#Criminal Laws

[mylittlesecrethaven]

All Types Of Criminal Laws Cause Why Not: Part 7

Cause wtf not? This is (probably) gonna include laws from all over the world. This is gonna include what the criminal law is, the type of criminal law it is, the severity of it, and the punishment(s) for it.

So let's go I guess.

False Imprisonment:

(Crime Against A Person)

Crime/civil wrong

When someone's movement is restricted illegally (without legal authorization, justification, or consent) by anyone for any reason.

Usually punished with jail time, not really any fines.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Incest:

(Sexual Offense)

Marriage law/child abuse

This is a pretty wavery law, and some countries don't have any laws for it. Basically, it involves having sex (though some countries define what sex for incest involves) or any kind of sexual contact with family members. In the U.S., there's a degree of kinship chart used, and many states prohibit intercourse with a 12.5% DNA share between family members, but some get up to 25%. (i will put this chart at the very bottom if you're curious)

Incest is usually charged with jail time, and usually has child abuse tacked onto it because that's what the majority of incest crimes comes with in the U.S. for some reason. (this can also lead to removal of the child from the adult)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Embezzlement:

(Crime Against Property)

Theft

When someone steals money from their company or employer.

This is charged with heavy fines and quite a while in jail.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Perverting The Course Of Justice:

(Crime Against Justice)

Obstruction of justice

This is really only a crime in English countries, and involves a person preventing law from being carried out on them or another person for any reason in any way.

This is a common law offense in England, and can lead to life imprisonment.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hostage-Taking:

(Crime Against The Public)

Crime

When someone seizes another person and uses them to compel another party to do something.

This is usually tacked onto another charge and adds time in prison for said charge.

Ok, so I'm gonna manually type this out cause uh..... yeah.

Degree of relationship/Relationship/Average DNA shared %

0; Identical Twins; 100%

1; Parent-Offspring; 50%

1; Full Siblings; 50%

2; 3/4-Sibling or Sibling-Cousins; 37.5%

2; Grandparent-Grandchild; 25%

2; Half-Siblings; 25%

3; Aunt/Uncle-Nephew/Niece; 25%

4; Double First Cousins; 25%

3; Great Grandparent-Great Grandchild; 12.5%

4; First Cousins; 12.5%

6; Quadruple Second Cousins; 12.5%

6; Triple Second Cousins; 9.38%

4; Half-First Cousins; 6.25%

5; First Cousins Once Removed; 6.25%

6; Double Second Cousins; 6.25%

6; Second Cousins; 3.13%

8; Third Cousins; 0.78%

10; Fourth Cousins; 0.20%

[lawzapo-legal]

How many days should I wait for person to revert after sending him legal notice for cheque bounce?

There is a statutory period of 15 days since the day the legal notice for cheque bounce is received byyour friend, to revert or take any necessary action.

In case there is no revert or action by your friend, you should file a criminal case of cheque bounce under Section 138 of the negotiable instrument act, 1881 within 30 days of the close of 15 days since the notice was received by your friend (within 45 days of receipt of legal notice by your friend).

After receiving the bank return memo when a cheque bounces, you have to immediately issue demand notice within the span of 30 days from the receipt of information.

If the accused does not make the payments within 30 days from the receipt of the notice, you can file the complaint under section 138 of the Negotiable Instrument Act.

A complaint has to be filed within 30 days.

Section 138 of the negotiable instrument act, talks about dishonour of cheque for insufficiency, etc., of funds in the account.

