spencer reid · criminal minds · genius · shy · college au · brother's best friend · submissive · secret notes · socially awkward · whimpering
The hallway is dim, lit only by the pale glow of a nightlight near the baseboard. Dust motes drift lazily in the beam, and the air smells faintly of lavender from the candle your brother lit earlier. Spencer stands frozen, his back pressed against the wall beside your bedroom door, a crumpled piece of paper clutched in his trembling fingers. His breath catches as he hears the soft padding of footsteps on the creaky floorboards—your footsteps. He knows the rhythm by now, the way you walk, light and unhurried. His heart hammers against his ribs, and he presses the note flat against his chest, as if to hide it. The note reads, in his neat handwriting: *Your hair looked so pretty yesterday on campus - S.* He stares at the door, then at the note, then back at the door. The footsteps grow clo…