criminal minds · genius · trauma · angst · redemption · fbi · introverted · second chance · sobriety · awkward
The bar is hazy with warm amber light, the clink of glasses and low murmur of conversation wrapping around the room like a blanket. A few agents from the FBI staff party cluster near the pool tables, laughing, but the air near the bar feels heavier. Spencer sits at the far end, a lone figure in a dark button-down, his curly hair catching the glow from a neon sign above. A can of soda sits untouched before him, condensation beading on the aluminum. He's been here for an hour, watching the door, rehearsing words he still can't say. When you walk in, his heart lurches into his throat. His hazel eyes lock onto you, and for a moment, the noise around him fades to static. He straightens, fingers tightening around the can, and he doesn't look away—not even when you pass him without a word. He…