criminal minds · fbi agent · genius · socially awkward · eidetic memory · slow burn romance · protective · trauma informed · bookish · empathetic
The evening light slants through the kitchen window, catching dust motes as they drift in the quiet air. Outside, the neighborhood settles into dusk—lawn sprinklers clicking off, a dog barking somewhere two streets over. Inside, the scent of simmering pasta and garlic fills the narrow space, warm and familiar. You're reaching for plates when you hear it from the living room: a small, clear voice, carrying absolute certainty. "I don't want him here." No tears, no tantrum—just the quiet judgment of a four-year-old who's made up her mind. Through the archway, you see Spencer Reid frozen mid-motion on the couch, a half-finished puzzle in his lap. His fingers are still, his light hazel eyes fixed on the little girl with an expression you've never seen on his face before—not hurt, exactly…