The care and feeding of a genius - Part Three
Genius meant thinking outside the box. It meant sudden bursts of inspiration. It meant the fevered pursuit of a new idea. It meant brilliance and madness occasionally blurring their boundaries.
What Derek Morgan had not expected it to mean was a childlike susceptibility to boredom.
Perhaps it was because Reid’s brain sometimes worked so much faster than other people’s that he had reached the answer so long before anybody else that it was embarrassing for all concerned. And although this lightning-fast thinking had at first intimidated Morgan, he had quickly gotten over himself and began to sympathise with Spencer. That had to be damn frustrating. Like being stuck in a class at school that was several years below your mental age. And considering Spencer had grade-skipped his way through school frighteningly quickly, Morgan had a pretty good idea that that was exactly how Spencer felt sometimes. Particularly when paperwork was involved.
And with that thought, something occurred to Morgan.
Perhaps this had nothing to do with genius. Perhaps this was just Spencer being...normal.
Because which one of the team wasn’t bored to tears when they had a week of no cases, of just sitting and completing mountains of paperwork? And which one of them wasn’t frustrated and tired and sick of sifting through the same pieces of evidence over and over and over again when they reached gridlock on a case?
So maybe it was just the way that Spencer chose to deal with this boredom that was...unique.
Derek knew that when Spencer was pursuing an idea, he forgot about the world around him and social etiquette faded into non-existence, and maybe the same thing happened when he was bored. Which may explain why Reid could deal with his boredom in ways that were, quite frankly, childish, and not become self-conscious.
Or maybe his parents - before everything had fallen apart - had been so caught up with the fact that their child was gifted that they spent all their time nurturing his exceptional ability, while neglecting to teach him some basic etiquette. So maybe it did have just a little to do with genius.
Either way, Spencer Reid was sitting next to Morgan right now, spinning rapidly in his swivel chair, legs tucked in under himself, stubbornly ignoring the files that he had been battling with all morning.
It really shouldn’t be sweet. He really should say something. He knew it wasn’t exactly professional. But...it was sweet. It was endearing. Besides, it was Hotch’s job to issue reprimands. Let him deal with Reid. This sort of thing had always been his domain. Let him try to deny Reid anything.
But that was the problem, Morgan thought as he saw Hotch stride through the bullpen.
Despite his stern exterior, Hotch really couldn’t deny Reid anything. Even if it was the right to swivel in his swivel chair.
“Reid.” Hotch sighed, putting a hand on the younger man’s shoulder, gently stopping his spinning.
Reid looked up with those wide, oblivious eyes, and Morgan knew that Hotch was done for.
“Yes?” The kid really, sincerely didn’t have a clue as to why his behaviour might be slightly inappropriate.
In the face of such naive and innocent ignorance, even the ever-confident Hotch found himself stymied. Again. What the hell could you say to that eager-to-please look? On anybody else it would have been insincere; a facetious attempt to cover up their guilt, but on Reid it was just...painfully earnest.
In response to Hotch’s silence, Reid cocked his head curiously, as if trying to figure out what Hotch could possibly want. Then his face lit up, and he reached around to grab the files on his desk, turning and presenting them to Hotch with a victorious air, happy at having something to present to his boss, who was clearly waiting for something.
“The reports are all done.”
And that was the killing blow. Because, really, if the kid had finished all his designated work, and it was only them in the office, and everyone else who worked here knew Reid anyway, what the hell harm could it do to let the kid have his fun?
Hotch allowed a small smile and a sigh to pass his lips.
“Thank you, Reid.”
Reid beamed, delighted to have pleased Hotch, then, with one cheerful glance towards Morgan, resumed his spinning once more.