Chapter Text
The Alaskan weather had done Hotch no favors, still healing from the wounds Foyet had left him with the icy winds dug deep into his chest. The cold was biting, the moment he stepped foot outside it took his breath away and he struggled to keep the full body shivers at bay. He stood with his arms across his chest, trying to subtly hug the warmth back into himself. He knew his team had noticed, they had all been watching him much more closely especially after Haley’s death. Aaron felt like his every move was being observed under a microscope both by his teammates and by the higher ups. Though he and Derek were working well together after Aaron took back his role as unit chief it still stung to know that the bureau’s faith in him had taken such a large hit during such a difficult time in his life. He was trying to step back in right back at the top of his game as though nothing had happened, put on a strong façade for the team so he could shoulder the horrors they face for them. Every day it seemed to only get more difficult. He almost wished he had stayed home aside from the fact that home was an empty shell of a life, filled with boxes and a patch of carpet that had a very subtle difference in colour to the rest. He was trying to breathe life into the place for his son’s sake but he didn’t feel like he had much more life to give.
The team showed their support in subtle ways, knowing that Aaron would not find any comfort in grand gestures. Derek would volunteer to head out to keep him from having to go into the wilderness while they were on this case. No doubt having noticed that his body wasn’t doing temperature regulation as well as it was before. Whenever he found himself sat in their makeshift workspace by the roaring fire in Carol’s tavern someone always ended up bringing him a boiling hot mug of tea.
He had found himself sharing a room with Dave after Penelope had quickly chosen Derek to room with, Emily and JJ naturally orbit each other anyway and Reid tended to function better with his own space. He hadn’t been able to sleep the first night, the cold felt bone deep. His teeth chattered and he found that no matter how far he buried himself under the thick covers of his single bed he couldn’t generate any warmth. Then Penelope had witnessed a murder in the night and they were all out of bed again before he could have passed out from exhaustion.
The second night he found that Dave had somehow managed to scavenge several extra blankets and had left them on Aaron’s bed without a word. Aaron had felt the first spark of warmth since he got off the plane in Alaska and he wasn’t even sure if it was generated by the blankets or the kind gesture of his friend. Dave had always been the best at reading him, he had been by Aaron’s side throughout the case. Practically leant against him in support and an offer of body heat whenever Aaron couldn’t hide the tremors the cold had begun to generate. It was subtle whenever Dave stood just a little too close, just enough contact to slow the shivering then as soon as he was gone Aaron found himself longing for the touch. He wished Dave could wrap him in a tight hug, wished he could feel the glow of affection he had been missing from his life since the divorce. Hugging Jack had kept his heart from freezing over but now that Haley was gone he just felt hollow, incomplete, unloved. Whenever Dave was near he felt a sudden swell of hope take root in his chest, someone cared about him?
He knew he couldn’t put too much stock in Dave’s actions, the man cared for all his friends especially when they were down. The next member of the team to be facing disaster head on will soon be his main focus and Aaron would need to learn to stand on his own once more.
That night, under the pile of blankets Dave had provided, Aaron lay awake listening to the other man’s relaxed breaths. He allowed himself to imagine the sound being something he could listen to every night as he fell asleep entwined in the man’s embrace. Someone he knew would be there when he woke in the morning.
Eventually he rolled over and covered his head with his pillow to block out the sound. These fantasies were a slippery slope to heartbreak and Aaron didn’t know how much more of that he could take.
The snow started falling while they transported their unsub to the police station and it continued as they took statements from the angry mob of men who had chased the boy to the dock. They packed their bags with the tiniest sliver of hope that they would be returning home that night only for it to be quashed when they were informed that neither the sea plane nor their jet would be able to take off due to the severity of the storm. The prospect of attempting to regain their rooms at the late Carol Beardsley’s tavern did not seem appealing. Especially since her son partially blamed them for her death due to the team arresting him and keeping him overnight while it happened.
Mercifully Sheriff Rhodes managed to find them a solution.
“My buddy has a lodge just outside of town, didn’t set you up there to start with cause I figured you’d want to stay close for the investigation. Grab some supplies from the shop before they close and I’ll take you there.”
Aaron couldn’t feel his feet as they waited for the sheriff to return for them, they had to split into two groups due to their lack of access to their pool of SUVs. They decided that JJ, Emily, Penelope and Spencer should be in the first group. They had given Aaron lingering looks of worry as he stood next to Derek and Dave avoiding their eyes and willing the next onslaught of shivers away with the sheer strength of his stubbornness.
He could feel Dave’s and Derek’s eyes on him as they waited, the other two men making mindless small talk which Aaron would have joined in on but he was too busy concentrating on keeping his teeth from chattering. He heard an exasperated sigh beside him, suddenly Dave’s scarf was being wrapped around his neck. The man himself smiled at him when he was done appearing to be pleased with his handiwork. If Aaron had any heat in his body he was sure he would have blushed, it didn’t help that Derek was watching the exchange with a mischievous grin.
“Man just looking at you makes me feel colder, Rossi is right as soon as we get to the cabin you’re sitting by the fire.”
Aaron looked down at his feet due to both the embarrassment he felt and the fact that both his legs up to his knees felt numb. There was a tingling stinging sensation especially when the cold wind whipped around them but other than that he was carefully planning how he would walk to the sheriff’s car without giving away his discomfort or worse stumbling.
