Tease

There are days where Patrick just likes to be insufferable. It's like he finds special joy from getting under Kimball's skin, and Kimball both loves and hates the treatment. While it's a different kind of feeling to have Patrick Jane's undivided attention, especially when you know that some of that attention isn't deliberate and the man is genuinely off-kilter when it comes to Kimball Cho, that attention usually comes with tactics to make you hot under the collar with either frustration or attraction.

Like right now.

"Patrick, stop staring at me and do something productive. We have a murder to investigate, in case you forgot." Cho says as he's flipping through old files of a related case. He doesn't have to look at Patrick to know he's staring.

Patrick grins around the lollipop in his mouth, looking cheeky and up to no good. He gives it a good suck then pulls it out of his mouth with a loud pop.

"Oh please, I've already narrowed down the culprit to two suspects and have a plan set in motion to expose who it is. As far as I'm concerned our work is done, and you know that as well as I do."

Kimball sighs, still scanning through files, "I still have to cover our bases, I don't get paid to do nothing."

As the words leave his mouth he kicks himself mentally for giving Patrick an opening to make a crude statement.

"Easy fix!" Patrick sits up straight on the couch and raises his finger as if he just had an aha! moment. "I can think of a million and one things you could do right now that have nothing to do with work and everything to do with me naked." Patrick says with a sleazy grin.

Kimball only sighs again and pinches the bridge of his nose. He would have been nervous about Patrick saying that out loud if not for the fact that the rest of the team was out of the office, and all the other cops do their very best to tune out conversations from the bullpen.

"Is it so hard for you to wait until the workday is over to be so insufferable? At least then I can shut you up properly." Kimball says, exasperated. He's paused his reading to look at Patrick directly, trying his best to give Patrick one of his withering looks.

It's not working.

Patrick's grin becomes wider, "Ooh, mister Cho means business now. You wanna make good on that threat? This couch is comfy and there's space for two." He settles into the couch and puts his lollipop back in his mouth, stretching one arm and wiggling his hips.

Cho knows that Patrick is riling him up, teasing him, he knows this and has experienced it enough times that he shouldn't be fazed in the slightest.

...But Patrick Jane is one of the most sultry human beings Kimball Cho has ever met, and he has a natural talent of being seductive even when he's not trying.

Kimball levels Patrick with a different stare this time, one that has Patrick's hairs standing on edge in the most pleasant way.

"I'll pin you to my own couch seven different ways if you can keep quiet for the next four hours and let me work." Kimball says in that deep, smooth tone that has Patrick shivering. "Or would you rather I just ignore you for the rest of the day and go home alone? I'm sure you can sort yourself out."

Patrick stamps down the need to whine that settles high in his throat. He wanted this, he knows that deep down, but Kimball has a way about him that makes people want to beg for forgiveness.

Instead, Patrick keeps sucking on his lollipop and nods frantically in agreement.

Kimball gives him one of his rare grins, although it borders on predatory.

"That's a good boy."

Patrick shivers again, then practically jumps off the couch when Lisbon storms into the bullpen, Rigsby and Van Pelt in tow. Kimball simply turns back around in his chair, smug expression on his face.

"Hey guys," She raises her hand to show a manila folder with papers inside, "we got some new information on the case." She pauses when she notices Patrick's frazzled look.

"Everything okay? You look nervous." She asks.

"Hmm? Oh yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Patrick replies, tripping over his words, "Just a little overheated. Spent a little too much time in that victim's backyard."

Lisbon, Rigsby, and Van Pelt all look at him funny.

Patrick claps his hands together and rocks back on his heels, "Well, I'm going to go get some water to hydrate, I'm a little thirsty."

Kimball snorts at that while Patrick walks away.

Lisbon's gaze snaps over to him, "What's so funny?"

Cho just flips through another page of files and keeps his gaze down. "Oh, nothing, just a little inside joke."

Lisbon rolls her eyes.

"It's always the secrets with you people."

.Fin.

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Thank you for reading!

I find this ship so fun to write because the characters are so distinctive and trying to convey their personalities in my own way is one of my favorite things.

I hope you enjoyed this and check out more of my works!

-SNM