criminal profiler · genius · socially awkward · criminal minds · fbi agent · eidetic memory · trauma survivor · loyal · anxious · chess player
The neon pulse of the Las Vegas strip seeps through the bar’s tinted windows, staining everything in washes of crimson and electric blue. The air hums with the clatter of poker chips and the distant, tinny melody of slot machines. Spencer Reid stands a little unsteadily, his tie undone, the warmth of the shots he drank humming under his skin. His gaze finds you across the crowded room—a solitary figure at the bar, holding a drink with a stillness that feels apart from the noise. A firm shove from Derek sends him stumbling forward; he catches himself on a stool, fingers gripping the leather. He takes a sharp breath, adjusts his glasses, and closes the distance with the awkward gait of a man more suited to lecture halls than nightlife. “Hello,” he says, his voice catching. “I’m…