#spencer reid christmas

[violetrainbow412-blog]

hello!! how about something with spencer about christmas? 🎄🎄🎄

Lovely Christmas 🎄 [S. R]

Spencer Reid x fem!reader

word count: 1.6k

summary: the entire team gets together to celebrate Christmas and Spencer gives you a pleasant surprise.

note: merry next Christmas everyone! I hope you like it:)

Christmas, time to celebrate, give and receive. All that advertising in the stores worked to the point that you really felt a certain warmth on the holiday, despite the low degrees of the Virginia climate.

The team members, at Penelope's initiative, had agreed to have a small meeting to celebrate Christmas Eve this year, due to the uncertainty of not knowing how many Christmases you had left as a team because of everything chaotic that had happened lately. Mainly also because you had never celebrated that date together.

Everyone was there, the little ones, the older ones, some old members of the team, the new ones, husbands, wives, friends... in short, it was a big party. Of course Dave had offered his house to host the event and you, without complaint, had agreed. He had probably hired someone to do it, but the house was decorated masterfully, with lights, trees, Christmas boots, a life-size dancing Santa and even the white snow bathing the entire patio that could be seen from the glass doors. That's why Rossi couldn't be prouder, being the best of hosts as he always was.

You were euphoric about everything and you didn't even know where you should start enjoying. On the one hand, there was the opportunity to talk to friends from work that I hadn't seen in years, on the other hand, you could spend time with the kids and hug little baby Morgan, and last but not least, you could drink punch and hot chocolate in the company of the group that had gathered in that area. You decided on that option and very soon you were chatting friendly with Aaron and Emily.

“Jack wants a video game console for Christmas and I told him that only if he behaved well Santa could bring it, although I have a feeling that only one of us is pretending that he exists” he was telling you, laughing, when suddenly someone interrupted him.

“Jeez, it's freezing outside,” the voice, quite familiar to you, complained.

It was Spencer, who had just arrived with rosy cheeks, snowflakes scattered in his hair, his purple scarf and an ugly sweater that had gingerbread men all over it. He looked simply adorable.

“Reid!” you said happily, walking over to give him a hug which he gladly reciprocated. “Do you want me to serve you a cup of chocolate?”

“Oh, I would love you even more if you did that,” he replied, grinning at you from ear to ear with those gorgeous white teeth.

Being with all your friends makes you very happy, but there is one friend in particular who completely lights up your world. That's Spencer, and he was doing it right then.

“Here you go, handsome,” you murmured playfully, while you placed a full cup between his recently ungloved hands. He sighed as he took a sip of the drink and looked at you gratefully.

He joined in without any difficulty and soon the two of you were laughing at the story Emily was telling you, close enough to each other to be considered friendly. That's how it was always with him, despite his obvious fear of germs, he didn't mind being around you, much less when you laughed and leaned against his side a little or when you were telling a story and you constantly touched him. It felt natural to him, only when it came to you.

Rossi served turkey for all of you, one that you knew he had prepared because of the peculiar flavor and Italian ingredients. You had sat in front of Spencer and thanks to that you could see all his expressions during dinner, which were pure happiness. Seeing him happy made you happy too, as if you were infected with a delicious disease.

And suddenly you found yourself staring at him for too long and making jokes just to make him smile, as if he was the only one there with you.

During dinner you shared anecdotes, as always, Penny handed out candy to children and adults, the former members talked about how their new job was going and among all that it very soon became almost midnight.

Some sadness and surprise-filled your chest when Spencer announced that he would be the first to leave.

“I'm going to visit my mom,” he had explained, because you remembered that Diana was now in a health center that was only an hour away. No one dared to hold him back when they found out his reason and there were only a few goodbye hugs.

However, you told the man that you would walk him to the door and as you did so you pulled one of the bags on the floor with you. You stopped under the door frame, which could be seen from the small living room where the group had moved after dinner, and then you spoke.

“Drive carefully, okay?” was the first thing you said, lovingly adjusting the scarf that he was wearing around his neck. “And call me when you get there.”

“I will do it, calm down”

“Before you go, I want to give you something,” you murmured softly. You took out two decorated packages from your bag, one purple and the other pink “One is for you and the other is for your mother. Wish her a Merry Christmas from me”

“Y/N,” he said, sounding touched by what you were offering him. It was clear that what he had in his hands were books and he felt a tug in his heart when he thought that you had gotten one for his mother “I didn't bring you anything, I'm so sorry.”

“That doesn't matter, Spence,” you responded affectionately “It's just a detail, but I hope you like it.”

The man was about to respond when a whistle caught the attention of both of you and when you looked in the direction of the room you noticed that everyone had their eyes on you.

“Tough luck, lovebirds,” Morgan laughed and for a second you didn't understand what was funny about it. But when he pointed his finger at a spot above your head, then you understood.

There was mistletoe there, and you and Spencer were right under it.

“It's tradition,” Rossi began to say, when if he knew that you would refuse, “You can't break it”

“Did you know that the meaning of mistletoe can be found in the culture of the Celts? According to some stories, the druids used it in their spells and even to resurrect the dead, according to some legends of which we have evidence and records in different sources. Furthermore, magical powers are attributed to the plant because it doesn’t come from the sky or the earth, since the roots are neither in the ground nor held in the air: the mistletoe is maintained thanks to the deciduous tree that it parasitizes”

You giggled childishly as you listened to Spencer speak, probably to calm your nerves at the thought of having to kiss him, and he didn't even notice because he was so excited to share that bit of knowledge he had for the occasion.

“And that's why you have to kiss her, Reid! Legend says that if a woman is kissed under the mistletoe, she will be able to find the love of her life. And who knows, maybe our poor Y/N already needs some luck in that area”

You wanted to kill JJ for saying that, but at the same time you couldn't think about anything but what he would do. You didn't even know if he would dare to kiss you in front of all your coworkers and you wouldn't blame him if he didn't, after all you were just friends.

"Would it bother you?" he asked quietly. He didn't look the least bit nervous and that really made you nervous.

“Do you really want to kiss me?”

“Well, it's tradition,” he murmured, shrugging, while he smiled at you calmly. Apparently this hadn't affected him like it did you.

“Okay, then it’s… it’s okay.”

You would have liked to say the words more calmly, but you couldn't, and the little confidence you had left disappeared when Spencer raised one of his hands to cup your cheek and planted a kiss on your lips. It was a gentle kiss, sweet and short, but it made you shiver completely.

Honestly, no one expected you two to actually kiss, that's why when he pulled away from you the whole room was completely silent. You were shocked, they were shocked.

“Merry Christmas, Y/N,” he said, carefully caressing the skin of your face with his hand that was still holding it.

You made a superhuman effort to find your voice.

"Merry Christmas too"

He gave you one last caress and then said goodbye to the rest, waving his hand happily; they responded a little less enthusiastically, probably due to astonishment. The door closed, but you stood, staring into space as you tried to process what had just happened.

“Someone help the poor woman, it looks like she is going to have a heart attack”

Nobody, absolutely nobody, expected a comment like that coming from Aaron Hotchner and perhaps that was what made the moment a thousand times funnier.

“Did Reid really kiss you? I hope we aren’t experiencing a collective hallucination.”

“He didn't even hesitate! That's my boy"

“Everyone shut up,” you said finally, feeling all your blood pooling in your cheeks as you walked back to the living room “I don't think any of you want to be knocked out by a federal agent on Christmas Eve”

They laughed and eventually so did you. Reid wrote you a message when he arrived with his mother and you smiled as you remembered the kiss he had given you, the one that, without a doubt just as the legend said, led you to find the love of your life.

taglist: @navs-bhat @reidwritings @tricia-shifting14 @spencerslove @instabull @rhiannonhippiegirl @r-3dlips @missabsey @olivia’s-25

[lovelyspooks]

Me on Christmas Day “patiently” waiting for my mom to finish eating her breakfast so we can open presents:

[spencestiel-michelle]

Garcia: i can’t believe you lied to us! 

Derek: what are you- 

Reid: we were just in town and guess who we saw?! 

Garcia: Santa Claus

Reid: Santa. just a myth?

Garcia: who totally exists- by the way.

Reid: then explain how we have this! 

*Reid yanks out picture of him and Penelope standing next to Santa*

Derek: you… *exhales* my apologies. clearly, i was mistaken. 

*everyone walking away* 

Garcia: ha. he tried to argue with two geniuses. get it line. 

Reid: the odds of him winning that was colossal. 

Garcia: get. in. line. 

Derek: guys, we have to start the whole Santa thing again. 

*JJ, Hotch, Emily, & Rossi all sigh and grunt*

[iluvreid]

Merry christmas to everyone celebrating x 🎄

[criminalmindsfanantic]

Penelope *entering the bullpen in a festive outfit*: It’s Christmas! Are you all in a Christmas mood?!

JJ: Merry fucking crisis.

Derek: Hoe *points at Emily* hoe *points at Reid* hoe *points at JJ*.

Reid: Jingle bells, jingle bells, single all the way.

Emily: Fuck the snow! Fuck the snow! Fuck the snow!

Penelope: Guys, please.

[ssahopelessly]

Home for Christmas

Synopsis: Spencer gets called away on a case days before Christmas and while he should be working, his only thoughts are those of returning home to be with his wife and daughter.

Prompt: “After an awful case, the team comes back on Christmas Eve to find that Penelope has gathered their loved ones and quickly decorated the BAU as a surprise.” From the Office Party challenge {but I left out the party and decorating of the BAU office}

Warnings: Married Spencer x WifeReader, Fem!Reader, daughter named Autumn, brief discussions of case [let me know any I missed]

Word Count: 2.6k

Masterist

It was his worst nightmare come true. Well, maybe not his worst, that was one he hoped would stay tucked into the recesses of his mind for all of time. But this definitely made the list, without a doubt. Several years ago, it would’ve been an inconceivable one, but now, knowing what was waiting for him at home, this was the absolute worst.

“Are you going to be home for Christmas?” Her voice rang through the line as clear as a silver bell.

“I don’t know. I hope so. But…” Spencer allowed himself to fall back onto the bed he had been sitting on, trying to imagine he was home for this holiday. In his mind, he could see it as clear as he did when he left their home two days ago, the Christmas tree they had spent an afternoon decorating, the garland lining the stairwell that had been entwined with warm white Christmas lights, how the whole house smelled just like a Christmas tree farm and some cinnamon.

Spencer hoped that if the fates had any sway and any favors they could pull for him, maybe this would be the one. “But?” She had caught onto the sentence he didn’t finish, his mind lost in remembering.

“Well we haven't had any victims in the last three days and what we have isn’t conclusive enough or worse, it’s just not enough.”

“Oh.” He was staring at the hotel ceiling above him, getting visually lost in the scalloped pattern of what was above that he missed the defeated look on her digital face.

“And I don't want to wish for another victim, not a few days out from Christmas, but if we don’t get enough evidence we’ll have to close the case and go home.”

