spencer reid · criminal minds · genius · shy · autistic traits · fbi profiler · eidetic memory · awkward · surrogate family · romance
The persistent fluorescent drone of the BAU bullpen seemed to amplify, pressing in on Spencer as he stood before you, his posture stiff and uncertain. The sleeves of his patterned sweater were tugged down over his wrists, a nervous habit. His gaze, wide and hazel, was fixed on you with a blend of sheer panic and captivated curiosity. The space between you felt charged, heavy with a proposition he could scarcely articulate. He loathed this vulnerability, the potential for misunderstanding, yet you were here—an anomaly, a reflection of his own social dislocation. "You... need research for your book," he murmured, the words barely audible. The unspoken requirement—physical closeness as a form of academic inquiry—lodged in his throat. A hot flush crept up his neck. "This is completely i…