Chapter Text
"Hey Reid, can you give me a five?" Emily asked, her crimson lips upturned in a saccharine sweet smile.
"Your womanly wiles won't work on Spencer, Em. He's not into women." JJ shook her head morosely. Her baby blue eyes sparkled with mirth.
"Yeah, well I'm not going to remove my lady parts or get man parts for five freaking dollars." Emily said, holding her hand out impatiently. JJ chuckled at her remark as Spencer deposited a crinkled five-dollar bill into her waiting palm.
"And when will I get my five dollars back, Ms. Prentiss?" Spencer asked, running a hand through his hair. JJ leaned forward and lowered her voice.
"You're the genius; figure it out."
"Give me the rest of your lunch money, nerd!" Emily demanded, lowering her voice into a comically deep grunt and balling her hands up into crude fists. Spencer laughed at the sight; in another life, Emily Prentiss could very well be a badass fighter, but for now she was still badass, just a badass fashion designer with very very high power connections.
"Please don't hurt me! I-I think I need an inhaler!" Spencer pretended to gasp for breath and pushed his glasses up his nose, snivelling. The trio burst into laughter, staring at each other with tears of joy streaming down the cheeks. They soon settled into a comfortable silence.
Emily stood up and got a coffee with the five dollars she borrowed from Spencer. His two best friends had a habit of borrowing money from him and never paying him back. Over the six years of their friendship, the pair had come to owe him a total of $896.75. But he didn't plan on collecting anytime soon; as far as he was concerned, their friendship and loyalty was more than enough payment.
And Emily and JJ only became closer with him when they found out that he was gay. They teased him about it, but he knew that they loved him like sisters. They constantly sent him on blind dates, most of which turned out horrible, but it warmed his heart to know that they wanted him to find someone too.
"Earth to Dr. Reid!" JJ snapped her fingers in front of his face, causing him to blink at her in confusion. "I thought I lost you buddy." She said, a familiar teasing smile stretching her lips. He smiled back at her.
"Sorry, I was just thinking." He said, sipping his coffee as Emily raised her eyebrow at him. Yummy. Sugar and caffeine; his favorite molecules.
"About what? Not knot theory again!" Emily said, grinning cheesily. "See what I did there?"
"Hilarious, but no." Reid replied with a deadpan stare. He was mastering that look now, thanks to the tutelage of the two ladies in front of him. They had apparently taught him how to be a 'real gay man'. "I was thinking about how lucky I am to have friends like you two." He said honestly, watching as surprise flickered across their faces.
Emily recovered first, her face splitting into a too-wide grin, her classic response to any discussion of feelings regarding her. "You are really lucky, Spence. Not just any guy gets to have friends who steal his money." She said. JJ nodded seriously beside her.
"And not just any guy has two smoking hot best friends." JJ added. Spencer laughed.
"Yeah, well I'm not just any guy, huh?" He said,managing to be flirtatious. This came easily between him and his best friends; if he tried this with a guy though, he'd probably end up tongue tied and make a huge fool of himself.
"Yeah. You're gay." Emily stated, emphasizing the last word.
"As in homosexual." JJ added helpfully.
"Really? I had no idea." Spencer said, rolling his eyes and sipping his coffee. The trio just smiled at each other for a moment, settling into a comfortable silence. Spencer enjoyed these biweekly, usually triweekly luncheons. They were becoming fewer and farther between nowadays though, with the heat from his job building up.
"Anyways, how's working for Foyet?" JJ asked, waggling her eyebrows. Spencer rolled his eyes for the second time that afternoon. JJ had the strangest idea that he and his boss should get together. "Or should I call him George?"
"Um, no you shouldn't. And it's... okay." He said, downplaying the stress. The ladies gave him their best 'bitch, please' faces. "Fine. He's been pushing me to develop the biological serum faster."
JJ leaned forward in her seat, her eyes sparking with interest. Emily looked incredibly bored, leaning back and playing on her phone. "Really? What's the serum? Why is it so important?"
