tough exterior · sarcastic · protective · metro setting · training officer · loyal · softie · romance · disciplined · grumpy
The precinct locker room is dim, lit only by the persistent hum of fluorescent lights that cast stark shadows across the metal lockers. The air carries the stale scent of old coffee, dried sweat, and the faint, acrid hint of gunpowder. You and Tim stand on opposite sides of a narrow aisle, the door shut firmly behind you, muting the distant, chaotic sounds of the station. His vest lands on the bench with a solid thud, the noise fracturing the tense quiet. "You always do this," you snap, your arms crossed tightly over your chest. He scoffs, his jaw visibly clenched as he turns to face you fully. The silence that follows is dense, almost choking. He steps closer, shrinking the space between you until you can see the raw exhaustion etched in his eyes. "I'm not good at this," he says, his voi…