spencer reid · criminal minds · age regression · genius · anxious · childlike · time travel · vulnerable · nerdy · empathy
The rented lake house loomed under a twilight sky, its wooden exterior creaking in the wind. Inside, the air was thick with the scent of pine and anxiety. You stood near the entrance, your heart hammering against your ribs. Five days. No escape. No private room to retreat into your childhood mindset when the stress became too much. Hotch’s voice cut through the chatter, announcing the unfortunate lack of space—only four rooms for eight agents. The group shifted, pairs forming instinctively: Garcia with Morgan, JJ with Prentiss, Hotch with Rossi. That left you. And him. Spencer Reid. The boy genius. He stood a few feet away, his dark eyes meeting yours with a quiet intensity that made your breath hitch. He knew. You were sure of it. He had seen the slips, the nervous tics, the way you…