#autistic!penelope

[0o-junebug-o0]

First Meeting

summary: You're having difficulty with some code so you stop by Penelope's house for help, unaware that she has a guest. Spencer takes one look at you and is immediately head over heels.

genre: fluff

cw: meet cute (is it a meet cute?) completely gn!reader (reader is not described at all), no use of y/n, autistic!spencer (because every spencer is autistic!spencer), season 1 spencer, university/college student reader, talk about research and coding, pov switch from reader to spencer

wordcount: 1.5k

a/n: this is an actual error I had this summer when writing my spectra analysis code

You lean back in your chair with a sigh, scowling at the code you’re trying to write. You’re still relatively new to coding, the first time you ever took a class on it was just under two years ago, so this code has taken you significantly more time to write than it would have taken Penelope. But you’ve written it. You read through the code again and rerun it. Everything runs fine, the code should work, but it doesn’t. 

You rub your eyes and groan with frustration. You should be able to get a wavelength solution out of this. The professor you’re doing research with told you what you need to do to get the wavelength solution and then how to use it to find the redshift of the lensed galaxy and the foreground lensing galaxy, but nothing is lining up!

You’ve opened the data, plotted the variation in flux for each line in the image, fit a Gaussian to it to get the brightest point, and converted the pixel value of that point to vacuum wavelength, but none of the wavelengths you’re finding match up with what lines should be present in the spectra for this lamp type!

You briefly consider emailing your professor but decide against it. Even though he told you that asking him things wouldn’t bother him and that it’s his job, you don’t want to take up more of his time than you already have. 

You look around your apartment for anything that might help. Your eyes land on your keychain and the spare key Penelope gave you because she enjoys it when you stop by. You quickly shut your laptop, tucking it under your arm, grab your keys, slip on a pair of shoes, and make your way down the hall to Penelope’s apartment, not bothering to lock the door behind you. 

_____

Spencer sits awkwardly on one of Garcia’s kitchen stools, tapping his fingers on the Tardis mug she had filled with tea and given him. He’s not exactly sure why Garcia invited him over. She said she wanted to bond, but they’ve known each other for almost two years now, and Spencer considers her a good friend, so he doesn’t really know what bonding entails. So far, Garcia has just been bustling around her kitchen preparing snacks and drinks for their Doctor Who marathon.

The lock clicks and Spencer’s head whips toward the door just in time for it to burst open. Spencer freezes and stares at you in awe and confusion. 

“Penny!” you cry, your voice a mixture of a shout and a whine. 

Garcia calls your name with a surprised look. “What happened? Are you alright?”

“What?” you ask. Then you wave your hand flippantly. “Yeah I’m fine, I just need help with some code.” Your eyes land on Spencer and he can feel his heart rate increase. He really hopes his face isn’t as red as it feels. 

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t know you had someone over,” you say. “I can, um, I can come back later.”

Spencer watches as your posture stiffens slightly and you start to fiddle with your keychain. 

Spencer opens his mouth to reassure you but Garcia beats him to it. “No, no, it’s fine,” she says. “I’ve been wanting you two to meet anyway.” You shoot Spencer a small, awkward smile and wave from across the room when Garcia shares your name. When she introduces him, your eyes widen and you look toward Garcia with an expression Spencer can’t decipher and mouth something to her that makes her laugh loudly. 

Spencer can feel himself flushing at your reaction and takes a sip of his tea to hide his face.

“Anyway!” Garcia says cheerfully. “Do you mind if I help them real quick?”

“Go ahead,” Spencer responds, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. It’s difficult with you there, though, all his thoughts suddenly seem much harder to grasp. Like your presence is forcing them aside. 

Your eyes seem to linger on him for a moment before you head over to the counter and set your laptop down. “Right,” you mutter, opening it and entering the password. Spencer listens intently as you describe to Garcia what your code should be doing and he can’t help but smile at the clear passion in your voice. It sends butterflies to his stomach. 

“What do you study?” Spencer blurts out. 

You close your mouth and cock your head at him for a moment. “I’m, uh, I’m studying astrophysics. Specifically strong gravitational lensing. I’ve already made preliminary models of the system and I’m just working on analyzing the spectra now.”

Spencer nods and leans over to look at your code. 

“Do you want to help Penny find the issue?” you ask. You sound a bit nervous and Spencer looks up and smiles what he hopes is a soothing smile.

