BDSM big bang 2012 (Criminal Minds entry)
Title: Safe, Sane, Consensual
For warnings and other information please see part one
Part III: Safe
The first night they visited the club as patrons was a Saturday night. Matthew informed them that the club was busiest on Fridays, with frustrated tycoons and celebrating CEOs taking their pleasure after the work day. Saturday was more touristy, with anyone able to enter the club not just members only. The idea was to befriend Matthew through his boyfriend Elliot Weston and for them to make it look like they were engineering an invitation to become members. This way the UnSub, if they were in the know which the team was assuming they were, would assume that Hotch was a Dom capable of forethought and manipulation to get power. Qualities that he was approve of and they profiled that he would see them as competition and seek to find out more about them, which was when they'd begin to have an idea who they were after.
To make their jobs easier they also had a camera button on Hotch's shirt which recorded every face they met. If anyone stuck out they photographed him and at the end of the night would have some faces to show Sophia and Micah, both of whom were interested in persecuting this creep to the full extent of the law. However they couldn't guarantee that either of them would be able to successfully pick him out and the more evidence they had against him the stronger the case would be. A confession was the quickest way to a conviction, and that way they'd be able to prove he murdered Sarah as well.
Hotch was pleased to see more than a few looks of disgust being sent his way at his casual rough treatment of Reid, but there were no shortage of lustful stares at both of them that seemed to be encouraging his behaviour. Still, he couldn't let it bother him.
After a few drinks, of water not the loudly ordered vodka which the bartender knew not to give him, he managed to 'accidentally' bump into Elliot and before the night was over he and Reid were sitting with Matthew and Elliot looking like the best of new friends. Hotch made sure people overheard Matthew asking him to come back and they ended the night with no suspects. The next day both Sophia and Micah were asked to go through the pictures but from the ones that weren't blurry or too dark to make out a clear face from they couldn't say for certain if he was there.
If they had time they would have waited, but with one girl already dead they couldn't afford any more time so they went back the next night. Sundays were a lot quieter, less of the crowd was made up of curious kids looking for kicks and it was generally reserved for the more hardcore BDSM practitioners. Luckily there was nothing suspicious about Hotch and Reid showing up since they were clearly serious players and the live show of a professional Dominatrix and submissive was more than enough reason to show up. Hotch made it his purpose that night to emphasis his cruelty, snorting and making deriding comments about how the Domme on stage was being 'too easy' on the sub and telling anyone who'd listen that if that was how she treated her subs no wonder she couldn't keep one longer than the night.
Half an hour after the show ended they made a friend.
“You certainly have strong opinions,” remarked a man in his late thirties with thick brown hair and tanned skin who sat next to Hotch. Reid had noticed him staring half way through the show and had made sure Hotch knew they were being watched. They'd proceeded to give him a good show, with Hotch combing a hand through Reid's abnormally short locks, pulling every time something on stage 'angered' him. Reid had done his best to ignore any discomfort. A minor pain like hair pulling wouldn't phase the kind of submissive that he was pretending to be, but he'd be sure to play up any later pain to make Hotch seem like a harder Dom than he was able to safely be.
“I just know what I like,” Hotch said dismissively, pretending not to be interested in the other man. He had yanked on Reid's leash the minute the stranger came near, appearing both possessive and controlling. Reid stayed kneeling by his feet.
“Don't we all,” the stranger said with a smile.
Hotch looked up from his drink and gave his new friend an assessing look. “Here alone?” He asked, his tone disapproving and challenging.
“I'm never short for company,” the man smiled at them. “I see you're a one sub man.”
Hotch barked out a laugh. “Not really. But I find it convenient to keep him close.”
Reid's skin itched as he felt the newcomer's eyes on him. “He must be very loyal.”
Hotch shrugged. “He is, but then who would he tell? Who would he want to tell?” Hotch smiled and it was an expression to make most men's blood run cold. “Anyway,” he said abruptly, losing the smile and staring at his neighbour with ice in his eyes. “Who are you to question my Submissive's loyalty?” There was a dangerous edge to his voice.
“Martin Campbell. I... contribute to this club's finances. You're George Reed, am I right?” Martin asked.
“That's me,” he agreed. That was the fake alias he'd been using last night. “If you'll excuse me, I'm just on my way to the bathroom,” Hotch said, wanting to excuse himself while he checked in with his team.
He unclipped Reid from the leash while the younger man actually went to the bathroom but stayed outside himself while he called Garcia and asked her to check into this guy. His gut said that Campbell was a creep who was capable of the most horrendous acts but that didn't make him their killer. “Martin Campbell... forty-one, rich as hell of course, um... married twice, divorced once but his second wife died of... cause of death is listed as suicide but there was an enquiry, one of the policemen investigating thought her death was suspicious however the case was closed and he was retired early, very early as he was only thirty two at the time. Financials show that he donates to a charity for battered wives once a year on his first wife's birthday in her name. Looking into it... yes, it shows that Amelia Campbell Johnson accused him of battery but it never went to court. She lived at a woman's shelter for many years before reuniting with her brother who now pays for a psychiatrist of the highest esteem. One who's famous for helping women who suffered years of abuse and rape at the hands of family members. I think it's safe to say this guy is a grade A scum bag. He also paid to have the Sub Zone furnished and updated about four years ago and has been a patron ever since. I am sending a photograph to JJ who is with Micah, Annette and Sophia as we speak!”
Hopefully they were on the right track.
“Text me as soon as you know Garcia. Good work,” he said and flipped the cell phone closed before heading off into the bathroom to find Reid.
“Spencer? Where are you?” He asked, into the surprisingly dark toilets. He was sure they'd been fine a minuet ago. Then he heard it. The tell tale click of the safety of a gun being flicked.
“I'm sorry,” Martin Campbell said from the shadows. “But we never got to finish our introductions. You got my name, and I got your alias, but you never introduced me to young Spencer Reid here did you?” Martin stepped out of the shadows, revealing the stranglehold he had Reid in as he pressed a hand gun to his temple.