Also, you must have all the important documents before registering the complaint, for instance,

1) Photocopies of the cheque returned by the bank, memo, copy of the legal notice for demand sent to the drawer and the acknowledgment slips/ receipts

2) Written complaint

3)Letter of oath

Reference Laws: Section 138, Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881

[business-001]

Three New Criminal Laws

In Deloitte's latest article, discover the impact of India's three new criminal laws, effective July 1, 2024. These laws, replacing the IPC, CrPC, and Indian Evidence Act, promise a more contemporary, concise, and accessible legal framework, enhancing forensic investigations and aligning with current societal needs. Learn how these Three New Criminal Laws will shape the future of criminal justice in India Read More Deloitte India's Latest Article on Three New Criminal Laws https://www2.deloitte.com/in/en/pages/finance/articles/three-new-criminal-laws-in-India.html

[aakashmalhotra]

Key Features Of India's 3 New Criminal Laws

India is getting ready to implement three revolutionary criminal laws on July 1, 2024, with the ultimate goal of substituting outdated Colonial-era laws with modern legal framework. Three new criminal laws address concerns about expanding authority over police while introducing new security precautions like Zero FIR and faster trials. As the country makes painstaking preparations, such as training initiatives and technology advancements, it expects a revolutionary change toward a more effective and equitable legal system that prioritizes justice delivery in a timely manner. 

Last December, the Parliament passed three pivotal legislative acts: the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and the Bharatiya Sakshya Act (BSA). These groundbreaking laws are set to supplant the Indian Penal Code (IPC) of 1860, the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) of 1973, and the Indian Evidence Act of 1872, respectively. Thus, the three new criminal laws in India now include a number of new provisions tailored to the needs of modern technology.

Significant changes and provisions

The new legislation include a number of innovative measures designed to improve the effectiveness and equity of the legal system:

Innovative Legal Procedures

Embracing features like Zero FIR empower individuals to file complaints at any police station. Thus, this capability enhances the accessibility of legal recourse for individuals.

Technological Advancements

The goals of electronic summons services and online police complaints are a great initiative to improve communication and decrease paperwork.

Swift Judicial Processes

Timely delivery of justice is emphasized by strict deadlines for formulating charges within 60 days and delivering trial rulings within 45 days.

Protection for Vulnerable Groups

Specific rules that guarantee sensitive treatment and speedy medical evaluations for crimes against women and children.

Expanded Offenses

Along with a thorough definition of terrorism, definition updates cover new offenses such group rape of minors and false promises of marriage.

Key features of new criminal law

Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita

In the corporate context, the legal penalties primarily apply to situations including:

Misconduct, cheating or fraud

Criminal misappropriation 

Betrayal of faith 

Fraud and use of forged papers

The provisions that define these offenses have essentially remained unaltered.

Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 

Explains several other kinds of electronic proof 

Grants judges and law enforcement officials the authority to summon witnesses in digital evidence situations

Clarification of the relevant jurisdictions in cases of cheating involving electronic methods of deception.

Gives courts the authority to request electronic submissions in situations involving large amounts of paperwork.

BharatiyaSakshya Adhiniyam

The definition of 'document' has been expanded to encompass electronic and digital records, along with the provision of specific examples of such records.

The definition of documentary evidence has been expanded to include electronic and digital records.

Electronic evidence obtained from 'proper custody' is considered to be critical evidence.

Expand the scope of the term 'Experts' to cover further fields of competence.

In-depth Details of Three new criminal law

The Indian criminal justice system is being redesigned by the new laws. They want to modernize and replace the outdated colonial laws by prioritizing national security, implementing equity through a victim-centric approach, and adopting digital and electronic evidence reviews.

We put together a quick document that outlines the important parts of these laws and gives you a plan to reduce legal risks, improve how you operate and investigate, and make your review and response to corporate matters more efficient.

Check And Balance On Police Powers

The BNSS has imposed a further requirement on the state government to nominate a police officer who will be in charge of keeping records on all arrests and who made them in order to prevent the abuse of regulations pertaining to police arrests. The provision mandates that district headquarters and each police station have visible displays of this information.

Fighting Crime Against Women

With the introduction of electronic First Information Reports (e-FIRs), the BNS pioneers a revolutionary method for reporting crimes against women. This facilitates rapid submission of crimes that require urgent care. The digital platform represents the spirit of established legal principles that emphasize prompt reporting and enable quick reporting, overcoming old restrictions.

Reducing Overcrowding In Prisons

Under some conditions, the maximum length of imprisonment for prisoners has been lowered for first-time offenders, and the jail superintendent is now legally permitted to assist accused individuals or criminals in requesting bail.

