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This was a bad idea, Spencer knew this was a bad idea. This is how everybody dies in a fucking horror movie, and despite this being real life, fiction is based in facts. And the fact is, this was a very bad idea. Why the team decided to separate in a dark forest was beyond him! Spencer sighed as he threaded through trees and long grass, gun and flashlight out. Why didn’t he just stick with Aaron, or Derek? That would’ve been a much better idea. And how the fuck was he meant to get out?
Yeah, he’s got an eidetic memory, but every tree looks the fucking same and Spencer isn’t that good! It doesn’t help that he’s on edge, every movement caused him to snap his gaze over. And thank god he was on guard, because the UnSub came out of left field (literally), swinging a cleaver knife at him. Spencer tripped backwards trying to avoid it, knocking his head against a rock, and with a grunt, he momentarily lost focus, and just as the cleaver came down, he rolled to avoid it, aiming his gun and perfectly shooting in his temple with a sharp breath.
“Reid!” Derek’s voice carried through, and Spencer exhaled unevenly as the unsub dropped dead to the ground, scooting himself away and up against a tree, watching him bleed, his eyes open. He groaned as his head started to pound, and the reached up to touch the side of his head where he hit it against the rock, he was bleeding.
“Reid!” Aaron’s voice carried through, bringing him back.
“Here! He’s dead!” Spencer called. “Aaron!” He yelled louder, before he was finally able to hear footsteps running closer.
Aaron reached him first, and immediately fell to Spencer’s aid, checking his bleeding head as Spencer winced. He lifted Spencer’s face, his own closer than originally intended as he inspected the younger agent, face screwed up in worry. “I’m fine- I’m fine,” Spencer promised, staring up at Aaron with a doe-eyed look; exhaling softly. “I just hit my head on a rock, I tripped-”
“You’ve got this handled?” Aaron asked, looking at Derek, who nodded as he inspected the UnSub. The chief looked back at Spencer. “Can you stand?”
Spencer nodded as he accepted Aaron’s hand, pulling himself up. The sudden movement made him dizzy, and he clutched onto Aaron as he tried to steady himself. He could feel Derek’s hand on him, trying to support and push him up into Aaron’s arms, before helping medics with the UnSub.
“I’m okay, I’m okay,” Spencer promised, though his hand stayed clutched on Aaron’s arm. “Let’s just go, please— please.”
“C’mon, I gotcha, c’mon-,” Aaron whispered, supporting him through the trees and back to the main road where the ambulance and group of officers were waiting, muttering the whole way how worried he’d been.
-7-
Aaron doesn’t remember ever being that worried since that night in the forest, until about an hour ago, when both Spencer and the UnSub are nowhere to be found in the multimillion dollar mansion the UnSub owned. It felt like they looked everywhere, and with no luck, Aaron left the group to look outside on the property, finding a crack big enough to fit a person and a half, hidden by a tarp, and leading to a crawl space. He drew his gun.
“Reid?” He called, flickering on his flashlight.
The sound of metal hitting flesh and something hitting the ground made Aaron snap his gaze and gun over, ready to shoot. But, just like that night in the forest, Spencer was leaning against something, bleeding, and the UnSub was dead. Spencer looked over at Aaron, exhaling shakily, holding a metal pipe, his gun nowhere to be seen.
“Spencer-“ Aaron breathed, holstering his gun and quickly running over. Spencer dropped the pipe, hands shaky as he stared at the UnSub.
“Is he…?” Spencer whispered.
“The way he’s bleeding, probably,” Aaron whispered, inspecting Spencer’s face the best he could with the low light. “What’d he do- we lost you-“
“Just- just take me up,” Spencer whispered, and Aaron nodded, leading him to the hole.
“I found him!” Aaron said as soon as he pulled Spencer up, inspecting him closer in the evening light. Spencer’s eyes were slightly glossed, his face bruised, lip, nose, and eyebrow bleeding. “What’d he do?”
