Work Text:
Tim sighs as he shuffles through the papers on the desk, he is barely looking at them distracted by something else. He lifts his head up and scans the station it’s mostly the night officers coming on. He was technically off but he wanted to finish up a few more things before he left. And he wanted to see Lucy before she left for the day— maybe he would finally have the courage to tell her how he feels about her.
Like how he really feels.
He thinks back to when he realized his feeling for Lucy had changed. It was when they had gotten back from Vegas, and they had stopped talking. It was awkward but he just felt this weight on his shoulders, like he was trying to figure out what was different.
And he had realized with a start that well— she might not feel the same but he didn’t think it was pretend.
He didn’t think it was basic biology.
He wanted—he wants more. And if only he had the nerve to tell her that. He stands up and looks around the station again and he finally spots her. She’s talking to an officer, one that he doesn’t recognize and there’s a smile on her face. She reaches out to touch the man’s arm and his face lights up in a smile.
Tim feels his shoulders deflate and he looks away to see Angela staring at him with raised eyebrows. He stiffens a little bit as she starts to walk over because he knows what’s coming. She is going to pressure him to talk about Lucy, and his very obvious crush on her.
Angela approaches and gives him a sly smile. “Looks like Lucy is back in the game.” She says and Tim rolls his eyes at her. Lucy had broken up with Chris Sanford a few days after they had gotten back from Vegas and the only reason he knew was because Angela had told him. He was relieved to say the least because Sanford was a class A jackass. Tim always thought Lucy was a too good for him.
Tim looks back at Lucy and the officer who were still talking, and a knot started to form in Tim’s stomach. It did look like Lucy was flirting a little, smiling at the officer and not taking her eyes off of him.
Tim sighs and turns away from them hoping the knot in his stomach would release.
He missed his chance if only—if only he had fought for her harder in that hotel room.
He figures Lucy is scared to do anything beyond friendship with him and he gets it because he’s scared too.
He doesn’t want to lose her.
“Tim.” Angela says and he turns his attention back to her. Her eyes are searching his face and she’s wearing a serious expression on her face. “You need to talk to her.” Tim looks back at Lucy and she’s alone now but she still has a smile on her face.
“Why?” Tim asks schooling his expression hoping he can fool Angela. Angela just raises her eyebrows at him and glances back towards Lucy.
“You have feelings for her.” Angela replies and it’s not a question like last time. It’s a matter of fact statement. Tim sometimes hates that Angela knows him so well.
“I do not.” He says and his voice becomes high and pitchy just like last time when he denied his feelings for her. The only difference now is he doesn’t have an argument, they are both single and there’s nothing stopping them from being together except for maybe—themselves.
“Liar.” Angela says with a sly smile. “You have feelings for Lucy and the fact that she may be moving on and has a crush on someone.” Tim’s heart starts pounding in his chest as glances back at Lucy but she’s gone.
“She has a crush on someone?” He asks. Angela smiles at him as if she knows a secret, like she knows something he doesn’t.
“Maybe.”
Tim sighs and he’s really too old for this mess and riddles. And whatever Angela has up her sleeve and if he would just go talk to Lucy—
“Maybe you should talk to Lucy and find out.” Angela says. And she walks away without another word leaving Tim to digest what she just said.
***
Lucy is glad she’s alone in the locker room. She really didn’t feel like having small talk with other people. She sighs as she changes out and thinks about her conversation with new transfer. He was a patrol officer from North Hollywood’s, Officer Randall. She didn’t get his first name and she really didn’t care. He had come up to her and started talking to her. She had been polite but really—
She wasn’t interested.
She had just gotten out of a relationship with Chris Sanford, not that it was a huge loss because it wasn’t. She didn’t really mourn it, because the one person that she did care about and did want a relationship with was avoiding her.
Or really they were avoiding each other.
Tim.
She realized after Vegas and after she broke up with Chris, she had lied to Tim. And maybe she should have realized it earlier before everything became awkward but—
She didn’t act on it and everything between them had become awkward and stilted like they didn’t know each other.
Her feelings for Tim stretched way beyond just friends. Because even acting as two people who were their opposites, even pretending to be into each other was so natural for them. It’s like they had a secret language—and it amazed her how well they took on the role.
