Yes Sir [Hotch X Reader]

Chapter 33

It was only after the first turn around the corner, when you were completely sure you were out of anyone's line of sight, that you realized you had no idea where you were going.

You were in an unfamiliar police station and being forced to walk laps around the space like a child.

Great. Just perfect.

You decided to just walk the lengths of the winding halls, thinking that eventually, you'd probably end up in the same spot.

And down the halls you went, having nothing to stare at but the ugly grey carpet and nothing to think about but your own actions. Maybe that was his plan all along.

You tried to ignore the obvious sideways glances you received from the department. You tried to look pensive, as if you were going for a walk because you wanted to think through the case, not because your boss had ordered you to.

At first, you just stewed over how absolutely pissed off you were. How entirely fucked the whole situation was.

The whole thing gave you whiplash. Not even 10 minutes ago you were comforting him and laughing with him in a police station bathroom, and now you were mad at each other and pacing the perimeter of the precinct.

And anyway, what were those rules? Don't get him riled up? Don't turn your back to him? They were...well, they were unusual.

And it made your brain slow for a minute. They were unusual. And suddenly you were questioning how that hadn't stood out to you when he said it. And for the first time, your head was clear enough to realize something.

He was scared.

At first the idea was almost laughable. Aaron Hotchner, the BAU's most unshakable and stoic agent, nervous around the man sitting cuffed to a chair in an interrogation room.

It was unspoken, maybe, but that perception of him was always there. That Hotch just didn't feel. If you asked anyone directly they would laugh it off, because of course he felt things. He was a person, after all. But everyone just sort of expected him to remain emotionless and keep himself analytical at all times.

God, you hated that everyone expected that of him. And you had unknowingly done the same thing.

He had been choked out by an unsub, out on the pavement, and had almost lost the other girl. And immediately after that rather traumatic experience, he had gone right back to work. Of course he was scared. He would want you to keep your eyes on him at all times. Of course he wouldn't want to rile the unsub up.

And now that you understood, the guilt set in. He clearly wanted you to help, wanted you around for the benefit of the case and himself, and your anger messed it up.

You tried to be careful. You assured yourself that under normal circumstances, it would've been different. This time you could've controlled your anger, followed the orders, and gotten that confession in due time.

But this wasn't a normal circumstance. No, this unsub had threatened Aaron. And no amount of prep work could prepare you for the amount of rage you felt towards him. There was little chance of you bottling that. God, if you could get one got shot to that dumb, cocky fucking face-

"Y/n?" A deep voice breaks you from your thoughts, a hand gently grazing your shoulder.

You spun around instantly, a part of you expecting Aaron to be standing there, ready to take you in his arms and either apologize or accept your apology. You didn't know which you wanted more.

"Oh, Derek, it's you" you said with a small smile. "Missed me already?"

"You know I did" he replied. A hesitant smile was on his face, telling you that your fight wasn't much of a secret.