VIOLENT DELIGHTS, aaron hotchner

new year's day

The day after Christmas, after pancakes for breakfast and when Jack's engrossed in playing on his new gaming system, Juliette and Aaron quietly sit at the barstools. In hushed tones they talk through the logistics of marriage until there's no reason they shouldn't get married.

After lunch, Juliette prepares for two hours of The Grinch with Jack while Aaron dresses in a suit, excusing himself to Quantico for a meeting. While she pretends to be oblivious, Aaron dials Rossi with fear in his voice to recommend him a jewelry store, and the two arrange to meet that afternoon.

He does actually go into the office, but a brief meeting with Cruz takes less than an hour. Parking in the empty lot an hour early, Aaron can't hide from his nerves when his palms leave stains on the steering wheel and his heart is beating out of his chest.

The last time he bought a ring, he was really in love, but the marriage was out of a feeling of obligation and the ring was the only one he could afford while paying for law school. Now he knows this ring needs to hold meaning, and after spending that hour on the internet, he thinks he knows what kind.

When Rossi meets him at the doors to the store, he pulls Aaron into a hug that pulls the air out of his lungs, and he has the feeling the threatening undertones are intentional. Once they separate, he pats Aaron on the shoulder and finally smiles, "I happy for you, for you both."

He smiles back, breathing a quiet sigh of relief, "Thanks, Dave. We're really happy."

As soon as they enter the shop, a salesman guides the two around cases of sparkling rings that cost more than his first car, but none of them manage to detail his love for Juliette. Finally, it's a ring he sees in passing that catches his eye more than anything else.

In the center of the gold band is an oval emerald, with small diamonds set to the sides extending down the band. The salesman seems disappointed his isn't interesting in something more traditional, but he still adds as they're checking out, "Your girlfriend's a lucky woman."

Aaron shakes his head, "I'm a lucky man."

x

Juliette pretends not to notice when Aaron carries his briefcase past it's usual spot and into their bedroom, then takes longer than usual to change out of his suit. She pushes aside her anxiety during their homemade dinner and family game night, only letting herself succumb to her feelings after Jack's gone to sleep.

Sitting in bed with music and their thoughts, Aaron isn't necessarily surprised when Juliette's shoulders begin to shake into his chest. He strokes her hair with his head pressed on top of hers, letting her have a moment before asking, "What's going on?"

She turns her her head and takes a breath, "I miss him. I'm sorry— I just... I can't stop thinking about him today."

Aaron moves to rub her arm, "Don't apologize. I would be lying if I said I haven't thought about Haley today. They're still apart of our lives, it's not taboo to talk about them."

Juliette looks up, "Are you sure you don't mind?"

Aaron smiles softly and shakes his head, "As long as you don't."

Turning off the lamp, Juliette leans into his chest and finds herself calmed by regaling the story of her engagement to Griffin, one much less impromptu on a trail in Central Park. Then, she gratefully listens to the way Aaron butchered his first engagement, stumbling over his words like he wasn't working in a court.

When she can no longer her eyes open and his arm around her torso carries her to sleep, she doesn't feel longing for Griffin, but for a lifetime with Aaron.