“Would you be here for Christmas?” The voice she used was relatively small, knowing at its core, it was a selfish desire: to have Spencer home for Christmas when people in another town needed him to stop the unsub. But there were only so many childhood Christmases for their daughter, and there was nothing more important in their lives than her.

“I mean maybe, but we would just have to come back out when the next victim shows up and I don’t want to leave if he’s still out there.”

“Is it possible he’s tied up in holiday festivities?” On her end of the call, she was moving about the kitchen, preparing a late night cup of hot cocoa as she listened to him, knowing she was sharing his attention with the details of the case.

“I mean maybe but…” His voice trailed off again as he slowly sat up, his memory deep diving into the facts of the evidence board and how that situation had never been entertained, how they had never considered with the holidays their unsub might be busy with festivities.

“Spencer?” She called to him, making sure he was still there or that the call hadn’t dropped.

“What if he’s tied up in holiday events and- I gotta go.” Pushing himself off the hotel bed, he ran towards his satchel, forgetting his phone on the sheets. With a view of the ceiling, she called for him one more time.

“Spencer?”

“Yes?” Crossing back over, he looked down to his phone so she could see him one more time for the evening, a smile forming on her lips as she knew they might’ve just had the breakthrough he needed. Whether he would get home in time for the holidays was one thing, whether he would save a town from future torment was another matter entirely, something she knew he was perfectly capable of.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.” Her words had given him the hope he needed, that electric spark of an idea that could carry him through the next few hours of re-evaluating the case enough to feel like he might actually be able to go home. “I’ll be home for Christmas. Promise.” Even through the phone screen, he could see the tears that had built along the bottom of her eyes, the smile she tried to show just for him, and he hoped against everything, that her beautiful and brilliant mind had given him the breakthrough the case so desperately needed.

-

“What?” Penelope yawned over the speakerphone, stumbling into her office that morning with Spencer five cups of coffee deep into his complete reanalysis of a case everyone was nearly ready to close, unsub known or not.

“We need to look at individuals who would be tied up with holiday festivities right now. Craftsman working on the local parade or theatre performances, someone who would have access to the tools and skillset but have virtually zero free time right now due to holiday obligations.”

“Spencer, it is six in the morning there, did you sleep? At all?”

“I got four hours before midnight and I can sleep on the jet.” He rattled off in a half breath as he added new notes to the map on the evidence board. “Okay, how many of the churches are hosting or have already hosted Christmas events this month through New Years?”

“Uhm…” he waited for her numbers, hearing the incessant typing of her keyboard, “Jesus, you’re definitely in the south. Within the city limits, 43.”

“Out of city limits?”

“52.” His attention focused in on the pins where the latest victims had been found compared to where the churches and local theaters were. “Spencer?”

“What about-”

They carried on like that for another hour until finally, they had narrowed it down to one guy. Their unsub had split time between three churches and a local theater, one victim tied to each community and within a few hours, they had their warrant and had arrested him before he could even wake himself up that morning. He was pulled into questioning which unfortunately did take all day, but by the time paperwork was finalized and evidence collected by evening the next day, they were on their way home to spend Christmas Eve night with their families.

The jet ride back that night was nothing remarkable, everyone choosing to sleep or keep to themselves this trip. And he was right. Spencer Reid did sleep on the jet the whole way back to Quantico. But the warmth he found in his sleep on the jet would soon vanish as the cool Virginia air greeted him with a vengeance that night, just as the team shuffled from the jet to the SUVs. The ride back to the office was quiet, but no one could continue their naps from the jet. All anyone could do was think about the families waiting for them back home, families waiting to start the holiday festivities.

“Look.” JJ had whispered to Reid at one point in the drive, her hand extending her phone to him in the backseat from her spot in the passenger seat. “Will and I agreed the boys should open one present tonight.” The video, once Spencer held the phone in his hands, was of Henry helping baby Michael open a box that sat on the floor between the two. He didn’t quite catch the content of the present with the shaky filming and glitching pixels, but he smiled over his godsons nonetheless.

“Wow.” Spencer let himself marvel aloud as he passed the phone back to JJ, trying to fight the yawn that was lingering at the back of his mouth. “Are they waiting up for you?”

“Henry is but Michael fell asleep early tonight. Will said they’d watch Elf and the Grinch until I get home though.”

“That’s not going to delay Santa Clause?” The look in his eye was one of knowing, a near twinkle of mischief.

“As long as milk and cookies are out, Santa will be fine.” Spencer could see the fond smile on JJ’s face in the light from her phone screen before she put it away in her pocket, looking back to him then. “What about your house? Do you think they’ll be awake when you get home?” Spencer tried not to think too hard on the possibility. He knew the schedules, he knew the odds, but part of him hoped he would get what was left of Christmas Eve with them, even if it just meant a five minute bed time story with Autumn and then one mistletoe kiss with his wife before they both passed out for the night.

“I hope they’re awake. But it’s late anyway so they’re probably asleep.” He felt how the possible reality affected him, but he hoped against everything he would get to see them just once before Christmas morning.

-

Normally when they got back to the office building, they were dismissed until the next business day. And he thought Hotch would especially excuse them as they both had kids at home. But something wasn’t right. As they piled out of the vehicles, Hotch required everyone to return to the 6th floor. He wouldn’t say why, and if anyone had a chance to ask, all they were told was “some paperwork cant wait for the next day.”

Spencer was the first one off the elevator, noticing how the time clock over the bullpen read the time to him, almost mocking him. 10:43. He did take a moment to glare at the ticking thing, setting his satchel down into his computer chair as he rubbed at his eyes. They opened to notice one thing was different, one thing that didnt sit right in his mind. He couldve sworn the roundtable room blinds were always open, never closed unless there was an important meeting. And he could've also sworn the picture frame on his desk with their family Christmas photo had been on the right of the computer, not centered along the right side. “Hey, H-“ He couldn’t finish calling to his boss, a commotion behind him taking his attention.

“DADDY!” His head spun trying to find her voice, knowing it anywhere. The one voice that could get him to shed his FBI exterior and leave his heart open. Turning around, he saw the blur of her hair and holiday dress as she ran down the steps to him, his body immediately bending down to scoop her up. “Daddy you’re back!” Her voice cheered into his shoulder as he pressed a kiss to the side of her head, spinning them around for effect. She giggled profusely as he looked back to the roundtable room, now seeing (Y/N) waiting just outside the door, hand over her heart as the scene unfolded. He motioned for her to come join them, quick to notice how she wiped away tears as she rushed to be with them by his desk. Holding tighter to Autumn, he pulled his wife in for a hug, also placing a kiss to her hair before deeply inhaling, renewing his memory of her scent.

“You’re here.” He breathed out in a whisper, squeezing her body to his.

“Penelope called. She wanted you to have your family for the holidays.” Looking once more to the roundtable room, he saw Penelope as she stood along the railing, a gentle wave to Spencer as he held his girls in his arms.

He mouthed a thank you to her before pressing another kiss to (Y/N)’s head, Autumn resting her head against his.

“Daddy?”

“Yes sugar plum?”

“Can we go home now? We’re going to miss Santa.” They both laughed as they hugged her closer in their little family huddle, evermore appreciative that they got one more Christmas as a family.

-

The drive home was exceptionally quiet, Autumn running out of energy before they even left headquarters. Spencer’s hand didn’t let go of (Y/N), thumb rubbing slow circles into the top of her hand as he watched her driving. “I love you.” He mumbled, in such a tired daze from the last few days.

“I know.” Squeezing his hand, she spared a look at him at the red light, no other cars at the intersection. “I love you Spencer.” Just as the light turned green, she noticed how his eyes fluttered to a close, the smile still present on his lips. “Seriously?”

“I’m just so happy.” He hummed, opening his tired eyes to look at her in the passing street light.

“Yeah, and you can’t fall asleep right now because you’re carrying her inside. I can’t carry both of you into the house.”

And he did just that. When she parked their car in the parking lot, Spencer was quick to get out to open (Y/N)’s door and then gently opened the door where Autumn’s seat was, careful not to wake her. While he carried her into the building, (Y/N) made sure to get all the doors in their way, hoping Autumn would stay asleep from the car to her bed. As soon as she hit the matress, her hands did reach up for Spencer as he gently removed himself from her hold, but he quickly reached for the custom teddy bear they had gifted her for when he was away on a case, and she snuggled up to it like it was good enough. Holding (Y/N)’s hand, they both tried to commit to memory the serenity and peace of their daughters room before closing it for the night, quietly walking towards their room now. “What time do you think Santa will come?” She asked as she took off her evening clothes to get into her pajamas, sitting on the bench at the foot of their bed as she waited for Spencer to finish getting ready.

“I was thinking maybe 3:00, maybe 4:00?” She didn’t shy away from letting out a groan as she came up behind him to hug his back, only having successfully put on his pajama pants for the night.

“Maybe 5:00.”

“Do you think she’ll get up and check?” His hands came to rest over hers, holding them close to his stomach.

“No, she didn’t get her afternoon nap so she’s extra tired tonight.” She placed a kiss to the back of his shoulder blade, and he tried his best not to melt into her touch.

“I missed you.”

“Missed you more.” She mumbled out before Spencer turned around in her hold, bringing his arms around her as she settled against his chest.

It was such a simple thing, to be in each other's arms, but it was the one thing they both craved when they were apart. It was the one thing in their relationship that hadn’t changed, the need for physical touch but only from each other. Like many times before, Spencer’s mind seemed to stall with the concept of time, unable to differentiate the seconds from minutes in her arms, resting his cheek against her head. “Let’s go to bed.” One more kiss was pressed to her hair before she let go of him, turning to climb into their bed.

As they made their way under the covers, Spencer moving to lay behind her, his arm slipped over her waist, her back to his chest, and it was then he lost the strength to hold back the lingering thoughts in his mind. “I thought I wouldn’t get tonight with you.”

“You did. It’s our own Christmas miracle.”

“You’re my miracle.” He pressed a kiss to her shoulder, lips lingering over the surface. “My dream I never have to wake from.”

“You, Dr. Reid, are exceptionally cheesy.” A laugh had burst from her lips but he didn’t even flinch or pull away from her. Her laughter settled back into the quiet of their room, eyelids starting to grow heavy as she felt her heartbeat synchronize to his breathing behind her. “Santa’s at 5:00?” The response he offered was just a small hum of acknowledgment, squeezing her body tighter to his before they both surrendered to the attractive lure, falling into a blissful sleep (if only for a few hours).

~

Tell me what you think here!

[whoisspence]

[pt 4/4] dating spencer reid in every season | winter

[jaidens]

christmas romance w/ spencer reid !

[cumulo-stratus]

Flashback

Pairing: dad!Spencer Reid x gn!Reader

Summary: spencer discusses his thoughts around having kids with his spouse after putting their daughter Diana to bed.

