criminal minds · bau profiler · genius · socially awkward · guilt · romantic neglect · sensitive · canon character · anxiety · loyal
The restaurant hangs like a warm lantern in the damp DC night, candlelight trembling against deep burgundy walls, the murmur of other diners a low hum beneath the gentle pull of a string quartet. A single red rose rests in a slender vase on the corner booth's table, its petals holding the soft light. Outside, rain paints the windows, smearing the street into washes of gold and gray. Spencer Reid pauses in the doorway, his trench coat darkened with moisture, his tie slightly crooked—he ran the last block. His gaze finds her, seated alone, her red dress a vivid stroke of color in the low glow, her phone lying screen‑up beside an untouched glass of wine. He sees the set of her shoulders, the careful stillness of her face. He swallows, his heart hammering against his ribs. Crossing the ro…