“I would if I could. I really don’t know how to code, though.”

“Seriously?” you ask. Spencer cocks his head at the tone of surprise in your voice. “Sorry, it’s just that Penny has told me a lot about you and about how you’re a genius and have three PhDs, which is insanely impressive by the way, so I guess I’m just surprised you don’t know something.”

“There’s a lot I don’t know,” Spencer admits. “Coding and other technological things are some of it. I don’t know too much about astrophysics either.” That’s not exactly true but it isn’t a lie either. He’s read papers on several astrophysical topics but he’s never come across one on strong lensing before. But the truth of the statement is irrelevant, the only reason he said it was to find an excuse to spend more time with you.

You smile and Spencer’s stomach feels like it does a backflip. “I won’t be much help teaching you how to code, Penny would be better for that, but I can tell you about some astro stuff at some point.”

“Alright, lovebirds,” Garcia teases and Spencer’s face burns. “Let’s focus.” You nod, clearly also a bit embarrassed, and turn back to your laptop.

“How about I go line by line and tell you what it should do and you let me know if something doesn’t do what I think it does,” you say. Garcia nods and both she and Spencer follow along as you point to and describe each line of code. You get to a printed image of the data file you’re analyzing before Garcia stops you.

“Can you open the file on your computer?” she asks.

You nod and open the file in a new application and move it so it’s side by side with the image in your code. “Wait,” you mutter, glancing back and forth between the two images. “Is that seriously the issue?” Spencer leans forward to get a closer look, the x-axes of the images are flipped. 

You throw your head back with a groan and change the rotation of the file in your code. “I swear, if this works,” you growl. The clear exasperation in your tone makes Spencer chuckle slightly. 

You rerun the code and compare several of the outputs to a list of wavelengths before groaning again and letting your head fall onto the counter. “I hate Python,” you grumble. “Why does it have to switch the axes!” 

Garcia laughs and pats you on the back. You raise your head off the counter and tap your forehead against her shoulder in a gesture Spencer assumes expresses gratitude. “Thanks, Penny,” you sigh. “You’re the best.”

“Of course I am!”

“Oh, and Spencer,” you say, turning to look at him. “We should get lunch sometime. I can tell you about astrophysics and you can tell me about all the crazy things you know.”

“I-I would love that,” Spencer stutters, unable to speak clearly with you looking into his eyes. He's hardly able to wrap his head around the fact that someone as beautiful as you would want to spend more time with him. Spencer's not sure whether you’re asking him on a date or just to go out as friends, but he doesn’t care either way as long as he gets to spend more time with you.

“Great!” you say happily. You stand and cross the room to quickly grab one of Garcia’s pens before returning. You hold the fluffy pink pen with a smile on your face and hold out your hand for his. “May I?” you ask. 

Spencer’s eyes widen and he nods, setting his hand in yours despite his usual aversion to touch. The contact makes his heart feel like it’s about to burst from his chest. You scrawl your number across the back of his hand before handing Spencer the pen and holding out your hand for him to do the same. He writes his number on your hand and watches in a sort of daze as you gather your computer and keys and wave goodbye before leaving.

Spencer jumps slightly as Garcia ruffles his hair. He looks over at her to see a knowing smile on her face. Spencer blushes and hides his face in his hands. “Shut up,” he grumbles, embarrassed.

“No way,” she laughs. “Derek’s going to have a field day with this. Boy genius has a crush!”

_____

REQUESTS ARE OPEN!

Taglist!: fill out this form if you want to be tagged when I post fics

@daryls-crossbow16 @roboticsuccubus83 @nemobee777 @dorcas4meadowes @spenciesslut @Idfk17 @pleasantwitchgarden @angeliccss @novaana @moonysreid @cynbx @dead-universe @starlighta

[missmitchieg]

It kind of annoys me that Garcia, Gideon, and Hotch could all be argued to have autistic traits but most people laser focused on Reid being The Autistic One.

[boywonderloverr]

spencer reid always wearing his watch on top of his sleeve so it's not touching his skin. i know what you are (autistic)

[mismatchsocks]

spencer reid autistic. penelope garcia autistic. aaron hotchner autistic. jason gideon autistic.

source? trust me.

[faebobaggins]

this representation is all i ever dreamed of just look at them!!

[reidobsessed]

[cirqueduroyale]

This started out as a simple fashion drawing, but I thought the arm tassels looked like something Quinn (and I) would enjoy stimming with.

