RSVP - Spencer Reid x Reader

Rumours Through the Grapevine - Part Two

My leg bounced more as my anxiousness grew, a sickening feeling started to grow in my stomach as time passed minute by slow minute.

I kept glancing down at my phone, waiting for a message or a call to delay the plan or cancel it altogether.

I was torn on whether I wanted that to happen or not.

On one hand, I really wanted to see him again, on the other, however, I wanted any reason to come up that could stop my nerves from eating me from inside out.

There was only so much cream that could be stirred into my now lukewarm hot chocolate and that had blended in long ago, the drink sitting there to be forgotten after a couple of sips as my stomach turned uncomfortably.

People wandered past the window, going about their lives as I stewed in my growing anxiousness.

Just five more minutes, that's all he'd have.

Five minutes and then I'd-

"Judging by the way you're bouncing your leg, I'd say that you're pretty nervous and I wouldn't recommend drinking coffee until you've settled down."

Turning to my left, I slowly tilted my head up to meet Spencer's smile as he loomed over me, like Dahl's BFG with a purple scarf and a satchel.

"Both elevates cortisol levels and can lead to negative, long term and sometimes permanent health issues if they're too high for extended periods of time," he continued, pulling out the chair opposite me to sit down.

"Oh really?" I smiled, tapping my nail to my cup to make the ceramic ting, "lucky that it's hot chocolate then, hm?"

"Very, it's said that chocolate has the opposite effect to what caffeine would have, so you're balancing yourself out perfectly."

"What can I say? I'm a master of coincidences."

He smiled as I laughed, resting his hands on top of the table with his fingers linked as he looked at me with an expression I couldn't read beyond 'pleased to see you'.

"You're looking good," I said as a means to break the sudden silence that felt chokingly thick to me and only me, so it seemed.

Not that that made it any less true.

His hair was a little longer and wilder than the last time I saw him, though he didn't look like he'd slept since that night either, not that that was anything new either.

"Thank you," he smiled wider, giving a small nod, "for inviting me," he added quickly onto the end.

Rolling my eyes a little, I couldn't help but snicker just a bit.

"Still can't accept compliments, hm?"

"It's quite common for people to be unable to accept a compliment, especially someone with low self-esteem, they typically can't believe why anyone would think that way and will find any reason to disbelieve it, often choosing to think that the one complimenting them is being patronising which results in reactions of embarrassment rather than flattery."

"Thank you for confirming my suspicions, doctor."

I smiled at him while picking up my cup and bringing it to my lips, hoping that I was hiding my still jittery nerves better than I felt I was.

Being in front of a profiler in a casual setting was surprisingly nerve-wracking, like when an office would pull up behind your perfectly innocent car.

"Sorry, I'm being rude," I said as my cup tapped against the table once again, "I invited you and didn't even offer you something, would you like a drink?"