#I must admit to being inconsolable over how much I love the mini moodboard I made for this fic

[ssaemilyhotchner]

thrilled by the still of your hand hotchniss・rated T・1.3k words

He likes to watch her when she fights.

He knows she has a killer right cross. What he hadn't realized until now, however, is that she has a killer everything else, too.

He has certainly never taken her skills and training for advantage in the field, but he's also never really paid attention to the sheer grace with which she takes down a suspect. But here in the gym, watching her closely, he sees just how artistic she is. It’s almost like she’s dancing—a deadly dance for her opponent, but it’s fluid, captivating, practically seductive. 

She’s been itching for a good fight lately, and thrumming with nervous energy of their own, JJ and Luke had readily taken her up on the offer: winner of the first fight (you ladies are going down, Luke promised) fights the person remaining, winner sweeps all, something like that. They care less about the details and more about the outlet. 

It’s this that Hotch is thinking about as Emily first takes down Luke.

Emily’s eyes are sharp, her hands furling in and out of fists, as her first sparring partner bounces on the balls of his feet. He slowly advances, but there’s something in his gaze, a little flicker of what looks to be reluctance, and it is just what Emily needs. When the flat side of her foot makes sharp contact with his cheek, he realizes he shouldn’t even have hesitated in the first place. This is Emily Prentiss, after all; born into politics, she’s probably been able to hold her own since she was six.

He grabs ahold of her wrist the next time her hand comes around in a well-placed swing, and the interruption pulls her off-balance. With a practiced twist, she follows the momentum into a nimble roll, but to neither JJ’s nor Hotch’s surprise, she’s back on her feet in a heartbeat, catching Luke right in the gut. It’s a good thing they’re wearing gloves, Hotch thinks with a wry smile playing at his lips.

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