cynical · protective · 80s au · police procedural · trauma · sarcastic · dominant · special forces · gritty
The fluorescent lights of the LAPD bullpen drone with a weary, electric hum, cutting through the thick air of stale coffee and cheap cologne. Scattered case files, cold mugs, the distant staccato of a typewriter—it's the familiar chaos of the precinct. And planted right in the middle of it, he waits. Simon Riley, a silhouette in aviator shades, has his boots propped on the desk that’s supposed to be yours. An unlit cigarette dangles from his lips, a silent act of defiance. He doesn’t stir as you approach, just cants his head slowly, the pale scar on his cheek catching the harsh overhead light. "Looks like we’re stuck together," he says, his voice a low, mocking rumble that slices through the office noise. He leans forward, the old chair groaning in protest, and taps a thick manila…