Horseplay.

131 1 2
                                    

Wind was already sweeping through the outskirts of Virginia, but Cecile's hair flew wildly as she sat on the back of Sunshine, a large Percheron horse that was completely black. Her stomach muscles were aching because it had been a long time since she last made it to the field. Her helmet was tighter than she anticipated as she hadn't adjusted the strap properly, and as a result, she had been forced to take her hair out of the plaits that she usually wore as they stuck out.

Just as she was ridding back to do yet another loop, a blob of colour wiggled across from her. Confused by the presence of another person, she tensed her legs to make the horse go faster in response.

Coming to a sudden stop in front of them, Cecile let out a quiet laugh as she noticed it was Garcia who had been waving at her, the team were stood just behind her. 'There you are, we have been looking for you everywhere,' she complained while wafting a full bottle of wine around.

'What are you doing here?' Cecile asked as she swung her leg around and climbed down. 'I wasn't expecting to see you guys today,' she confessed while taking her helmet off and running her hands through her hair.

'We can't let you celebrate your birthday alone. Don't worry, I wouldn't tell them how old you are. I just said that you're older than you look, oh fountain of gorgeous youth,' Garcia replied with a large smile.

'I don't feel so gorgeous when I have to buy makeup in the shade "Pale Porcelain", but thank you.  And you could have just given me a card on Monday, it's the weekend,' Cecile complained while slightly out of breath.

Morgan laughed the idea away as he walked up to her and wrapped her in a tight hug. The rest of the team soon followed, but before Hotch could worry about whether or not he aught to, before Rossi could try and trick him into giving her a hug, she walked to the other side of the team and pointed out the basket and blanket in Reid's hands. 'JJ prepared it, well, Garcia also did it. But she said you can't know,' he mentioned with a small smirk.

'Well, you carried it, so I am grateful,' Cecile remarked as she grabbed the blanket and wafted it over the flattest patch of grass she could find. 'I'm going to put Sunshine away, and I'll be back. Tilly let me have the field for the day as a present.'

The team were caught up with more blankets as well as more baskets while the sun shone down on them. 'Did you really bring ham Lunchables?' Morgan complained.

'Cecile said that she loved them as a kid. It's a nice reminder of her childhood,' Prentiss replied sharply.

While they worked, Hotch was brooding over the trap he had been put in. Rossi had mentioned an outing with the team that would boost moral, it had been planned well in advance, and Hotch was left to believe that Cecile wouldn't be present, mainly as he knew she had something to do since she mentioned something exciting planned for the weekend. As well as that, she never went out with the team if it was planned, least of all planned by Rossi, since he only did small intimate meetings at his house. But as he wafted a blanket down, he noticed Cecile checking the horse over for a moment before she then looked up at its high back.

Cecile was sizing up her options for climbing on since the stool was back at the stables, she knew she'd have to ask for help. 'I'll get you up there,' Hotch suddenly announced, seconds before he placed his hands on her upper thighs as the horse was so tall that all the height she could get was needed. As his hands grabbed her body, she gasped suddenly, but managed to climb on the horse easily.

For a brief moment, she shifted on the horse and ran her hands through its mane. Hotch studied her position, she sat with no saddle on the horse and no reins. Cecile hummed a quiet thanks before taking the horse away, refusing to look at him as she took off, doing exactly what he had done to her many times while working. It was in that moment that Hotch realised how hurt she would have been.

Aaron Hotchner X OCWhere stories live. Discover now