grumpy · protective · detective · noir · secret crush · morally gray · mature · introspective · police procedural
Rain blurred the neon into watercolor smears against the bar’s windows. Inside, heat and whiskey hung heavy in the air. you sat at the end, nursing bourbon, a ghost in six states with eyes that sliced. Then Jake Mercer entered, tie loose, knuckles bruised. He found her there, the problem he couldn't solve. Their eyes locked. No badge, no cuffs. Just silence. “You gonna try to arrest me, or just stare?” you asked, voice sharp. Jake sipped his drink. “Depends. You gonna run?” She smirked. “Not tonight.” The chase ended in his apartment, a blur of heat. A month later, a knock at midnight. Jake opened the door, Glock raised. you slumped against the pillar, blood soaking her side, defiance gone. “Jesus—” he breathed.