Change My Mind ~ Criminal Minds (Aaron Hotchner x OC)

39.0: Talking It Out

"The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do."
― Rob Siltanen

"So, you like Archer."

"Can you at least try to look like you're not enjoying this?" Hotch stated as he sat down at his desk, Rossi chuckled. "Sorry, can't promise you that. So, when did you know?" Hotch sighed, "I don't know, at the hospital?"

"Oh c'mon Aaron, I know you've felt something way before that." Rossi raised an eyebrow and Hotch's lips twitched, "Am I that obvious?"

"Yes, now when?"

"I don't know Dave, I just know that I have feelings for her. The first time I felt something that couldn't be described as friendship was when I told her about my dad." Hotch confessed and Rossi sat up, he knew that Hotch's father was a sensitive subject.

"It was after she told me that she thought I turned out great even with the struggles with my father, I just felt safe and accepted. I looked at her and she just looked so beautiful sitting there and looking at me with so much care, I had started to lean in to kiss her but once I realized what I was doing I played it off by leaning our heads together." Hotch shrugged and Rossi's eyes widen, "You almost kissed her?"

"Correct."

"But you didn't."

"That is also correct."

Rossi sighed, "Why not?"

"Dave I'm 11 years older then her, her boss, and we work together. The list goes on, I also don't know if she feels the same." Hotch stated and Rossi shrugged, "Hey the age gap could be worse, you could be 15 years older." Hotch gave Rossi and unamused look, Rossi smiled. "Okay, so that's the only time you wanted to kiss her?"

Hotch tensed up and cleared his throat, "No, it's not." Rossi gave him an amused look, "I'm listening."

"You said I had a new tell, well it is a new tell but not in the way you all think. Every time I move Archer's hair out of her face, it's me wanting and trying to not kiss her."

"Aaron."

"Yes?"

"You move her hair out of her face at least 5 times a day."

"I know Dave."

"That's a lot."

"I know that too Dave." Hotch sighed as he rubbed his face, he was a bit flushed. "Look, I don't know when it turned into me wanting me to kiss her. It started out as just a random action, it's just an attraction." Rossi hummed, "So, what else is an attraction?"

Hotch's lips twitched as he looked at Rossi, "When she offered me a hug the night we returned from a case and JJ had to tell the team she was leaving, it felt nice to hold her in my arms again."

Rossi looked shocked, "Again?"

"When we were in the woods being chased by the unsub, nighttime had fell and we needed to keep warm."

"So you cuddled."

"We kept close to stay warm Dave."

"That's cuddling Aaron." Rossi chuckled and Hotch gave a small smile, "Okay, okay maybe we cuddled."

"Anything else happen during your night all alone in the woods?"

"I carried her on my back due to her injury and she helped support me when we were running in the woods."

"And you felt nothing then?"

"Nothing, I really didn't feel anything until we talked about my dad. I met her brother that night too."