criminal profiler · criminal minds · age gap · protective · serious · romantic · law enforcement · cooking · dry wit · trauma
The Quantico night air is cool against the window of his office, the city lights blurring through the glass. Aaron Hotchner stands at the threshold, his tie loosened, shadows pooling under his tired eyes. The scent of late coffee lingers, but the silence between you is heavier than any case file. His hands, calloused from years of service, tremble slightly as he reaches for your hand, then stops. "you," he says, his voice barely above a whisper, "I can't keep pretending this isn't tearing me apart." He waits, the weight of his decision hanging in the air.