#i will never forgive the aaron peel storyline

[carsonshawson]

all in all, laura neal was tasked with the job of cleaning up everyone’s messes. i know a lot of people loved s2, but i feel like this ep really showcased emerald fennell’s faults in the sense that she completely departed from the 12 plot in favor of some nonsense fucking storyline about a tech billionaire that came out of NOWHERE (i will argue that she lost the show around ep 5 of s2 but before then it was pretty good tonally and character wise and ep 4 of s2 is still one of my faves of the series in general).

these 12 flashbacks should have been 3-5 minute scenes sprinkled in over the course of s2 as eve dug further into the 12 (after her project had been disbanded) with kenny and an off the books carolyn, ultimately leading to carolyn’s betrayal of eve when we find out like some fucked up thing she did to make the 12 the organization it is today.

suzanne tried?? i guess. a piss poor attempt, but i truly cannot imagine being tasked with rescuing the 12 plot from season 1 and keeping up with everyone’s characters. laura is trying, and she’s making good tv while she does it. i’ve found all of these episodes genuinely entertaining. i’ve found all of these episodes to tonally align with killing eve. i’ve also felt all of these episodes feel like a direct successor of s1. it’s a shame it took so long to get there.

[hotchscotchh]

Reimagined; Chapter 12 - Arthur Rykov

This time it feels like an ending and it kind of is. This will be the last chapter before the epilogue! I want to get sappy, but I’ll save it for the next chapter. I have ideas for my next multi-chapter fic, but I think I want to do a rewrite of this first. I love the storyline, but the first few chapters are…. Not Good. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Summary: I told you I have a soft spot for team finds out fics…

Pairing: Aaron Hotchner x Spencer Reid

Warnings: ANGST, fluff, mentions of NSFW

Word count: 2.1k

Chapter 11 —— epilogue

Read on AO3

Based on 8x3 Through the Looking Glass

Spencer had thought this case would be hard on Aaron, but it turns out it was worse for himself. He was the one who had to sit through the closing interview with the Acklin’s. He had to hear every single detail of what happened to them. He had to sift through every single one of their insecurities and wrong doings. Analyze why the unsub had chosen this family based on their specific “sins.” The thought of their actions being referred to as sins was what was hurting him the most. He knew, reasonably, that Tobias Hankel had kidnapped him as a kind of victim of opportunity and because Spencer was and is an FBI agent, but he’s always wondered if there was some way for some people to see your sins written on you. He knows he isn’t a sinner (he doesn’t believe in God, how can he be?), but sometimes irrational thoughts even get the best of geniuses.

The so called “sin” that held the most weight on him was institutionalizing his mother. He would never forgive himself for the way things went when it happened. He knew it needed to be done, that it was what was best for her. He couldn’t take care of her, and she couldn’t take care of herself. He will always feel selfish for it, though. For the way he just had the men from the Bennington invade her home and take her from it. He should’ve told her it was happening. Given her some kind of warning. But who knows if that would have been any better? It was too late to do anything to change it now.

Aaron noticed on the jet ride home that Spencer was much quieter and more reserved than usual (meaning he just wasn’t talking at all). They hadn’t told the team yet and Aaron knew he couldn’t just scoop the young man into his arms right now and try to make it all better, so he settled into the chair next to Spencer, handing him a book to at least give his hands something to do, and settling a firm hand on Spencer’s knee under the table.

They stayed silent the entire ride home and until they made it to the car. Aaron had told the team to go home and not come in the next day just before deplaning, so they were set to go home. So far, no one had questioned their sudden carpooling. No one had mentioned seeing anything at JJ’s wedding. Aaron couldn’t help but wonder if they knew more than they were letting on.

Once both were seated in the car, Aaron reached over and pulled Spencer into an awkward hug over the center console. Spencer immediately buried his face in Aaron’s neck and hugged him back, his arms slipping up underneath Aaron’s armpits.

“Thank you,” he managed to get out, though it sounded hoarse.

“Jack is still with Jessica. Do you need a meeting, or do you just want to order dinner and go home?” Aaron asked, softly.

