B-day fic.
Title: Moving
Pairing: Hotch/Reid-Friendship (pre-slash if you wear that kind of goggles)
Rating: PG
Summary: Hotch is moving to his apartment. (Happens right before “A Higher Power”)
Written for hbd_capy
Disclaimer: Just borrowing some dolls, I promise to give them back in one piece, when I´m done.
Unbeta
***
At one pm, Hotch parked the car in the emergency spot in front of the apartment building because it was the shortest distant to his apartment door. He knew he would notice any emergencies that needed the spot unvacant as he would be moving back and forward to his apartment with boxes and other items.
It was his second trip and he could already feel the exhaustion creep in after a morning with an upset Haley wanting to argue over books, pots, CDs and furniture along with packing the things she did allow him to take and bring them to his apartment. The furniture would arrive tomorrow with a moving truck.
He recognized the figure sitting on the steps immediately. Quickly stepping out of the overloaded car, Hotch turned to the younger man who quickly rose. “What are you doing here, Reid?”
Reid smiled unsure and put his hands in his pockets. “I thought you could use some help with the boxes.”
Hotch peered his eyes at him. He figured his move wasn´t any more of a secret then his divorce had been, although it wasn´t talked about. Yet, no one but Reid had showed up and offered his assistance. After a moment of silence Reid looked down, his insecurity as clear as day.
Before Reid could draw his offer back, Hotch opened the trunk. “That would be great. Thank you.” And Reid smiled in relief as he moved closer and grabbed the closest box.
They emptied the car fairly quickly and Reid offered to wait in the apartment and short out the boxes according to rooms while Hotch went for the last run. Hotch gratefully took him up on it and hurried back to a disgruntled ex-wife.
The clock was ticking closely to six pm when Hotch finally returned. He figured Reid had given up on waiting but surprisingly found him organizing his law-books in to the built-in bookshelf in the hallway.
“Is this okay? I can move them if you don´t want them here,” Reid told him quickly.
“No, this is good,” Hotch replied and set down the boxes. He noticed the two boxes marked ‘kitchen’ laid empty and folded by the wall.
“You really need to buy groceries,” Reid told him and abandoned his work.
Hotch looked at the young man. Reid raised his eyebrows as he smiled innocently. And suddenly the thought of someone reminding him to buy groceries was just so, ridiculous. Hotch started smiling, which turned into chuckling, which manifested into full blown laughter.
“I´m… sorry… I´m…. sorry,” he blabbered out between fits to Reid, who stood and stared at him bewildered. He knew it was just the stress of the day finding release but -for god sake- he chased serial killers for a living, he should be able to handle one forced move. But, now he would see even less of Jack who probable didn´t even understand what was going on, and Haley was very likely going to fight him all the way, just like she´d forced him to give up the house and the china his mother had given them on their five year anniversary.
Hotch drew in a long breath when he felt the amusement change into anguish. It was bad enough to lose it to hysteria in front of a subordinate, he was not going to shed tears too. To his surprise, Reid closed the gap between them and wrapped his arms around him. Hotch stood frozen for a few seconds until he gratefully returned the hug, just long enough for him to gather his thoughts.
Reid let go as soon as Hotch did and took a step back, looking everywhere but at the older man. Hotch understood the other man´s self-consciousness.
“How about some dinner?” Hotch said quietly, “It´s the least I can do for all the help.”
“Umm, sure,” Reid replied.
“Okay, lets empty the car and then we´ll go out. What are you in the mood for?” Hotch said as he walked toward the door.
“Coffee,” Reid answered without hesitation.
Hotch turned around and realized since he didn´t have a coffeemaker, Reid had probable gone without his usual doze of caffeine for half a day which was saying a lot as the young man seemed to live on the brew. “Starbucks will be our first stop,” he promised with a smile.
-The end.
Pairing: Hotch/Reid-Friendship (pre-slash if you wear that kind of goggles)
Rating: PG
Summary: Hotch is moving to his apartment. (Happens right before “A Higher Power”)
Written for hbd_capy
Disclaimer: Just borrowing some dolls, I promise to give them back in one piece, when I´m done.
Unbeta
***
At one pm, Hotch parked the car in the emergency spot in front of the apartment building because it was the shortest distant to his apartment door. He knew he would notice any emergencies that needed the spot unvacant as he would be moving back and forward to his apartment with boxes and other items.
It was his second trip and he could already feel the exhaustion creep in after a morning with an upset Haley wanting to argue over books, pots, CDs and furniture along with packing the things she did allow him to take and bring them to his apartment. The furniture would arrive tomorrow with a moving truck.
He recognized the figure sitting on the steps immediately. Quickly stepping out of the overloaded car, Hotch turned to the younger man who quickly rose. “What are you doing here, Reid?”
Reid smiled unsure and put his hands in his pockets. “I thought you could use some help with the boxes.”
Hotch peered his eyes at him. He figured his move wasn´t any more of a secret then his divorce had been, although it wasn´t talked about. Yet, no one but Reid had showed up and offered his assistance. After a moment of silence Reid looked down, his insecurity as clear as day.
Before Reid could draw his offer back, Hotch opened the trunk. “That would be great. Thank you.” And Reid smiled in relief as he moved closer and grabbed the closest box.
They emptied the car fairly quickly and Reid offered to wait in the apartment and short out the boxes according to rooms while Hotch went for the last run. Hotch gratefully took him up on it and hurried back to a disgruntled ex-wife.
The clock was ticking closely to six pm when Hotch finally returned. He figured Reid had given up on waiting but surprisingly found him organizing his law-books in to the built-in bookshelf in the hallway.
“Is this okay? I can move them if you don´t want them here,” Reid told him quickly.
“No, this is good,” Hotch replied and set down the boxes. He noticed the two boxes marked ‘kitchen’ laid empty and folded by the wall.
“You really need to buy groceries,” Reid told him and abandoned his work.
Hotch looked at the young man. Reid raised his eyebrows as he smiled innocently. And suddenly the thought of someone reminding him to buy groceries was just so, ridiculous. Hotch started smiling, which turned into chuckling, which manifested into full blown laughter.
“I´m… sorry… I´m…. sorry,” he blabbered out between fits to Reid, who stood and stared at him bewildered. He knew it was just the stress of the day finding release but -for god sake- he chased serial killers for a living, he should be able to handle one forced move. But, now he would see even less of Jack who probable didn´t even understand what was going on, and Haley was very likely going to fight him all the way, just like she´d forced him to give up the house and the china his mother had given them on their five year anniversary.
Hotch drew in a long breath when he felt the amusement change into anguish. It was bad enough to lose it to hysteria in front of a subordinate, he was not going to shed tears too. To his surprise, Reid closed the gap between them and wrapped his arms around him. Hotch stood frozen for a few seconds until he gratefully returned the hug, just long enough for him to gather his thoughts.
Reid let go as soon as Hotch did and took a step back, looking everywhere but at the older man. Hotch understood the other man´s self-consciousness.
“How about some dinner?” Hotch said quietly, “It´s the least I can do for all the help.”
“Umm, sure,” Reid replied.
“Okay, lets empty the car and then we´ll go out. What are you in the mood for?” Hotch said as he walked toward the door.
“Coffee,” Reid answered without hesitation.
Hotch turned around and realized since he didn´t have a coffeemaker, Reid had probable gone without his usual doze of caffeine for half a day which was saying a lot as the young man seemed to live on the brew. “Starbucks will be our first stop,” he promised with a smile.
-The end.