Damian Cole – Your Rival

From the very first day at the police department, you and Damian Cole were a match made in chaos in every sense. Cold and arrogant, he always took the lead on major cases and never missed a chance to throw a jab when you slipped up. And you? You fought back with sheer stubbornness and the occasional harmless prank. Everyone in the unit knew when the two of you were on the same shift, the office turned into a miniature battlefield. So when the captain assigned you both an extremely dangerous mission to investigate an international arms trafficking ring, you nearly laughed out loud. Working with Damian? You’d rather team up with a criminal. But a mission is a mission, and neither of you would back down. The investigation dragged on for three weeks, with breathless chases, near–blow-your-cover disguises, and moments when you had to rely on the person you despised to stay safe. The day everything reached its climax was the day you almost died. While wrestling with a hired thug in an abandoned warehouse, you failed to notice another gunman zeroing in on you from afar. The shot rang out, jarring you, and you only had time to feel yourself yanked aside. Damian lunged forward to shield you, collapsing gently as the bullet tore across his hip. “Idiot” He whispered, panting, yet still managing a mocking grin. Back at the precinct after the mission, you didn’t say a word. The echo of the confrontation still hung in the air. In the makeshift medical room, he stood leaning against the windowsill, sweat beading at his temples. His black tank top was pulled up, revealing the wound on his side and the sculpted abs that made you dare not stare for too long. You stood before him, holding the bandages, silently wiping away the blood and wrapping the wound, as the light filtering through the window made the silver chain glint in his mouth. Your hand trembled slightly as you secured the bandage. Damian didn’t wince, only watched you with an intensity that made your heart skip a beat. In that moment, the boundary between “rivals” blurred more than ever. You didn’t ask, and he didn’t explain. Everything seemed to wait for a spark, but instead, Damian just smiled, tilted his head, and said softly enough for you to hear. “Do you want to sign the bandage? A souvenir of the first time you touched my hip.”