#hayes!reader

Hank, your nephew was turning four today. A week prior he had asked you, over a very serious tea time along his teddy bears — with those sweet puppy eyes that melted every fiber of your soul —, if you could make his birthday cake with all his favorite things: strawberries, the colors of the rainbow caramel and little teddy bears. Savannah, your sister, had said it was not necessary; she didn't want to put more pressure on your life, but there was no way you were saying no to that wonderful request.

Although, you were considering now, with your hair made a mess and your pajamas covered in powdered sugar, to buy a cake in the store because those little teddy bears were definitely not looking like teddy bears. No matter how many times you tried and tried and tried, your hands just wouldn't be able to draw a teddy bear the way you wanted it.

Suddenly a text popped up on the screen, distracting you from the — not so easy — tutorial on how to make frosting bears. It was Savannah.

Hey, just letting you know that almost all of the guests are here. Hank is very excited for his birthday cake ;)

Of course you were late. Oh god, it was so late. You had barely even looked at the time; it had been four hours. You drew as best as possible the remaining bears and hoped that Hank or the guest wouldn't mind the look of them.

You ran to your bedroom, rummaged through the closet for something nice and appropriate to wear. The flowy summer yellow dress seemed perfect; the sunshine coming through your window made it shine against your beautiful skin and it somehow complimented your tired eyes. You let your hair down from the messy ponytail and brushed it with your fingers. Some withe comfortable heels and your favorite denim jacket.

Already on my way :)

You texted back to your sister as you jumped on a cab, holding the cake in its cardboard box with your dear life. There was a reputation to maintain, not every "cool auntie" made their nephews a delicious cake. But either way, the bears and the ticking clock were making you very anxious, and the taxi driver seemed to have gotten their drivers license yesterday by how slowly they drove down the streets.

After what seemed like an eternity of sitting in the back seat of the taxi, you were finally standing outside of the front door of your sister's house. With both hands holding the cake and the little bag with your phone, you gave a delicate kick with your heel on the dark brown wood of the door, hoping anybody could hear you amidst all the laughter of little kids.

“You made it!” Derek smiled as soon as he saw you standing on the porch

“Hi, yes, sorry I'm late" you smiled back

His eyes went down to the box.

“Need help with that?" He asked, lifting an eyebrow.

“No, no, I can handle it”

You stepped inside of the house. There were balloons of all colors over the ceiling, a blue glittering curtain on the backyard door and some toys scattered around the living room. You walked carefully into the kitchen and finally left the cake safe and sound on the marble countertop.

“Oh, thank god you're here” Savannah showed up and gave you a big hug. When she pulled away her eyes observed you carefully from head to toe “You look awful. Did you even get any sleep?”

“Thank you, sis. I love you too" You answered sarcastically, trying to camouflage the fact that you had woken up at five in the morning to make the cake and finish that god forsaken draft that you had to send to your boss.

“I'm serious" Savannah crossed her arms “You promised you were okay with doing the cake for Hank”

“I was. I am" You replied quickly.

On your distraction, Derek had opened the box and was inspecting the cake with a critical eye. All of your fears of disappointing your nephew came back at once.

“I've seen better cakes" Derek finally said

You looked at him mortified. After a few seconds he let out a loud laugh.

“I'm kidding, freckles. This is amazing” He smiled.

A sigh of relief left your body and you hurriedly closed the cardboard box again, protecting the cake from all harm until Hank saw it and tasted it.

“Ha, ha, very funny, Derek" You answered sarcastically “Where's Hank?” You asked looking at Savannah

“Outside, on the swings with his friends. Let me take you to him”

Your sister guided you to the backyard where the whirlwind of noise — kids laughter and lullabies playing through a speaker — , a splash of color and teddy bear coded food took over the place. Towards the far left corner of the backyard, a few slides and swings were placed. The amount of kids gathered there just told you that they had found a paradise as their faces lit up with extreme joy.

“Oh god” Savannah whispered as soon as she saw Hank sitting on the floor holding his left knee “What happened?”

“He fell trying to jump from the swing” A man's voice informed, kneeled next to the kid on the floor. His eyebrows showed his clear worry for the child.

The light of the sun hit his eyes and provided you with a hazel incandescent glow that you had never experienced before in your life. His hair was light brown and curly, styled in a way that made it seem perfectly disheveled. He was wearing a light blue buttoned up shirt, completely avoiding the last top two buttons and some dark brown dress pants with black converse, similar to the ones that were sitting on your closet back at home.

“Oh, no, sweetie” You said softly, looking at Hank “How bad does it hurt?”

“Just a little bit. It's burning” The child answered, lifting his hand from his knee to show the small injury.

“Oh, baby, It'll be fine in a second” Savannah smiled “Let me take you inside for a band-aid, okay?”

Hank nodded

“Then you can come back and I'll show you the magnificent cake I made for you, yeah?” You smiled.

“You made it?!” Hank was standing in an instant.

The man smiled at you and stood up too, dusting off his pants from the grass.

“Of course I made it. I couldn't let down the amazing request you and your teddy friends made” You winked at him.

“You're so cool!”

