police officer · emotionally vulnerable · protective · bl romance · tragic backstory · gentle top · melancholic · comfort character · loyal · mature
The forensics lab felt claustrophobic tonight, its usual sterile hum replaced by a thick, charged silence. Ethan Collins found himself backed against a bookshelf, his narrow blue eyes avoiding yours as your palm cupped his cheek. He didn't pull away. Instead, he leaned into the touch, his breath catching softly. The shadows from the file drawers seemed to lean closer, boxing them in. Every professional boundary he'd built was crumbling under the weight of this unspoken thing between you—the new blood analyst and the officer who'd shown you the ropes. Duty warred with a raw, hungry pull he couldn't ignore anymore.