Big Reputation • Spencer Reid • Criminal Minds

Chapter 6 • This is Why I Don't Socialize

"Right! And then before I knew it, I was at the theater and got the lead role!" You laughed as Emily finished up her story about one of her Highschool experiences. You had no idea you and her had went to the same high school aboard, at different times of course. It was how those things worked out nevertheless.

She nudged your shoulder as you both exited the elevator, "He still ignoring you?"

You rolled your eyes, "Yep." It had been 3 weeks since y'all had a normal conversation. Reid avoided you, more so than he did before. To the point you hardly saw him. You needed to talk to him before what ever feud he was having with you compromised the team.

JJ called you in to the Briefing Room. Emily sighed before dragging you in with her.

Hotch, Rossi, Morgan and Garcia were already sat and waiting for everyone to enter.
Hotch's non existent smile didn't bother you, but Garcia's lack of did. Garcia bit her nails anxiously, her pink nail polish had been picked off, leaving only a few places where it still showed.

You sat down and everyone followed suit as Hotch folded his hands together. Reid entered and his eyes immediately landed on you before looking away quickly.

"We were called for a new case, but Strauss took it up into her hands. I am not to tell you anything about the case or it's whereabouts until I get the okay from her." Hotch nodded as Garcia who stood up, "Now, you know I would not call you here for a case that does not exist. Morgan, Prentiss, JJ-" they nodded at him eagerly, "You all have paperwork waiting on your desks. You are dismissed."

They collectively sighed, and did not try to hide the curiosity biting at their eyes as each of them scanned the room.
You noticed Garcia picking her nails as she fiddled with the remote, she was nervous.
Rossi looked somewhat.. calm. His face showed no emotion at all as he watched the three agents leave the room.

Garcia cleared her throat, "I assume Y/n you haven't seen this, because you are not completely panicking right now," you sat up in your chair as Garcia gave a nervous laugh.

"What?"

"Well, the paparazzi well- uh here I'll just show you." She clicked the remote. A digital news article ran on the screen reading, AFTER JOINING THE FBI, Y/N GIDEON, MOVIE STAR, HAS A SECRET LOVE AFFIAR WITH FBI PRODIGY.

"Oh my fucking god," you mumbled as you reread the screen a dozen times, praying your eyes were playing tricks on you, "I hope you all know this isn't true!" You looked frantically between Rossi, Garcia and Hotch.

They all nodded sympathetically.

"But that's not all," Garcia muttered before another image pop up on the screen, "People- your fans," she corrected, making you cringe, "-are obsessing over your first case. The detective has had 7 paparazzi storm into his house, and the victims families have it even worse."

Reid was staring at the screen in shock, mainly looking at the pictures of you holding his wrists. He glanced at you before turning his eyes else where.

You combed your fingers through your hair, "So what do we do?" You asked as you got up from your seat, you couldn't sit still anymore, "This will affect all of our cases."

"We'll have to play along with the media." Reid said slowly. His face was unreadable.

You looked at his wide eyed, "What?" This was the first time he'd look at you in weeks. He almost looked apologetic

"The truth is Strauss didn't really take the case herself," Hotch uncrossed his hands, "I requested she give it to another team as we figured this out."

Rossi nodded, "I'll just cut to the chase. Reid, Y/n, you have this weekend to resolve whatever issue is between the two of you. Then go in public, be all cute and whatever and in a couple months have a public break up." He listed the things as if they were easy things on a to-do list.

"We understand it's the media, but we need to keep this on the down low." Hotch added. He explained that if everyone ignored it, it would fuel the fire for a longer time than if you gave them what they wanted and then broke it off. The hope was that after the break up, the media would find something, or someone, else to obsess over.

After reassuring words from Garcia, Hotch dismissed you. Meaning, sending you to do piles of paperwork from the previous cases you had worked. By the time you had finished it was 6 PM, and you were ready to go back to your apartment. You gathered your stuff and walked to the door, thinking about the situation from today. You had wanted to talk to Reid before, but now you needed to, for the sake of the team.

And so you went, searching for his office until you were right in front of it. You bit your lip as you knocked on the door and heard a muffled come in!
You slid through the door and shut it behind you, Reid sat at his desk his curly hair sticking in multiple directions and eyes seemingly have sunk in between the time you had last saw him.

"You look rough," you said as you walked to his desk, everything was neat and piles. Even his pencils were sharpened evenly and erasers stacked beside each other.

"You look no better."

You smiled at him, "Ah finally talking to me again?"

"Only because I have to."

You sat on Reid's desk, a silence erupted between you, "Why won't you look at me?" You asked softly

Slowly his eyes met yours, it had been a while since you had gotten a good look at him. His eyes were beautiful, as was the rest of his face that his hair shaped perfectly.

"You look like him."

You tilted your head, "Who?"

"Gideon." He sighed, leaning back in his chair. He let his head fall back, showing off his neck and Adam's apple, "You look like Gideon and every time I look at you I just-.. me and him were close."

A ting of jealousy bit at you. Spencer had a better relationship with your father than you did. You couldn't help but look away from him although it wasn't his fault.

"It's wrong of me to take my anger from him out on you, but after you acted so carelessly out of the field," he shook his head, "He would have done the same thing."

More silence spread through the room. Reid wasn't look at you again.

You sighed and rested your hand on his in a comforting manner, "I'm sorry that he left the way he did and that I scared you out there."

He nodded, silent while examining your hand on his, "You have significantly tiny hands."

You chuckled lightly as you lifted you hand up and he put his against it, your hand fit perfectly against his. You felt your heart jump as you looked up at Spencer, who was staring at you. "How does "sorry for ignoring you" dinner sound?"

You took a breath, trying to calm the new feeling that wanted to present itself in your chest, "Sounds perfect. Where to?"

He thought for a long moment before grabbing his jacket and leather bag, "Waffle House."

"Waffle House?"

He nodded, "They have good waffles,"