If an individual has served one-third of the maximum term allowed, they will be freed on bail as a first-time criminal (never having been found guilty of any crime before).

Technology

Technology is now used at every level by the BNSS, from visiting crime scenes to conducting investigations to holding hearings. It is revolutionary because it will guarantee a speedy conviction and openness in the inquiry. Utilizing the power of contemporary scientific technologies and modernizing the criminal justice system are two important goals of integrating technology and forensics into investigations.

In order to mitigate the risk of evidence tampering, it is imperative to incorporate the compulsory use of audio-video recording in search and seizure procedures within the BNSS. The audio-video recording requirement during search and seizure should encompass the complete process of documenting the confiscated items and obtaining the signatures of witnesses, ensuring transparency and accuracy throughout the proceedings.

In search and seizure proceedings, transparency plays a crucial role in preventing the fabrication of evidence and ensuring the presence of independent witnesses.

Last words

Lastly, these newly proposed laws are designed to modernize and replace the existing Indian Penal Code (IPC), Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), and Indian Evidence Act. The aim is to introduce updated provisions that are specifically tailored to address the current legal requirements and challenges. Read More Deloitte India's Latest Article on Three New Criminal Laws

[rightnewshindi]

एक जुलाई से बदल जाएंगे देश के तीनों आपराधिक कानून, ट्रायल कोर्ट को तीन साल में देना होगा फैसला

एक जुलाई से बदल जाएंगे देश के तीनों आपराधिक कानून, ट्रायल कोर्ट को तीन साल में देना होगा फैसला

Bihar News: पूरे देश के साथ-साथ बिहार में भी एक जुलाई से तीन नए आपराधिक कानून लागू हो जाएंगे. केंद्र सरकार ने इससे जुड़ी अधिसूचना शनिवार को ही जारी कर दी है. इधर इसको देखते हुए बिहार पुलिस मुख्यालय स्तर पर अपने 137 पुलिस अधिकारियों को इन तीन नए कानून की विस्तृत जानकारी प्रशिक्षण के ज़रिये दी जा रही ��ै. इस बात की जानकारी एआईजी (AIG) कल्याण विशाल शर्मा ने दी है. इनके मुताबिक इस प्रशिक्षण का आयोजन…

[legalconclave]

legal conclave lawyer

Manohar N

 Started from 1992

Animal Laws,Banking Laws,Civil Laws,Labour Laws,Torts,Criminal Laws,Cyber Laws,Documentation,Constitutional Matters,Family Laws,Motor Vehicle Accidents Cases,Property Laws / Building Laws,Taxation

Verified Lawyer

Kannada, English

[destiel-news-network]

(Source)

[hellenhighwater]

In a completely baffling turn of events, today I opened up my wallet and discovered, tucked into an internal pocket, a current, valid, Michigan Concealed Pistol License ID card belonging to a man I'd never met. (CPL cards are heavy plastic, like a driver's license.) It's a validly issued CPL. He's a real person who lives in Michigan--I found his voting records, home address, social media accounts, and other information with a bit of searching, and can confirm I have never met this dude. He does not live anywhere nearby. The wallet is one I just use for my ID's--bar card, courthouse keypass, drivers license, employee ID, etc. Not something I pull out on a daily basis; very definitely not something I hand off to other people. Even more confusingly, this man is twenty years older than me to the day. We have the same birthday. But I don't know him; I don't even know anyone who knows him.

Which leaves me with the utter mystery of how the hell some random guy's concealed pistol license wound up in my purse

[thelawfulchaotic]

"oh I'm gonna add a cute little court scene excerpt in this part of the novel"

to

"I can't just have a random case number, those are assigned according to systems"

to

"I can't just have random statute numbers, that needs an organizational structure"

to

"well I know who wrote this code; which title of the intraplanetary system legal code would be the criminal code?"

to

"what are all the titles in the intraplanetary legal system code?"

to

to

"Okay, the criminal code is Title 6. I know I have battery, murder, perfidy, terrorism, and some sort of adulteration of air supply. How would these be classified?"

to

to

"ok now I guess I can write the actual dialogue in my head"

[theunholyvirginemilyprentiss]

I feel like in Evolution, Paget Brewster has become to Criminal Minds what Mariska Hargitay is to Law & Order: SVU.

