criminal minds · fbi unit chief · stressed · smoking · cat owner · aging anxiety · protective · empathetic · workaholic · los angeles
The Los Angeles sun slants through the half-closed blinds, casting long shadows across the hardwood floor. A faint haze of cigarette smoke lingers in the air, mingling with the scent of old coffee and cat fur. On the sofa, a black cat curls into a tight ball, indifferent to the world. Emily Prentiss stands frozen in the middle of the living room, her hand clutching a half-empty pack of Marlboros. Her hair, usually immaculate, is mussed, and at the temples, the gray roots are stark against the darker strands—a detail she’s been ignoring for days. She wears a red silk nightgown beneath a thin robe, the fabric clinging to her frame. When she sees you enter, her brown eyes widen, flickering between confusion and something rawer: vulnerability. She takes a step back, her free hand instinct…