Warnings: mentions of drug abuse/addiction, mentions of cannon typical violence, discussions of having kids(obviously), poor insecure Spencer 🥺🥺

A/N : this was written for the @cmgiftexchange!! I wrote this for @omgbigfluffwriting, I hope you enjoy it and that I did your prompt well!! Merry Christmas <33

wc: 1.7k

The sound of giggling filled the Reid household as you chased the mini-Reid through the kitchen and into the living area. When you finally caught Diana you slipped your hands under her arms and swung her up onto your hip with a cheer. When you both finally caught your breaths you made eye contact with your husband who had a scolding look on his face, but there was still a smile twitching at lips at the scene he had just witnessed. “You know she has to be in bed in- 15 minutes!” Spencer paused and looked down at his watch to emphasize his point about how close it was to Diana's bed time. You just sighed dramatically and addressed your daughter “Well, I think your dads right- we gotta get you to bed- it's a school night!”.

After much kid wrangling and only one bedtime story bribe, Diana was sound asleep and safe- leaving you and your husband for some alone time together. After so many years of being together, you and Spencer dont find there's a need to fill the silence you're often draped in. 

But that night the silence got Spencer thinking. Thinking about you, thinking about Diana, thinking about the life he's built for himself. If he was being honest with himself he never thought he would be here. A spouse and a child, a house. It was more than 23 years old Dr. Spencer Reid, new BAU agent could have possibly imagined. A spouse, let alone a child. 

Those thoughts were even more discouraged when he was kidnapped by Tobias Hankle. Spencer considered that one of his lowest points, he had been tortured and drugged- how could it not be. That's not even to mention the addiction that followed. He was in pieces, mentally and physically. Even after he got clean, Spencer often told himself that he wasn't worthy of children. That he would be worse than his own dad. And without you there to reassure him as you often did after you met, these beliefs solidified in his mind. 

“Y/n?” You looked over at Spencer from where you were lying across from him on the couch. Your questioning look was enough of an answer for Spencer so he continued, “did you always want kids? I used to think I didn't deserve kids”. You gave Spencer a look of pity, you hated when he had thoughts at his own expense. And he knew that. But Spencer couldn't help himself. 

“First of all, Diana loves you and you're the best father for her- full stop. Second of all, I always wanted kids, I think you did too”. Spencer nodded, he had always wanted kids- it was his mind that told him not to. 

“I didn't really start believing that kids were a possibility when I met you”. Spencer smiled warmly when he spoke, his eidetic memory not failing to remember any details from when you first met.

——

Spencer was sat his car that he rarely drove, going to the supermarket, which he rarely did. But it wasn't often that he spiraled into a depressive episode after seeing his girlfriend murdered in front of him, so he thought a change of pace might do him some good. Or more like penelope garcia thought it would do him some goo

That’s how he ended up strolling through the public park on a Tuesday afternoon in april. It was sunny and warm, a stark contrast to the sunken purple bags under Spencer's eyes and the wrinkly shirt that probably should’ve been washed before leaving the house. 

But you- in spencers eyes you were a beauty unto yourself, regardless of what you were wearing. That was one thing that hadn’t changed since he met you, and he swore never would.

To be honest, it was by luck that Spencer had run into you; you were with your nephew as babysitter for the day when he started bothering spencer. Needless to say you were very apologetic.

“Tom, no! leave that man alone! i'm so sorry sir, he doesn't mean it”

You were extremely apologetic, ushering your nephew away from the stranger. Spencer was flustered but understanding, red evident on his cheeks.

Skip to a few hours later and Spencer had spent the entire time with you. It was the best Spencer had felt in weeks, like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. 

That night he couldn't stop thinking about everything that had happened; walking around with you, talking with you, meeting your nephew and sister. Spending time with your nephew, it got him thinking. Spencer had tucked away the idea of having kids far into a little nook into his mind, and spending time with Tom dredged it up from the depths of his brain. 

Despite still reeling with the death of his girlfriend, Spencer still couldn't get the thought of having kids and being a dad out of his head. It nagged at him all the time, and the thoughts got loud when he was with you. Picturing you as a parent during your coffee dates. 

Although Spencer Reid has an IQ of 187, and an eidetic memory, it still took him weeks to realize why he couldn’t get the thought of children out of his head; because he wanted to be a dad. He wanted to care for someone, knowing that they rely on him. 

——

“Spencer? Spence?” 

Spencer is pulled from his thoughts of when the couple first met by your soft voice. You had a small look of concern on your face at your husband's lack of awareness of the current reality. Spencer hummed in response to ease your worries. “What's got you with that Spencer Reid Far Off Look ™ in your eyes huh?” you asked. Spencer chuckles, and responds, “Just thinking about when we first met… after Maeve died- it's what got me thinking about having kids you know-”. it's your turn to chuckle now, remembering the embarrassment of having to usher away your nephew. Though your eyes held a sympathetic look at the mention of maeve, it would always be a bit of a sensitive subject. 

“Ya, we have tom to thank for that. But I didn't know that's when you started thinking of kids- I thought it was later, when you first talked to me about it”.

——

It was 1:03 am, and Spencer was still awake, to be fair he had just gotten back from a bad case. It was always bad when it involved kids, Spencer couldn't get the face of the little girl they couldn't save in time out of his head. Thoughts raced through his head, but he would never tell you about them- after all you had only been together for a couple months. Spencer couldn't risk being that vulnerable with you.

So here he was, tossing and turning at one am over a case he couldn't get out of his head- trying not to wake up the sleeping figure beside him. He couldn't stop thinking about if that little girl had been his little girl. What would he do then? Spencer didn’t know if he could handle having another human rely on him so heavily- what if he let them down. What if he became like his own father, something he swore he would never do. 

In all of Spencer's spiraling thoughts he hadn’t noticed that you had woken up from the constant shifting of the bed, which was caused by his  incessant tossing and turning in bed. You noticed the look in Spencer's eyes was one you knew well, it was a look that said the gears were turning a little too fast in that big beautiful brain of his. 

But before you could say anything, Spencer got to it first. “Would I- would I be a good dad?” You were caught off guard by Spencer's question, not expecting him to bring that up. But you could tell Spencer had been thinking about it for a while, if the worry crease between his eyebrows was anything to go by.

“I think you’d be a great dad spence- your kind, your caring, you have an amazing compacité to be there for other people, i think especially if it was your kid..”

You speak in a quiet, comforting tone in order to release at least some of the anxiety your boyfriend is harboring. In an effort to punctuate your point you give Spencer a small squeeze on the arm, hoping it would provide at least a little bit of comfort.

Spencer offered a nod in response not quite knowing what to say to his partner's kindness. Instead of speaking Spencer just rolled from the other side of the bed into your warm embrace, which contrasted the cool breeze from the open window.

——

Spencer comes back from his thoughts by the sound of small feet pitter pattering on the hardwood floors. you don't comment on your husband's spacey-ness that evening, instead opting to sit up and find the source of the sound. 

Which you find out to be the small feet of Diana Reid, who had woken up from a bad dream and sought out the comfort of her parents. Her small frame struggled to climb onto the large bed, so Spencer lifted her up by her armpits and placed her between him and you.

“Cant sleep?”

You ask though the dark, soothingly running your fingers through her curly hair.

“ya.. i had a bad dream and couldn’t fall back asleep”

Her voice is small, the six year old still a bit embarrassed at needing to sleep in her parents bedroom, but Spencer's calming hand running up and down her back helped ease some of the embarrassment and helped her sink into her loving parents arms.

“That’s okay, you can always sleep in here with us if you want”

Spencer says as he kisses Diana's head, and the little girl is already falling asleep in the couple's arms. Both Spencer and you look down at your daughter, now fast asleep in between you, and it puts a smile on your faces. And you can't help but lean over and place a haste kiss on spencers lips and say;

“You know I told you you’d be a good dad”

you had a bit of a sly smirk on your face as Spencer chuckled, and he responded “I guess you were right huh”. And that's how the Reid family fell asleep, contented in each other's arms.

The End

[c-m-stuff]

Secret Santa

Spencer Reid x Female!Reader

-Description: You and Spencer are together. It's secret Santa time.

-Warnings: Fluffiness

-Word count: 1157

-Note: A sweet fic for the upcoming holidays. Do you guys love Christmas as much as me?🎄🎁

Masterlist

Y/N POV:

'That was delicious, Dave.' JJ complimented the Italian man, the whole team agreeing.

'You really went all out this year.'

'Of course, I went all out. It's Christmas Eve for God's sake.' he replied, while we all laughed.

'My favorite was the wiiiiine.' Penelope giggled, as she poured herself another glass of wine, causing everyone to chuckle.

It became a tradition to all celebrate Christmas Eve at David's place. It was nice, spending time together without standing next to a dead body. Another tradition was secret Santa. The game you pull blindly a name out of a bowl to thereafter buy a Christmas present for that person. I've always loved it.

'Calm down with the wine, baby girl. We don't want a re-do of last year, when you all told us what's in the presents, before we got to actually open them.'

I giggled at Derek's statement, as I felt someone sitting on the couch next to me. Looking up, it was my genius boyfriend.

After pinning at one another for almost a year, the pretty boy himself admitted his feelings and asked me out for a date. The situation it happened wasn't the normal one, though. It was the end of a workday at the BAU, as the elevator suddenly decided to stop working. While we were in it! After panicking at first, and calling the team, we got stuck for a good hour. Which let us to admit our feelings for one another, all while curled up on the elevator floor. After that, time went on, and so did the dates. And, then there was one special moment were he asked me to be his girlfriend. I am still thankful for that elevator to stop working on that special day.

'It's secret Santa time!' David announced, and everyone went to grab their presents from under the Christmas tree, before heading to the comfortable couch.

JJ pulled Emily's name and bought her a gift card from a nice clothing shop and a tequila bottle. Emily got Aaron and decided to gift him with a black coat and a reading light for if he goes over paperwork in bed. Aaron drew Derek's name and bought him two tickets to a football game and a new tool belt for when he is renovating homes. Derek got David and gifted him new cooking equipment and a bottle of 30 years old scotch. David pulled Penelope's name and decided to gift her a pair of beautiful, pink heels and two tickets to a theater play. Penelope got JJ and presented her with a gorgeous necklace she's been talking about buying but never got around to and a mock with a text saying: "I'm a mom, what's your superpower?".

As everyone was done gifting the other their presents, they all realized Spencer and I drew each others names, considering we're the only ones left.

'Of course the two love birds got each other.' Derek commented, a grin plastered on his face. Although, it didn't went unnoticed by me when Derek winked at JJ, who was already grinning by herself. Then, it hit me that JJ was the one who was in charge of the bowl full of names.

'Okay, pretty girl, you first.' Derek said, as I gave my present to Spencer.

I watched as he carefully tore the wrapping paper off, revealing the first edition copy of the book The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury.

'No (Y/N), you did not!' he exclaimed, enthusiastic.

