Chapter Text
Spencer was going on hour 64 of not sleeping. His nightmares were coming back with a vengeance, and so, like the genius he is, he decided to stop sleeping.
It didn’t matter that he was now trying not to fall asleep at his desk, he wasn’t dreaming. That’s all that mattered.
Spencer’s eyes squeezed shut as he muffled a yawn into his hand. He rubbed his eyes and forced them open to continue writing his report.
“Late night pretty boy?” Derek teased from the desk next to his.
“Sure.” Spencer says not quite paying attention.
Technically, Derek wasn’t wrong. He was up all-night re-reading textbooks and doing extremely complicated math equations to keep himself awake.
He mumbled something about getting coffee and stood up. He was shaking slightly but that could be the other three cups of coffee he’d had since he got into work.
He missed the slightly concerned frown on Derek’s face.
He entered the little kitchen and went straight for the coffee pot. He grabbed his favorite mug and filled it up, leaving room for an abundance of sugar. Hopefully, the others didn’t see, they knew he only put this much in when he was tired.
“Oops.” He muttered when he accidentally poured some sugar on the counter instead of into his mug. He giggled slightly at himself and cleaned up his small mess. “Sugar.”
He chuckled again and headed back for his desk, trying not to trip over his own feet.
Derek kept frowning as he observed his friend as he walked back. Spencer’s hair was tangled as if he hadn’t brushed it in a day or two. His hands were shaking slightly, and the dark circles under his eyes looked like bruises.
Deciding to keep a close eye on his friend, he turned back to his own desk, glancing up every few minutes.
As the day went on Spencer drank more coffee and yawned more. Soon he was at the three-day mark of being awake. He found himself zoning out, staring at his papers, the wall, into his mug. He had to shake himself out of it before he found himself staring again a few minutes later.
“-ence. Spence!”
Spencer jerked and looked up, squinting his eyes. JJ was standing there looking very concerned. Emily and Derek were behind her also looking worried.
“We have a case?” Spencer asks.
“No, I was asking if you wanted to come out with us tonight.” JJ says, motioning to the two behind her. “It’s time to go home.”
“Is it?” He mumbled.
He reached down to grab his bag and stand up. As he stood he was overcome by a waved of lightheadedness and started swaying.
There were cries from his friends as his knees buckled. There were hands on his arms keeping him upright, but his legs wouldn’t work. His eyes slipped closed against his will and the next thing he knew he was on the ground.
“Reid?”
Spencer looked around. Hotch was kneeling next to his head. JJ, Derek, and Emily were standing behind him. Rossi was watching from the railing outside his office. Everyone looked worried and slightly scared.
“Wha’s wrong?” Spencer asked, words slurring slightly.
“You fainted.” Hotch tells him gently, fingers on his wrist. He was taking his pulse.
“’m fine.” Spencer says, trying and failing to push himself up. He was just too tired.
He felt his eyes closing again but someone tapped his face. He whined and peeled his eyes open to glare. There was a quiet chuckle.
“He looks like a puppy.” Someone said.
“Not a puppy.” Spencer says.
“When’s the last time you slept?” Hotch asks, trying to catch his eye.
Spencer looked away and thought back. He’d taken a nap three days ago and woke up screaming. It was then that he decided to not go back to sleep.
“Three days.” He says not bothering with the hours. He ignored the sharp inhales from his team and looked at Hotch and let out a giggle.
“What’s so funny Spence?” JJ asks, speaking up.
“Hotch h’s a b’rd.” Spencer says raising his hand to the man’s shoulder.
Hotch grabs his hand and moves it back down to his chest. “I don’t have a bird Spencer.”
Spencer looked to their hands, Hotch still holding his. “Ya gotta go to dinner with me now H’tch.”
There were muffled laughs from his friends.
Hotch looked at him confused. “Why?”
“Yer holdin my hand.” Spencer says raising both hands.
“I should have gotten that on video.” Emily says, laughing, pulling out her phone. “Never too late to start.”
Hotch chuckles and looks down at Spencer. “I’m taking you home.”
Spencer stares at him and gasps. “Hotch, y’gotta take me on a date first.”
“Oh my gosh.” Derek busts out laughing.
Hotch blushed red but remained calm. “To sleep Spencer, you need to sleep.”
“Noooo.” Spencer whined. “Don’t wanna.”
“Why not?” Hotch asks, already working on getting the other off the floor. He looks to the team for a moment. “The rest of you can go home.”
Spencer looks around as they stand up. “Shhhh I g’t nightm’res. But don’t tell th’team. They worry.”
Hotch nodded and didn’t respond. He led his agent to the elevator and sent them down to the garage.
“Nightmares suck.” Spencer announces. “They’re scary. Don’t wanna sleep no more.”
“You have to sleep Spencer.” Hotch tells him. “If you don’t sleep you’re going to get sick.”
Spencer wrinkled his nose at that.
Hotch led them to his car and helped Spencer into the passenger seat of his car. He was going to be coming home with him tonight, to make sure he actually slept.
“Night Hotch.” Spencer says as they start driving.
Hotch hummed, looking over. He smiled when he saw the younger had slumped against the window, little snores escaping.
“Goodnight Spencer.”