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The team is in the briefing room, going over a grisly triple homicide in Maine, when Sophie hears the four words she’s been dreading: “Wheels up in 30.” Aaron stands and buttons his jacket, and she looks at her watch.
It’s 3:45, which just plain sucks; in one hour and fifteen minutes and she would have been free to go home, throw on some comfy clothes, have dinner with her boyfriend and cuddle up with a movie, but now they’re heading to New England, which means at least two days of secrecy instead.
The rest of the team files out of the room, and she’s practically out the door too when she hears Aaron murmur, “Raincheck?” He’s right behind her, his body a solid line of heat she can feel, and she smiles, turns to walk backward out the door. It's not the first time their plans have been ruined, and it certainly won't be the last.
“Absolutely. In the meantime, we have work to do.”
When they land, Sophie and Aaron are the lucky pair who get to hang back to work on the board, and they are pinning up crime scene photos and witness statements when she turns to look at him, just because. He’s been unfairly handsome today, probably because their plans were ruined and she can’t just kiss him whenever she wants to.
“I’ve been meaning to tell you how good you look in that gray suit,” she murmurs, even though the nearest cop is well over ten feet away.
He looks over at her with a mostly blank face, but she can read him well enough, knows he isn’t opposed to hearing more; it’s definitely not his indulgent, ‘don’t you ever behave?’ face, or his stern ‘now is not the time’ face, which is good. They’re not in the field, not discussing theories, just tacking pages to the cork board, alone, so a little sexy talk is harmless, right?
“Of course, you look good in everything, from suits to running shorts to pajamas to just the sheets,” she tells him, low, purposefully returning her eyes to the board, “but there’s something about the gray suit that really does it for me. Makes your hair look darker, your eyes pop, something.”
“Thank you.” She does glance over then, loves to see him when he’s processing a compliment, and his brow is furrowed as expected. God, what a good look. She’s literally stupid for this man. “I thought I noticed you looking at me more than usual today.”
“I wasn’t even sure that was possible,” she teases, and when he meets her eyes they share a soft smile. “You’re my favorite thing in any room; it's hard not to look.”
“You’re my favorite thing in any room, too. I’m just a little more discreet.” He’s sweet, so unbelievably sweet… but they can’t do sweet right now, will have to save it for later, so she opts for spicy instead.
“Hmm, discreet?” She steps closer to him just to see what he’ll do; when his spine goes rigid and he pauses, breathing in the scent of her shampoo, she grins. “Meet me in the janitor's closet in five minutes and I’ll show you discreet, Agent.” He wets his lips, and she thinks he might actually be thinking about doing it when Prentiss pops her head into the conference room.
“Hey, do you guys have a copy of the coroner’s report for Shelley Smith? I can’t find mine.” Sophie sighs lightly and Aaron smirks just for her before grabbing a copy and handing it over.
Foiled again.
Over a working dinner of Chinese takeout, the team is poring through archived files, trying to make a connection between the most recent case and some crimes that happened in the 90s, and Sophie notices that Aaron is unfocused. He’s been reading the same page for the last four minutes, he took far too long to respond to a question Reid asked, and he called an officer by the wrong name, which is almost a mortal sin in the Hotchner handbook. She can’t figure out why he’s unfocused, though, and when she tries, the only possibility she comes up with is that maybe he wasn’t as alright with her previous flirting as he’d seemed. Sure, he was smiling, sweet, but maybe that was just to cover up his discomfort?
She knows how important rules are to him, and they set boundaries about work for a reason. If she broke a boundary of his, however innocently, she won’t forgive herself easily. She makes a plan to go to his room when they get back to the hotel, to ask if what she said bothered him; she really hopes that’s not the case, because she’s never seen him so preoccupied, would hate to be the reason he’s upset.
At just past midnight, there is a soft knock on Aaron’s door, and he is more than happy to see Sophie on the other side of it, brandishing two minibar bottles of whisky and a vending machine bag of salt and vinegar chips. “You up for a late night snack?” she asks, and he smiles, enamored, swings the door open wide so she can enter the room. She curls up in one of the chairs around the table, legs folded underneath her, and tears the foil packet so it’s like a makeshift plate; he grabs two plastic cups and the little bucket of ice he went after earlier, plus a Coke from the fridge, and takes the chair across from her with a sigh.
