Work Text:
“Tim! You’d better show up tonight.” Lopez pressed.
Tim rolled his eyes. She’d caught him immediately as he stepped out of his truck, not even giving him time to grab his messenger bag. It was his first day back after his surgery, and of course it would have to be Halloween. But, he’d promised Lucy (and Nyla and Angela and even Bailey) when they’d insisted he join Nolan’s Halloween party.
He’d blow it off anyway - he’d just had surgery, perfect excuse - except that now it was doubling as John & Bailey’s engagement party.
“Yes, Angela, I’ll be there. I’m not dressing up, though.”
“Spoilsport.” There was a twinkle in her eye that made him a little nervous. “But good, you’d better show. You’re going to swallow your tongue when you see our costumes.”
He narrowed his glare. “ Our costumes?”
The Lopez smirk was back, and now he started to actually worry. “Yep,” she taunted. “The ladies have a team costume. And it’s going to rock.” She checked her watch. “Oops, gotta run - meeting Nyla to try to wrap up a case so we can be out of here on time. See you tonight!”
And then she was gone, furiously typing something out on her phone as she retreated, and he was standing with his eyebrows creased trying to figure out what trick she had up her sleeve.
He locked his truck and started towards the station. Tried to hide the slight falter in his step when he saw Lucy. Could she be any more beautiful? The thought flew through his mind before he could shake it away. She smiled at him in her Lucy Chen way and made her way from her car over to him.
“Hey! You’re back! You’re still coming tonight, right?” Even her voice was like sunshine.
“Uh, yeah, still coming.” He grumbled. “Like you and Lopez would let me out of it…”
She paused a beat, then prodded. “Um. Is Ashley coming too?”
“Ashley and I, uh, broke up.” He turns from starting back towards the building in time to see her surprise. He can see her begin to say something when Chris pushes out the precinct door. Tim audibly sighs, interrupted from a moment that felt like it had been leading to something important, again.
“Hey, Lucy,” Chris starts, and she smiles at him warmly.
“Chris.”
It’s suddenly a little bit awkward and Tim isn’t 100% sure why.
“I’m, well, just waiting for Wesley to wrap up. We’re heading back to the DA’s office.” He smiles back at Lucy but it doesn’t reach all the way to his eyes. “Take care, Lucy.”
Tim’s mouth gapes, just the slightest bit, as he processes the interaction.
“He was pretty formal right there,” is all he can think to say.
“Yeah, uh.” Lucy shifts feet. “We broke up. A few weeks ago. Mutual, but it’s still a little weird seeing him around.” Then she turns her gaze directly to him and the corner of her mouth quirks.
The gravity of what she’d just said hits him like a ton of bricks.
“So, then…” He coughs. “That means… Um, we’re both…”
It’s a teasing smile on her face now, and then she cocks her head in a challenge. “Single, unattached adults?” He’s seen this look on her face before, and knows it’s nothing but trouble.
“Hm. Well, that’s something to think about, isn’t it.” She says it as a statement rather than a question, the same knowing smile still on her frustratingly beautiful face. “I’d better go get changed. Wouldn’t want to be late. I’ll see you later, sir .”
The way she purrs the “hm” and says sir does things to him, and he lets her walk away while he reminds himself where he is and that pushing her against a wall and kissing the smirk away isn’t an option at this precise moment. It’s going to be a long day, he thinks.
——
It’s Lucy, but it still somehow surprises him when she drops down at the lunch table with him and Thorson midway through the day.
“How are you feeling, Tim?” She asks, the picture of innocence, and he scoffs at her.
“I’m feeling fine, Lucy. How’s your day going?”
“Oh, it’s great! Ran a call at a Halloween store and it was the perfect opportunity to pick something up for you and Aaron!” He finally realizes she’s holding a bag and narrows his eyes.
“Thanks so much, Lucy! I owe you - didn’t want to break out a costume I’d used before!” Aaron was clearly in on whatever this is.
“I don’t do costumes. You know this, Chen.”
“Thought you might make an exception if it was exceedingly easy for you.” She pulls out a Tommy gun and hat. “See! All you need is a suit, which, since, engagement party, I figured you were going with anyway?”
She has him there. And even though he grumbles, he knows he’ll most likely wear the damn costume - knows there is nothing she cannot talk him into.
“No.”
She shakes her head in exasperation. “Fine. I’ll just leave it in your truck. See ya guys!” And she’s off like a shot.
Tim’s feeling of unease is getting worse, and he turns his gaze to Thorson. “What do you know about this?”
Aaron holds up his hands and laughs. “She just texted me about a costume earlier and I had her pick mine up for me, I swear. I know she and Lopez and Harper and Bailey are doing a group costume, but I have no clue what it is.”
Tim’s not sure if he believes him, but he’s smart enough to know when he’s not going to get anymore information.
——
The party is in full swing by the time Tim arrives - paperwork that he didn’t rush through for once - and he is wearing the stupid hat Lucy got him. He leaves the fake Tommy gun in the truck, but is still shaking his head at the fact that he’s wearing the damn hat. What is happening to him?
He immediately finds Nolan and James and congratulates Nolan, again. He’s looking around for Lucy when Tamara wanders up, dressed like a witch.
“Wearing the hat, huh?” She teases.