THEN…

2006/ 1999

NOW…

2024…

[mylittlesecrethaven]

All Types Of Criminal Laws Cause Why Not: Part 20

Murder:

(Crime Against A Person)

Homicide

The unlawful killing of a person without justification or cause.

This is a pretty serious crime and can land you with life in jail or time in jail without parole.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Smuggling:

(Crime Against Property)

Traffiking

The illegal transportation of objects or people into or out of houses, prisons, or across international borders.

It depends on what you're smuggling and where, but the worst punishment would be time in jail, sometimes up to life in jail but usually with parole.

[lawzapo-legal]

Can a FIR against my brother in law affect my career even though I was never arrested or convicted?

As you have been found not guilty or acquitted, you will not face any problems in your career now or in future.

In case of arrest or summons issued against you, you will need to follow a different process.

You need to obtain a copy of the judgement and keep it with you for future use if any situation warrants.

Unless and until the court convict an accused he is deemed to be innocent.

In your case a FIR is filed against you, it's only an allegation against you and after filing FIR, in investigation conducted by police, no evidence was traced by police supporting allegation against you in FIR as such in the initial stage itself the prosecution find your innocence and closed case.

So if a court has convicted then your carrier might have affected but you r innocence revealed by the prosecution itself on closing case which shows that a false case is registered against you

It will not effect your carrier in any manner.

You may file for quashing of FIR to get rid of the case under section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. before the concerned high court.

FIR quashing is the petition filed before High Court for quashing the FIR and all related proceedings against the accused.

A FIR can be quashed by the High Court if the Court is satisfied that the accused is falsely implicated and FIR is bogus and frivolous.

Reference Laws: FIR

[whisperedmeg]

THE LAW OF TRULY LARGE NUMBERS ⋆˚꩜｡ spencer reid x analyst!reader

summary: the law of truly large numbers says coincidences are inevitable. but somehow, running into spencer reid never stops feeling like fate.

genre: fluff! | w/c: 3.4k

tags/warnings: none really. reader has some self-image issues and insecurities related to a sucky ex but nothing too crazy. glasses!reid, reader works for the fbi but not the bau, written with fem!reader in mind but could pass for gn!reader too if you ignore one use of the world “girl,” story takes place over the course of a few weeks but I wasn’t wildly specific about it

a/n: based on this request from @oh-yourloveis-sunlight! this ended up getting longer than I intended originally but oh well, I was having way too much fun coming up with ideas for how they’d run into each other next lol. hope you enjoy, tysm for requesting! ❣️

You first meet Spencer Reid at 8:21am on a Tuesday morning.

You’re holding a paper bag of still-warm pastries because your unit chief is on a “morale boost” kick this week and nothing says team bonding like volunteering to bring in baked goods. You’re thinking about the long day ahead and how stale the break room coffee is going to be and not watching where you’re going when the elevator doors open and—

You almost walk straight into him.

He’s tall. Tall-tall. And thin in a slightly unwell academic way, tousled brown hair parted on the side, honey brown eyes wide and blinking at you through browline glasses.

“Sorry,” you both say at once. You take a step back. So does he. Then he does that thing people do where he gestures for you to go ahead, and you hesitate before stepping forward at the same time as him, and now you’re doing an awkward, uncoordinated dance in front of a steel box.

Eventually, you both make it in.

You press the button for floor 5. He presses 6. Someone else gets in and hits the button for 4.

You stand silently. He glances at you. Then down at the floor. Then at your badge, clipped to the waistband of your dress pants. Then at the bag of pastries.

“The cinnamon ones are the best. If those are from Van’s, I mean,” he says tentatively.

You blink. “They are, actually.”

He nods. “They use Saigon cinnamon. It’s from Vietnam. It’s stronger, a little spicier than regular cinnamon. I—sorry, I’ve, uh, read a lot about spices recently.”

