#hotcs

[estrangedandwayward]

Finished house on the cerulean sea last night and loved it soooo much, I've already ordered a copy of the sequel but in the mean time I just HAD to draw them all, kind of a different style then I normally do, a lot more cartoony but I think that fits

[tomsmusictaste]

Neck Deep // Heartbreak Of The Century

[charleslee-valentine]

Firefly family name etymology:

It’s no secret their names are chosen from stories, a coverup of sorts, but the family does have real names as well, at least for the most part, with the exception of Otis. That’s because he chose his own name, giving it at least some significance still.

We’ll start with him, since he’s the oldest of the Firefly children. The name Otis means ‘leisure.’ He’s a man who doesn’t feel threatened by much. Even when shit starts to hit the fan in the second two films, he remains joking, cocky, and proud. Leisure is in his relaxed bones, even when he’s furious and scolding and violent. Even in the way he stands, with his shoulders sagged and his crotch forward, is a leisurely poster.

The second child is RJ. Full name Rufus Junior. More complicated because of its simplicity, the meaning of his name is ‘reddened.’ While there’s no personality connections there, it can possibly offer insight on his killings. Blood is red and the Firefly family home is deeply soaked in blood. It’s assumed they’ve been killing for the entirety of the children’s lives, though that’s somewhat unclear. However if Rufus got his hands ‘reddened’ when he was young (accounting for the secondary meaning of junior) then it does imply that the family allows their small children to kill as well. A minor detail, but considering the shared insight on the whole family, shows RJ being dedicated to them first and foremost.

Next is Baby. Of course this, along with Angel Baby, are her nicknames. Her true name is Vera Ellen. Together, the double name has the meanings ‘true’ and ‘brilliant.’ She was her parents pride and joy and was named ‘truly brilliant’ after the way she shined to them. However I see it as a signal that she isn’t just a pretty, happy face too. She's also as intelligent as others in the family, despite her mental health and delusions. Thus it serves as a warning not to underestimate her. She’s every bit as cunning as her brothers, in on all the plans, with twice the protection because she’s her Mama and Daddy’s little star.

As for the Firefly parents themselves, there’s Mama. Her real name is Gloria, which means ‘honor.’ Befitting of the common matriarch in the family, everything they do is to her liking. Even Otis comes down to supper and brings Wolf because he knows that would make her happy. After her death, they raise hell and fight to survive and honor her. They made a promise to her, and to the other family they lost, to not go down without a fight. All those bullets they took was to honor her. Her name represents the symbol she presents to the rest of her family.

Except Earl, who we don’t see her interact with. Because of what he did he’s been exiled from the Firefly family, but it’s worth noting that his name can mean ‘lion.’ It would seem the man had a bad temperament to do what he did, and likely without much warning. He pounced and struck and Tiny was hurt, so Earl was no longer part of the family. In that sense, it reflects his nature as a dangerous animal, a monster to them.

His replacement as consistent patriarch and father to Baby is Spaulding. While his nicknames include Captain Spaulding and Cutter, his government name is Johnny Lee Johns. Combining the meanings of Johnny ‘graced by god’ and Lee ‘poet,’ he’s symbolically been gifted his ability to wax poetic and monologue. Spaulding spends his very last moments of life ranting and monologuing in that disturbing and cruel way the Firefly family does. To us, it doesn’t seem like poetry, but his wisdom to the family is important. His poeticism isn’t his word choice, it’s the way he can use words to crush a victim’s spirit, or to scare and unsettle them right into the arms of his waiting family members down the road to be hunted.