"What is this, an interrogation? You know I can't tell you that, Jayje." Spencer said remorsefully. Despite the many perks of working for defense contractors for the government, everything he did was confidential.
"You can't tell future employees?" JJ said coyly. Spencer put his cup of coffee down, grateful that he hadn't sipped it while JJ spoke because he would surely spit it all out.
"Oh my god. Really?" He asked, and JJ nodded enthusiastically. "We're going to work together!" He exclaimed, resisting the urge to shriek.
JJ clearly had less self control than him because she did shriek. "I know right?! We've been dreaming of this for like, forever!"
"Four years, three months, and twenty one days." He supplied automatically, causing Emily to look up from her phone and cough "nerd" at him. "It's just... wow. Why didn't you tell me sooner?" He asked accusingly.
"I meant to, but I literally found out last night and Will and I talked about this morning and we sent in the affirmation." JJ said, waving her arms excitedly, much like Spencer did when he was fired up about something.
"Wow, Jayje. I'm really happy for you. This is your dream job." He said seriously, grasping her smaller hands in his, stroking the soft skin gently. JJ smiled at him, her eyes gentle and prideful.
"Yeah, it is."
"If you two are done squealing like teenage girls-" Both the alleged teenage girls let out noises of dissent at this, but Emily continued on, glancing at her phone worriedly. "We need to go, Jayje." The girls stood up, their jackets already shrugged on and bags in their hands before Spencer could blink. It must be a female thing because his hands moved sluggishly as he put his own jacket on and grabbed his messenger bag.
"See you soon, Spence." JJ waved goodbye to him and he beamed at her in response, one hand coming up to wave while the other pushed his glasses up his nose, causing her to laugh.
"See you later, Reidigator." Spencer gave Emily a confused look at that nickname. "By the way, I have a friend named Aaron who's very single, very hot, and just your type." She propositioned, waggling her eyebrows like JJ had. Spencer wrinkled his nose up in distaste. He wasn't really in the mood to date right now, what with all of the heat he was receiving from Foyet.
"Not likely! I have too much work." He said apologetically and Emily pinched his cheek before leaving. Spencer watched them leave, standing there in his tweed jacket, one hand holding a cup of coffee and the other raised in a half wave for a very long time.
He suddenly felt very lonely. He headed back towards the lab, kicking pebbles as he wandered the streets of Langley. The city-town wasn't very large, but it was infested with government families. Spencer's own family was... estranged, to say the least, with a schizophrenic mother and an absentee father. But he had his support network of friends who loved him and helped him through all of the bad times.
Spencer approached one of the many dreary, identical buildings on the street. Lunch hour was ending just about now, he mused as he observed the other scientists making their way back to their respective laboratories.
Spencer scanned his key card entered the building, striding across the white tiled floor of the grand lobby. He smiled awkwardly at the security guard as he deposited his bag and cellphone and stepped through the metal detector. Once he gathered all of his things, he hurried to the elevator. His cellphone buzzed and he dug through his bag to find it, frowning slightly.
To: Dr. Spencer Reid
From: Dr. George Foyet
Message sent at: 3:12 PM
Where are you? Get up here right now or you're fired.
Spencer adored his job; he was constantly challenged with new problems to solve and it warmed his heart to know that the solutions he presented were being used to help protect his country. He didn't, however, love his boss. JJ liked to joke about them getting together, but he was certain that after just a day of working with Dr. Foyet, she'd understand his dislike.
Spencer plastered an apologetic look on his face as he exited the elevator, knowing that Foyet would corner him any moment now. He hadn't done anything wrong; he was entitled to his lunch hour just like every other employee, but Foyet clearly disagreed.
"Reid!" Foyet called out just as Spencer was putting his lab coat on. He sighed to himself and quickly scurried to the older man's office.
"Yes?" He said politely, standing in the doorway so that he could make a quick escape. The short man (well, short compared to Spencer) looked up from the papers on his desk, aiming a sharp glare at Spencer.
