oneshot : abercrombie and fitch
Title: Prompt #1: A for Abercrombie and Fitch
Rating: PG / FRT
Pairing: Hotch/Reid
Word Count: 1,974
Summary: But her smile did absolutely nothing to ease his victimization from Morgan and Prentiss.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters used in my story. They belong to CBS. And some spoilers for 5x9.
Dedication: For ordinaryxday . Thanks for being awesome and supportive. And also thanks to freddlerabbit for betaing.
The whole revelation really started when Morgan and Prentiss were talking about clothing. At first, Reid didn’t bother engaging himself in their heartily discussion about favoured casual clothing stores. In fact, Reid paid absolutely no attention at all because of the file he was reviewing: four murders, exactly three months apart, and all ten-year-old girls who belonged to wealthy and successful families. After all the brutal murders Reid had seen, when it involved children, it still struck a nerve in him. But his attention wasn’t distracted until he heard his name being called several times - and perhaps when he felt the crumpled piece of paper hit him square on the head - when he finally lifted his gaze from his work.
“Reid, we need your opinion on something,” Prentiss stated, a devious smirk was playing on the tips of her lips.
It didn’t take a genius to know what they had planned.
So, Reid gave a swift noncommittal nod. As much as he loved opinionated discussions where he could spew out numerous facts and statistics, he would much rather prefer to continue reviewing his case file; especially after seeing the obvious intention on their faces.
“Prentiss here thinks that American Eagle has much better clothing than Abercrombie and Fitch. And I fully disagree with her.” Morgan sent a playful glare at Prentiss - who had a difficult time hiding her amusement.
“Morgan, the only upper hand that Abercrombie and Fitch has over American Eagle are their models. But when it comes down to the clothing, American Eagle dominates, hands down.”
Reid said nothing as he watched his two colleagues defending their beloved clothing chain, and midway, he was tempted to stealthily shift his attention back to his work. Unfortunately for him, the bickering stopped before he could put his plan into motion. The youngest member of the team sat uncomfortably in his chair, awkwardly, and gawked at the two profilers who flanked his exceptionally neat desk that could put Martha Stewart’s organizational skills to shame.
“Um, why did you two stop?” Reid questioned hesitantly, his eyes becoming deer-in-the-headlights wide. Maybe he should’ve paid closer attention to their conversation after all.
The two just stared back at him. Lips still itched for a smile of some kind.
“Well, what do you think?”
Here it comes.
“Whose side are you on: mine or hers?”
Two sets of eyes peered down on him - both were dark and intimidating and could make any unsub cower in fear. So, nervously, the lanky genius swallowed the lump in his throat and began to ramble almost incoherently, “Um…I-I, well, you see…” And really, if he were to be completely honest, he wasn’t too keen and vastly knowledgeable when it came to brand named clothing. If he thought about it for a second or two, he could probably statistically say that Gap was more favourable brand that was both affordable yet stylish. But when it came down to personal experience and views, he really had nothing to say and offer. Then again, it was a glaringly obvious fact that Spencer Reid really didn’t care what he put on as long as it involved his array of sweater vests and ties. And while Reid sputtered out words about clothing brands and the occasional hyperactive hand gestures, Hotch and JJ exited Hotch’s office.
“So, you see, Abercrombie and Fitch in comparison, is well, um -”
“Reid, do you even own any casual wear?” Morgan interrupted, teasingly. Reid was about to launch a snappy retort, but Morgan quickly added, “Pyjamas and academy clothing don’t count.”
Bull’s eye.
Reid clamped his mouth shut as his cheeks blushed deeply. That was all it took to have Morgan and Prentiss snickering. JJ and Hotch stopped short in front of Reid’s desk. Hotch shot the two giggling profilers a hard glare while JJ offered Reid a sympathetic smile. But her smile did absolutely nothing to ease his victimization from Morgan and Prentiss.
“Alright guys, playtime’s over. Conference room in two,” JJ declared as she rubbed Reid’s back gently before heading back up to Rossi’s office. Hotch stole a quick glance at his youngest subordinate to see how he was holding up and then strolled to the conference room for the case briefing.
