Cuffs and Comebacks
Ling Kwong prided herself on staying professional, no matter the situation. Whether it was an angry citizen yelling in her face or a stubborn witness refusing to talk, she always maintained her cool.
But Orm sethratanapong? Orm was a different story.
Ling leaned back in her chair, arms crossed, as Orm sat across the table in the dimly lit interrogation room, looking entirely too comfortable for someone who had just been caught breaking into a high-rise apartment.
Orm had her legs crossed, her blonde hair slightly disheveled from the chase, and that infuriating smirk on her face that Ling simultaneously wanted to wipe away and... do other things to.
"So," Ling began, her voice steady despite the fire simmering in her chest. "Breaking and entering, huh? You've really outdone yourself this time."
Orm tilted her head, her amber eyes gleaming with mischief. "You're welcome. I thought you could use a little excitement in your otherwise boring routine."
Ling narrowed her eyes. "You ran across five rooftops."
"And you caught me." Orm shrugged. "Didn't know you had it in you, Officer Kwong. Color me impressed."
Ling resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "You left a trail of evidence a rookie could follow. It wasn't exactly hard."
"Oh, don't sell yourself short," Orm said, leaning forward, her cuffs clinking against the metal table. "I've been dodging cops for years, but you? You're special."
Ling scoffed. "Flattery isn't going to get you out of this, Sethratanapong".
"Flattery? No, no, I'm just stating facts," Orm said, her voice dropping into something smooth and teasing. "You're fast, you're sharp, and you look really good in that uniform."
Ling felt her cheeks heat up despite herself. "You're unbelievable."
"And you're adorable when you're trying not to blush." Orm grinned, leaning back in her chair like she owned the place.
Ling took a deep breath, reminding herself she was a professional. "Let's focus, shall we? What were you doing in that apartment?"
Orm shrugged again, her expression turning coy. "Just... looking around."
"Looking around," Ling repeated, deadpan.
"Yeah. You'd be amazed at what people leave lying around when they think no one's watching."
Ling raised an eyebrow. "Like the jewelry you stuffed in your bag?"
Orm's smirk faltered for half a second before returning, brighter than ever. "Oh, come on. It wasn't that much."
"You're lucky I didn't add resisting arrest to your charges."
"I wasn't resisting," Orm said, feigning offense. "I was just... giving you a workout. You're welcome, by the way."
Ling leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. "You're lucky I'm in a good mood, or I'd leave you here all night."
Orm's grin widened. "I wouldn't mind. It's kind of cozy in here. Besides, if you're around, it's not so bad."
Ling sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "You are insufferable."
"And yet, you haven't kicked me out of your life."
Ling froze for a moment, her mask of professionalism slipping just slightly. Orm noticed-of course she did-and her smirk softened into something almost... genuine.
"You caught me, Kwong," Orm said quietly, her voice losing some of its usual sass. "What are you going to do with me now?"
Ling met her gaze, her heart pounding in a way she wished she could blame on the chase earlier.
"Follow the law," Ling said, her voice steadier than she felt. "Even when you make it really tempting to break it."
Orm tilted her head, watching her closely. "I'll take that as a compliment."
"It wasn't."
"Sure it wasn't," Orm said, her smirk returning full force.
Ling stood, her chair scraping against the floor. "Stay put. I'll be back."
"Don't worry, officer," Orm called after her. "I'm not going anywhere."
---
Later, as Ling sat at her desk, finishing the paperwork to transfer Orm to holding, she couldn't help but glance at the file in her hand.
Orm Sethratanapong was trouble, no doubt about it. But there was something about the way she looked at Ling-like she was the only person who'd ever caught her, in more ways than one.
Ling shook her head, stuffing the file into a drawer. She'd deal with Orm later.
And judging by the way Orm always seemed to find her, Ling had no doubt she'd be seeing her again.
Hours later, the precinct had mostly quieted down. The overhead lights hummed softly as Ling sat at her desk, staring at the half-empty cup of coffee beside her. She should have been wrapping up paperwork, but her mind kept drifting back to the infuriating smirk and amber eyes that had been haunting her since the interrogation.
She hated to admit it, but there was something about Orm Sethratanapong that crawled under her skin in a way no one else ever had.
"Kwong," a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.
Ling looked up to see Captain Reyes standing in the doorway of her office, arms crossed and an unreadable expression on her face.
