blastellanos | DRABBLE: Weakness

Title: Weakness

Pairing: Aaron Hotchner/Elle Greenaway

Rating: G

Word Count: 411

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Author's Notes: Number 6 in the 20 Ship Drabbles series.

Aaron knew that sometimes, he was weak. And while a lot of cases did not get to him, some of them did. This case was one of them… dealing with an UnSub who is targeting children. Even though Jack was still very young, Aaron could imagine him looking like the little blonde boys who had gone missing some years from now. Cases with children always hit him harder and he knew it was a weakness; but he couldn’t help himself. The personal affront he felt when it happened was enough to make the anger at these criminals boil over and disrupt his normal calm… spewing everyone within striking distance with splashes of it.

It was why he did not want company at the hotel bar. So he felt sort of… annoyed when he felt someone sit next to him. But he knew who it was.

The faint smell of cherry blossoms was a fair indicator.

Another way in which he was weak. Aaron turned slightly to look at Elle, her dark hair obscuring her face as she was turned facing the row of alcohol.

It did not make him feel better, her being here, but he nodded to the bartender.

“The lady’ll have a vodka with a twist of lime,” And his tone was as light as he could make it, considering the circumstances. Elle smiled at him, a wane, mirthless sort of expression. She tucked her hair behind her ear and turned towards Aaron some.

“You should be sleeping,” She chastised him and Aaron made a non-committal noise in response. The bartender set her drink down and Elle sighed. One hand curled around the frosted glass of her drink and the other, she laid atop of Aaron’s, slotting her fingers in between his, and it was not quite like holding hands but Aaron appreciated the sentiment just the same.

He sipped on his whiskey, ice clinking in the glass.

“Come up to bed with me,” Elle said, pushing the vodka away. And Aaron wanted to be strong, especially when Jack was so close to his mind; but he wasn’t. So he turned his hand palm up, holding Elle’s hand more firmly, curling his fingers in with hers and he stood, tugging her up with him.

“Alright,” Aaron sighed out, feeling defeated but also- like he needed this. Elle gave him another small smile and led him towards the elevator. Sometimes, it took more than alcohol to ease his troubled mind.