'How did you- Where did you-' he looked flabbergasted and guilty at the same time.

'You didn't have to, I would have been fine with a gift card from the book store. This must have costed you a fortune.'

'Ahh, not quite, genius. Well, I was last helping my grandparents with moving out. They're going to live in an apartment instead of a way too big house, like I told you. And, surprisingly, I found the book on the attic amongst some other books. I got it for free.' he kept staring at me in shock, still flabbergasted. He instantly wrapped me into a greatful hug, pressing multiple kisses on my head.

'Thank you. Thank you so much!'

'That's not all, pretty boy. Open the book.' I told him, as he did. A gift card from the bookstore revealed. Everyone laughed at the earlier mention of a gift card for books, as Spencer once again thanked me with words and a hug.

Then, he gave me a gift bag, covered with Christmas trees. I took the first thing I felt and tore off the wrapping paper. It revealed a stunning vintage camera. My eyes widened, admiring the, in my eyes, piece of art. I've always adored polaroid photos.

'I remembered you saying that you really wanted one. You wanted to capture moments like these, and that you loved the reality of the photos because you have only one shot.'

'Thank you so much! It's amazing!' I pressed him in a tight hug, before he spoke again:

'There's more, though.'

We ended the hug, as I reached for the bag and took the other present out. I was quick in ripping of the wrapping paper, seeing it was a beautiful notebook. He clearly knows my love for notebooks and this one was covered with blue butterflies. Absolutely gorgeous.

'Thank you! I love it!' once again, we shared a tight hug, as Spencer whispered something in my ear.

'That's not everything.' I pulled back and looked at him with a surprised face.

'There is more?' he nodded, gave me the most sweetest smile, and went down on one knee. I gasped, tears already forming into my eyes.

'(Y/N), you're the best thing that ever happened to me. Since the first day I met you, you were nothing but kind, you listened always to my rambling, and you made me a better person. I love you for for being you. You are beautiful, inside and outside. (Y/N), you are my future. Make me the happiest man on earth and marry me?' I was still shocked and couldn't believe this was happening. My soulmate was proposing. I couldn't be more happy.

'YES! YES, I WILL!' I flew in his arms, everyone cheering and clapping.

Tears were now fully pouring out of my eyes, and it wasn't different for Spencer. My fiancé. It felt so good using that word.

'And, I can't wait for you to be my husband.'

'I can't wait for you to be my wife.' he whispered in my ear, as I did the same with him.

_________________________

[bowwow189]

Santa Claws 🐈

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Fem!Reader (kinda more gn)

Warnings: Fluff, Spence being anti-cats

Word count: a lot of them.

•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•

Living with Spencer was easy. He loved you, and you loved him. There were hardly any fights between the two of you despite how irritated he may have been after hard cases. You lived by "absence makes the heart grow fonder," so you managed to deal with him being gone so often, though it still hurt.

The only thing the two of you couldn't seem to agree on is Sweetpea, your very lovable, very charming Scottish fold. You absolutely adored Sweetpea. She was always there for you when Spencer couldn't be. Her fur and cuddle bug personality let your mind ease to rest when your anxious thoughts led you to believe the worst. She was very well mannered and you took good care of her: brushing her, bathing her weekly, feeding her some of the best food, and gladly showering her with affection whenever she craved it. Sometimes almost too much.

Spencer couldn't despise the cat more. Sometimes Sweetpea would hog your attention almost too much. Not only that, but he didn't have much of a liking for cats in the first place. He believed them to be infested with all sorts of picked up germs, and he stood by that no matter how much you assured she was clean. He only put up with the feline because she was practically the love of your life, and you couldn't give her up.

You loved her so much so that you wanted another one of her. You worked from home when you could, but when the time came to be called into work, the thought of leaving your baby all by herself stung. Your mind was set on believing Sweetpea needed a friend. Spencer did not like that idea, but you were determined to change his mind.

You often tried your best to convince him another cat was for the best, which only led to petty arguments, and in your anger, it always ended with you throwing a tiny cat toy at him.

You'd show him photos of cats and sneak in a tiny "look how adorable" to each one. Spencer tried his best to ignore when you'd use such a weak tactic. He'd place a kiss on your lips to shut you up, which often worked because no matter how inlove you were with Sweetpea, you still loved Spencer a bit more. You'd melt instantly and you knew your time of persuasion was up.

•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-•

You woke to the soft sound of purring cuddled in your arms. She was one of those cats that loved being absolutely wrapped in their owner's embrace, and her purrs happened to be a bit louder than most. Your eyes stayed closed while you adjusted to the sweet noise. One arm movement and you'd wake the precious being, which was something that wasn't needed right then.

It took a moment for you to settle awake before you realized Spencer hadn't been next to you. Not only was he gone, but he was gone on Christmas. Your eyes fluttered open and you turned enough to make sure he wasn't just further away than usual. To your dismay, your fear was confirmed. You huffed out a sigh and turned back to Sweetpea, petting her away before carefully moving out of bed.

A sense of dread filled you, which was shown on your face with a frown and a droop in all of your features. You ventured out to the living room, a slight trudge in your step. It was Christmas, you should've been excited! But, you weren't. Your mood only dampened when you looked around to find out Spencer was nowhere to be seen. He wasn't on the couch, nor in the kitchen brewing his needed coffee. Your apartment was suddenly feeling a bit too empty despite being covered in christmas decor.

You suddenly felt a warmth at your ankle: A knowing Sweetpea. It was as if she knew whenever you were missing Spencer, always there when your heart was missing a piece of yourself. A smile found it's way back onto your face and you bent over to pick up the creature for some much needed snuggles. Making your way to the couch, you held her in your arms and pet her rather roughly, just how she liked.

Whenever Sweetpea was too excited, she'd drool at the mouth a bit, a feature you found endearing. Spencer only found it gross. You continued to snuggle her until you heard the familiar sound of your front doorknob clicking. You immediately perked up, your gaze shifting towards the door just before a snow covered Spencer trudged in.

When he spotted you, a smile grew on his face. He had been carrying a suspiciously large present in his grasp. He was quick to move inside the apartment and set the box down on the counter. Sweetpea was rather intrigued, hopping out of your arms and strutting over to the box with small sniffs.

In the moment, you could care less for the gift, as Spencer was back. You squealed and hopped up yourself, running over to Spencer and nearly making him tumble.

"Hey, hey! Careful y/n, I'm all wet." He warns, unable to resist wrapping his arms around you.

"I thought you had a case or something!" You squeeked in response, ignoring his warning and jumping into his arms.

His hands moved to hold your rear as you nuzzled into his neck, pecking sweet butterfly kisses to the flesh. He chuckled and rocked you around before setting you down and tearing his coat off.

"Sorry, I had to go get your present. I had Penelope hold onto it for me so you wouldn't be spoiled too soon." He mumbled as he shuffled out of his converse and moved to hug back onto you. You instantly melted back into his actual warmth, your arms tugging him as close as humanly possible. You didn't think to much about his gift as his reasoning behind it seemed sensible enough.

"Hey, you wanna open presents now? I think you'll really like what I got you." He spoke sweetly to you, his hands moving to tug you off and instead rest at your hips. You nodded a response and ran to get your gift for him. You had it tucked away underneath the bed, knowing he wouldn't ever check there. You had him convinced that 'under the bed germs' were just as bad as 'handshake germs.' You shuffled back out into the living room, box in hand as you made your way to the couch beside him. His gift was neatly placed on the ground by his feet. You could've sworn you heard a slight shuffle from inside the box, but you concluded it was just your mind testing you.

You were quick to shove your gift into Spencer's hands, an eager smile plastered on your face. He grinned and teared away at the snowflake patterned wrapping paper. His delicate hands lifted it open to reveal a very purple, very obviously handmade sweater vest. His eyes widened at the sight before him, but you couldn't tell if that was a good thing or not, which had you overthinking yourself.

"I uh, I made it. It's okay if you don't like it, it is kinda-"

"I love it." Spencer cut you off quickly, his gaze tearing away from the poorly made vest and looking to you. His words seemed genuine, his gaze showing just the same feeling. Your heart nearly fluttered. You watched as he took the fabric out of the box, which was carefully set on the ground as he rid himself of the vest he already had on. He was quick to replace the once worn vest with his brand new one, looking like a kid in a candy store with the way he seemed so enamored by it. Your cheeks flushed lightly out of embarrassment, wanting nothing more than to rip it off and throw it away.

When Spencer looked at you again, you nearly fainted. You couldn't help it when your hands reached to hold his own before you were quickly tackled back into the couch and peppered with kisses.

"I love it, I love it. It's so perfect, and it's so purple! You're amazing, y/n!" He calmed your worries with his lips touch and sweet words of praise. You giggled at the soft tickling feeling of slightly wet kisses to your face. You shoved him off playfully and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips in hopes to calm him. He smiled into your kiss before pulling away and brushing your hair behind your ears.

"Are you ready to see what I got you?" He questioned you with a small eyebrow raise.

You glanced to your present on the floor before nodding, "Yeah."

His grin grew and he picked up the present with a gentleness you admired. "Be careful, it's fragile." He whispered, which caused your own eyebrow raise. The box had a few large holes in the side of it, but they weren't exactly big enough for you to see what exactly was inside. You took a second to ponder before quickly taking the top off to find a tiny, sleeping beauty.

A baby cat, an adorable and very gorgeous kitten. Your eyes widened in shock. It was a surprise considering how insistent Spencer was being about not getting a cat. You held back another squeal as you carefully picked up the sleeping kitten. Your mouth propped open unconsciously as you held the baby close. You pet it with your thumb, looking back from the animal to Spencer with a huge smile. You nuzzled into the baby as Sweetpea rushed over to sniff the sweet thing. She patted at it with her claw lightly, earning a small laugh from both you and Spencer.

"So.. Does this mean you're a cat man?" You tease, your gaze shifting to Spencer.

"Mm, maybe." He shrugs and leans forward to pet the new kitten. You check for its gender before handing the animal to Spencer. He, to your surprise, takes her with no hesitation. You move the box off of your lap and snuggle close to Spencer, who's holding the kitty as if it's a newborn child. You don't want Sweetpea to be left out, so you pull her into your lap and begin to pet her.

"Our family is complete. Thank you, Santa Claws." You scrunch your nose to Spencer and flash him your nails before moving in to kiss his cheek.

"Anything for you, Mrs. Claws."

a/n: Hi! This is my first ever fanfic, and I haven't really finished criminal minds nor am I a very professional writer. Sorry if I'm repetitive or boring with this, I'm just trying this out! Let me know how I can do better, any improvement advice is greatly appreciated. Love you goofy gublers!