“He’s not gonna answer you Derek, doesn’t want you to hear his teeth chattering.”
He scowled unconvincingly up at Dave who gave him a look that screamed ‘if you disagree then say so’ knowing full well Aaron couldn’t argue because then he would prove Dave right. Then again by refusing to argue he was also proving Dave right, bastard, he couldn’t win.
Just as he was considering trying his best to make it through an argument without proving Dave right Sheriff Rhode’s patrol car pulled up.
“Saved by the bell!”
Derek called out with a laugh. They loaded their bags into the back of the car, Aaron having walked as gingerly as he could get away with and managed not to stumble. They piled into the car, Aaron melting into the seat as the heat blasted his aching body. It felt heavenly even though nothing about the situation was ideal.
“Only issue with the lodge is there’s only three rooms but there’s a couple large couches in the living room if need be.”
Aaron thanked the sheriff as they were dropped off at the lodge, he tried not to worry about the accommodations though he wondered if he would get away with trying to share with someone else. Derek and Penelope were a little tense after he attempted a cognitive interview too soon after what she saw. Maybe Derek wouldn’t mind sharing with him so he could stop his brain from running wild with fantasies about what him and Dave’s life would be like together. It had kept him warm at night during the case but he couldn’t allow these thoughts to continue or Dave would surely figure out that he was acting strangely around him.
Just his luck that when they walked in Penelope had seemingly already taken charge of the room assignments.
“So we figured that myself, Emily and Jayje can all squeeze into the master room with the king size bed and snuggle up! Dr Genius and agent Hot Stuff can share the twin room and mom and dad can share the double room!”
Aaron felt his face heat, not only was he sharing a room with Dave but he would also be sharing a bed.
“Well as long as I’m dad in this scenario that sounds good to me.”
Dave said with a wink at Garcia who winked back conspiratorially at him. It was a worrying display to add to the many things Aaron now had to worry about. Also since when was he mom?
He was about to reach down and pick his bag back up, resigning himself to his fate when Derek scooped it up and gave him a meaningful look.
“I got this man, go sit by the fire and warm up.”
Morgan clapped a hand on his shoulder and if Aaron wasn’t already blushing from the prospect of sharing a bed with Dave he would have been from the embarrassment of being coddled.
“O..okay thanks.”
Aaron replied with a damn chatter right at the start that had Dave and Derek exchanging knowing glances. He shuffled over to one of the armchairs on still thawing legs and lowered himself down heavily. The heat from the fire immediately improving his mood, he texted Jess as he sat warming up, letting her know that they were snowed in until further notice. Setting his phone down on the table beside him he allowed his tired eyes to close briefly.
“Wake up sleepy head! Dave made us dinner!”
Penelope’s voice startled him from his unplanned nap.
“He…What?”
Penelope smiled at him warmly, knowing that she had woken him from a sleep deep enough he had no clue where he was.
“Dave has graciously made us all dinner because we are snowed in this middle of nowhere town in Alaska, come on family dinner!”
She held out her hand and pulled him to his feet once he’d grabbed it. The table was set, everyone else seated waiting for him and Penelope to take the remaining seats. Penelope sat herself between JJ and Reid, leaving him a space beside Emily with Rossi at the top of the table to his right. To his surprise their supply shopping had apparently included wine as Rossi raised his glass and the rest of the team followed suit.
“To family get togethers after a job well done and to always having good food and wine even in a snowstorm!”
“Here here!”
Emily called back and they clinked their glasses together happily.
They ate together happily, chatting and joking long into the evening. After everything was cleared they each began to retire for the night.
Aaron found himself staring at the small double bed in the dimly lit room and felt the panic set in anew. This was even smaller than he had imagined, maybe he should offer to sleep on a couch instead? Surely Dave would prefer to have his own space rather than having to share with his boss?
“Stop thinking so loud.”
Dave called from the en-suite bathroom where he was currently cleaning his teeth.
“Dave, I think I should take one of the couches. This will be quite…cramped and I don’t want to be in your way.”
Aaron spoke as he reached for his bag that Derek had kindly set on the bed for him. He heard Dave spit into the sink, rinse his mouth out with water then make his way back into the room.
“You’re not sleeping on the couch Aaron, I’m fine sharing with you. We’ve known each other for how many years? If it makes you feel better we can make a wall of pillows between us.”
Dave stated with a laugh as he climbed into bed, looking at Aaron expectantly. The colour rose in his cheeks once more at the suggestion that he needed something so juvenile to ensure his own comfort.
“I think I’ll be fine without the pillow wall…I just didn’t want you to be uncomfortable.”
Aaron replied sheepishly before heading to the bathroom to get ready for bed and to escape the awkward exchange. He made his way back out once he had changed and brushed his teeth and made his way to his side of the bed. He laid himself down, being careful not to knock into Dave or invade his space. It was warm already with Dave’s body heat, something Aaron could get used to.
“Let me know if you’re too cold, I can find you some extra blankets again.”
Dave spoke, barely above a whisper.
Aaron’s chest filled with warmth again, Dave did care about him.
“Uh…yeah I will do, thank you Dave. Goodnight.”
He rolled over onto his side Facing away from Dave and hoping he could stop his brain from going back to delusion land.
“Sweet dreams Aaron.”
Dave replied and Aaron swore his heart fluttered. He was doomed.