Spencer stayed quiet for a moment as Aaron walked him to the front steps to sit him down, shooing others away for a second so Spencer could process and think. “He tried,” Spencer whispered. “He tried drugging me, but- I overpowered him, so he resorted to beating me,” Spencer whispered, raising a hand to touch his face, wincing. “I lost my gun- I ended up just grabbing whatever I could- I didn’t mean to-“
“Shh, it’s okay,” Aaron promised. “One less fucker in the world? I’m not gonna complain.”
Spencer stared at Aaron for a moment, glancing down at his mouth before sighing and laying his head against Aaron’s shoulder, “I wanna go home,” he whispered.
Aaron sighed, taking Spencer’s hand in his own and squeezing before the paramedics were free to check on the genius.
-7-
“How’s the world gonna end?” Jack asked as Spencer was making him some Mac and Cheese.
“Most likely? The sun’ll go through its lifespan and explode into a nebula,” Spencer said as he strained the noodles, Galaxy at his feet waiting for a snack.
“When’s that gonna happen?” Jack asked.
“In about 7 billion to 8 billion years. So way out of our lifetimes.”
“What happens when the sun explodes?”
“The earth will burn up so fast no one will even really notice,” Spencer poured the cheese sauce on the cooked noodles, giving Galaxy a small bit of a hotdog before cutting those up for Jack’s snack as well. Once it was all mixed and ready, Spencer served it with a small smile. “Eat up, Bubs.”
Perfect timing for a knock at the door. “It’s open, Aaron,” Spencer called, getting himself a bowl as the door opened.
“You do realize how unsafe that is, right?” Aaron asked as he walked in.
“I just unlocked it two minutes ago, I was timing how long it took you to get from the office to here,” Spencer said, looking at his watch. “And my calculations were almost perfect. You were early by 15 seconds.”
“Good to know,” Aaron chuckled, setting his suitcase down. “Hi buddy, how was school?”
“Good! Spencie made me Mac’n’cheese!” Jack giggled, happily taking a bite.
“Ooh, how yummy,” Aaron chuckled. “Thank you, again, for watching him during my meeting.”
“No problem, thanks for letting me house him at my place,” Spencer chuckled, and Aaron smiled. “How was the meeting?”
“Boring, they were just discussing the new things coming to the BAU,” Aaron said as he sat down next to Jack. “Things I already knew about, so really the meeting was pointless for me since I already signed off on the things they talked about.”
“That’s always fun,” Spencer said, lighthearted and joking as he set a bowl of mac’n’cheese in front of Aaron. “Have some, it’ll make you feel better.”
Aaron chuckled, “Thanks,” He mumbled, taking a bite.
Spencer continued humoring Jack’s silly questions as they all ate, and Aaron listened in for a while with a small smile. Spencer often stole a glance at Aaron, who would spare him a small smile, before turning back to Jack. When their dinner was done, Jack ran on the couch where Galaxy was laying, starting to play and talk with her while Spencer turned on a cartoon to keep Jack busy while he cleaned up.
“I don’t understand how you put up with all of those questions,” Aaron chuckled, and Spencer smiled at him, shrugging.
“He’s a kid, and I don’t mind answering questions,” Spencer shrugged. “Even if they are a bit ridiculous.”
“You’ve got patience, that’s for sure,” Aaron chuckled, “How’re you feeling, by the way, after the Stanning case?”
“I’m alright,” Spencer said, soft as if trying to keep it down from Jack. “I just feel lucky that I’m taking self defense lessons from Derek, or I don’t think I would’ve been able to win against the initial fight with him and the needle,” Spencer said, honestly. “I found him outside and I saw him go into the little hole in the wall…”
“Why didn’t you call for backup?” Aaron asked, leaning back against the counter.
“I did,” Spencer said, “I called for help in the backyard.”
“We couldn’t find you, until I saw the hole,” Aaron mumbled, and Spencer shrugged.
“I must’ve not been heard,” He decided. “It’s fine, I’m not upset, I’m not hurt… anymore, things happen.”