Morgan gave Reid a cheeky grin and shook his short hair as his own way of apologizing before going back to his disorganized desk. Prentiss on the other hand offered a caring glance and mouthed I’m sorry before heading back to her own desk. When he was alone, an exasperated sigh escaped his mouth as he shut the neglected case file. It never really bothered him when his team mates teased him, but there were times when it unlocked painful memories from his childhood. With his lips shaped into a tiny frown, he carefully the folder in one of his drawers because he knew he wouldn’t be able to work on it when they went out of town for a new case.
As he took his usual spot in the meeting room, Reid made momentary eye contact with Hotch. Reid’s cheeks flourished a deep hue of red before he tore his gaze away, slightly embarrassed. Before he could be embarrassed further, JJ strolled in the room and began to distribute file folders.
“We have a new case: four murders, all female between ages 26 and 30, multiple stab wounds, signs of torture…”
***
When the case was over, thankfully on a slightly better note since the unsub was caught before killing another victim, Reid noticed that Hotch was the last person to board the jet. What made Reid concerned was the fact that Hotch was never late. In fact, the unit chief was usually the first one to board. But sleep was much more appealing and prominent than the questioning going on in his mind, and the youngest profiler fell into a peaceful slumber.
***
The team arrived at Quantico in the late evening. It was a few minutes past ten, and everyone was still groggy and half-asleep when each profiler stepped off the jet. Morgan, Rossi and JJ headed immediately toward the parkade, but not before bidding a quiet goodnight to the rest of the group, while Hotch, Prentiss, and Reid trudged back to the BAU headquarters. Hotch wordlessly entered his office, and Reid, who quickly set his bags down on his desk, made a quick beeline to the restroom. When Reid came back out, Prentiss was nowhere in sight, and the lights in Hotch’s office were still on. As Reid silently shuffled toward his desk, he noticed a plain white box sitting soundly on his chair.
Curiosity had woken a sleepy Reid, so he quickened his pace to inspect his gift further. He stood in front of his chair and examined all angles of the rectangular white box. No words or tags were left on the box to indicate who it was from which made his lips form to a small frown. Cautiously, Reid hovered the box and listened to any sort of suspicious noises in case the present was from an unsub.
Finally, he built up his courage and lifted the box up from his seat. Surprised from the light weight, he opened the box and bright, colourful tissue rested on top of something blue. With his eyebrows raised, Reid moved the tissue delicately to the side and sitting on the bottom of the box was a dark, navy blue shirt that had Abercrombie and Fitch written boldly and largely on the chest.
He felt his cheeks blush before shaking his head.
Thinking it was from Prentiss, Reid rolled his eyes as he recalled the conversation she and Morgan had about brand named clothing. He carefully folded the shirt back into the box, grabbed the case file he was working on before the team left for the new case, and gathered his other belongings before heading toward the elevator. Before he left the bullpen, he made a quick stop at Hotch’s office because ever since Haley died, Hotch usually left the office by 6pm to make sure he and Jack would have supper together and spend some quality time with one another. However, whenever the team went out of town because of a case, Jack stayed with Haley’s sister: Jessica. So, when the team got back late at night - past Jack’s bedtime - Hotch would often go back to his office to finish up some paperwork just so he could spend extra time with his son the next day and not have to worry about work. But, Reid had a feeling - actually, it was more than a feeling - that the unit chief would often lose track of time before finally realizing how late it was and head home.
Workaholic, dedicated, and all too respectable.
Timidly, Reid knocked on the partially opened door. He heard a soft “come in”, and he ducked his head inside the office. “Hey Hotch, um, I’m heading home now.” Under his breath, he added, “You should, too.”
Ever since Gideon left, Reid found himself gravitating toward the unit chief more often. And thankful, Hotch didn’t mind. Actually, their relationship was closer and different than any of his other relationships with the rest of the team.
Because Hotch understood and didn’t judge him.
Hotch glanced up from his report with weary eyes. He gave an unconvincing nod and mumbled a quiet goodnight. Reid was about to leave when Hotch blurted out, “Oh, before you leave, does it fit?”
Confused, Reid gave a blank stare at the older profiler. “Does what fit?”