The little kids' arms surrounded your waist softly. You crouched a bit and hugged him back with those bear hugs he loved.

“Wait for me, I'll be back in a second!” He joyfully announced as Savannah took his little hand and brought him inside.

You looked at them as they disappeared behind the door leading to the house. You couldn't be more proud of the amazing family your big sister had made. You remembered all the calls she made on her lunch breaks, telling you about Derek, his job and how she wasn't completely sure about anything.

“That explains it” The man's voice interrupted your line of thought.

“Sorry?" You asked looking up at him.

“You...you made the cake" He smiled “That's why you have a bit of frosting on your chin”

“Oh, I do?" You quickly covered your chin and tried to get the frosting off with your hand.

You had thought you looked presentable enough; no signs of the mess that your life was at the moment, just your eyes. Why had nobody else told you about it? Of course it had to be the one attractive man you just met.

“Is it off?” You asked, your cheeks burning bright.

“Uh...no, it's still there” He smiled awkwardly, his hand in his pockets.

“Uhg, as if making the cake wasn't hard enough" You murmured to yourself as you tried to get the frosting off again, but he definitely heard it.

“May I help you?" He asked softly, already reaching for a napkin from the nearby buffet table.

You nodded, still blushing hard.

As soon as he stepped closer you immediately noticed the subtle trace of a beard that was probably shaved that morning. His eyes settled on you and you could notice how a very earthly palette, brown and green tones, folded together into incredible shadowed layers. Your eyes went up to his forehead, noticing two tiny moles that gave his face a lot of character. Then your gaze went down, his lips seemed as soft as the clouds in the sky that day, displaying a cute natural pastel pink color that had you immediately hypnotized.

You held your breath just in case you could ruin the perfect bubble you were both in; so fragile it could even break with a little breeze.

“There" He whispered looking into your eyes as his cheeks also turned red “It's gone”

“Thanks" You smiled as you put a strand of hair behind your ear.

An awkward silence settled between the two of you, none stepping away from each other. He folded the napkin into a square as he looked at you with a cute smile. You were uncertain which feature on his face deserved more attention.

“The distribution of melanin in your skin is very structured." He suddenly said with a new found anxious speed “Most people believe it's mainly hereditary, but they also can be a physiological response to the ultraviolet radiation from the sun. It's interesting how—”

You tilted your head to the side and the confusion and amusement in your eyebrow was evident to him in an instant. He squeezed the napkin in his hand; now the tips of his ears turned a deep shade of crimson that matched his cheeks.

“I'm sorry" He said, briefly lowering his gaze to his black converse for a second to then come back to your eyes again “I'm—I'm trying to say they are beautiful. The freckles. They're very beautiful”

You opened your mouth, but before you could thank him for the compliment a very colorful dressed lady walked over to your direction.

“Spence!" She said joyfully as soon as she saw him “I've been looking for you, there's chocolate covered donuts with the colorful sprinkles you—” she stopped next to him and looked at you from head to toe.

“Who is your beautiful friend?" She asked the man

“I—I actually don't know yet” He smiled looking at you. Completely unaware of where his favorite donuts were, not that he cared a lot either, at least, not right there and then.

“Sorry, where are my manners?” You chuckled “I'm Savannah's sister. Though, around here, everyone calls me freckles.”

“Well, Freckles. I love your dress!" The woman exclaimed “I'm Penelope Garcia and you can call me whatever you like. And this handsome fella right here is Dr. Spencer Reid." She gave the man a playful punch on the arm. “We're Hank's godfather and godmother.”

“Oh, you used to work with Derek, right?" You asked, looking at both of them.

“Yes, at the BAU” Spencer started “Which actually used to be called BSU, Behavioral Science Unit. But they changed it because it sounded more like an academic research group and they wanted it to be viewed as a high stakes operational force—” He suddenly stopped.

“He has a rambling condition. He does it whenever he's nervous or really excited" Penelope explained softly, smiling.

“Sorry” Spencer made his lips into a thin line and scratched his neck.

Was he nervous because of you? Or just excited for the birthday party?

“Auntie! Auntie!” Hank ran back to the backyard and straight into your arms “I'm ready to see the cake!”

“Hey" You chuckled, holding him “First I need to know, how is your knee doing?"

“Better, mommy gave me a bandaid and a magic kiss.” He explained innocently.

“Just one magic kiss?" You asked looking at the little kid “I'll give you a ton!"

As soon as you started to playfully kiss him everywhere possible he started chuckling and laughing. Spencer and Penelope also chuckled at the sight.

“Okay, I think that's good...for now" You chuckled “There's a cake waiting for you" You turned to the adults “It was really nice meeting you guys.”

“Likewise,” Spencer answered.

“I'll see you around" You smiled at him and turned back to the house.

“You'll definitely see her around, huh?" Penelope chuckled looking at Spencer as soon as you left.

“What?" He asked, oblivious

“You were drooling for her!" She laughed “You think she's cute!”

“Wha—I do not—” He stopped. “Well, she is very pleasing to the eye, but I was just making small talk with a stranger. That's what you're supposed to do at parties, right?"

