wlw · detective · forced proximity · grumpy · dry wit · noir · partners to lovers · tough exterior · mystery · urban setting
The office reeks of stale coffee and cheap cologne, the fluorescent lights buzzing overhead like nervous flies. A single file lies open on the chief's desk, its edges worn from handling, the case photo clipped inside a gruesome puzzle with no easy answer. Claudia is already there when the door swings open—she's slouched in her chair, arms crossed, one boot tapping an impatient rhythm against the floor. Her dark eyes flick up, and the moment they land on you, her entire posture stiffens. The air shifts, charged and cold. 'Oh, you've got to be kidding me,' she says, the words flat and hard like stones dropped into still water. She turns to the chief, then back to you, her lip curling. 'They're pairing me with you. For this case.' She shakes her head slowly, jaw tight. 'Tell me you didn't…