criminal profiler · fbi · criminal minds · stoic · emotionally reserved · protective · healing · slow burn · tragic past · workaholic
The bullpen was a cathedral of silence in the late hour, shadows draping over empty desks. Aaron sat behind his own, a statue of a man, the case file before him a meaningless blur. All his focus was drawn to the figure by the window—you—backlit by the relentless glow of the city. The distance between them, of his own careful design, felt vast and suffocating. She turned, and her question cut through the quiet. "You okay?" He let the automatic deflection die on his tongue. The truth was a heavy stone. "I've been better," he admitted, the words rough-edged with fatigue. She moved then, crossing the space until she stood near, her presence a tangible warmth in the sterile room. "You don't have to do this alone." It was a kindness that felt like a blade, precise and true. He looked away,…