“Your alias, Agent Hotchner, was very convincing and extremely thorough. You really should give your technician a raise. It would almost definitely had fooled me, if not for the fact that I did a most invasive in-depth back ground check on Matthew Decker, and when I saw that his ex pet had shown up on your leash I did my own check and it turns out that you're both FBI agents in the BAU. I was so convinced you were a couple as well, congratulations on your acting. Or was it really all acting? You do look quiet angry that I have my hands on your... 'agent'? Don't take it too personally, Hotchner, while he's definitely my type I have no interest in training him,” Martin explained.
“Training him? That's what you call what you do to those people?” Hotch asked, ignoring all the personal comments and focusing on getting a confession before back-up arrived. Garcia could see everything that he could with the camera on his shirt and he had no doubt she sent Morgan and the others in as soon as the gun came into view.
“They aren't people. They're submissives, they crave being told what to do, how to do it, being humiliated and hurt when they fail. If any of them had been worthy then I would have kept them longer than a night,” Martin bragged. He had the gun, he thought he had the power. Men like him were so easily fooled. He never realised that, just like in a healthy BDSM relationship, the power wasn't in his hands.
“Like your wife? Amelia? She was worthy of your training right up until the moment she divorced you,” he said with the intention of provoking him.
“Amelia is a mess without me!” He roared, shoving Reid to the ground. Spencer fell and as he did so he kicked his feet out so that martin fell on top of him. Hotch charged at them and pulled Martin away from Reid. The gun was on the floor and Reid picked it up, aiming it at Martin with steady hands. Rossi, Prentiss and Morgan entered behind them and it was over. They had incriminating evidence and JJ had told them to pass on the message that all three of their victims that were willing to testify agreed, independently of each other that Martin was their abuser. With so many people speaking up against him, Hotch suspected that Amelia's spousal abuse claim would be revisited and the case for the murder of his second wife would probably be reopened. This man was going to prison for a really long time.
By the time Rossi and Emily had escorted Mr Campbell away, Morgan was already pulling a reluctant Reid into a manly hug and dragging him off. He wouldn't get a chance to talk to Reid before the flight home probably, but Hotch knew they'd have to have a discussion about this case soon. In the meantime he'd have to forget about how warm and welcome Reid's body had been next to his. He wrapped the leash around his hand, and did his best.
~ CM ~
The flight home felt strangely crowded to Reid, and he struggled with Morgan and Emily's constant closeness even as he longed to be closer still although that longing was directed at their boss. Despite the circumstances Reid had felt... safe on the other side of Hotch's leash, safe and valued in a way that being with Matthew and Seth never had. Since the case ended sixteen hours ago they hadn't had the chance to speak. Morgan had wrapped Reid up in cotton-wool and taken him back to the hotel after getting checked out by a doctor who'd confirmed that Reid hadn't suffered any damage at all. Still, standard operating procedure and all. Then he'd been allowed to go to sleep, waking up in the morning to find that their UnSub had been booked and was residing in prison to await trial. Matthew had been no where to be found but Spencer still didn't have anything to say to him so it was probably best that their only communication was in the form of a card thanking all the BAU members for arresting the culprit and bringing piece of mind to his patrons.
On the plane ride home Reid had spent a lot of effort to get Hotch to meet his eyes but with Garcia sat opposite him and Rossi manipulating Aaron's attention it was futile. When they arrived back in D.C, Hotch sent everyone home despite the fact that it was only the afternoon. Normally paperwork would be their priority but all the rules seem to be bendable today. Everyone rushed off home except for Hotchner who made his way up to his boss's office and disappeared for hours. Reid didn't want Hotch to feel like he was being stalked or anything so he left with JJ who dropped him off at his house before retuning home to her boyfriend and son. Spencer figured that Hotch would either find him to speak to him or that his boss didn't think they had anything to talk about. Both options were as likely as the other. He would just have to wait and deal with what happened on his own. Just like always.
Reid unlocked his door and entered his appartment only to find out that Seth was here, in his kitchen, looking like he belonged. Seth had grown up quickly after what had happened when Reid was eighteen whereas Matthew had run away from his responsibility. Seth hadn't wanted to see Spencer get hurt again, which was why he'd offered him a guardianship collar. Obviously he had no legal rights over Reid since BDSM relationships weren't lawful and the rules they existed by only really mattered in their own minds, but to both of them it had meant so much. Over the years Reid had looked to Seth for advice and shelter in romantic situations, shying away from being put in the same position he had been in with Mattie and Seth even while he attempted to explore his submissive side. Reid had never been interested in rejecting the D/s lifestyle, excepting it as a part of his own personality and kinks, but he'd needed a way to safely discover it. Seth had vetoed clubs and Doms over the years and insisted that Reid ask permission before having sex with a Dominant who knew about the scene because he worried that Reid would allow himself to be pushed too far. To this day Reid had never asked, never slept with a Dom. He'd had vanilla sex with a few people in the past, girls but no men. He only went to males for Domination, he wasn't sure if it was because of how he worried females perceived him or how he perceived women or just another kink.
Even when Seth moved away to England to teach he'd stayed in contact as Reid's protector, which had been strange when he'd married but his wife was a good woman who occasionally engaged in scenes with her husband, but they had an other wise perfectly socially acceptable relationship complete with a couple of kids and a dog. She knew about Seth's past and present involvement with Reid, neither of them had ever wanted to lie to her, but the most involvement Reid had ever had with her was when she answered the phone and Reid asked to speak to Seth.
Reid wanted to say he couldn't imagine why Seth was in the US, let alone in Reid's apartment looking like he wanted to give him a fierce spanking, but the first words out of Seth's mouth answered the question for him pretty succinctly.
“Matt called me.”
