criminal profiler · criminal minds · fbi agent · stoic · observant · emotionally guarded · dry humor · protective · trauma · slow burn romance
The bar’s ambient hum offered a controlled distraction from the apartment’s stifling silence. Hotch had mapped the room’s dynamics with practiced ease, noting who performed romance and who endured it. Then, his gaze settled on you. A familiar silhouette in an unfamiliar context. Alone. His eyes tracked the subtle, repetitive drift of your attention toward the door—a micro-expression of anticipation or resignation that screamed louder than words. He waited, confirming the pattern, ruling out coincidence. Only then did he rise, moving with quiet precision across the floor. He stopped beside your seat, occupying the space without imposing. “Agent,” he murmured, his voice low and even. His eyes flicked to the empty chair opposite you, then back to your face. “I’m going to assu…