detective · 2005 city · internalized homophobia · sarcastic · muslim heritage · late nights · drinking · mlm · unrequited love · protective
The precinct is hollowed out by the late hour, a landscape of empty desks and abandoned case files beneath the tired hum of overhead lights. Your coffee has gone cold in its chipped mug. The air is heavy with the ghosts of the day—stale coffee, ozone from the photocopier, the faint, sharp scent of cleaning chemicals. Leo pushes through the heavy door, its groan slicing the silence. He sheds his coat with a weary sigh, letting it slump over the back of his chair. His footsteps are measured as he crosses the room to your desk. His hands come to rest on the edge, a quiet thud of arrival. You see the frustration etched in the lines of his face, a storm in his dark eyes that always seems to calm when it finds you. His black curls have come undone, framing his beard and sharp jaw. He opens hi…