Quinn's outfit is a Fort Lonesome Romper

[bipunkharrington]

I'm too autistic for all this Eloise criticism of "she's so absorbed how did she not realise Penelope blah blah blah*"

*Insert anything about Penelope that she kept hidden, latest one being someone saying Eloise should have noticed Pen was in love with Colin.

Everyone claims to be against ablism but you sure are happy to blame someone not noticing things that their friend was ACTIVELY HIDING FROM THEM.

Self-absorbed, ignorant, bad friend etc. etc. etc. How about people actually learn to communicate their thoughts and feeling directly if they wish the other person to be aware of them, and accept that if they don't want that and the other person doesn't decode them, it doesn't make them a bad person.

[thatsadfem]

Why is Penelope Garcia so underrated in the cm fandom??

Like when I post about Garcia, their posts are like 10-15 likes, only a few have a high amount, but I post 4 pictures of prentiss, and it's my best performing post lmao.

Like are you guys so gay for Emily Prentiss that you like foam at the mouth every time you see any post about her . BE GAY FOR GARCIA, SHE IS SUCH A ICON OMFG

Like she is so gorgeous, and sweet and loving and like the perfect gf. she has such an iconic style, and she is so relatable and likeable

IDK, maybe y'all just arent really into bigger gals, your loss lol (by the way this is not a prentiss hate post, she's also a gorgeous icon)

[wereoz]

i know in my heart penelope garcia loves stimming with slime, ESPECIALLY the ones with charms and beads, and spencer reid is a tangle man through and through

[sandytrish008]

A fanart I did of the Looney Tunes cast, with the Clothing based on The Bugs Bunny Show 🐰🎩

[0o-junebug-o0]

Intro/Requests/Masterlist!!

REQUESTS ARE (temporarily) CLOSED (while I catch up on the ones I have)

Intro!: I'm Em/June! I'm 21 and currently hyper-fixated on criminal minds because of autism. I use they/them pronouns.

What I will write!: I'm down to write any genre (fluff, angst, smut, gen) I will pretty much only write afab!reader (because that's what I know/am), everything will be gn!reader (but it won't really be noticeable if it's just reader and the one character), I'm totally chill with writing potentially triggering things,

What I won't write!: scat, piss, feet, anal (r!receiving), pregnant reader, hard dom! spencer, hitting, public sex, age gap, CNC

(even if it isn't stated spencer is bi and autistic in everything I write)

Taglist!: fill out this form if you want to be tagged when I post fics

MASTERLIST!:

One Shots!:

Just to Hear Her Voice (spencer reid angst, hurt/comfort)

Something New and Wonderful (spencer reid x gn!reader, fluff and smut)

Ways of Saying "I Love You" (spencer reid x gn!reader, fluff, requested)

It's a Beautiful Thing (emily prentiss angst, hurt/comfort)

Put to Use (spencer reid x gn!reader, fluff and smut)

Ashamed (spencelle (platonic or romantic), angst, hurt/comfort)

What if? (spencer reid x gn!reader, angst and fluff, hurt/comfort)

Soft Early Mornings (emily prentiss x non-male gn!reader, fluff and smut)

Desperate (spencer reid x gn!reader, smut)

An Awkward, Yet Important, Conversation (spencer reid x gn!autistic!reader, light angst/hurt/comfort)

One More (spencer reid x gn!reader, smut, requested)

Home Early (emily prentiss x non-male gn!reader, fluff and smut, requested)

Coming Out (emily prentiss x transmasc!reader, angst and fluff, hurt/comfort, requested)

First Time (spencer reid x fem/gn!reader (gender isn't specified but reader is afab and wears a bra), fluff and smut, requested)

Strip Poker (emily prentiss x fem/gn!reader (gender isn't specified but reader wears a bra), fluff and fade to black smut, requested)

Bad Time at the Bar (spencer reid x gn!autistic!reader, angst/hurt/comfort, requested)

Pretty Girl (spencer reid x gn!reader, smut)

Something More (emily prentiss x fem/gn!reader (gender isn't specified but reader wears a bra), fluff and light hurt/comfort, requested)

Bleach Stains (spencer reid x gn!reader, fluff and light hurt/comfort)

"Tie Me Up" (spencer reid x gn!reader, smut, requested)

Series!:

Astrophysics!reader masterlist (spencer reid x gn!reader)

Drabbles!:

gn!reader fingering trans!spencer

whiny!spencer

[hannaahsvibes]

Penelope and eloise acting like long-lost lesbian lovers every time they meet is so funny to me

[cumulo-stratus]

BAU autism headcannons

(GIF NOT MINE)

(male reader)

CW: possible swearing, mentions of meltdowns and overstimulation, lemme know if theres anything else!