Hotch closed the folder that he was working on and tucked it in his briefcase. He kept silent for a few moments as he stood up and met Reid’s gaze. “The blue shirt. I wasn’t exactly sure if that’s your size, and I didn’t want to get you something that didn’t fit you right.”
The blank expression on Reid’s face was wiped away instantly. Instead, a bewildered expression took its place. Hotch was the last person Reid would ever consider giving him a gift of that sort. In fact, it was downright shocking. “You’re the one who gave me that shirt?” Reid repeated incredulously. There was just no way it was from him. Hotch shopping in an Abercrombie and Fitch store just didn’t…fit.
Hotch’s eyebrows furrowed as if it were the most obvious fact in the world. “Yes, it was me. That was the brand you, Prentiss, and Morgan were discussing, right? Abercrombie and Fitch?”
He remembered.
Still astonished, Reid simply nodded his head. Finally, with his cheeks tinged with all sorts of red, he thanked Hotch profusely for the gift. Then, he remembered Hotch’s question and quickly added, “And um, yes, it should fit.”
A tiny, rare smile formed on Hotch’s fine lips. With his belongings in hand, he headed toward the door where Reid was standing, still in a dumbstruck phase. The two profilers walked silently to the elevator, and once the doors shut, Hotch shifted his gaze on Reid. Right before the doors opened, the rare, tiny smile on his face widened. And when Reid looked close enough, he could see an off-shade of pink on Hotch’s sharply defined cheekbones.
“I’d appreciate it if you’d wear it this weekend when the team goes to the bar. Actually, it’s secretly goal of mine to see you in something…that people your age wear. Not that there’s anything wrong with your usual attire.”
Reid still couldn’t believe Hotch gave him that shirt. And he couldn’t get over how relaxed Hotch suddenly appeared to be after Reid received the present. Reid’s cheeks flushed even more. And as they walked out of the elevator, the backs of their bands briefly made contact.
Perhaps he needed to pay closer attention to Prentiss and Morgan’s fashion debates more often if it meant seeing Hotch’s rare, charming smiles.
----------
Comments and whatnot are loved.
Rating: PG / FRT
Pairing: Hotch/Reid
Word Count: 1,974
Summary: But her smile did absolutely nothing to ease his victimization from Morgan and Prentiss.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters used in my story. They belong to CBS. And some spoilers for 5x9.
Dedication: For ordinaryxday . Thanks for being awesome and supportive. And also thanks to freddlerabbit for betaing.
The whole revelation really started when Morgan and Prentiss were talking about clothing. At first, Reid didn’t bother engaging himself in their heartily discussion about favoured casual clothing stores. In fact, Reid paid absolutely no attention at all because of the file he was reviewing: four murders, exactly three months apart, and all ten-year-old girls who belonged to wealthy and successful families. After all the brutal murders Reid had seen, when it involved children, it still struck a nerve in him. But his attention wasn’t distracted until he heard his name being called several times - and perhaps when he felt the crumpled piece of paper hit him square on the head - when he finally lifted his gaze from his work.
“Reid, we need your opinion on something,” Prentiss stated, a devious smirk was playing on the tips of her lips.
It didn’t take a genius to know what they had planned.
So, Reid gave a swift noncommittal nod. As much as he loved opinionated discussions where he could spew out numerous facts and statistics, he would much rather prefer to continue reviewing his case file; especially after seeing the obvious intention on their faces.
“Prentiss here thinks that American Eagle has much better clothing than Abercrombie and Fitch. And I fully disagree with her.” Morgan sent a playful glare at Prentiss - who had a difficult time hiding her amusement.
“Morgan, the only upper hand that Abercrombie and Fitch has over American Eagle are their models. But when it comes down to the clothing, American Eagle dominates, hands down.”
Reid said nothing as he watched his two colleagues defending their beloved clothing chain, and midway, he was tempted to stealthily shift his attention back to his work. Unfortunately for him, the bickering stopped before he could put his plan into motion. The youngest member of the team sat uncomfortably in his chair, awkwardly, and gawked at the two profilers who flanked his exceptionally neat desk that could put Martha Stewart’s organizational skills to shame.
