Fandom- Criminal minds
Rating- T (Rating will go up to M next chapter)
Pairing- Hotch/Reid
Author's note- Do not own, sadly. I hope you enjoy this instalment, and the next chapter should hopefully be more adult, if the plot bunnies appear to me in time that is.
Word count- 2022
Chapter 6
After a long six hours, the sun has long left the landscape, and Rossi calls for the team to finish for the day and head to the hotel. Hotch wants to wait for Reid at the station, but Rossi overrules him; stating that they are all exhausted, and that there is no point waiting for Morgan and Reid, just accompany them to the hotel.
"Spencer is a big boy I am sure he can make his way to the hotel, just fine. He is a genius after all" Rossi's smile widens considerably when Hotch growls lightly, but has no other choice but to follow his section chief out of the office.
Aaron chooses one of the seats right at the back of the car, hoping that this chosen distance will convey to the team that he wants to be left alone; no such luck. Upon seeing him by himself JJ seems to take it upon herself to take the empty seat beside Aaron.
"For what it's worth, whenever Will goes out on a case, I am sick with nerves. I think it would be better, sometimes, that we didn't work in the same profession; if I did another job, I think I could fool myself into believing that he would always be safe; yet this job does not afford me that reality. Each time he leaves I wonder if he will come back."
Aaron is slightly taken aback at the frankness of this confession; he had expected words on encouragement, and a sympathetic ear, not this admission of a shared concern.
"it is so hard" Aaron admits; his hands palm up, as he stares at the interlocking lines on them. "May I ask you a question?"
"Of course, though I cannot guarantee I will know the answer" JJ replies
"If you had found a way to keep will safe, forever, would you use it; even if he wasn't 100 percent sure? Or would you sit back and watch with bated breath every time he left your side?"
JJ can tell form the crux of the question, that Aaron is not in truth asking for an opinion, but asking for a backer; someone who will agree with him, regardless of the situation.
"Only Spencer can answer that Question for you Hotch" is the only reply he will be granted with tonight.
Rossi states that they will be sharing rooms this time round, because the small hotel is oversubscribed, but Hotch knows it probably has a lot more to do with the budget cuts. He remembers with annoyance at the amount of times he had to argue with Strauss, who seemed to take pleasure from limiting their resources. Aaron would never admit it to Rossi, but he does seem a better man for the job than Aaron had been If the results are anything to go by, Dave is a natural negotiator; though he likes to think it has a lot more to do with Dave's 'strategy' in gathering more money, which usually consisted of flirting and asking Strauss out to dinner every other month; that is something Aaron would never volunteer for under any circumstances.
Rossi begins to hand out the three room keys, like he is a hosting a raffle, delighting in ramping up the tension, by purposely looking speculative, as if he as not already come to a decision on who is sleeping with whom.
"Shall we mix it up this evening troop? I wonder if I should share with Re-" He does not even get out the Doctor's full name before Aaron grabs the key from his hand, and stalks off in the direction of room 32, growling back that they are to send Spencer straight up when he finally arrives.
Aaron slams the door shut of the room, and throws his jacket across the double bed aggressively. He is acting like a sulking child, but its' hard to mediate his mood at present; without Spencer in the vicinity. Aaron does wonder for a brief moment whether this is healthy behaviour, or not; after all should his moods really link so tightly to the proximity of his mate. YES the vampire within hisses, at him, as if appalled by the very thought, that Aaron could even think about being content without Spencer close by.
If he is unhappy without him it is nothing how Aaron feels ten minutes later, when Spencer finally makes it to the hotel room. The smell hits him before Spencer can even knock on the door. It has a spark of familiarity; the unique Spencer sent; a mixture of that slightly musty old clothes smell, adolescent cologne, and a sweetness, that though smelling odd individually, together it creates an aroma that has Aaron salivating; but not tonight. Tonight the smell is coupled with a cloying musk; that though new to him, has Aaron tensing in recognition; the smell of a vampire. Aaron takes a long drag of the air that filters through the door; the vampire forcing his posture; dropping to that of a pounce in recognition of a threat.
Spencer pushes through the door without a clue; he barely has time to recognise Aaron's animalistic stance, before he is tackled round the middle, the vampire's arm caging him to his body, as the door is slammed shut once more, and Spencer is pushed into the corner of the bed, so his back is against the cold hotel wall. He is dimly aware of his change in position, but it is Aaron's nose and lips that he has to give the most attention to, as they make their way across his body, taking turns to sniff at his skin, make a grunt of disgust, then begin to lick the offending patch, as if they are licking off whatever has offended them. Aaron's attention has begun to drift to clothed parts of his body. Spencer finds his voice when he hears the tear of fabric, as Aaron rips the sleeve of one of his favourite button downs.