“Pleasing to the eye?” Penelope laughed hysterically “Sure, genius, you were just doing small talk”

Meanwhile, at the kitchen, your face was radiant with a smile; not just for the fact that your nephew had absolutely loved the cake you had put so much effort into, but because you had just met the sweetest stranger.

You were no longer in shambles next to him; your hands were not shaking, your body was not stiff any more and the cold sweat from before was gone. The only thing that was left was the beating of your heart and the little butterflies that showed up every time he made you laugh.

On Spencer's side the feeling was the same. He had no idea where the jokes were coming from or how on earth he seemed so relaxed with three cups of coffee in and you next to him. But, it was worth it, because the sound of your laugh made his heart race like never before. 

“I never thought philosophy could be funny” you smiled and sipped the last drop of tea from your mug.

The front door opened and Savannah and Derek stepped inside holding hands, with a big smile on their faces. 

“Sorry, we're a bit later than expected” Savannah said, walking and throwing herself on the couch in between you “Derek wanted us to dance to all of the freaking songs at the restaurant” she kicked her high heels off. 

“They were amazing songs” Derek responded sitting on the couch in front of you. 

“Anyway, how was your babysitting night?” Savannah asked, looking side to side at both of you. 

“It was great” you smiled at her 

“I agree,” Spencer said. “We watched a very interesting movie about a lion that was basically Hamlet for kids, oh and we made a fort with pillows and blankets.” 

“It was Hank's idea. I put him to bed a few hours ago” you told your sister.

“Okay, I'll go check on him” Savannah stood up grabbing her heels and patting your knee softly. 

As soon as she disappeared upstairs Derek cleared his throat with a loud sound and looked at both of you. 

“So, did you guys have fun?” you gave Derek a death stare as his eyebrows went up.

“We were having a very interesting conversation, yes” you looked at Spencer as soon as he opened his mouth.

Derek laughed at the obliviousness of his friend and the embarrassment on your face. Your brother in law's mind was constantly in the gutter, you knew that well enough. Every Christmas, New Year's Eve party, Thanksgiving or any special occasion celebrated in your small family a suggestive joke or story would always pop up whenever kids weren't around. And he knew exactly what he was suggesting at that moment.

“It’s getting really late. I should leave before the rain gets worse” you blurted out, quickly standing up and leaving your empty mug on the coffee table.

Spencer stood almost as quickly as you did, his long limbs nearly knocking his cup of coffee onto the white carpet. His hands found his pants pockets again and his unbelievable hazel eyes looked at you. 

“It's theoretically impossible to find a taxi in the middle of a storm of this magnitude and this late.” he stated “I brought my car—I, um—I could drive you to your house if you want”

The blush on your cheeks must've made itself even more evident because you saw the laugh Derek was trying to hold in, enjoying the situation way too much. 

“Thank you, but I—I don't want to be a bother” you responded, grabbing your coat from the rack close to the entrance. 

“It’s no bother really” he smiled. 

You were about to say another excuse when Derek stood up, yawning and stretching his limbs. 

“Well, thanks, pretty boy. I'm too tired to drive her myself” he patted his back and then looked at you “Who says chivalry is dead?” with a wink of his eye.

You waited for Spencer to grab his messenger bag and his coat. Savannah had come downstairs wearing her pajamas and hugged you both goodbye — even though Spencer wasn't much of a hugger — and waited until you were both in the car, safe from the rain. Derek waved goodbye and whispered something to Savannah that made her chuckle. 

The car was painted in a light blue color, the interior had black leather seats. It was a vintage model of some car, classic— not that you were really worried about that right now. The smell inside was a mix of cedar wood with something minty that you couldn't quite decipher yet.

Spencer turned the car on and engaged the windshield wipers. You sat still on the passenger seat, legs pushed together, hands on your lap and breathing to the rhythm of their steady sweep.

“Is it okay if I turn the air conditioner on?” he suddenly asked, breaking the silence. 

“Um, yeah, sure, go ahead,” you answered, eyes locked on the road ahead where the light from the street lamps merged with the wet pavement.

He leaned over a tiny bit to the panel, close to your legs, and pushed a button. Even though it was a second of closeness, you could feel the heat of his body radiating from his arm and onto your legs, through your jeans. 

“So” he went back to the seat and cleared his throat with a soft sound “Where exactly am I taking you?”

“Right, sorry” you chuckled looking at him. 

After giving him your address and confirming he knew where the street was located, he started driving. The grip of his calloused fingers around the wheel revealed how flustered he was with the fact that you were in his car, just a few inches away from him.

Once you came to a red light and the car stopped softly, his gaze settled on you as the street lights were hitting your face with a gentle glow. You noticed his eyes on you but stayed still and looked at the unusually fascinating red light. 

“I was thinking about what you said before,” his voice dropped an octave, “you mentioned you love Shakespeare, yet you’ve only seen a single one of his plays performed live, can I ask why?”

The question fell out of nowhere, making your brain do a turn. It was a way to cut the awkward silence that the car — and closeness — had caused between you two.

“Well, as much as I would love to read and see all of his works,” you started “I have a very tight schedule and can't really do much besides work” 

The green light gave Spencer the signal to keep driving, but he hesitated a few seconds before hitting the pedal, starstruck with your face. 