“This is just what I needed,” he tells her, plucking a few ice cubes and dropping them into her cup, then doing the same for his. He twists open the bottles and dumps them in, and she tops them off with a bit of fizzy Coke, and it feels very right, almost homey, in a way hotel rooms never are. He takes her hand when she sets down the can, and her eyes soften as she looks up at him. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. No better way to end a long day than salt, fat, and booze.” She crunches on a chip, pushing the pile toward him, and he kisses her knuckles.
“You were just what I needed,” he clarifies, though he does take a sip of his drink, and she mirrors him. “Snacks much appreciated, but not required.”
“Maybe I’m wrong, but I got the vibe you were a little off today, and being off always requires snacks.” They take turns munching on the chips, silent for a couple minutes but for their crunching, and eventually she squeezes his hand. “You want to talk about what’s had you in your head all evening?”
“It’s nothing, really, I’ve just been… thinking.” She licks her lips a little nervously, dusts the salt off of her fingertips, and covers their hands with hers, leaning forward a little.
“Aaron, if you’re having second thoughts about us because of how I was flirting with you at the precinct, I’m sorry. We were working a case, and even if we were alone, and we weren’t actively working, I know that not following the rules could get you into trouble. I really am sorry.” He studies her for a moment, goes back over her words, and then stands from his chair, walking over to her side, never letting go of her hands. He kneels in front of her, and he knows his eyes are soft, because his heart is soft, too.
“I’m not having second thoughts about anything. That was harmless, at the precinct, I…” He sighs softly, not used to being at a loss for words, but if anyone could do this to him, it’s her. “I’m in love with you.”
She inhales sharply, like she can’t believe it, leans closer to him like she heard wrong. Her voice is a little shaky. “What?”
“I’ve been in my head today thinking about how badly I wanted to make dinner with you tonight, to curl up and watch a movie, and how I hate that our plans were ruined, even though I clearly know that this case is important, that this is our job. I know that, but I couldn’t help feeling for the first time in a long time that I was truly missing out on something by hopping on a plane in the middle of the afternoon.” He drops her hands only to cradle her face, and he shifts to press a soft, slow kiss to her lips. “I love you, Sophie.”
She responds by wrapping her arms around him and kissing him equally as soft, as sweet, several delicious presses of her mouth against his; when they break apart minutes later, she hugs him tightly, soft fingers in his hair. “I love you. I want to grin like an idiot every time you talk, and I love looking at your very similar facial expressions to try to decipher what’s going on in your mind, and I’m just… so in love with you.” They kiss again, a little less sweet, and they separate panting. “I wish I could stay with you tonight.”
“I know, I’m sorry it happened this way. I would have planned a more romantic evening, if I’d known I was going to say that,” he admits, nodding at the half-eaten chips and empty liquor bottles. She huffs a laugh.
“I don’t know about you, but this feels pretty romantic to me already.” She kisses him softly, smiles at the end of it. “Everything is special when it’s you.”
His heart is just… melted, and he feels so much tenderness, affection, for her that he doesn’t want her to leave, never wants the night to end. They both know it has to, though, and they finish their snack, and he walks her to the door, kissing her soft and slow.
“Something to think about,” he murmurs, hesitant to break the spell of happiness it feels like they’re under. “We should probably tell the team. I know we had agreed to wait until we got to know each other better, spend time as a couple, and I think we’ve done that. Do you?” She nods, smiling softly.
“Yeah, I think it’s time.” She pulls him close for a hug, wraps her arms around him. “I’m nervous. Are you nervous?”
“I try to always prepare for the unknown, but I have a good feeling about our team. I think that, once they hear what we’ve done to give ourselves some separation, they’ll be okay with it.” The corners of her lips turn up, and she looks to him like there is nowhere she’d rather be than in his arms.
