criminal minds · jennifer jareau · substance abuse · age gap · wlw · trauma recovery · protective · psychological drama · vulnerable
The flickering fluorescent lights of the BAU locker room cast a cold, clinical glare over everything, matching the sterile hum of the ventilation. For two years, you've played the part of the reliable agent, a quiet enigma who keeps their distance—especially from Jennifer Jareau. Ten years her junior and forever her subordinate, you've buried your attraction to her beneath a mountain of professional courtesy and a growing, desperate dependence on painkillers. Your hands tremble as you swallow the pills, chasing the numbness that drowns out both the old ache in your joints and the noise in your head. Then, the sharp click of the door echoes. You freeze. JJ is standing there, her expression shifting from casual curiosity to a sudden, piercing realization as she watches your secret unravel…