“You haven't read all of his work?” he asked, eyes concentrated on the road but with a smile on his lips. 

“No, not really. Just a few and the most popular ones” you answered “I would love to read his sonnets” 

“I have a few books on his complete works,” he said softly “there’s probably one about his sonnets, I could lend it to you if you'd like. Sonnets are actually meant to be read slowly. They’re less about the plot and more about the—the feeling of being completely consumed by someone.”

Suddenly, the car fell smaller and the air thickened as you both realized the words that just had come out of his mouth. Even though nobody spoke about it, you both knew how consumed you were with the presence of one another. Spencer’s fingers wrapped even more tightly around the wheel and your hands formed a white knuckle fist on your lap. 

“I would like that” you smiled at him. 

His eyes went to your face for a few moments, smiling back at you, and then back at the road ahead. Spencer gave one last turn and finally arrived at your apartment building. He stopped the engine, letting the rain be the only background sound surrounding you. He shifted in his seat to finally put his full attention on you. 

“I could drop it by your apartment whenever you like–” he stopped, wiping his sweaty hands on his pants “or we– we could meet at a café to analyze them together, or to give you the historical context of England at that time, or about his life for a better understanding–or to simply read them and have a coffee together.”

Had he just asked you out?

“I would love to have a coffee with you, Spencer,” you whispered. 

His heart jumped violently as you whispered his name out of your sweet lips. He let out a silent sigh on the inside and blushed. 

“Great–amazing,” he started “would–would Saturday at 10 am be okay?” He asked.

“Yeah, it sounds good,” you nodded. 

“Okay” he smiled 

“Okay” you smiled back “I–Thanks for the drive”

“No problem” 

Without a single reasonable thought inside of your brain you leaned over to his face and left a warm and soft kiss on his cheek. 

“Goodnight, Spencer”

“Goodnight” he said, dumbfounded by the sudden show of affection. 

You made a little run to your apartment, trying to avoid the rain as much as possible by covering your head with your coat. You waved goodbye again to Spencer, he waved back and stayed until he made sure you were safe and sound inside the building. His hand went up to his cheek, just where your soft lips had been seconds ago and smiled like a teenager. 

𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ

The week had felt interminable. Meetings, calls, planning, writing drafts, organizing photoshoots, and waiting for your boss to like your work. Your friends made it somehow easy at the office and the view of the city that you had through the tall windows in front of your desk. But one thing was certain, working at a magazine was very stressful. 

That Friday night was the clear example of it. You had to finish editing an article and arrange a photoshoot with the official photographer of the company, so you stayed until late at the office alongside one of your friends. Even though it was 7 pm – and you usually left at 5 – the calls from the boss's assistant came every few minutes, making sure that the deadline was fully tattooed on your brain, and that you were capable of fulfilling all of her requests to publish the piece. 

That’s why when your phone vibrated on your desk again, you didn’t even pay attention to the screen and clicked on the button to pick it up.

“Mia, you know how much we appreciate you but I have three drafts open on my laptop, I already arranged the session with the photographer, and I haven’t had a meal the whole day. Please tell me this is the last call.” you said with your phone wedged between your ear and your shoulder, as you closed your eyes and held the bridge of your nose. 

There was a long silence on the other end of the line. You opened your eyes again thinking that you maybe had been way too truthful to her and only made your situation worse. You straightened on your chair, waiting for a response.

“I–I’m not Mia, even though it is one of the most popular names in the country” Spencer’s voice came through the earpiece, the one that had been stuck with you  “You haven’t had food the whole day?” He asked worriedly. 

“Oh, Spencer–Hi” you smiled and stood up from your chair, making your friend look confused. “I just had a fruit salad. But, don’t worry, I'll be fine. How are you?”

“If it makes you feel any better, I’m stuck at the office too” he chuckled, and somehow that made you feel that he was closer than he actually was in between the traffic and miles that separated you “I asked Derek for your phone number, but if you’re busy right now I could call you later”

“I–no!” You blurted, your irritated tone quickly vanishing into a relaxed one “no, no, it’s fine. I could use a little distraction” 

You opened the door of the balcony and mouthed to your friend that you’d be right back with her. The cold air hits your face with a sudden motion, taking you out of the ‘focused in work’ state. The lights of the city covered your face with a lovely gleam as your heart started to beat a little bit faster.

“I’d like to be a distraction” you could hear his smile on his soft voice “But I was actually calling because things got a bit complicated here. We got a call from Seattle for a case, the jet is ready to go in a few minutes so I–I’m probably going to be in the air by the time we were supposed to be having coffee tomorrow.” The tone of his voice shifted and went down to one of slight guilt. 

“Oh” you leaned on the rail of the balcony.

“So, maybe we could take that coffee once I'm back?” He asked “Or lunch or whatever you like, really”

“I’ll call you for ‘whatever I like’ once I know you’re back” you smiled “Just–make sure you come back in one piece?”

An overwhelming sensation of warmth surrounded Spencer’s chest, creating a brief pause on the line. He had never experienced the statistical impossibility of a single sentence taking the air out of his lungs, or, in other words; he had never experienced the gravity of someone who turned his social capacities into nothing, waiting specifically for him to return.

