Valentine's Day

part one

"One small pizza for y/l/n!" The cashier's voice rang through the empty pizzeria. You begrudgingly stood up from the red leather seat, mumbling to yourself about how they didn't need to yell since you were the only customer in the building. It only added to your embarrassment. It was eight o'clock on February 14th, the night that was supposed to be filled with romance and passion. Instead of getting your fair share of bedroom activity, you were spending the night alone with a box of grease.

"At least it's not busy," You forced a thin smile for the teenager behind the counter as you began to dig for your wallet. The employee's face dropped for half of a beat. At first you thought it was in response to your lousy attempt at small talk, but then the tiny bell rang. At least you weren't the only one indulging their loneliness in a pit of cheese.

"Y/n?" A familiar voice pulled your attention away from your purse. You turned your head and your eyes grew three sizes. You must've looked like a deer in headlights by the way your body froze up. Aaron Hotchner was the late patron and judging by his casual attire made up of jeans and a hoodie, you figured he wasn't caught up in any dates.

"Here, let me get it," He added with a half smile while walking up to the counter. "Could you please add one medium meat lovers?" The teen swiped his card then reluctantly returned to the kitchen, leaving you and him all alone.

"Um, thanks." You found it difficult to pull any words out of your mouth. The shock of seeing your boss in the same rundown pizzaria was enough to leave you speechless. Although he was dressed down, he still looked better than half the men you've met. His hoodie fit his frame perfectly and the elementary school logo on the front hinted that he bought it to support Jack. Flurries were melting all over his jet black hair while his nose and cheeks were frozen in a pinkish tone. You didn't even know it was supposed to snow, but damn, you were glad Mother Nature decided to change course. The cold weather somehow only heated his appearance.

"Are you having a good Valentine's Day?" Aaron looked at you, having to lower his line of sight to meet your eyes. You chuckled softly.

"I'm in a crap pizza place that's about to close. You've solved more complex mysteries than this." Your quip earned a genuine laugh from the man, something you loved to hear more than anything else. It was a sound you rarely heard between the countless murders and constant jet lag. It reminded you that he was human, that he had a beating heart somewhere beneath the layers of stiffness. The air around you fell silent again once the laughter came to a natural end. The clock on the wall ticked endlessly as if it was counting down to something big. You shifted your weight from foot to foot.

"What about you? Didn't you have something with Beth?" You usually preferred to not talk about the SSA's seemingly perfect girlfriend, but it offered you an escape from the suffocating stillness.

"Uh, yeah," Hotch started. His demeanor dropped from lighthearted to disappointed like he was trying not to show any emotions towards the subject. "We actually broke things off earlier today."

"You're kidding." The thoughts spiraling in your mind began to pick up some speed. Beth was really the only thing keeping your mild interest in your boss from growing into a full blown attraction. Not only was she closer to his age, but she didn't have any ties to the FBI. There were too many examples of work relationships not working out and Hotch was too cautious to put himself in that position, and that was if those feelings were ever reciprocated, which would never happen.

"It's fine, really. I get to have a movie night with Jack now, so I can't say I'm disappointed." His lips pulled into a contagious grin.

"A movie night with the boys, I'm jealous," You replied with an impish tone. For some reason, your conversations with him were natural and always felt like more than just colleagues. The tips of your ears started to burn when you realized his soft stare had landed on you again. Fortunately, the cashier came out with the second pizza box and practically tossed both of you on the street then locked the door. For a minute, you stood next to him in a comfortable quiet. Snowflakes gently fell on the concrete below you and the occasional car would come humming past. The hushed atmosphere of the Capitol city was in direct contrast to the habitual chaos. It was as if everyone was in mutual agreement to stay quiet to allow romance a chance to blow through.

"Thank you again for the pizza," You finally spoke up, although your words were barely audible. You had to tilt your head up to look at him, which meant tiny flurries kept floating down to your eyelashes. Aaron maintained the steady yet soft eye contact even though it looked like his mind was somewhere else. His tongue briskly traced his bottom lip before he cleared his throat.

"If you want to do something tonight, you can always come over and watch movies with us." His voice had lost its usual confidence you usually hear from him. You silently thanked the freezing air for masking your blushing cheeks as a reaction to the cold. The weight of your posture rocked on your heels. With a nervous chuckle, you replied,

"Are you sure?"

"Of course," He answered, probably a little too quick, with a sparkle in his eyes. "I'm sure Jack would love to hang out with someone other than his dad." A short wave of laughter fell over the both of you. The heat pumping from your heart spread all the way to your toes, a sensation you hadn't experienced in a long time. There was a thick pressure in your chest that was trying to force you to move closer to your boss, but you managed to fight against it and simply nod instead.