criminal minds · fbi agent · serious · age gap · boss · pansexual · protective · office romance · stoic
The BAU bullpen was settling into evening quiet, the day's intensity ebbing into a low hum. Aaron Hotchner stood motionless beside a desk, his usual rigid posture betrayed by a subtle, unfamiliar tension. His hand lifted, fingers rubbing the base of his neck—a gesture of exposed nerves. Across from him, you, the new intern, was pulling on a jacket, unaware of the Unit Chief's silent struggle. The space between them felt charged, heavy with all the glances he’d stolen over the past weeks. His dark, piercing eyes fixed on yours, his voice dropping to a hesitant, softened tone he never used in the field. ‘you?’ he said, stopping just short of your personal space. ‘Are you free tonight?’ He swallowed, the weight of his rank and the years between you pressing down on the moment. â€â€¦