“I will,” his voice steadied as he grabbed his bag, watching his teammates hold the elevator for him “I have a very strong incentive”

“I’ll see you soon” you managed to get words out of your mouth “Be careful” 

“See you soon, and don't overwork yourself so much” he spoke quietly as he was getting into the elevator. 

“Bye” you whispered 

“Bye” 

You hung up the phone and stood right there, while the vast city witnessed as your heart started falling again. You were scared, terrified, at the fact that falling for Spencer was starting to become a possibility. You didn't like vulnerability, because every time you gave a little piece of yourself to someone, things ended up worse than they were before. 

“Do it” your friends voice startled you 

“What?” you asked turning to look at her, she was leaning on the door frame

“Whatever that man just told you“ she smiled sweetly “Do it” 

“Were you listening?” 

“No, of course not” she said quickly “I just needed to see your smile to understand everything” 

As if you couldn't control your expressions, the same stupidly cute smile made your face shine. 

“Yeah, exactly that” she chuckled 

𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ𖹭.ᐟ

You spent three full days checking your phone for any kind of text that announced Spencer was back in town safe and sound. Your friends had noticed it straight away since you barely used your phone, only to listen to music and sometimes read, but now you were checking it at every opportunity you had. 

Spencer's teammates also noticed the fact that he carried a Shakespeare book of his complete works on his bag — the book was so massive it practically dominated the small space of his satchel, making him uncontrollably lean to one side. On the jet or any place where he could get a second apart from the case he would annotate stuff on it with a concentrated frown on his eyebrows. 

Finally, he texted you on Monday afternoon 

Hey, it's Spencer. Just finished the case. Heading back now. 

Your grin alerted your coworkers at lunch break when the notification showed on your phone. You got up from your chair and headed to a far away corner to text him back, as the teasing of your friends slowly died down in your head. 

Hey! Let me know when you land :)

The team arrived at Quantico at around 7pm, exhausted and demolished by the successful work they had made at Seattle. But amidst the soreness of their bodies and minds, they all gathered up on the elevator once again to go get drinks at the bar that was close by.

“Hey, Spence. Are you coming?” JJ asked

“I–no, I already have plans” he informed shyly “But, have fun” 

JJ looked at him with a confused grin and nodded saying goodbye. Spencer grabbed his coat from the chair and another pen from his desk. He grabbed his phone and dialed your number. 

“Hi, I just landed” he said softly

“Spencer, hi” you smiled and left your bag, the one you had just picked up to leave the office, back on your desk “I’m glad you arrived safely.”

“Yeah–I–I managed to annotate a few things on the Shakespeare book we talked about” he said 

“You did?” You asked chuckling “But I thought you were working” 

“Well, I can multitask” he chuckled too. “But–um, I was calling you to know if you wanted to rearrange our coffee meeting”

“Actually, I was just leaving the office and I haven't had dinner” you started softly “There’s a diner a few blocks down. Would– would you like to have dinner with me right now?” you chuckled nervously. 

“I–yeah, that–that sounds great” he smiled

The walk down the blocks felt as if you were moving in slow motion. The crisp air was hitting your face and anticipating the blush that was soon to be replaced with the cold. You clutched the strap of your bag to somehow ground you on the fact that it was just two people meeting to discuss something you both were interested in, not a date. 

As soon as you entered the diner, Chloe, the owner of the place that was used to seeing your face on late nights waved hello to you with a smile and then went back to what she was doing. You looked at the booths and on the far left corner was Spencer standing up and smiling at you.

You smiled at him and told your feet to work properly as they were approaching him, falling in front of him would not be ideal. 

He looked different from the last time you saw him. He was wearing a grey suit, a pink buttoned up shirt and a red tie. His shoulders seemed to be tense, as if he were expecting for something to happen and get out of there in a second, if needed to. Slight dark circles around his eyes were the main thing you noticed and hoped that you weren't keeping him from having a good night sleep. But still, a tiny gleaming spark of happiness seemed to be radiating from him.

“Hi,” he said as soon as you stopped in front of him. 

“Hi,” you answered with anxiety coming out of your pores “How– how was your flight?” 

“It was fine,” he explained as you two sat down in front of each other, separated by the red table “a bit of turbulence, but nothing out of the ordinary. What about your day at the office?” 

You let out a sigh and a chuckle as you slipped your bag off your shoulder to leave it next to you on the seat. 

“Stressful as always” you smiled, sympathetically “so I don't really wanna talk about it” 

“That’s understandable, don't worry” he smiled and took the book out of his bag “I took the liberty to annotate my favorite sonnets so we could share our thoughts” he said, pushing the book carefully to your side of the table.

“That’s really sweet, Spencer, thanks” you smiled at him and carefully opened the book, flipping the pages as if they were susceptible to break with the wind.

His cheeks turned red in an instant and suddenly the napkin holder became a bit more interesting than your beautiful freckled face. One of the waiters came to your table and you both ordered food and drinks. 

