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Reid didn't know how to use chopsticks. While none of the team outright teased the chief about it, it was something that wholly surprised Hotch. Reid was ambidextrous, his lean fingers nimble as he did magic and card tricks to pass the time. Hotch supposed he could watch the man shuffle for hours because, well, it was mesmerizing.
"It's like foraging for food using Number Two Pencils," Reid once complained while dining with the team. It earned a laugh from the group, but Hotch wondered what the real reason was behind it.
It wasn't as if he was ever going to ask, but then, well, the opportunity literally presented itself.
Reid took him along for a presentation to the San Francisco PD and they ended up at a sushi bar in the Yerba Buena Gardens complex. Reid requested a fork while Hotch snapped the chopsticks apart and rubbed the ends together.
Maybe it was because it was just the two of them.
Maybe it was because he and Reid really did have a good rapport.
Maybe it was an excuse to touch his boss.
Surely the latter was the reason why Hotch blurted out, "I think you're over-thinking it."
Reid frowned and then began talking about their presentation.
"No," Hotch interrupted softly and then wiggled his chopsticks. "These."
Reid hitched an eyebrow at him. "Really."
"Really."
"When we were in Denver last month, you said chopsticks reminded you of fulcrums. I think you may be…" God, was he really saying this? "I think you're over-thinking it."
"The rubber band trick doesn't work," Reid told him, but there was no animosity or frustration in his voice. There was curiosity in his tone. There was also an invitation for Hotch to continue.
"Here," Hotch said as he touched Reid's wrist.
He pulled and Reid went along willingly. Then, he carefully maneuvered the sticks to their proper position, his hand and fingers covering Reid's, and went through the motions of picking up a piece of sushi.
"You do sleight-of-hand all the time." Hotch couldn't believe how low his voice was, barely above a whisper. He couldn't believe the thrill he got from touching his boss. And, Jesus Christ, they were two federal agents in a goddamn public restaurant. Yet he continued, "It's the same as doing a card trick."
He felt Reid move his hand beneath this. He held his breath, because there were things he wanted to do right now … things which were wholly inappropriate but …
"A card trick?" Reid queried, amused. He moved his hand forward which caused Hotch's own hand to slide off of his. Reid snagged a piece of sushi and carefully pulled it back. The sushi was quickly losing its integrity.
"You're squeezing it too tightly."
"You're an expert."
"I had to be, living in Seattle. Ichi-rolls at the ballpark and all."
Reid shook his head. "Ichi-rolls? I don't think I want to know," he said before stuffing the entire piece in his mouth. He chewed for a few seconds. "You remembered the fulcrum conversation."
Embarrassed, Hotch grabbed another pair of chopsticks and prepped them. "Kind of hard not to."
"You remember a lot of things I say."
He paused, knowing he was caught. He stared at the plate. "There's always a reason why you say something."
When he dared to look up, he found Reid smiling serenely at him. "Thanks for lessons."
"You're welcome."
However, the next time the group went out for dinner and had Chinese (which was terrifyingly frequent if Hotch bothered to tally it up), Reid used a fork. Hotch hid his disappointment but then rationalized that Reid didn't want to be embarrassed of his sub-par skills.
Then … during the next case, the Team was split up among the three towns, so it was just Hotch and Reid and two cartons full of Chinese. Without a bit of hesitation, Reid wielded chopsticks with an understated flourish as he continued talking about the case between bites.
He'll only use them in front of you, Aaron thought to himself. Your shared secret. Which was juvenile to think that way because, He probably matches tequila shots with Elle and beats the pants off of Morgan playing beer pong. Then the darker side of him chided, He doesn't want to explain that some BAU rookie taught him.
Still, Reid used chopsticks. But he only did it when he was alone with Hotch.
And Hotch? Well, he coveted it.
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