You don’t have time to answer before the doors open and he’s stepping out into the hallway, manila file folder tucked under his arm.

It takes you a second to realize he got off on the fourth floor with the other passenger by mistake. You catch him making an embarrassed, awkward turn back toward the elevators once he’s halfway down the hall before the metal doors slide shut.

You think about Saigon cinnamon and those glasses for the rest of the day.

—

Friday morning, 9:12am. You’re running horribly late.

You’ve got a USB stick in your hand and a mission in your head — get it encrypted, get it cleaned up, get it into the system by 10am. You’re halfway through the lobby when someone says your name.

You freeze. Turn. He’s already waving.

It takes you a second to place him without the glasses.

He’s wearing contacts today. His hair’s a little neater. Another soft sweater — burgundy this time — and a leather messenger bag slung across his chest like he just walked out of a grad seminar.

“Hey,” he says, catching up with you near the badge check. “Van’s cinnamon pastries, right?”

You smile despite yourself. “You’re still thinking about those?”

“Hard not to,” he says with a chuckle. “I’m Spencer,” he adds, like you don’t already know that from his badge, same way you assume he knew your name.

You both hesitate. You’re painfully aware of the USB drive in your hand and the growing line of people waiting for the elevators and the clock ticking steadily toward 10am. Your eyes dart to the stairs — they seem to be the fastest option.

He shifts his weight, pushes his hair back behind one ear.

“Can I walk you up?”

You blink. “What?”

“To wherever you’re going. I’m headed to the sixth floor, but I’m not in a rush. We’re between cases right now.”

You laugh. “You really don’t have to do that.”

“Too late,” he says, and he falls into step beside you.

—

It’s raining when you see him again.

Not dramatic rain, just a halfhearted Virginia drizzle that dampens your sleeves while you fumble with your umbrella and mutter curses under your breath. You duck into the small coffee shop across from the office — the one with the black bistro tables and an overfilled bulletin board — and shake the water from your coat as you slide into line.

You don’t see him at first. You’re too busy debating between hot chocolate and your usual latte.

But then someone behind you says your name.

You turn, and there he is.

Spencer.

Hair damp and curling slightly at the edges. Glasses fogged. Sweater vest layered under a coat too thin for this kind of weather. He smiles at you — tentative, like he’s not sure if you’ll smile back.

“Hi,” you say, a little breathless. “You following me?”

He blushes. “No, I’m—I mean, we both work across the street, so it’s not, um, statistically improbable we’d run into each other here.”

“I’ll chalk it up to fate.”

He huffs a quiet laugh and steps up beside you.

“Can I guess your order?” he asks.

You arch a brow. “You’re going to profile my coffee?”

He shrugs. “I can try.”

“Be my guest.”

He tilts his head. “You work long hours. You probably don’t get enough sleep. You must drink something with espresso in it, but not just that — it has to be dressed up enough to feel like a treat. Maybe a seasonal flavor.”

Your jaw drops a little. “Okay, that’s… freakishly accurate.”

“Caramel latte?” he guesses.

“Close. Pumpkin,” you admit. “But that was impressive.”

He shrugs again, cheeks a little pink. “Lots of practice.”

A few minutes later, you’re both perched at one of the tiny round tables by the fogged-up window, drinks in hand, steam curling up between you. You’re technically on your break. So is he. Neither of you seems eager to get back.

You ask what he’s working on. He tells you about his last case, a triple homicide in Texas. Then he asks about your job, and you explain — badly — what exactly a tech analyst does for a department that isn’t the BAU. You’re pretty sure you’re boring him to death, but he’s watching you like you’ve just quoted Wordsworth.

“You talk with your hands a lot,” he says, after a pause.

You blink. “What?”

“When you’re excited,” he adds, quickly. “Not all the time. Just when you’re explaining something that matters to you. You kind of —” he makes a vague fluttering motion with his fingers, “— move them like you’re sculpting the air or something.”

Your face burns. You wrap your hands around your coffee cup.