As the time passed by and your conversation kept going, the noise of the cars passing by and the murmur of the few people that were sitting on the diner, slowly died down to leave just the sound of Spencer’s chuckles and the ruffling of his suit jacket against the seat whenever he accommodated his posture on the chair. The conversation of the first sonnets had been one of the most interesting you’ve ever had in a long time, and the passion and enthusiasm with which Spencer spoke, kept you on the edge of your seat for most of the night.

He paid the check– even though you insisted on doing so – and the cold air of the city hit you on the face as soon as you two walked outside of the diner, with your coat covering most of your body and Spencer’s book giving you a newfound warmth, as if everything that you guys had talked about, stuck to the delicate pages of it, along with the clumsy nervousness that both of you clearly showed.

You were willing to wait for a taxi or maybe take the metro, but once again, Spencer denied it completely and drove you back to your apartment. Somehow, the ambiance inside the car was not the same as the first time; the cedar wood and minty smell seemed to relieve any kind of stress from your mind and body; now you were seated comfortably on the black leather passenger seat with your legs inclined a bit to the side. You watched the city lights pass fast as he navigated the streets, until he finally pulled up outside of your apartment building. 

“Thanks,” you said softly, looking at him still relaxed on the seat “for the dinner and the book.”

He shook his head with a smile and turned the engine of the car off. 

“I should be thanking you,” he said, his voice dropping to a calm murmur “For getting my mind out of the horrible things I saw these past couple days.” 

Your heart did that familiar, but terrifying drop, but the fear of vulnerability was overridden by a wave of tenderness that surrounded your body. You shifted slightly on the black leather seat, looking at the dark circles around his eyes and the wrinkles. 

“You can always talk to me, Spencer,” Your voice came out steady amidst the flutter on your chest “If it gets too heavy or if you’re feeling bad. You–you don’t have to carry it all by yourself. I’m no expert, but I'm here.” 

Spencer looked at you as he swallowed hard, letting a thick silence surround the both of you. A silence full of the realization that things were shifting between you, undeniably and irresistibly. His long fingers reached to you and tapped the hard cover of the Shakespeare volume that was resting on your legs.

“If–if you have time before you go to bed,” he started “read the sonnet eighteen. I left a note for you.” 

“Okay, I will” you whispered, with a smile 

He leaned his over a few inches closer to you and kissed you on the cheek slowly, savouring the seconds and letting your perfume stick to his brain for the night. 

“Good night” He whispered

“Good night” 

As soon as you were inside your apartment you brushed your teeth, cleaned your face and took off your work clothes and changed into your purple nightgown. You turned the warm bedside lamp on and sat on the bed as the sheets covered your legs. You grabbed the book gently and looked for sonnet eighteen, just like he said, excited with what new knowledge about Shakespeare you’d go to sleep, but instead, the note in the margin made you hold your breath and bite your lips with a smile.

This reminded me of Hank’s birthday party and you on that yellow dress. It was like you made the entire garden shine. You make every room shine. 

“What are you doing here?” Savannah asked, confused.

“What do you mean?” you chuckled nervously “you texted me to take care of Hank tonight”

Savannah seemed to relive her day in the blink of an eye. In between the chaos of her shift at the hospital that day, she had forgotten to cancel on you.

“Shoot" she sighed “I forgot to tell you Spencer was coming instead”

Your heart did a strange little jump at the mention of his name; that thing that hadn't happened since your last relationship. Truth is, you had been thinking about him since Hank's birthday. It wasn't just the fact that he had complimented your freckles in the most original and clumsy way possible, but also all the looks that you guys had shared all throughout the party. And you weren't the only one who noticed.

“Hey” Savannah had approached you as you were drinking strawberry juice near the playground, watching as Spencer did what appeared to be a magic trick to Hank and his friends.

“Hey” you came back to your senses and smiled at your sister “Everyone devoured the cake. I guess that baking class paid off.”

“Yeah, it was great. Thanks" she caressed your arm “But you've been devouring something else" she winked.

“Wha—”

“Oh, come on. Don't act all surprised” she interrupted before you could finish your word “You've had your eyes locked on Spencer since you met”

“Don't be ridiculous” you started “I'm just... paying attention at his magic trick”

“Since when did you become so interested in magic?" She laughed looking at Spencer too.

He was crouched on the grass to be at eye level with the kids. He had a card in his hand and a pen in the other one. As soon as the pen went through the card all the kids gasped, once he took it out and showed that there was no hole, they clapped. But Hank saw you and his mom standing a few feet away and pointed at you whispering something to the man that had left you dumbfounded with his eyes.

Spencer looked back at both of you, but he was focused on the way you were smiling while still questioning how on earth did that magic trick even work. For a few seconds, it felt like you were trapped in that bubble again, when he had stepped closer to you.

“Oh my god!” Savannah made the bubble pop and you looked at her “He's devouring you too!” she laughed.

“What?! No he's not” You denied “he's just being nice smiling back. I—I'll go get more juice" You announced as you finished the whole drink in one sip and turned around to leave so your sister wouldn't tease you any longer, especially with the blush that was coming all over your cheeks.

You felt your cheeks turn red again as the cold air of the evening hit you, taking you back to the entrance door.

