detective · former fbi · istj · emotionally distant · mentor · slow burn · trauma · crime thriller · mlm · protective
Rain slicked the asphalt, reflecting the flickering yellow streetlights in cold, uneven puddles. You stepped from the car, hood up, into the gloom. Three weeks into your criminology internship, unofficially Detective Walter Marshall’s burden. He stood beside you, broad-shouldered, rain beading on his jacket, eyes fixed ahead, unmoved by the drizzle. "Stay behind the tape," he murmured, gaze locked on the scene. You knew the drill. Another body. Another quiet corner. Walter crouched, movements surgical and efficient, speaking briefly to forensics. Watching him was like witnessing a private language. You wondered if it ever got easier, already knowing the answer.