“Oh. Yeah. That,” you murmur. “My ex used to say it was distracting.”

Spencer’s expression shifts. It’s subtle, but you see it — a flicker of something protective in his eyes.

“I don’t think it’s distracting,” he says. “I think it’s cute.”

You freeze.

He freezes.

The moment folds in on itself. His face goes pink again, and he ducks his head as he mutters something about meaning it in a completely observational way, not, you know—

You interrupt before he can spiral further. “Spencer.”

He looks up.

You smile. “It’s okay.”

There’s a beat of silence between you. Rain patters softly against the glass. In your chest, something flutters.

Maybe it’s nothing. Maybe it’s just a friendly coffee. A weird coincidence of schedules and elevators and cinnamon pastries. Maybe it doesn’t mean anything at all.

But when he offers to walk you back — and when you say yes — your heart betrays you a little.

—

The FBI library isn’t exactly cozy. It smells like aging carpet and copier toner, but there’s still something about it that you’ve always found comforting. Especially on days like today, when your code has glitched five separate times and someone on your team said “let’s pivot” like that actually means anything and you just need a break away from a screen.

You’re curled up at one of the long wooden tables near the back with a spiral notebook, a pencil, and a pile of casefiles your unit chief asked you to cross-reference to give you an excuse to work on something that didn’t involve a keyboard. It’s not thrilling, but it’s quiet. Which counts for something.

You don’t notice Spencer at first.

He’s sitting at a smaller table a few feet from yours when you glance up — half-hidden behind a teetering stack of psychology journals, long fingers curled around a fountain pen, hair falling into his face.

He looks up a second after you do.

“You again,” he says softly, like it’s a private joke.

You arch an eyebrow. “Starting to think you’re stalking me.”

“You’re the one in my library,” he says, mock offended.

“Your library?”

He nods. “I basically live here.”

You glance at the empty paper cup beside him, the five or six books spread out across the table, the absurdly detailed notes he’s scrawling in messy handwriting.

“Yeah, I can see that. You’ve really made yourself at home.”

Silently, he gathers his belongings and moves to take the empty seat across from you at your table.

You go back to your work. So does he.

But every few minutes, you catch yourself glancing up.

Not on purpose, not exactly. It’s just… he’s got this way of reading like he’s somewhere else entirely. Lips moving a little. Eyes flicking fast across pages. You wonder if he knows how intense he looks when he’s thinking. How pretty his hands are when they move — when he writes, when he fidgets with his pen, when he adjusts his glasses like he’s trying to hide behind them.

You wonder what it would feel like if he looked at you the way he looks at those pages or if he touched you with those hands.

He wouldn’t, of course.

You’ve long accepted that you’re not the kind of girl guys like that go for — not crisp and stylish, not someone who walks into a room and makes the temperature change. You’ve never quite known how to wear your hair right, or what to do with your hands, or how to stop fixating on the way your nose looks in photos. You haven’t even dated since the last guy — the one who told you that you were being “a little much” anytime you got excited about something.

You shake your head. Focus.

You’re halfway through reviewing the next file when you realize Spencer’s watching you.

“Sorry,” he says, when you meet his eyes. “I was just—I was going to ask if that’s a 0.7mm Pentel mechanical pencil.”

You blink. Look down. “Uh… yeah?”

“I thought so,” he says. “You write really small. And neat.”

You stare at him, then down at your paper, then back up.

“Are you profiling my handwriting now?”

He shrugs, looking sheepish. “Only a little.”

You smile despite yourself.

After a pause, he adds, “I like it — your handwriting. It’s meticulous.”

You laugh. “I’ve never heard that word used as a compliment before.”

“Well, I mean it as one.”

There’s something in his voice — not flirtatious, exactly, but sincere. Earnest. He doesn’t even realize it’s making your heart hiccup a little.

You don’t talk much more after that, but when you both stand up at the same time twenty minutes later and realize you’re heading out in the same direction, you fall easily into step beside him.

And this time, you both walk a little slower.

