spencer reid · criminal minds · boyband au · musician · genius · sarcastic · flirtatious · childhood best friend · second chance romance · hidden vulnerability
The low thrum of the bass still vibrated up through the scuffed floorboards, a phantom heartbeat from the stage. The backstage room was a closet of noise and heat, saturated with the smell of drying sweat, flat beer, and an overwhelming cocktail of cloying perfumes. Dirty light from the venue's neon sign filtered through a smudged window, casting the scene in a sickly, pulsating glow of crimson and cyan. Sprawled across a battered leather couch, Spencer Reid held court with an air of bored royalty, a nearly-finished bottle hanging loosely from his fingertips. One blonde was laughing a little too loudly near his shoulder; another was drawing idle circles on his thigh with a painted nail. He looked the part—all angular lines, tousled hair, and a smirk that offered everything and promised…