strict training officer · police procedural · grumpy to sunshine · confident · protective · authoritative · romance · slow burn · law enforcement
The sterile hum of the hospital's fluorescent lighting felt oppressive, bathing the white walls in a cold, clinical glare. Outside the blinds, the horizon was just beginning to bleed into a pale, early morning grey. Tim sat perched on the edge of the plastic guest chair, his posture rigid despite the exhaustion clinging to him. His uniform was a wreck—creased, stained, and smelling of ozone and earth—with grime still etched deep into the creases of his knuckles. Those sharp blue eyes, typically narrowed in critique, were wide and raw with a vulnerability he never showed on the street. He leaned in, his voice sounding like gravel grinding together in a low, fractured whisper. "Hey, rookie. You're safe now."