✓ | sick of losing soulmates [SPENCER REID]

2.2

2.2
( spencer reid's first night out. )

☆ ★ ☆

spencer

Spencer wasn't lying when he said that parties, especially parties like Lila's, aren't his scene, but Iris has stirred something inside of him that he's never felt before — well, Derek sometimes tempts it out of him, but never has a girl brought out this side in him: the daring, extroverted part of his usual introverted self.

In the first few days after asking Iris to a party in an astonishing act of courage, he can hardly concentrate on the case he and Gideon have been assigned to with the LAPD; he's too busy thinking about how stupid a decision that had been. He's simply going to embarrass himself.

And did he send the wrong message by asking her? She doesn't think he's interested in her, does she? Because that would be completely unprofessional, considering he's meant to be working not holidaying and losing himself in some crush.

Which, by the way, it totally isn't.

"The thing is," he rants to himself under his breath on the Wednesday before the party, the hotel room's phone on his hand and Iris' number dialled in but not called just yet, "she hardly knows me! And, if Morgan was here, he'd totally just tell me that's how the world works, but that's completely illogical, isn't it? To attend a party with someone you don't know?" To him, it does appear so.

But he does eventually call Iris to tell her about the party, which is a miracle all on its own because in the rare cases that he's got a girl's number, he's never got much further than a couple of dates. He's never had much of a girlfriend, considering he's always been surrounded by people much older than him, and he's never been a 'player' like Derek after years of bullying to shove his self-esteem far, far down, so when it comes to girls he is far from confident, and he's definitely not experienced.

But, when Iris laughs down the phone, tells him to chill out with all the stutters; it's just me, and says her mom is gonna let her come, he has a feeling she finds his nervous stuttering endearing. Which he warmly welcomes as a compliment.

For the next few days, his nerves aren't crackling like electrical wires with anxiety, but instead his chest feels bubbly and light; even Gideon can tell that he's practically bursting with excitement.

On the final night in LA, when Gideon finds out Spencer has plans, the man's eyes almost burst straight out of his skull. Spencer panics at first, thinking that it's with anger and he won't be allowed to leave the hotel, expected to be packing and ready for their flight the next afternoon, but that's not the case. Spencer flushes bright red when Gideon gushes about him finally being social.