"So, have you gotten a Christmas tree yet, Hotch?" Dave asked as he joined him and Erin at the elevators. He knew that he had been a bit adrift since Beth had unexpectedly broken things off two weeks ago, and hoped that he was finally getting out of his funk.
"No. And before you say it, yes I know that there's only ten days until Christmas. Jack has been keeping me apprised of the situation. He seems to think that all his friends will know that he didn't have a normal Christmas this year."
"Do you blame him, Aaron? I suppose you haven't even wrapped his presents yet." Erin was looking at him, a bemused, faintly sad, look on her face. "You have to keep the season magical for him for as long as you can. One day, he's not going to be there any longer, and you'll wonder where the time went."
Dave wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her tightly to him as the doors opened. "She has a point, you know. And I know how to fix this. We're going to get you a Christmas tree and then help you wrap all the presents. You just make sure Jack stays at Jessica's for the evening."
Aaron shook his head as he stepped inside the elevator. "I suppose this isn't even a request, is it?"
"You should know better by now."
Sighing, he pulled out his cellphone and dialed Jessica. "Hey, it's me. Seems I've been Shanghaied for the night, would you mind keeping Jack until tomorrow? I'll pick him up."
"That would be no problem, Aaron. I'm just glad someone is finally pulling your head from your ass." He let out a little huff as she laughed and saw Dave smirk a little. "I'll see you tomorrow."
He hung up and stuffed the phone in his pocket, glaring at his friend. "Let me guess, she called you out, too."
"Maybe." He really hated working with profilers every so often. They were so close and eventually had come to know everything about each other. "So, where are we going to get this magical tree that will fix everything?" he asked.
"Cut the sarcasm, it doesn't suit you. Just because you're smarting from a bad breakup does not mean you need to take it out on your son." Erin's eyes flashed at him, and he was struck by the passion in her voice. "He needs you to be strong for him, he needs you to be there." Tears rolled down her cheeks, tears that she seemed heedless of, and he reached out, only for her to slap his hand away. "You don't get that."
"What don't I get?"
"Anything anymore. You were mooning over Beth, letting this new relationship take over and push you away from him. I know the signs, I did the same thing to my children when I was still drinking." Her tears wouldn't seem to stop and Dave began to rub her shoulder as she continued to stare into his eyes. There was something so fragile and lovely about her fury and he stepped closer to her, reaching out once more. This time, she didn't pull away from him and he closed her in a tight hug.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to touch a nerve. Maybe I have been a bit of an ass recently," he said lowly as he also rubbed her back. "Fine, give me a Christmas makeover." She nodded slightly and before he could stop himself, he kissed the top of her head. Looking over at Rossi, he saw him smile, an inscrutable look on his face.
"You can let go of me now, Aaron. I think I've calmed a little. I didn't mean to break down like this." She stepped back from him, into Dave's embrace, and tried to smile. He reached up once more and she allowed him to brush away the tears still wetting her cheeks, sighing slightly. "Thank you."
He nodded and once the doors opened, Dave pushed Erin towards him. "She's going to ride with you to make sure you hold up your end of the bargain. Not that I don't trust you, but you're good at ducking out of things like this."
"Fine. I suppose we should stop by my apartment and drop the car off. A tree will fit better on the roof of your SUV anyway." Dave nodded sharply and took off for his vehicle while Aaron held out his elbow to Erin. She slipped her hand into the crook and they walked over to his car together. "How do you put up with him?" he asked as they drove.
"I love him." She smiled gently, looking down at her hands. "And despite all my flaws, he loves me. I don't think that I could ask for anything more at this point in my life. Could you?"
He found himself shaking his head, realizing that no, he couldn't ask for more than that. The rest of the ride, they were quiet and he found himself content to just to be in her presence. There had never been the opportunity to rest in silence with her, and it settled his heart for some reason that he couldn't explain. "We're here."
She turned to look at him, smiling. "So we are. Well, let's get on with this little festive escapade." Leaning over, she caressed his cheek. "Dave likes you. I don't know why at times, but he does. And that makes me like you and want you to be a better person." And then she kissed him softly.
Opening the door to the car, Erin pranced out and went up to the SUV. Aaron touched his lips softly as he got out and climbed in the back seat. "So, are we headed to a lot of trees or something?"