The final member of the family, at least in order of introduction, is Foxy. He’s Otis’ half-brother, so he has his own surname that he doesn’t share with anybody else. His name obviously is not a Marx character like the rest of the family’s nicknames as well. Foxy is just the shorthand of his middle name, Foxworth, full name Winslow Foxworth Coltrane. Winslow means ‘grave’ or ‘burial.’ His rescue of his brother, and thus his entrance into the story, is necessary because of death. Cutter is dead, Mama is dead, RJ and Tiny are dead, and Otis and Baby likely aren’t long behind. Foxy is a figure of the family, who is only essential in the loss of life, so his name is significant in marking him with that death. Foxworth can mean ‘homestead’ which only adds to the tragic meaning there. His family is dead, his home gone and burnt to the ground, and he wasn’t there to see it or defend them too. The death of all those family members and the loss of his home is the reason for his determination to save his remaining two siblings, and be included in the family. Baby and Otis don’t consider him part of that fight, but he’s just as wounded by it. Coltrane is symbolic of ‘wild energy.’ The result of the above trauma for him is his manic attitude. Even as calm and flat affected as he can seem, he turns cruel and sadistic when push comes to shove. All of the Firefly family can fit into that trope, of completely unhinged assholes, but Foxy wears the specific name that says it’s a part of him. Showing that he is a memeber of the family regardless of his prison stint that had him separated from the rest.

Firefly, of course, is a name chosen from characters and likely not their legal name, but it’s the one they use. The little insect fireflies symbolize ‘hope.’ The family reminds each other to be hopeful, because they see themselves as untouchable. Nobody can stop them, it seems at least, and Baby has to be reminded of that when she’s in Mexico grieving her Mama and Daddy. The love they have and the hope they share exists despite their evil and destructive nature, showing that they are a family unit deep down. Afterall, the point of these three films was to show what happens when the killers have support and love and family behind them for once, and how less likely their victims are in such a case to survive.

[kumiaku]

The Esther post heralding the new chapter of HOTC, here is Lorelai's body in it's current state.

Now a few things I do want to mention, this is of course, not a perfect approximation. The watercolor leaked on me a bit, and my pen messed up when I made it + ofc this was made like at least a year ago, so I do have a couple drawings to compensate for that fact. This is mainly just so the coloration is down.

Like this gorgeous one that actually has her in motion! Fear not though, I do have more. (I physically cannot stop drawing her)

Uh oh, babygirl is crying with rain in this one, it's because I like drawing side profiles from time to time, but also idk set in weeping peninsula or smth maybe.

Have a small memeish sketch from this chapter. It felt so weird to have Esther smile idk man. It's kinda a wombo combo of a couple redraw memes ngl. Speaking of redraw memes...

I also drew this low quality things for funzies.

Ooo look this one has a comparison in it! You can see what was meant to have the slight differences in their face shapes, eye shapes, hair, ect. Though color isn't really able to be seen. But also if you notice, there are a couple mannerisms that are nice too! Like Lorelai body clutching Esther tight, while Esther's hand is actually hovering and not touching Lorelai at all.

Final one for this post, and my favorite actually. Hands! Blood! Oh boy! I felt like I needed to draw something that was really properly thematic.

[pikos-den]

lamb leaves three crown bearing children alone with helob

this is not a good idea.

also the other three characters are ocs. blue crown is a narilamb kid named velvet, yellow crown is a flinktau kid that needs a name, and green crown is a leshy mysterychild named thorn.

[lovers-instead]

appreciation post for the original Enemy music video from 2021

[thischarmingand]

Now that I’ve reached the stage of googling “[authorname] bad reviews” I think it’s time to admit I don’t get TJ Klune.

[derrypubliclibrary]

you know for someone with gay in their username this is the second time I've ever seen your gay in action

2nd?! 🤨🤨

[slasherbish]

Run Rabbit (HTC OC's x Baby, Otis, Spaulding)

AN once in the HOTC world it will take place about 10 years before the first movie.

Blair pov

I sat on our black leather couch. I’m pretty sure Graves found it next to some apartment dumpster and it was partially held together by brightly colored duct tape. My closest friends and roommates were sitting with me, April on the couch and Graves in a stolen bean bag chair right next to the couch. We were watching our favorite movie, House of 1000 Corpses with the sequel being second favorite. As a group we probably watched it once every other week. 

Normal POV.

  April Locke was a short, maybe five feet two inches, yet busty woman somewhere in her mid thirties, bright cerulean eyes were complimented by pale skin and deep black hair that was more often than not dyed to match her eyes. Her hair easily reached her waist even when tied back in her signature high ponytail that fell into four smaller ponytails.She worked as a makeup artist and stripper to make ends meet. She was the oldest of the oddball group.