A/N: sry i havent rly posted in a while, i started a school recently and its been a rly big change for me so ive just been emotionally/mentally exhausted like all the time, but i dont wanna abandon u guys so i decided i would get something up, even if its not super good, thanks for y’all’s understanding <3

i think both JJ and Emily would become sort of mothers to reader

(not that they werent already mothers to the rest of the team but reader especially)

like JJ would totally have a motherly instinct for readers needs (like a sort of spider sense)

like if your ever nervous about something being too much or being overwhelming, jj would kinds know this and either make arrangements for accommodations or make sure you know you dont have to go if you want to.

and like she definitely wold put herself in charge of keeping your safe foods stashed on the jet and at the office

emily is more of a mother in a protective way than jj is

like this girl will not hesitate at all to go off on someone for maybe being disrespected to about stimming your chair while thinking

or like if you dont want to shake a police officers hand when your being introduced, and you get dirty/weird looks for it, or anyone comments on it? BOOM this girl will stare at them with so much animosity they’ll be scared of her shes so hot oml

anyways i thinks he team would be super accepting of you, especially if you joined after reid like they would already have some experience with autism

and like if you weren’t ent comfortable telling anyone other than hotch(i feel like it would be like a in ur file thing idk how the government works tho) spencer would defo be able to tell and confront u privately abt it (our respectful king <3)

and if you are comfortable telling the team, everyone would be respectful

i think like rossi/gideon would be a little clueless but like trying their hardest

like rossi would have no idea what stimming is but understands that like you move in certain ways or make certain noises when ur excited

and like with all his money he wouldnt hesitate to spoil u with any fidget toy u need/want or like a rly nice weighted blanket (its insane how expensive those things are)

and like gideon despite his profound understanding of others (hope yall got that ;)) he wouldn’ t get why sometimes you dont feel like/cant talk but totally respects it

omg garcia is our autism ally QUEEN im telling you

always has a big basket of fidgets/stim toys sitting on her desk and when your having a rough day shell leave you a little goodie in a brightly colored and decorated bag

i firmly believe that she is the queen at finding brands with clothes that not only fits your style perfectly but is also sensory friendly

i think she would definitely say that if she never ended up working in the FBI she wouldve started a clothing shop for sensory friendly clothing/accessories

spencer would totallllyyyy be your best friend when it comes to being under-stimulated

he will totally info dump on you and vice-versa

spencer (like penlope) would totally recommend clothing brands that are sensory friendly, but sock brands in particular

and everyone makes fun of you for nerding out over everything

also spencer would definitely get in the habit of grabbing your hands in his when you start to pick a t your nails and cuticles

like he didnt even realize what he was doing the first time but now he does it without thinking about it and for the team its normal

“hey,” and he would gently grab your hands to stop you from picking at them

“sorry..”

”youve nothing to be sorry for” (with that little reid smile oml rf[osifjgturhv)

and i also firmly believe that morgan is the best people to go to if your having a meltdown

he would stop you from harmfully stimming

“hey sugar, unclench those pretty little hands for me. there we go… good job kid.” he would have the softest smile and voice

and when he takes your hands to stop you from hitting yourself his grip is rly firm but gentle

but hotch is the best to go to for when your overstimulated

like he would make sure you know his office is always a quiet place you can go to with out questions

and he would secretly have a stash of like stimm toys in his office that he stole from garcia

his couch is always open to you, especially like late at night if you are really tired his fatherly instincts will kick in and force you to come to his office for a break

he would would hand you and blanket and a stim toy

”sit. sleep”

thats all he would say in his cute little stern but actually caring voice <3

[vivalu]

Has anyone written Diopen where Dio almost never calls her by her name cause it doesn't feel right when he says it? He's heard it so many times from Odysseus' mouth that it feels like he's saying it wrong compared to him.

And I just imagine it drives Penelope absolutely insane cause just like Odysseus she can't help but yearn for this guy at an atomic level

[spentfromspence]

If the Spencer had Twitter