Work Text:
“Do you think he knows?”
“Knows what? That he’s not that funny or that they’re in love with him?”
Derek shrugged. “Either or. I’m not picky.”
Penelope rolled her eyes with an exaggerated huff, though she couldn’t hide the grin that spread across her face as they watched you and Spencer from across the bullpen. She couldn’t quite follow what Spencer was saying, but she had heard enough to gather that it was another one of his long-winded, often ill-fated physics jokes. The groans that they evoked were pretty much standard practice at this point, coming from just about everyone on the team.
Everyone, that was, except for you.
You always, always laughed at his jokes–and Penelope was having a hard time deciphering if you actually thought he was funny or if you were just in love with him. She was a million percent certain of the latter, to be perfectly clear. There was no question there. Funny or not, you were most definitely in love with one Spencer Reid.
Emily dragged her chair over to Derek’s desk, settling down to watch the show. She stuck her feet up on the edge of the desk, plucking out a few pieces of popcorn before offering her bowl to Derek and Penelope. The three ate in rare silence for a moment.
“Should we tell him?” Emily asked dryly, arching an eyebrow as you swatted Spencer’s shoulder.
“No, no, no!” Penelope tutted, her voice hushed. “We gotta let them figure this one out on their own.”
They studied you and Spencer once more. It was almost impossible to look away. His hands were dancing animatedly as the two of you continued to speak, your eyes following them as you nodded enthusiastically. Spencer’s voice rang through the sudden quiet: “So, a photon checks into a hotel–”
Derek choked out a barely stifled laugh, turning back to Penelope. “You sure about that one, angel?”
*
It continued just like that, much the same as it always was: Spencer with his silly little jokes, and you with your big, hearty laughs.
Derek, Penelope, and Emily found themselves a little too preoccupied with all of this, if they were being perfectly honest, but they considered it their own personal sociological study. It was entertaining, something to kill time in between cases or bring a bit of brevity when in the midst of a tough one. It truly never got old listening to you laugh almost uncontrollably at something Spencer said–especially when it usually only got a raised eyebrow or a confused, half-hearted nod from everyone else on the team.
Late one night, everyone found themselves huddled up in the conference room, working on a local case. It had long ceased to be an acceptable working hour, apparent from everyone’s bloodshot eyes and the yawns that echoed around the room from time to time.
“Okay, sleepyheads.” You pushed your chair back from the table. “I’m going for a coffee run.”
Dere’s face twisted in confusion. “A coffee run? It’s two in the morning–nothing’s open.”
You mock-scowled at him in return. “Don’t remind me, Morgan. I’m going to the very fancy, extremely prestigious cafe called the BAU breakroom, so don’t expect any miracles. It will be coffee, but I cannot promise that it’ll be good.”
He raised his hands in defeat. “Thank you very much for your sacrifice.”
“I think anything’ll do at this point,” Emily groaned as she continued to dig through her pile of evidence.
“What’s a barista’s favorite programming language?” Spencer asked suddenly. He looked around at his exhausted teammates expectantly, his eyes lingering on you for just a moment too long before he continued, “Java.”
There was the briefest pause as just about everyone fought back their sighs, but it was almost immediately punctuated by your sharp, delighted laugh. Right on schedule. You were still laughing softly to yourself as you made your way out of the conference room, your hand brushing against Spencer’s shoulder as you passed him. His eyes followed your path across the bullpen, not once looking away until you were out of sight.
He turned back just in time to see Derek, Penelope, and Emily exchange a pointed glance. “What?”
Emily shrugged. “Nothing.”
“What is it?”
“Really, it’s nothing.”
Spencer crossed his arms. “I know I’m not that funny,” he said quietly.
Huh. Maybe the genius wasn’t quite as oblivious as they had all thought. Derek raised an eyebrow in surprise, letting out a dramatic sigh. “Oh, thank god.”
And then– “It’s because they feel bad for me.”
Derek and Emily both sat up a little straighter at that as Penelope practically leapt out of her seat. “Wait–what?!” she asked. “Jesus, Spencer, no! That’s not it at all!”
“It’s okay,” Spencer said under his breath. “You don’t need to lie to me. It won’t hurt my feelings.”
Derek bit back a groan. Spencer really was going to make this as difficult as humanly possible. “Reid, I promise you that that’s not it.”
“Then what else would it be? I know that I’m not that funny.” He glared at the three of them. “None of you ever laugh at my jokes.”
“Well,” Emily stated plainly, “sorry to break it to you, but that’s because none of us are in love with you.”
Spencer inhaled so sharply that he almost choked on air. “Excuse me?” he coughed.
“Please, kid. Don’t make us spell it out for you.”
He just looked at Derek blankly, and Penelope jumped in. “They. Are. In. Love. With. You.”
Spencer’s face had quickly come to resemble a cherry tomato, and he blinked rapidly at Penelope’s enunciated declaration. “You’re… that’s–that’s ridiculous.”
“What’s ridiculous?”
The commotion in the room quieted at once as everyone turned towards you. You stood in the doorway, five coffee mugs precariously clutched in your hands. Your question was met with silence and your look of amusement quickly gave way to uncertainty. “Guys?”
“I was just saying that the unsub could definitely be a clown,” Penelope said suddenly. “Or have some sort of background in clownery. Boy Genius over here shot me down, though.”
You shrugged, delicately placing the mugs in front of each person. “We’ve seen stranger things.”
