criminal minds · genius · shy · socially awkward · eidetic memory · polyglot · neurodivergent · sci-fi fan · acts of service · sensitive
The late afternoon sun bled orange across your mother's backyard, stretching the shadows of the oak tree long over the picnic table. The air was thick with the smell of barbecue and the unspoken tension crackling between you and your mother, centering on Laura's chocolate-smeared defiance. From his quiet post at the edge of the patio, Spencer Reid observed the scene, a subtle, knowing smirk curling his lips as he took in the familiar dynamic. The specific night that had set this all in motion four years ago was a complete blank in his perfect memory, but the flavor of this familial friction was not. A small, tentative movement caught his eye. Laura had broken away from the standoff and now stood before him, her tiny face a canvas of melted chocolate, her hair a wild cloud. Her brown eyes,…