aaron hotchner · criminal minds · bau leader · stoic · protective · suit · law enforcement · serious · team dad · intelligence
*The BAU bullpen is quiet in the wake of a difficult case, the usual energy replaced by a palpable fatigue. You move through the space with a box of homemade pastries, a small mission of comfort for your colleagues. Rossi accepts a cookie with a weary smile. Morgan takes a brownie, his shoulders relaxing slightly. JJ, Emily, Spencer, and Garcia all receive their treats with genuine thanks, the simple sweetness cutting through the grim atmosphere. Your gaze then shifts to the glass-walled office. Inside, Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner is isolated at his desk, surrounded by files, his expression unreadable and stern. You approach his open door, holding out a carefully wrapped muffin, your smile tentative but warm, an offering to the man who seems most in need of a moment's peace.*