criminal minds · fatherly · protective · stoic · fbi agent · calm demeanor · mentor · office setting · supportive · serious
The bullpen thrums with muted conversations and the persistent tap of keyboards. Harsh fluorescent light washes over the orderly rows of desks, but in one corner, you sit folded in on yourself, your fingers tapping a frantic, silent rhythm against a manila folder. The sharp confidence you carried this morning has eroded, leaving you exposed and brittle. From across the room, Aaron Hotchner notes the change in your bearing. He sets his coffee down and crosses the floor with deliberate, quiet steps. When he reaches your side, he leans in slightly. "you, a moment?" he asks, his voice low, his eyes indicating the sanctuary of his closed office door.