Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

• One

The fact that Spencer Reid is a danger magnet shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone on the team. They have seen him being kidnapped, tortured, shot and beaten on more occasions than any of them would like, considering he is the youngest member of the team.

Another fact that none of them have ever understood, not that they have ever talked about it, but it’s something present, that they are aware of, is the fact that an overprotective streak appears in each of them whenever it comes to Reid. It’s like a natural instinct, or maybe this is the famous Reid effect. Maybe it's not something that happens to dogs or children, but the strange knot in the chest they all have when the kid who was once 22 years old joining the FBI is in danger.

And as Morgan sits, once again, in a hospital bed waiting for Spencer to wake up after having surgery because an unsub decided to shoot him, a strange feeling takes over his body. On the one hand, the kid, who looks even younger lying in a hospital bed, could be doing so many things with his life with that big brain he has. Doing things that wouldn't make him end up in hospital after hospital all over the United States. But on the other hand, something deeper, something he's less proud of, is the happiness that comes over him because Spencer is here, on the BAU team, despite all the bad stuff, because he's his best friend and his life would be so dull without this nerd.

“Y’u thief of j’llo” Spencer muttered, which snapped him out of his stupor.

“Hey you, how are you feeling?” He smiles at the younger one, leaving the spoon he was playing with while he thought, in the half-finished jello brick.

“Like I was shot. Again.” he laments ”But I want jello, is there any more jello?”

“I’m sorry pretty boy, I think I ate the only one” Derek chuckles warmly. But when he saw Ried’s face he began to consider that eating it might not have been the best idea. “Look I’m sorry, kid! I was really hungry and you were taking too long to wake up”

“Derek Morgan I’m gonna kill you. I get shot and I don’t get any jello” He pouts. Really pouting. And even tough men like Morgan give in to that.

“I’m sorry, pretty boy! What can I do to make it up to you?”

“You could always go to the store and buy me more jello” He grins “There’s a store eight minutes walk away” And Spencer’s eyes work their magic, giving him those puppy dog eyes. Those damn puppy dog eyes that would make anyone melt for him.

“See you in twenty minutes” Derek grunts, walking out of the room.

“Strawberry please” He shouts from his bed, laughing when Derek gives him a thumbs-up

Twenty minutes later, when Derek returns, four-pack of strawberry jello in hand, he finds the entire team surrounding Spencer. “Damn Morgan, Spencer really has you in the palm of his hand. How did the kid get you to go for his sweet treat?” Prentiss teases.

“The puppy dog eyes” Derek replies, and none of them need any further explanation, because they all understand perfectly, which makes them burst out laughing.

• Two

When Emily had just joined the BAU and a rocket hits her head, accompanied by a rambling Spencer with eyes that remind her of a small deer, she softens up for him.

But things are never easy and she saw how the boy's sweet innocence is destroyed by Tobias Hankel and how she somehow pay the effects of what happened. However, within a few months their friendship returned and Prentiss sacrifices herself to protect Reid from Benjamin Cyrus.

And the friendship quickly evolved into Spencer becoming his little brother. Coffee dates and movie nights have become a constant between them. And Emily has also become very good at reading Reid like an open book.

“Hey handsome, everything alright?” She asks while approaching his work desk

“Yeah, I’m okay” He answers and Prentiss gives him an accusatory look but does not press, knowing full well that this is not the right time or place. “Actually, when we finish work, can we order at the usual chinese and go to your apartment for dinner, please?” The younger agent asks, with those effective puppy dog eyes looking up at her.

“Of course, Spence” She smiles, and she wonders if he knows she would kill for him and those puppy big brown eyes in an instant.

Hours later, the two of them are lying on the couch in her house with a movie in Russian playing in the background while Spencer keeps talking about the facts they keep mentioning. And Emily lets him talk for all three hours without protesting, even though she doesn't get any of the movie, she is just happy to see him happy.

• Three

Since Spencer joined the team, he has become increasingly attached to Hotch. It’s not unusual for Reid, although he tries to hide it, to seek that stoic protection his Unit Chief can provide during his long days at work. Like a moth to a flame, they say. And Hotch always provides what he needs, seemingly matching his need to be comforted, protected, praised, filling the gaps left by his rough childhood and absent father, with his own need to protect, to be the stone of his messy life.

And that's how Spencer usually ends up paired with Hotch on cases, sitting next to him on the plane, and on the takedowns he always tries to stay close to Hotch. On more than one occasion Hotch has kept him behind him, protecting him with his own body, and although he feels he should be offended by it, he doesn't like field work at all and he really is a trouble magnet, so he's not going to complain if he can avoid it either.

