Say It (Hotch x Reader)// ✔

Chocolate Pudding

Summary:

You take advantage of it, his offer for help whenever you need it. And Hotch doesn't seem to mind.

Notes:

Back with a quick one!

You take advantage of it, his offer for help whenever you need it. It starts with that coffee shop "date", and that one form, and you try not to cling to it – the feeling you get whenever you're around him, but you almost can't help it. A talk over a form at a coffee shop transforms into three other ones. Then the coffee shop is exchanged for a late diner, and you don't question how he manages this free time. Between the job and his son Jack, you know that there must be something else unaccounted for. Your mind goes to Beth, and the times he'd leave work earlier to meet with her- was he doing the same for you now?  But as much as you want to ask, get a confirmation of something you secretly wish for, you still don't. Because as much as Hotch doesn't appear to have a social life, he does have one – with David Rossi, with friends, and his family at the BAU. And you seem to fit in it just fine. So, you stop questioning it. But his free time seems to get significantly smaller. That's how, even after a long while, the diners turn into him inviting you over to his house – at his home office.  

For work,  obviously.  

You park the car in front of his house, a small front yard covered in flowers and herbs and other small plants makes the distance between and you're grateful for having changed into sneakers, before making your way out to his front door. Your whole body is fizzled with nervousness. You've never been at his house alone – in the 2 years at the BAU you'd heard loose stories about the others from the team passing by very normally, after he'd lost his wife. And you'd been inside that one time, with the team, when Penelope Garcia decided to throw him a surprise party once – which started off on a rough bump, but by the end of the night it turned into success. Hotch had realized that he wasn't on his own – the BAU, the team, was his family too.  And another time, in his front porch, like you are standing now, you'd knocked on his door to inform him that you were there to take him to work even if he refused – the March that Rossi mended your relationship.  This time, at 3pm on a Thursday, another unicorn of a day-off for him and the BAU – he'd said on the phone over – and he couldn't be bothered to get to anywhere. Jack was still at school and he preferred not to leave his home, since he was closer to him from here than anywhere else. He'd told you this on the phone too. You try to calm the nerves that seem to show even through your shaky fingers. You latch them together, forming a fist and breathe in and out, twice, before knocking on his front door. There's a commotion on the other side at your third knock and you glance at your phone on your other hand. No new texts or missed calls from Hotch alerting you of any change in plans, so you step back and wait. The door opens with a click, and Hotch's frowning on the other side. Like he's trying to profile a criminal in the field. 

"Hey" he says casually. He's wearing a crisp white t-shirt and blue washed jeans, and he's a got a pot in hand.  

"Everything okay?" you ask. 

He steps back letting you inside and winces at the question.  

"I'm trying to make chocolate pudding" he says deadpan.  

You cock an eyebrow, "aw, thanks" you joke, "but you don't have to make me anything." 

He motions with a free hand to the small wooden table below the hanged coats in the hall as he closes the door. You drop your bag and shake off the jean jacket from your shoulders and hang it loosely. Your shoes are kicked off next, set to the side by the entrance door. He disappears on the right of the hallway, going into the kitchen and you trail behind.