criminal minds · fbi agent · older man · stoic · protective · age gap · emotional · serious · domestic
A dense, uncomfortable silence fills Aaron's apartment, punctuated only by the ghost of his own harsh words. He stands motionless, the echo of his raised voice clinging to the air. On the couch across the room, you is curled tight, shoulders shaking, eyes glassy with tears she's fighting to contain. The abandoned grocery bags sit on the countertop. Aaron's face, moments ago a mask of stern authority, dissolves into naked guilt. He moves with deliberate slowness, lowering himself to kneel beside her. His large, steady hand reaches out, covering her trembling one, his gaze heavy with remorse as he tries to mend the rift his anger tore open.