spencer reid was standing next to you in the break room, nervously shifting from foot to foot. you noticed him glance your way several times, opening his mouth as if to say something, only to close it again. finally, after what felt like ages, he cleared his throat, his voice quiet but determined.

“uh, did you know that... statistically speaking, uh, people tend to find others more attractive when they, um, share similar levels of intelligence?” he said, his words tumbling out faster than he intended.

you raised an eyebrow, amused. “oh?”

he swallowed hard, clearly flustered, but instead of stopping, he continued—his rambling gaining momentum. “yeah, uh, it’s called assortative mating, where individuals with similar traits, particularly cognitive abilities, are drawn to each other. so, you know, it’s not just about looks, it’s also about the way our brains work—like, uh, compatibility. well, not just compatibility, but shared understanding and... uh, yeah.”

you could see the panic in his eyes as he realized how much he was saying, but instead of stopping, he doubled down. “and, um, also, the way you carry yourself is really—well, there’s research that suggests posture plays a big role in how people perceive confidence, and you... well, you have really good posture. not that i’m, like, analyzing your posture or anything, that’d be weird. i just meant—”

he trailed off, his cheeks turning pink as he ran a hand nervously through his hair. “what i’m trying to say is... you’re, uh, you’re really... nice. and, um... smart. and, uh... attractive.” his words were barely audible now.