 Graves Cassidy was a tall man maybe six feet two inches, nineteen years old, his hair was long especially for a man reaching his chest and was a very dirty blonde nearly brunette color. His body was fairly lean yet had some toned definition. He too was fairly pale from mostly being at work at night and asleep in the day. His job was a drug dealer and occasionally a thief. Graves was good at his job and paid for two thirds of the rent for the trio. 

Blair Crowley was five feet seven inches and had a slim build and was also very very pale. She had been athletic most of her life, she had become athletic in an unusual way for a child though. Her favorite way to get fit was knife and fencing classes along with bootcamps. She was twenty eight years old. Blair had a lack of empathy and emotion towards most of humanity except those she held dear. Due to her lack of emotion she found comfort in her work as a mortician. Her hobby was currently taxidermy, since to her it was an extension of mortician things.  

The trio were the black sheep of their families and outcasts of society. Their found family was much stronger than any blood relations they had. Their apartment was a three bed two bath apartment with a good sized kitchen and living room. The furnishings consisted of 90% stolen or dumpster finds and 10% bought items. At the beginning they didn’t have much money and so made due with what they could do. Dumpster finds were always fun group projects since they would clean it and then refurbish it to their liking. The entire apartment was far from “normal” and that’s how they liked it. 

“I don’t really care what anyone thinks when I say Captain Spaulding is one sexy mother fucker” April said passing the popcorn bowl to Graves. The other two gave the short woman a playful look of disgust. It was well known in the group that April loved Spaulding for god knows why. “Mmm no he isn’t you just have a thing for clowns” April spoke up. Graves leaned his head to look at the girls and chimed in “Says the one who likes the albino rat man.” His voice was deep and smooth. In retaliation she threw a cookie at the man's head. “I like his mind, '' Blair said softly. “No cookie warfare and suuuure it's for his mind.” April said with a smile poking her friend. 

When the movie ended Graves stood up and stretched. “Well lovelies I have to get to work.” He said as he walked to grab his dusty trenchcoat. “Work is an interesting word choice.” Blair called over to him. April added  “could you grab some milk and icecream on your way home?” The tall man huffed in slight annoyance. “I do believe I’m paying most of the rent. You can get off your butt and get groceries.” He said before slipping out the door into the night. The girls both had early mornings so they decided to turn in for the night. 

In the morning Blair woke up at 5:30 am, she walked out of her room to see Graves asleep on the couch with an empty beer bottle in his hand. She smiled and took the bottle so he wouldn’t break it. He was one of the few people on the planet that could make her smile a genuine smile. As she left for her morning run she threw the bottle into the dumpster behind their building. Blair was home by 6:20 am where a groggy April had made herself and Blair morning coffee and tea. The two had breakfast together as they did most mornings. Blair and April both left for work at the same time and walked to the nearby bus stop. April would be home by noon and then do a shift at the strip club in the evening. Blair worked almost every day from eight am to seven thirty pm.  Once all home they would sit down to have dinner or in Graves case breakfast. During this time they would catch up on what had happened throughout the night and day. It was like a ritual for the trio. 

On that Friday night they had decided to watch House of 1000 corpses for the millionth time. It went by as usual with drinks and popcorn being passed around. Once the credits rolled there was a loud crack and then static. This earned obscenities to be yelled by the group. Before they could wrap their heads around what was happening the world went black. 

[sapphic-luthor]

I keep forgetting what day it is but uh update on cute car girl: dinner was good but she’s very happy in her current relationship so maybe next time for the meet cute. In the meantime did you know House on the Cerulean Sea has a sequel out (I don’t even know if you read the first one (if you haven’t you should. It’s like a warm hug))? I just picked it up and I’m excited for it. Sending good vibes for your week ahead! - SMA

WOOPS sorry about the inference that you guys were going to sleep together and get married forever lmao

also i have never heard of this book!! am adding to my storygraph tbr as we speak

[karenjacksons]

random thoughts on head of the class’s main characters (and in some cases, actors because a bunch of them have insane career trajectories)