Over ten years of silence between the two best friends and all it took was Mattie to witness a few glances between Spencer and Hotch and they were on talking terms again. Those two were unbelievable.
“I haven't had a chance to talk to you in a few weeks, Seth,” Reid reminded him.
“I want to meet him,” Seth said bluntly.
“He's my boss. It was just a case, Seth, he isn't going to want me now it's over,” Reid forced the painful confession past his lips, his heart tugging as he felt inside of him the truth of those words. Hotch would never date an agent under his command, let alone a male agent ten years younger than him. Besides, Hotch was still in mourning, would be forever maybe, and he had his son to think of. He was hardly going to start going to BDSM clubs to chain Reid up and whip him until they were both panting in pleasure. The idea was absurd.
“Matt said you love him,” Seth said. Reid was figuring out fast that his old friend was pissed as hell through his inability to get more than a handful of words out at a time. Seth wasn't the smooth talker that Mattie was, but he was usually a better conversationalist than this.
The words sunk in and Reid felt a spike of anger. “What would Matthew know about me being in love? What would he even know about me, period? It isn't like he kept in contact afterwards, Seth. You're the one who put me back together after you both took your time breaking me. You I trust to know me, but I don't trust your opinion more than my own, especially when it comes to my life that has nothing to do with either of you.”
“I repented by helping you, sure, but I could never fix you, Spencer. Matt showed his remorse in other ways. He didn't let his pride get in the way when he found out people were getting hurt at the club and called you to help. He grew up, we all did,” Seth said, his voice firm.
“Right. We all grew up, but none of us forgot the past,” Reid agreed angrily. None of them could, certainly not Reid who still had nightmares of being suspended from the ceiling in front of a dozen strangers, hands roaming his naked over-sensitive skin and his mouth gagged, unable to shout out even if he knew how to get them to stop. He'd had little understanding of safewords when he'd been their sub.
“Your anger is understandable, Spencer, but don't let it cloud your thinking. I'm not going to fail you again by letting you make another bad decision,” Seth said stubbornly.
“Maybe it isn't your decision to make!” Reid told him and stormed out of his own apartment. A part of him couldn't believe how he was acting, it reminded him of how bitchy and ungrateful he'd been towards people - especially Emily - during his time on Dilaudid. Seth was a good friend who was looking out for him. The truth was Reid didn't want Seth to meet Hotch, to see that Hotch truly didn't want him or worse, to disapprove of him and then Reid would be conflicted, wondering if he could trust his own judgement. Could he? Would he ever be able to? He headed to an all night café, needing solace and an abundance of caffeine with which to sort through the chaos of his own mind, heart, and memories.
~
Hotch had long since put his son to bed and started on the paperwork to end the case when the doorbell rang. He only hoped it wasn't another crisis. He just wanted some time, a few days, hell a few hours, to put this case into perspective. To forget the ease of Reid's submission, the seductiveness of his own dominance, the feel of Reid's hair under his hand...
Hotch was still lost in that last thought when he opened the door, finding a stranger standing on his front steps. The man was tall, probably 6'3, with a toned physique and dark blond hair that was touched with gray the the temples even though the man couldn't be more than forty. A hand was thrust out in front of him, and the stranger introduced himself, “Mr Hotchner, I'm Seth Townsend. I believe we have a mutual friend.”
“You're here about Reid,” Hotch guessed, having heard his co-worker and Matthew speak the name with enough emphasis to know he was tied up in whatever had happened when they were younger. Hotch shook the outstretched hand, noting the way the other man subtly tested his strength.
“I'm here to tell you a story,” he said, with a sad smile.
“Come in,” Hotch invited after a pause.
Once inside Hotch directed the stranger to sit on the couch, choosing himself to stay standing and lean against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest. Seth's eyes roamed over Hotch's form and picked up on the defensive body language.
“We were just kids ourselves, didn't really understand anything about the BDSM scene. I'm not saying that to excuse what we did, but it's important to remember that,” Seth said, his gaze direct and honest.
“Go on,” Hotch said.
“We'd just finished college, been room mates all the way through. I'm from Texas, my folks think that gay people should be rounded up and shot before they rape our children and corrupt our Christian values. I'm not saying everyone from Texas feels that way, but my parents did and their friends did and if you wanted to be associated with the Townsend family then you did too. I was supposed to go home and marry this girl I'd known since we were in diapers but instead I stayed in Las Vegas with Matt. He was from New York City, said he knew places we could party. So for the next few months that was all we did, worked just enough to afford rent and beer, then partied until we forgot our names or the towns we'd lived in. Then one day Spencer walks into a club, we of course didn't realise he was only eighteen, working on the assumption that the bouncers bothered to check I.D.s. By the time we found out we were already responsible for hospitalizing him. We were all in over our heads, the power of the situation corrupted us completely and we didn't treat Spencer very well. I know he still has trouble remembering those times without anxiety or pain. I tried to atone by looking out for him all these years, protecting him from making the same mistake again. You saw how Matt attempted his atonement, trying to create a safe environment for people practising BDSM. Sometimes I don't think either of us succeeded,” he sighed.
“Why are you telling me all this?” Hotch asked.
“I guess I just wanted to see if you deserve his love.”
“He doesn't love me. Not sexually. My team are a family, and since Gideon left I've taken on the role of the head of the family which means I have a lot of responsibility to and authority over Reid. What happened on the case was the result of amped up emotions and a sexually charged atmosphere,” Hotch calmly reported.
“God. Do you actually believe that?” He asked with shock.
Hotch let a wry smile flash on his face. “I try to convince myself of that every day.”
“Why? Because you don't love him?”
“Because I can't be with him. He's my subordinate, and I have a responsibility to the team as a whole and to my son. I'm not a Dom and I'm not free to have a relationship with him,” even to his own ears Aaron sounded convinced. Seth nodded.
“I'll be leaving now. Sorry to have taken up your time,” he said politely and exited the Hotchner household.