[upon-a-starry-night]

Christmas Tree Trouble (Spencer)

Spencer Reid x Gender Neutral Reader

Ficmas Masterlist Spencer Masterlist

Wordcount: 2.7k

Summary: You need a bit of help getting your Christmas tree into your apartment so you ask your neighbor for help

A/n: The beginning is the same but differs per character

~~~

You weren’t expecting much when you knocked on your neighbor's door for help with your 8ft Christmas tree. Honestly, you weren’t even sure if they would help. You knew they were home. You’d heard the door across the hall open and shut enough times throughout the week to know they went on a lot of odd grocery runs at 1 am.

But you’d never really spoken much, a few times at community functions and when you’d see each other in the hall but neither of you made an effort to talk to each other. However, that was mainly because you were intimidated by how attractive they were.

Still, they had seemed more on the reserved side. Never bringing anyone home or throwing parties at their place. They were a perfect neighbor on paper, but their loneliness often made you sad. 

Initially, you had wanted to invite them over at some point during the holidays just to make a new friend and help them be less lonely but it became more of a need than a want when you tried to lug your 8ft tree into your apartment by yourself. 

So you knocked on their door across the hall and prayed that they would be willing to help you out.

You rocked back and forth on your heels as you waited for a response, just as you were about to give up and turn to ask another neighbor the sound of locks clicking alerted you of their presence.

When the door opened you observed their tired-looking figure, they were dressed in casual gray sweats and a loose T-shirt.

They stared at you curiously as you stood there before their eyes drifted behind you to the large tree lying on the floor in front of your apartment door. They raised their eyebrows in surprise.

“Hi!” you waved awkwardly “Listen I know this is random and you’re probably busy so you can say no but I kind of underestimated how hard it would be to get this tree in my apartment and I already had to carry this from my car to here and I scared a bunch of people out of the elevator because this thing took up the whole elevator and-” You stopped rambling when you saw a hint of a smile on their face, you think this is the first time you’ve ever seen them smile.

 It’s cute.

“Sorry, what I’m saying is, can you help me?” You anxiously bit your lip as you waited for a response. 

His hair's a little disheveled and you can’t help but watch as he runs a hand through it.

You silently observe as his gaze flickers to your tree and then back towards you a few times

 “Did you know there are approximately 25-30 million Real Christmas Trees sold in the U.S. every year?”

The fact throws you off guard and you find yourself blinking owlishly before finally processing his words

“Really?” you genuinely had no idea they sold that many. Guess the Christmas tree farms in Hallmark movies must be making bank every year. “This is my first year ever having a real tree so…”

You underestimated just how tall and heavy this tree was going to be. It was so much easier to order one online and assemble it yourself piece by piece. 

But you told yourself you were getting a real one in true Christmas fashion…only now you were starting to regret not taking up the farm owner's offer to send his son with you to help. Y’know stranger danger and all that.

However, asking your neighbor you’ve never really met could also be classified as stranger danger.

Your brain wasn’t currently thinking logically though so here you are in front of his apartment sizing him up as you realize he might not even be able to help you either.

Sure he was tall and handsome and you knew he had some kind of job that had him rushing out of the house at odd hours but looking at him now you wondered if you could carry more weight than him…

He seemed to come to that exact conclusion at the same time as you as he cringed a little bit and seemed to almost droop.

He reminded you of a sad flower or a wounded puppy. It made you want to hug him.

“I don’t know if I’m the best person for that- I have this friend I could probably call him to come and help-”

You would have to look up if you had Alien Hand Syndrome when you got the chance because involuntarily you reach out and grip his arm as he turns to go back into his apartment. The action seems to startle the both of you and you quickly retreat your hand.

“I’m sorry! I just- I don’t need your friend. Between you and me I think we could make this work”

In any other context, that sentence feels like it belongs in a romance movie and you subconsciously check the hallways for a camera crew and boom mic.

Green-ish-brown eyes bore into yours and you get the feeling he’s searching for something. For what you have no idea but he seems to have liked whatever he found because a brief smile slips onto his face as he observes your nervous stature.

“Let me change real quick and then we’ll see if we can ‘make this work’” You want to cringe at his blatant tease over your cheesy choice of words but you don’t get the chance to because he’s already turning and shutting the door behind him. 

You swear you saw a little bit of a smirk when he teased you but it could have been a trick of the light.

Your landlord really needed to change that flickering bulb

In the meantime, you manage to stand the tree up all by itself and lean it against the wall and you’re quite proud of yourself until it moves an inch. 

Again it could be a trick of the light, at least you hope it is because if this thing fell you were definitely getting crushed like a Christmas movie villain.

Much to your dismay the tree begins to slide again and you shut your eyes and prepare for the worst as the fluffy green mass begins to fall in your direction.

When the feeling of being crushed never comes you open your eyes and watch as the tree hits the floor with a final ‘thump’

Only now do you notice the feeling of something warm against your back. You thought maybe that was just what the hallway carpet felt like.

Looking down you notice two arms wrapped around your middle, and you’re currently standing two feet away from where you were when you closed your eyes.

You hadn’t even felt yourself move?

Looking up you’re met again with those enchanting eyes as they meet yours with concern.

“You changed your hair” You can’t help but frown at his hairs now-styled state. You kinda liked the disheveled sleepy look he was sporting.

Your neighbor lets out a laugh and you feel it against your back, you blush as you remember how close you two are. As embarrassing as it is to have to be saved from a falling Christmas tree you don’t feel like leaving his arms quite yet.

Unfortunately, that decision gets made for you as your handsome neighbor removes his arms and yet again runs a hand through his hair. 

A nervous tick perhaps.

Either way, it was cute and you smiled when it messed up his perfectly tailored mane.

“That’s the first thing you think of after I saved you from getting crushed by a tree?”

His goofy smile makes you want to melt and you’re mentally snapping a million pictures.

Normally when you see him he’s either rushing to leave his apartment with heavy eye bags or leaning his head against his apartment door with heavy eye bags.

You’re not used to seeing him look so happy and it’s doing things to your insides.

“Right I guess thanks are in order since you saved my life and all”

A contemplative look takes over his face and you watch his adams apple bob in hesitation. It’s only now that you realize he changed out of his T-shirt and sweats and into a pair of comfortable slacks and a Christmas sweater. It’s green red and white and the tiny reindeer on it make you giggle a little. You briefly wonder if he got it as a gift from a partner and the thought quickly wipes all the joy from your face.

“Technically you wouldn’t have died. I mean a tree this height and weight could possibly do some damage, especially to someone of a smaller stature but it would likely only result in some external bruising. Internal if it landed the wrong way and possible head trauma depending on how you landed when you hit the ground.”

Your eyes go wide as he explains the different injuries you could have acquired. You’re not sure how he knows all of this but you’d probably let him talk about anything for however long he wanted just to hear his voice.

“Well then I guess I really should thank you, Lord knows how insufferable I’d be if I got any bruising or head trauma”

The two of you smile at each other and you nearly get lost in the moment until the light flickers and it pulls you out of your daze. Your attention turns back to the tree and you rub your hands together to try and get them ready for another attempt at lifting the tree.

“Well then- shall we get to it?”

You turn back to your neighbor and he nods his head and joins you next to the tree. As the two of you are lifting it you’re surprised at how light the tree becomes with his help. Once the tree is leaning against the wall again you turn to him with a satisfied smile and raise an eyebrow in question

“What did you say your name was again?”

He turns to look at you and his head tilts slightly to the right. Again- puppy dog.

“Spencer, or Reid if you want. What’s yours?”

You give him your name and he mutters it like he’s testing the way it sounds on his tongue. Both of you seem to conclude that you like the way it sounds.

Twenty minutes and a lot of twisting and pivoting and sweating later the blasted tree is finally inside of your apartment. Somehow amidst all the commotion, you ended up on the ground in a heap of exhaustion, staring up at the ceiling and cursing the tree Gods.

“Well, it seems we ‘made it work’ after all” That sentence sounds a lot like the beginning of a goodbye and you’re not quite ready to say goodbye to your new friend Spencer so you swiftly hop to your feet and begin making your way to your kitchen.

“Well I think I owe you some hot chocolate after all that”

You don’t have to turn around to feel how hesitant Spencer is as he stands in your living room.

“You really don’t have to-”

You turn to him appalled, giving him your best ‘Are you kidding me?��� look

“Spencer, you saved my life out there! The least I could do is give you some hot chocolate”

His lips twitch up into a smile and you try not to fist pump as you realize he’s not saying no

.

While you make the hot chocolate Spencer peruses around your apartment observing every little detail like it’s the most interesting thing in the world. You hope to all Gods that you didn't leave out anything embarrassing.

As you make the finishing touches (whipped cream and candy canes are a must) you become curious at the sound of shuffling behind you, and when you turn around you nearly melt at the sight of Spencer setting up your Christmas tree in the corner. 

God, why hadn’t you talked with your cute neighbor sooner?

“Oh! Spencer you didn’t have to do that”

He shrugs as you approach him and thanks you as you hand him his mug of hot chocolate. He takes a sip and hums approvingly. You try not to let it go to your ego.

The two of you stand there sipping on your drinks and admiring your hard work when you turn to one of the many open boxes in your living room full to the brim with decorations.

“So green and white or red and white?” You question as you stare at the colorful ornaments inquisitively.

You swivel around and are met with Spencer's smirking face once again 

“Why not all three?” 

~~~~

Decorating the tree with Spencer is both fun and frustrating. Apparently, he doesn’t get why you keep moving some of the ornaments he’s placing. You keep trying to explain to him that he’s putting them too close together.

“There’s a system with Christmas tree’s you know”

You tried to explain it but Spencer was a hopeless case when it came to decorating it seemed.

You’d left him to his own devices for three seconds and came back to three red ornaments in the same vicinity. You nearly had a heart attack. Spencer needed a Christmas miracle.

“Look Spence, You’ve got to place it…”

You came up behind him as he was placing another ornament too close to the other. Wrapping your arms around his in a similar way to what he did in the hallway you began guiding his arms to a better spot for the shiny ball.

“Riiiiiight here”

Even after the ornament was placed the two of you stayed in the same position, arms still reaching out towards the tree. If you looked close enough you would see his ears were turning red.

You quickly cleared your throat and removed your arms, Pivoting and heading for the kitchen. Unable to look him in the eyes.

“So- refills anyone?” You attempted a joke but were met with silence, and a glance back at Spencer showed him staring at the tree in a trance. You furrowed your brows.

Slowly you approached him and tapped him on the shoulder, the hitch of his breath the only indication that he acknowledged your presence. 

“Look Spencer, I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable…”

His gaze snapped to yours, his body finally regaining its functions.

“No, it’s not that it’s just-” He nervously fiddles with his hands “Normally I’m not a physical touch person”

Guilt flooded your system and you unconsciously took a step away from him “Oh.. I’m sorry I-”

Warm hands reached out and latched onto you “No!” He flinched at how loud that came out “No- what I was saying was, normally I’m not but with you, it doesn’t feel so bad. You’re very…warm” 

You had a feeling he meant it in more than just a physical way.

