Fic: Compassionate Curiosity (1/1 Criminal Minds)
Title: Compassionate Curiosity
Series: Of Innocence and Empathy
Author: Frogg
Beta: Fireness
Rating: FRT-13, pre-slash
Disclaimer: I don't own them. Damnit.
Challenge: 50episodes - Criminal Minds, Morgan/Reid
Table: 2
Prompt: 12. Curious
Word Count: 639
Author's Note: Occurs post-Profiler, Profiled, but before Morgan and Reid become lovers. Sequel to A Waking World.
JJ scrubbed at her eyes, glaring at the open file in her lap. It refused to come into focus, her overtaxed mind more interested in her teammates on the other side of the plane than the gruesome photographs and stark reports in front of her.
Morgan was still reading, book in his left hand, right elbow draped over Reid's shoulder, hand stroking Reid's hair absentmindedly. Every so often, Morgan flipped the book over, thumb holding his place, so he could look down at the sleeper using him for a pillow.
JJ had never seen that tender look on his face before and had to wonder.
What had changed between them?
They all had nightmares; any agent worth his or her badge did, at least occasionally. Reid having one on the plane wasn't surprising.
Morgan being able to stop it - more importantly, how he was able to stop it - was.
Giving up on the files, she let them sag forgotten in her lap.
For once in her career, JJ regretted not having the training her teammates had.
'Oh, come on. You've spent years working with the best profilers in the country,' she told herself. 'This isn't rocket science.'
She sighed and rubbed her eyes. 'If I were Reid...the only reason Morgan would let me sleep like that would be if we were dating, but Morgan's straight. Except...' A tiny shiver zipped down her spine. 'What Carl did to him probably made him reject anything less than one hundred percent heterosexual. And Reid isn't exactly a threat of any sort.'
'Reid...well, I always thought he was bi, at best. Lila Archer not withstanding.' JJ spared a moment to recollect Reid's crush on the actress.
'They've been...closer, almost since Chicago,' and her mind shied away from the ugly history she'd learned while there. 'And Reid calling Hotch "Mom"...'
'If they're lovers, why would they hide it?'
Her hands closed the file folder; she stared at them dumbly, as if they belonged to someone else.
'Because they aren't...yet?'
JJ huffed a sigh and tossed the file carelessly on the seat next to her, one of the photos escaping the clip to peek out from the edge. Throat dry, she got to her feet and made her way to the tiny galley for a glass of water, then slid onto the bench seat beside Emily and eyed Gideon and Hotch across the table.
"Is there something we should know about them?" she asked quietly, knowing the roar of the plane and distance would keep Morgan from overhearing.
Gideon didn't look up from his contemplation of the chessboard. "Morgan and Reid have found a way to help each other cope."
"And?"
Hotch glanced at her from beneath raised eyebrows. "And what?"
"That's a little personal for coworkers, or even friends," JJ explained.
"Jealous?" JJ could hear Emily's smirk.
"No. I just want to know."
"Know what?" Gideon moved a knight, taking one of Emily's rooks. "Your move."
JJ grit her teeth, then forced herself to relax. “Morgan and Reid have gotten really close since...what went down in Chicago.”
“True.”
“So, are they...involved?” JJ asked, having pondered and discarded several less polite terms.
“Give them a few weeks,” Hotch answered.
JJ nodded, her suspicions confirmed. “Does Garcia know?”
Finally tearing his gaze from the chess game, Gideon looked up at her and smiled. “Garcia knew before any of us did. Maybe before they did,” he added, nodding towards the pair at the other end of the plane.
Relieved, JJ finger-combed a strand of hair out of her face and sighed. “Good, I don’t want to have to help hide any bodies.”
Emily and Hotch laughed; Gideon gave a small smile.
“What?” JJ asked, indignantly. “You know she would.”
Emily patted her on the shoulder, commiserating. “I’ll help you hide the bodies, JJ.”
