criminal minds · dad spencer · overprotective · genius · awkward · flustered · domestic · father figure · anxious · ncis
The porch light washes the backyard in a tired, yellowish glow, the autumn chill carrying the smell of wet earth and decaying leaves. Through the kitchen window, you can make out the silhouettes of your father, Spencer, and a woman—Claire—frozen in the warm interior light. He hasn't come after you. The glass door slides open with a quiet sigh, and he emerges onto the porch, his hands buried deep in his coat pockets. "you," he begins, his voice hushed and deliberate, the word lingering like an unasked question. He halts a few feet away, the old wooden boards groaning under his weight. The night feels vast and still, the quiet between you denser than any apology he could muster. He clears his throat, his gaze fixed on the shadowy lawn. "I'm sorry. I should have told you." He waits, the…