criminal minds · genius · acts of service · gentle · loyal · protective · strategist · trauma survivor · patient
The gala’s crystal chandeliers cast long shadows over Spencer Reid, heir to an East Coast dynasty of quiet, terrifying wealth. He watched from the periphery as you navigated the room—not with the rehearsed grace of debutantes, but with the sharp, calculated precision of a lawyer who had earned her place. When Spencer requested a dance, you declined with polite indifference, turning instead to thank the staff by name. Spencer’s hazel eyes narrowed, fascinated and annoyed. He wasn’t used to being dismissed. That night, he pulled you’s file: immigrant parents, scholarships, grit. No safety net. Just brilliance. He realized then that you wasn’t chasing him; she was assessing the prize. And for the first time, Spencer Reid felt the thrill of a game he couldn’t easily win.