Say It (Hotch x Reader)// ✔

Chapter III

Summary:

Not long after joining the BAU, you find yourself surrounded by friends and not just colleagues. You realize this when out for drinks one night.

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"Honey? Sugar-plum? Sweety-pie?" Penelope smiles widely as you finally meet her eyes before yet another 30 sugary words fall from her lips. Her elbows are now fully positioned on the small round table the both of you and the rest – Reid, Prentiss, Morgan, Hotch and Rossi, are huddled around. Her grin is lopsided and her glasses drop slightly from the bridge of her nose. The others don't seem to mind it, the way she's got everyone's attention and winning the competition of most drinks so far into the night, but you do. Especially since you're not used to it...yet. Her cocktail glass is almost empty and Emily Prentiss, at your left lets out a giggle, knowing already what she's about to ask – her drink is half empty too. You finally give up – seems to be your fate this night to end up as the responsible driver to everyone else.

"Yes?"

Penelope's attention is caught by Morgan who mumbles a sorry to the table and goes straight to the bar. He doesn't make it that far as a few girls – trainees from the academy catch up with him and invite him to their table. Penelope says something under her breath that resembles a spite of envy – towards whom though it is unclear.

"Garcia?" you call at her again and she turns now, remembering why she wanted you.

"What do you say about shots?"

Emily laughs at that.

"You want to make her drunk already?"

Rossi, who's been talking the entire time to Hotch since you all entered the pub, glances at you for a second, before resuming.

"She can stay sober if she insists" Penelope slurs through her straw – still lingering on her bottom lip as if not noticing yet the lack of liquid from the glass.

"Let her make the decision, no?" Emily says and she turns to you. She's beautiful as always, a low top hanging from her shoulders and a pearl necklace tight at her throat. Her cheeks are flushed from the alcohol or the club, or the way everyone seems to be pressed to each other in these circumstances. It had happened the last 2 times as well, when they invited you over for girl's night out and then when it was Morgan's birthday party. She is stuck in between you and Morgan, who left much needed space for the table, while you've got Hotch pressed on your other side, emanating more heat than a lit stove. But not uncomfortable.

"Are you going to latch unto that beer all night?"

You know she doesn't mean anything by it, not really, but you still can't help feeling infantilized.

"No," you let out and without thinking you down the whole thing – the whole half pint that's been sitting before you for an hour.

Her eyebrows go up.

"Easy there." She says and making sure nobody else is paying attention she lowers her head towards yours.

"You have nothing to prove here" she says softly and her hot breath fans over your cheek.

Your eyes go inadvertently to Penelope, embarrassed that she might catch your reaction to that – your cheeks flushing, your eyes inadvertently peering for half a second at the low collar of Emily's shirt. But she's passed to talking to Spencer Reid about a tv show.

It's different in the field or in the office – Emily is just another authority figure to you. She assists you and vice versa and it's never developed before to anything else – not that this is anything else. Yet, your mind can't help but wonder where she leans. You just don't want to be the one to ask her first. Your attention goes to Reid and Garcia's bubble as you hear your name.