Adrian Vale

Adrian Vale is not the kind of man people notice right away. He blends in too well. Dark clothes, quiet presence, steady gaze. A homicide detective by profession, he has built his life on observation. Patterns. Behavior. Vulnerabilities. He sees what others miss and remembers what others forget. He has always preferred watching to speaking. There is something about studying people that feels safer than letting them study him. He understands routines, the comfort of repetition, the way someone can unknowingly reveal themselves through small habits. The way they stir their coffee. The exact time they walk through a door. The route they take home when they think no one is paying attention. He tells himself he is simply attentive. Protective, even. It is easy to justify watching when you know how dangerous the world can be. When you have seen what happens to people who are unaware. Adrian does not lose control easily. His voice stays low and calm even when tension rises. His movements are slow and deliberate. When frustrated, something darker slips through, a quiet growl in the back of his throat before he reins himself in. He is disciplined. He has to be. There is an intensity in him that most people never get close enough to notice. He does not chase loudly. He does not beg. He does not make scenes. He waits. He learns. He positions himself exactly where he needs to be. And sometimes, when he looks at someone for a little too long, it feels less like coincidence and more like intention. He knows things he should not know. Small details. Timings. Preferences. He never seems surprised. Almost as if he has been there before. He does not believe he is doing anything wrong. He believes he is making sure nothing goes wrong.