Rom-com Gone Wrong (Hotch x Reader)// ✔

3. The Start of the Game

Summary:

You swear you wouldn't and yet - Agent Hotchner starts it with a simple request. You use it to ask a favor on a case you can't seem to close.

Notes:

ok so my last words were clearly bogus bcs im back here (and clearly on vacation lmao) but!

usual crime talk and some email banter (v v slowly gettin to the spicy misunderstanding of the century 👀)
this case inspired by the mentalist eps 1 lmao

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Tommy paces back and forth, as he waits outside the captain's office to be called in. It's been two weeks since a new case started and the FBI agents left. Less since your mishap with the email. Tommy doesn't know about it – fortunately. He's not tech savvy to begin with so it is easy to hide the email in a folder somewhere, and delete the sent one. Lest he knows you've been impersonating him and apologizing for something that he didn't cause.

That and the fact you've still not made a decision.

On one hand, pretending to be a white, male detective asking for instructive criticism and feedback from a fellow white male agent made sense. No weird barriers. No feelings of inferiority. Just two equals on the same battlefield of open cases. This profession is male-dominated as is and nobody respects anybody if they're not old and white so Tommy and Agent Hotchner should get along perfectly fine. That would be perfect because it is all you want: somebody to mentor you, despite them not knowing they're doing so.

On the other hand, if you were to come forward it would be awkward for everyone involved (and not). How would that scenario even pan out?

Funny story, Agent Hotchner, sir, you'd never guess what happened, b ut I did NOT hack into my coworker's email. I swear!!

Or:

This is going to sound batshit insane BUT I'd be honored to be mentored by you. This email mishap is actually proof! Of just how much! I need! help!

You shake your thoughts away just as Tommy is called into the office. The one thing you know with absolute certainty is that you cannot tell him. Not because he'd hate you or react badly. But he'd just... make fun of you for eternity.

"What do we think about the kidnapping?" Tommy asks an hour later, sitting in the passenger's seat of your car. You stop at a red light and tap your fingernails over the steering wheel, thinking it over.

"It's just... fishy. Don't you think?"

He gives you a once over.

"That's your input? Fishy?"

You shrug. "What? I have to be Einstein 24/7 now?"

"It's just weird" he sighs and looks out the window, "you were so spot on with Bunch and cracking the case but now that you're lead Detective, you've been taciturn. It's unlike you."

You start the car again when the traffic lights change to green.

"I don't speak all the time"

He throws you a look and you roll your eyes.

"You can drop me off here" he points at the bus stop straight ahead and you laugh a little.

"Thought you wanted me to drop you off?"

"Nah", he doesn't wait for the car to stop completely before he hops out of it, "I'll walk. Helps me think about the case"