"I'm hearing you've got Sethratanapong in holding," Reyes said.
Ling nodded. "Caught her breaking into a high-rise. She had stolen jewelry on her."
Reyes frowned but then sighed. "She's small-time. Not worth the paperwork to keep her overnight. Just confiscate the goods and cut her loose with a warning."
Ling blinked. "Captain, she's been in and out of holding cells more times than I can count. She's not going to stop."
Reyes gave her a pointed look. "And we've got bigger fish to fry. You've got a stack of open cases on your desk that need your attention. We don't have time to babysit someone like Sethratanapong ."
Ling gritted her teeth but nodded. "Understood."
---
Half an hour later, Orm was leaning against the wall of the holding cell, humming a tune under her breath, when Ling approached with her arms crossed.
"Well, look who's back," Orm said, her voice dripping with mock surprise. "Did you miss me?"
Ling unlocked the cell door and gestured for Orm to step out. "You're lucky my boss doesn't think you're worth the trouble."
Orm grinned, stepping closer until she was standing just inside Ling's personal space. "So, I'm free to go?"
Ling met her gaze, unflinching. "On one condition."
"Oh, I love conditions," Orm purred. "Do tell."
Ling stepped forward, her tone sharp. "Stay out of trouble, Orm. If I catch you again, I won't go easy on you."
Orm tilted her head, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "You think this is you going easy on me?"
Ling glared at her. "Out. Now."
Orm laughed softly, brushing past Ling as she made her way toward the exit. "You're so cute when you're mad, Kwong. Don't miss me too much, okay?"
Ling didn't respond, but the corner of her mouth twitched despite herself.
---
That night, Ling was finally back home, wearing her favorite oversized sweatshirt and trying to unwind with a glass of wine. The soft hum of her heater was the only sound in the apartment as she curled up on her couch, staring at the TV but barely paying attention to the show playing on it.
She was halfway through her glass when a faint sound from the direction of her kitchen made her freeze.
A creak.
Ling's eyes darted toward the kitchen, her pulse quickening. Setting her glass down silently, she reached for her phone, her training kicking in as she moved cautiously toward the noise.
She was ready to dial the precinct when a familiar voice broke the silence.
"Relax, Officer Kwong. It's just me."
Ling flipped on the kitchen light, her heart racing, and there, leaning casually against her counter, was Orm Sethratanapong .
"What the hell are you doing in my apartment?" Ling hissed, her voice low but sharp.
Orm held up her hands, a lopsided grin on her face. "Technically, I didn't break in. Your lock was embarrassingly easy to pick."
"That's literally breaking in," Ling snapped, marching toward her. "Do you have a death wish?"
Orm shrugged, unfazed by Ling's anger. "I just figured you'd want some company. You looked a little lonely back at the precinct."
Ling stared at her, equal parts furious and baffled. "You're unbelievable."
"And you're adorable when you're flustered," Orm shot back, her smirk widening.
Ling groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Why are you here, Orm?"
Orm stepped closer, her amber eyes locking onto Ling's. "Maybe I just couldn't stop thinking about you, Officer Kwong. Maybe I like getting under your skin."
Ling crossed her arms, trying to ignore the heat rising to her cheeks. "You're skating on very thin ice right now."
Orm chuckled, stepping even closer until there was barely any space between them. "And yet, you haven't called for backup. Interesting."
Ling glared at her, but the corner of her mouth betrayed her, twitching upward. "You're lucky I'm off duty right now."
Orm tilted her head, her voice dropping to a teasing whisper. "Or maybe you're lucky I came here tonight."
Before Ling could respond, Orm closed the distance between them, her lips brushing Ling's in a kiss that was both unexpected and electrifying.
For a moment, Ling froze, caught between shock and the undeniable warmth spreading through her chest. Then, as if on instinct, she kissed Orm back, her hands finding their way to Orm's shoulders.
When they finally pulled apart, Orm's grin was softer, less teasing, but still entirely smug.
"See? Told you I could make your night better," Orm said, her voice low.
Ling exhaled, her forehead resting against Orm's. "You're impossible."
"And yet, here we are," Orm murmured, brushing a strand of hair behind Ling's ear.
Ling rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her smile. "I'm still calling a locksmith tomorrow."
Orm laughed, and the sound filled the small apartment, warm and unguarded.
As much as Ling hated to admit it, Orm had a way of turning even the most frustrating situations into something she couldn't help but cherish.