"Kind of. Just wait and see. So, did you and Erin get along on the ride over?"
He met her eyes in the rearview mirror and nodded. "She talked some sense into me. I wish she would do the same for you, Dave."
The man laughed lowly. "She has been sanding off a few of those rough edges. I rather like this softness she brings to me." Reaching over, he clasped his lover's hand, bringing it to his lips to kiss softly. "And she does the most wonderful things."
"I can only imagine," he murmured as he adjusted his pants. Dave chuckled a little, and he knew that the man must have caught his maneuver. As he watched, Erin turned up the music and then reclined the seat to look up at him. "What?"
"Nothing. I just want to take a quick rest. I think tonight is going to be a long night." Her lips curved up and he smiled back, reaching out to smooth back her hair as her eyes fluttered closed. Over the music, he could hear the soft sounds of her breathing and gently sighed.
"She gets tired a lot lately. These cases are taking a toll on her."
"I think they're taking a toll on all of us. We have seen some seriously strange things this fall, and I can't help but feel like we're ramping up to some over the top weird shit. It's like the Mayan prophecy mentality is affecting everyone on some cellular level."
"They debunked that, you know, Aaron. It's only a myth."
"Yes, I know that, Dave. But there still seems to be something about the idea the lingers and festers inside people. Admit it, everyone seems on edge these days, wondering what is going to happen next." He let out a deep breath as he began to stroke Erin's hair lightly. When he had done the same with Haley and Beth, it had always calmed him more than them. "I don't want to see what sort of crazies come out of the woodwork in the next few days."
Erin made a low sound of pleasure, arching into his hand. "That's why I count on you and Sam to take care of those crazies, Aaron." She looked up at him, a dreamy, faraway look in her eyes. Not able to help himself, he leaned in and kissed her forehead. Rossi laughed a little at the gesture and Erin reached over to swat him. "Let him be tender. I like tender a lot better than being an ass."
"There is that, bella." He pulled into the parking lot of a tree seller and they all got out, Erin threading her arms through his and Dave's. She led them deep into the lot, seeming intent on finding the perfect tree.
"How tall is your ceiling again, Aaron?" she asked as she stopped in front of a huge monstrosity of a tree.
"Not that tall, Erin. I think the last tree we got was seven and a half feet tall."
"That gets us somewhere," she murmured, pulling them onwards. "Nope, too small, too straggly, too bleh," she said as they moved on. Finally, she stopped in front of a beautiful blue-tinged tree and sighed. "Perfect. This is the tree, David."
"It is, bella." Aaron watched him let go of his lover to step forward and pull it towards them. "A little help would be nice, Hotch."
"Oh, right." He stepped forward and picked up the other end of the tree and let Erin lead them back to the front. While the tree was being wrapped in twine for the drive home, Erin looked at the various wreaths and swags that were along the front.
"We need to get one of these for the door, too. No door is complete without a wreath." She held out a rather large one, a bright smile on her face. Aaron could only nod as she added it to their bill. After he had paid, she carried it proudly back to the car, the men following her brisk pace. Somehow, he and Dave managed to get the tree on top of the car and tied down while she placed the wreath in the back before getting behind the wheel.
"Hey!"
"You snooze, you lose, Davie. You know I love driving this car." She grinned back at them, welcoming the kiss that Dave gave her, even as Hotch caught his wink to him. "Now hand over the keys."
"Yes, Erin." He pulled them out of his pocket and handed them over before finishing the last tie off on the roof. "Well, let's get this party started," he said as he climbed in back with Aaron.
Erin drove at a less sedate pace than Rossi did, something that surprised Aaron. She handled the car like a pro and he found himself enjoying the ride back to his apartment. "You're still on the sixth floor, right, Aaron?"
"Yes. Oh, god, yes." He and Rossi both groaned.
"What?"
"I'm not going to fit that in the elevator. We have to climb all those stairs with this tree that you thought was so perfect."
She laughed lightly and it was Dave who reached up to smack her arm gently. "Ow! You two are both fit FBI agents who have to pass a yearly physical to be out in the field. I'm certain you'll make it up a few flights of steps."
They just shook their heads at her. "There had better be a good reward at the end of the night for this, beloved."