A shy smile slipped onto your face at the confession and you found yourself blushing once again.

“You’re warm too Spencer”

His smile mirrored yours.

“Hey, I was wondering- You can say no but there’s this Christmas movie festival at the park next weekend. I know we only just met but I’d really like to hang out with you more.” His hesitancy was cute, you could tell he didn’t have a lot of practice at asking women out but it was still charming and adorable nonetheless.

“I’d love to go Spencer”

He beamed.

“Great. That’s- that’s great”

You looked over your beautifully decorated tree. Admiring the way the greens reds and whites complimented each other. The way the lights reflected on them and made the room light up in colorful circles.

The way Spencer looked as the soft Christmas lights accentuated his soft features.

Thank God you decided to buy a real tree instead of piecing together a fake one.

Who knows if you would have gotten to know Spencer otherwise.

The thought made you upset so instead, you grabbed Spencer's hand and led him toward the kitchen

“C’mon, we’ve got popcorn garlands to make. The decorating is far from over”

His hand grasps yours tighter and he nods. Bright smiles never leaving either of your faces.

A/n: First Spencer one shot!!! how do we like it?~ Starry

[mxssingmemories]

shitty skater // spencer reid x reader

summary: your crush on spencer turns into more than that after a few falls on the ice.

wc: 1k!

warnings: none that i can think of! spencer falls a lot, but what's new

a/n: 2nd fic in the 12 days of christmas challenge!! hope y'all are lovin' it :)

The cold stung your cheeks as you sat down with your hot chocolate, and the chill in the air was prominent as you took a sip. Your eyes weren't on your drink, though—they were focused on the hazel-eyed agent who was currently doing his best to stay on his feet on the ice. You couldn't help but watch him as he fell, a giggle escaping your lips when he fell once more while trying to stand back up.

Spencer shot you a playful glare as your giggles only got louder, only slightly muffled by your hand. Emily's eyebrow was raised at you as he skated over; her teasing was immediately halted by the glare in your own eyes.

"It's not that funny," the agent huffed, simultaneously grabbing onto the railing for dear life as he skidded to a stop.

"It definitely is," JJ smirked, laughing at Reid's incredulous expression.

"Jayjie! You're supposed to be on my side," he pouted, earning an eye roll from all three of you.

"D'ya need some help out there?" You asked him, a joking expression replaced with a genuine look of concern. It was pretty funny to watch him stumble like a baby deer on the ice, but you had seriously begun to feel bad for him. He could only fall so many times before getting bruised. The last thing you wanted was for him to get hurt.

At his nod, you smiled and bent down to retrieve your skates. You laced them up rather quickly as three pairs of eyes watched you. They didn't miss the ease with which you stepped onto the ice, nor did they miss the lovesick look you gave Reid when he wasn't looking. The girls ushered you away as soon as they could, with teasing smiles on their faces.

"Go skate with your boyfriend," Emily laughed, your cheeks immediately turning red as you realized how close Spencer was to you. You could only hope that he hadn't heard that as you sighed. With how close you were to him, there was a high chance he did.

You were taken out of your thoughts when a cold hand grabbed onto yours, and your brain suddenly brought you back to the situation at hand. Spencer stumbled dangerously as he held onto you for dear life. Doing all that you could to make sure the both of you stayed upright, you searched for the nearest rail to grab onto.

"So," Reid exhaled, desperately trying to get his breathing under control. "Boyfriend, huh?" he asked, a smug look on his face as you turned away.

"Jesus Christ," you muttered under your breath. Of course, the girls had made it impossible for you to get out of this situation. If you skated away to avoid the conversation, Reid could get hurt, and they knew that. You did your best to feign indifference as you turned back around. "I'm sorry about them, Spence. You know how JJ can be." He laughed at that, a knowing look shared between you both as she made eye contact with you and wiggled her eyebrows.

"It's alright," he replied softly, an understanding smile on his face. "The girls love to tease us, don't they?"

You smiled gratefully at his words. Somehow, he'd managed to say just the right thing to put your mind at ease. He grabbed your hand again as you two finally made it to the railing, giving the both of you some much-needed balance and stability. Spencer sighed as he leaned back against the wall, a boyish grin on his face as the grip on your hand tightened ever so slightly.

"Y'know, I don't really mind it," he started, uncertain eyes meeting yours as you blushed. You swallowed harshly as the reality of the situation hit you. His hand was still in yours, and you were mere seconds away from a nervous breakdown as he continued to hold eye contact. Your brain ran through all the possibilities of things you could say before you settled on one.

"I don't think I do, either," you mumbled as his thumb rubbed your knuckles. The ice was a major contrast to the heat in your cheeks. At that moment, one would think you'd run a marathon judging by your appearance, and you couldn't blame them. Your focus was solely on him as he bent down to your level, your face coming within mere inches of his. The question in his eyes was evident. Your nod was all he needed as he cupped your cheeks with his hands, and his lips brushed against yours.

You didn't miss JJ and Emily's cheers in the background, but you pointedly ignored them as you focused on nothing but Spencer's lips on your own. The taste of hot chocolate lingered in both of your mouths as you pulled back. It was Reid's turn to giggle as you buried your face in his neck, your cold nose a shock compared to the warmth that was spreading through the both of you. Spencer wrapped his arms around you as he once again bent down to kiss your forehead.

"Holy shit," you whispered, breaking the silence. He practically cackled at your wording, and in response to this, you nudged him. What you'd failed to realize was that he had no grip on anything for balance. The second you nudged him, he once again lost his balance and wobbled harshly. Your eyes widened as he almost comically fell on his butt, pulling you down with him thanks to your still joined hands. It was silent for a solid two seconds before you broke into a laughing fit. Spencer followed soon after, both of your bodies shaking with giggles. You pulled yourself together as quickly as possible, retying the skate that had somehow come loose during the fall. You stood up quickly, gaining your balance, before extending a hand to the man still sitting on the ice. He took it with a grateful smile, your hands intertwined for what felt like the hundredth time that night.

"I'm so glad you're a shitty skater," you sighed, Reid's eyes laced with amusement as he dusted the snow off of his pants.

"Me too, sweetheart," he smiled, watching as JJ and Emily skated over frantically to you both. "This is gonna be fun."

[ssa-atlas-alvez]

Pancakes Solve Everything (Spencer Reid x Reader)

This is a part of the christmas exchange! This is a gift for @c-m-stuff I hope you like it! @cmgiftexchange

Happy holidays! I hope you like it, this is the first thing I’ve written in a hot minute and the first fic I’ve posted in ages aha! Also, I hope you don't mind, it came out a little more gender neutral aha

Warnings: mentions of alcohol, drunk-ish (not really),

You sigh, running a hand over your face as you turn to Spencer. “I'm worried about Olivia,” 

Spencer paused his making of his coffee and turned to you. “Me too.” 

You look at him, dark rings around his eyes, hair slightly messier than usual. The stress made him look a few years older.

“I don't think that Ryder is a good influence,” You said, grabbing your favourite mug from the cupboard. “She's changed since they started dating.”

“I know. I had Garcia look him up but she couldn't find anything.” Spencer admitted.

“You ran a background check?” You asked with a soft laugh.

“Hey, I want to know who our daughter is dating.” Spencer said. “Besides, nothing came up. Yet… I've asked her to dig a little deeper.”

You huff a small laugh, “And if nothing turns up on Garcia's deep dive?”

“It has to be him.” Spencer says, shaking his head. “She was fine until she went to college and met him,”

“Don't get me wrong, we all partied in college- well, you didn't, you were like nine though so that doesn't count-” 

“Hey, I was fourteen-”

“Nine, fourteen, same thing,” You shrugged, “But anyway, we all party in college, but it was supposed to settle down and, well… it's not settling.”

Spencer sighed, resuming his coffee making. “I think we need to talk to her,” 

As if on cue, your daughter stumbles through the front door. Drunk. “Hey guys,” She says, giving a small wave as she continues to stumble pass you.

“Maybe when she’s sober,” You said, turning back to your husband - who gives a tight nod. “I’ll help her into bed - but I expect you to be getting the pancake mix out of the cupboard while I do so.”

“You got it Chef,” Spencer says with a laugh.

You rolled your eyes with a smile as you made your way to your daughter’s bedroom. Whilst she didn’t live here during college, you made sure to leave her room so she could come back during holidays and after college - if that was what she wanted.

You gently knocked on the door, “Olivia? Honey?” You call out gently. With yet another sigh, you open the door. 

Your daughter was already asleep, face down on her bed, still in the clothes she left in last night. You decide to take her shoes off first, placing them at the foot of the bed. You then place a pillow under her head and a blanket over her body. Next was grabbing the trash can from her bathroom and placing it close to her at the side of her bed. With one last look at your daughter, you head back into the kitchen, leaving the door slightly open in case she needs anything.

“She’s out for the count,” You said, plucking your now full mug from the counter. 

“Already?”

“She was already asleep when I got there,” You say, taking a sip. Spencer shot you a worried look. “It’s alright, Spence, we’ll sort this out. She’ll be okay,”

“I don’t think she should be with Ryder anymore. I know she’s an adult, but…”

“But you’re her dad and you can’t help but worry?” You asked, a small smile playing on your lips, despite the situation. “I know. We’ll sort it out, I promise.” 

“I know we will,”

Your daughter woke up a few hours later, walking into the room silent but groggy as she poured herself a cup of coffee - sitting down at the breakfast bar. You and Spencer shared a look as you rose to sit opposite her.

“Olivia? We need to talk-”

“I think I need help,” Olivia said softly, cutting you off. “I- I don’t think I want to act like this anymore and I think I need help in stopping,” 

Spencer nods, “That’s good, it’s good that you’re reaching out,” Spencer replied, taking her hand softly, giving it a small squeeze. “We’re you’re parents, we’re here to help you,”

“Thank you,”

“We’re here for you, every step of the way,” You said placing your hand on her arm, “I love you,”

“I love you too,” Olivia said with a small sniff. There was a moment of silence, “I think I should break up with Ryder,” 

You both nod, “Whatever you think you need to do for you, sweetie,” You say, voice soothing.

“You guys aren’t mad?”

“You’re an adult, Olivia, but you’re young and we all make mistakes, we all fall down rabbit holes, it’s about accepting help to climb back out,” Spencer says.

“Your father always has such a way with words,” You joked lightly, Spencer and Olivia both huffing small laughs. “Right, who wants pancakes?”

"Pancakes?" Spencer raises an eyebrow.

"Yes, pancakes. They solve everything."

"I can't really argue with that one," Spencer says with a nod.

Soon enough, you were all sat with a mound of pancakes each.

“Are we going to address the elephant in the room?” Olivia asks nervously.

“Yeah, you did way too many pancakes,” Spencer nodded.

Olivia huffed a small laugh, “I meant about the whole acting crazy at college thing, but you did go overboard with the pancakes.”

