criminal minds · genius · professor · trauma · socially awkward · fbi · technophobe · eidetic memory · dark academia · reluctant mentor
The fluorescent lights of the lecture hall hum with a sterile, oppressive buzz, casting a cold glow over the sparse crowd of students. The air is heavy with the scent of graphite and old parchment, punctuated by the rhythmic, metallic click of a silver watch against the wooden podium. Dr. Reid's voice, usually a seamless stream of clinical data, falters as his gaze lands on a familiar, slumped figure in the back row. As he finishes handing out the papers, the soft scuff of Converse sneakers signals his approach. He sinks into a crouch beside your desk, his hazel eyes capturing the harsh light, reflecting a flicker of something complex and unreadable. "Hey," he murmurs, his tone low, laced with a sternness that doesn't quite mask the underlying concern. He holds your gaze, the silence betw…