“Um, why did you two stop?” Reid questioned hesitantly, his eyes becoming deer-in-the-headlights wide. Maybe he should’ve paid closer attention to their conversation after all.
The two just stared back at him. Lips still itched for a smile of some kind.
“Well, what do you think?”
Here it comes.
“Whose side are you on: mine or hers?”
Two sets of eyes peered down on him - both were dark and intimidating and could make any unsub cower in fear. So, nervously, the lanky genius swallowed the lump in his throat and began to ramble almost incoherently, “Um…I-I, well, you see…” And really, if he were to be completely honest, he wasn’t too keen and vastly knowledgeable when it came to brand named clothing. If he thought about it for a second or two, he could probably statistically say that Gap was more favourable brand that was both affordable yet stylish. But when it came down to personal experience and views, he really had nothing to say and offer. Then again, it was a glaringly obvious fact that Spencer Reid really didn’t care what he put on as long as it involved his array of sweater vests and ties. And while Reid sputtered out words about clothing brands and the occasional hyperactive hand gestures, Hotch and JJ exited Hotch’s office.
“So, you see, Abercrombie and Fitch in comparison, is well, um -”
“Reid, do you even own any casual wear?” Morgan interrupted, teasingly. Reid was about to launch a snappy retort, but Morgan quickly added, “Pyjamas and academy clothing don’t count.”
Bull’s eye.
Reid clamped his mouth shut as his cheeks blushed deeply. That was all it took to have Morgan and Prentiss snickering. JJ and Hotch stopped short in front of Reid’s desk. Hotch shot the two giggling profilers a hard glare while JJ offered Reid a sympathetic smile. But her smile did absolutely nothing to ease his victimization from Morgan and Prentiss.
“Alright guys, playtime’s over. Conference room in two,” JJ declared as she rubbed Reid’s back gently before heading back up to Rossi’s office. Hotch stole a quick glance at his youngest subordinate to see how he was holding up and then strolled to the conference room for the case briefing.
Morgan gave Reid a cheeky grin and shook his short hair as his own way of apologizing before going back to his disorganized desk. Prentiss on the other hand offered a caring glance and mouthed I’m sorry before heading back to her own desk. When he was alone, an exasperated sigh escaped his mouth as he shut the neglected case file. It never really bothered him when his team mates teased him, but there were times when it unlocked painful memories from his childhood. With his lips shaped into a tiny frown, he carefully the folder in one of his drawers because he knew he wouldn’t be able to work on it when they went out of town for a new case.
As he took his usual spot in the meeting room, Reid made momentary eye contact with Hotch. Reid’s cheeks flourished a deep hue of red before he tore his gaze away, slightly embarrassed. Before he could be embarrassed further, JJ strolled in the room and began to distribute file folders.
“We have a new case: four murders, all female between ages 26 and 30, multiple stab wounds, signs of torture…”
***
When the case was over, thankfully on a slightly better note since the unsub was caught before killing another victim, Reid noticed that Hotch was the last person to board the jet. What made Reid concerned was the fact that Hotch was never late. In fact, the unit chief was usually the first one to board. But sleep was much more appealing and prominent than the questioning going on in his mind, and the youngest profiler fell into a peaceful slumber.
***
The team arrived at Quantico in the late evening. It was a few minutes past ten, and everyone was still groggy and half-asleep when each profiler stepped off the jet. Morgan, Rossi and JJ headed immediately toward the parkade, but not before bidding a quiet goodnight to the rest of the group, while Hotch, Prentiss, and Reid trudged back to the BAU headquarters. Hotch wordlessly entered his office, and Reid, who quickly set his bags down on his desk, made a quick beeline to the restroom. When Reid came back out, Prentiss was nowhere in sight, and the lights in Hotch’s office were still on. As Reid silently shuffled toward his desk, he noticed a plain white box sitting soundly on his chair.
Curiosity had woken a sleepy Reid, so he quickened his pace to inspect his gift further. He stood in front of his chair and examined all angles of the rectangular white box. No words or tags were left on the box to indicate who it was from which made his lips form to a small frown. Cautiously, Reid hovered the box and listened to any sort of suspicious noises in case the present was from an unsub.