And when Tim had brought it up—that maybe it wasn’t pretend she had panicked. And she had lied to the man who she knew she had feelings for. She had watched his face fall, and before she could take it back it was too late.
And her feelings—her crush had only intensified. And she wanted to talk to him but everything had been so—awkward.
She sighs and thinks how she’s going to let Officer Randall down easy. She felt a little bad but—
“Hey.” Lucy jumps and sees Angela leaning against a locker a smile on her face. “I saw you talking to that new transfer.”
Lucy shrugs her shoulders and slips on her shirt turning her back to Angela. “He was just being friendly—”
“Really?” Angela asks. “It looked like you two were hitting it off.” Lucy sighs deeply, and then turns to face Angela.
“He’s just eager to— be here.” She says lamely. “I’m not interested.” Angela’s smile becomes bigger and Lucy raises her eyebrows at her.
“You aren’t interested in a cute guy who takes interest in you?” She asks. “Because maybe you are holding out for another guy?”
Lucy freezes and she’s sure Angela can see it all over her face. So she turns away again trying to get her emotions in tact. “What are you talking about? I just got out of a relationship—”
“A month ago.” Angela points out. “Lucy, you didn’t even cry when you ended your relationship with Chris. You just moved on.”
She had a point. But Chris wasn’t worth crying over. Not even a little bit.
“Well still I’m not interested—”
“You like Tim.” Angela says. Lucy freezes again. “It’s pretty obvious.” Lucy turns to face her again.
“I—”
“Don’t deny it.” Angela says rolling her eyes but there’s no heat to it. “You need to talk to him.”
Lucy’s shoulders deflate a little and she remembers the hurt look on Tim’s face when she had told him it was just basic biology.
She had hurt him and she didn’t blame him for avoiding her.
“He doesn’t want to talk to me. I—” Lucy starts but Angela cuts her off a exasperated smile on her face.
“Just talk to him.” She says. “You never know what might happen.” She turns around and leaves the locker room. And Lucy is alone once more, thought flooding her brain and wondering if Angela was right.
Maybe she should just talk to Tim.
***
Tim doesn’t know what to do, on one hand he wants to talk to Lucy and figure this out once and for all. On the other hand, he wants her to be happy and even if it’s not with him—he wants what’s best for her.
He sighs and walks to his truck, he puts his bag in the backseat and then climbs into the driver’s seat.
He glances over and sees Lucy getting into her car and his heart nearly stops. She looks over and meets his eyes and smiles softly at him.
He smiles back at her, and looks up at the ceiling of the truck before he’s climbing out of it again and going over to the driver’s side of her car.
She already has her window down as if she expected him to come over. “Hey.” He says and he leans down a little.
“Hi.” She replies back looking at the steering wheel and then back at him. There’s a beat of silence before they are both talking.
“Tim.”
“Lucy.”
He pauses and then motions her to continue. She sighs and tucks some hair behind her ear. “I know things have been awkward between us but I—want to talk.” She says.
Tim stares at her a little perplexed. “Yeah? About what?” He asks. She looks at him and bites her lip but before she can say anything more he’s talking.
“I want to talk too.” He says and Lucy eyes widen in surprise like she wasn’t expecting it.
“Yeah?” She asks. He nods his head looking around the parking garage and then back at Lucy.
“Not here.” He says. “Um do you want to meet at the bar?” She smiles at him and it’s a full, real smile.
“Sure.” She says. “That sounds great.” Tim nods and the reaches down to squeeze her hand. And then backs away and makes his way to his truck, his heart racing.
Maybe this would be okay after all.
They arrive at the bar at the same time and awkwardly go in together. Tim goes to order drinks while Lucy finds them a booth in the back of the bar. He makes his way over to her putting her drink of choice tequila of course in front of her.
And then slides in and gives her a small smile, it’s quiet for the first five minutes before Lucy is speaking.
“Tim.” She says and she sighs softly. “I’m sorry it’s been so awkward for the past few weeks. I know—”
“It’s okay.” He says quickly. They can’t do anything to change the past, but he hopes they can move on from it.
