Confrontation
Title: Confrontation
Fandom: Criminal Minds
Pairing: Hotch/Reid
Rating: PG
Summary: Confrontation.
Authors note: I'm tired.
Follows
Expectation
Awareness
Unintended
Misunderstanding
Relinquish
Confrontation [kon-fruhn-tey-shuh
n]
-noun
an act of confronting.
the state of being confronted.
a meeting of persons face to face.
an open conflict of opposing ideas, forces, etc.
a bringing together of ideas, themes, etc., for comparison.
Psychology. a technique used in group therapy, as in encounter groups, in which one is forced to recognize one's shortcomings and their possible consequences.
Spencer wasn't sure what to think; so when he arrived at work after a sleepless night with the image of Hotch walking away from him, he sought out Penelope the next day and found her having yet another heated discussion with Derek he was just happy they were both there. “Guys, help!”
It seemed that's all either of them needed to hear, because both of them seemed to forget whatever they'd been arguing about and focused on the panic that Spencer thought was probably completely obvious.
It took less than a minute for Penelope to grab him, “Oh Hunny-Bunny! What's going on? You look...”
She trailed off and bit her lip and Derek finished, “You look like crap Reid.”
Spencer snorted, “Thanks, I don't feel much better.”
“Oh!” Penelope pulled him into a hug and Spencer would never admit out loud how much that helped, Spencer unconsciously buried his face into her soft shoulder for a moment. At least until Derek cleared his throat rather loudly, Spencer turned just in time to see his friend try to hide a glare and pulled away. “Spencer what's wrong doll? Is it the stomach thing still?”
“No.” Spencer frowned, “I think Hotch is mad at me.”
And then two things happened, Morgan started to laugh and Rossi walked through the door looking stern, “Reid, I need you to straighten somethings out.” and then Spencer wanted to die.
~~```~~~~```~~~~```~~~~```~~~~```~~~~```~~~~```~~
Aaron sighed morosely and poked at the paperwork in front of him. Not thinking of Reid was harder than he'd thought it would be. Especially when he'd woken up gasping the younger man's given name. He sighed, again, and rubbed his face.
Coming clean to Rossi that morning about what he'd heard hadn't been easy, but clearly he couldn't have hidden it from his friend. And not only because he needed someone to listen to him, mainly because this way Rossi wouldn't keep bugging him to make a “move”.
Aaron sighed, and decided to risk the break room, he needed coffee.
~~```~~~~```~~~~```~~~~```~~~~```~~~~```~~~~```~~
“He over heard what?” Spencer felt his voice crack on the last word, and knew his face was probably comical.
Rossi sighed, “You heard me.”
“That's what has him mad?” Derek's voice was a bit skeptical.
Rossi shook his head, “He isn't mad, he's just...confused. And he needs to be straightened out, and the only person that can do that is Reid.”
“Me?” Spencer swallowed almost painfully, “Why me?”
Rossi looked at him with a nonplussed expression on his face, “This concern's you, so of course it has to be you.”
“But-”
Spencer had hardly gotten the word out before Derek cut in, “And I did tell you to either do something about it or let it go. You've been in limbo too long man.”
Spencer felt Penelope grab his hand, “It's better to just face it, you'll be okay either way. If nothing else we'll go get more triple chocolate cake.”
Spencer felt numb as he was gently propelled out of Penelope's office and down the hall, he barely registered Rossi's “He's in the break room probably.” before he got on the elevator and punched the correct button.
Derek gave a low groan, “God that was like pulling teeth.”
“I hope he's okay, I know I said he would be either way but this could really hurt him.” Penelope's voice was worried, “He definitely needed to take this step though.”
“I know right? Three years is a long damn time.” Derek shook his head before turning to Rossi, “Wait, how'd you know?”
Rossi leveled a glare at them, “Please, I've been doing this job for longer than anyone. Hell, I'm surprised it's taken me this long to crack the two of them.” He paused and glanced between them, “And you two are a bit hypocritical to be talking about those two.” He didn't wait for an answer as he walked off.
~~```~~~~```~~~~```~~~~```~~~~```~~~~```~~~~```~~
Aaron sat in the break room numbly stirring his coffee, wondering if he'd run into Reid again that day. Completely unsure on if he wanted to run into the younger man or not.
He didn't notice said young man gently ease the door open, but he did hear him clear his throat and looked up startled. Reid sent him a small smile that hurt, before saying “We really need to talk.”
Aaron nodded numbly and Reid blinked, “You aren't going to like disappear if I pour myself some coffee right? Promise?” Aaron felt himself nod and shake his head at appropriate times a bit shocked Spencer (Reid!) cared but didn't move as he watched the younger man move around the room getting his coffee.
~~```~~~~```~~~~```~~~~```~~~~```~~~~```~~~~```~~
Spencer had never seen Hotch so distracted, and as he settled across from his...something he felt a stab of worry run through his chest. But Spencer thought he was getting good at this telling people thing, so the next logical step was to actually tell Hotch.
“Rossi said you over heard somethings.” There was silence, and Spencer bit his lip before continuing “And I thought I should clear up some misunderstandings.”
Hotch suddenly shook his head violently, “Please, don't.” His voice was low and a bit hoarse, and another stab went through Spencer's chest. “I don't want to know who he is. Please don't tell me.”
Spencer mutely watched Hotch cross the room to the coffeemaker to refill his cup, obviously needing an excuse to get away. Spencer couldn't have stopped himself from following if he'd tried, before the young man really knew what he was doing he had his arms wrapped around Hotch from behind and was burying his face into the back of his jacket. “It's you. It was always you.”
~~```~~~~```~~~~```~~~~```~~~~```~~~~```~~~~```~~
Hotch felt his chest constrict when Reid's arms wound around his wiast and the words registered in his head.
“It's you. It was always you.”
And the world went white, and before he registered really what was happening he was turning in Spencer's(!) hold and muttering “Really?”
Spencer gave him a sweet smile and nodded, “My mother always told me you'd never hear anything good if you eavesdropped.”
And Aaron was too happy to argue as he wrapped his own arms around Spencer, they still had things to work out but what matter had been settled.
And nothing could feel more right.
I got into direct confrontation with everybody I love.
-Lauren Hill