~~~the end~~~
Previous: A Waking World
Next: Empathic Adaptations
Series: Of Innocence and Empathy
Author: Frogg
Beta: Fireness
Rating: FRT-13, pre-slash
Disclaimer: I don't own them. Damnit.
Challenge: 50episodes - Criminal Minds, Morgan/Reid
Table: 2
Prompt: 12. Curious
Word Count: 639
Author's Note: Occurs post-Profiler, Profiled, but before Morgan and Reid become lovers. Sequel to A Waking World.
JJ scrubbed at her eyes, glaring at the open file in her lap. It refused to come into focus, her overtaxed mind more interested in her teammates on the other side of the plane than the gruesome photographs and stark reports in front of her.
Morgan was still reading, book in his left hand, right elbow draped over Reid's shoulder, hand stroking Reid's hair absentmindedly. Every so often, Morgan flipped the book over, thumb holding his place, so he could look down at the sleeper using him for a pillow.
JJ had never seen that tender look on his face before and had to wonder.
What had changed between them?
They all had nightmares; any agent worth his or her badge did, at least occasionally. Reid having one on the plane wasn't surprising.
Morgan being able to stop it - more importantly, how he was able to stop it - was.
Giving up on the files, she let them sag forgotten in her lap.
For once in her career, JJ regretted not having the training her teammates had.
'Oh, come on. You've spent years working with the best profilers in the country,' she told herself. 'This isn't rocket science.'
She sighed and rubbed her eyes. 'If I were Reid...the only reason Morgan would let me sleep like that would be if we were dating, but Morgan's straight. Except...' A tiny shiver zipped down her spine. 'What Carl did to him probably made him reject anything less than one hundred percent heterosexual. And Reid isn't exactly a threat of any sort.'
'Reid...well, I always thought he was bi, at best. Lila Archer not withstanding.' JJ spared a moment to recollect Reid's crush on the actress.
'They've been...closer, almost since Chicago,' and her mind shied away from the ugly history she'd learned while there. 'And Reid calling Hotch "Mom"...'
'If they're lovers, why would they hide it?'
Her hands closed the file folder; she stared at them dumbly, as if they belonged to someone else.
'Because they aren't...yet?'
JJ huffed a sigh and tossed the file carelessly on the seat next to her, one of the photos escaping the clip to peek out from the edge. Throat dry, she got to her feet and made her way to the tiny galley for a glass of water, then slid onto the bench seat beside Emily and eyed Gideon and Hotch across the table.
"Is there something we should know about them?" she asked quietly, knowing the roar of the plane and distance would keep Morgan from overhearing.
Gideon didn't look up from his contemplation of the chessboard. "Morgan and Reid have found a way to help each other cope."
"And?"
Hotch glanced at her from beneath raised eyebrows. "And what?"
"That's a little personal for coworkers, or even friends," JJ explained.
"Jealous?" JJ could hear Emily's smirk.
"No. I just want to know."
"Know what?" Gideon moved a knight, taking one of Emily's rooks. "Your move."
JJ grit her teeth, then forced herself to relax. “Morgan and Reid have gotten really close since...what went down in Chicago.”
“True.”
“So, are they...involved?” JJ asked, having pondered and discarded several less polite terms.
“Give them a few weeks,” Hotch answered.
JJ nodded, her suspicions confirmed. “Does Garcia know?”
Finally tearing his gaze from the chess game, Gideon looked up at her and smiled. “Garcia knew before any of us did. Maybe before they did,” he added, nodding towards the pair at the other end of the plane.
Relieved, JJ finger-combed a strand of hair out of her face and sighed. “Good, I don’t want to have to help hide any bodies.”
Emily and Hotch laughed; Gideon gave a small smile.
“What?” JJ asked, indignantly. “You know she would.”
Emily patted her on the shoulder, commiserating. “I’ll help you hide the bodies, JJ.”
~~~the end~~~
Previous: A Waking World
Next: Empathic Adaptations