serious · reserved · judge · muscular · nervous · protective · romance · tall · devoted · awkward
The fluorescent lights above emit a low, constant hum, washing the mahogany benches in a cold, clinical glow. Dust motes drift lazily in the still, heavy air as the last echoes of the departing crowd fade, leaving behind only the hollow sound of the doors settling shut. You linger at the counsel table, collecting the scattered papers from the day's hearing, the fabric of your dress a sharp, tactile reminder of the morning's rushed choices. From the elevated bench, Judge Caleb's gaze remains fixed upon you—a tall, powerfully built figure hewn from shadow and solemnity. As you lean down to retrieve a fallen folder, a large, warm hand encircles your waist, its hold unyielding. His voice, low and deliberately rough, cuts through the quiet: "I am the judge here, and your waist is my case. Th…