The Game
Chapter 2
A/N: Thanks to everyone that reviewed and added this to alerts. It means so much! I didn't think in a million years this story would receive this much attention!
The next time JJ and Spencer see each other is, naturally, at work. During the date, they talked about whether or not they would tell the team and decided that they would neither tell them nor keep it a secret. Should they be asked, both JJ and Reid will say that they are dating, but they aren't going to make an announcement. Therefore, they both act friendly towards each other, but not to the point that they cross professional boundaries.
Reid watches as JJ goes back to her office. He notices how with every step her appearance and demeanor changes. Her shoulders and back slump, as if carrying a great weight. Her smile slips into a grim line. Even her eyes seem darker, more clouded. He feels very sad to know that he's never noticed this before. Though, he reasons with himself, he's never felt comfortable enough with JJ to be able to watch her. With their relationship, even as new as it is, he feels as if watching her walk, letting his eyes catch hers for just a second longer than he would anyone else, and sitting next to her all feel like natural things to do. He glances down at the paperwork that he's finished and realizes he is done for the day. He can leave, but he definitely doesn't want to. Instead, he heads up to JJ's office, not caring who sees. He knocks on her door to be polite.
"Come in." Her voice sounds physically tired, bordering on depressed.
As he walks in, she seems reluctant to take her eyes away from the mound of paperwork in front of her. When she does, however, her face lights up. His heart soars knowing that his presence can help her so much, if only for a moment. He glances around her office and notices that she has no personal items in the room. No pictures, no diplomas, and no plants. He also sees that the apple she said she was going to eat for lunch is in the garbage, with only one bite taken out of it.
"What's up, Spence?" She tries to sound casual, but he can hear the almost nervous edge to her voice; almost as if she knows that he won't be happy with what he sees.
"JJ, it's seven o'clock, and I was the last person on the team finishing up paperwork. Even Hotch went home. You supposed lunch is sitting in your garbage can hardly even touched. You didn't eat breakfast, and now you are skipping dinner." When she looks at him like he's crazy, he explains. "When you kissed me in the parking lot this morning, your breath smelled like toothpaste. I know you don't brush after you eat, so you must have rushed out of your house with nothing on your stomach. Why you didn't eat the apple is beyond me, but I know why you're not eating now." He walks towards her and pulls the file out of her hands.
"Spence! I need to go over that!" He can tell that she's not really upset by him taking the case from her. He glances through the pages quickly.
"We don't need to go there. It was the father that took the kids. The police are bound to figure that out. Seeing as how you didn't deny anything I said, I'm going to assume I'm right and that you need to eat. Come to my place, and I will cook dinner for us. Before you protest, I'll come in early with you tomorrow morning and we will sort out these cases. This is such a big task for you to take on by yourself." She still looks like she might object, so he leans down and places a kiss on her lips.
"Please?"
"Aw, you know I can't resist your pleading look!" She stacks the files and sets them aside. She shuts down her computer and makes a note to herself for the next day. When she stand up, Reid is holding her purse in one hand and her jacket in the other. She takes both from him gratefully and they head out to their cars. Reid gives her directions to his place, and they both head off. JJ lets him know that she'll be a little late because she wants to go home and change first.
When Reid gets home, he's so grateful that he planned on asking JJ over for dinner anyways, because he has two marinated steaks in the refrigerator, a salad already mixed up, and only biscuits to make. He immediately puts the steaks on the grill and then heads in to get the biscuits in the oven. Once that is done, he sets up the table. He skips the candles because, as much as he tries, he just doesn't understand how a small fire hazard can be considered romantic. Also, he knows JJ doesn't expect more from him than who he is, and spontaneous romantic dinners are just not him.
After setting the table, he goes into his room to change. He takes off his sweater vest, tie, and button down, and puts on a t-shirt. Contrary to popular belief, he doesn't live in his "substitute teacher clothes", as Morgan calls them. For the most part, he just wears t-shirts and polo shirts outside of work. Since he was anticipating JJ coming over, his house is clean, but he continues to move around the various knick-knacks and the few magazines he has. A knock on the door interrupts his nervous re-arranging. He opens the door to find JJ in sweat pants and a tight tank top. Apparently he wasn't the only one that wanted things to be more casual.