Once he was gone Aaron poured himself a large drink and didn't take an easy breath until his throat burned and his insides warmed. He reminded himself that he was the boss and this is what being responsible meant, making decisions that might not feel good but were the best thing for everyone. He went to bed that night feeling as miserable as the moment he'd unclipped Spencer's leash.
The next few days were awkward at work with everyone feeling the tension. Hotch never did get the chance to talk to Spencer but this time it was because he avoided being alone with the younger agent as much as possible. He suspected that Reid didn't know how to broach the subject or if he even should and so he allowed the unhealthy tension to fester in the air. Almost a week later and the atmosphere was starting to take it's toll on them all, Hotch had barely slept and Reid looked like he was about to shrivel up and die from the uncertainty and insecurity of the situation. It only made Hotch's decision to ignore the situation and continue on as before harder because all he wanted to do was take Reid in his arms and hold him until he believe in love again.
On the sixth day JJ decided to interfere. She ambushed him in his office late at night, with her 'I'm not gonna take any shit from you but I am prepared to hug if there are feelings' look. She was a mom, they could totally pull off that look.
“Can I help you?” He asked, when all she did was come in and sit opposite him.
“Can you help yourself first?” She asked pointedly. “Or just help Spencer, because we can both see he's lost and we both know why.”
“He'll be fine. Nothings changed,” Hotch insisted.
Her eyes softened. “Aaron, that's the problem. We all know how you both feel about each other. We all do our best to take care of Reid, much to his irritation, but it's because we care. He's... fragile and innocent in a way that Morgan and Emily... well, any of us really, aren't. He didn't have a normal childhood with all the love and reassurances that that comes with, or even have normal experiences like finding himself and meeting other people like him at school. The closest thing he had to that was finding BDSM in that club, and then finding us.”
“And?” Hotch wasn't sure what her point was.
“You feel more than that. Don't deny it, you've only been in love twice in your life. First it was with Haley, and now Reid. We can all see it,” she told him bluntly.
“I'm not-”
“Aaron!”
He sighed. “He's on my team. I have responsibilities that make even thinking about it impossible.”
“He's on your team, your team who trust you and love you. We all want what's best for you. Why don't you let yourself believe that this is it for five seconds and see where you go from there?” She suggested.
“No, JJ. I can't,” he was frustrated with her for not understanding.
She smiled sadly and just shook her head. “Come with me. Let me show you something,” she said. To his surprise he did follow her. They left his office, left the bullpen, out off the offices and across the street to a waiting taxi which took them to a hotel suite. It was all very mysterious and any other day Aaron might have been amused by how 'cloak and dagger' the whole situation was turning out to be.
They strode past the check-in desk and went up in the elevator to floor seven. Down the corridor to room 724 which was situated at the end of the hall with large double doors. JJ swiped a room key and the doors opened. His whole team was inside, including Spencer who looked more than a little bit uncomfortable and nervous. Garcia was even holding his hand in support.
“What is this?” He asked.
“Reid's friend 'Seth' called us, suggested we show you how much we care about you and not about duty or obligation. This,” JJ said going to stand with her team mates and family. “Is all of us telling you we love you and want you to be happy. So be happy.”
“I just...”
“You can name a thousand reasons why this is a bad idea,” Rossi interupted his incoherent babbling. “But we can name one that trumps them all.”
“Love.”
Hotch stared at Reid, who was brave enough to say the word he couldn't even think, and at that moment he knew that he could never deny Spencer the honesty of responding. “Love,” he agreed.
Spencer smiled with the kind of happiness that only people celebrating love could feel. Hotch ignored everything in his head telling him that he shouldn't be doing this and walked towards Spencer with the intention of kissing him. “I almost didn't come,” Reid admitted when he was near.
“What changed your mind?” Aaron asked.
“I couldn't imagine what my life would be like if you died. I didn't want to regret not being brave enough to be all that I am,” he said.
“You're braver than me,” Aaron whispered.
“I've lost less,” he shrugged, like it was a small thing to risk rejection in front of all his friends, to risk his job and his safety.
Hotch didn't ever want him to regret that. He closed the gap between them and pulled Reid to him, kissing him with a gentleness that Spencer returned with passion. It felt like coming home.
“This is crazy,” Hotch panted as his team whooped and cheered.
“Then let's be crazy, while we're still alive to appreciate it,” Reid said.
“I can't be your Dom, Spencer. I'm a father and an agent and the scene is so intense. I don't know if I could do that all the time, live that way,” he said, hoping that it wasn't a deal-braker now that he'd decided to throw caution into the wind.
Spencer smiled. “That's okay. I did the whole 24/7 thing and it almost killed me. I'm more than just a sub, Aaron. As long as I can still be yours, I don't need all the bondage gear and safe words and rules. Please, just let me be yours,” he begged.
“Agreed. I'll be yours as well,” Hotch said with a smile. “Although maybe on our nights off there can still be some bondage,” he said cheekily.
“I'm definitely willing to trust you with that,” Reid kissed him again.
“Okay, so we should probably go...” Prentiss said not so subtly.
“Yeah, I have a thing,” Rossi agreed.
“Oh, but they're so sweet!” Garcia gushed.
“Come on, baby girl. I'll buy you some Mexican,” Morgan laughed as Garcia took his arm.
“Oh, and boys,” JJ interrupted them. “The room is paid for. Me and Will are taking Jack with us for the night, so enjoy yourselves!” She said as they all left.
“Oh, we will,” Hotch whispered.
“Promises, promises,” Reid replied.
“Ones I intend to keep,” Hotch assured him as they fell backward onto the bed. This was the start of something new, something risky and perhaps foolish but neither of them could bring themselves to regret it because in the end, love was what mattered and they'd fight anyone who said differently.
~ END ~
.... Thank you for reading and sorry it took so long! If you pick up of any errors please feel free to point them out (nicely) and I'll do my best to fix my mistakes. Thanks!