"Aaron . . . Aaron . . . Aaron that tickles. . . AARON" The change in tone alerts Hotch, who dislodges from the upper elbow, and give Spencer's face his full attention; his own face becoming stormier by the second.
"Aaron, are you alright?" Spencer asks, cautiously, sensing the heat of emotion behind Aaron's stony expression.
"You . Smell . of . Vampire. Other. Vampire. Discuss ." Aaron's voice, usually so eloquent is now fighting each word, as the brawl their way from between his flared lips. The pure animalistic nature fights to gain control of his body.
Spencer nods lightly, haven been given an important piece of the puzzle. "One of the victims, his friend was a vampire; Stephen Cunningham. We interviewed him at his home, that is probably why I smell . . . different" Spencer states, daring a small smile; as Aaron can see the cogs turn in his head, as he documents Aaron's aggressive reaction to the scent of another beast.
"I am guessing the scent of another vampire bothers you?" Spencer asks leadingly.
"NO" Aaron replies gruffly back, his hands once again begin to circle his body, checking for illness and injury. "I . . . that does not bother me . . . it is the smell on you, mixed with your scent, that bothers me" Aaron replies. His hands are much softer now; as they coax Spencer into removing his clothes, though he can guess Aaron will dispose of them later, the scent on them is obviously a problem. He pushes Spencer lightly on his back so he is spread-eagled on the deep red bed-sheet, reacting nicely against his alabaster skin. Aaron delights in the dominance he is able to demonstrate, his own clothed body showing who is in control, as it looms over Spencer's naked form.
"Did he touch you?" Aaron asks, though his eyes seem more pre-occupied with raking across Spencer's skin.
"NO" is the reply. It is laced with desire, and Spencer does have the wear with all to be slightly embarrassed by his wanton display, how can Aaron so easily work him up like this. "Stephen kept me at arm's length; I think your scent on me made him anxious; though he was a lot more subtle with his reactions; more curious than anything"
Aaron wants to smirk in satisfaction at this. This stranger, this Stephen should be anxious, he should remain at arm's length, for Spencer belongs to Aaron and has no business anywhere near another vampire.
Aaron is torn between ravishing his young lover, in a bid of re-taking the body that he sees as somehow tarnished by the scent of another; and getting down to the bottom of why Spencer was within a hundred yards of another blood drinker, and whether it is Morgan or Rossi that he should have strong words with.
His need for justice prevails, though it is close run thing, and he does continue to touch and explore the young mans' body in the meantime.
"Did you know?" Aaron asks, staring at Spencer closely to tell whether he is lying or not, but the genius just looks confused, Aaron sighs "Did you know before entering the property, that he was a blood drinker?"
"No, and for the record Morgan appeared as surprised as I. I guess it is to be expected, when as of yet, the public are not required to register their Vampirism publicly. So it would not necessarily be in his paper trail." Aaron nods along, grunting lightly at the right parts.
"That explains why you came in contact with a vampire, it does not explain while you stayed in his company after you realised he was indeed a blood drinker." Aaron is beginning to sound more like a prosecutor, rather than a concerned boyfriend.
Spencer seems to be able to sense the tone, because he braces himself on his elbow into a semi-sitting potion, before answering hotly.
"I stayed because this is my job Aaron. I was assigned a task and I saw it through. I was entirely safe with Stephan, as I am with you or Morgan" Spencer rebukes, ready to try and push Hotch off him, if this gets any more heated.
"WHAT?" Aaron reacts radically, his hands beating down either side of Spencer's head, narrowly missing it in favour of the duvet. "How could this . . . this other vampire make you feel as safe as I do?" Aaron demands hotly; his body once again bears over his lover, his face is only an inch away from the other. It is meant to intimidate, but this is Spencer and he will not be frightened.
"I meant that I am as capable of defending myself with him as I am with you. It was a poor choice of words and for that I am sorry. But you must understand that a vampire is no more dangerous than a human. Apart from you're need for blood, which can be regulated with other options, a vampire only kills for the same reasons as a human does, and for the record I do not believe Stephen is a killer"
Spencer's voice is so impassioned that Aaron cannot hold onto the anger, though he can feel a bittersweet twang of his heart as he realises that it may not just be love that makes Spencer accept him; Spencer would have accepted any vampire, and though Aaron should be grateful of such an understanding partner, he can't help but feel a little bruise to his ego. He pulls up slightly, taking in Spencer's naked form, and his mind turns to other, much more pleasurable things.
"Let me show you just how safe you are in my arms"
Spencer, can feel the whiplash at the sudden 180 degree change in mood, though he has read what literature is around about vampire brain function, and the ability to being thinking a thousand different thoughts a second is a common conception; spencer does think he knows how that might feel.