Spencer sniffed and pulled back. “Home, please.” They’d been back together for almost five months now, and Spencer had almost completely moved into Aaron’s recently bought house. He’d started bonding with Jack, something he’d never had a chance to do before.

Aaron nodded and decided not to bring up what was wrong until they got there. After driving for a few minutes, Aaron thought he would try and bring up something he had been thinking about for a while now, something that might take Spencer’s mind off of whatever was going on up in that big brain of his. “Do you want to tell the team? About us?”

Spencer looked over at him before smiling and turning back to look at his hands which were neatly folded in his lap. “Alex knows. She asked about it just before the case in Seattle; I wasn’t going to lie to her. She’d have seen right through it anyway. I don’t think anyone is going to be upset. Maybe we could have a team dinner and make the announcement away from work.”

Aaron was taken aback. He wasn’t surprised that Blake knew, she had known the both of them for a long time, but he was surprised and how much it seemed Spencer had thought about this already. “Okay, that sounds good. I’ll call everyone in the morning and see if they’re free tomorrow night. We can sleep in and still have time to go grocery shopping. I don’t know about you, but I’m anxious to get this over with.”

Spencer nodded. “Thai?” he asked, grinning and already punching the number into his phone.

----

After they had eaten, Aaron put some home improvement show on the TV, but neither of them were really paying attention. Spencer had curled into Aaron’s’ side, his hand soon finding the younger man’s hair. “Do you want to tell me what’s bothering you, babe?”

Spencer sighed. “Just feeling guilty, I guess. About my mom. I know I had to do it, but that doesn’t stop the guilt.”

Aaron wasn’t sure what he could say to make Spencer feel better, so he changed the course of the conversation a little. “Does she know about us?” He felt Spencer nod into his side. “I’d love to meet her someday.”

Spencer sat up and moved his had to Aaron’s cheek. He had a look on his face that Aaron had never seen before. “I’d love for you to meet her. I think she’d love you. I know I do,” he answered, placing a soft kiss on Aaron’s lips.

----

The next morning found them making breakfast together after a satisfying round of shower sex. Spencer was leaning back against the island watching Aaron begin to crack eggs into a frying pan. “Aaron, why don’t you go start calling the team? I’ll watch the eggs.” Aaron turned around and kissed Spencer before handing him the spatula, nodding, and walking off to find his phone.

Two miraculous things happened that morning. One: Spencer didn’t burn the eggs. Two: all of the team members were available, and they all offered to bring drinks, deserts, sides, etc., meaning Aaron and Spencer only had to worry about setting up the back yard and getting meat. They had to pick up Jack at 11, so they left at 10 to run to the grocery store, giving them plenty of time.

Arriving to pick Jack up, no matter where he was staying, was always an ordeal. Today, he burst through Jessica’s front door before the pair could even fully get out of the car. “Dad! Spence! I missed you!”

Spencer reached him first, crouching down and accepting Jack’s hug. “Hi, Jack! I missed you too!”

He quickly moved away from Spencer and over to his father, repeating the ritual. “Okay, Jack, let’s go say goodbye to Aunt Jess and get going,” Aaron said, anxious to start setting things up. The family made their way to Jessica’s door where she stood waiting. They kept their interaction brief today, mostly consisting of thank yous and I love yous. Aaron was glad he didn’t have to hide his relationship from Jack and Jessica. They had been very open about everything from the beginning. When it was time to leave, Aaron pushed Jack and Spencer towards the car to have a moment alone with Jessica.

“Thank you again, Jess. For watching Jack and for supporting our relationship. Having your support means a lot to me. I wanted to let you know we’re telling the team tonight.”

Jessica gave a sad smile. “Of course you’d have my support Aaron. And don’t be anxious about the team. They’ll be happy that you’re happy,” she finished, pulling Aaron into a strong hug.

----

Five o’clock found Spencer and Aaron rushing to set a few last-minute things up, working around an overly excited Jack. Spencer stopped in the middle of setting out plates on the table. He wiped a hand down his face.

