Protective walls [Platonic Hotchreid]

2

"What are you doing here?" Surprised Hotch looks at Spencer who is standing in their shared kitchen.

"What are you doing here? I live here." Spencer frowns at him and places the book down on the kitchen counter,

"No I know, I mean why are you here? Shouldn't someone your age be out with friends. It's New Year's eve." Hotch asks as he closes the door to their apartment behind him. He just came home from a case.

"I don't have any friends, besides one who is not in the city." He tells him and shoves a plate with cookies over to the older agent, "I made those, do you want some?"

"Nah I am good." Hotch gets out of his heavy winter coat and scarf while Spencer goes back to reading. Hotch isn't sure why he is standing in the kitchen to do so but he is not going to question it. "I will be gone all night, feel free to take over the living room."

"Thank you" Spencer answers in a monotone voice, he is probably lost in his book again by now Hotch figures.

In the three weeks Spencer has been living here, they have hardly spent time together. He was gone on cases and when he was at home, Spencer would be gone in his room. Not that he expects anything different from him. They had dinner two times together, which Hotch found to be a calming difference to come home to after a day at the office.

He grew also fond of the occaciontly smalltalk. If he asks Spencer how he is doing or what is on his plan for the day, he enjoys not getting a one word answer but rather that Spencer expends. Even small talk about the weather does not really go into the classical direction when talking to him.

The other way around, Spencer doesn't initiate a conversation, nor asks Hotch questions back. The only thing he has asked him so far was a very shocked "Why is there a gun on my newspaper?" .

"I am gonna take a shower and then will be out of your hair."

"Out of my hair?"

"Sorry, I meant I will be gone from this apartment for the next few hours. I will be out of your hair is a saying for I will be out of your way, or I will leave you alone." Spencer nods at that and when Hotch is ready to leave, to get to Rossi's place, he finds Spencer cuddled up on the couch with his book. "Are you sure you don't want to celebrate with someone? Maybe classmates?"

"No"

"You know you can invite people over, right?"

"There is no one I would like to invite over." Spencer states, not tearing his eyes from his book, "Besides, you are here."

"Like I said, I will be gone." Hotch reminds him as he gets into his jacket, "Alright, then I will leave you to it."

"Thank you." They are quiet for a moment while Hotch finishes getting ready before Spencer's voice appears again, "Are there going to be many fireworks around here?"

"There is a huge one not far from here, you can walk down the street and then turn right to have the perfect view and there are mostly some private people who fire some you should be able to see in the park if you want to. But the bigger one is better." He tells him with a smile. "The park will be mostly drunk people."

"Is it going to be very loud?"

"Last year it was" Hotch studies him for a moment, how he looks down on his hands where is now playing with the snake like toy, Hotch hasn't quite figured out what it is yet, that he turns in his hand and how he is shaking slightly, "I am sorry, I thought you asked because you wanted to see them." He adds in a soft voice and walks around the couch again.

"No" Insecure Spencer bites on his lip before adding, "I am scared of them."

"You are safe here, nothing ever happened."