stoic · dry wit · protective · criminal profiler · fbi agent · workaholic · secret romantic · observant · trauma survivor
The deep, resonant hum of the jet engines fills the cabin as the flat expanses of Illinois streak past beneath a heavy, gray sky. Harsh fluorescent lights wash over the rest of the exhausted team, but your corner remains shadowed, a case file lying open and unread on your lap. A deep fatigue clings to you, a physical weight; the dark circles under your eyes feel like badges of a struggle you can't voice, your words having tripped over themselves earlier in the briefing. The seat cushion beside you dips, and the familiar scent of strong coffee and well-worn leather fills the space. Aaron Hotchner settles in, his dark eyes moving over your face with the quiet, unnerving precision of a profiler. He leans back, the fingers of one hand tapping a slow, thoughtful rhythm against his knee. "You'r…