Work Text:
Twelve years ago, when Herman opened his little establishment, the first few months were rough. He’d sell coffee and pastries during the day just to have something to eat at night. He barely had enough money to cover rent for his tiny apartment and the café itself. Of course, rent in LA was always outrageous and way out of reach, but this was his city. Even though he was born in Berlin, Herman felt more American than German. He had moved to the U.S. with both of his parents when he was just a kid. He learned to read and write in English, made American friends, dated and married an American woman. Julie was still his best friend and the love of his life to this day—the mother of his kids. And many times, when he thought about giving up, he’d remind himself he had to keep going for her.
After those first bumpy months, his café started—by accident—to take shape thanks to a rather unusual crowd: college students. One told another about this new low-key spot (which was Herman’s café), and soon he found himself serving student after student, having to diversify the types of coffee he offered. Lactose-free milk, weird teas... whatever worked, he added to the menu. Things went so well that about a year later, he was completely burned out. While grateful for the business, no one could work from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m., six days a week, without getting completely exhausted. That’s when an angel walked through the doors of his café, a smiling and kind-hearted angel named Lucy Chen.
Lucy was hustling to pay for her first years of college. From what she said, she was majoring in Psychology and minoring in Criminal Sciences (which struck Herman as strange because, hey, why would someone as bubbly as Lucy be interested in true crime?) . Herman didn’t get it at first, since Lucy didn’t seem like your typical broke student. Later on, much later, he found out her parents weren’t exactly the best people in the world.
When she ordered a coffee, she noticed Herman juggling to serve everyone and decided to help. She served a few tables, seated some customers, and even diffused the start of a fight, and Herman felt compelled to ask if she’d take a part-time job. “I can’t pay much, but I really need the help,” he said.
With a glorious smile, she simply replied, “When can I start?”
For three years, Lucy became like an adopted daughter to him and Julie. She renamed the café (which used to be called only Herman’s, but she changed it to Herman’s Brew & Bites because, according to Lucy, he needed to appeal to a cooler crowd and Herman’s was as lame as it gets), made him fill the place with plants, small couches, vinyl records, old books, and other things she swore were both “cult” and “hipster.” After Lucy, Herman hired two more assistants, but she was the backbone of his café. When Lucy told him she had finished college and was planning to travel around Europe on a journey of self-discovery, he threw her a farewell party at the café, and both she and Julie cried a lot. He told Lucy that no matter where she went, the job would always be hers. No matter what, if she ever wanted to come back, she’d always have a home with him and his family.
A few months after Lucy left, Herman noticed his café had started attracting a rather odd crowd: cops. He wasn’t sure how it happened, but a goofy, funny cop named Smitty began coming in during the day ( did this guy even work? ) and brought several officers with him. One day, another cop named Jan asked Herman, “ You ever thought about extending your hours and turning this place into a bar at night? I think it’d be a hit. ” And, honestly, Herman had never thought of that. He had zero experience with bars, but his kids were growing up and needed more stuff, and Julie was now working full-time with him at the café since it had become their main source of income. She encouraged him, and they extended their hours until midnight. He had to hire more staff, but it worked out.
About eight years ago, Tim Bradford walked into the bar for the first time. A man of few words, he came just to watch the Rams game and have a few beers. Herman didn’t expect to see the gruff and tough officer again, but Tim came back that same week with two female colleagues named Angela and Talia. Angela was the most sarcastic of the bunch, constantly teasing Bradford. Herman couldn’t understand why Tim put up with the teasing, but after seeing the cop hide a smirk, he realized that both Talia and Angela were his friends and genuinely cared about him. The strange part was that Bradford wore a wedding ring, so why would a married, serious man never come to the bar with his wife, but always with his work colleagues? In all the time Bradford frequented his place, Herman had never seen him even glance at another woman in a more… suggestive way. Was Bradford gay? Herman couldn’t tell for sure, but he was willing to bet all his cards that he wasn’t.
On a slow day, Bradford came into the bar alone and sat at the counter. Instead of his usual beer, he ordered whiskey straight. Herman served one shot, then two, three... but by the time they got to the fifth , Herman told Tim he wasn’t serving him any more alcohol.