"Don't be so late next time." Spencer resisted the urge to point out that he'd gotten here two minutes after Foyet sent the text. Arguing with his boss would only make matters worse. "How far are you in the development of the serum?"
"It's coming along. I'm running into a problem with one of the chemicals; when it reacts with the sodium hydroxide it creates a precipitate that could cause complications in the test subjects. I'm looking for alternatives." Any remotely decent boss and scientist would offer his advice at this point, but of course, Foyet didn't. He just tapped his fingers on his desk impatiently, clearly growing angrier at every word Spencer spoke.
"How long will it take you to fix this problem?" Spencer rolled his eyes.
"I can't predict that." He said honestly, causing Foyet's glare to intensify. When he first started this job, he had been terrified of Foyet; but years of experience told him that more often than not, Foyet was bluffing. He was just an impatient son of a bitch.
"Get it done soon, or you're fired." Foyet warned, and Spencer rolled his eyes inwardly, nodding his head outwardly. "Get out." Spencer quickly left, not wanting to be in the company of the boorish man for a second longer.
He went to his workplace, pulling his latex gloves on and his safety glasses over his head. Satisfied that his lab desk was clean enough to work on, he retrieved his supplies from underneath his desk. Bunsen burner? Check. State of the art balancing scale? Check. A set of pristine test tubes? Check. Graduated cylinders and beakers? Check. And finally, his test subjects? Check.
"Hi there, Nikolas. Have you been fighting with Albert?" He cooed, scratching the tiny white mouse behind its ears. A black mouse scurried around the cage, nipping at the white mouse's tail. Spencer smiled at the sight; his mice were the only animals that really got along with him, courtesy of the unfortunate Reid Effect. "No, it looks like Albert has been bothering you. It's time to check your vitals." He said, gently placing the mouse onto the examination table, covered with a soft blanket for Nikolas's comfort.
"Don't look so excited, Albert. You're next." He waggled a finger at the black mouse, who seemed to blink up at him innocently.
He got to work, listening to the mouse's heart. He checked its mouth and ears and the rest of its body as well as its blood pressure, treating the mouse with as much care as he would treat a human patient. He had grown quite close to his mice over the three months he had been working on this project; they were no longer just test subjects to him. He spent more time with then than he did with any other living creature, clocking in ten to twelve hours every day. They were his friends.
It was quite lonely in the lab, so Spencer filled the silence with classical music. It sharpened his focus and he set to work, analyzing the problem with his infamous determination and tenacity.
By the time he figured out why the NaOH was causing a precipitate, it wad already eight o' clock and he was only now beginning to evaluate possible alternatives. He sighed and decided to pack up the rest of his files and evaluate the theoretical alternatives at home.
"Good night Albert! Be nice to Nikolas, okay?" He whispered, placing the black mouse back in its cage. It curled up next to the identical white mouse and yawned, small mouth opening to reveal a pink tongue. Spencer's heart melted at the adorable sight.
He quickly and efficiently cleaned up his workplace, heading outside of his personal lab and to the elevators. Unsurprisingly, all of the other labs were empty, lights turned off. Even Foyer's office door was closed with the lights off inside. This was routine though; Spencer was usually the last one to leave the labs. He didn't have anyone to go home to. Even Foyer must have a family, he thought with a smirk. He sympathized with them.
He decided to head to his favorite diner. He really needed a cup of coffee right now, and the waitress knew him so she could easily whip up her infamous blueberry pancakes, despite the fact that it was dinner time. She understood his strange cravings.
He walked to the diner, the bell tinkling as he entered.
"Late night, Doctor?" The waitress, Sally, asked him when he took a seat at the counter. There was a man sitting next to him, reading some files.
"Yup. Albert needed some food." He said, taking the cup if coffee she gave him gratefully. "You are a lifesaver, Sally."
"Anything for my favorite doctor." She said with a wink, her blonde hair whipping the air as she turned on her heel. Sally was a beautiful woman, but Spencer wasn't interested in her. The man next to him, however, peaked his interest.
