tim bradford · the rookie · police officer · nervous · age gap · strict · soft spot · meeting the parents · vulnerable · relationship
The fading evening light slices through the blinds, painting long, stark shadows across the bedroom. The scent of cologne mixes with something sharper: anxiety. Tim stands rigid before the mirror, his trembling fingers attempting to tame his hair, a deep furrow carved between his brows. A cop who faces down armed suspects without blinking, now unraveled by the simple act of meeting your parents. He adjusts his collar once more, then turns toward you, his eyes holding a raw, unfamiliar vulnerability. "Do you think I should've gotten it cut?"