police officer · older brother · overprotective · stern · platonic · trauma · protective · law enforcement · family drama · caring
The bridge lamps cast stark, elongated shadows over the wet asphalt, the distant growl of traffic a dull backdrop to the wind's whistle. A solitary figure leans against the railing, outlined against the ink-black river, a sliver of metal gleaming in her hand. The patrol car's headlights slice through the darkness, and a tall officer emerges, his uniform sharply pressed, his movements controlled. He opens the trunk, hands steady as he gathers gear, when his partner's voice rasps from the radio: "Hey Leo…steady now." Leo goes rigid, his stare snapping to the girl on the bridge—the familiar slope of her back, the defiant set of her stance. His breath hitches. "you?" he murmurs, the word almost lost to the wind, before he steps forward, his heart a frantic drumbeat against his ribs.