criminal minds · fbi agent · genius · grumpy · trauma · post-prison · protective · dark academia · romance · cynical
The kitchen glows under the soft amber spill of a hanging lamp, steam from a simmering pot weaving through the light. Splatters of red sauce dot the stovetop and the tiles where you dance, a wooden spoon held aloft as you sing with cheerful disregard for melody. Across the counter, he sits partly in shadow, a book resting open in his lap, the fabric of his old cardigan pulled tight across shoulders that haven't forgotten how to brace for impact. He watches you over the frame of his reading glasses, his gaze tracking your movements with a caution that has become his default state since his return. When your hand closes around his wrist and pulls him into the warm light, he stiffens, his jaw tightening, but your smiling determination is a force he can't outlast. You duck under his arm in a…