Hard to Love {A Hotchniss Story}

Chapter 15

Emily looked at Aaron with curious eyes, trying to make sure he wasn't lying and he wasn't. She knew she wasn't, he would've never lied to her. "Aaron..." Emily paused for a moment. "This is really sweet, but you should know that I have no idea what a real relationship is. I mean I know, but I've never had one."

"That's ok." Aaron assumed as much since he heard absolutely zero talk about a boyfriend ever since they started working together. He also thought of what she had gone through. "I've never had a relationship with you, it's a first for everyone." He joked and Emily smiled, but she was still very much serious because she needed to get something off her chest.

"It wasn't because of them, it was me." Emily paused. Aaron stepped closer and took her hands in his as he listened to her. "I didn't trust anyone enough to let them in. And my issues with my family more specifically my father, well they didn't help."

"You know you can trust me, right?" Aaron wanted to make sure she did. He didn't want Emily to worry more than it was necessary.

"I do, I know that." Emily looked so conflicted for whatever reason. "This team is made of the first people that I genuinely truly ever trusted. You guys feel like family. I'm not worried about not trusting you because I do."

"Then what are you worried about?" Aaron asked in a soft voice which Emily noticed. He was sweet to her, he was generally a good man but she noticed some things he did for her for a while now that he didn't do for others. Emily enjoyed being someone special to him, even though he only slightly showed it.

"About me." Emily sighed. She felt so weird about it because the words made sense to her but she wasn't sure they did to Aaron. She wanted to explain it but the right words just didn't come out of her mouth. "I'm not easy to deal with."

"I knew that." Aaron smiled. "You're stubborn and smart and a loner. You're not used to having people around you that want to protect you and be your family. That much I figured if that's what worried about. But I'm here and not for the easy part."

Emily just looked at him as a smile started appearing on her face. He knew, he knew things about her better than she knew them herself. She didn't know whether she should be happy about it or worried about how predictable she was. But in that moment she chose to be happy, she chose to stop worrying for a moment and just be.

"What?" Aaron asked her with a smile on his own face. Even in that environment, knowing the case that was awaiting them, they smiled at each other.

"Nothing." Emily slightly shook her head and looked away for only one second before they locked eyes again.

Aaron lifted one of his hands and touched her cheek. Emily bit her lower lip as she felt his cold hand on her skin. "We've got to go back to them and start working on the case so if you wanna do something do it now." Emily said those words before she had time to think them through, but Aaron still acted on them.

Aaron leaned in and Emily got on her tiptoes just a moment before their lips touched. The kiss wasn't long but it was everythin they wished for in that moment. They wanted it and they got it, both of them felt incredibly good to finally have gotten that close to each other.

"Do you want to tell them?" Aaron asked as he rested his forehead against Emily's and looking directly into her eyes. He couldn't care less whether the team knew or not, but he made it Emily's decision in case she did.

"Do you want to keep me a secret?" Emily raised her eyebrows as a playful smile rested on her face. She was half serious and half joking because she thought that maybe he did actually want to keep their relationship secret.

"Look at you, the last thing I want is to keep you a secret." Aaron slowly stood straight and Emily did the same. "We can let them know we're giving us a try if you want to." He didn't want to do anything to make her feel uncomfortable especially because he was still blaming himself for what Foyet did to her.

"I do." Emily nodded. "Besides we're all profilers, well except Penelope, but she'd know too." She joked and Aaron chuckled. "Just imagine the hell Derek will put us through, god!" She laughed out loud and Aaron joined her.

"Just Derek?" He asked knowing all the glances and stares that were coming their way the moment the team would know. "We're gonna hate it as much as we're gonna love it."

"That's for certain."