So, after a hard case, Spencer instinctively went to sit in the seat next to Hotch on the plane. Despite being the last one to board the plane, the seat was not taken because the team had noticed his tendency to always sit there. It was also not hard to notice how Hotch's face softens every time he saw the youngest agent on his team.

“Hey Reid, here take this” says Hotch as he hands him a bottle of water and an energy bar. “You worked very hard and I know for a fact that you are not the best at taking care of yourself”

“Thanks Hotch” Spencer replied, giving him a tired but genuine smile.

Hotch then pulled out the paperwork of the case as the plane took off and everyone settled down with various activities such as reading, listening to music or sleeping. But not more than half an hour in the air, Hotch could notice how Reid was still awake and kept stirring next to him.

“Everything okay, Reid?” He asked the younger boy.

“I’m a little bit tired” He half-whispered in a state that betrayed how sleep deprived he really was.

“Yeah, I noticed” Hotch replied amused but he couldn’t help the soft voice “And why are you not sleeping?”

“Can't” he pout.

“And why’s that? How can I help?” He asked genuinely surprised by the interaction, not quite sure if he should laugh or be concerned.

“You could do that thing you do every once in a while with my hair that relaxes me so much” He says in a stoically familiar way because he learned it from Aaron. Just like he learns everything. Like he learned how to shoot, do the knot in his tie or take better care of himself.

“When have I ever done that?" he chuckled.

“When you had to kick me you ruffled my hair in the afterwards, and every time I've been in the hospital you've done it” He smiled. “Please Hotch” Spencer added when he saw the doubt on Hotch’s face. And that’s the moment when he used his best weapon, giving Hotch the best puppy dog eyes he could ever give him.

The thing is that Hotch is a very strong man, he has suffered a lot of damage since he was a child and has been beating the best unsubs in the country for years, however, those big doe eyes can completely handle him.

And that’s how he ends up gently running his fingers through Spencer’s hair, skimming his fingernails across his scalp, and he feels Spencer’s entire body relax. He alternates between scratching lightly at his scalp and threading his fingers through Spencer’s curls, gently untangling any knots he comes across as he does so.

He can't help the big smile on his face when shortly after, Spencer's head falls to rest on his shoulder, a sign that the kid is finally asleep.

Paperwork is now mission impossible, having to be completely still to let him rest in peace. But he's not really bothered by it, not when Spencer chooses to be so utterly adorable. He can see the teasing expressions on everyone on the team, but he really knows he's where he should be.

“Morgan” Hotch called him in a whisper. “Can you put that blanket over him?”Morgan placed the blanket over Spencer

“Do you want me to wake the sleeping beauty up for you? You can’t stay like this the whole flight”

“Don't” He replied with a stern expression

Hotch remained this way for the rest of the flight. Maybe this wasn't the job he signed on for when he became Unit Chief, but something in his heart kept telling him he was doing the right thing when he helped heal something in Spencer Reid that someone else had destroyed.

• Four

"Hey Penelope, can I ask you a favor?"

"Of course, boy wonder! whatever you need, babe"

"Could you teach me how to knit? I want to make a cardigan for my mother, she is having a rough time and I think it would make her very happy. Please, Pen" He says with those big puppy dog eyes.

"Oh sweet angel, you don't need to make those eyes at me, I'd do anything for you. I'm super happy to help you, you're so full of love and affection for others, I'd stuff your face with kisses if you'd let me" Garcia could see the panic on Reid's face and couldn't help but laugh. "Just kidding, sugar. Why don't you sit here with me and we'll look for a pattern we like for your mother?"

Hours later, with a pattern already chosen and yarn purchased, they were sitting on Garcia's couch, a frustrated Spencer and a giggling Penelope sitting next to each other.

"Okay honey, let's get started. You have to put the needle into the front of the loop, and wrap the yarn around it, then pull it through"

"You're so good at this, how can you do it so fast, it's really frustrating" Spencer huffed, holding the needles still in an awkward way, trying to copy her.

"Oh 187, you can't be good at everything the first time. This, my friend, takes years of practice and patience"

"But, I understand the theory, how the needle should be moved, and the science behind it, but it's really complicated to put it into practice"

"Don't whine so much baby genius" Penelope laughs "you are going to end up getting it and you'll see how you'll end up also liking it"

And Penelope was right, because by the end of the day, Spencer had loosened up a lot more, knitting much faster. Two weeks later, his mother's cardigan was finished and Spencer and Penelope were looking at it like two proud parents.

