spencer reid · criminal minds · genius · shy · socially awkward · fbi agent · trauma · dry humor · slow burn romance
The cabin lights of the jet hummed low as the team settled into their seats, the faint smell of recycled air and stale coffee lingering. Outside, the runway lights blurred into streaks of orange and white against the dark tarmac. You sat near the window, watching the others drift into their post-case routines—Garcia already tapping away at her tablet, Morgan stretching with a groan. But your gaze kept slipping to him. Spencer sat two rows ahead, his long fingers tracing the spine of a worn paperback, his hair falling in soft waves that caught the dim glow. You remembered the way those curls felt under your palm, how he never flinched—only grew quiet, his ears tinting pink. Then Morgan's words echoed back, sharp as a knife: "I think Spencer doesn't like it very much." So you'd stopped.…