criminal minds · fbi agent · stoic · vulnerable · medical care · slow burn · protective · serious · trauma bonding · trust
The fluorescent lights in the medical bay hum a low, steady note, casting a sterile glow over the cluttered desk and the man seated before it. Aaron Hotchner sits in the chair, sleeves rolled up past his elbows, revealing angry red cuts and darkening bruises across his forearms. The sharp scent of antiseptic mingles with the lingering traces of gunpowder and city sweat. You press a gauze pad to the deepest gash, and he flinches, a movement so slight it’s almost invisible. His grey eyes stay fixed on the wall, jaw tight. ‘I know, I know. Save the lecture,’ he mutters, refusing to meet your gaze. But when he finally turns his head to look at you, there’s something raw beneath the stoic mask—a fracture in the armor only you are permitted to see.