Reid and Reid Ship Oneshots

Reid's Struggle With Stimming On The Job

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It was honestly a miracle that Reid managed to get this job. When it comes to people with disabilities, especially in lines of occupation in federal departments, they are generally over looked. Reid wanted to say that it was Gideon who managed to convince the higher ups that he was qualified for the BAU, but he had every right to be there as anyone else in the building. He loved the work he did as a profiler, so he couldn't imagine doing anything else.

Reid's autism didn't effect him as much compared to someone else who could have level two ASD symptoms. Reid stimmed, a lot, so it made his confusion and anxiety less serious. But because Reid stimmed so much, it was sometimes distracting and physically harmful to himself. His most common ones were snapping his fingers, repeating words, and scratching himself, mostly his neck and the back his hands. Tapping counters, and whistling were sometimes needed too.
Reid often got uncomfortable with certain fabrics or textures, like wool type blankets or jackets. He didn't like how they got caught on his uneven fingernails and leave fuzz everywhere. He found himself much more calmed when dressed in silk textured fabrics that don't have any tendrils hanging off them. One thing that he doesn't like, but can't really avoid, is when he gets overstimulated by the sun or by bright lights. He doesn't know how to register the discomfort correctly, and he ends up scratching at his skin and pulling at his eyelashes. It can be startling at first, but it's a lot easier to get him to calm down when you know how to do it.

The BAU members found his fidgeting and slight meltdowns annoying at first, but just after a year or two, and with the proper run down of Reid's condition, they pay absolutely no mind to it. They even encourage stimming when he seems stressed or they know he will be. They all have the proper training to deal with him in a panicked state, and it makes it better that Reid is so comfortable with them.
He usually doesn't have issues with people touching him, especially if he knows them well, so permission to put an arm around his shoulder, or hug him is never needed.
Reid is actually incredibly adaptable, which is uncommon for many people with autism. When things don't go as plan, he always has a back up that supplies him with the same level of comfort.

They only draw back of his mild disability, was other people. They never knew what to do around him. If they didn't judge him, then they would try and overstep his boundaries. If they were rude, and thought less of him, then they'd overstep his boundaries. He couldn't win when it came to other people, at least that's what he thought.

The team was on a case in Greene County, Alabama, which had a very small population of less then 8000. They arrived at the small local police station, and tried to set up. The place was confined and crowed, so Reid was already on edge. He was tapping his feet, clicking his tongue, all things that weren't necessarily attributed to the stress of autism, so no one said or thought anything about it.

The team set up a partial profile within the next few hours, and had all noticed Reid's discomfort.
They had caught him scratching his hand to the point of blood, and that's when they told him to try stimming some other way. They hated to stop him at all, but when he was hurting himself, they needed to.

"Hey, don't hurt yourself." Morgan said, trying to sound as nonthreatening as possible as to not spook him.

"I'm sorry." Reid looked behind him to the team, away from the case baord. "I just don't know what to do." He looked down in shame.

"It's all good." Morgan assured, trying to tag someone in.

"We just don't want you to hurt yourself." Hotch smiled, trying to not make a big deal out of this; to not embarrass Spencer.

"Can you try something else?" JJ asked sweetly.

Reid nodded skeptically, not sure what else could substitute his previous, and most effective stim.
He turned back to the case board and began to shift his feet. Eventually he settled on something that usually made him feel good. But he knew it wouldn't be enough on its own, so he paired it with a second stim.

He began to hum, pretty loudly, and add a snap of his fingers every few seconds. It didn't seem to bother him that the snapping was in no specific rhythm.

The other members smiled to themselves, as this was a cute, and uncommon pair of stims. It was weird how none of them could actually make out what song he was imitating, but they assumed it was some sort of classical instrumental they didn't know.

After a few minutes of Reid doing that, and the others not even paying mind to it, the sheriff of the country station they were at walked into the room to ask for an update. At first he didn't say anything about the noises he heard from the much younger man in the corner, but after a few minutes, and the FBI not stopping him, he took matters into his own hands.

"Kid, stop!" He said, not really raising his voice, but sounding authoritative.

The other BAU members looked at Reid then at each other, wondering if they were going to say anything to the sheriff. After Reid apologized and sat down in a chair at the round table in the room, they figured it wouldn't be worth making a scene over. It'd only embarrass Reid anyway.

The sheriff then left the room to collect his officers to be read the preliminary profile.

They looked over at Reid, sitting completely still, almost shaking at his attempt to keep any movement from escaping him.

Morgan walked behind Reid, after getting some go help him eyes from the team. He tugged lightly on the messy hair around his ears, noting how his ears were red and flushed.

"Hey, don't be embarrassed. You didn't do anything wrong." Morgan assured, pinching Reid's ears to discreetly get a feel for how hot they were.

"I'm not ashamed of what I was doing. I needed to do that, I couldn't help it." Reid stared blankly at the table.

Morgan looked up from Reid and to everyone else, just as much shock and pride on their faces as him. Reid practically quoted what they had been telling him for years. It was nice to hear him actually apply it.

"I'm glad to hear that." Morgan praised, "Then why did you stop?"

"Because the sheriff told me to. I don't want to stop. Can I keep going?" He asked, almost as if to ask permission, but then started to continue anyway before anything further was said.

Morgan pet Reid's hair, walking away with a confused look on his face. When he eyed his team for answers or some sort of input, they just shrugged. This was a good thing anyway, who were they to try and twist it into some kind of issue.