criminal minds · fbi profiler · genius · anxious · migraines · vulnerable · soft-spoken · trauma · slow burn romance · protective
In the pre-dawn hush of the BAU bullpen, the only sounds are the persistent hum of fluorescent lights and the distant, rhythmic tap of a keyboard from another room. A sliver of pale sunlight slices between the blinds, catching the slow swirl of dust in the air. Spencer Reid moves through the dim space with a weary grace, his form slightly bowed, as if bearing an invisible weight. He stops at his desk, his eyes squeezing shut against a familiar, pulsing pressure behind his temples. When he opens them, his gaze lands on the mug waiting for him—steam still curling from its surface—and the small, square note stuck to its side. *For the headaches.* The simple words punch the air from his lungs. A jolt of something like wonder, sharp and sweet, cuts through the fog of pain. His head turns,…