He told Tim he’d serve him water—which he did—and asked if Bradford wanted to talk. Herman expected a flat-out no , but he was surprised when the man actually started opening up. From what he gathered, Bradford was married to another cop, but his wife worked undercover. At first, Tim was supportive of her job, but his wife was never home. After a few years, their marriage cooled off to a point where they went months without seeing each other. It seemed like Isabel, Tim’s wife, deliberately took long-term undercover assignments, one after the other, to avoid confronting their life together. After Tim vented and sobered up a bit, Herman offered to call a cab to get him home. Tim refused, but Herman called one anyway. He thought Bradford might feel embarrassed about pouring his heart out to a German café/bar owner, but the officer kept coming back every week, quiet and brooding as usual. Herman realized Tim saw him as a friend, which was nice. Herman liked him and wished him the best.
Exactly five years ago, Herman was organizing pastries in the early afternoon when Lucy Chen walked through the door again. She smiled that same captivating smile, the one that lit up the whole café and hugged him with the warmth of a long-lost daughter. After asking about Julie and the kids (who were now teens, almost off to college), Lucy shared with all the joy in the world that she had decided to become a cop. Herman was quite taken aback, and it must have shown on his face because Lucy just belly-laughed at him. Over the next few weeks, Lucy would stop by on her days off for coffee with Herman and insist on paying, even though he didn’t want her to. She started bringing two rookie cops with her: an older guy named John Nolan—who, much to Herman’s dismay, was Lucy’s boyfriend —and a younger cop named Jackson West, Lucy’s best friend.
Herman briefly wondered if Lucy and Bradford knew each other, given that they worked at the same precinct, but he always forgot to ask and didn’t want to risk exposing his loyal customers.
One evening, Lucy showed up with a rare somber expression, which was unusual for her and confided in Herman about how tough her training officer was to deal with. He made her chase after the shop during her first day, refused to develop any kind of friendship with her—which, to Lucy, was a serious offense because how could a co-worker not want to be friends with her? —and, on top of that, doubted every decision she made on the job.
“It’ll be okay, Luce. You’ll prove to him—and everyone—that you’re tough as steel. You’ll surprise them and shut them all up,” Herman assured her.
The next day, Bradford stormed into the bar, fuming, and ordered a whiskey (which Herman had noticed by now was the cop’s go-to drink on bad days). For the first time in a long while, Tim decided to open up.
“I can’t stand my rookie anymore. She’s stubborn, doesn’t follow my orders, does the opposite of everything I teach her, and thinks she knows better than me. The way she gets under my skin… it’s something that should be studied. I’ve never had such a disobedient rookie in my life.”
"And aren't you thinking about washing out this new rookie? If she's not fit for the job, I know you have little tolerance for bad cops."
“That’s the thing. She’s not bad. I argue with her because she has the potential to be really good . God, she is so smart she could probably be my boss someday. She has empathy for people and often makes me rethink my own methods. It drives me crazy. But she really should tone it down sometimes and listen to me as her TO. After all, how is someone supposed to be a cop if they can’t respect their superiors?”
Herman nodded, although he partially disagreed with Tim. If the new rookie was a good cop and even made the rigid Bradford rethink his approach, maybe she was right to challenge him.
"Son, I don’t know you that well, but it’s easy to see how dedicated you are to your work, and I’m sure you’re very good at what you do. When I was your age, I was stubborn too, and had a hard time accepting advice or any changes. But in the end, sometimes it’s good to try new things, to reconsider what we believe in if it’s all for the sake of improvement. Keep an eye on your rookie, because maybe she has something to teach you too.”
Bradford didn’t seem too pleased hearing that, but since they were apparently friends by now, he gave a terse nod and didn’t bring it up again.
Things stayed the same for a year: Lucy would come on her days off on mornings and afternoons, and Bradford would drop by after his shifts at night.
One night, however, Angela Lopez came in with Nyla Harper (a tough terrifying lady, almost a female version of Bradford), both looking pretty upset. Herman asked what had happened, and they said a rookie on their station had suffered terrible injuries after being kidnapped by a serial killer, pretty tough stuff and it was all over the news. He soon learned that the rookie was Lucy and his heart just stopped. He had to excuse himself to the bathroom and cry for a long time before feeling sane again. Since he didn’t know where Lucy lived anymore, he texted Jackson asking for her address and sent her goodies every day to help with her recovery. Only he and Julie knew about Lucy Chen’s true love for chocolate croissants, and if that would help their girl recover faster, Herman would make croissants for her for years to come. The other week, Officer Bradford came by in the afternoon (for the first time) and bought a chai latte and several pastries. Herman thought it was strange, but didn’t say anything. He’d noticed Bradford had stopped wearing his wedding ring a few months ago, so maybe he was buying things for a new girlfriend. Good for him, he deserved to be happy.
