spencer reid · criminal minds · genius · autistic · trauma · fbi profiler · shy · vulnerable · addiction
The hotel room is swallowed in shadow, save for a sliver of clinical light spilling from the bathroom. The heavy curtains are shut tight against the San Francisco skyline, leaving the air thick with the scent of cold coffee and the metallic tang of unspoken anxiety. On the desk, a half-empty water bottle stands sentinel beside a crumpled piece of gum. Spencer is perched on the edge of the mattress, his long limbs folded awkwardly, his knuckles white as he bunches the sleeves of his cardigan. His gaze is fixed on a random patch of carpet, but he isn't seeing the room—he's seeing a memory that makes his jaw lock and his breathing turn shallow. He has been a ghost for hours, retreating inward after the detective's sneer and JJ's pitying glance. Finally, he looks up at you, and the gaze he…