Pairing: Hotch/Reid

Date: December 1, 2005

Song: Under the Mistletoe by Justin Bieber.

Reid wasn't sure what possessed him to go out and buy the mistletoe that December 1, 2005. All he knew was that he was passing by a novelty store on his way to work and there was a sign outside that beckoned to him, saying that there was mistletoe for sale.

Mistletoe.

It conjured up images of secret, and not-so-secret, kisses. It conjured images of laughing couples and blushing girls as their boyfriends wrestled them into PDA.

Mistletoe wasn't for Reid, he knew that, as he stared with longing at the sign. And he went inside, purchased a sprig and left the shop in a hurry, as if afraid to be seen there.

This was his first Christmas with the BAU and he had no idea what to expect. Would there be no mention of the holiday? Or would there be mention of only Happy Holidays, as not everyone was Christian there?

The Christmas season was something that Reid had a love/hate relationship with. He loved it because it still somehow managed to bring the illusion of peace on earth and goodwill towards men with it. People were happier, or they pretended to be.

He hated it because he himself had never had a happy Christmas, and definitely not a merry one.

But he loved how everyone got a little more kind at the end of the year, as if making up for the past year's mistakes and insults and hate speech. Even if it was put-on, just pretend, even if everyone would become a serial killer again on December 26...this season brought the illusion of peace.

And Reid loved it.

Reid wasn't sure what possessed him to go in early that day and hang the mistletoe in the doorway of the BAU. He wasn't sure why he waited, standing underneath it and reading a book so that people who were distracted and wouldn't notice the mistletoe would think that Reid had just gotten absorbed in a book and stayed in the doorway. Hey, it happened.

Gideon arrived first and Reid was instantly surprised. Surely it would be Hotch!

But no.

Gideon walked out of the elevator looking tired and grumpy, like he'd stayed up all night pondering the mysteries of the universe...

Reid knew how he felt. He'd woken up feeling like that all too many times.

Gideon's face brightened to see Reid standing there, and then he paused, standing back to get the full affect.

"Wait a minute...are you standing under the mistletoe?"

"Yes, I am," Reid said, clearing his throat.

Gideon nodded, smiling. "Who are you waiting for?"

The question caught Reid. He wanted to answer with something flippant; he wanted to say that he was just trying to catch anyone that passed.

"I don't know," he answered truthfully.

"Do you welcome kisses from anyone?" Gideon chuckled.

"Sure," Reid said and Gideon lay a fatherly kiss on his forehead.

"It's too bad that kissing has become so sexualized recently," he said as he did so. "Merry Christmas, Spencer."

Reid smiled in return.

The day went on. Garcia came stumbling out of the elevator soon after, looking like she'd just woken up. Hotch was with her, talking in fast, low tones. They both blinked to see Reid there, doing a double take before Garcia barrelled forward and planted a kiss on Reid's mouth.

It was a sweet kiss, a good kiss. Reid returned it in kind, matching her enthusiasm until Garcia drew back, a wide smile on her lips.

"You made my whole day, Reid," she whispered, taking out a handkerchief to wipe his mouth off.

Hotch watched the whole exchange in amusement before shaking his head as Garcia dashed back to his side.

"Are you trying to be a distraction?" He asked Reid with light amusement, showing that he wasn't bothered by what the young genius had decided to do.

Reid shrugged, lifting his shoulders in a light motion.

Hotch watched it with a light in his eyes. For a moment, Reid thought Hotch would approach but then he turned and left with Garcia, both going to her computer lab.

Business as usual.

Elle was next, stepping out of the elevator with a cup of coffee that would put Reid's to shame. She takes another gulp upon seeing him, as if needing caffeine to wake her up and prove that she wasn't dreaming.

"What...are you doing?" She asked, her voice scolding.

"I'm waiting," he replied, shoving his hands into his pockets. He liked Elle, he really did. But sometimes she was so...strict.

"For what?" She asked again, voice flat. "Because I think the JJ boat has sailed."

