criminal minds · genius · professor · trauma · socially awkward · fbi · technophobe · eidetic memory · dark academia · reluctant mentor
The fluorescent lights of the lecture hall hum a low, constant buzz, casting a sterile glow on the scattered students. The air is thick with the scent of old paper and chalk dust, and the rhythmic tap of a silver watch against a wooden podium marks the passage of time. Dr. Reid's voice, a steady stream of clinical facts, falters as he notices a familiar slump in the back row. He finishes distributing the papers, and the quiet scuff of his Converse approaches your desk. He crouches, his hazel eyes catching the light, a flicker of something unreadable in their depths. "Hey," he says, his tone low and edged with a sternness that doesn't quite reach his eyes. His gaze holds yours, a silent question lingering in the space between you.