“Shut up, kid.” He looks around again. “Where’s Lucy, anyway?”
Tamara’s face softens like it always does when she talks about Lucy. “They’re almost ready for the songs!”
“The songs?”
“Yeah - their costumes? They’re En Vogue! So they’re going to sing a couple songs - it was Bailey’s idea for Nolan. It’s going to be so great. Have you heard Lucy sing? She’s amazing!” Tim gets stuck on the En Vogue part. He’d had a massive crush on Dawn when he was 10 years old and the nerves in his stomach build more thinking about Lucy in an En Vogue costume.
The lights flicker and Tamara looks up. “That’s my cue! Go hang with Nolan - I’m going to help gather everyone.”
The music starts, the women appear, and Tim, indeed, swallows his tongue. They’re dressed in leather pants and various leather blouses, alá the music video for “Don’t Let Go.”
Lucy is the most covered up, but she still looks incredible - curvy and perfect. Bailey starts them off but Tim barely even registers the other woman as they start to sing.
I often tell myself that we could be more than just friends
I know you think that if we move to soon it would all end
I live in misery when you're not around
And I won't be satisfied till we're taking those vows
They all chime in for the chorus and Tim’s mind goes absolutely blank.
There'll be some love making, heartbreaking, soul shaking
Oh, lovemaking, heartbreaking, soul shaking
What's it gonna be 'cause I can't pretend?
Don't you wanna be more than friends? (don't you wanna be)
Hold me tight and don't let go (don't let go)
You have the right to lose control (don't let go)
He looks around frantically to see if anyone is noticing his complete stupor, and misses Harper’s verse. Then they’re singing the chorus again and he is pretty sure his brain is going to short circuit when Lucy looks directly at him as she sings about pretending and then takes the next verse.
Running in and out my life has got me so confused
You gotta make the sacrifice, somebody's got to choose
We can make it if we try, for the sake of you and I
Together we can make it right
He manages to hold it together through the rest of the song - even playfully shoving Nolan as Bailey saunters towards him at the end for a kiss. And then he’s laser focused on Lucy as she steps back and walks towards the hallway.
He catches up to her easily, and is pulling her hand to follow him down the hall, searching for the first empty room he can find. He pulls her into a bathroom, spinning her around as he slams and locks the door and shoves her against it, following with his body so he’s pressed against her.
The challenge from this morning is still in her eyes as she looks up at him and rolls her hips just the slightest bit against his. He’s both groaning and grinning as he takes her mouth, plundering how he’s wanted to since her hallway after the Hajek op.
He forgets the professionalism he’d tried to put between them, forgets (again) that there are lines being crossed, that he’s her superior, that there’s a power imbalance between them, and just sinks into her.
She grabs his suit jacket and gives back in full, her lips slanting against his, her body warm and pliant. One of his hands slides down her body to her hip, pulling her even closer still as the other hand tangles in her hair and they feast on each other.
They’re both breathing hard when they finally part, and Lucy drops her head back against the door and looks up at him, their bodies still slotted together.
“You wore the costume.” She breathes out.
He strangles out a laugh. “I like yours better.”
“Wait till you see act 2.”
She feels him pulse against her, his hardness evident. “There’s an act 2? Trying to put me back in the hospital?”
Her smile is sly now. “Maybe. It might have been Bailey’s idea, but I didn’t mind the idea of making you drool a bit.”
“Lucy…” he starts. There are still mountains for them to climb to be together, and they both know it.
“I know. But I needed this. To know that you feel it too. That it wasn’t pretend.”
“No. It wasn’t pretend.” He kisses her again, soft, and they cling to each other as the kiss starts to escalate again until the door handle rattles with someone trying to enter.
“Oops, sorry!” They hear someone call, and Tim laughs softly.
“I guess we better go back. You have a costume change to get to.”
“We’ll figure it out, you know.” She sounds so certain that he can’t help but smile at her.
“I know you believe that.” He drags his fingers down her face, ending at her collarbone. “You make me believe it too.”
——
The costume change might actually kill him, he thinks not long after their bathroom interlude. This time, the women are dressed from another En Vogue video - long, red satin dresses and black elbow length gloves - as they croon about giving a man something he can feel.
Again, Lucy looks directly at him as she sings, and he’s sure that he can see Lopez and Harper laughing at him out of the corner of his eye.
People out there can understand
I'm givin' him somethin' he can feel
Ooh, to let him know this love is real (hey)
Givin' him somethin' he can feel (oh my love)
To let him know this love is real (oh my love is real)
This love is real
So much joy for us, it seems
So much hope for material things
Are they only in my dreams?
And that's exactly why I'm singing this song to you
To let you know that real dreams do come true
You tell me what does it mean?
He knows they have a lot to work out. There are the dynamics of working together, of him being her sergeant. He’s determined to not let her reputation take a hit because of him. But, for the first time since their undercover op, he’s feeling light. Optimistic about the future.
Later, he pulls her into a dance and twirls her like he’d done at Harper’s wedding, and when she smiles up at him he knows it for sure. They’ll make it work, and this will be it for him.
Halloween, he thinks as he walks Lucy to her car at the end of the night and she steals one more kiss before heading home with Tamara, might turn into his favorite holiday. Anything really could happen.