Games | A Spencer Reid Story

xvi - The past

Spencer arrived back at the hotel he was staying at. He settled on bed, not able to wipe the smile from his face. He rolled onto his side, closing his eyes. But they flew open seconds later. He rotated onto his back with a sigh, wiping the sweat from his hairline. He couldn't sleep even if he wanted to. As soon as he closed his eyes he was back at his lowest point. Back caged in. Those were images he couldn't get out of his head. Spencer sat up leaning his back against the headboard and bring his knees to his chest.

He rocked back and forth, willing sleep to leave him. The glow of his phone screen made him lift his head. He shuffled to the edge of the bed and picked his phone up off the nightstand. He got to his feet and sat in the windowsill.

Hi,

I can't sleep.

I have a feeling you know something about that.

Want to be insomniacs together?

x Y/n

Spencer read and re-read the message.

Hi,

Yeah, I know the feeling.

I will gladly stay awake with you

- Spencer

Also, what does the x mean?

Spencer tapped the screen as quickly as he could and then he waited. He saw the bubbles pop up on screen and his heart skipped a beat.

Don't worry about the x

Send me your address

Spencer licked his lip and responded back, his tongue poking out of the corner of his mouth as he concentrated. He sent Y/n his hotel address and then settled back against the window pain. "Oh shi..." he mumbled. He stared down at his clothes. He rushed form one side of the room to the other in a panic. He jolted to a halt in front of his mirror patting down his unruly hair. He randomly decided to brush his teeth. Then he decided that his hair was to flat and he fluffed it again. He changed out of his robe and causal clothes. He didn't know why, he just did. He sprayed himself with aftershave and mad a final assessment of his appearance. Spencer meandered over to the desk and sat impatiently tapping the table.

When he heard the door knock, he jerked his hand back and quickly jumped to his feet. He straightened his sleeves and buttoned his blazer.

Taking a deep breath, her opened the door.

Y/n stood outside the door with her hands secured inside the pockets of her neutral puffy coat. She looked his up and down with a smirk. "Did you get dressed up?"

"What?" Spencer stuttered. "No," he denied. "Actually yes," he admitted.

Y/n chuckled. "Well, you look good." Then she shifted her head to the side. "Let's go," she announced, beginning to walk down the hall.

"Go?" Spencer asked. "Go where?" He put his room key in his pocket, closed his door and scurried behind Y/n.

"What did you think I was going to come in," Y/n teased him. "I mean I'm all about living your best life, but some people might say that's appropriate considering you haven't even asked me out yet."

Spencer was speechless. "I...I... didn't mean it like..."

"I'm just joking Spencer." Y/n gently placed her hand on Spencer's arm to assure him. "When I can't sleep, I like to drink hot chocolate and I know a great place."

"Okay. Lead the way." Spencer motioned for Y/n to take the lead.

A short walk later, Y/n pointed out a little stall adorned in lights, perched by a lake in a nearby park. "Can you see it?"

Spencer squinted. "Oh yeah I see it."

"The hot chocolate is so rich and so velvety. Trust me. I know hot chocolate, and this is the best. They let you pick toppings to put on your whipped cream. It is such an experience."

Spencer smiled down at her a smile plastered on his face.

Y/n stopped rambling. "Sorry," she cringed. "I guess I'm just super passionate about hot chocolate."

"Well, I hope it's as good as you say, otherwise I will be disappointed."

Y/n gasped animatedly. "Oh, you won't be." She took his hand and pulled him up to the counter.

Spencer couldn't hear or see anything else besides Y/n as she eagerly explained the menu to Spencer. "What do you want?" she asked finally catching her breath.

Spencer put on a charade of trying to pick. "Will you pick for me?" He turned to Y/n. "Surprise me," he suggested, nudging her shoulder.

"Alright." Y/n ordered their drinks. Then she spun around to Spencer. "Shall we sit?" She proposed.

Spencer nodded and followed Y/n to the outdoor couches that were bundles around small fire pits. "Where did you find this place?" Spencer mused.

"Oh, I'm very well researched." She sat up straighter to show her pride.

"I can see that." He looked around at the set-up, until his eyes landed back on Y/n. The glow from the embers casting light on her. "What are you looking at?" He asked, looking up to see too.

"Nothing. Just the stars. It's not cloudy today, so you can see them quiet well. That doesn't happen often," she pointed out. "It's such a cliché, but I always find looking at the sky calming. Especially at night when the rest of the word is sleeping. Why are the most awe-inspiring things in a place or at times when they can't be fully appreciated by everyone?"

"Why indeed?" Spencer corroborated. He tilted his head back and his examined the span of the sky.

"What do you see?" Y/n quietly asked.

"The past." He stated.

Y/n laughed. "What?"

Spencer smiled at Y/n. "Here, look up." Y/n complied. "Depending on distance in light years that's how far you're looking back." Spencer shuffled closer to Y/n bring his head next to hers and pointing up at the sky. "That one is called Vega. It's part of the Lyra constellation and the fifth bright star seen from earth. It's 25 light years away. So, what we see now happened 25 years ago." He shifted his hand to Y/n's and lifted it point it to the sky. That is Antares. 520 light years away."

"Woah, really." Her eyes lit up. "That is amazing." She twisted her face towards Spencer, forgetting how close his face was to hers.

The pair's eyes met, and they were frozen in time.

Until their order arrived at their table.

"Thanks." Y/n graciously smiled, sliding forward in her seat.

Spencer shuffled back awkwardly avoiding the server, as he waited for him to leave.

Y/n picked up her drink and took some of the whipped cream on her finger. "When do you get your apartment back?" She popped her finger in her mouth as she tried to lighten the mood by changing the conversation.

It didn't help Spencer's predicament. His eyes lingered a little too long at her mouth. "Soon, I hope," he cleared his throat.

"And reinstatement?"

"Hopefully, tomorrow. I just have to be cleared with an eval. Shouldn't take too long." Spencer budges forward and wrapped his hand around his mug.

Y/n slowly stirred her drink. "Do you have bad dreams, Spencer?" She asked cautiously.

Instinctively, his grip tightened around the mug. "Sometimes," he lied. He had them all the time. Too many times.

"Yeah, me too," Y/n grimaced. She sighed and took a sip from her drink.

Spencer laughed as she pulled back and the end of her nose was coated in cream. He handed her tissue and pointed to her nose.

At the end of the night, Spencer walked Y/n to her car. "So, I'll see you on Friday," he asked.

"Yup, that's what I said. Umm... 7?" she suggested.

"I'll pick you up?" Spencer offered.

"Alrighty then." Y/n waved, before she climbed into her car and drove off.