Team Bonding [reader x spencer x hotch]

4-the instincts

Penelope had been right, the lookout spot was beautiful, especially at sunset. You all talked as you watched the sun go down. When it was almost completely gone, everyone headed back hoping to get there before it was dark.

Garcia was the first one to step back onto the campsite and as soon as she did she gasped. "Oh no!"

Everyone else hurried around her to see what had happened. When you looked around, you saw that one of the tents was ripped apart and one of the food boxes was opened. Luckily only a few bags of chips were missing. An animal must have been able to smell the food.

It took you a minute before realizing the tent that was ruined had been Morgan, Hotch, and Rossi's. The group had gone from thinking they brought 4 tents to only having 2.

"I guess we'll have to readjust the sleeping arrangements," Prentiss said, looking at everyone.

"Mind if I join you and the ladies babygirl?" Derek asked Garcia.

She shook her head and headed over to help get his things out from the destroyed tent. That made 4 of them in the other tent, and since it was just you and Reid in the remaining one...

"I guess that leaves Rossi and I to join y/n and Reid." Hotch turned to you, "Are you alright with this, since you'll be the only girl in our tent? I can have Morgan switch with you, if you'd rather be with Prentiss, JJ, and Garcia."

"No I'm fine with it. Besides, Derek already put his things in that tent and my stuff is still in the one I slept in last night." You really would be fine with it, Rossi was like an uncle to you. With Reid, you were practically best friends and you already slept right next to him last night.

As for Hotch...when you first joined the team he was like a father figure to you. But when Haley died, you got closer to him. You could tell he was stressed out trying to balance things at the office and with Jack. You felt like you owed it to him to at least try and make his life a little easier. Sometimes he would let you finish up his paperwork so he could get home to Jack sooner. But other times he would ask you to pick up Jack from daycare and hangout with him until he got home. Jack was always comfortable with you. He loved playing games and he would beg Hotch to ask you to come over.

As time went on, Hotch stopped asking you to do extra things around the office and it just became a habit for you to watch Jack a couple times a week. You would stay for dinner, and sometimes if it got too late Hotch insisted you stay overnight because it would be too unsafe to drive. He always offered you his bed and said he'd sleep on the couch, but you refused. You would take the couch and leave the next morning. It never felt weird or uncomfortable, you knew Jack needed family other than his dad. It was almost like you were a big sister to him. So considering you'd slept on his couch, sleeping in a tent with Hotch wouldn't be too weird.

Nobody else on the team knew about how close you two were or the hanging out with Jack and staying overnight. You planned to keep it that way. You knew you could trust all of them, but you didn't want them coming up with any crazy ideas. And Hotch had been on the team a lot longer than you, the last thing you wanted was for him to be uncomfortable around them.

-

Just like the night before, everyone ate dinner and hung out around the campfire before heading in for bed. You let the guys change first while you waited outside, then they headed out and you went in. You put on gray sweatpants, a thin white spaghetti strap tank top, and some fuzzy socks. When you finished, you peeked your head out and let the guys know they could come back in.

Rossi headed over to the far right corner, while Hotch went over to the far left. Spencer looked between them and laid on the side closer to Rossi. The last spot left was in between Reid and Hotch. You thought the tent had been small before, but now with two more people and their luggage it seemed tiny. You were pretty sure Rossi was already snoring, just seconds after he laid down. Spencer watched as you tiptoed over the suitcases and to the blue sleeping bag that remained. When your fuzzy sock covered feet stepped on the end of the sleeping bag you slipped and almost fell backwards.

You felt a firm hand on your lower back and another on your arm. "Careful" Hotch said, almost smiling at you.

You could feel your cheeks burn and turn bright pink. You didn't care how close you were with the people inside this tent, you were clumsy. You tried to laugh it off by slightly giggling when you told him thanks but it didn't really work. You laid down, got under the blankets and stared at the ceiling of the tent for a few minutes before drifting off.

~

Spencer had been watching y/n as she was about to walk over to her sleeping bag. He saw as she started falling and lifted up to try and catch her, but before he could Hotch did. He laid down again hoping nobody noticed his failed attempt to help her. He watched them though, he didn't like how low on her back Hotch's hand was.

Spencer didn't know what was wrong with him. Y/n was one of his best friends, that was all. Had something in him changed since he accidentally saw her changing this morning? Speaking of that he still felt guilty about it.

No, nothing changed, it was probably just his guilt making him uncomfortable. But if that was true, why did he hate it when Hotch smiled at her and she laughed back?