Operation: Sand Leopard | Spencer Reid

Contraband Conversations

Warnings: canon typical stories, child brides, mentions of child abuse, mentions of masturbation, cute flirting that'll make your heart burst

Summary: Spencer gets to talk to Alijah again, and he gets very defensive of her. Later, you share some contraband in the darkness outside your CHU

As Spencer followed you through the base, he could see your agitation growing. Your shoulders stiffened with each step, your jaw tightening the closer you came to the prison barracks.

Something about Alijah bothered you. You carried her with you, and he could tell. As hard as you were on her, affection for the girl seeped through your skin whenever you spoke of her. Even when you were angry, your eyes were soft for this child and all she'd been through.

Spencer wondered if your strength exhausted you, if that was why you couldn't sleep at night. You seemed haunted each night you sat outside your CHU and stared up at the moon, a frown etched deeply across your face and your mind heavy even though you were sitting on the ground.

You rarely seemed to release, your body always coiled so tightly your bones surely must feel the weight of it. He thought idly how long it would take before you finally snapped.

When you approached the prison barracks you waved for him to continue on, then plopped down to rest against the sandbags.

Spencer frowned and looked down at you, "You're not coming?"

You shook your head and pulled a pair of sunglasses out of your pocket and set them on your nose. In a sweaty t-shirt and dirt stained pants, you lounged against the wall and looked up at him, "I'm taking a nap."

"What do you want me to talk to her about?"

You shrugged, "You're the big bad profiler, Doc. Earn her trust and learn something about her."

Spencer sighed as he dug through his pocket for his badge. He hated these damned cargo pants. There were too many places to lose things in them.

Flashing it at the guard, Spencer walked through and to Alijah's cell. He opened the door as lightly as he could but the squealing creak made him wince.

Alijah was reading from an aging book as he stepped inside, and she broke out into a smile.

"Spencer," she said as she shut the book and set it on the cot. "You came back."

Spencer grinned down at her as he made his way over to his spot on the ground. He sat on the concrete and laced his fingers together, resting his wrists on his knees, "What are you reading?"

She flashed him the cover, another little mouse with a sword on the front. It was one in the series of books you'd given him, written in English. Spencer frowned and asked, "I thought you didn't speak English?"

"A friend taught me to read i-," Alijah started, tapering off as her eyes widened along with her smile. "I thought you didn't speak Kurdish!"

Spencer smiled sheepishly, "I learned so I could talk to you."

Alijah's gaze turned wary, and she picked at the corner of the book, much like you often did to things when you were nervous. "What about?"

"Anything you like," he replied, and the nerves visibly eased from her. "What's your favorite color, Alijah?"

Alijah smiled shyly, "Green. Like the trees on Kuhe Haji Ebrahim."

"The mountains?" he asked, and she nodded happily.

"It's near where I grew up, next to Iran."