"Oh, you know there will be, provided everyone is up for playing a few reindeer games." Just the way she said those words made him adjust his seat once more, and Dave chuckled lowly, looking over at him.
"Oh, I think we are more than up for that." He reached over and rubbed Aaron's leg softly, taking in his every reaction to him. "Aren't we, Hotch?"
"I think you know the answer to that, Rossi," he growled out, only to hear Erin laugh. "Here, take the keys," he said shortly after she had parked as close to the door as she could.
"Thank you, Aaron." Leaning forward, she kissed him passionately before going to the back and grabbing the wreath. "I'll see you upstairs in a little while, boys," she purred before stalking off, her hips swinging.
"How do you manage to keep from getting caught?" he asked as he and Rossi hoisted the tree down from the top of the vehicle.
"I have a deal with Garcia. I don't welch on some of her activities, she gets rid of any incriminating evidence that we happen to leave at the office." He waggled his eyebrows, and Hotch found himself smiling widely. It didn't surprise him when Rossi also leaned forward and kissed him, even though his was a tad more chaste than Erin's. "I'm the one who pushed this on Erin. If you're not comfortable with anything, let me know and I'll back off. I wouldn't want to do anything that would disturb our friendship."
Aaron shrugged as he picked up his end of the tree. "Different can be good at times, Dave. And, much though it pains me to admit, I do need something to take my mind off this breakup. I think I let things get too serious, too quickly. But after Haley…"
"You just wanted to find normal once more. I understand. Why do you think I married Carolyn? It was a way to take my mind off my first breakup with Erin."
Aaron filed that piece of information away in the back of his head as they carefully made their way inside, climbing the steep stairs. Both were huffing and puffing when they reached the second floor, and they set the tree down to take a brief rest. It took them a good fifty five minutes to get to his floor and another ten to make it down to his door. Setting the tree down heavily, Aaron knocked on his door and Erin threw it open, a grin on her face.
"You're finally here! I managed to get all the presents in your closet wrapped, all you need to do is tag them. I didn't know which, if any, were going to be from Santa. And I hung up a few decorations that I found." She kissed them both as they came in with the tree and directed them to the place she had cleared.
It didn't take them long to have the tree set up in the stand and watered, and while she strung the lights and tinsel, Aaron sat at the kitchen table and filled out the tags, affixing them to the various packages. By the time that task was finished, she was holding out a box of ornaments to each of them. "Will you make us something to drink while we do this?" Aaron asked her, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek.
"Of course, I'll see if I can scrounge up the ingredients for hot chocolate. I just wish we could light a fire. Tonight is the perfect night for one."
"Oh, I think we'll be lighting a fire by the end of the night, bella, don't you?" She giggled as she nodded, going over to the kitchen and opening cupboards. He found his eyes gravitating towards her as they worked, focusing on the way she twitched her hips to an internal music. The tree was soon finished, and he stepped back to admire all the work they had put into it.
Erin came up and pressed a mug into each of their hands, threading her free arm around Dave's waist. "Thank you for doing this. I didn't realize how much better I would feel afterwards." He sipped at the drink and tasted a hint of peppermint schnapps and he looked over at Erin. "I take it you found my secret stash."
"Uh huh. Mine is understandably plain, but that's what kisses are for." He nodded and took another sip before puckering his lips. She grinned and kissed him sweetly, darting her tongue out to lap at lips. Opening up, he let her plunder his mouth before releasing her.
"You taste just as sweet as anything in my mug," he said lowly, watching her cuddle close to Dave.
"Thank you," she said, blushing a little as she sipped from her mug once more. "I think I'm going to find the restroom and then the bedroom. Come join me whenever you're ready." She handed her mug to Rossi and then made her way down the hall, leaving them alone.
"So, when did you decide that this was going to be a thing?" Aaron asked, needing some explanation for what was about to occur.
"I don't really know. She mentioned something about spicing up our love life, but I think she meant watching porn or something. When I first mentioned that I wanted to include you, she thought it was a joke. And then, she realized I was serious and she took another look at you. I just got her to agree when Beth broke up with you."
"And you figured this would be a great way to get me to rebound." Dave nodded, an earnest look on his face. "You only live once, I suppose." He held out his hand to Rossi. "Well, let's get this underway, then."
Aaron led him to the bedroom and they found Erin curled up on the bed, stark naked and watching the door for them. "I had thought that maybe you'd started out there without me," she whispered, stretching.