What surprised Herman enormously was when, a couple of months later, both Bradford and Lucy came in together —and apparently, they were friends. What an odd coincidence!
“Wait, is Bradford the tough TO you complained so much about?” Herman asked.
Lucy could only laugh as she nodded, stuffing herself with vanilla pastries. “Yeah, can you believe it?”
Turning to Bradford, Herman asked, “And Lucy is the stubborn rookie you mentioned?”
“The one and only.” Agreeing with that earned Bradford a playful smack on the arm from Lucy. Herman thought the guy would frown or complain, but he just smiled. Hmm, interesting. Could it be…? No, no way. They’re just coworkers, right?
"Son," Herman cleared his throat before speaking, "did Lucy ever tell you she worked here years ago? This girl helped me so much in the beginning, I’m sure we wouldn’t still be open if it weren’t for her."
Lucy, embarrassed, tried to downplay her role, but her flushed cheeks gave her away. "You and Julie were the ones who really helped me, Herm. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you two."
“You talk about all sorts of nonsense and crap every day, but you forgot to mention you’ve known old Herman here for almost a decade?” Tim asked, raising an eyebrow.
Herman watched the exchange with growing curiosity.
"How was I supposed to know you came here too? I’ve never seen you here during the day, Tim."
"That’s because I only come at night, like grown-ups do."
"Bull. I know you love donuts."
Interesting, Herman thought again. The way the two laughed, teased each other, but looked at each other with such affection made it clear to him that these two idiots had no idea they were in love. It was even funnier when they started planning a weekend hike with Kojo (Bradford’s dog, whom Lucy referred to as "king of canines" and actually her dog)—something only a couple would do (share a dog and plan on weekends together). Also, Herman completely froze in place when Lucy just grabbed Tim’s phone like it wasn’t a big deal, unlocked it ( she knows his passcode? ), and showed him a beautiful spot they could visit in two weeks.
Their daytime visits together continued for months. With each passing day, Herman grew more convinced that the two were in love but completely in denial about it. He was even more surprised when Lucy mentioned she was going out with her boyfriend, a hunky (Lucy’s words) firefighter; Herman had to agree with Tim about not finding firefighters reliable. Tim made such a sour face that it became as clear as day he was jealous.
All of a sudden, they stopped coming in together. Lucy still popped by once or twice a month, but Bradford had completely stopped showing up. When Herman asked Lucy about it, she only shrugged and mentioned that Tim was dating a woman who didn’t like things that " make you fat ," like sugary coffee and pastries and that he was a sergeant now. She then asked Herman what he thought about lawyers since one had asked her out.
Herman replied, "It doesn’t matter if you’re dating a cop, a firefighter, a lawyer, or a teacher—it could be the best person in the world, but if they’re not the right person for you, it doesn’t make a difference."
The brief shadow of sadness that passed over Lucy’s eyes made Herman regret being so blunt, but she quickly returned to her usual bubbly self and asked about Julie and the boys.
When Bradford returned to the bar several months later, he apologized to Herman for his absence, explaining that work had kept him very busy. Julie was already aware of the ongoing romcom situation between Bradford and Lucy, as she often shipped the two of them, making references to their relationship through the Korean dramas she and her daughter watched. “Look at this couple, they work together just like Tim and Lucy, but they keep dancing around their feelings all the time. How sad.”
That day, Tim looked as heartbroken as he had the time he opened up about Isabel, his ex-wife. Herman noticed that the man had drastically improved his mood and attitude over the past few years, and something told him that this positive change had a lot to do with Lucy and her influence in Bradford’s life. After serving his long-absent friend two shots of whiskey, Herman decided to take a chance and ask if Tim wanted to talk. To his surprise, the officer started speaking without interruption.