Finally, he built up his courage and lifted the box up from his seat. Surprised from the light weight, he opened the box and bright, colourful tissue rested on top of something blue. With his eyebrows raised, Reid moved the tissue delicately to the side and sitting on the bottom of the box was a dark, navy blue shirt that had Abercrombie and Fitch written boldly and largely on the chest.
He felt his cheeks blush before shaking his head.
Thinking it was from Prentiss, Reid rolled his eyes as he recalled the conversation she and Morgan had about brand named clothing. He carefully folded the shirt back into the box, grabbed the case file he was working on before the team left for the new case, and gathered his other belongings before heading toward the elevator. Before he left the bullpen, he made a quick stop at Hotch’s office because ever since Haley died, Hotch usually left the office by 6pm to make sure he and Jack would have supper together and spend some quality time with one another. However, whenever the team went out of town because of a case, Jack stayed with Haley’s sister: Jessica. So, when the team got back late at night - past Jack’s bedtime - Hotch would often go back to his office to finish up some paperwork just so he could spend extra time with his son the next day and not have to worry about work. But, Reid had a feeling - actually, it was more than a feeling - that the unit chief would often lose track of time before finally realizing how late it was and head home.
Workaholic, dedicated, and all too respectable.
Timidly, Reid knocked on the partially opened door. He heard a soft “come in”, and he ducked his head inside the office. “Hey Hotch, um, I’m heading home now.” Under his breath, he added, “You should, too.”
Ever since Gideon left, Reid found himself gravitating toward the unit chief more often. And thankful, Hotch didn’t mind. Actually, their relationship was closer and different than any of his other relationships with the rest of the team.
Because Hotch understood and didn’t judge him.
Hotch glanced up from his report with weary eyes. He gave an unconvincing nod and mumbled a quiet goodnight. Reid was about to leave when Hotch blurted out, “Oh, before you leave, does it fit?”
Confused, Reid gave a blank stare at the older profiler. “Does what fit?”
Hotch closed the folder that he was working on and tucked it in his briefcase. He kept silent for a few moments as he stood up and met Reid’s gaze. “The blue shirt. I wasn’t exactly sure if that’s your size, and I didn’t want to get you something that didn’t fit you right.”
The blank expression on Reid’s face was wiped away instantly. Instead, a bewildered expression took its place. Hotch was the last person Reid would ever consider giving him a gift of that sort. In fact, it was downright shocking. “You’re the one who gave me that shirt?” Reid repeated incredulously. There was just no way it was from him. Hotch shopping in an Abercrombie and Fitch store just didn’t…fit.
Hotch’s eyebrows furrowed as if it were the most obvious fact in the world. “Yes, it was me. That was the brand you, Prentiss, and Morgan were discussing, right? Abercrombie and Fitch?”
He remembered.
Still astonished, Reid simply nodded his head. Finally, with his cheeks tinged with all sorts of red, he thanked Hotch profusely for the gift. Then, he remembered Hotch’s question and quickly added, “And um, yes, it should fit.”
A tiny, rare smile formed on Hotch’s fine lips. With his belongings in hand, he headed toward the door where Reid was standing, still in a dumbstruck phase. The two profilers walked silently to the elevator, and once the doors shut, Hotch shifted his gaze on Reid. Right before the doors opened, the rare, tiny smile on his face widened. And when Reid looked close enough, he could see an off-shade of pink on Hotch’s sharply defined cheekbones.
“I’d appreciate it if you’d wear it this weekend when the team goes to the bar. Actually, it’s secretly goal of mine to see you in something…that people your age wear. Not that there’s anything wrong with your usual attire.”
Reid still couldn’t believe Hotch gave him that shirt. And he couldn’t get over how relaxed Hotch suddenly appeared to be after Reid received the present. Reid’s cheeks flushed even more. And as they walked out of the elevator, the backs of their bands briefly made contact.
Perhaps he needed to pay closer attention to Prentiss and Morgan’s fashion debates more often if it meant seeing Hotch’s rare, charming smiles.
----------
Comments and whatnot are loved.