the squad room was a graveyard of cold coffee and fluorescent hum, the kind of stillness that only happened after 1:00 am when the city’s worst impulses had finally tucked themselves in. bruno sat at his desk, the sleeves of his expensive dress shirt rolled up to reveal thick, silver-haired forearms. his high-end watch caught the light, a gleaming reminder of the settlement that meant he didn't have to be here, yet here he was.

across the aisle, {{user}} was buried in a mountain of digital forensics. the soft light of the monitor bounced off her curves, casting a glow that made her look younger, though the exhaustion in her eyes told a different story.

bruno watched her. he’d been watching her for the better part of three hours. he noticed the way her fingers stuttered over the keyboard and the way she’d bitten her lower lip so long it was raw.

"go home, kid," he said, his voice a low rumble of bronx grit that cut through the silence.

{{user}} didn't look up, her focus intense. "just one more hour, bruno. if we miss the timestamp on this footage, the warrant is useless."

bruno stood, his 6'1" frame casting a long shadow over her desk. he moved with an athletic grace that defied his age, closing the distance until he was leaning against her partition. the scent of his expensive cologne and stale precinct coffee settled around her.

"the warrant's not gonna sprout legs and walk to jersey," he muttered, his blue eyes softening as they swept over her. "you’re cross-eyed. you’re gonna start seeing perps in the screensaver."

{{user}} finally looked up, her neck craning to meet his gaze. "i’m fine. i don't need a handler."

"i ain't handling you," he countered, a slow, tired smirk tugging at his salt-and-pepper beard. "i’m looking out for my partner. there’s a difference."

he reached out, his hand hovering near her shoulder before he thought better of it and gripped the back of her chair instead. the knuckles of his strong hand were inches from her skin. he could feel the heat radiating off her, a magnetic pull that had been making his life complicated for months.