and focused on the words in front of him.
Turn.
"Sorry but," the man spoke again, "I'm guessing you're a student here. You're one of those people with eidetic memory am I right?"
"Correct," Reid put his book down and grinned, "It's nice not having to explain myself. You're a student too I'm guessing."
The young man flashed the brightest smile Reid ever saw, "Yep, I am." He was indeed very handsome in that if you're into scruffy white British boys kind of way. Before the young genius found out that the British boy was a student at Caltech, he could have passed for a musician or an artist. "I'm working on my Masters for psychology here. Then I'm hoping to become a doctor later on."
"Psychology?" Reid perked up, "I actually have my Doctorate in that subject. I really love psychology. Who are your favorite pioneers? I'm partial to Carl Jung and his theory on collective unconsciousness. He believed that anything with a nervous system had the capability to have an unconscious mind. Freud called it the Id I believe."
"Really?" the Brit was shocked, "How old are you? Bloody hell."
"Er," Reid blushed, "I'm 19..."
The brit's mouth flew open and bobbed his head forward, "No way! I'm 26 and I've been in school for ages. You're making me feel bad," he laughed. His laughter stopped once he notice Reid's shoulders slump and looked a little dejected.
"I'm sorry…" the genius whispered.
"No,no,no,no,no!" he shook his hands in panic, "It's great that you're a doctor at that age. I meant it as a joke I promise," he then sighed, "My name is Nick Brahms. What's yours?"
Reid lifted his head up, "I'm Spencer Reid," he drew a smile on his face again.
Nick was relieved, "It's nice to meet you Spencer. Lets be friends from now on," Nick placed an open hand in front of him.
"Okay," Reid took the hand and shook it.
Reid let his head land on his desk pretty hard. Even a warm fuzzy memory couldn't stop him from moping around.
What did he do wrong to deserve such punishment? The guilt he felt when he saw everyone in the bullpen feel sorry for him didn't help either. "If you're going to punish me universe. You might as well kill me now. A meteor falling from the sky would satisfy your insatiable thirst," Reid said quietly to himself.
"Not before I get to you first," Garcia glared down at the pathetic looking genius. He blinked a questioning look at her. "Are you and the universe working together? I should have known."
"I may be a goddess but I can't be everywhere at once. Well… actually I can," she giggled, "The one place I can't see is inside that brain of yours Reid. Come to my office after work. We need to talk."
We need to talk. Four of the most terrifying words of the English language. Reid had to force his feet to walk right after he finished his paper work and is now heading towards Garcia's cave of doom. Focusing on putting one foot in front of the other was the only way he could keep himself from having a panic attack. He didn't want to see Garcia's angry face again and all the things that came with it. "Meteor sounds good about now."
He finally opened her door and saw Garcia in her natural state. She didn't notice him walking in until he closed the door behind him. "Well well well," Garcia turned around slowly, her red lips smirking back at him. She snaps her fingers and to Reid's surprise, the lights dimmed around him.
"…" Reid inhaled and found a seat so he could flop into and hopefully feel his soul leave his body. To his dismay it didn't. "I didn't mean to keep it a secret. I didn't mean to."
"Why did you?" Garcia's anger melted away once she saw doleful brown eyes meet hers. "Reid. Spencer," she slid her chair closer to her friend and placed a gentle hand on his own hand. "You can tell me everything. You know that. Everything you say in this room will be in confidence. Also, I'll never stop being your friend."
"I know," Reid smiled slightly. "I'm sorry that I never told you about me being attracted to men."
"That's okay. I'm not angry anymore, just disappointed in myself. I mean, I have like a billion gay friends!" She gave Reid the tightest hug she could, "You are like my baby brother Reid. Seriously, how the hell did you manage to pull it off?"
"They don't call me a genius for nothing," He smirked weakly, "Please don't tell anyone. I know you wont but… You know…"
Garcia patted Reid's head and gave him one of her chocolates from a box Kevin gave her, "Kiddo, as far as I'm concerned you have nothing to worry about. The team would understand completely. What I don't get is why you hid it for so long."
"It's not that I'm ashamed or anything really," Reid's lips thinned, "I'm already the resident nerd of the building and I have been at the tail end of a lot of playful teasing. I know they're not mean spirited at all but, I don't want to add another label on my head."
"Oh you," Garcia smacked him a little, "I get what you mean pumpkin. My lips are sealed… this just means…"
"Garcia." Reid warned.
"This meeeeaaans."
"No."
"I get to play matchmaker!"
"Oh god."
The universes is cruel.
Tbc
Matchmaker matchmaker make me a match. Hahaha, god nothing is worse than running into an old ex in some random place. I seriously wanted to choke someone.
Many of the these are based on my terrible experiences with love. I'm just that unlucky haha. T_T