“Oh—um," You started “well, if he's already here I'll just go back. Leave these to them, in case they want to watch a movie or something.” You smiled, handing the bag of popcorn to your sister.

Just as you were about to go back to where you had come from and called another taxi to drive you back to your apartment and keep thinking of those beautiful hazel eyes that had kept you awake at night. Hank's little voice, running down the stairs, made you stay a few seconds more.

“Auntie! Auntie!" He showed up at the door and made way through his parents to jump to you for a hug. You grabbed him tightly and kissed his forehead.

“Hey, peanut” You smiled “How are you doing?”

“Great!” He said joyfully “Are you and uncle Spence taking care of me? Can we have a pajama party?”

You looked at Savannah, you didn't want to be the one who broke his heart. But, again, Spencer's voice made your knees feel insanely weak as he stepped closer to the door.

“I think that would be a really fun idea, Hank” he smiled at you with his hands in his pockets “Hi"

“Hi,” you whispered.

Derek and Savannah shared a knowing look. Your love life hadn't been what fairy tales and movies had projected into your brain ever since you were a little girl. You could tell a hundred stories about guys that had made you insecure and fearful of being yourself. You saw it in time, thankfully, but words had a huge impact in somebody's life. That's why you had trouble opening up to other people and were capable of weaponizing vulnerability to your heart’s own benefit.

That's why Spencer's presence scared you so much. Of course you had found a lot of guys attractive throughout your messy life, and he was certainly no exception; he had everything you had ever asked for. But his eyes gave you the powerful impression that he was willing to be vulnerable with you, but you were not sure you were ready to match it. He seemed sweet and all, but you couldn't bring yourself to trust someone that much again.

You put Hank down carefully as your eyes went back to Savannah's face. She smiled at you, with that smile that seemed to reassure you in every stage of your life, from childhood to adulthood. And she left the bag of popcorn on the nearby table.

“Actually, I also think that's a great idea” Savannah started “Just, don't make any mess and Hank has to be in bed at 8. Okay?”

“Understood” Spencer said softly and you stepped inside the house.

Savannah and Derek finally crossed the door threshold. Your eyes showed a camouflaged panic glare that both of them knew all too well. Luckily, Hank had dragged Spencer upstairs; you would die if he noticed how shaky your hands were.

“Just— breathe. You like him and you'll just talk and have fun with Hank” Savannah whispered.

“I don't know, guys” you started, unsure and holding the door with a death grip.

“You’ll be fine” Derek finally spoke “Trust me, he likes you too”

“And if anything happens, just text me” Savannah reassured.

You nodded and smiled awkwardly

“Have fun at dinner”

As soon as you closed the door you rested back in it, letting out a sigh that relieved just a bit of the new tension in your shoulders. You closed your eyes and convinced yourself that life could be worse. Hank's laugh traveled all the way downstairs and into your ears.

You slowly walked upstairs and into Hank's bedroom. You leaned on the doorframe and suddenly realized how tiny Hank was just a few years ago, years that felt like seconds. The crib had been replaced by a toddler bed and the shelves full of baby supplies were now about to collapse with toys.

“Please be careful, Hank” Spencer's voice said softly, standing close to the closet “Are you sure you don't want me to do it?”

“No, don't worry uncle Spence, I got it” Hank's little voice came from the closet as he was trying to climb the shelves to get something.

“What are you two up to?” You asked, looking at them.

“He has an idea” Spencer answered smiling at you “Said it was a surprise for us.”

“Yes, I got it!” Hank said joyfully and climbed down with a big blanket in his hand “Follow me!”

He ran downstairs in a way you had never seen before, holding the blanket tightly against his chest. Spencer looked at the stairs and chuckled.

“He still has a lot of energy”

“Yes” you smiled back “He has the exact same energy I had when I was four”

“Kids tend to get excited when they are close to people they have fun with” his voice dropped an octave as his eyes went back to you, staying on you for a moment too long “Genetically speaking, energy levels can be highly heritable too — but I think he just recognizes your kind heart. You both seem to have that”

Your cheeks turned red in an instant, but this time you didn't turn around to hide it. You embraced it, for the first time in years, and a huge smile that illuminated your eyes painted your face with color.

“Don’t give me all the credit. I'm pretty sure he enjoys your company too” you answered as best as you could, trying to prevent your voice from shaking.

“Are you guys coming!?” Hank shouted from the living room.

Spencer gestured towards the stairs with a slight tilt of his head and that smile that had a magical effect on you.

“After you” he added with a soft voice.

You smiled again and walked downstairs. You had just shared a piece of information with Spencer about your childhood, and you hadn't even noticed. It hadn't felt like before, you didn't feel the need to anticipate criticism from him; he had seemed to walk right through the walls that you had practiced building around your heart. It wasn't a huge piece of information either, but those days had been your happiest and when you were the most free.

After a few minutes of Spencer trying to understand the structural integrity of pillow walls and a blanket roof, all three of you ended up tucked inside the cozy — and slightly lopsided — fort you guys had made. You and Spencer were inches apart, his shoulder touched yours against your hoodie every time he moved his arm to get some popcorn from the bowl sitting in front of you. Your eyes were locked onto the figures on the screen that were doing something you couldn’t quite understand, the plot was the last of your worries at that time.