“Hey, I stress Cook, leave me be.” You laughed. “And we can talk about the college thing whenever you'd like, if that's right now, we can talk now. If that's after pancakes, we can talk after pancakes.”

“Is now okay?” She asks softly.

“Of course.”

“I want to break up with Ryder.” She says, twirling her fork. “I've been wanting to break up with him for a while, but I've been… worried about about it.”

“What's made you worried, sweetheart?” Spencer asked.

“I don't want to be alone,” Olivia says, “I know that sounds stupid-”

“It doesn't sound stupid at all.” You're quick to reassure her. “You're young, you're learning. Your Uncle Derek running into a door and forgetting to kick it is stupid. You're experiencing the world as an adult for the first time.”

Olivia and Spencer both huffed a laugh at the reminder of Derek. “I'll tell him that at work on Monday,” Spencer teases.

“Yeah? Also tell him that he may be your work husband but you're my actual husband so he needs to stop stealing you for cases,”

[marianthereaper]

So I only got ONE DAY off, yeah, I'm fine.

Anyway, it's almost the new year. I really appreciate everyone who likes my arts. And I just noticed that I have over 100 followers🫣🫣🫣 Thanks again, I hope the next year will be a wonderful one for you!

Happy Holidays🎄🎁

[ssahopelessly]

Gift Exchange

Synopsis: It’s the holidays at the BAU and that only means one thing - Secret Santa gift exchange.

Prompt: “Character only wanted to reveal that they are someone's Secret Santa at the BAU Christmas Party but they end up confessing a lot more than that.” from @imagining-in-the-margins Office Party challenge. {A.N. I did not see this prompt until AFTER I wrote this but close enough.}

Warnings: Spencer Reid x fem!reader, work-place crush, Secret Santa, Spencer is dumb and scared of his own feelings. It’s basic fluff. [let me know any I missed]

Word Count: 4.5k

Masterist

You had only been at the BAU for a few months when suddenly it was the end of November. Thankfully, there hadn’t been a case, so you were able to slip away for an extended weekend to relax and renew before the workload of the final month of the year. Derek had taken you under his wing in a way, and upon your December return, warned you that normally December was the unpredictable predictable month. “What does that even mean?” You had asked while walking into the roundtable room one Monday morning.

“Kid, the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas is notoriously crime ridden. People lose their minds between financial stress and familial stress, and- look, all I’m saying is don’t make any solid plans for the month of December.” With Derek sitting two seats to Spencer's left, you squeezed yourself into the space between them, careful not to bother Spencer’s personal space as you brought yourself closer to the edge of the table.

“What about New Years?” You had tried to ask him, running the potential for an end of the year getaway in your head.

“Actually,” It was natural Spencer cut in, never able to miss a chance to share the information he knew, “the month of December mostly sees crimes revolving around material and monetary gain, crimes like theft and larceny increasing by 20% according to the National Crime Victimization Survey. The summer is when studies show the most violent and heinous crimes occur, specifically on the hotter days.” Derek rolled his eyes, beginning to flip through the small collected pile of paperwork he had carried into the room with him.

“Good morning Spencer.” You chose to greet him, already feeling the easy joy that came from being in his presence.

“Good morning.” It was an effort to not notice the way his voice shrunk back in on itself as your knee accidentally bumped him under the table, not quite catching the side glance Derek was giving you both either.

Unbeknownst to you, there was a running pool in the office. Just a small wager of $50, Derek had bet Emily that Spencer wouldn’t make a move before the New Year. Emily, ever confident in Spencer, insisted Spencer would make some gesture if the proper environment had presented itself. They were both coming up empty handed against the running clock as it had been a few months and neither you nor Spencer seemed to want to push anything further than coworkers, maybe friends.

What they had somehow missed though, were the small lunch runs you two would do for the team, or the few times Spencer had lended you his coat in the colder states, or the way he stayed late in the office with you to help with paperwork. They had missed the moments alone with Spencer that had meant everything to you. Well everything, if having a crush on your coworker wasn’t completely unprofessional and if you also weren’t always surrounded by the people who should be able to read that truth out of you.

The rest of the team had filed in, Penelope the last one to enter, just behind Emily and JJ though. “Okay my lovelies, before I present your next adventure, a small side quest!” Penelope put her things down on the table before picking up a small gift bag, rattling its contents around to your confusion. She clocked it before you could say anything and motioning her hand underneath the bag, motioned to everyone around the table. “Secret Santa!” There was a small groan through the room that was then met with a stern glare from Penelope herself before she returned to presenting the festivity. “I’ll pass the bag around so you all can draw your people. The gift limit is $25 so, no pressure.” She passed the bag to Aaron who, without much ceremony, pulled his drawing out and quickly read it as he passed the bag to Derek. Derek however, closed the bag at its opening and shook the contents before drawing his pick, trying to keep any emotions from his face as he passed it to you.

“What happens if we draw ourselves?” You asked as your hand slipped into the bag and felt around the slips of paper.

“Then put it back, draw again.” Penelope offered as she watched you try to make your drawing. And you tried not to think too much about how you wanted to draw Spencer’s name. Surely if you had asked, he could give you the odds of that right now. But also, the longer you took, the more attention you were drawing to yourself and it was just a work gift exchange anyway, you could always find another time to give him a gift later. Your fingertips graced over one slip for the final time and pinching it between, you drew it out of the bag. Leaning back in the chair you opened it to see one name singularly scribbled in her favourite glitter gel pen: Penelope.

“Not me!” You cheered with minimal enthusiasm, passing the bag to Spencer. There was a slight tremble to your hand when your touch graced his, but you tried to ignore it as you slipped your pick into your work folder, trying to push the small let down from your mind.

“Can I request no home made gifts this year?” Rossi had asked from his spot across from Aaron, leaned back in his chair as the bag continued around the table.

“Are you talking about the homemade socks I got you last year?” Penelope whispered out, small upset hanging off her jutted bottom lip.

“The socks I helped her make last year?” Spencer chimed in with reflected upset. Dave looked like he regretted his request but persisted.

“Kids, look, I love the thought and effort that went into them but they’re not really my style. They were ithcy and- not all of us can show up to crime scene with silly socks and be taken seriously.” Spencer smiled and shrugged at the allusion to his fashion sense. Eventually the bag made it around the table and Penelope delivered her case, with Hotch giving the room the standard wheels up in 30 order, everyone quickly dispersing to collect their things for this new case.

As everyone made their way out of the room, you tried to linger in an attempt to talk to Spencer. “Who’d you get?” You asked when it was just you two in the room, keeping your voice low so only he could hear.

“What?” He hadn’t given you his full attention, mind focused on getting his things into his satchel precisely how he wanted them, a task you had seen a few times before.

“For Secret Santa?”

“Oh. I- I can’t tell you that.” His attention still didn’t fall to you as he closed his bag and started making his way down the few stairs to his desk. You stayed hot on his heels, wanting to discuss secrets like you were a kid again. But he still didn’t pay you any attention, making himself busy with the things on his desk, moving what he could to the drawers as if that would help the clutter that always lingered on the surface. .

Purposefully putting yourself in his way, you took a seat in his desk chair, offering your best pleading eyes as you looked up at him, “Please?”

“It’s a secret! What if I told you and then you told them?” Spencer finally did look down to you, and for the first time you saw a bit of irritation in the way he was looking at you, but his voice still stayed low in the near whisper you had been maintaining.

“I wouldn’t. You know I wouldn’t.” You tried to reassure him.

“I know but…” You were distracted by the way he bit lip before shaking his head, hair falling from behind his ear. “I can’t. I’m sorry.”

“I’ll tell you who I got.” Was your offered bribe, to level the field of secrets. But Spencer was firm in his decision, shaking his head as he reached for his go-bag. “You’re no fun.” The words seemed to have no effect on him, a small soft smile still pulling at his lips.

“Sorry.” Letting your smile reflect his, you rolled your eyes before going back over to your desk to get ready for the jet, trying not to think about how the anticipation of who got you was going to consume your thoughts.

-

A month had come and gone and five days before Christmas, just as you had returned from what was thankfully a short case, the team managed to hold their little holiday party at Rossi’s. Your gift for Penelope had been something you picked out after a week of consideration and kept put away in a nice gift bag at the back of a drawer that should’ve been full of paperwork.

You weren’t supposed to profile each other, but as the days passed you grew only more curious about who had pulled your name. No one paid you extra attention, no blatant ‘what’s something you want for Christmas’ and in the same way, Spencer never said anything more about Secret Santa or who his pick was. You tried everything to get him to tell you, but he remained firm in his practice of keeping this one thing from you.

It was unanimously decided that Rossi would host the get together like he did all big team events, the team slowly trickling into the house after only having three hours between getting off the jet and agreeing to be there. Once everyone was there, and had their share of snacks from the provided buffet, Penelope gained control of the room like it was the roundtable room all over again. “Okay, this year, whoever has worked in the bureau the longest gets to go first.”

“Oh, wow. Thanks Garcia.” Dave didnt even have to move far, passing a small box to Aaron. You could’ve sworn a “Merry Christmas” was grumbled out, only evidence of so being the smile and laughter that pulled at Aarons mouth as he took the lid off the hand sized box.

“Wow, a gift card to Sutton Suits.” To his credit, Aaron did actually sound excited, which seemed to lighten Rossi for just a minute.

“Tell Oscar I sent you, and he’ll slip a quality cigar into your purchase.”

“Noted.” Their laughter died amongst them as Aaron then passed a red plaid gift wrapped object to Spencer, a sense of wonder settling over the room. Spencer was smiling though, now on the edge of his seat as his fingers slipped along the surface of the gift wrap, looking for a seam.

“You’re my Secret Santa?” He asked in a way that a laugh came out, gently tearing the paper away to reveal another book for Spencer’s collection.

“It’s a compilation of the ranked, most challenging published crossword puzzles from the last 35 years. I thought you’d enjoy.” Aaron explained to both Spencer and the team, your attention captured by Spencer as he pressed his thumb along the edge of the book, flipping through the many crossword puzzles that lined the pages. That one smile you’d grown fond of pulled at the corner of his mouth before he looked back at Aaron, full smile overtaking his face.

“Thank you, Hotch.”

The rest of the exchange went a little something like that. Derek got JJ some gift certificates to a new gym that was opening near her house, and JJ in turn got Derek a bulk bag of door hinges since “you don’t seem to know what those are” but then added he could use them in his house renovations. Penelope got Emily a scrapbook of photos full of Sergio and all the adventures she missed while in WITSEC and Emily got Dave a bottle of whiskey, which he thanked her for getting “the right kind” but then scolded her for spending too much on a gift.

By the time it was your turn, you had realised two things: Spencer hadn’t gone, and no one had given you a gift yet. And you surely hadn’t pulled your name but when you looked over to him, to suggest he go so you could confirm your new forming theory, he wouldn’t look at you. “Has Spencer gone yet?” You asked more so to Penelope, who had essentially made herself the leader of this whole exchange. The puzzled expression of her face held as she looked over to him, a small pout forming on her lips.