[[MORE]] Charlie Moore: a great teacher played by a great actor. RIP Howard Hesseman. I was sad to see him leave the show at the end of s4, but in the long run I understood why he did it. (I love how Wikipedia says it was “ostensibly” a vehicle for him.) You can literally see him rolling his eyes at the kids antics in some scenes lol. Principal Samuels: he was very funny but one of the most one dimensional characters on the show. Bernadette Meara: the interesting thing about her is she was basically a side character until s5 when she had some of her biggest roles ever. Since I feel like Billy Connolly had a say in some of his plot lines I wonder if he requested her to be his love interest. She and Billy should have ended up together, fuck his “spin off”. Also Jeannetta Arnette was only a few years older than some of the actors who played students.

Arvid Engen: one of the most lovable characters but also one of the most overused. I wish they gave him less A-Plots so that characters like Sarah or Darlene could have more.

Dennis Blunden: oh Dennis. It’s hard not to see his infamous actor in some of his antics (not in the “sexual predator” way, but in the general “bad behavior/mistreating his friends” way). But since Dennis is a fictional character he has the positive quality that he always redeems himself/makes up for it in the end so all in all I loved him…..and Dan Schneider did give a great performance as him. Also, as much as I love the show…….the fat jokes about him in nearly every episode got to be too harsh. If Schneider himself had wrote them for another actor it would have been another reason for quiet on set to rip him to pieces.

Alan Pinkard: like Dennis, both hatable but lovable at the same time. Tony O’Dell was a great actor, and he worked as Zendaya’s acting coach on Shake It Up and KC Undercover, so there’s that! Most of the limited HOTC fandom also seems to revolve around Tony (blame Cobra Kai).

Darlene Merriman: for much of the show Darlene wasn’t given much to do. It was only in the last few episodes Robin Givens really got to shine. I think it’s probably because of her personal life (FUCK Mike Tyson btw.) I am also a hardcore Alan/Darlene shipper but the crumbs of their relationship were mostly treated as a joke. Robin is the only one to return for the removed from HBO MAX reboot, but to be fair she’s one of the only one who still acts in mainstream roles.

Simone Foster: loved Simone. Cottagecore queen. Simone/Eric is my OTP and her episode tearing down Alex after he claims they had sex is her all time greatest moment. Everyone talks about Schneider and Robbins for obvious reasons but Khrystyne Haje is an insane success story. She co-owned a 500 million dollar Silicon Valley company!!!! and her story of surviving STAGE FOUR breast cancer with an experimental treatment…….holy fuck.

Eric Mardian: iconic rebel without a cause. As said above I love his relationship with Simone. The one thing I’d say I didn’t like about his story was the back-and-forth about him not being on the academic team that lasted till the very end of the show-even TJ was on the team. Also Brian Robbins’ insane career needs to be studied in a lab. From sitcom bad boy to CEO of Paramount.

Sarah Nevins: iconic queen. best girl. what more can I say except I love her. my only problem with her character is she was treated as a background character at some points. I liked her relationship with Jasper but I also shipped with with Arvid (I swear it sometimes comes off like she still liked him after their breakup).

Maria Borges: hmm. I didn’t like her throughout most of her run……but I missed her when she was gone. I also love her outfits (but not as much as I love Viki’s!)

Jawarhal Choudhury: the most forgotten and mistreated character. He could have been one of the best!!! An Indian immigrant learning to adjust to America! For how smart the writers are I don’t think they knew how to write that…I definitely understand why Jory Husain wanted to quit.

Janice Lazarotto: another top tier character. Having a little girl genius was great and I think letting her go was a mistake…..she would have been a teen in s4/5 and seeing her friends react to her grow up could have been hilarious.

TJ Jones: I didn’t like her at first…..I thought they wrote her to be too over the top and sassy. But by the end, I enjoyed her.

Alex Torres: the only character I never once liked. He’s the worst! Also, I understand keeping O’Dell and Frischman…..they probably never expected the show to last until they were in their 30s. But casting Michael DeLorenzo when he was ALREADY 30 and had just finished a long running role on a different teen show (Fame) was bizarre.

