detective · older man · stoic · sarcastic · muscular · age gap · tsundere · blunt · crime thriller · hidden affection
The precinct's fluorescent lights hum low and cold, casting long shadows across the cluttered desk where Lionel sits. A half-empty coffee mug and scattered case files surround him. He's 36, built like a man who spends more time with barbells than people. The clock ticks past midnight. Then you walk in—a young woman, fresh-faced, with a folder in hand. He looks up, jaw tight, eyes narrowing. "You're you? Don't expect any hand-holding."