Aeipathy

CHAPTER 4.

TW: Mention of one curse word.

Flipping the file shut, you glance at the clock and inwardly groan, you'd made a significant dent in your paperwork, but still had a long way to go until your desk would be clear. After the case in Texas, today had been deemed a paperwork day, allowing the team some much needed time to catch up on paperwork. Filing cases, filling out field reports along with additional case consults were to name but a few of the tasks at hand. As your eyes scan the room, your gaze falls upon the office of your unit chief and through the window you can see him writing away at such a speed, it could rival Reid. You'd often find yourself looking across the bullpen into his office, you had a perfect view from your desk so it was only natural for your eye to be drawn in that direction, or that's what you told yourself anyway.

Tearing your gaze away from Hotch's office, you focus back on the work in front of you and as you flip open a file choosing to work on a case consult, rather than a field report, you find yourself thinking back to the interaction you'd had with him on the jet "Penelope was right you know, we should celebrate you." you know he doesn't mean it in any other context other than a professional one, but you can't help but wonder. You're soon knocked out of your thoughts by a ball of paper hitting the top of your head and upon looking up, you can easily work out who the culprit is, Emily laughs and asks you if you're taking your twenty minute break with the rest of the team, to which you shake your head in response.

"Unfortunately not, this studying isn't going to do itself, Em" you inform her as you take out your laptop ready to start working on your doctoral thesis. After about ten minutes, you find yourself staring blankly at your laptop unable to find the words you need to bring one particular section to a close. Leaning back in your chair, you begin to sketch tiny music notes in the margins of your notebook.

"That's your tell you know, it's only taken me a year to work it out" you look to your right and you're met with the sight of Hotch stood by the side of your desk, holding what happens to be two of your favourite things; a vanilla milkshake and a raspberry muffin.

Raising your eyebrows, you decide to make light of the fact that he's figured out your tell "an entire year to figure it out, is the great SSA Aaron Hotchner losing his touch?" you joke in a teasing tone and you're surprised to see him matching your humour as he seats himself on the chair placed at the side of your desk.

"Considering I've brought your favourite snacks, I'd watch that mouth of yours, Paisley it'll get you into trouble one day" you choose to ignore the slight smirk that seems to have inched onto his face and you suppress the urge to reply "why don't you show me what kind of trouble?" and instead ask him how he figured out your tell. You'd be stupid to think that he hadn't and you were genuinely curious in understanding how he'd worked it out. 

The team eventually return to their respective desks and you watch Emily kiss JJ goodbye as she returns to her office. Throwing the ball of paper from earlier back at her, you jokingly state "surely the two of you can cope without each other till lunch?" as you and Derek make kissy faces at her, to which she laughs and flips the both of you off. Seeing Emily and JJ so in love made you all the more happier for them.

"So what did big boss-man want, Pretty Girl? He was over here for a pretty long time, what've you done now, is somebody in trouble?" Morgan asks with a shit-eating grin, breaking the silence that had fallen over your desks.

Rolling your eyes, you respond "Me? Trouble? Derek Morgan I am hurt by that very insinuation" you feign heartbreak "but to answer your question no, he just asked about my thesis since it'll all be over in three months, he mainly wanted the Jameson file". Pulling your thoughts together, you refocus yourself and continue working your way through the stack of paperwork and before you know it your desk is clear just as the day draws to a close. JJ stops by your desks and reminds you all to hand in the paperwork from the day, but not before gazing lovingly at Emily and they intertwine their hands as you all begin to make your way to Hotch's office.

Placing the paperwork on Hotch's already covered desk, he utters his thanks to you and the others as he continues writing on one of the many files that comes hand in hand with being in the position of unit chief. Leaning back on the wall you survey his office, you'd been in there countless times, but it was only recently that you'd come to appreciate the way in which it was decorated. Stacks of volumes lined the shelves behind his desk that was nearly always littered with paperwork and the walls were covered in plaques of his many achievements. There wasn't a particular word you could find to describe his office, classic literary novels placed neatly away in the bookcase with photos of the team dotted around the office. They must be a recent addition you note as you spy a photo of the entire team at a monthly FBI baseball game; Derek's arm over Penelope's shoulder, Emily and JJ cheering wildly at the victory whilst looking as in love as ever, meanwhile Reid has you sat on your shoulders, him grinning from ear to ear, whilst your head is thrown back in laughter., he and Rossi are laughing, arms outstretched and clapping. Hotch looked good in the photo, really really good. His office was just..him..just entirely him.

"Hotch you need a break, come on man you can dish some of those files off to Rossi" Morgan addresses him as he stands in front of his desk. It was no secret that since divorcing from Haley, Hotch had been spending even more time in the office and you'd come to question how that was even possible.

Finally stopping his writing, he looks up and is about to respond to Derek, but not before Dave speaks up from the doorway "I'm allergic to paperwork, I've told you this time and time again" he starts, pushing off the doorway and walking further into the room to sit on the brown leather sofa "I'm happy to help, just not in the paperwork department, but he's not wrong Aaron, you need a break".

Dropping his pen onto the desk, Hotch exhales "I've told you, I'm fine, I don't need anybody to step in" he responds in a slightly exasperated tone, but not before joking "and besides, I wouldn't want to add anything to Dave's paperwork allergy". You notice the edge of his lips are slightly upturned and sharing looks with Emily and JJ who stand against the wall opposite you, hands still intertwined, you wonder if it's worth saying anything, but decide against it.

Penelope strolls in, her heels clicking on the floor as she enters the office, her bright clothing instantly breathing colour into the room. The ever present grin on her face can be heard in her voice as she addresses you all "Ah perfect, my favourite crime fighters all in one place! I want to inform you all of our plans" she gestures around the room to all of you "Friday evening, Riley's bar, 7pm sharp, you will all be there no excuses or exceptions, it is Paisley's big night after all" she emphasises, a teasing, yet firm note to her voice. Knowing you were about to utter your protests that you really didn't need to celebrate, she turns and points at you and you know you're in for one of Garcia's telling's off, but it's hard to take her seriously when she's quite literally the definition of a human hug.

Holding your hands up in mock surrender, you relent "I give in, fine, fine" you laugh as you embrace her, hearing muffled laughter from the others.

"We'll all be there" Rossi says, standing from the sofa "I have a glass of scotch calling my name, I'm out" he waves you all goodbye as he exits the room.

Breaking away from the hug, you steal a small glance at Hotch, who catches you looking "I'll be there, wouldn't miss it" he tells you, picking up the pen to continue working on his file. Shooting him a smile in thanks, you issue him goodnight along with the others and make your way out of the office and back down toward the bullpen, ready to head home after a long day of paperwork; you loved your job more than anything, but the administration process was one of the major drawbacks.