Aristotle McKenzie: De’voreaux White basically plays an aged down, even wackier version of Argylle from Die Hard. I liked him, but not as much as Jawarhal or Janice. I don’t think he and TJ were a good match either. Also, I found out on Instagram one of Kimberly Russell’s adopted children is actually named Aristotle, which is a coincidence despite my kneejerk assumption that she took the name from the show (she adopted 5 of her kids in 2013).

Viki Amory: I didn’t like her at all at first, with her ditziness and the way all the boys fawned over her. But I really liked her by the end. (Removing her ditziness definitely helped). But I especially loved her outfits! She was so ahead of her time……she basically dresses like a modern 2024 girl.

Jasper Kwong: a last minute addition to the show when the writers realized how unrealistic it was to no longer have any Asian characters (I think they could have made Viki Asian, but oh well) who happens to be played by one of the most famous actors on the show-future oscar winner Ke Hu Quan! (Credited under a stage name-Jonathan). I really liked him, and I think he was written inspired by Quan’s real life personality. You can also definitely see Quan’s acting chops in his debut episode….but I think they all showed signs of greatness on the show :)

and last but not least…….Billy McGregor! When Charlie left I was prepared to hate him (like Dennis). But Billy Connolly was a great addition. He was so different from Hesseman with his over the top comedy, but he still had heart and great chemistry with the students. But I read about the “spin-off” they gave him where Connolly supposedly played the same character in a different setting…ugh. Couldn’t they have just made it a new character? He and Bernadette should have ended up together!

[tomsmusictaste]

Neck Deep // Heartbreak Of The Century

[charleslee-valentine]

A little Otis Driftwood theory

A teenager/young man with albinism in the 40s such as himself easily could’ve been in a freakshow. Albinism was commonly paired with talents, one popular example being a woman who swallowed swords in the 1950s. The decline in popularity of freakshows wasn’t until around that time.

Otis throws knives, has a sense of showmanship (Fishboy! and talking directly to cameras,) knows how to prepare manufactured oddities of all kinds, and hates clowns. Having some kind of past in the sideshow business doesn’t seem too far out of the realm of possibility. Especially since he apparently traveled all over. A drifter doesn’t equate to unemployment- a drifter can drift with a touring showbusiness company.

He supposedly didn’t join the Firefly family until he was in his 30s and Cutter found him. Maybe he’s still working for some sort of run down freak show, or maybe not. But there’s gotta be something to draw Cutter to taking him in with his family, and it’s certainly not their barely tolerating each other. An insider knowledge in the very oddities Cutter bases his station theme around maybe?

Besides, he’d been independent since he was still a child. He’d have to have supported at least himself in the 20 some odd years since, doubly so if he already had his brother with him. Even traveling freak shows had some kind of housing, and the pay wasn’t all that bad, that’s why so many disabled folks tolerated the abuse. It would’ve been better than nothing. Its not like a teenager and an 8 year old (going off of Rich Brake’s age when 3fh was filmed) are gonna get away with any kind of crime spree for money/food/shelter while already on the run for Otis killing their parents.

Otis himself could’ve done knife throwing which is why he knows it, or been something of a ringleader I imagine.

[bewarethemoonlads]

got to see House of 1000 Corpses in the theater tonight!! not to get hashtag fake deep but it was a genuinely fuckin amazing experience

[kumiaku]

Another Esther post because I've lowkey been drawing her more than working on the next chapter ehe

Esther and the Doll, my beloved ♥️

Old Esther painting plan I never got around too, but I found the little doodles on the side so funny so I

Drew one of them again

The vibe Esther should give

The Doll w/ her princess behavior

+small scribble of Esther vs Lorelei height wise.

There are a couple that I skipped over bcuz I plan to post them just before the chapter releases, so I can link it to the chapter, which will finally showcase the Esther-Lorelei appearance.

Just know that one of the things I wrote on this page is "why is it all yuri" which is very accurate.

