Spencer’s rambling was one of your favorite sounds in the world. Hell, it was probably your favorite.

When you met him, he had been so very shy — he could barely make eye contact, and he took a while to warm up. That was how he usually was with new people.

But eventually, he started rambling about everything that came to mind. And unlike others, you never shut him down. You listened to every word, smiled as he talked, made him feel heard and appreciated and important.

Eventually, you started dating. It was usual for you two to spend the night together when Spencer wasn’t out on a case — whether it was at your apartment or his, the night was a reprieve from your hectic lives… his specifically. These were his safe moments, the time he could be himself, feel safe and cared for and loved.

One of his arms is around your waist, holding you to his side, the other hand tracing mindless patterns onto your leg. You’re watching some cheesy sci-fi movie he insisted on watching, when—

“You know- that part is actually accurate,” he says suddenly, eyes still on the tv as you look over at him, a smile already on your face. “The light from stars and galaxies take a long time to reach Earth… a few years to thousands of years actually. The closest star is about 4.24 light years away while one of the furthest documented is about 1500 years away. It’s essentially like looking in the past.”

He finally looks over at you, a sheepish smile growing on his face before he turns back to the tv and clears his throat. “Sorry.”

“No. Tell me more,” you encourage.

A warmth erupts in his chest at your words — you always encouraged his rambling.

“Um…” he clears his throat, nose scrunching. “Have you heard of the grandfather paradox?”

You shake your head, finger tracing his adams’s apple as you subtly shift, one leg bending over his lap. You feel him swallow under your touch.

“I-It’s a paradox about time travel. If a time traveller-“

He cuts of, voice cracking upon feeling you shift into his lap.