"I brought a bottle of wine, if we're all about relaxing." She smiles that smile that lights up a room and makes Reid's heart skip a beat.
"That's perfect. I don't have anything but water and coffee here." He takes the bottle from her and moves aside so she can come inside. As she looks around, he becomes a little self-conscious about his place. He leads her around, as she's never been to his house before.
He has a small, two bedroom home. The family room has a light grey couch and two black leather wing-back chairs with a small coffee table. The black entertainment center holds a 52" television, and various pictures of Spencer with his friends, as well as some childhood pictures and a few of his favorite books. It's not as if his place is a bachelor pad, but it's not the most homey of places. His walls are white, and are devoid of paintings or shelves of any kind. The kitchen is the most bare, with only a small table that has black place mats with white dishes already set. The guest bathroom has no decorations, but the shower curtain, towels, and mats are all a matching grey blue. His bedroom is the most comfortable. It has a navy blue comforter with lighter blue sheets and decorative pillows. It almost looks like a bed-in-a-bag or something of the sort. There are framed pictures as well as lamps on his night stands. One photo is of the whole BAU during a night out after a finished case, and the others are of him and his mother. A single framed work of art is above his bed. It's Vincent Van Gogh's Poppies and Butterflies, and it's one of JJ's favorites.
"Do you remember when you told me about this?" He sees her looking at the painting. "I had just admitted to you that I was worried about my mother's schizophrenia and how it would inhibit my ability to do my job. You told me this was your favorite painting and that Van Gogh battled mental illness in his life. When I pointed out that he also killed himself, you said that you didn't think suicides were as common in the FBI as in the artistic world." She smiles, remembering that day clearly for a different reason. It was the first time she had seen Reid smile one of his famous genius smiles, as she likes to call them.
"I've got steaks on the grill and biscuits in the oven. Nothing for dessert, unfortunately." She assures him that it's plenty and that she doesn't mind. When he pulls out what are very clearly hand-made biscuits, she is impressed. She's never heard him say he could cook before.
"My mother couldn't cook sometimes in her states. I had to learn or else we wouldn't have eaten at times. Eventually, it became something I liked to do. My marinade is somewhat of a specialty. I think if I ever left the BAU, I would open a restaurant." His smile suggests that he's kidding, but JJ can also hear a bit of pride. He's glad that he can do something well other than remember facts.
Reid goes out to check on the steaks while JJ pours them wine. She has to admit that she likes the idea of her boyfriend being able to cook for her instead of it being the other way around. As this thought crosses her mind, she can't help but pause at the ease with which she thinks of Reid as her boyfriend. This revelation brings a small smile o her face. Just as this happens, he walks back in with the steaks on a plate. He notices her grin and asks her about. Instead of answering him, she walks towards him slowly. She takes the plate and sets it down before wrapping her arms around his neck. She leans her whole body into him but leans her face away so that she can see his.
"That smile was because I just thought how great it is to have a boyfriend that cooks." A confused look crosses his face, and he's just about the ask her a question before realization dawns on him.
"Really? You... boyfriend? Really?" The pure joy, laced with just a hint of surprise. "Out of all my titles -Special Agent Spencer Reid, Dr. Spencer Reid, just plain Spencer- JJ's boyfriend is my favorite by far." He leans down to place a kiss on her lips.
"Well, I have the prestigious title of being Special Agent Doctor Spencer Reid's girlfriend. I think I win." He shakes his head, clearly disagreeing with her. "Oh, come on. If the first doctorate isn't enough to be impressive, there are two more where they come from!"
"Ah, but I fade into the background, despite of all my schooling. You, my dear, always stand out. Everybody who meets you is charmed by your gorgeous smile, your trusting eyes, and your un-paralleled charm. I definitely win." He can tell that she's amused by this, and also very flattered.