[unlosts]

goldrush

1.5k words. Based on some posts on @hotchfiles blog about Hotchs wedding ring 🫶

F. Scott Fitzgerald — 'There is a moment—Oh, just before the first kiss, a whispered word—something that makes it worth while.'

Small town motels begin to feel familiar after a while. Even the outdated 70s wallpaper and smoked tinted walls start to blur with the newly renovated minimalist gray walls of the latest chain hotel they’re staying in. 

After ten hours of bureaucratic red tape, hostile locals and hysterical families, the  paper thin mattresses and the softest of egyptian cotton sheets all end up in the same exhausted insomnia. 

And it is in that blur of sameness that you find yourself pressed against the sheets of Hotc - sorry, Aarons bed. 

Your very stoic, very married boss. 

It started in this quaint farmhouse turned B&B somewhere tucked away in Maine, the blood splattered crime scene photos getting lost amongst the garish floral bedspread. 

As strict and unyielding as Hotch was in the day to day you knew his biggest secret; an almost full pack of Marlboro reds tucked away in the smallest pocket of his go-bag accompanied by a baby blue bic lighter stolen from you. Reserved for special occasions, such as a week-long case in the middle of the winter with no end in sight. 

It was on night four that you went to his room to get your lighter back - and possibly to bum a cigarette as well. Light footsteps on the creaking wood, you tiptoed over as if you knew how it would end. 

Before you could even knock the door opened and there he was, stripped of his jacket and tie but still working at midnight, his starched white shirt rumpled from hours sitting at the rickety chair in the room. 

“Hi, wasn’t expecting anyone right now,” he said awkwardly, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck. His eyes firmly planted on yours and not on your very bare legs, covered by blue striped pajama shorts and a faded concert t-shirt.  

“Well, I would be more shocked if you were” you replied with a laugh, crossing your arms against the midnight chill and leaning against the frame of his door “hey listen I’m on a rescue mission here, I know your pack of smokes is more of a ‘in case of emergency bring out the cancer sticks’ sort of deal but my very favorite lighter is sequestered with them and I’ve gone through two packs without it so can I have it back? and also maybe one of your cigs?” you added that last part with a very convincing smile.  

“Right! yes, come on in” Hotch said as he stepped aside so you could come into his room. The pink wallpaper covered floor to ceiling in paisley flowers. 

“Don’t mind the flowers, it seems like they’re multiplying but you get used to them”

“Oh I think that’s just your sleep deprivation speaking,  maybe I’m not even in this room”  As you walked in you took in his room, from the floral wallpaper and matching drapes to the blue fluffy carpet and dark wood furniture. 

“If I were to imagine you I think the last thing you would be doing is stealing my cigarettes” 

“Really? and what is it that I usually do in your imagination” You said, sitting down on his bed, moving around some files.   

He just let out a small laugh, his wedding ring twinkling like a warning sign in the lowlight. 

His laugh is boyish you think startled, a little high pitched at the end like it’s not used to making an appearance.

You try to picture him at your age, even before, early twenties fresh out of law school. His stride not as confident as it is now, less sure of his place in a courtroom than he is in a police precinct ordering around people he’s just met. 

While you were lost in thought he went to rummage through his bag, his usual meticulous order abandoned in favor of quick changes between cat naps and interrogations. 

His back turned, you can freely admire the solid line of his back, muscles stretched under his shirt, and it’s only ever really in these brief moments of solitude that you can admit to yourself that whatever is it that you feel goes well beyond a crush. 

Which is why you should leave, you should get up, tell him you changed your mind and go to your room, forget that you do have a full pack in your nightstand right next to the nice lighter you bought for yourself  a couple of weeks ago, you should… 

“Here” He says handing you the baby blue lighter and a loose cigarette. 

“What, you’re leaving me to smoke by myself?” 

“Like you said, these are ‘in case of emergency only’” 

“Well I think having to deal with Captain Rooney and detective whoever the fuck for almost a week straight constitutes as an emergency, think of them as medicinal cigarettes, kind of like the ones pregnant woman smoked in the 50’s” 

He laughs again, boyish and carefree and you tuck that sound away,  to let it play on a loop in your head later tonight. 