"I could never do that to you. I suppose we should set some ground rules here. Erin's requested this be a one night only thing, and I agree. Also, no pinching or biting her. If you want to get a bit feral, bite me." Aaron looked down at her and found she was staring at the sheets, biting her lip. "Finally, I don't know how you feel about penetration, but that's not for me. I'll give you a blow job, but that's the extent of how far I'm willing to go."
"That sounds fine to me. I've never done anything with a guy, anyway." He could feel that he was blushing, and both Erin and Dave reached out to touch him. He welcomed the touches, leaning down to kiss Erin as Dave caressed his back, rubbing in concentric circles.
"Why are you both still dressed?" Erin asked once he had finally let go of her lips. Shrugging, he began to undo the buttons on his shirt, letting it fall from his shoulders as he undid the belt on his pants. From the corner of his eye, he could see Dave disrobing as well, and he heard Erin sigh. "That's what I like to see."
Dave laughed as he reached out to cup one of her breasts, tweaking the nipple. Aaron listened to her coo in pleasure. Aaron pushed his boxers down his legs before stretching out along Erin's side, cupping her other breast and lowering his mouth to it, sucking strongly. Her fingers quickly became tangled in his hair, holding him there as she moaned and thrashed next to them. "She's a bit impatient," Rossi said as he dragged one of Erin's hands down to the juncture between her thighs. "Feel how wet she is already."
"Well, we shouldn't make a lady wait," he replied as he let go of her breast to look up into her eyes. "Should we?"
She shook her head and lifted her hips in supplication. "I don't care which of you it is, I just want one of you in me. Please." Her voice took on a slight whining edge to it and he ran his fingers up and down her slit. A sharp cry broke from between her lips and she tugged on his hair. "No teasing, please."
He nodded, looking to Dave for guidance on what to do next. The man just held out a condom and he ripped open the package, rolling it over his dick before thrusting into her. He set a hard, fast, pace for them and she just met him thrust for thrust, capturing his lips in a searing kiss as she strove to bring him to higher and higher planes of pleasure. Before he knew it, he orgasmed. Looking down, he saw that she was still on the precipice and she cocked her head towards Dave.
Nodding, he slid from her body, taking off the condom and throwing it away while Dave screwed his girlfriend. It was titillating to see another man fuck the woman he had just had, and his dick twitched once more. Erin came with a loud scream, falling back on the bed. Dave turned to look at him, a smirk on his face and Aaron nodded.
In moments, the man was on his knees, his mouth around Aaron's dick. Erin sat up against the headboard, staring at them as her lover gave him one of the most amazing blow jobs he had ever received. "David does the most wonderful things with his mouth, doesn't he?"
Aaron found the his entire body was heavy, too heavy to move, and so he just smiled at her. She crawled over to the edge of the bed and kissed him once more, thrusting her tongue in his mouth to duel with his. The passionate kiss sent him over the edge and as he came, he nipped indelicately at her tongue, tasting the salty tang of blood. As she pulled away from him, there was a feral smile on her face and she collapsed back on the bed. "Tired already?"
"You two wore me out, what can I say? David, don't forget to get the washcloths." He nodded and stood with a low groan. Aaron watched him go into the hall before climbing in next to Erin. She snuggled close, resting her head on his chest. "I hope this made you feel a little better."
Kissing her cheek, he let out a soft breath. "Yes, it did." Dave rejoined them and tossed a washcloth to both him and Erin. It took him a moment to realize that he was supposed to clean up with it, watching Erin and Dave lovingly wash each other. "So, is this so ritual that you guys have?" he asked as he took the washcloths from them.
"Uh huh," she replied absently as she stretched out on the bed. "I assume that you know where to put those," she said through a yawn. He got up and padded out to the bathroom, quickly finding the hamper. After putting them away, he peed and washed his hands before going back.
It only took one look at the bed to see that Erin was already asleep, curled up into Dave. He made his way to the bed and crawled in beside her, looking at him. "Sleep well, Aaron. We usually get up for round two at five." He felt his eyes widen as Rossi placed a possessive hand on his hip, letting his own eyes close. This would definitely go down as being a very interesting Christmas for him, and he wouldn't ever regret a single moment of it.