✓ | 𝗔𝗣𝗛𝗥𝗢𝗗𝗜𝗧𝗘 · ͟͟͞͞➳ spencer reid

CHAPTER 17 ━━━

# ! | CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
- they all need to loosen up

━━━ FOR THE FIRST TIME
in a while, Meryl was letting her hair down. Her outfit of the night is revealing, a black ruched body con dress with a cutout and a halter neck. Her breasts are contoured, chiseled abs on display, fabric pulled tight over her curvy hips and sturdy thighs. As she applies a coat of maroon lipstick, Emily shuffles around the corner in a tiny red romper and gold heels with a gold necklace and bright lipstick. Garcia is putting in a pair of jeweled butterfly earrings to go with her floral pattern dress with a sweetheart neckline. JJ finishes off her glass of wine and smooths the navy fabric of her skirt and fixes the sleeve of her pearl colored blouse. They all look good, damn good.

The guys aren't having this same get together, opting instead to prepare for the night solo. Rossi is dressed in business as usual, a long sleeve white shirt and jeans. Hotch wears jeans in a darker denim and a baby blue button down. Morgan threads a belt through his black jeans and rolls up the sleeves of his grey Henley, spritzing on cologne. Reid actually takes his time, dressing in an uncharacteristic all black, dress pants that hug his hips well, a button down tucked in and cinched with a belt, high tops on his feet over mismatched socks. He ruffles his hair and unbuttons the top couple of snaps, grabbing his keys and heading toward the club before he can psych himself out.

Emily and Meryl are the last to get there, making an entrance arm in arm. They looked great together, like should they have been frozen there, suspended right in that moment, it would have made perfect sense. That's exactly what happens when Spencer raises Meryl's camera from around his neck and snaps a picture, lips slightly parted as they approach.

"Derek, lover, I think I might have to replace you for the night," Penelope jokes, playfully pushing him away.

The taller man laughs and smiles fondly down at her. "You know, I get that."

Rossi and Meryl kiss each other's cheeks when they join the group. "Ciao, bella," he says appreciatively. Murph smacks his shoulder. "Good to see ya, Italian stallion." He swats her hand away, shaking his head at the nickname. It'd followed him around ever since the first night the team congregated at his mansion for pasta.

Spencer manages to pick his jaw up off the ground and slips the camera strap from around his neck, handing it off to Meryl when she approaches. In her black platform high tops, there's about seven inches between them now. His eyes are bright, curious, and his skin looks so smooth in the lighting of the club. It's near debilitating, Murph thinks, as she appraises his outfit and the way his shoulders look in that shirt.

After exchanging pleasantries and fawning over how good everyone looks, they stake out a large booth overlooking the dance area and then wander over to the bar, everyone ordering a variety of drinks. That includes Spencer, who snags a Jack and coke, same as Meryl. The team finds their way back to the booth, preparing to spend half an hour chatting it up before the nightly DJ arrives.

"I don't know how we got you three out here," Emily snorts, using the umbrella from her fruity drink to gesture at Hotch, Rossi, and Reid.

"You kidding?" Morgan replies, wagging his eyebrows, "If I don't see Papa Pasta out there getting down with at least two women by the end of the night, I'll be shocked."

Rossi nudges Hotch, smiling devilishly. "Believe me, this guy has got some moves. He didn't always have such a tremendous stick up his ass." The dark haired unit chief represses a smile and shakes his head as the teasing ensues, deciding to transfer it to the second youngest member of the table.

"Have you ever even danced like this before, Reid?" Hotch asks, earning a snicker from Morgan.

Spencer stares down into his glass. "If there's a science to it, I'll get a metaphorical PhD by the end of the night." Garcia smirks, reaching across the table to poke Meryl's forearm. "You should teach him."