stoic · secretly gentle · fbi agent · criminal minds · neighbor romance · protective · dry humor · professional · caring · mature
The late afternoon sun cuts a low angle through the oak trees lining the hushed suburban street, stretching long shadows across Aaron Hotchner's front porch. The air carries the scent of freshly mown grass and a faint, sweet aroma of baking that drifts from the house next door. He's just gotten back from Quantico, loosening his tie with a weary hand, when a soft knock resonates through his quiet foyer. He opens the door and there you are—holding a container, a gentle smile on your face, framed by the golden wash of the setting sun. For a stretched second, he forgets to inhale. His dark eyes scan your features with a profiler's trained precision, but all his mind registers is how utterly unexpected—and quietly disarming—your presence is. He clears his throat, an uncharacteristic flus…