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The first time it happened, Spencer didn't press the issue.
"Prentiss, you and I will go to Rose Hill. Morgan and Rossi head over to Palmers Road. JJ and Reid stay here." Hotch ordered, holstering his gun and checking that it was full. He shrugged his Kevlar vest on and grabbing his phone. "Call if anything comes up."
"Hotch!" Reid yelled as he came running toward his husband, all long limbs and flailing hands. Hotch continued walking; no first name meant it wasn't too serious. "Aaron! Wait!" Aaron sighed and stopped, turning around to face him while signaling Prentiss to go ahead. "Finally. You walk fast, hon." Spencer joked.
"What do you need, Spencer? We're on a time limit." He said, checking his watch. Spencer rolled his eyes and stepped forward coming closer to Aaron, who crossed his arms over his chest.
"I know, Aaron. It's just- can't I go with you?" Spencer asked pleadingly, leaning forward to invade Aaron's space.
"No." The older man said, shortly, already starting to turn away. "It's too dangerous." Spencer pouted, but didn't argue the point. Aaron's eyes softened and he tugged at Spencer's arms. "Come here." He kissed Spencer quickly, wrapping his arms around the younger man's waist. He hurried away after that, smiling to himself at the blush that stained Spencer's cheeks.
The next time, Spencer fought with Aaron about it.
"Stay behind me, Reid." Hotch ordered, shielding the doctor with his body. He kept his gun trained on the unsub who was sitting behind the desk, scribbling frantically. "John Davies, FBI! Stand up and show us your heads." He said quietly, coming closer to the unsub.
"Hotch, let me. He's schizophrenic, I can talk to him." Reid said, coming up to stand next to Hotch, who pushed him back with a hand on his chest. "Aaron! This is for the job, okay?" Spencer argued, walking ahead of Aaron with a shove and coming to stand in front of the psychotic maniac.
"Hi, John. How are you feeling today?" He asked politely, crouching down to eye level. The other man shook his head and mumbled some nonsense and Spencer nodded as if everything being said was completely understandable. "It's not one of your good days, huh? I can see you've been having bad days lately. You know, my mother used to read me a poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson when she had a bad day."
Hotch glared at Reid as he recited the poem, and when he was done, he gave Spencer a look that promised him that he was sleeping on the couch tonight and for the foreseeable future.
"I know you're mad but you have to realize that I am an asset to this team and you need to be okay with putting me danger in order to get the job done." Spencer argued that night, rubbing his husband's shoulders in the kitchen while Aaron cooked dinner.
"Spencer, I am the leader of this team and when I tell you do something, I expect that you listen to me." He said sternly, storing the pasta he'd made. "Pass me the basil please."
Spencer handed him the basil, frowning as he did so. "Sounds more like a tyrant than a leader to me...joking." He said when Aaron glared at him for his cheekiness. "But come on. Others of the team have put themselves in danger and you've understood. Hell, you've put yourself in danger. It's not fair Aaron." He said, resisting the urge to stomp his foot petulantly.
Aaron glared at him, but didn't say anything else.
The third and final time it happened, Spencer understood and Aaron changed his mind.
Aaron signaled the go ahead with his hand, glancing over his shoulder to male eye contact with Spencer, who mouthed "I love you" to him. Aaron smiled, a break in the grim disposition showing Spencer that his message had been received and reciprocated.
He moved forward stealthily, gun cocked and in front of him. The room is all clear, he determined, when someone came out of the air duct and kicked him down. He managed to get one bullet in Aaron's chest before he was disarmed and arrested.
"Oh my god." Spencer yelled for a medic before running to his side, shaking him and yelling at him to hold on. He squeezed Spencer's hand tightly before drifting off into a painful sleep.
When he woke up, he heard Spencer arguing with the doctor. "Don't you see the hairline fracture on his ribs? He needs more than just bandages and desk duty! You need to keep him here! Do you have any idea how easy it is for someone to get permanent damage from fractures? The statistics are overwhelming!"
"Dr. Reid-Hotchner, I assure you that Agent Hotchner has been fully cleared to leave the hospital. He's awake; please go talk to him." The doctor looked grateful for the escape as Spencer hurried into the room, tears in his eyes.
"Don't you ever do that to me again. Never." Spencer said, hugging him closely.
"Can I kiss you?" Aaron asked, looking at Spencer as if he would break under his touch. Spencer laughed and nodded through his tears. When they finally pulled away, Spencer was looking a little dazed and Aaron looked more than a little smug.
"I hate seeing you in this outfit." Spencer said, his eyes conveying what his words couldn't.
"Do you understand now?" Aaron asked. Spencer knew,that he would gladly stay back at the station and put up with his silly needs to sit near Spencer on the jet ai that he could keep an eye on him while he slept if it meant that Aaron would never face the pain he was feeling right now.
"Yes, yes I understand." He said hoarsely, leaning forward to get another kiss from his husband, who he was never, ever letting go.