For warnings and other information please see part one
Part III: Safe
The first night they visited the club as patrons was a Saturday night. Matthew informed them that the club was busiest on Fridays, with frustrated tycoons and celebrating CEOs taking their pleasure after the work day. Saturday was more touristy, with anyone able to enter the club not just members only. The idea was to befriend Matthew through his boyfriend Elliot Weston and for them to make it look like they were engineering an invitation to become members. This way the UnSub, if they were in the know which the team was assuming they were, would assume that Hotch was a Dom capable of forethought and manipulation to get power. Qualities that he was approve of and they profiled that he would see them as competition and seek to find out more about them, which was when they'd begin to have an idea who they were after.
To make their jobs easier they also had a camera button on Hotch's shirt which recorded every face they met. If anyone stuck out they photographed him and at the end of the night would have some faces to show Sophia and Micah, both of whom were interested in persecuting this creep to the full extent of the law. However they couldn't guarantee that either of them would be able to successfully pick him out and the more evidence they had against him the stronger the case would be. A confession was the quickest way to a conviction, and that way they'd be able to prove he murdered Sarah as well.
Hotch was pleased to see more than a few looks of disgust being sent his way at his casual rough treatment of Reid, but there were no shortage of lustful stares at both of them that seemed to be encouraging his behaviour. Still, he couldn't let it bother him.
After a few drinks, of water not the loudly ordered vodka which the bartender knew not to give him, he managed to 'accidentally' bump into Elliot and before the night was over he and Reid were sitting with Matthew and Elliot looking like the best of new friends. Hotch made sure people overheard Matthew asking him to come back and they ended the night with no suspects. The next day both Sophia and Micah were asked to go through the pictures but from the ones that weren't blurry or too dark to make out a clear face from they couldn't say for certain if he was there.
If they had time they would have waited, but with one girl already dead they couldn't afford any more time so they went back the next night. Sundays were a lot quieter, less of the crowd was made up of curious kids looking for kicks and it was generally reserved for the more hardcore BDSM practitioners. Luckily there was nothing suspicious about Hotch and Reid showing up since they were clearly serious players and the live show of a professional Dominatrix and submissive was more than enough reason to show up. Hotch made it his purpose that night to emphasis his cruelty, snorting and making deriding comments about how the Domme on stage was being 'too easy' on the sub and telling anyone who'd listen that if that was how she treated her subs no wonder she couldn't keep one longer than the night.
Half an hour after the show ended they made a friend.
“You certainly have strong opinions,” remarked a man in his late thirties with thick brown hair and tanned skin who sat next to Hotch. Reid had noticed him staring half way through the show and had made sure Hotch knew they were being watched. They'd proceeded to give him a good show, with Hotch combing a hand through Reid's abnormally short locks, pulling every time something on stage 'angered' him. Reid had done his best to ignore any discomfort. A minor pain like hair pulling wouldn't phase the kind of submissive that he was pretending to be, but he'd be sure to play up any later pain to make Hotch seem like a harder Dom than he was able to safely be.
“I just know what I like,” Hotch said dismissively, pretending not to be interested in the other man. He had yanked on Reid's leash the minute the stranger came near, appearing both possessive and controlling. Reid stayed kneeling by his feet.
“Don't we all,” the stranger said with a smile.
Hotch looked up from his drink and gave his new friend an assessing look. “Here alone?” He asked, his tone disapproving and challenging.
“I'm never short for company,” the man smiled at them. “I see you're a one sub man.”
Hotch barked out a laugh. “Not really. But I find it convenient to keep him close.”
Reid's skin itched as he felt the newcomer's eyes on him. “He must be very loyal.”
Hotch shrugged. “He is, but then who would he tell? Who would he want to tell?” Hotch smiled and it was an expression to make most men's blood run cold. “Anyway,” he said abruptly, losing the smile and staring at his neighbour with ice in his eyes. “Who are you to question my Submissive's loyalty?” There was a dangerous edge to his voice.
“Martin Campbell. I... contribute to this club's finances. You're George Reed, am I right?” Martin asked.
“That's me,” he agreed. That was the fake alias he'd been using last night. “If you'll excuse me, I'm just on my way to the bathroom,” Hotch said, wanting to excuse himself while he checked in with his team.
He unclipped Reid from the leash while the younger man actually went to the bathroom but stayed outside himself while he called Garcia and asked her to check into this guy. His gut said that Campbell was a creep who was capable of the most horrendous acts but that didn't make him their killer. “Martin Campbell... forty-one, rich as hell of course, um... married twice, divorced once but his second wife died of... cause of death is listed as suicide but there was an enquiry, one of the policemen investigating thought her death was suspicious however the case was closed and he was retired early, very early as he was only thirty two at the time. Financials show that he donates to a charity for battered wives once a year on his first wife's birthday in her name. Looking into it... yes, it shows that Amelia Campbell Johnson accused him of battery but it never went to court. She lived at a woman's shelter for many years before reuniting with her brother who now pays for a psychiatrist of the highest esteem. One who's famous for helping women who suffered years of abuse and rape at the hands of family members. I think it's safe to say this guy is a grade A scum bag. He also paid to have the Sub Zone furnished and updated about four years ago and has been a patron ever since. I am sending a photograph to JJ who is with Micah, Annette and Sophia as we speak!”
Hopefully they were on the right track.
“Text me as soon as you know Garcia. Good work,” he said and flipped the cell phone closed before heading off into the bathroom to find Reid.
“Spencer? Where are you?” He asked, into the surprisingly dark toilets. He was sure they'd been fine a minuet ago. Then he heard it. The tell tale click of the safety of a gun being flicked.
“I'm sorry,” Martin Campbell said from the shadows. “But we never got to finish our introductions. You got my name, and I got your alias, but you never introduced me to young Spencer Reid here did you?” Martin stepped out of the shadows, revealing the stranglehold he had Reid in as he pressed a hand gun to his temple.
