uncle iroh - tobi lou

What is wrong with me? I thought to myself as I stood uselessly on a curb in Arizona. Reid has asked me just a moment ago if I could wait a moment so he could say goodbye. He was saying goodbye to the child of the woman we'd just saved, telling the kid he'd done a great job and to take care of his mother. Henry, the kid's name was. He didn't have a father around, or any siblings. I guessed Henry reminded Reid of himself. But watching Reid crouch next to that kid, giving him a final piece of advice, all I could think about was kissing Reid's stupid, caring face. Really, what was wrong with me?

"Sorry for making you wait," Reid said when he returned. I muttered something about it being no problem. His head tilted to the side.

"Are you okay?" he asked. He had his BAU jacket on, hair in an easy mess, like always.

"I'm fine," I said defensively. I didn't meet his eyes. I was a professional member of the FBI. A profiler, well versed in human behavior and what drives it. Why couldn't I get over a stupid crush?

"Take off is in twenty minutes," I said, "We better get going." 

"Okay." 

"How was Henry?" His features softened almost imperceptibly. God, I wanted to kiss him right then and there.

"Better. I think he's going to be alright." I smiled.

"I'm glad."

"JJ!" I whisper-shouted as soon as I spotted her on the runway. JJ turned toward me with an eyebrow raised. I moved close enough that our conversation couldn't be overheard.

"If you tell anyone this I will kill you in a way that can never be traced to me by anyone in or outside of the BAU."

"That's aggressive."

"Just say you won't tell," I said sternly.

"Yes, ma'am." I rolled my eyes. 

"I might have a problem." Her eyes widened but before she said anything I quickly clarified.

"It's nothing. I just- I need your advice. What do you do if you had feelings for someone and you needed to get rid of them? Preferably as soon as possible."

"Who is it?" she demanded immediately.

"No one." She glared at me.

"Just help me. Please." The staircase leading up to the jet was unfurling.

"Well, it depends. How long have you been into this guy?"

"I don't know," I groaned.

"Are you in love with him?"

"What? No. It's just a crush," I asserted. I was not in love. Definitely. Probably.

"I mean, the quickest way to get over a guy is to find someone else. But only if it's just a crush," she said. Hotch and Morgan were already ascending the steps.

"Who is it?" she asked again. 

"It's really nothing, I promise. It's just distracting me."

"Is this what Emily was saying about the texting?" That was a couple of weeks ago. I was surprised she remembered.

"Yeah. Don't tell her, okay? I don't want her to get any ideas." JJ laughed and gestured for me to enter the jet.

"Emily always has ideas. She can't be stopped."

"That's what I'm worried about," I said.

~~~~~

On the jet, Reid slid into the bench I was sitting on. 

"Mind if I sit here?"

"Not at all."

"What are you doing?"

"Crossword."

"Oh. Can I see?"

"Not a chance, Reid. I know you know all the answers. I'm trying to figure it out on my own." He pouted.

"I won't say anything," he promised. I looked at him knowingly.

"Please?" he flashed those puppy dog eyes and my resolve melted like butter in a warm pan.

"Fine." I slid the crossword over so he could see. He looked at it and nodded slowly.

"See? I can tell you want to say something," I said.

"No, I don't," he replied unconvincingly. He bit his lip.

"Spencer." 

"I don't have anything to say. I don't know the answers." I barely suppressed a laugh.

"You're a horrible liar." I took the paper back and studied the remaining clues. Next to me, Reid squirmed.

"Cmon, just say it."

"Down 4. Minor rustic fertility god. Seven letters."

"Mhm?"

"Priapus." I wrote it down. Then I punched him jokingly in the shoulder. 

"Sorry," he said sheepishly. I reached my bag, pulled out another copy of the same newspaper, and set it in front of him.

"What's this for?" he asked. 

"You, stupid. I knew you couldn't resist." One of the sides of his mouth pulled into a smile. 

"Thanks." 

"No problem."

He reached across the table toward my side for a pen that was lying there. Of course, Reid didn't need to erase. As he grabbed it, the side of his body pressed into mine. My heart pumped a little faster. Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to go out with someone, find a new person to project my clearly misplaced feelings onto. 

I leaned over a few minutes later to see where he was. Unsurprisingly, he was almost done.

"Strips in geography class?" Reid muttered to himself.

"Isthmi," I supplied. He looked up smiled at me. We were still touching. I thought I might implode. 

"Excuse me," I said, "Can I get out?" His face fell imperceptibly, but with a polite nod, he stood to let me out of the bench. I walked over to JJ, who was, as always, reviewing paperwork. 

"Hey JJ, do you know what our next case is?"

"I'm not sure, but likely San Diego. There's a string of murders in that area. We'll probably leave tomorrow morning." I nodded contently. More work, less time for distractions.