Kate knew that she needed a game plan. Even though Hotch was rather easy going about admitting the team into his office, and definitely never barred his door, it still wouldn't do to just go barging in there just to see what he was wearing. She'd still need a reason.
So it was time to create one.
Plan A was to spill something on her shirt, say that she didn't have anything to wear and ask him for a jacket. But that was scrapped when she turned and saw her go-bag sitting, in plain sight, on her desk, and JJ or Garcia would have something even if it wasn't...
And this was her St. Patrick's Day shirt. She wasn't going to spill anything on it.
Plan B was to create a scene and get Hotch to leave his office to see what was going on, but she was too shy to do that. (Not that Kate was shy. She was just shy around her boss. Sometimes.)
As Kate wondered what to do, she freely admitted to herself that she did, indeed, have a crush on her boss. (Who wouldn't? He was tall, dark and handsome, with a great sense of humor...when it decided to appear...and an even sweeter smile, when that deigned to appear, on very rare occasions that happened not enough for Kate's preference.)
Her mind wandered, and she found herself cooking up scenarios to make Hotch smile, or even laugh.
Plan A: Turn on a funny movie.
Foiled: "Morgan, what kind of movies make Hotch laugh?"
"Charlie Chaplin?" Morgan said. "No, that was Gideon. I think Hotch likes Steve Martin sometimes. Why do you ask?"
"No reason," Kate chirped, hurried back to her desk and then realized that there were few circumstances that would have her and Hotch trying to find a movie to watch together.
Plan B: Tell a joke.
"Reid, would you rather win a million dollars or be whacked on the lips by a dead mole while you sleep?" Kate asked, coming up behind him and startling him.
"This is hypothetical, right?" Reid said. "Because I really doubt that you possess a million dollars, and I really hope that you don't have a dead mole."
"It's hypothetical," Kate said. "But note that I'm not denying possession of either."
"Okay," Reid said. "Well...the money, I guess. I don't need money, but I don't want a mole."
"Well, I hate to say it, but you won't get the money," Kate said.
"So that means I do get the mole?" Reid asked and Kate wilted.
"That didn't work, did it?"
"Was it supposed to be a joke?" Reid asked.
"Yes, but I think I explained away the humor," she said.
Plan C: Tickle him. Which was, by far, the most appealing plan on the list, but even more unexecutable.
She gave up on trying to make Hotch smile and returned to trying to think up ways to get into his office, rolled her eyes at her own cowardice and walked, not letting herself pause, straight to Hotch's door and knocked.
Aaron Hotchner got to work early on purpose St. Patrick's Day, due to a bet lost with Jack.
"I won't wear green unless you do," Jack said. "This shirt."
"No," Hotch said firmly.
"Come on, Aunt Jessica gave it to you!"
"It's not me," Hotch said.
"You aren't going anywhere today!"
"That's the assumption," Hotch said. "It is by no means a certainty."
"But you aren't meeting anyone important, flying anywhere that you need to look professional, and you have to or I won't wear green at all." Jack folded his arms.
"Fine!" Hotch exclaimed. "I'm putting it on!"
This was, of course, the day his car stalled and he had to phone a taxi after calling Reid and Morgan, and they had already left their respective residences and couldn't swing by to pick him up.
"Mister, do you mean that?" The driver asked, not hiding his smirk when he looked at Hotch's shirt in the mirror.
"Just drive, please," Hotch said, folded his arms over his chest and tried to block out the man's chuckling.
"I've never seen you dressed like that," Gina Sharp said, placing a hand over her grinning mouth. "Can I take you up on that offer?"
"No," Hotch bit out.
"Sad," Gina giggled.
"Oh, you dressed for the day after all," Garcia gushed upon colliding with him in the kitchen. "I didn't think you had it in you, sir."
"Didn't think I had what in me?" He asked grumpily, pouring a cup of coffee and striving to ignore her.
"The confidence to wear a statement like that," she said. "I dressed for the day, but even I have never worn such words."
"Thank you," Hotch said. "You are complimenting me, right?"
"Indeed I am," Garcia grinned.
Reid's reaction was the worst: he literally spat out the mouthful of coffee he'd just drunk.
"Good grief, it's an epidemic!" He blurted, trying to dab up the spilled coffee on his desk with his green neck tie, and promptly removing the tie when it got ruined.
"What do you mean, epidemic?" Hotch asked.
"I must have seen seven people on my way to work wearing some variation of that shirt," Reid said. "It must be popular. People are more desperate for physical—"
"Stop right there," Hotch said coolly, and Reid mimed zipping his mouth closed.
"The green really brings out your eyes," JJ called over, overhearing them.
"Oh, does it?" Hotch said. "Thanks so much for all the compliments."
It was at that point that Hotch stormed into his office and shut the door, not to emerge again until much later, after some...clever marketing done by Kate Callahan.
Rossi was the last to laugh at him, after having barged into the lion's den to relate the progress he'd made on his date the previous night.
"I really don't need to hear about it," Hotch said.
"Why, has no one taken up on your shirt's offer?"
"That's it, get out!" Hotch said, shoved the cackling older man from his office and closed his office blinds, desperately hoping that no one else would come in.
A/N: I know, this was not 'later today'. Hopefully, it'll be less time for me to get up the next chapter.
Reviews are so very welcome. I mean, I love writing but I'd like some reassurances that you guys also love reading my stories.