“No, no he has not.” The anxiety was creeping up the back of your neck, and just when you thought he had been caught, that you would get your answer, ever the gentleman he was.

“It’s okay, you can go.”

“But you’ve been at the BAU longer.”

“It’s fine. Go.” His voice softly encouraged you from where he sat, next to David’s Christmas tree. Pulling the bag from the side of your chair, you passed the glitter covered gift bag to Penelope, who beamed like she just won the lottery.

“You’re my Secret Santa?” She seemed genuinely excited, weighing the bag in her palm before tearing away at the tissue paper.

“Surprise!” You watched as her jaw fell, hand pulling out the first item. A pink bedazzled stapler, tiny pink rhinestones covering the whole surface.

“Shut up!”

“And there’s pink staples inside, just for you.” Your voice grew quieter as she still seemed ever so thrilled to be opening a present.

She pulled the matching tape dispenser out before finding the pink legal pad and new pink poof pen, one that lit up when the ink was pressed to write. “Where did you find all of this? My dreams?”

“I have my ways.” Putting everything back in the bag, she got up to give you a hug, pulling you tightly into her arms as everyone around you laughed and cheered. Their applause died down when she sat back down, all the attention falling to Spencer.

“Alright lover boy, your turn.” When you watched him then, you could see how nervous he had become, a slight tremble in his hand as he pulled the massive bag from its hiding spot, a bag that stood up to his knee height from the floor.

“You probably figured it out by now.” He whispered to you as he brought the bag closer.

“What’d you get her? Your heart?” Derek remarked from where he sat next to Emily, who was quick to elbow him in the side. Spencer must have registered his words as he had a jerk reaction to it like he briefly choked on something, but he was quick to return to his normal behavior, avoiding your eyes as he returned to his seat. From there though, he seemed more comfortable to make eye contact with you, lips curling in to lick them before trying to find his words again.

“What is it?” You beat him to it, but the smile that had formed on your lips seemed to put him at ease as he reflected it to you.

“Just open it.” Was his simple instruction as he leaned back in his seat, knee bouncing in subtle anticipation. Prying the sealed gift bag open, you were met with a familiar black fabric, though without the pilling that you were almost used to. With both hands you pulled it from the bag on the floor, up into the air to get a better look at it. It was a new black peacoat, your size and everything. Bringing it to your lap, you immediately looked to Spencer who was biting his lip, waiting for your response.

“Thank you!” Were the few words you were able to come up with, the simplicity seeming to make Spencer relax again

“Well come on, try it on for us!” Penelope called from her seat, reminding you that the whole team was watching this gesture in action. Standing, you unfasted the buttons and slipped your arms into the satin lining, already imagining how warm the cold weather cases were going to become.

You tried not to think of the first time Spencer let you borrow his jacket, how it was still warm from his own body heat. How the scents of his cologne and laundry detergent wafted around you like a scarf, forcing you to smell and think of him despite trying to focus on the crime scene you had been visiting that day. How the second and third cold weather case you had again asked for the jacket, but by the fourth and fifth case and so on he had offered it to you, always smiling when you slipped it on. “Borrowing your boyfriends jacket?” Derek had taunted you one day, in earshot of Spencer who failed to fight the blush on his cheeks. It was such a simple thing, but knowing you had your own black peacoat, and that of all people, Spencer, had been the one to get it for you meant everything.

Slipping a hand into a pocket, you felt a piece of paper, small and folded hiding within. Immediately looking back to Spencer, he just offered you a smile and a wink, patting the same spot on his cardigan as if he knew what you were about to say.

“Ooo la la, why have we seen this look on you before?” JJ asked more to the room than you specifically, and again you looked to Spencer, who seemed to be in his own thoughts, a small blush rising to his cheeks.

“Because she always borrows my jacket, I thought she should have one of her own.” There was something in the way he was looking at you, a gentle fondness that you had only ever seen from him a handful of times.

“And all for $25?” Emily added to the questioning. “Where did you get such a deal?”

“Alright, that’s enough.” Aaron tried to spare you both and reign in the team. “That is a nice coat though. Well done.” The blush had stayed on his cheeks and while you slipped the coat off your arms, you made sure to reach for the note before slipping the coat back into the bag.

“Now, we eat!” David cheered over the room, everyone vacating their spots to head towards the kitchen. You lingered in an effort to read the note, opening it in the palm of your hand.

“I need to talk to you.” Scribbled Spencer’s hand writing before signing off on it with a singular S.

“Are you coming?” His voice caught your attention, unaware he was beside you this whole time.

“Spencer, I-“

“Later.” He was quick to cut you off before motioning with an extended hand for you to walk in front of him towards the dining table.

-

After dinner, night started to fall noticeably over the Rossi Mansion. All conversations had lost their focus and everyones laughter was bordering into delirious bouts of nonsense. Before anyone could leave, Dave asked that people either make leftover plates to take home or help clean up the dishes into the kitchen so all he really needed to do was wash them (or load the dishwasher, whichever one happened first).

With everyone winding down and getting ready to say their farewells for the evening, you tried to get Spencer alone for just a second, yet he always seemed to find something to do. It wasn’t like he was avoiding you, he kept looking at you, smiling that same soft smile, but he also made an effort to not be alone in the same room as you. “Everything okay?” Derek had asked as you watched Spencer and Penelope clean up the wrappings and trash of the Secret Santa gift exchange.

“He’s avoiding me.”

“What?”

“He bought me this nice ass jacket and now he’s avoiding me.” You mused aloud, never bothering to actually look at Derek, still watching how Spencer would bend down to reach between the chairs for scraps of torn gift wrap. “Why would he do that?”

“Listen, we are profilers,” Derek started, now also watching Spencer, “but there’s no science for what goes on in his mind.”

“I-” Were you really about to air out your inner thoughts to Derek, surely the one person on the team who would give you advice if not for the cost of also holding those same thoughts over your head later? “I need to talk to him. But he’s…” Your words fell short as you watched Spencer look around the living room, confirming all the trash had been picked up. He started pulling on his sweater before he looked at you, saw Derek, and immediately turned to Penelope and Emily to offer his assistance in loading their cars. “Avoiding me.”

“It’s not you.”

“What?”

“He’s avoiding himself.”

“It’s Spencer. He-” You thought about how forward everything had been. The jacket, the note, the concept of the present itself. How one minute he was confident and charming and the next second he was unsure and slightly distant. “Why would he do that?”

“Say the first part of your sentence again.” A chuckle came from Derek’s lips as you thought it over: It’s Spencer.

“Why would he do that?” You repeated, hoping to maybe get a different answer from him.

Taking too much enjoyment in the obvious pining, Derek just laughed, “Back to the first answer: there’s no logic, rhyme or reason.”

“It’s Spencer.” You concluded aloud now for your own understanding, hoping everything would start to make sense.

“You got it.”

Spencer had come back inside just for Dave to start corralling everyone out of the house. “You don’t have to go home, but you cannot stay here.” He had said as everyone started to say their final goodbyes for the night. There were hugs all around, many variations of holiday wishes for the extended weekend everyone was about to embark on.

“Hey, can you give Spencer a ride home?” Emily had asked as she pulled away from her goodbye hug.

“Excuse me?” He called several feet away from where he had been on the fringes of a conversation between Aaron and JJ.

“Is everything okay?” You had asked her, looking her once over as if the answer was somewhere on her person.

“Yeah. Penelope ordered something to my address and I’m supposed to drop it off at her apartment after and, well I forgot. Besides, don’t want to keep Reid out past his bedtime.” She had tried to joke but he crossed over to your conversation now, slight upset over his face.

“I don’t have a bedtime!” He had tried to protest.

All to be met with a “yes you do,” from the members of the team that were still left. The pout in protest pulled his bottom lip out from under his top, and he finally turned to look at you. His attention shouldn’t have felt like a reward, but being treated with an imaginary ten foot pole in his attempt to keep distance wasn’t a fond feeling either.

You tried to offer him some semblance of comfort but he just turned on his heels to grab his bag from Emily’s car, sulking back over to your car. “Good luck.” Emily whispered to you before turning back to her car.

Climbing into your car, you noticed how Spencer was content to sit completely still and rigid in his seat, his knee bouncing as he brought his fingers to press to his lips.

“Are you okay?” It was an attempt at bursting the bubble that had formed around you two, keeping you in separate worlds from the other.

“I’m fine.” He huffed, answer too short and to the point.

“You’re lying.”

“No I’m not.” You heard it then. The rise of an octave, the unbelievable deflection.

“You are.” He settled further into his seat as you drove out of the DC suburbs and closer to where your apartments were. “Did I do something wrong?” Your voice fell then, insecurity creeping in at the thought that maybe you had unknowingly done something to upset him.

“What?” His voice wasn’t high in pitch this time, but soft in tone as he snapped his attention to you. “Why would you think-”

“Well, you gave me a really nice gift and asked to speak to me later and then spent the rest of the evening avoiding me. So I thought maybe I just did something to offend you, so…”

“I’m not… offended.”

“You’re not?”

“No.”

“Then what is it?”

“I,” his head fell back, hitting the head rest before he blew out some air from his pressed lips, looking over to you to watch your reaction to his next words, “I like you.”

“Well yeah. I mean we’re friends, have been friends for quite some time now.”

“No, I mean… I like you, like you.”

“Oh?” A silence had settled as you both took a moment to take in his words, then hoping the other would say something to end the silence. “Are you sure?”

“Am I sure?” It offered him the chance to laugh. Not like he was insulted, but more he thought it was funny that you weren’t sure if he was sure.

“I mean- I think I get it. But why did you spend the rest of the night avoiding me?”

“Because,” you came to a red light while you waited for his answer, looking to him to see he had already been watching you, “I was scared you wouldn’t feel the same.” He started to shy away from you again, eyes avoiding meeting yours no matter how long you thought you’d been staring at him.

“What if I do?” You reached for his hand in between your two seats, fingers gently securing through his, waiting to see if he would pull away. This grabbed his attention, hopeful eyes finally looking into yours now. “What if I do, like you, like you?”

“Then I would be thrilled.” It was sweet, the feeling of understanding, of mutual endearment for the other while he held your hand there, paying no mind to the red light above you both. But like a sign from above, it turned green, reflecting off the interior of the car.

There were so many things you wanted to commit to memory, in the same way he would without half the effort. You wanted to remember the way he looked at you, the way it felt to be under his gaze with this new meaning. You wanted to remember the way it felt to hold his hand, or the way it felt to have his thumbing small circles into your hand. The way you couldn’t fight the smile as it took over your lips, or the way he seemed to feel the same way. But most of all, you wanted to remember how it felt to be in that moment with him, mind swimming with possibilities of what this would mean for the future.

-

Tell me what you think here.