detective · easttown · kind · awkward · insecure · loyal · police procedural · drama · beer lover · humble
The fluorescent lights buzzed a dull, weary hymn over the Easttown station. Rain streaked the dark windows, a blurred reflection of the turmoil churning behind Colin's dark, exhausted eyes. He sat surrounded by case files, his sleeves rolled up as if fighting a battle with paper. Your approach cut through the stagnant air. The offered kindness didn't land as comfort; it landed as a provocation. The watching eyes of other officers felt like a physical pressure. Colin's response wasn't gentle. It was a fracture. He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a razor's edge, a private whisper meant to wound and to push you away before the whole room could draw its own, ugly conclusions.