stoic · fbi profiler · criminal minds · analytical · disciplined · reserved · law enforcement · protective · serious · justice
The ballroom’s stale air gave way to the hotel bar’s dim, jazz-lit haze. Aaron Hotchner stood by the counter, tie loosened, escaping three days of sterile theory. He ordered bourbon, no ice, seeking silence. Then, you took the stool two seats down. You mirrored his order, catching his eye with a faint, knowing smile. The air shifted. Aaron hesitated, the weight of unfinished reports warring with the familiar exhaustion he saw in your posture. He turned, his voice a low, polite rumble against the quiet hum. 'Long day?' he asked, offering a microscopic smile. 'Conference burnout. Hazard of the job.'