“Have I told you lately how happy I am that we got together? I feel like I haven’t. But I am so, so happy, Aaron.” They meet for a kiss, and he has half a mind to keep her in his room all night, propriety be damned.
“I’m so happy, too. And I’ll be even happier when we’re back in Virginia, and we’re laying on your couch watching tv, and you touch me with your frankly freezing cold feet…”
“I can’t help it! My body gets hot but my feet get cold. It’s something you’re going to have to get used to,” she says with a grin, “now that you’re in love with me.”
He grins back, because he really, really is.
“Sorry to call this meeting so abruptly; it shouldn’t take long,” Aaron says a few days later, standing with his hands on the back of his usual chair. The team is gathered in the briefing room, with the exception of Garcia, and Sophie focuses on her breathing, resolutely does not think of everything that could go wrong here today. This is their team, these are their friends. They’ll understand.
“Is everything okay?” Prentiss asks, face concerned, and he relaxes his posture, looks to the door.
“Everything’s okay, it’s not bad news. We just have to wait for Garcia.”
“Sorry guys,” the tech murmurs a moment later as she bustles in, and everyone greets her warmly. When she’s seated, Aaron straightens up, prepares to address the room. She wonders if he’s as nervous as she is; he doesn’t look it, but then again, he never does.
“Okay. As you know, the bureau’s policy on fraternization is that a supervisory agent cannot be in a relationship with a subordinate unless they are in different units, or unless the subordinate reports to another supervisory agent.”
“That's Section C, Line 5 under Fraternization in the Code of Conduct,” Reid supplies, and Sophie shoots him a smile, can’t help it.
“Is there a reason we’re going over this? Has someone done something wrong?” JJ asks, leaning forward in her chair, and Morgan does the opposite, leaning back and crossing his arms.
“Last time I checked, none of us were dating you or Rossi.” She can see Reid turn his head in her direction out of the corner of her eye, is instantly curious about what that means—but there’s plenty of time to interrogate him later. For now, she focuses on Aaron.
“That’s why we’re here. Sophie and I would like to inform you that we are in a relationship. She had been reporting to Gideon for a short period of time before he left, and then to Strauss in the interim. She will be reporting to Rossi starting today. Things in the field won’t change.” The team remains altogether silent, and Sophie feels her heart rate pick up, stomach a ball of nerves. “I’m sure you all have questions, concerns, and I’m happy to address them at this time. If you’d feel better discussing this privately, we can do that too, with Rossi or Strauss present as well, if preferred.”
More silence, and she's officially a nervous wreck. If someone is uncomfortable with their relationship, she’ll have to transfer out of the BAU. She would do it, to be with Aaron, but she really hopes she doesn’t have to.
“How long have you been together?” Prentiss asks, and she can’t help but wonder if they noticed something, some way he might have favored her that they didn’t realize, that could ruin everything.
“We’ve been seeing each other for about two months.”
“I knew it!” JJ says, and Garcia looks over at her in surprise.
“You did? How?”
“I had a feeling. It was never anything glaringly obvious, just little things here and there. He’d touch her, casually, in a way he doesn’t do with other people. Or she’d say something when he was around, and it seemed like it had another meaning.”
“Okay, Miss Not-a-Profiler,” Prentiss teases, and Reid leans forward to address JJ.
“You didn’t know,” Reid says, and his conviction surprises Sophie. “If you knew, everyone would have known. I knew.”
“How did you know?” Morgan asks, and Reid shrugs.
“I saw them kissing.”
That’s news to her. She looks at Aaron, then Reid, and Garcia looks shocked.
“You saw them kissing? When?”
“When we went to Virginia Beach. The second day, when they both wore blue? We were at that bar, and they were out on the balcony kissing.” Damn. They’re really bad at hiding things. She’s honestly surprised they made it two months without being found out—but then, she guesses, they didn’t, really.
“Why didn’t you tell us?”
“It was obviously a private moment between them. I figured when they were ready for us to know, they would tell us. And they did.” Sophie stands, keeping a few feet of distance between herself and Aaron.
“So... you guys are all okay with this? No one wants me to transfer, or anything?”