“Your alias, Agent Hotchner, was very convincing and extremely thorough. You really should give your technician a raise. It would almost definitely had fooled me, if not for the fact that I did a most invasive in-depth back ground check on Matthew Decker, and when I saw that his ex pet had shown up on your leash I did my own check and it turns out that you're both FBI agents in the BAU. I was so convinced you were a couple as well, congratulations on your acting. Or was it really all acting? You do look quiet angry that I have my hands on your... 'agent'? Don't take it too personally, Hotchner, while he's definitely my type I have no interest in training him,” Martin explained.
“Training him? That's what you call what you do to those people?” Hotch asked, ignoring all the personal comments and focusing on getting a confession before back-up arrived. Garcia could see everything that he could with the camera on his shirt and he had no doubt she sent Morgan and the others in as soon as the gun came into view.
“They aren't people. They're submissives, they crave being told what to do, how to do it, being humiliated and hurt when they fail. If any of them had been worthy then I would have kept them longer than a night,” Martin bragged. He had the gun, he thought he had the power. Men like him were so easily fooled. He never realised that, just like in a healthy BDSM relationship, the power wasn't in his hands.
“Like your wife? Amelia? She was worthy of your training right up until the moment she divorced you,” he said with the intention of provoking him.
“Amelia is a mess without me!” He roared, shoving Reid to the ground. Spencer fell and as he did so he kicked his feet out so that martin fell on top of him. Hotch charged at them and pulled Martin away from Reid. The gun was on the floor and Reid picked it up, aiming it at Martin with steady hands. Rossi, Prentiss and Morgan entered behind them and it was over. They had incriminating evidence and JJ had told them to pass on the message that all three of their victims that were willing to testify agreed, independently of each other that Martin was their abuser. With so many people speaking up against him, Hotch suspected that Amelia's spousal abuse claim would be revisited and the case for the murder of his second wife would probably be reopened. This man was going to prison for a really long time.
By the time Rossi and Emily had escorted Mr Campbell away, Morgan was already pulling a reluctant Reid into a manly hug and dragging him off. He wouldn't get a chance to talk to Reid before the flight home probably, but Hotch knew they'd have to have a discussion about this case soon. In the meantime he'd have to forget about how warm and welcome Reid's body had been next to his. He wrapped the leash around his hand, and did his best.
~ CM ~
The flight home felt strangely crowded to Reid, and he struggled with Morgan and Emily's constant closeness even as he longed to be closer still although that longing was directed at their boss. Despite the circumstances Reid had felt... safe on the other side of Hotch's leash, safe and valued in a way that being with Matthew and Seth never had. Since the case ended sixteen hours ago they hadn't had the chance to speak. Morgan had wrapped Reid up in cotton-wool and taken him back to the hotel after getting checked out by a doctor who'd confirmed that Reid hadn't suffered any damage at all. Still, standard operating procedure and all. Then he'd been allowed to go to sleep, waking up in the morning to find that their UnSub had been booked and was residing in prison to await trial. Matthew had been no where to be found but Spencer still didn't have anything to say to him so it was probably best that their only communication was in the form of a card thanking all the BAU members for arresting the culprit and bringing piece of mind to his patrons.
On the plane ride home Reid had spent a lot of effort to get Hotch to meet his eyes but with Garcia sat opposite him and Rossi manipulating Aaron's attention it was futile. When they arrived back in D.C, Hotch sent everyone home despite the fact that it was only the afternoon. Normally paperwork would be their priority but all the rules seem to be bendable today. Everyone rushed off home except for Hotchner who made his way up to his boss's office and disappeared for hours. Reid didn't want Hotch to feel like he was being stalked or anything so he left with JJ who dropped him off at his house before retuning home to her boyfriend and son. Spencer figured that Hotch would either find him to speak to him or that his boss didn't think they had anything to talk about. Both options were as likely as the other. He would just have to wait and deal with what happened on his own. Just like always.
Reid unlocked his door and entered his appartment only to find out that Seth was here, in his kitchen, looking like he belonged. Seth had grown up quickly after what had happened when Reid was eighteen whereas Matthew had run away from his responsibility. Seth hadn't wanted to see Spencer get hurt again, which was why he'd offered him a guardianship collar. Obviously he had no legal rights over Reid since BDSM relationships weren't lawful and the rules they existed by only really mattered in their own minds, but to both of them it had meant so much. Over the years Reid had looked to Seth for advice and shelter in romantic situations, shying away from being put in the same position he had been in with Mattie and Seth even while he attempted to explore his submissive side. Reid had never been interested in rejecting the D/s lifestyle, excepting it as a part of his own personality and kinks, but he'd needed a way to safely discover it. Seth had vetoed clubs and Doms over the years and insisted that Reid ask permission before having sex with a Dominant who knew about the scene because he worried that Reid would allow himself to be pushed too far. To this day Reid had never asked, never slept with a Dom. He'd had vanilla sex with a few people in the past, girls but no men. He only went to males for Domination, he wasn't sure if it was because of how he worried females perceived him or how he perceived women or just another kink.
Even when Seth moved away to England to teach he'd stayed in contact as Reid's protector, which had been strange when he'd married but his wife was a good woman who occasionally engaged in scenes with her husband, but they had an other wise perfectly socially acceptable relationship complete with a couple of kids and a dog. She knew about Seth's past and present involvement with Reid, neither of them had ever wanted to lie to her, but the most involvement Reid had ever had with her was when she answered the phone and Reid asked to speak to Seth.
Reid wanted to say he couldn't imagine why Seth was in the US, let alone in Reid's apartment looking like he wanted to give him a fierce spanking, but the first words out of Seth's mouth answered the question for him pretty succinctly.
“Matt called me.”
Over ten years of silence between the two best friends and all it took was Mattie to witness a few glances between Spencer and Hotch and they were on talking terms again. Those two were unbelievable.
