∗ ࣪ ˖༺ violent delights ༻˖ ࣪ ∗

salt on your tongue, lights out, no fun

months have passed since haley and jack were placed in witsec, and hotch has only recently returned to work. every day, i see how much he struggles. he doesn't think we notice—the late nights spent in his office, the files on foyet that he goes over again and again, long after the rest of us have gone home. but we see it. i see it.

this morning, jj texted the team about a new case, so i arrived early. as i step into the bullpen, i notice my team gathered in an unusual formation, all sitting and staring up at hotch's office. "hey, what's the show?" i ask, setting my bag down on my desk. morgan tilts his head toward the office. "strauss is in there. she's been with hotch for, like, twenty minutes now."

i glance up, squinting at the sight of his closed blinds. "his blinds are down," i say, crossing my arms. "his blinds are never down." as if on cue, the door to his office creaks open. we all scatter, suddenly very busy with whatever files or keyboards are within reach. i see strauss emerge first, her heels clicking sharply against the floor. to my surprise, she heads straight toward me. "agent mortier," she says, her tone cool and commanding. "a word."

i glance at the team. jj's brow furrows; morgan looks up briefly, his concern evident. swallowing the lump in my throat, i nod and follow her out to the hallway near the elevators. every step feels heavier than the last. once we're alone, strauss turns to face me, her sharp eyes pinning me in place. "as you're aware," she begins, her voice edged with barely restrained irritation, "agent hotchner's situation has placed immense pressure on this team—and, by extension, on me. the director expects results, and i cannot afford any additional complications."

"understood, ma'am." i reply, though my stomach twists at where this conversation seems to be headed. "you're the newest member of this team," she continues, her tone growing sharper. "and while i appreciate your contributions thus far, i need to be very clear—there is no more room for mistakes. not from you, not from anyone. is that understood?" the words hit harder than i expect. i nod stiffly. "yes, ma'am. understood."

"good." her gaze doesn't soften. "agent hotchner already has enough to contend with, and quite frankly, so do i. do your job, agent mortier. and do it flawlessly." without waiting for a response, she steps toward the elevator and presses the button. i stand there, her words echoing in my ears. when the elevator arrives, she steps inside, giving me a curt nod before the doors slide shut.

i remain in the hallway for a moment, the weight of her expectations settling over me like a storm cloud. no room for mistakes. flawless. it's not exactly a pep talk, but with strauss, i suppose it never is. i take a deep breath, steadying myself before heading back to the bullpen. the tension from my conversation with strauss clings to me like a second skin, and i'm sure it shows in the tightness of my expression. as i approach, morgan looks up from his desk, raising an eyebrow.

"what was that all about?" he asks, leaning back in his chair, his curiosity impossible to miss. i drop into my chair, exhaling sharply. "she's on my ass about before," i say, running a hand through my hair. "she doesn't want any more eyes on our team. we're all under a microscope." morgan lets out a low whistle, shaking his head. "that woman's got a way of making everyone feel like they're one step away from screwing up."

"yeah, well, she made it crystal clear that there's no room for mistakes—especially from me," i mutter, my frustration bubbling to the surface. "like we don't already have enough pressure without her breathing down our necks."

"don't let her get to you, kid," morgan says, his tone softer now. "strauss has always been looking for a reason to come after us. you just keep doing what you're doing, and she won't have anything to hold over you." "easier said than done," i reply, leaning back in my chair. "she's not wrong, though. hotch is struggling, and we all see it. she's just waiting for someone to screw up so she can pounce."

"then we make sure none of us gives her that chance," rossi says firmly. "we've got each other's backs. remember that." his words offer a small but much-needed comfort. i nod, glancing back up toward hotch's office. the blinds are still down, but i know he's up there, fighting his own battles. just like the rest of us.

jj walks out of her office with that familiar look—serious, focused, and just a touch apologetic. "let me guess—don't get comfortable?" i say, already standing up from my desk chair. "we've got four dead in a home invasion." she replies, her voice steady despite the grim announcement. before i can respond, hotch emerges from his office, his usual commanding presence cutting through the tension, i watch as he walks down to us. "where are we headed?" morgan asks, looking to jj.

"it's local. southeast dc." jj says, glancing down at her tablet for details. "cause of death?" hotch inquires, stepping closer to the group. "blunt force trauma. no knives, no guns." jj answers. "have we been invited in?" hotch asks, extra cautious about jurisdiction. "yes, dc metro wants us to meet them at the crime scene." she confirms. emily frowns, tilting her head in thought. "wait, isn't southeast where all that vandalism's been happening lately?" "same area, yeah," jj replies. "you think they could be connected?" she adds her brows furrowing.

"it's possible," emily says, crossing her arms. "but the weapon doesn't exactly fit the typical m.o. of a home invasion killer." "still, it's worth considering," hotch interjects. "it's not uncommon for vandalism to escalate into violence." "and there's been a lot of anger brewing in that neighborhood," morgan adds. "it's mostly black, working-class families trying to hold on while gentrification pushes them out. tensions are high." "were the victims wealthy?" i ask, piecing together the motive. "yeah," jj answers. "it was two couples, both part of the influx of new wealth in the area." "was it a robbery?" hotch asks. "no. nothing was taken," jj says, shaking her head.

"jj, find rossi and reid," hotch says, his tone brisk. "we leave in five." jj nods and strides off to locate the two. the rest of us grab our go-bags and head for the suvs. the drive downtown is tense, the silence filled with unspoken theories and questions. southeast dc looms ahead, a patchwork of history, struggle, and change. we're stepping into a neighbourhood simmering with frustration, and now, four lives have been brutally snuffed out.