—

It’s just after 1 p.m. when you walk into the Quantico cafeteria.

The lunch rush is tapering off — fewer suits in line, more empty trays abandoned on beige tables. You slide your badge into your pocket and step toward the soup station, only half paying attention. You haven’t eaten much today, and your stomach’s been in knots ever since Spencer spotted you in the stairwell earlier and asked what time you were heading to lunch.

You try to act casual when you spot him.

He’s at a table near the window, brown paper bag open in front of him and a spiral notebook beside it. He’s writing something down, but he looks up the moment you approach as if he’d been eagerly waiting.

“Hey,” he says, and the smile he gives you is small and a little shy. “I was hoping you’d come.”

You sit across from him, tray in hand. “Yeah, well, you did say in the library last week that the soup selection is better on Thursdays.”

His eyes widen slightly. “You remembered that?”

You nod, breaking off a piece of bread. “You said it’s the only day they serve lentil soup, which also happens to be the only soup they make that you claim is any good.”

“I stand by that.”

You laugh, and the warmth of it catches you off guard. It’s easy with him. You like the way he doesn’t fill silences just to fill them and how he listens like every word you say is a thread he wants to follow all the way to its center.

You talk for a while. About work, a little. About books and poetry and music. About your mutual disbelief that anyone could function on decaf. He doesn’t flirt, not exactly, but he compliments you — in that slightly awkward, matter-of-fact, Spencer Reid way that’s somehow more disarming than a rehearsed line.

You’re telling him about your failed attempt to install a new monitor alone while you had a broken arm last year when he goes still for a moment, causing you to trail off into silence. He clears his throat.

“Would you maybe want to, uh, go out with me sometime?”

Your mouth opens. Then closes. Then opens again.

“What?”

He fidgets. Pushes his glasses up. “I mean, like, to a real lunch or coffee or something. Not in the office. I just—I’ve really enjoyed spending time with you, and I was thinking, if you wanted, we could—”

You shake your head.

It’s not harsh. You don’t mean it to be. It’s just… instinct.

He stops talking. His face falters. “Oh,” he says softly. “Okay. Yeah. No worries.”

You rush to explain. “It’s not you. Really—I mean, I just… don’t get it. Why would you want to go out with me?”

Spencer blinks.

You look down at your tray. “You’re a genius,” you murmur, voice low. “You’ve probably read more books this week alone than I have in the last two years. You talk like a textbook and still somehow make everything sound incredibly poetic. And you—God, you’re so—”

Cute. Attractive. Hot. That’s what you want to say, but you stop yourself before you can finish the statement. You swallow hard.

“And I’m… not,” you finish quietly.

It’s not that you don’t want to say yes. God, you do. But there’s a familiar ache in your chest, a voice you haven’t shaken, the echo of someone who once made you feel like being too much meant you’d also always be not enough.

Across from you, Spencer is silent. For a second, you wonder if he’s angry. Or worse, embarrassed.

But when you finally look up, he’s just watching you — gently, curiously, like he’s figuring something out.

He opens his mouth. Then closes it again. His brow furrows slightly.

You stand. The words come out too quickly: “I should get back to my office. I’ve got a code freeze coming up and I told my boss I’d review the rollout plan before—yeah.”

He nods. “Right. Of course. I’ll, uh, see you around.”

You hate the way his voice sounds now — too polite. Too guarded.

You force a smile as you gather your tray. “Thanks again for the soup rec.”

You make it out of the cafeteria before the lump in your throat rises.

You tell yourself it was the right call. It’s better this way. You’re not built for someone like him. You’d only mess it up.

But when you glance back, just once, through the glass of the cafeteria doors, Spencer’s still sitting there, scribbling in his notebook like maybe if he writes enough, he can make sense of whatever just happened.

You don’t know it yet, but he’s writing a list.

—

It’s raining again the next afternoon.

Not much — just a misty drizzle that turns the parking lot into a soft gray blur. You’re already halfway to your car when you hear footsteps behind you. Then a voice, calling your name.

“Wait—wait, just—can you stop for a second?”

You turn.

