Title: Peppermint and Eggnog
Author: Sam
Fandom: Criminal Minds
Pairing: Gideon/Hotch/Reid
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Not mine, no money made, just bitten by a bunny and needed to stop it from nawing on my ankle.
Warning: Spoilers for last week's ep Profiler Profiled. Pure shmoop. Possible lewd use of holiday candy.
Summary: Spencer wants something for Christmas.

***

A strangled whimper sounded off to his right as Jason Gideon signed off on yet another report. It had been a slow week at the BAU and as a consequence there had been no convenient excuse for not catching up on the mountain of paperwork awaiting both SSAs, accumulated from being ignored during their time out in the field.

Not bothering to look over at the younger man, Gideon only chuckled. '"Not another science-magic trick I hope," he commented, reaching for another file. "I heard the last one hit Prentiss and she was none too happy about it."

"A direct hit to the middle of the forehead," Hotch mused vaguely, his attention still on whatever it was that caused that moan to begin with. "If I knew for a fact Spencer had yet to come up with a way to control the trajectory, I would be tempted to wonder if it were deliberate."

"Spencer?" Gideon replied in surprise. "Not a chance. There's not a deliberately mean bone in that boy's body. Now Morgan on the other hand..."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive," the older profiler said definitively. "Empty film canisters that go rocketing around the pit aside."

His eyes still trained on the young man in question, leaning on his desk out in the main pit, Hotch swallowed again and resolutely ordered his brain cells north and turned his attention back to the matter at hand. Namely quarterly budget reports...

"If you say so, Gideon," he muttered. But he wasn't too sure...
--

"You are one mean bastard, kid," Morgan accused, almost admiringly, while sliding into the chair at his desk. One look at what their resident genius was currently up to and Morgan had to turn away before walking was to become a problem.

Not bothering to stop what he was doing - namely dipping and swirling a red and white candy cane into his cup of eggnog before bringing the stick to his mouth and sucking gently - Spencer denied with a smug little grin, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Uh huh, sure you don't," the older agent accused. "Just do me a favor, will ya?" At Reid's inquiring puppy dog eyes, he shook his head in true admiration. "Turn that evil spell in the other direction? I actually have work to finish before I can head home. It's Christmas Eve and not all of us are speed demons with the paperwork, you know?"

"Fine," their youngest teammate sighed, taking out the peppermint cane and nibbling on the end. "Peppermint and eggnog isn't bad but I'm thinking it's better for the entertainment value anyway."

Morgan snorted. "I'm entertained and I'm sitting right here."

"You're no fun." Spencer opined.

"Yeah well you might want to cut down on your fun, Reid - before you give Hotch a heart attack."

Reid's interest picked up at that. "So he's watching?"

"Oh yeah, he's watching alright."

"And Gideon?"

Hating to dash that hopeful look, Morgan shook his head. "Not that I can tell. Though in the last three hours I don't think he's had his nose out of case files so I can't tell for certain. Though he hasn't moved from behind his desk in all that time, either, so it could really go either way."

Spencer sighed, wedging one sharp hip up on his desk. "You think they're really interested in me?"

Seeing the sad, kicked puppy look (though this time it wasn't just for effect and therefore Reid tried to hide it) Morgan couldn't help but respond to that sound. From wicked seducer of older men to insecure little brother in .5 seconds. How did Reid do that, he wondered?

Reaching out over their desks, Morgan squeezed an arm encouragingly. "You just keep doing what you're doing, kid," the lothario advised. "They'll come around."

Unable to not brighten at the conviction in the encouraging tone, Spencer smiled. "Thanks Morgan."

"No sweat. Now shoo," Morgan told him seriously. "I have the mother of all paperwork calling my name."

Chuckling, Reid shifted away in mock-surrender...

...before taking up his cup and cane once more and beginning the seduction all over again.

And this time when he stirred and lifted the spiced peppermint to his lips for a suck and a nibble, he could have sworn he heard *two* sets of moans coming from Gideon's office.

Who knew? There might be hope of him getting *just* what he wanted for Christmas yet. Good thing he had two more cartons of eggnog in the refrigerator at home.

After all, peppermint wasn't the only thing that tasted good covered in eggnog...



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