"Good job, kiddo" She praised while hugging Spencer.

• Five

"Spence, hey. Will and I were thinking about taking Henry to the National Museum of Natural History tomorrow and we would love to have you join us. You're going to know a lot more about everything than we do, and Henry is in that phase of asking about absolutely everything he sees" JJ asks, approaching Spencer in the bullpen.

"Are you sure, JJ? I don't wanna be a burden on your family day" Spencer claims

"Don't be absurd, we'd really love you to come. Henry loves you and has been asking when he can see you"

"See you tomorrow then" Spencer smiles.

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑

"Did you know that research in the museum is divided into seven departments: anthropology, botany, entomology, invertebrate zoology, mineral sciences, paleobiology, vertebrate zoology. The museum's collections contain over 146 million specimens of plants, animals, fossils, minerals, rocks, meteorites, human remains, and human cultural artifacts, the largest natural history collection in the world. It is also home to about 185 professional natural history scientists—the largest group of scientists dedicated to the study of natural and cultural history in the world" Spencer rambled, oblivious to Henry's admiring face.

"Wow, Uncle Spence, you're like super duper smart. You are the smartest person on this planet and galaxy! oh and universe!" Henry exclaimed

"Thank you, Henry. Though I'm not sure that is true" Spencer giggled.

Hours later, everyone was exhausted from seeing the museum. Henry and Spencer were sitting on one of the benches waiting for JJ and Will who were a little behind them.

"Mommy, could we go get ice cream? pretty please?"

"Yeah, JJ, we really want ice cream, please?" Spencer also begins to plead with his puppy dog eyes.

The parents chuckled. "I didn't know I had brought two children to the museum" JJ joked, but seeing how Spencer couldn't take his puppy dog eyes off him he realized how serious his boys were about it.

“C'mon, let's go for the ice cream" She sighed.

• Six

Rossi will never admit it out loud, but having the team in his home is one of his favorite things in the world. Having the people he loves the most fill the rooms of his big and lonely house is something that fills him up inside. So it’s very common that he end up inviting them (or they invite themselves) quite often, especially after a difficult case, such as this one.

When they were all finally on the plane and he could see the tired and still stressed faces of the team, he knew he had to take care of them.

“When we land, dinner at my house, I’m going to make the best cheese ravioli you've ever tasted. I don't take no for an answer, guys”

“Oh yes old man, always knowing what we need” Prentiss exclaimed, followed by confirmation from the rest of the team. Well, all but one of them.

“Kid, you in?” Rossi asked Reid

“Yes but I was thinking if you wouldn't mind making spaghetti bolognese, please? if it's not too much trouble. It’s just that this case has been a lot and it's my comfort food and now I would need it a lot but if you don’t want it’s okay, I understand. I really don't want to seem ungrateful” Spencer began to ramble, full on his puppy dog eyes, increasingly nervous and a blush spreading across his cheeks.

“Reid” Rossi tried to stop him “Spencer, kiddo, it’s okay. I gladly make spaghetti bolognese. Stop with those puppy eyes if you don't want this whole plane to start crying for you, bambino”

“Thanks, Rossi” He smiled and Rossi ruffled his hair, returning to his reading.

A few hours later, the team gathered around the Rossi's living room chatting and drinking waiting for dinner to be ready.

“Et voilà! A magnificent spaghetti bolognese in honor of the prince of the BAU is now ready”

“I can't believe we're all eating this just because Rossi is unable to resist the kid’s pleading eyes” Morgan laughed

“I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have said anything” Spencer sighed in embarrassment.

“Don’t listen to him, kid. Nobody cares and you don't know how honored I am that your comfort food is something made by me” Rossi encouraged

“He’s right Reid, and this is extremely delicious by the way” Hotch says with one of his little rare smiles. The rest of the team nodded in agreement, spending the rest of the evening laughing and grateful to have each other.

Chapter Text

Spencer was having quite a terrible day. It was a quiet day at the office, just getting through the paperwork, and normally Spencer enjoyed these days, even enjoying the teasing of his colleagues. But today, for the third time this week, he had a really bad headache that kept him from thinking clearly.

After taking more than a minute to read a single page, he decided it was time to go get another cup of coffee. However, all his patience came to an end when, upon returning to his desk in the bullpen with the hot coffee, he tripped and his favorite mug along with the coffee landed on the office carpet and on his converses.

