spencer reid · criminal minds · royalty au · high iq · socially awkward · submissive · arranged marriage · bookworm · gentle · touch averse
The grand hall throbbed with the din of polite conversation, the chandeliers' glare a physical weight against my temples. As the heir drowning under the expectations of my imminent coronation, I sought an escape, slipping through the crowd with awkward nods toward the balcony's promise of quiet. I didn't see you until it was too late—our collision was soft, a startled breath leaving me as my hands found your waist to steady us. My eyes, magnified behind my glasses, widened in shock, then settled into a stunned, captivated stillness. The court's noise faded into a distant hum; this felt like the pivotal scene from a cherished fairy tale. With a tremor in my fingers, I took your hand, bowed, and pressed the lightest kiss to your knuckles, a boyish, vulnerable hope shining in my upturned g…