“I haven't had a chance to talk to you in a few weeks, Seth,” Reid reminded him.
“I want to meet him,” Seth said bluntly.
“He's my boss. It was just a case, Seth, he isn't going to want me now it's over,” Reid forced the painful confession past his lips, his heart tugging as he felt inside of him the truth of those words. Hotch would never date an agent under his command, let alone a male agent ten years younger than him. Besides, Hotch was still in mourning, would be forever maybe, and he had his son to think of. He was hardly going to start going to BDSM clubs to chain Reid up and whip him until they were both panting in pleasure. The idea was absurd.
“Matt said you love him,” Seth said. Reid was figuring out fast that his old friend was pissed as hell through his inability to get more than a handful of words out at a time. Seth wasn't the smooth talker that Mattie was, but he was usually a better conversationalist than this.
The words sunk in and Reid felt a spike of anger. “What would Matthew know about me being in love? What would he even know about me, period? It isn't like he kept in contact afterwards, Seth. You're the one who put me back together after you both took your time breaking me. You I trust to know me, but I don't trust your opinion more than my own, especially when it comes to my life that has nothing to do with either of you.”
“I repented by helping you, sure, but I could never fix you, Spencer. Matt showed his remorse in other ways. He didn't let his pride get in the way when he found out people were getting hurt at the club and called you to help. He grew up, we all did,” Seth said, his voice firm.
“Right. We all grew up, but none of us forgot the past,” Reid agreed angrily. None of them could, certainly not Reid who still had nightmares of being suspended from the ceiling in front of a dozen strangers, hands roaming his naked over-sensitive skin and his mouth gagged, unable to shout out even if he knew how to get them to stop. He'd had little understanding of safewords when he'd been their sub.
“Your anger is understandable, Spencer, but don't let it cloud your thinking. I'm not going to fail you again by letting you make another bad decision,” Seth said stubbornly.
“Maybe it isn't your decision to make!” Reid told him and stormed out of his own apartment. A part of him couldn't believe how he was acting, it reminded him of how bitchy and ungrateful he'd been towards people - especially Emily - during his time on Dilaudid. Seth was a good friend who was looking out for him. The truth was Reid didn't want Seth to meet Hotch, to see that Hotch truly didn't want him or worse, to disapprove of him and then Reid would be conflicted, wondering if he could trust his own judgement. Could he? Would he ever be able to? He headed to an all night café, needing solace and an abundance of caffeine with which to sort through the chaos of his own mind, heart, and memories.
~
Hotch had long since put his son to bed and started on the paperwork to end the case when the doorbell rang. He only hoped it wasn't another crisis. He just wanted some time, a few days, hell a few hours, to put this case into perspective. To forget the ease of Reid's submission, the seductiveness of his own dominance, the feel of Reid's hair under his hand...
Hotch was still lost in that last thought when he opened the door, finding a stranger standing on his front steps. The man was tall, probably 6'3, with a toned physique and dark blond hair that was touched with gray the the temples even though the man couldn't be more than forty. A hand was thrust out in front of him, and the stranger introduced himself, “Mr Hotchner, I'm Seth Townsend. I believe we have a mutual friend.”
“You're here about Reid,” Hotch guessed, having heard his co-worker and Matthew speak the name with enough emphasis to know he was tied up in whatever had happened when they were younger. Hotch shook the outstretched hand, noting the way the other man subtly tested his strength.
“I'm here to tell you a story,” he said, with a sad smile.
“Come in,” Hotch invited after a pause.
Once inside Hotch directed the stranger to sit on the couch, choosing himself to stay standing and lean against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest. Seth's eyes roamed over Hotch's form and picked up on the defensive body language.
“We were just kids ourselves, didn't really understand anything about the BDSM scene. I'm not saying that to excuse what we did, but it's important to remember that,” Seth said, his gaze direct and honest.
“Go on,” Hotch said.
“We'd just finished college, been room mates all the way through. I'm from Texas, my folks think that gay people should be rounded up and shot before they rape our children and corrupt our Christian values. I'm not saying everyone from Texas feels that way, but my parents did and their friends did and if you wanted to be associated with the Townsend family then you did too. I was supposed to go home and marry this girl I'd known since we were in diapers but instead I stayed in Las Vegas with Matt. He was from New York City, said he knew places we could party. So for the next few months that was all we did, worked just enough to afford rent and beer, then partied until we forgot our names or the towns we'd lived in. Then one day Spencer walks into a club, we of course didn't realise he was only eighteen, working on the assumption that the bouncers bothered to check I.D.s. By the time we found out we were already responsible for hospitalizing him. We were all in over our heads, the power of the situation corrupted us completely and we didn't treat Spencer very well. I know he still has trouble remembering those times without anxiety or pain. I tried to atone by looking out for him all these years, protecting him from making the same mistake again. You saw how Matt attempted his atonement, trying to create a safe environment for people practising BDSM. Sometimes I don't think either of us succeeded,” he sighed.
“Why are you telling me all this?” Hotch asked.
“I guess I just wanted to see if you deserve his love.”
“He doesn't love me. Not sexually. My team are a family, and since Gideon left I've taken on the role of the head of the family which means I have a lot of responsibility to and authority over Reid. What happened on the case was the result of amped up emotions and a sexually charged atmosphere,” Hotch calmly reported.
“God. Do you actually believe that?” He asked with shock.
Hotch let a wry smile flash on his face. “I try to convince myself of that every day.”
“Why? Because you don't love him?”
“Because I can't be with him. He's my subordinate, and I have a responsibility to the team as a whole and to my son. I'm not a Dom and I'm not free to have a relationship with him,” even to his own ears Aaron sounded convinced. Seth nodded.
“I'll be leaving now. Sorry to have taken up your time,” he said politely and exited the Hotchner household.
