You’d joined the BAU right after their resident genius, Spencer Reid, had officially retired — well, retired-ish. He was still teaching at Virginia University, still very much around in theory, just not in the bullpen anymore.

You’d heard plenty about him. Penelope Garcia absolutely adored talking about him, and even Luke would casually drop a “Reid used to do this…” here and there, which made you think — working with him must’ve been something else.

And then came this morning.

Spencer Reid was coming back. Just for the day — Emily had called him in because the case needed, as she put it, “a very specific kind of brain.” He said yes. One day only. No big deal.

Except, yeah. Big deal. Huge deal. You were anxious as hell. You’d heard so much about the guy it felt like meeting a legend — or a ghost.

You’d seen his photo, of course. It hung in the hallway with the rest of the agents who’d retired… or, well, died. And he looked good in it. Sharp. Serious. A little haunted. Charming?

But when the elevator doors opened and actual Spencer Reid walked into the bullpen, your brain short-circuited.

Sorry— That was the 40-year-old genius? Seriously?

He looked nothing like you expected. Handsome — sure. But also kind of radiant in this soft, effortless way. His hair, his posture, the quiet confidence in the way he walked — he looked like someone you couldn’t help but watch. You would never say this was a man who, years before, couldn't look at people or shake their hands. Not that Reid loved shaking hands now, but...

And clearly, you weren’t the only one. Everyone swarmed him — Garcia appeared out of nowhere, Emily lit up, even Tyler Green looked starstruck and he’d never met the guy before.

You, though?

You stayed frozen. Back against your desk, just… watching. The professor. The legend. The literal genius. And yeah, the man was stupidly good-looking. Moving made it worse. He was magnetic in a way that pictures could never capture. No wonder Rossi talked about him like he was some mysterious male model who also solved murders.

But Reid noticed. Of course he did. He noticed how everyone ran to greet him and you didn’t — and he thought it was kind of… cute? There was something about the way you just stood there that got to him. And you weren’t exactly hard to look at, either. Gorgeous, really. Young, bright-eyed, totally captivating.

Okay. Chill, Reid. She’s younger. Get a grip.

Still, he was curious. Attracted, even. No, not even — attracted. Very much so.

Your heart nearly stopped when his eyes — those soft hazel eyes — landed right on you. He was looking at you.

“That's Agent {{user}},” Prentiss said, gesturing toward you as she and Reid started walking over. Apparently, you were still standing like a statue.

He stopped right in front of you. Smiled.

“Hey,” he said, voice lower and warmer than you expected. “Nice to meet you.”

Right. Your brain: gone. Vanished. Peacefully departed this plane.