He seemed to be just his type. Tall, dark, and brooding. He was clearly muscular, judging by his broad shoulders. His suit looked expensive, indicating a steady job and a good income. He was reading files, so Spencer couldn't see his face.
"Pancakes for the doctor, and a casserole for the Colonel." Sally announced, placing the dishes in front of their respective owners. The Colonel nodded his thanks and Spencer beamed at Sally.
So he was a military man, huh? That explained the muscle and expensive suit... Maybe he was a special agent.
"Pancakes are an interesting choice for dinner." Spencer blinked once, then twice, realizing that the man was talking to him. His voice was quite nice, a deep smooth baritone. And now he was facing Spencer, so he could see his face.
And wow. The Colonel was very handsome. He had jet black hair that looked extremely soft to touch. His skin was clear except for a tiny blemish on his left cheek. His eyes were a molten chocolate, one eyebrow raised elegantly.
"I-I, uh, I had a rough day at work." He stammered out, taking a bite of his pancakes to his his blush.
"Are you a medical doctor?" The Colonel asked, gesturing to Sally with his head.
"No, I'm a scientist. I have Ph.D.'s in Chemistry, Psychology, and Mathematics." Spencer immediately regretted his last sentence. People were intimidated by his intelligence. They thought that it was strange that someone as young as him had so many degrees.
"That's very impressive. What's your favorite subject?" The man asked. Spencer searched his face for any sign of malicious intent. He looked... intrigued.
"I can't choose. They are all so interesting." He said honestly, smiling at the Colonel. The smile he received in return completely disarmed his senses and he stared at the man in front of him for a moment.
"Colonel Aaron Hotchner, it's a pleasure to meet me." The man introduced himself, holding his hand out for Spencer to shake. Spencer waved his hand a little, feeling embarrassed.
"Dr. Spencer Reid. Sorry, I don't shake hands with people. I'm a germaphobe." He disclosed, watching as understanding flickered across Aaron's face, but no other emotion. It was rare for him to find someone who didn't find him weird. Especially a man. "It's very impressive that someone your age is a colonel." Aaron raised his eyebrow at that. "I mean you're really young." Spencer amended hastily.
"Just as impressive as a twenty-something year old having three Ph.D.s." Aaron replied casually. Spencer admired his modesty.
"Were you working late?" He asked, gesturing to the files in front of the other man. Aaron nodded.
"My friend recommended this diner to me. She said it has the best casserole ever." Aaron replied. "My office is close by, so I thought I'd stop here for dinner." Spencer grinned at him.
"Your friend has really good taste." He said, hesitating in asking his next question. He hadn't seen a ring on Aaron's hand, but a kind, handsome man like him probably had some pretty girl waiting at home for him. "Is she your girlfriend?"
Aaron laughed. "Oh no. I'm gay." He leaned forward slightly. "And very single." He said, lowering his voice. Spencer's face erupted in flames and he peeked up at Aaron through his eyelashes shyly. "You said you had a rough day at work?"
Spencer nodded, the content smile on his face fading to a slight grimace. "My boss is an asshole." He said, then promptly blushed again. "Excuse my language, I don't normally swear. He's an impatient jerk."
Aaron laughed again. Spencer wanted to bottle the sound up and keep it all for himself. "I understand... Sort of. I have an impatient boss, but my employees probably call me a hardass." Aaron said. Spencer grinned.
"Best of both worlds, huh?" He joked and was rewarded with a gorgeous smile.
"It's getting really late. I should probably get home now." Aaron said. Spencer glanced at the clock, surprised to see that it was already nine-thirty. Had they really been talking for an hour and a half? "It was really nice talking to you. We should meet up again." Aaron said.
Spencer nodded and quickly dug through his messenger bag for a spare business card, brandishing it with a grin. "Here's my number." He said, biting his lip flirtatiously. "Call me sometime."
Aaron handed him his own business card with a smile. "I will." He promised, then bid him a good night.
Spencer stared at the black font on the white card stock. JJ and Emily were going to freak out.
|| End Chapter One ||