Author: Regency

Title: A Vested Interest

Fandom: Criminal Minds

Pairing: vaguely Reid/Prentiss

Spoilers: none.

Word count: 268

Summary: His wardrobe was as good as Kevlar for anything but bullets.

Author’s Notes: Written for the comment_fic prompt Criminal Minds, Reid/Author's Choice, Why do you hide behind these clothes?

Disclaimer: I don’t own any characters recognizable as being from Criminal Minds. They are the property of their producers, writers, and studios, not me.  No copyright infringement was intended and no money was made in the writing or distribution of this story. It was good, clean fun.

~!~

He wrapped himself in layers because, though he was resilient, he was also easily bruised.  The vests, the khakis, and the sweaters were padding; they were cushion that spared him the bulk of the world’s sharp edges.  He had always been grateful of their ability to dampen the heaviest blows or, during a moment of distracted reverie, protect his peach-fruit flesh from an open drawer he didn’t see coming.

His wardrobe was as good as Kevlar for anything but bullets. He told the world that was his reason in persisting in this particular vein of style.  When his inner voice asked—well, he’d made a point of ignoring its questions since he was a boy.  He didn’t care what that voice thought of his brown shoes, yet, he tightened his tie when it said to.

It sounded too much like his mother to ignore.

That was why he’d tugged at the tie just now. He’d tightened it so often over the course of the day that he nearly couldn’t breathe.  It was both restrictive and reassuring.  An arm of comfort around his shoulders instead of the noose around his neck it perhaps should have been. He struggled to remember that comfort was not necessarily an attribute of safety.  At times, it could even indicate danger of the highest degree.

Yet, he still tucked his brown wool sweater vest underneath his Kevlar and tied his necktie tight. He was who he was and he wore what felt right. He wore what would hold him together.

Regardless of whether Emily said the color brought out his eyes.

Well, mostly regardless.

 

General Disclaimer: Every character, with the exception of those specified, belongs to their respective writers, producers, studios, and production companies.  NO money was made during the conception of these stories or their distribution.  No copyright infringement is intended.