“One” Hotch says, holding up a finger “and then we’ll go to sleep, the last thing I need is you crashing the car because you were too tired to drive straight” 

“God, imagine the paperwork” You reply with a grin. Standing up and walking to the window next to the desk. You notice with a pang that he keeps a picture of Jack there, only a year old, chubby cheeks and thin blonde hair. 

“What are you doing?” He asks as he sees you sitting down on the window ledge. 

“Are you having a stroke? you just said I could smoke one” 

“I didn’t mean right here” Hotch says looking around, as if the crotchety old woman who checked you guys in would pop up from behind the curtains and kick you out for smoking indoors. 

“I cannot believe you’re afraid of a seventy year old retiree, yesterday you stared down that reporter so hard I thought he was going to start crying” You said lighting up and taking a drag  “besides, didn’t you go to boarding school or something? I bet there’s a whole slew of very scandalous stories hiding there” 

As you blow smoke out the window you see him standing there, hands in his pockets. His eyes don’t stray from yours but he’s not avoiding anything, he’s instead searching for something.

The silence stretches on for a few seconds as the smoke slowly billows up, a haze enveloping you both and you could almost pretend that there’s not a picture of Jack right next to you, or even, another picture next to his. Her name carefully and diligently scrubbed out of your thoughts.

Slowly he walks over and sits down right next to you, the fabric of his slacks burning a path on your thigh. Instead of lighting one of himself he takes yours from your hand. 

You see it then, on his left hand,  tarnished gold in the moonlight. And the moment breaks. 

“I think you guys think I was born wearing a tie” 

“Well no you were a baby, it would have been a bowtie” 

“Cute” You bite your lip to hold back a smile, resting your heated cheek in the cold window. 

“Hotch you collected stamps” 

“Coins, actually” You take the cigarette from him, your lips touching the same filter. 

“Oh my bad, they should have locked you up and thrown away the key then” 

“I collected coins, and also regularly snuck out to go to bars” 

At this revelation you do gasp “no! Aaron Hotchner underage drinking? And they let you in the FBI anyway?” 

“Okay, maybe I wasn’t a complete rebel in my youth but at the time it seemed like it, my parents were…strict and boarding school was their last ditch effort to straighten me out” 

“What got you sent to the slammer?” You asked with a quiet upturn of your lips. 

Before answering he looked at you, the light of the moon on the clearest sky you’ve seen yet turning you silver. 

“I kept picking fights” There was something more there but you let him keep that secret, one was enough for tonight. 

After that you finished what was left, the evidence discarded into the night. Yet neither of you moved. 

It was easy to think that you liked Hotch because he was handsome, or smart or even because he was the boss, but in truth when he looked at you it made you feel singularly important, like every stupid joke or straight thought was worth hearing. Even now in the stillness of the night with only your thoughts and the cicadas for company you felt like he knew everything worth knowing about you. 

“Well” you murmured “I should get going” 

“Yes” he replied in the same tone “you should.” 

And yet you stayed, looking at him. You were so close you could count his lashes, could almost touch the few strands of hair that had fallen forward. 

“Goodnight”  He whispered right before kissing you. 

Truly you could have been the one to kiss him, it was impossible knowing who leaned in first, like an asteroid colliding the path was inevitable, only a matter of time. 

Your hands softly cupped his neck as his went to your waist. It felt like you had been doing this for years, like he had been kissing you good morning and goodnight as long as you had known each other. As he leaned more into you, crowding you against the edge of the window seat your hands graced each others and that's when you felt it, hot as lava, his wedding ring a shock to your system making you push away. 

“fuck” This, again, could have been said by either of you. 

Hastily you got up, almost tripping with one of the decorative pillows left on the floor. 

“Anyway, really should get going, we’ll probably be dead on our feet unless we get some shuteye” You said as casually as you could when every place he had touched was still burning bright. 

“Right, of course” His expression was indiscernible, the only thing betraying his thoughts was his left hand, fingers softly touching the wedding band like a mantra. 

As you were leaving you turned back one last time, looking at him still encased in the pale silver light and he was looking back.