Fic: Morning Meeting (Criminal Minds, Aaron Hotchner / Chad, Sean Hotchner / Cain)
Title: Morning Meeting
Fandom: Criminal Minds
Pair: Aaron Hotchner / Chad Christensen
Sean Hotchner / Cain Christensen
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine, etc.
Feedback: Always Welcome
Criminal Minds Main List
Follows:
Sibling Rivalry
Sibling Rivalry, Epilogue
Love/Hate, or Something Else
Uncontrolled, Chapter 1/2
Uncontrolled, Chapter 2/2
“Morning.” Chad greeted when Hotch walked into the kitchen. “Your bro still asleep?”
“Yeah.” Hotch sat down next the counter. “Except that I had little scare. I couldn’t find him.”
“You mean he left?”
“Not the house, just the guest room. He was in Jack’s room.”
“With Cain.” Chad added. “Don’t tell me you walked in on them.”
“They were just sleeping. With their underwear on. Sean was clutching him like he was a huge teddy bear.”
“Teddy bear?” Chad chuckled and pulled out a carton of eggs. “Scrambled?”
“Yeah. Actually it brought back some memories.”
“What kinda memories?”
“When Sean was a kid he had this stuffed bear. You know, one of those really old ones that are full of straws and hard and lumpy.”
“Yeah.”
“He found it from the attic, it was our mother’s old bear. He always took it to bed and hugged it so hard mother couldn’t pry it away from him.”
“I had a bear too, what’s the big deal?”
“Our father was pretty strict. The type that thought all kids should learn to handle themselves and sleepy toys were for little girls. When Sean was seven or eight, the bear just disappeared one day.”
“If you’re gonna start some psychobabble-rant about how he compensates for the lost bear with one-time-hooks ups-”
“I wasn’t going to say that. I just mean, that whole sight was…. It was almost…. I don’t know…..”
“Adorable?”
“Exactly. I always forget how old Sean is. He’s always a little kid to me.”
“I know the feeling. And Cain is just one year younger than me.”
“Yeah. I had already moved out when Sean was a teenager, I didn’t even see that phase. I just came back for holidays.” Hotch took the mug full of steaming coffee and pressed his palms against it’s warm sides. “You even shared a flat with Cain.”
“That’s different. We were one year apart and we went to the same college.”
“I guess. It just feels like…. Like every time I did something to make my father happy, Sean did the exact opposite just to get some attention.”
“Babe, can I be honest with you?”
“Sure.”
“You’re both adults, get over it.”
“Tough love again?”
“Sometimes it’s needed.” Chad shrugged. “I gave you some loving and now comes the tough part.”
“Okay, let’s hear it.”
“Your kid brother can be just as self-destructive as he wants. If he wants to go back to the stuff he’s been doing for the last two months, there’s nothing you can do about it.”
“So you think he’s going to go back?”
“No, I just said that he’s a grown man, even if he has the judgement of a two year old.”
“I know that, but….” Hotch buried his face behind his mug. “I’m a little jealous of you. You don’t need to worry about Cain, he can handle himself.”
Chad gave him a weird look and clanked the coffeepot to the table.
“I don’t need to worry?”
“I didn’t mean-”
“I don’t need to worry? He’s constantly travelling who knows where and most of the time I can’t even reach him.”
“Calm down, I didn’t mean it like that!”
Hotch waited for Chad to finish their eggs in silence. Finally Chad shoved a plate full of scrambled eggs in front the other man.
“Speaking of that, we need to talk about something.” Chad poured himself a new cup coffee and sat down to the other side of the table.
“Okay.”
“They offered me a promotion.”
“What’s the catch?”
“Giving up travelling.”
“So where is the job?”
“Here in Virginia.”
“Wait a minute…. They offered you Graham’s old job?”
“The head of physical training.”
“Are you going to take it?”
“I don’t know yet. If I take it, I’m gonna have to find a new apartment. My lease is about to end.”
“At least you might actually use the apartment. How many nights have you spend in your old place?”
“Not many. When I’m in Virginia I’m usually here or in Quantico.”
“So you’re planning to keep your own apartment if you take it?”
“Babe, can’t we just talk about this without all the circling?”
“Okay.” Hotch paused. “Why do you insist on keeping your own place?”
Chad shrugged. “What else would I do?”
“If…. If you don’t want to move here just say it.”
“You haven’t asked me.”
“Well…. I thought it was obvious when you started talking about moving to Virginia for good.”
“Do you want me to move here?”
“Here as in the state or here as in my house?”
“Do I need to spank you again? I’ve told you: Don’t answer with a question.”
“I…. there shouldn’t be any reason we couldn’t do it. We don’t work together, I’m not your boss.”
“What about Spencer and Morgan? They work in the same team.”
“Both they both have equal status. Besides Reid would be too hard to replace if someone had a problem with it. And the rest of the team would start a rebellion if they tried to reassign Morgan.”
“Makes sense.” Chad took a step closer. “And you still haven’t answered my question.”
“What question?”
“You know what question. Do you want me to move in?”
Hotch took a deep breath. “Yeah.”
“Okay, that’s settled.”
“Just like that?”
“Yep. But you better warn your ex.”
“Hailey? Why?”
“Because her kid spends almost every other weekend here, and she doesn’t even know there’s anything going on between us. Jack doesn’t know either. They think I’m a co-worker who’s hanging here all the time.”
“I didn’t even remember that.” Hotch admitted.
“Well, I don’t think it will big a big shock for her. She already saw me here in my undies at eight in the morning.”