the feelings that we hide | SPENCER REID

18. unexpected visits

Vanessa was sitting on the couch, watching an episode of The Office, since Nathan left for work.

It was only mid-day, so it caused a shock once a knock came with her door. Her boyfriend wasn't supposed to back till late, and he already had his lunch break. She's seen too many horror films, and worked way too many cases to know that she shouldn't open that door, but something in her told her too. So, she got up and looked through the peep hole to see a boy in a sweater vest pushing his glasses up while staring at the ground. A frown came to her face before she opened it.

"Hey, Reid," she smiled.

"Hi," he sighed out, smiling back at her and feeling his heart feel funny from seeing the bandage across her nose. "You broke your nose?"

Vanessa opened her door wider to let him in. "Who told you?" The door closed and she turned around to face him again.

"Well..." His finger motioned to his nose, indicting that he figured from the wrapping.

"Oh!" Her hand covered it and she walked back over to sit on her couch, him following after her. "Yeah...forgot about that."

"And Garcia told us you were in the emergency room."

"Right..." She forgot Garcia could do all of that, but she didn't know why Garcia would. And, Emily didn't tell them, so that was a plus.

"What happened?" He took off his satchel, sitting a seat over from her.

"I was working out." Her hands rubbed against her sweatpants, feeling uneasy with him being here.

Spencer nodded, taking his bag off and setting it down on the floor. He looked up at the ceiling, not knowing what to say next. It was never this weird before. Usually, they'd be able to communicate smoothly on a case, or in the office, but when they were alone it was always awkward.

"Did Gar—"

"Did I upset you?" Reid asked at the same time she was talking. "Sorry, what were you saying?"

Vanessa furrowed her brows at him. He has an eidetic memory and has no recollection about why she'd be upset?

"Did you upset me?" She requestioned him just before he nodded. Her eyes fixed on his—he genuinely does not remember. "No..." Vanessa shook her head and stood up. "You didn't do anything." A smile came to her face before she went into her room to change out of her pajamas and into denim straight jeans with a white sweater cardigan.

She came out from her room, going into the kitchen—Spencer's gaze never leaving her.

"Want anything to drink?" She asked while pouring herself a glass of water.

"I—I'm good, thank you." His hand waved politely before pressing in a smile. "You changed?"

Vanessa walked back over and sat back down beside him, sipping her water. "Yeah, I looked so gross in those sweats." She chuckled, as Spencer held a smile.

"Please—you look beautiful." Her laugh died down into a small smile.

She couldn't formulate words. All they did was stare into each other's eyes, not knowing what to do next. She figured he was saying it to be nice, considering that her face is all bruised up, but Spencer actually did mean it.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Vanessa flinched slightly from the pounds.

"He can't be back already—" She said quietly, getting up hastily to look out the peephole. "You gotta be kidding me..."

"Who is it?" Spencer turned his body from the couch to look at the door as she peered through the hole.

Vanessa didn't answer him. She looked over at him slightly, hesitant to open the door.

"Vanessa!" The woman's voice called on the outside. "I can hear voices!!"

"Is that your mom?" Spencer asked again just as the girl groaned and opened the door.

Her mom bursted in, not taking a look at her daughter beforehand. She rushed in and immediately set her bag down.

"You must be Spencer!" The woman gasped in delight as she walked over to him. "Oh my, you're much more handsome than Vanessa described!" Her hands placed on his cheeks, examining him as Reid's cheeks started to flush.

"Mom," Vanessa said out slowly, feeling embarrassed that she got exposed for talking about his attractiveness to her mom. "Let go of his face." She chuckled while removing her mom's hands from his face. "Sorry about that." Spencer gave her a smile before sitting up.

Her mom finally looked up at her daughter and saw the bruises and bandage, gasping. "What happened!"

"I was working out..."

Spencer looked back up at her, sensing something wrong, again. First off, Vanessa's mom was supposed to be sick, and second, Vanessa was supposed to be visiting her mother today—not the other way around.

Not a moment later, his phone buzzed.

"New case?" Vanessa questioned, still standing up beside her mom.

Reid nodded before getting up to his feet and dragging his satchel over his shoulder.

"Okay, then..." She sighed out. "Be safe." She gave him an assuring smile, but Spencer was expecting her to hug him.

Whenever she took time off from work, she'd always hug the team. And considering how she was going to be home for a week, he thought she was going to do that—but she didn't. She stood still next to her mom, him waiting for a brief second before realizing that she wasn't going to give him a hug.

Spencer smiled back, walking out the door afterwards.

"He's a beauty," her mom gasped again. "I wouldn't mind if he was the one you married." She had a grin on her face, but Vanessa formed her lips in a straight line.

"Never gonna happen," she sighed out while pouring a glass of water for her mom.

"What! Why not!"

"Strictly colleagues," Vanessa explained, walking back over and handing the glass over. "At most, friends."

"He's so adorable, though!"

"And has the personality of every woman's dream," Vanessa expressed sadly while sitting down.

"It's too bad you're with that Nathan guy." Her mom frowned. "I would kill for a son-in-law like that boy."

Vanessa gave an awkward smile, not knowing how to respond to that.

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A/N: lol this is short but i haven't updated in so long and i don't have motivation to add more to this chapter BUT i will continue this story so yeah xoxo