“Aaron,” he called out. “I need a minute. I’ll be inside.”

Aaron was working at the grill, making sure the propane was full and turned on, but stopped and turned when Spencer started speaking. “Okay, Spence.” Aaron wasn’t sure what was wrong, but seeing his lover running inside his house looking like he was about to pass out wasn’t something he could ignore.

He made his way inside. “Spencer?” he called out, closing the door behind him and making his way towards the living room. There he found Spencer sitting on the edge of the couch, his head in his hands, Jack’s pleas of “Spence, what’s wrong?” being answered only with “not right now, Jack.”

“Jack, why don’t you go play in your room for a little bit? I’ll come get you soon,” Aaron said quietly, pushing Jack towards the doorway. Jack nodded and walked off, the concerned look not leaving his face. Aaron came back to Spencer, kneeling on the floor in front of him and peeling his hands away from his face to reveal tear-stained cheeks. “Oh, baby, what’s going on?”

Spencer sniffed and let out a laugh that probably (definitely) made him sound a little hysterical. “I, uh, I don’t know. Just nervous, I guess. It’s irrational. They all probably already know anyway, they’re profilers for fuck’s sake. Why the hell am I so nervous?” Spencer stood up then, his hands rising to his temples as he paced the room. Aaron moved to sit on the couch.

“How are we going to do this?” Aaron asked. They hadn’t talked about it yet. “Do you want to make a formal announcement, or just, I don’t know, maybe act like we usually do around each other and see how long it takes for someone to say something?”

Thinking rationally always calmed Spencer down, even if only for a little while. He stopped pacing and sat on the couch next to Aaron. “Both? How about we just act normally until we sit down for dinner and make some kind of announcement then?”

Aaron smiled. “That sounds good, baby. Why don’t you go get Jack and we’ll finish setting up? They’ll be here soon.”

----

Six o’clock had them sitting down for dinner. Everyone had arrived all around the same time. Spencer and Jack stayed at the door to greet them while Aaron stayed in the backyard, working on the meat. So far, the pair had been using each other’s first names, giving casual touches. No one had questioned that yet. Nor had they questioned Spencer greeting them at the door, which led him to the conclusion that they all knew.

Sitting down, though, knowing what announcement they were about to make, his hands were shaking. They decided Spencer should be the one to tell them, as some people could claim that Aaron holding Spencer’s job over him. They knew the team would never do that, but Spencer couldn’t help being anxious over it.

Everyone had gotten their plates and settled into casual conversation. Spencer cleared his throat and started, “Um, everyone, I’d like to say something.” He paused, waiting for the chatter to die down and everyone to turn their attention towards him. “I, uh, I’m pretty sure you all know this already, but, um, well, Aaron and I are in a relationship,” he finally managed to stutter out.

There was radio silence for a few moments before Rossi started laughing. “Did you think you were being subtle about it?”

JJ spoke up after that. “Yeah, we all know, Spence. We’re not mad, we’re glad the two of you are happy. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the pair of you smile as much as you have in the past few months. Has it been going on longer than that?”

Spencer took a few moments to process that before settling back into his seat and leaning into Aaron, smiling. “Well, technically yes. We had a, uh, fling I guess, a few years ago. Before… everything.”

Everyone but Rossi and Morgan looked surprised at that. “Spencer Reid?” Garcia piped up, giggling. “A fling?” Everyone burst into laughter after that, the small amount of tension in the air quickly diffusing.

The night went on as every team dinner did, laughing and horsing around. Talking about anything that didn’t have to do with work. When it came time for everyone to leave, Morgan pulled Spencer off to the side. “I’m proud of you, man. You deserve this. Happiness. But I’ve been missing our guy time!”

“Thank you, Morgan. I don’t think you understand how much I appreciate your support,” Spencer answered, a grin on his face. “I’ll come over this weekend, case permitting, of course.”

That night, when the family of three were alone again, cuddled on the couch watching some Disney movie that Jack liked, Spencer realized that he didn’t think he could ever be happier.

Taglist: @wheelsup @endingsbeginnings