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“What are you doing?” Aaron asked as he stood in the doorway of Rossi’s office, looking at the three stooges who stared back at him. Reid with his wide-eyed innocence, Morgan with surprise and Emily with annoyance. Scattered around them were dozens of rolls of cheap wrapping paper, scissors and sellotape. Many items had been painstakingly wrapped and it seemed they were determined to cover the entire office. The majority of the wrapping paper was Christmas themed with holly wreaths, Christmas trees, stars and cartoon Santa's and Rudolph's surrounding them. Others had snowflakes and for some reason, Morgan had several rolls of Disney Princess wrapping paper.
“Reid, I told you to keep watch!” Emily snapped as she grabbed the tube of wrapping paper that was closest to her and promptly hit Reid on the head with it. Instinctively Reid yelped, although it hadn’t hurt and looked at her apologetically.
“It’s not my fault! Morgan wasn’t doing it right, he should be keeping watch.” Reid protested weakly as Emily pointed the tube of wrapping paper at him like a sword.
“I told you. Morgan is doing the heavy items such as the couch and desk. You wanted to keep watch because it allows plausible deniability. Now keep watch.” Emily instructed as Reid nodded and headed to stand by the door to keep a lookout as Aaron stepped into the office.
“So why exactly are you wrapping everything in Rossi’s office?” Aaron asked as he picked up what he assumed was the framed photo of Rossi and Ringo that he kept on his desk.
Emily and Morgan exchanged a look and Emily shrugged her shoulders. “Funny.”
“Because it’s funny?” Aaron repeated skeptically before he internally groaned at the smirk that had appeared on Emily’s face and he knew he walked headfirst into an insult.
“Yes. you see, those of us who do possess a sense of humour find pranks to be amusing.” Emily explained and Morgan grinned at them.
“Also because we know he’ll go nuts and we’ve not really messed with him for a while.” Morgan explained and by the door, Reid nodded in agreement.
“We can’t have him thinking that we like him,” Emily joked as she looked at Aaron. “So, are you in or out?”
Aaron looked at the three of them and the already enormous mess they had made in Rossi’s office. His mature, practical side was telling him that it was stupid to get involved in a childish prank. His SSAIC, boss side was furious at how three of his agents were wasting their time and refusing to do any work and behave so unprofessionally. However his lesser-spoken playful side was considering the possibility of joining in. After all, when was the last time he had done something that was just silly?
And besides, Rossi did kind of have it coming for putting the idea into Jack’s head that Aaron had feelings for Emily, which he totally did not thank you very much.
As he considered these options, Aaron made the mistake of looking into Emily’s eyes. Those wide, glittering dark brown eyes that were filled with mischievous excitement at the thought of their prank. One look into those eyes and he knew, he was in. When Emily looked at him with those eyes, he knew he would do whatever she asked of him.
Aaron reached for a roll of wrapping paper and took it, a pair of scissors and some sellotape over to Rossi’s bookcase and smiled at them. “I’m in.”
It took the rest of the afternoon and well into the evening for them to complete their task but finally it was done. With blistered fingers, several paper cuts and several close calls when other agents glanced curiously into the office (JJ and Garcia, though bemused, wisely chose to stay out of it. Strauss also spotted them but decided since the prank was on Rossi, she’d let it slide. This time.) they finally finished. Every last surface, item and trinket was covered in wrapping paper. Even the windows and door had had wrapping paper rolled across them to ensure no inch had been left uncovered. After taking some photos for evidence/prosperity, the four conspirators left the bullpen, eager to come in early tomorrow and see Rossi’s reaction.
“He’s going to kill us, isn’t he?” Aaron asked Emily who shrugged her shoulders.
“Maybe but he deserved it.” Emily replied and Aaron nodded. He couldn’t argue with that. Rossi was long overdue being brought down a peg or two and despite what happened tomorrow, he was pleased to have been involved. Especially as it had meant spending the afternoon with Emily and that dazzling smile of hers.