“Transfer? No, you can’t transfer,” Reid says in alarm, and JJ pats him on the shoulder.
“She’s not going anywhere. We’re absolutely fine with it, right guys?” Prentiss and Garcia share their agreement, but Morgan looks like he’s working on a tough math problem, eyes squinting.
“Wait, so—Hotch is the guy? The… the glow guy?” Sophie is confused for a moment, and then she remembers their earlier conversation, grins.
“Yes, Hotch is the guy.” Morgan looks between them like he’s seeing a whole new side of Aaron, and Sophie scoffs lightly. “You’re the one who was trying to get me to admit my feelings for him on vacation, you can’t be that surprised.”
“I thought you moved on. I never would have guessed that you two were seeing each other.”
That makes her smile, like maybe they weren’t completely obvious about everything.
“Does this mean you’re going to start sharing a room when we travel?” Reid asks, and Aaron crosses his arms, thoughtful.
“I think that would still be frowned upon by the bureau.”
“Well I only speak for myself, but if you happened to end up in the same room, I wouldn’t care. As long as I don’t have to hear it,” Morgan adds, and Sophie could hug him, really.
“I wouldn’t care either,” Prentiss agrees easily, and JJ nods.
“I wear headphones to bed,” Reid adds, perky, and Sophie laughs, shakes her head.
“Great. Well if that’s your way of giving us your blessing, guys, thank you. It means a lot.”
There are a few more questions, and then Aaron dismisses them. Sophie is very happy with how well it went, and judging by the look on his face, he is too.
“Can I talk to you?” JJ asks in an aside when they file out of the briefing room, and Sophie nods, afraid that maybe their good luck really wasn’t so good after all. The two women walk into JJ’s office, and she closes the door.
“If you’re uncomfortable at all, JJ—”
She all but tackles Sophie in a crushing hug, forcing the breath out of her lungs for more than one reason.
“I really did have a feeling you two were together,” she says when she pulls away. “You were always teasing him, and he started smiling more.” Her face softens, and she grins, bounces on the balls of her feet. “You’re in love with Hotch!”
“Yes I am,” she replies with a grin of her own. “It feels good that you know. We wanted you guys to know, but it was important to us that we spend some time getting to know each other better first, and then when Gideon left the timing wasn’t right.”
“No, of course. I know we can be all up in each other’s business, and you two deserved some time without that. I’m glad you waited.” She exhales, leans back against her desk, and looks up with a thoughtful smirk. “So what is it like?”
“Oh no, I'm not getting into that,” she answers, palms up. “We’re just any two people dating, don’t make it weird.”
“But it’s Hotch. I feel like he has one setting, and it’s… impassive.”
“He has many settings, they just belong to me now. Sorry,” she says, teasing, and they head for the door.
A couple hours later, Sophie and Aaron are on their lunch break, together, because that’s something they can do now; they sat and ate and laughed at his desk, and with the extra few minutes, they’re kissing on his couch.
There have to be some perks to being the boss, after all.
Sophie hums into the kiss, taking his face in her hands to deepen it. When she pulls back, just slightly, she’s panting, warm breath on his lips. “If I’d known disclosing our relationship to the team was going to make you this affectionate, I would have done it much sooner.”
“I’m always affectionate. When I can be,” he murmurs, leaning in for a quick kiss.
“This is different, though. We’re still at work. It’s naughty.” He pulls her in for another kiss, softer, slower, and she hums. “Your lips feel even better now that everyone knows you’re mine,” she whispers, and his next kiss is harder, passionate; nothing drives him quite as crazy as when they call each other mine.
The timer on her phone goes off, signaling the end of their lunch hour, and she sighs. “Well that was wonderful. I guess it will hold me over until tonight,” she teases, and he presses his lips to her forehead before they stand.
“It was wonderful. Good luck down there,” he says as he opens the door, can see the team standing around the bullpen awkwardly like they’re waiting for her. “Oh wait, one more thing.” He takes her chin between his fingers and tilts it up for a featherlight brush of lips, fully aware that their team can see them, too. “I love you.” She smiles, beautiful, brilliant.
“I love you too.”