Spencer is jogging toward you, messenger bag bouncing against his hip, one hand holding a flimsy-looking umbrella, the other gripping something — a piece of paper, maybe. His coat is half-buttoned. His glasses are a little fogged.

He’s completely out of breath by the time he reaches you.

“Hi,” he pants. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to chase you down, I just—I tried to find you on your floor, and they said you left early, and I—”

You blink. “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” he says quickly. “No. I mean—I’ve been thinking. Since yesterday.”

You look away. “Spencer, we don’t have to talk about—”

“I made a list,” he blurts out.

You freeze. “What?”

He thrusts it at you — a folded piece of notebook paper, lined, slightly smudged. You unfold it slowly, holding it under the umbrella he’s angled over you, and he watches you like he’s just handed over something radioactive.

It reads:

Reasons I like you and want to go out with you: A non-exhaustive list by Dr. Spencer Reid

you talk with your hands

you remember weird things I say about soup

you were nice to me in the elevator even though I rambled about cinnamon

you snort when you laugh (you try to hide it but I’ve heard it twice)

you don’t pretend to know things you don’t, and you always ask good questions

you hum under your breath when you’re concentrating

you don’t hold my technophobe tendencies against me even though your job is literally all tech all the time

your whole face lights up when you’re excited about something

we have the same taste in pastries and poetry and classical music

you talk about the people you care about with more kindness and affection than I thought possible

your nose scrunches a little when you’re confused and I think it’s adorable

speaking of which, I think everything about you is adorable. “beautiful” would be a more apt word to use, actually

you said us meeting in the coffee shop that one day was “fate” and I haven’t stopped thinking about it (or believing in it) since

You stare at the list for a long moment. Then you press your lips together, eyes stinging.

“It��s not exhaustive,” Spencer says quietly. “And it’s in no particular order. I wrote it fast. I could probably think of twenty more things. I… I like lists.”

Your fingers tremble slightly on the page.

“I don’t understand,” you murmur. “You’re… you. And I’m…” You trail off.

He tilts his head, studying you. “You really don’t see it, do you?”

You look away.

He steps forward, voice softer now.

“I don’t like you despite who you are — I like you because of it. Because you say what you mean, and you get excited about the little things, and you care more than most people do, and you never look at me like I’m too nerdy or too awkward or too much.”

Your chest tightens.

“I thought I messed everything up yesterday,” you say, barely above a whisper.

“No,” he says. “You were just scared. I get that.”

“I’m still scared,” you admit.

“That’s okay,” he says, and there’s a faint smile tugging at the edge of his mouth. “Me too. We can be scared together.”

You smile and fold the list carefully like it’s something delicate.

And before you can overthink it, before the doubt creeps in again, you lean forward to press a kiss to his cheek.

But in the same moment, he coincidentally turns his head just slightly. Just enough that your lips land on his mouth instead.

It’s only for a second. A little awkward. Completely accidental, but also completely real.

He blinks. You blink.

You start to pull away.

But then he wraps his free arm around you and kisses you again, on purpose this time, the umbrella overhead shielding you both from the rain. It doesn’t last too long, but it’s soft and smiley and achingly wonderful.

When you break apart, you’re still in disbelief that it even happened at all. You look up at him, studying him, searching his face for signs of regret. You can’t find any.

“I keep thinking about all the times we ran into each other,” you say softly. “So many coincidences, it almost feels improbable.”

He smiles again, brighter this time. “There’s a theory called the law of truly large numbers,” he says. “It basically says that with a large enough sample size, coincidences are inevitable.”

You tilt your head with a quiet chuckle. “So this was all just math, basically? That’s kind of depressing.”

“Or,” he says, stepping closer, “it means the universe just kept trying. Over and over, until it got it right. Like fate.”

You smile fondly and kiss him again before he can say anything else.

Not just a coincidence. Not anymore.

ᝰ.ᐟ

masterlist

PSA: likes do very little for promoting posts on tumblr! if you'd like to support a fic, please reblog!

[gwydionmisha]

This is a fundamental safety issue.