Ineffable - S.REID

44

・゜゜・．TWO WEEKS LATER .・゜゜・

Hotch had given them both two weeks off the second Clara had asked to use her holiday hours. He wasn't told what had happened, nor did he know. He could either hear it within her voice or just knew deep down somewhere within his mind that the couple needed the time for whatever reason. He didn't ask but he found out anyway, along with the rest of the BAU when they were ready to tell them. With this though, they'd quickly become shut ins. They had groceries delivered, missed phone calls on purpose and did not respond to a singular email or text message. The important people got calls back, mainly their mothers and Garcia. The rest of the time, they were hermits. Just living completely in each other's company or silence.

Clara spent a lot of the time painting, as she usually did when she had time off, and was glad to find that her paintings were still their usual joyus nature. Apart from one, a canvas that was quickly tucked away the second it dried. She just needed to get the emotion out through her favourite form, it wasn't for anyone else. Whilst she painted, he read or worked on various other projects whilst sitting in a chair from the living room that he had pulled in. It directly faced the big windows within the studio, creating the perfect natural light and he had just wanted to be in the room with her whilst she painted. Her process was of the utmost intrigue to him

The BAU however decided, after eleven days of solitude and minimal conversation from both of them, that they needed to get out of the house. Garcia swore she could hear the desperation to get out in Clara's voice during their last phone call and that, plus an enthusiastically concerned Rossi, was enough to convince the others that a trip to the pub was necessary. Of course they wouldn't force them into it, just merely suggest it and invite them along whilst hoping they would join.

They truly hadn't planned to go, wanting to keep the peace within the house for just a little longer. But as they both sat on the couch, watching the end credits of the first movie of the night, they both looked over at each other and felt ready to convince the other person to leave the house. They laughed together at themselves and were ready and out the door in twenty minutes.

By the time they arrived, the BAU were all a few drinks in and therefore incredibly enthusiastic about their return to society. And for a moment, they shared the sadness with them. A brief moment and a toast to tribute what could have been and the future whatever it could hold for them. Then it was just distraction, blissful peace of the mind.

As Clara ordered another drink at the bar an hour into the evening, she caught the attention of someone who approached the instant she caught his eye. "You are gorgeous," the stranger complimented, eyes full of that warmth that guys within bars usually possessed. The blatantly stunning, muscular and up himself type.

She smiled politely, "Thank you."

He grinned, "How about I buy you another?"

"You can if you would like and I would appreciate it, just know that I do have a boyfriend."

He frowned, leaning closer towards her as he whispered jokingly, "Is it serious?"

"Very much so," Clara responded instantly, rather surprised that he had some form of humour. His type usually didn't.

"That's unfortunate," he sighed in fake defeat. "He's a lucky man. Well, it was lovely to meet you..."

"Clara."

"Adrian," he smiled in such a way that she would see the kindness within his eyes. Even if it was a small amount, its existence proved her instant profile of him incorrect. He wasn't looking for a one night stand, like most in bars were, he was looking for love.

"Good luck in your search," she responded as he moved away from her, laughing softly as he disappeared back into the crowd.

Clara picked up her drink and headed back to their table, taking her seat next to Spencer. Though she did not know it, he had watched the entire situation and heard every word. Initially he had just been watching the bartender and her drink, just making sure it was made right and nothing extra was added. You could never be too careful. He hadn't intended to listen in, truly, but just hearing her call him her boyfriend in that circumstance made it almost impossible not to.

"Did you just get hit on?" Garcia asked loudly over the music, which seemed louder to her due to her drunken state. .

"Barman even asked for my ID," Clara added with a light chuckle that didn't hold much emotion behind it. "Must have woken up on the right side of the bed."

"Did the guy seem okay?" she asked significantly softer than before, looking over her shoulder as to where the guy had disappeared to.

"Not for you Pen," Clara responded after a second's thought , hating the defeated look on her friend's face incredibly.

"Why not!"

She shrugged, "I just know."

"He could be my future husband and you're going off on a vibe?"

"Pen, trust me. I'm good at these things. Did I not predict JJ and Will? And Emily and her current girlfriend?"

"She is a good wingwoman," Emily piped up, nodding enthusiastically as if it would help convey her opinion even further.

"Fine," Penelope sighed, finally letting the guy fade into the crowd of people. "But you'll tell me the second you see someone?"

Clara nodded and quickly promised, "The very instant."

"Oo Oo! We should come up with a code word for it!"

Clara laughed and this time it sounded sincere. She felt the warmth of it within her stomach, the feeling floating through her body as if dripping from a leaky tap. Slowly but surely. "Okay what word?"

"Kittens," Garcia somewhat yelled drunkenly, her attention quickly stolen by Morgan asking her to dance. Clara refused to join Prentiss, Morgan and Garcia on the dance floor and instead remained at the table. There were still some things that were a little too much. Instead she rested her head against Spencer's shoulder, feeling the peaceful numbness of her thoughts that usually came with alcohol as she exhaled a sigh.

"You know I like your hair long and fluffy, it suits your face," she divulged, referencing a moment earlier when he had complained that his hair had grown too long and just simply looked out of control. She had promised to cut it the following morning and truly did plan to, even though it would hurt to cut away something that looked so gorgeous.

He raised a brow, "Or are you just saying that to get out of cutting it?"

She gasped fakely, as if the very accusation was the most terrible thing imaginable, "I'd never do that."