"Woah, clumsy, you okay?" Morgan asked, seeing the commotion.

But Reid couldn't look up from the ground, not making any kind of movement, which started to worry the rest of the team. Even Rossi and Hotch, who were talking in one of the offices together, came out when they saw the scene, with the idea of helping the youngest agent.

After two long minutes, Reid finally spoke. "You know, I thought I could have this. I thought I could have a simple coffee in my favorite cup. Because all my life I didn't get anything" Spencer began to speak, in a low tone of voice. However, before anyone could intervene, the doctor continued to speak. "I didn't have a mother who could raise me, and my father decided to abandon us because that was the easy way. But I didn't have an easy way, I was trapped in this life. I was trapped in high school days full of beatings. But despite everything, I managed to get by, when I was just a child and had to worry about paying bills and putting food on the table. And in ways I don't even want to remember I got into college, and I got to become an FBI agent but then I had to be kidnapped, tortured, drugged against my will, poisoned, shot and a thousand other things. So after surviving everything, having suffered more than any person in a normal life can suffer, I thought that in one fucking quiet day I could have a fucking cup of coffee in a day I have the worst headache ever. But no! How is Doctor Spencer Reid ever going to get what he wants. He will never, absolutely never, get anything, even if it's just a stupid cup of coffee!" Spencer finished his speech shouting, with tears beginning to fall from his eyes.

No one dared to speak, neither moved. "Oh god, I'm so sorry, I don't know what go into me. I'm so so sorry I would clean everything. I god I had a really bad headache, I'm so sorry" He whispers, tears streaming uncontrollably down his face.

"Spencer" Hotch said slowly, voice soft, finally coming out of his astonishment. But before he could continue, he was interrupted by the sobbing doctor. "Sir, I'm so sorry, it won't happen again, just oh god it hurts so bad and it was all to much and I'm sor-"

"Hey, shhh, shhh, it's okay, I've got you, I promise" Hotch says quietly, hugging the sobbing Spencer.

"Hotch" Spencer cries "I just had a full meltdown because of coffee because it hurts so bad" His voice weak and hoarse

"I know, I know" Hotch soothes. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Spencer"

"I'm so stupid. I'm so sorry I caused all this, you all can get back to work now, I'll clean everything and continue with the files, I promise" Spencer says, looking at the team with those puppy dog eyes now filled with tears.

"Oh baby boy, your lethal weapon is not going to work on us today. Don't make those eyes at us because you are going to rest, we will take care of the rest"

Spencer wanted to protest, but before he can, he feels a stronger wave of pain in his head, so he doubles over, pressing the heels of his hands hard against his eyes, trying to somehow relieve the pressure.

"Okay, that's it, we are getting you out of here. C'mon, you are gonna rest on the couch in my office till I can get you home" Hotch murmurs, taking hold of Spencer's waist and lower back, helping him stand so he can guide him to his office. Spencer finally relents and lets Hotch take control. After all, it's not the first time he's trusted him. Of all the team members, he trusted him to save his life in that shed. And he did, so how could he not trust him in something as simple as guiding him.

Shortly after being successfully laid down on the couch, lights already off, a soft knock-knock was heard.

"Spence, babe, I've brought you Tylenol and a glass of water" Emily says, gently running her fingers trough Spencer's hair.

"And I have brought you the softest blanket I could find from my office and my best pillow" Garcia gently adds, placing the blanket, taking advantage of the fact that Spencer had risen a bit to take his medicine and then covering him with the blanket.

"Thanks" Spencer whispers "I'm really sorry for that childish scene. I'm really embarrassed. It just hurts so bad I don't know what to do" New tears start running through his face.

"I know" Hotch says, feeling helpless "But we'll figure it out. I'm not going anywhere, I promise"

"My sweet angel baby, now you just rest here with boss man and remember that we all love you very much. You have us by your side at all times" Penelope says and Emily leans in to give Spencer a forehead kiss.

"Rest Spencer, everything will be just fine" She whispers and the two women leave the office.

"Will you sit here with me, please?" Reid asks Hotch. "Of course, Spencer, I'm right here, not leaving you" He murmurs, voice soft and soothing.

And when Morgans goes to check on Spencer hours later, he finds him asleep with his head resting on Hotch's lap. His boss is working on the files while absentmindedly, like it was an instinct, he strokes Reid's hair. Together, they manage to drag a mostly sleeping Spencer to the car and Hotch takes him to his house, willing to take care of him for the rest of the night