Love Me in Spite - [Aaron Hotchner x Reader]

Chapter 11: It Never Rains

Pairings: Aaron Hotchner x fem!Reader

Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Lorraine Barnes (OC)

Words: 3.3K

Chapter summary: A sleepless night prompts a phone call that leads to late-night conversations

Warnings: just a little bit of sadness and some hurt-comfort

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"Are you sure you'll be okay here alone?" Lorraine asked before leaving that night when the members of the BAU made it to the hotel.

"I'll be fine, they're just a few rooms down and I'll lock the door and make sure the windows are bolted," you assured her. "Worst comes to worst I'll call you or Aaron okay? I promise,"

"Alright," Lorraine gave in. "Now make sure you get some rest, okay? And stay safe,"

"I'm hoping to sleep like a baby, these hotel mattresses are better than whatever you've got at the precinct," you chuckled and Lorraine gave you a look of agreement.

Lorraine left your room and you closed the door behind her, making your first step to secure all the entry points to the room, just like Aaron had instructed.

You and Lori had made a stop at your home and gathered some pyjamas and extra clothes for you to wear along with some of the essentials. It was getting pretty late, so you figured it might be a good idea to take her advice and try and get some rest.

But the second your head hit the pillow your eyes were peeled open. Each time you wanted to close them for longer than a second they wouldn't let you, despite your clear exhaustion.

After maybe half an hour of tossing and turning you decided enough was enough, but when you picked up the hotel phone you didn't find yourself dialling a room extension, instead, recalling a number from memory and punching it into the keypad.

There was a click on the line after only one ring with the response of,

"Hotchner,"

"Hey Aaron, I'm sorry I know it's late," you said softly.

"(Y/N) is everything alright?" you could hear a shuffle on his end and you assumed he had just gotten into bed. If Aaron was anything like he was in high school his regular sleep schedule would have him in bed no earlier than two o'clock in the morning. It was just past two-thirty.

"Everything's fine," you said, almost out of habit. "I mean... I think it's fine,"

"What's going on?" he asked, more a voice of inquiry, maybe masking his concern well.

"I can't sleep," you said flatly. "I've been tossing around in my bed for at least forty-five minutes, is that normal?" you asked.

"Completely," he assured you. You took in a shaky breath,

"I-Is it normal to want to have someone you trust stay with you?"

He paused this time, hesitated.

"I-I think so,"

There was silence on the line. You didn't know whether seconds or minutes had passed, but all you could hear was his steady breathing into the receiver. So you opened your mouth, voice coming out just barely above a whisper,

"Could you come?"

"Give me five minutes,"

The line went dead and you assumed he had hung up. Carefully you placed it back down on the base, sitting back against the headboard of the bed and examining your surroundings in a bit more detail.