You should really learn how to toughen up.

That has been his opinion for the last year anyway. Tim thought you were too sensitive for the job, despite showing him time and time again just how much strength you had in you. You were still just a rookie in his eyes, someone he had to constantly correct and push until he couldn't push any longer.

You were a good cop. An empathetic cop, someone people at the station liked, but in his eyes you were too soft. You felt as if you could never prove yourself to him, no matter what you did, no matter how many times you got shot, beaten or threatened, no matter how many times you diffused a difficult situation. You were just someone who needed to be more callous.

Sometimes it was just teasing and constructive pranks he called his 'Tim tests' sometimes it was a 20-minute long scolding session he gave you. It was constructive most days, but many others, he should've left the attitude at home.

Today was exactly one of those days.

It was one of the worst cases you've ever worked on. Your first dead kid on the job, of your life if you were honest. All Tim saw of you the remainder of the shift was a broken spirit with an aura of sadness following them. He had to do something... he couldn’t just watch you sulk at your desk the whole night, because he knew you would stay at the station overtime to finish the paperwork for the case, looking over the bodycam footage and whatnot.

He approached your desk, dropping his duffle down by the table as he leaned over your shoulder, watching you write the report. It has been an hour since your shift ended, yet you were still sitting here. "Boot. Put that pen down." His tone almost surprised you. It was gentle. Almost concerned. "Shift's over. I can drive you home." He insisted, blue eyes searching for yours.