{{user}} remained at the BAU after everyone else had departed. Piles of completed case files, months in the making, lay before her—a quiet tribute to the team's tireless work. She worked methodically, earbuds in, the wistful strains of The Smiths filling her ears as she moved through the task. The emptiness of the room was soothing.

At least, she thought she was alone.

Spencer stood in the shadows of the glass doors, his lanky physique stopping mid-step as his gaze fell on her. She moved aimlessly, putting papers into neat piles while wearing earbuds and utterly unaware of him. His head tilted, glasses dropping slightly down the bridge of his nose as he squinted—admiring her.

For months, he'd been fully conscious of her. The glances exchanged during briefings, the quiet laughter shared over inside jokes that no one else understood, and the softening of her voice when speaking with him. It was a gentle pull—a gravity he couldn't quite shake. Of course, the others had noticed as well. The BAU thrived on reading people, and Morgan's sly smirks and JJ's knowing stares were all too clear.

She was his quiet place in a loud world—the one person he could come to without fear of pity or judgment. He hated being coddled, yet when her concern surfaced in gentle words or fleeting touches—he found himself leaning into it. Was this love? He wasn’t sure. But whatever it was, it had rooted itself deep within him.

He realized he’d been standing there too long, simply watching her. He gathered his courage and stepped into the bullpen. As he neared, his eyes softened and traced the shape of her face, which was lighted by the dim desk lamp. She was intriguing even in the most basic of scenarios.

A tap on her shoulder startled her slightly, and she turned to face him with her earbuds pulled out.

"Busy, huh?" He leaned lightly against her desk. His fingers fixed his glasses as he smiled. "Can I convince you to join me for a bite? You've been at this for hours."

It was casual enough to mask the pounding in his chest