Spencer nodded, all too aware of the lingering flush across his face. “That’s–that’s certainly true.”
“Anything’s possible,” Penelope sing-songed, shooting a pointed look at Spencer, who simply cleared his throat and stared directly into his cup of coffee.
You let out a low hum, seeming to clock the slightly strange atmosphere in the room and then deciding to let it slide. The moment passed, as they all do, and that was that.
For now.
*
Spencer tried to forget what they had told him, but he couldn’t. Eidetic memory or not, it was impossible. The words they’re in love with you played on a loop in his head, taunting him.
It wasn’t true. It couldn’t be true. It didn’t make any sense.
Spencer’s reasoning seemed much more likely: you felt bad for him. Ignoring the fact that you were pretty much his best friend, that was the only thing that felt even the tiniest bit logical. You just felt bad that no one else laughed at his pathetic jokes, so you tried to make up for it.
That had to be it.
…right?
He decided to test the theory one evening and put an end to the madness once and for all. Spencer Reid was nothing if not a scientist. And what better way to end his suffering than a little experiment?
Now, the two of you were in his apartment, settling in for your weekly movie nights. He tried to ignore the rapid thumping of his heart as you snuggled in a little closer to him, pulling the shared blanket over your legs.
“Why does a burger have less energy than a steak?” he asked abruptly. Best just to get it over with.
The corners of your mouth were already turning up in the beginnings of a smile. “I don’t know–why?”
“Because it’s in its ground state.”
You shook your head as you laughed, a bright sound that Spencer had long ago found that he couldn’t get enough of. This time, however, he cut you off. “It’s okay,” he said. “It’s just us here.”
Your mouth snapped shut and you blinked at him in confusion. “What?”
“No one else is here,” he continued. “You don’t need to pretend that that was funny—that I’m funny.”
Your confusion melted into absolute bewilderment, and Spencer found himself suddenly doubting his scientific approach. This was not how he had anticipated this going.
“Spence…” you said slowly. “What on earth are you talking about? You–you told me a joke and I laughed at it. I don’t understand.”
Now it was Spencer’s turn to blink at you, more than a little disoriented. He swallowed thickly before speaking. “I, um, I–the other night? At the BAU?” He paused and you nodded reassuringly. “I was talking to the team about–about how I’m not that funny. I said that you only laughed at my jokes because you felt bad for me.” You opened your mouth to speak, and he hurried to finish, his words coming out in a rushed whisper, barely audible. “And they said that it was because you’re in love with me.”
There. It was out in the open and there was no taking it back. Spencer hadn’t been planning on saying it tonight–hell, he hadn’t been planning on saying it at all–but he had failed to think this far ahead. He had assumed that you wouldn’t laugh at his joke–really, truly laugh–and then he would be safe in his knowledge that he was right all along. In reality, he was now more confused than ever and they’re in love with you continued to play louder and louder in the back of his mind, mocking him.
Now he had said it and it was out there and there was nothing more he could do. He was sure you were just going to laugh at him–well, maybe not him, but certainly at the team’s wildly incorrect presumptions.
“Well, damn,” you murmured, more to yourself than anything else.
It wasn’t quite the response that Spencer had expected–but then again, when had things ever gone as expected? He waited another moment, sure that the laughter would come at any second.
Instead: “I hate them.”
He tilted his head, sure he had misheard you. “What?”
You shifted in your seat a little, letting out an almost nervous chuckle. “They, um… they’re right. And they’re way too good at their jobs.”
There was a beat of silence that stretched into an eternity as Spencer struggled to comprehend exactly what you had just said. They were… right? What did that mean? Logically, he knew what that had to mean, but he still couldn’t quite get himself to accept it. It was too good to be true.
“Spence?” you finally asked when the silence had become too much to bear.
“They were right?” It was a silly question, Spencer knew, but it was the only thing he could say, the only words running through his head.
You watched him for a moment, and that’s when you saw it–the look in his eyes. It was cautious, wary even, but it was there. It looked a lot like hope. A smile slowly spread across your face, your own eyes lighting up. You nodded. “Yeah.”
“Yeah?” It came out a whisper, as if he barely dared to wish aloud.
You nodded again, taking his hand in yours. His eyes widened and you continued, “I am definitely in love with you. I hope that’s okay.”
Spencer let out a laugh so loud that he almost startled himself. “Okay?” he asked incredulously. “It’s–it’s more than okay.” You raised an eyebrow. “It’s perfect.”
“Oh, yeah?” Your voice had a teasing tone to it, your eyes shining at him. “It’s perfect?”
He nodded vehemently. “Well, yeah,” he said, grinning broadly. “Because I’m in love with you too.”
Your tentative smile grew wider, unrestrained. “Oh,” you said softly. You leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to Spencer’s lips, soft and light and over much too soon. “That is perfect.”
He didn’t say a word in response, simply wrapped an arm around you and pulled you closer. You practically melted into his side, and he pressed a kiss to the top of your head. “Mhm,” he whispered. “Perfect.”
The two of you remained like that, wrapped up in one another in blissful, unadulterated silence until you sat up a little, just enough to look up at Spencer. “To be clear, I do really think your jokes are funny. I just also happen to be in love with you.”
Spencer’s cheeks ached from smiling so widely, his heart full with more love than he had ever thought imaginable. “Happy coincidence, I guess.”
“The happiest.”