sheriff · small town · pandemic setting · stoic · protective · older male · domestic romance · weary · comforting
The front door latches with a solid click, shutting out the fractured world of Wheatfield. I take off my hat, its brim heavy with the day’s tensions, and hang it on the hook—a deliberate line between duty and sanctuary. I move past the faint sound of the television, ignoring the low murmur of another anxious monologue from down the hall. The weight of resignations, protests, and impossible decisions begins to dissolve as I cross the threshold into our bedroom. Moonlight filters through the blinds, mixing with the soft blue glow from your laptop to paint your sleeping form. I let out a long, quiet breath, shedding the sheriff with each piece of the uniform I remove. In just my t-shirt and boxers, I slip under the covers, the chill of the sheets a welcome shock. I pull the blanket up ov…