Once he was gone Aaron poured himself a large drink and didn't take an easy breath until his throat burned and his insides warmed. He reminded himself that he was the boss and this is what being responsible meant, making decisions that might not feel good but were the best thing for everyone. He went to bed that night feeling as miserable as the moment he'd unclipped Spencer's leash.
The next few days were awkward at work with everyone feeling the tension. Hotch never did get the chance to talk to Spencer but this time it was because he avoided being alone with the younger agent as much as possible. He suspected that Reid didn't know how to broach the subject or if he even should and so he allowed the unhealthy tension to fester in the air. Almost a week later and the atmosphere was starting to take it's toll on them all, Hotch had barely slept and Reid looked like he was about to shrivel up and die from the uncertainty and insecurity of the situation. It only made Hotch's decision to ignore the situation and continue on as before harder because all he wanted to do was take Reid in his arms and hold him until he believe in love again.
On the sixth day JJ decided to interfere. She ambushed him in his office late at night, with her 'I'm not gonna take any shit from you but I am prepared to hug if there are feelings' look. She was a mom, they could totally pull off that look.
“Can I help you?” He asked, when all she did was come in and sit opposite him.
“Can you help yourself first?” She asked pointedly. “Or just help Spencer, because we can both see he's lost and we both know why.”
“He'll be fine. Nothings changed,” Hotch insisted.
Her eyes softened. “Aaron, that's the problem. We all know how you both feel about each other. We all do our best to take care of Reid, much to his irritation, but it's because we care. He's... fragile and innocent in a way that Morgan and Emily... well, any of us really, aren't. He didn't have a normal childhood with all the love and reassurances that that comes with, or even have normal experiences like finding himself and meeting other people like him at school. The closest thing he had to that was finding BDSM in that club, and then finding us.”
“And?” Hotch wasn't sure what her point was.
“You feel more than that. Don't deny it, you've only been in love twice in your life. First it was with Haley, and now Reid. We can all see it,” she told him bluntly.
“I'm not-”
“Aaron!”
He sighed. “He's on my team. I have responsibilities that make even thinking about it impossible.”
“He's on your team, your team who trust you and love you. We all want what's best for you. Why don't you let yourself believe that this is it for five seconds and see where you go from there?” She suggested.
“No, JJ. I can't,” he was frustrated with her for not understanding.
She smiled sadly and just shook her head. “Come with me. Let me show you something,” she said. To his surprise he did follow her. They left his office, left the bullpen, out off the offices and across the street to a waiting taxi which took them to a hotel suite. It was all very mysterious and any other day Aaron might have been amused by how 'cloak and dagger' the whole situation was turning out to be.
They strode past the check-in desk and went up in the elevator to floor seven. Down the corridor to room 724 which was situated at the end of the hall with large double doors. JJ swiped a room key and the doors opened. His whole team was inside, including Spencer who looked more than a little bit uncomfortable and nervous. Garcia was even holding his hand in support.
“What is this?” He asked.
“Reid's friend 'Seth' called us, suggested we show you how much we care about you and not about duty or obligation. This,” JJ said going to stand with her team mates and family. “Is all of us telling you we love you and want you to be happy. So be happy.”
“I just...”
“You can name a thousand reasons why this is a bad idea,” Rossi interupted his incoherent babbling. “But we can name one that trumps them all.”
“Love.”
Hotch stared at Reid, who was brave enough to say the word he couldn't even think, and at that moment he knew that he could never deny Spencer the honesty of responding. “Love,” he agreed.
Spencer smiled with the kind of happiness that only people celebrating love could feel. Hotch ignored everything in his head telling him that he shouldn't be doing this and walked towards Spencer with the intention of kissing him. “I almost didn't come,” Reid admitted when he was near.
“What changed your mind?” Aaron asked.
“I couldn't imagine what my life would be like if you died. I didn't want to regret not being brave enough to be all that I am,” he said.
“You're braver than me,” Aaron whispered.
“I've lost less,” he shrugged, like it was a small thing to risk rejection in front of all his friends, to risk his job and his safety.
Hotch didn't ever want him to regret that. He closed the gap between them and pulled Reid to him, kissing him with a gentleness that Spencer returned with passion. It felt like coming home.
“This is crazy,” Hotch panted as his team whooped and cheered.
“Then let's be crazy, while we're still alive to appreciate it,” Reid said.
“I can't be your Dom, Spencer. I'm a father and an agent and the scene is so intense. I don't know if I could do that all the time, live that way,” he said, hoping that it wasn't a deal-braker now that he'd decided to throw caution into the wind.
Spencer smiled. “That's okay. I did the whole 24/7 thing and it almost killed me. I'm more than just a sub, Aaron. As long as I can still be yours, I don't need all the bondage gear and safe words and rules. Please, just let me be yours,” he begged.
“Agreed. I'll be yours as well,” Hotch said with a smile. “Although maybe on our nights off there can still be some bondage,” he said cheekily.
“I'm definitely willing to trust you with that,” Reid kissed him again.
“Okay, so we should probably go...” Prentiss said not so subtly.
“Yeah, I have a thing,” Rossi agreed.
“Oh, but they're so sweet!” Garcia gushed.
“Come on, baby girl. I'll buy you some Mexican,” Morgan laughed as Garcia took his arm.
“Oh, and boys,” JJ interrupted them. “The room is paid for. Me and Will are taking Jack with us for the night, so enjoy yourselves!” She said as they all left.
“Oh, we will,” Hotch whispered.
“Promises, promises,” Reid replied.
“Ones I intend to keep,” Hotch assured him as they fell backward onto the bed. This was the start of something new, something risky and perhaps foolish but neither of them could bring themselves to regret it because in the end, love was what mattered and they'd fight anyone who said differently.
~ END ~
.... Thank you for reading and sorry it took so long! If you pick up of any errors please feel free to point them out (nicely) and I'll do my best to fix my mistakes. Thanks!