"Instead of fighting over who's gotten the better deal, why don't we enjoy this wonderful meal you've prepared for us, and then we can really enjoy being an official couple." Her tone is slightly suggestive but Spencer knows she means no more than they did last night, which is more than enough for him.
JJ compliments him on the delicious meal and proceeds to clean up after the two of them. Reid protests this heavily, until she assures him that she will find a way for him to make it up to her. LIking the sound of this, Reid heads to the living room to relax on the couch. Just a few minutes later, JJ brings her glass of wine in and sits as close as possible to Spencer without actually being on him.
He wraps his arms around her and they both sigh contentedly. Neither ever remembers dating being this easy, and they both recognize that the only reason it's been hard in the past is because they weren't with each other. All their small differences are nothing compared to the greatest things they have in common. They both have unfailing compassion, a need to do the right thing, and a protectiveness over friends and co-workers as well as family that is rarely seen.
They watch a little bit of a made-for-tv-movie, but neither is very interested.
Mostly they just sit wrapped in each other talking about everything from their favorite colors to their dreams for the future. Reid's favorite color is blue, while JJ's is red, and they both simply wish to be happy. It's a simple dream, but it's one that used to seem so impossible to reach for both of them until last night.
"Spence, look at me." Her voice is serious, and somewhat concerns him. "Do you really think so low of yourself that you believe me to be out of your league somehow?" The anger in her voice isn't directed at him, per say, but it does make him a little nervous.
"JJ, there isn't a person in the world that wouldn't say you're out of my league. Though I recognize that, it's not going to make me not want to be with you. You're everything I've ever wanted, and I'm not going to let you go without a fight." Tears are gathering in her eyes.
"Spence, I'm not out of your league. If anything, it's the other way around. I don't know anybody who is as good as you are. I don't know how you could go through so much as a child, and even as an adult and still function normally. We've caught guys with less of an excuse to be angry and unstable, and yet you are so unlike them it's unreal." She tangles her fingers in his hair and kisses him with as much passion as she's feeling.
For his part, Spencer returns that passion with quite a bit of his own. They both are feeling unbelievably close to each other, and don't know another way to express it. The kisses turn fevered, hot and excited, but not sexual. They seem to know that they aren't ready for that yet. They want to become inseparable emotionally before they become connected physically. The kissing continues for quite some time until they both realize that it is very late.
"JJ, we've both had quite a bit of wine, and I can tell you haven't really slept in days. Why don't you stay here?" His request doesn't seem odd even though, coming from a different man, she might be offended.
"Oh, Spence. I don't want to intrude." In truth, the idea is very, very appealing.
"You wouldn't be. You can sleep in the guest bedroom or...." His voice trails off, as if he doesn't want her to know what the other option is.
"Or what Spence? Can I sleep with you?" She's teasing just a bit, and is rewarded by a soft blush that comes to his face.
"You could. I don't mean anything more by it, but I do remember a time when I was going through a rough patch that just sleeping next to someone seemed to help. I'd like to see if my arms around you would help us both." He can't meet her eyes as he says this, but she can tell he's more than sincere about it.
"I don't think there's any way that being held by you while I sleep won't help, Spence. I'd love to stay here." She squeezes his hand to reassure him of that, and he leads her to his bedroom.
When they get there, JJ asks him for a shirt of his to sleep in. He's very confused because she's wearing clothes that are perfectly suitable for sleep. She relents and tells him she just really loves the idea of wearing his clothes. This seems to make him happy, and he hands her the one that he's just taken off. Much to her surprise, he strips to his boxers right in front of her, and then slides into the bed and motions for her to do the same. She takes off her sweat pants, revealing a pair of lace boy short panties that Reid definitely appreciates. She then shimmies into his shirt, which barely hits the top of her thigh, and crawls into the bed with him. His arms immediately encircle her.
He kisses her slowly and carefully, before laying his head back on the pillow. She turns around in his arms and lays her head on his chest. Just before they fall asleep, they both think how absolutely right this feels and how they never want to lose this feeling.