“It’s not.” Lucy says and she looks frustrated but he’s not sure if it’s at him or herself. “It was awkward you know being a couple and then—” She pauses and shakes her head a little.
“Lucy—” He starts but Lucy cuts him off and she takes a deep breath before she’s speaking again. Her voice steady, and he takes a deep breath too.
“I lied.” She says. “I lied when I said it was basic biology because it wasn’t. It wasn’t pretend but I was scared and—”
Tim scoots closer to her, his mind reeling from her confession and he can’t quite believe it but—
“I’m sorry.” She continues. “I know that is why it became so awkward and we haven’t talked but it’s been—”
“I should have talked to you more.” Tim says. “I didn’t want to push you.” Lucy face softens and she scoots closer to him. He continues this time, and it feels so good to get this out in the open with Lucy.
“I was being a coward because I didn’t think you felt the same way.” He says softly. “I didn’t want to push you into anything you didn’t want.”
“I want you.” Lucy says and then ducks her head down. “I’m sorry.” But Tim scoots even closer and pulls her into his arms and she wraps herself around him resting her head on his chest.
“Lucy.” He says softly after a couple of minutes. She looks up at him with big eyes and he wants to kiss her but—
“Do you really want this? You and me?” He asks. She adjusts herself and then reaches out to run her finger down his cheek.
“Yeah I do.” She replies and his heartbeat quickens. “I really do. Do you want this?” Tim smiles down at her.
“I do.” He replies and she looks absolutely giddy. It’s how Tim feels on the inside.
“Good.” She says and he nods his head because this was very good.
He never thought this would happen when he was just moping about it a few hours ago. He leans down and kisses her and he knows this is a start of something good.
He hears her giggle and he swallows the sound wanting to keep it in his memory forever. He pulls back and cups her face.
“So you didn’t have a crush on that new officer?” He asks and she snorts a little before her face turns serious.
“No.” She says. “He was flirting with me.” Tim grip on her becomes tighter and she laughs again and leans up to give him another kiss.
“This is—you are the one I have a crush on.” She says softly and he feels like his heart could explode.
“Good.” He says and he leans down to kiss her again and he realizes this is all he needs. It’s the beginning but it’s the beginning of something amazing.
***
“Officer Chen!” Lucy turns to see Officer Randall walks towards her, she adjusts herself on the bar stool and wonders if he followed her to the bar. She hears another noise behind her and She turns to see Tim who has a scowl on his face and she can’t help but laugh at it. She gives him a reassuring smile, one that told him that she was his. And then turns back to the eager Officer Randall, who was smiling at her.
“Officer Randall.” She says politely. She’s ready to turn down him again. She’s ready to tell him she was happily in a relationship and not interested at all. Even two months into their relationship, she knows Tim is it for her and she doesn’t want anyone else. She just wants him for the rest of her life.
Officer Randall grins at her and then shuffles his feet. She hears Tim behind her and she resists the urge to roll her eyes. “I was just wondering if you wanted to get a drink—” Tim scoffs behind her and she turns to give him a look.
And then she turns back to Officer Randall who is bouncing on his feet. “Look um—” She starts realizing she still doesn’t know his first name. “I am sorry but—I’m in a relationship and I am very happy.”
Officer Randall’s face falls and she can practically feel Tim’s smugness. “I’m sorry.” She says again. “You seem very nice but—”
Officer Randall nods and gives her a smile before he’s walking away with his shoulders down. Lucy shakes her head then turns to her boyfriend who is smirking a little too much.
“Could you be anymore obvious Tim?” She asks. He laughs and wraps his arms around her waist and leans down to kiss her.
“Mine.” He mumbles into her mouth. She laughs and tugs him closer feeling his heartbeat against her chest. Feeling all of him against her.
“Yours.” She agrees and she sighs against him. This is all she has ever wanted to be loved and wanted by someone. To have someone who wanted her as much as she wanted him. She tugs Tim over to the same booth where their relationship began and pulls him down. He pulls her into his lap and nuzzles his nose into her hair.
And this was enough for her. If she had Tim for the rest of her life she knew she would be okay.