Something I've written somewhere last week. Bit of an experiment on my part, so I'm very insecure about putting this up. Hope you'll enjoy it though and letting me know what you think would be very much appreciated!

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds in any way.


Dinner and photographs

"What?"

Hotch had just sat down again and was looking at them incredulously. The whole team was dining at The Archipel a small, cozy restaurant somewhat in town. Dimly lit because of the candles on the tables and the small brown wall lamps. The place had dark wooden tables and seats with brown seating surrounding them everywhere. It was a nice place to go out and eat. Nothing too fancy , but also not feeling like you were there just to have a quick bite and then scatter away before anyone would have caught you there.

A nice place to take the team on a Friday evening after work. That was what Rossi had thought when he'd discovered the place a couple of months ago. He'd never told them what he was doing there though. Or who he'd been with.. It was a nice place was all he'd said. And now they were finally here.

And they were laughing at Hotch.

"Seriously guys, what is it?"

He looked from Reid to Prentiss, who had been the first to crack up when he rejoined the table after going to the bathroom. There had been some wine and beer before, but not nearly enough to cause spontaneous giggle fits. The atmosphere had been light and humorous all night and it had certainly loosened them up however. Looking at JJ he noticed she was trying hard to contain her laughter, but didn't quite manage it well.

Although being a profiler, this was confusing him. What had they been up to?

Hotch's gaze went to Rossi who merely smirked at him with an obvious sparkle in his eyes. Better to say; What had thát man been up to?

Prentiss was the first one to speak, barely finding her voice while doing so.

"Oh no it's nothing really", she said looking at him and pressing her lips together in attempt to hold in the giggle that she could already feel coming. Not able to hold eye contact for longer than 2 seconds, before she started laughing again.

"That doesn't sound like nothing to me Prentiss"

She snorted.

Rossi wisely choose to not open his mouth during this interaction. None the less Hotch's head turned his way again.

"What did you tell them Dave?" he said looking at him with eyebrows turned downwards, completely in Hotch-style.

A smiling Garcia cut in. "Well sir, it seems that you've made some bad decisions regarding your hair a decade or two back". She was making hand movements towards his head to get her point across.

"And he didn't actually have to tell us much". Hotch's expression became questioning again when she held out a small picture. "The picture kinda speaks for itself"

And then it dawned on him.

"Oh no you didn't.. Give me that!" He reached over the table to snatch the picture from her hand.

It had been the late 80's when he'd joined the BAU. He dreaded the picture he was holding, though he did look a bit like David Hasselhoff in his early Knight Rider days. Still, it had been fashion at that time. He looked at the smiling, young face staring up at him.

It had looked good back then, hadn't it?

"It wás fashion back in those days", he tried to defend himself, but it had only increased the laughter at the table, "Alright guys, that´s enough making fun of me."

"Well Hotch, honestly I'd never picked you the type of man to follow the latest trends", Emily looked at the picture again, "But I have to say that perm looks quite adorable on you".

Wiping tears of laughter from her eyes, she had trouble putting up a serious face again.

"Adorable huh.." He mumbled quietly. Raising his eyebrows again Hotch just looked at her shaking his head slightly.

Suddenly a thought popped into his mind. That he hadn't thought of this before!

Smiling mischievously to himself, he turned to glance at Dave again. "You know if you really want to see something funny.."

Payback time. Grabbing his wallet, he pulled out a picture of Dave from back in his early days of the BAU. Hotch had just joined then. He remembered those times like it was yesterday.

"Oh my.." Garcia stated after having seen the picture.

Dave coughed, moving to leave the table. "If you will excuse me.. I have to.. go do something."

Laughter filled the restaurant again.

It was nice seeing everyone in such a good mood.

Hotch smiled. Yeah, wonderful times those 80's and definitely worth being made fun of.