Reid blushed. "It's not JJ," he said. "We went out, sure. But...it's over. And I find that that is okay."

Elle nodded. "Okay. Well then. Merry Christmas, Dr." She stepped forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek. When she pulled back, she laughed. "You have my lipstick there," she chuckled, digging around for something to wipe it off. "I don't think I have anything."

Reid almost said, leave it there, but he thought of Morgan and changed his mind. It wouldn't be worth the hassle.

"I have a cleaning wipe," Reid said and hastily wiped off his cheek. Elle watched in amusement.

"Don't wipe off my kiss, too," she said teasingly and Reid halted.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"You know, you kiss little kids, they wipe their face off and say they were just wiping off the slobber, not the kiss," Elle said and then shrugged. "Maybe you don't know."

She patted Reid on the shoulder and continued on.

Morgan had his arm slung around a pretty new agent as he stepped off, and the woman darted off in the opposite direction.

Morgan headed straight for Reid, not even noticing that the genius was in the doorway until he was face to face with him.

"What's this?" Morgan asked.

"Use your powers of observation," Reid replied.

Morgan looked up to see the mistletoe and he rolled his eyes. "Not gonna happen, pretty boy," he said. "Sorry, but you can't tempt me."

"I wasn't actually trying to," Reid said and Morgan smiled.

"Fair enough."

And then JJ. Pretty and perfect as usual. She stepped off the elevator in a tight skirt and a light colored shirt and stopped short when she saw Reid.

"This isn't a prank, right?" She asked, moving forward in a quick motion.

"No prank," Reid said.

"Okay," JJ answered. "Who else have you gotten today?"

"Gideon, Garcia and Elle," Reid replied.

JJ nodded. "Impressive. So you weren't just waiting for me."

Why did everyone think that?

"No," Reid said simply. "I wanted to celebrate the holidays differently this year, that's all."

"So this isn't something you've tried before in other places?" JJ asked. "How disappointing."

A smile on her face, she stepped forward again and placed her hands on his shoulders.

"Happy holidays then," she said and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips.

Reid got to work after that. He sat at his desk and got through five case files before Hotch came through the set of glass doors, glancing around him.

Hotch's eyes met Reid's in a moment that paralyzed the young genius. It was almost like Hotch was asking him why he hadn't waited. Why Hotch hadn't been given a chance.

Reid opened his mouth to protest, to say that Hotch had had a chance and he'd let it pass him by.

But then the Unit Chief turned and walked straight to his office and Reid wilted in his chair, feeling disappointment course through his veins.

Hotch was married. Reid had met Haley. He liked Haley.

But he liked Hotch, too.

It was intuition, or a taste for danger that made Reid wait until almost all of the other agents had filtered from the bullpen that night.

"I'm going to get burned," Reid reminded himself. "Flat out refused."

But still, he walked to the door and rehung the mistletoe, pulled out his book and stood there, waiting for something to happen.

Hotch's office door opened maybe fifteen minutes later. The Unit Chief walked out, deep in thought. He didn't notice Reid, or maybe he did, because he didn't look up once.

And then Hotch was standing in front of him. Staring at him.

"There's mistletoe above me," Reid breathed.

"I noticed," Hotch said.

They stood there a moment longer.

"Are you going to take advantage of it?" Reid asked.

That was all Hotch needed. The older man almost lunged forward, his lips landed on Reid's in an electrifying moment that both of them felt.

Reid kissed him back. He matched each movement, and tried to ante up each time.

And then Hotch pulled back, his eyes dark and his breathing erratic.

"Merry Christmas," he said simply, brushing his hair out of his eyes.

"Merry Christmas," Reid returned and watched Hotch leave.

Next time...

Pairing: JJ/Emily.

Date: December 2, 2008 and December 2, 2015.

Song: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Luther Vandross.

A/N: Each of these little one shots will be entirely in its own universe. I am going to try to do one for each day of December until Christmas.