[It's not that he's been avoiding her, per se. Not really. When it comes down to it he's been avoiding this whole thing because as much as the young Doctor Reid can calculate ciphers in his head he's never been good at the whole... relationship thing. Sex. Love. Whatever that was supposed to be, he's not good at it.

He never needed to be.

There's a fair bit of surprise at seeing her outside his door, enough to stop him in his tracks. Tension, a brief moment of it, and then he relaxed. Smiled, a little. ]

I don't think that would hold up in court.

[And then there's the unlocking of doors and inviting her in, which in itself is an unfamiliar thing to do. He's grateful that she didn't just let herself in, even if she is one of the few he doesn't mind invading his personal space.]

[Another unfamiliar thing, hearing his habit of rambling coming from someone else. It certainly catches his attention, might even scare up a few nervous flutters in the pit of his stomach - she's not usually like this. ]

Actually, most apple allergies are a result of being allergic to something else. The protein in apples are similar to that of both birch pollen and peaches, so those who suffer from either of those tend to develop a sensitivity to apples as well. The birch-apple allergen is sensitive to heat though, so a pie or other processed foods should be just fine while the peach-apple allergen is tougher and survives the processing method.

[While he talks he leads her towards the kitchen - best place to be when you're bringing a pie. The apartment is clean and tidy, you don't even need to be a profiler to see that this is a constant with him. Neatfreak.]

I'm not allergic to either. [Small smile.]

[He's not surprised. To be honest he wasn't listening either.]

Hey.

Right. [Clears his throat. This shouldn't feel as awkward as it does, should it? Focusing on retrieving those plates now.] Coffee? Tea?

[He'll just occupy himself with making that coffee. It makes things easier, in a way. Latching on to measurements and filters and all that.]

Good! Well... you know. Nothing to report. [Pause.] You?

Yeah?

[A loaded question.]

[So helpful, jeeze.]

Why would I think that?

[Pause. And then, finally, he turns to face her.]

Is that why you're here?

[There's a strange feeling of relief. Of shoulders getting lighter. ]

Well... I'm glad you showed up.

[Laughing a little.]

No... the pie is just a bonus.

[They're warm and fashionable, what are you talking about. He lets her drag him in, but doesn't make a move to reciprocate. In fact, he may be a little more tense now. Reserved.]

Yeah, I was.

Maybe. [Swallows. That would be a yes.]

[Normally he'd say "no" but this... this kinda works. Also letting her drag him in, it's difficult to resist.]

Neither did you.