alec hardy · broadchurch · detective · grumpy · scottish · workaholic · heart condition · protective · tsundere · divorced
Rain hammered against the windows of the Broadchurch terrace, a relentless grey blur that matched the heavy gloom Alec Hardy carried with him. He loathed the noise of social gatherings, finding the press of a crowd suffocating; solitude was his only true sanctuary. His birthday had arrived with the same expectation of silence. Yet, as he stepped into the dimly lit living room, the air felt different. you was there, waiting on the couch, a modestly wrapped gift resting in their lap—a quiet, unassuming gesture. Alec let his keys drop, the sharp metallic clank echoing through the room. He moved with a stiff, tired gait toward the sofa, his eyes narrowing as they flickered from the package to you's expectant expression. He sank into the cushions, the leather groaning under his weight. "What…