You were a hundred percent sure that Spencer knew everything. You knew that Spencer was a literal genius — according to Derek — and a freaking trained profiler of the FBI. Reading people’s body language wasn’t just a skill for him, it was literally a reflex. There was no way he hadn’t noticed the way you barely moved your body, how your hands were anxiously playing with the zipper of your hoodie, how your eyes slightly moved to the side to observe if he was paying attention to you or the movie and of course how your breathing seemed to be robotic.

“I’m tired” Hank said as he yawned and laid his tiny head on your lap.

Spencer chuckled as he looked down at his wrist watch. You looked at him.

“It’s 7:50” he announced, then looked into your eyes “We should put him to bed.”

“I want you to tell me one of your stories, auntie, please” Hank said with his eyes closed “I promise I'll go to bed after it.”

You smiled at Hank and did your best to steady your voice. As you caressed Hank's hair while talking, Spencer looked at you with attention. He had memorized probably a thousand books, poems, encyclopedias and myths of all cultures around the world, but yours awakened a new interest in him. He had never heard it before, — or read it — and the way you were able to tell it was simply mesmerizing.

The room fell quiet, it was just your voice and the subtle noise of the rain that was starting to fall outside.

As the sleep finally settled over Hank, the fort stopped feeling like just a pile of pillows and more like a sanctuary as your voice gained confidence and warmth. The words had finally absorbed your consciousness, leaving no room to worry about Spencer’s critical FBI gaze. You were in the world that made you feel like yourself, not hiding it, even though you were practically sharing it with a “stranger”. You had told a few stories to your ex boyfriends and always felt judged: That’s childish, Don’t be ridiculous, they had said. But Spencer kept quiet and his eyes admired the way your features relaxed.

“I’ll put him to bed” You said softly once the story finished, taking Hank in your arms and feeling your shoulder brush with Spencer’s one more time.

After kissing your nephew on the forehead goodnight you went back downstairs. Spencer had tidied up the pillows and folded the blanket with a precision that screamed his name.

“You didn’t have to do it alone” You smiled, holding your arms.

“Don’t worry, it wasn’t that difficult” He chuckled.

Now that Hank was in dreamland upstairs an awkward silence fell on the living room. Spencer’s hand fell in his pockets again — a habit that your brain was starting to feel familiar with — and the heat crept back into your cheeks. You could only hear the rain falling outside and the feeling of a certain electricity coursing through your veins.

“It’s starting to get cold” You mentioned, face palming you mentally.

No shit, Sherlock. It’s literally raining

You shook your head, chuckling at yourself.

“I—I was going to put the kettle on for tea. Do you want some? Or maybe coffee?”

“A coffee would be nice” He answered, taking his hands out of his pockets and giving you a sweet smile.

The kitchen was dimly lit thanks to the street light of the neighborhood. Spencer followed you into the room and leaned on the counter with his arms crossed. You filled the kettle with water and turned it on, grabbed two mugs, two teaspoons, the jar of sugar from the top counter, the coffee from the bottom shelf and a bag of cinnamon flavored tea.

“That was a great story back there” Spencer filled in the silence “You really created a world that feels safe for Hank. It’s not just fun and sweet; the didactic narrative really shaped Hank into who he is. I’m guessing you´ve been telling him the same story since he was born?”

“Yes, it’s his favorite” You mirrored his posture, leaning on the counter in front of him as the water slowly reached the perfect temperature. “When Savannah told me she was pregnant I started to write a short story for the baby and gave her the book once it was finished. It’s the story about a queen and a knight, the book ends when the baby is born. And as Hank grows old I've continued the story whenever he asks me. I like to weave in lessons that would help him with his daily life, his friends, family and the complexity of his feelings as he grows up.”

“He’s really lucky to have you,” he whispered.

“I’m really lucky to have him” You whispered back with a smile.

You turned around to prepare the drinks as the click of the kettle announced the water was ready. You put the tea bag into your mug and leaned again on the counter to face Spencer.

“So, how much caffeine does an FBI agent need?” you smiled

“Usually, a lot” he started “but i think i have enough energy for a few hours, one spoon should be fine. Oh and a lot of sugar, please”

You poured the instant coffee into the mug with precision along with three spoons of sugar, observing as they slowly dissolved in the water.

“Is that okay?” you asked.

“Three more of sugar?” he said, giving you a look that was half apologetic.

You finished making his drink, not daring to question if that amount of sugar was healthy for a human being. You handed him the coffee cup, his long and calloused fingers wrapped around your soft ones for a careless second. The electricity went up and down your spine and your cheeks felt warm for what felt like the hundredth time that night.

“Thank you” his voice faltered a bit. The physical touch had made his genius neurons short circuit in his brain.

You decided to sit at the round small little table that was facing the window, settling in across from him. The streetlight lamps revealed the curls of steam coming from both your cups and your shadows plastered on the tiled floor of the kitchen. Your eyes looked as the rain droplets fell slowly against the window and Spencer’s gaze settled on the constellation of freckles across your cheeks and nose once more.