“You could’ve died, that’s not a mistake the team can afford to make,” Aaron whispered, and Spencer sighed again, smiling at Aaron.
“Lucky for us, I can defend myself now, even with impromptu weapons,” He promised as he opened the dishwasher. “Clearly, I killed a man with one.”
“You shouldn’t have had to,” Aaron mumbled.
“Arguing with me about it won’t get you anywhere,” Spencer said softly, patting Aaron’s chest softly as he loaded the dishes in, running a hand through his hair as he closed it, without starting it. “Besides, what’s done is done, and I won against him eventually.”
“Eventually,” Aaron mimicked in a softer tone. Spencer stared at him for a moment with a very gentle, adoring gaze.
“You were worried about me,” Spencer whispered.
“Yes, I was, very much so,” Aaron confirmed. “You could’ve died, Spencer.”
“We all take that risk with every case,” Spencer reasoned, and Aaron sighed, having heard it all before. “Don’t get that attitude with me, you know I’m right. And don’t act like you haven’t said that exact speech before.”
“I know, I know,” Aaron said with a tone of defeat. “It just… it scared me.”
“I’ll try not to let it happen again,” Spencer promised.
-7-
Spencer sighed as cool air filled his lungs. He was sitting on his balcony, looking out into the city after finishing a book he’s reread for the 30th time. Now, he was tired, but he couldn’t find a way, or place, to sleep. Bed was too warm, the couch was uncomfortable, and out here in his bench was too cold, even with a blanket.
“You know, you could be killed out here,” Aaron’s voice made him jump as he stepped out onto the balcony. “I could’ve been a robber, shot you right in the back of the head.”
“Mhm,” Spencer hummed as Aaron sat down right next to him. “I’ll take the risk.”
“Guess I should take it with you,” Aaron said, looking out over the city. “Good book?”
“Yeah, the first 20 times I’ve read it,” Spencer chuckled. “20 to 30 is kinda where I got bored.”
“Find a new book,” Aaron suggested, and Spencer playfully glared at him. “Regardless, shouldn’t you be sleeping?”
“Can’t sleep,” Spencer mumbled, “Couch is uncomfortable, my room’s too hot, I would sleep out here but it’s too cold.”
“Well, that’s just no good, is it?” Aaron asked, and Spencer chuckled softly as he glanced at Aaron. He leaned his head against the hand that started running through his hair.
“No, I guess not,” Spencer whispered. “But, with you and Jack here, I’m willing to stay up and keep an eye on you guys,” he teased.
“Yeah, because I planned on going through everything of yours,” Aaron whispered, and Spencer chuckled.
“You won’t find anything fun,” Spencer whispered back, patting Aaron’s leg gently before sighing again and looking back out to the city, feeling Aaron’s eyes on him.
After a while, Spencer looked back at him, “Staring isn’t polite, you know,” Spencer whispered.
“I know,” Aaron whispered, “But I’m debating…”
“Oh? Debating what?” Spencer asked.
“Whether not I take the risk and kiss you,” Aaron whispered, eyes drifting down to Spencer’s lip, but only for a moment.
“I think you should take the risk,” Spencer whispered, and Aaron chuckled softly, his hand firming behind Spencer’s head and pulling him in for a kiss.
Spencer smiled against Aaron’s lips as they sealed against his own, his hand raising to hold his jawline. Aaron pulled away after a moment, leaving Spencer smiling at him in his wake. They were barely separated, their noses could brush against each other, but the gentle exhale that left Spencer’s lips pulled Aaron in for another one.
Spencer hummed as the second kiss was deeper, Aaron catching his bottom lip gently between the tips of his teeth, and Spencer opening up just enough to make the kiss that much more passionate, his other hand moving and wrapping around Aaron to hold him closer.
“Daddy!” Jack’s voice called from inside the house, clearly searching for the man in front of Spencer as he pulled away.
“If you’d excuse me,” Aaron whispered, breathless, and Spencer just smiled giddily at him.
“I think I’ll come with you,” Spencer whispered, and they both stood, walking inside the house as Jack called for his father again.