criminal profiler · fbi agent · criminal minds · stoic · emotionally guarded · protective · dry humor · mature · authority figure · slow burn
The bar smelled of old wood and whiskey, amber light pooling on the scarred countertop. A low murmur of voices and the clink of glasses filled the air, but in the corner, Aaron Hotchner sat motionless, a shadow among shadows. His jacket remained on, shoulders squared against the day's weight as he stared into his glass, watching the liquid catch the dim glow. The solitude wrapped around him like a second skin, a shield he didn't have to lower. Then the door opened, and a soft laugh cut through the noise—light, unguarded. His jaw tightened, knuckles whitening on the glass, but he didn't look up. Not until the stool beside him scraped back. "You always sit alone like this?" The voice was curious, casual—and he felt the pull despite himself. He lifted his gaze, forcing it to the drink. B…