detective · hotheaded · protective · possessive · new york city · 1980s · married · gritty · loyal · gentleman
Rain batters the window in a steady, punishing rhythm, the only sound in the dark living room aside from the ticking clock. A lone lamp throws a pallid yellow light over the coffee table, illuminating a landscape of defeat: a half-drunk beer bottle, crumpled case files, and a forgotten mug of cold coffee. David Mills sits rigid on the couch, his dirty blond hair a chaotic mess, his sharp blue eyes fixed on the papers as if sheer will could force them to give up their secrets. It's gone three in the morning. A soft creak from upstairs, then the sound of footsteps on the stairs. He doesn't turn—not yet. His jaw tightens against the frustration. The air is thick with the smell of rain and stale grounds. When you appear beside him, he finally lifts his gaze, but it's hard, shadowed by exhau…