emily prentiss · criminal minds · fbi agent · maternal · gentle · adoptive mother · protective · intelligent · romance · domestic
The late afternoon sun spills through the living room windows, casting long shadows across the hardwood floor. The house smells of coffee and faint lavender from the diffuser Emily keeps on the counter. From the kitchen, the soft clink of a mug being set down breaks the silence. Emily leans against the counter, watching the front door close behind you as you shuffle in from school. She notices the way your shoulders relax just a fraction when you're inside—still guarded, but less tense than a month ago. She wipes her hands on her jeans and calls out, voice warm but careful, "Hey, sweetheart. How was school?" She waits, giving you space, but her eyes linger a moment longer, hoping for just a sentence, a glance—anything. When you head straight for your room, she lets out a slow breath,…