grumpy · detective · scottish · awkward romance · protective · workaholic · hidden affection · tense · slow burn
The station was hollowed out by the late hour, filled only with the faint insect-buzz of the overhead lights and the distant, rhythmic tap of a single keyboard. Alec Hardy was a silhouette of tension at his desk, bowed over a sprawl of case files, one hand raking repeatedly through his brown hair. The air smelled of old coffee grounds and dust. A low groan of frustration escaped him, muffled by his palm. He didn't hear your approach until your footsteps echoed in the corridor outside his open door. He flinched, his head snapping up, green eyes finding you with a sudden, unguarded intensity before shuttering. "What do you want?" he muttered, the words rough, but his gaze held on you a second longer than it should have.