𝓶𝓪𝓻𝓪 𝓳𝓪𝓷𝓮 ➢ 𝓼. 𝓻𝓮𝓲𝓭

𝓉𝓌𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓎-𝓈𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓃

Sometime during the movie, Mara has grabbed a blanket and draped it across both their legs. Reid had kicked off his shoes and gotten comfortable on the couch, Mara teasing him about his mixed-matched socks.

Mara had fallen asleep fifty-two minutes into the movie and her head had fallen on Reid's shoulder. Reid has become fully interested in the movie once she has fallen asleep, he even teared up at the end.

Once the movie was over, he got up slowly, hooking his arms under her knees and around her back, his breath hitching in his throat at the feelings of the bare skin of her back against his hand.

He moved her to her bed, practically tucking her into bed. He began to pull away but Mara's hand reached out and grabbed his. "Stay."

Reid opened his mouth to reply but she'd already fell asleep. It was already three in the morning and they had to be up at seven. He might as well stay the night, especially since he was her ride to work in the morning.

He found his spot for the night on the couch, pulling the belt from his pants and his shirt off his hot skin. He snuggled into the pillow of her couch, smiling because it smelt like her.

Reid finally feel asleep, listening for Mara's soft snores in the other room.

The next morning, he woke up to the shower being turned on and Mara belting out lyrics he recognized from the movie they'd watched last night.

He chuckled to himself, sitting up on the couch and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He decided to get up and make a pot of coffee so she'd have some when she got out of the shower.

Mara got out the shower, humming to herself. She'd forgotten she asked Reid to stay the night so when she went into the kitchen to make herself coffee only in her towel, she got scared shitless.

She let out a scream, holding the towel against her as Reid turned around, also scared shitless. Mara's mouth fell open in shock at how good he looked shirtless, his pants hanging low on his hips.

They stood there, staring at each other and starting to laugh. Reid took in the appearance of as much of her bare skin as possible.

Mara disappeared from the kitchen and got dressed before returning to Reid, making breakfast.

They ate in a comfortable silence before heading to work together. In the car, Reid asked Mara to play the soundtrack from the movie last night and Mara smiled the biggest and goofiest smile she could muster.

She belted out the lyrics as Reid almost wrecked the car laughing so hard at her horrible voice. Once they arrived at work, they went up the elevator, laughing and cracking jokes.

Mara had let her walls crumble down and let Reid in. Reid could see who she was without the pain blinding her all the time. The happy and care-free Mara.

Morgan watched as the two walked into together, both with a big grin on their faces, shoulders brushing as Mara let out a loud laugh. Reid has finally learned to relax around someone, not worrying about if they actually liked him or we're just pretending.

Mara shoved Reid as he made a stupid joke, Emily and JJ smirked at each other. Reid had never looked happier. However, they did notice it was the same clothes he wore the day before, lacking the cardigan.

"MJ, I saw your car in the parking lot very early this morning but you weren't here.."

"I went with Reid to Muggs."

Morgan looked down at their hands, not finding the usual to-go cups with Muggs plastered across it.

Mara noticed, rolling her eyes. "We finished our drinks at the shop."

Morgan knew she was lying but just smiled anyways. "Not that it matters, this is the happiest I've seen him in a very long time."

"Okay." Mara chuckled and moved past Morgan and to her desk.

"Guys, we have a case." JJ said, moving through the bullpen and to the conference room.