Acting on impulse, you show up at your boss, Aaron Hotchner's, doorstep in the middle of the night. The resulting night of passion kickstarts a timeline of events you never could've imagined. Crazy how one night could cause so much pain and pleasure.
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"You've all worked incredibly hard today. Take the night off. Get some rest. Clear your head. See you all tomorrow morning." Hotch takes a moment to look around the room at all of you. You turn around from your position at the case board with Reid to look over Hotch. You catch his gaze and he immediately looks away from you and down at the file in his hands.
To say it has been a long day would be the understatement of the century. For starters, all you can smell is Hotch's cologne all over your clothes despite the fact that you haven't seen him or been over to his place since the other night. It's an intoxicating, invasive scent. The best combination of men's cologne and a fresh shower. The smell somehow seems to drift over to you even now, as he stands on the other side of the round table, cleaning up the files and packing his briefcase.
In addition to his incredibly distracting cologne, you and Hotch haven't talked since you rushed out that night. You guys got overwhelmed with paperwork and now this new case and you just didn't make time to see him, especially after that night. You can tell he's mildly panicking. It's not obvious, as Hotch has the infuriating ability to keep his emotions completely locked away as if they don't exist. But you can tell he's worried about you.
His eyes linger on you for too long. Every time you speak, you can see he clearly isn't listening to what you're saying. However, every time you look over at him, he looks away. The long stolen glances are stirring up an immense amount of guilt inside you. You don't want him to feel guilty. He didn't do anything wrong. It's just that every time you think of the other night, your heart races, beating harder and harder thinking of the caring and gentle way he looked over you. You know that look. It's the same way he used to look at Haley.
You could see it in his eyes in the way he comforted you. It was so obvious in the way that his hand cupped your cheek softly, his thumb rubbing gentle circles on your skin. The way his warm hand laid on your thigh comfortingly.
The rest of the team moves around you, reaching for their bags and some case files to take back to the hotel. Despite the fact that Hotch told all of you to take a break, you know that no one will. You'll all take the work back with you, going over it a million times, hoping to find a new connection or a new part of the profile.
"I'm picking up some takeout on the way back, who's coming with me?" Emily pulls her bag onto her shoulder. Out of the corner of your eye, you see Reid give a small tight-lipped smirk, lightly jogging to catch up with her as she makes her way to the door.
The talk of food makes you realize just how hungry you actually are, "Em, wait up!" You haphazardly shove the files into your bag and snatch your blazer off the chair, rushing to meet them. Just as you, Emily, and Spencer reach the door, something stops you. Hotch stops you.
"Y/L/N," Hotch's voice calls out and you freeze in place, hesitating before turning to face him. You lock eyes with him, "You mind staying back for a second?"
Your eyes bounce between Emily and Spencer who are waiting for you at the door patiently, both with intense confusion spreading across their face, and Hotch, whose unbreaking gaze stirs up butterflies... and not the kind you get when you're nervous. The warm heat grows in your stomach, "You know what guys, you go ahead without me." You nod. Both Emily and Spencer remain in place as you walk back towards Hotch, who stands rubbing his fingers at his side.
