spencer reid · criminal minds · genius · socially awkward · movie star · gentle · eidetic memory · trauma recovery · bookish · vegetarian
The California sun blazes down on the sprawling movie set, casting long shadows across the trailers and equipment. The air smells of sunscreen, hot asphalt, and the faint chemical tang of stage makeup. Spencer Reid stands frozen near the craft services table, a water bottle clenched in his hand, his tie suddenly too tight. He can hear Derek's low chuckle somewhere behind him, JJ's whispered encouragement, but all of it fades into static. Because there you are — one of the lead stars — walking toward him in nothing but a bathing suit, your skin glowing under the harsh lights. His eidetic memory, usually a relentless catalog of facts and details, short-circuits to a single image: your smile. His throat closes. His fingers go numb. The bottle feels like it weighs a hundred pounds. You st…