Tim took a long sip of his whiskey, glancing around the familiar bar before looking down at his glass, almost like he was trying to find the courage to speak. "You know, Herman," he began quietly, his voice unusually soft, "it’s always been Lucy. I don’t know when exactly it hit me, but I think it’s always been her. She’s got this way of getting under my skin, pushing all my buttons one second, then turning around and doing something that makes me realize how much better she is at this job than everybody gives her credit for. We’ve been dancing around this thing between us for years, avoiding it because, you know, the whole work relationship thing. She was my rookie, and then we became friends— best friends, really. But somewhere along the way, that friendship became more. She broke my defenses one by one, and the whole process of falling in love with her was inevitable. All the stupid things she said to make me laugh, all the different things she made me do… I didn’t even mind because it was with her. We’ve been avoiding it, pretending like we’re just colleagues or friends, but I see the way she looks at me sometimes. And I know she sees the way I look at her. It’s like we’re both terrified to admit what’s obvious because we’re scared of what it’ll mean—for our friendship, for our jobs. But now..." Tim’s voice dropped a little, a slight bitterness creeping in. "She’s with Chris. He’s a good guy, a lawyer, steady. Everything she probably needs in a guy. I’m broken by life and choices, and she deserves someone better. I don’t want to mess up her relationship with him. I’m not the kind of person to swoop in and ruin someone’s love life just because I’ve been too much of a coward to admit how I feel. So I keep my mouth shut. I watch her with him, and I smile, act like it doesn’t kill me to see them together. She seems happy, you know? That’s all I’ve ever wanted for her. But, God, it’s hard. I can’t stop thinking about her—how she’s the first person I want to talk to at the end of the day, how she makes everything seem lighter just by being around. I love her, Herman. I’ve been in love with her for so long. And the stupid part is, I’m still too scared to do anything about it." He let out a bitter laugh, running a hand through his hair as if realizing how tangled up his feelings had gotten.
Herman opened his mouth to respond, but before he could say a word, Tim’s whole demeanor changed. His shoulders stiffened, and his eyes widened. Slowly, almost painfully, he turned around to face the entrance of the bar. Standing there, with an expression that looked somewhere between shock and awe, was Lucy. Her eyes were wide, her cheeks flushed, and there was a slight tremble in her lips, like she was holding back words that were on the verge of spilling out.
"Lucy?" Tim croaked, his voice barely above a whisper.
For a long, excruciating moment, nobody spoke. The air felt thick and charged, like something monumental was about to happen. Herman, standing behind the bar, felt like an intruder in this deeply personal moment. But he didn’t move. He couldn’t. Julie was washing dishes, but noticed the change in Herman’s body and came to his side to watch what was about to happen.
Lucy took a tentative step forward, her eyes never leaving Tim’s. "I—" she started, her voice shaky. She stopped herself, taking a deep breath before trying again. "I heard everything."
Tim stood frozen, the color draining from his face. "How long have you been standing there?" he asked, his heart pounding in his chest.
"Long enough," she replied softly, her gaze locking with his. Her lips curved into a slight smile, though it was filled with nervous energy. "I was coming to talk to you about something else, but I guess this… this came first."
Herman leaned against the counter, barely breathing as he watched the scene unfold. It was like one of those moments from the romantic dramas Julie loved so much—where all the tension, the missed opportunities, and unsaid words culminated in one charged, emotional climax.
Lucy took another step closer to Tim, her hands fidgeting nervously at her sides. "You’re right, Tim," she said quietly. "We’ve both been avoiding this, haven’t we? It’s been there for a long time, and I think we’ve both tried to ignore it because we didn’t want to ruin what we had. But... I can’t ignore it anymore."
Tim swallowed hard, his eyes searching hers for any sign of hesitation, but all he saw was the same vulnerability he was feeling. "Lucy, I—"
"I’m not happy with someone else," she interrupted, her voice suddenly firmer, more confident. "I thought I could be. I thought that dating someone safe, someone outside of our circle was the right choice. But every time I’m with him, I’m thinking of you. It’s you, Tim. It’s always been you."
Herman felt his chest tighten, his heart swelling at the vulnerability in her voice. It was as if years of suppressed feelings had finally found a way to the surface, and neither of them could hold back anymore.
Tim took a step toward her, his hand reaching out as if to confirm that she was really there. His fingers grazed hers, and Lucy took his hand, squeezing it gently. "I don’t want to run from this anymore," she whispered.
Without another word, Tim closed the distance between them, his hand cupping her cheek as he leaned in. And then, just like that, they kissed. It wasn’t a timid or hesitant kiss—it was the kind of kiss that years of longing and suppressed feelings lead to. Passionate, raw, and full of the emotions they’d been holding back for so long.
Herman, standing behind the bar, couldn’t help but smile.
When they finally pulled away, both of them were breathless, their foreheads resting against each other. "So… what now?" Tim asked, his voice low and gravelly.
She pulled back slightly from Tim, eyes wide. " Shit! " she muttered, half-laughing but also horrified. "I completely forgot about Chris!"
Tim blinked, momentarily thrown off by the mention of her boyfriend. "Chris?" he repeated as if the name itself was a foreign concept at this point. Lucy winced, glancing around nervously.
"Yeah… I haven’t exactly broken up with him yet." She started to fidget with her phone in her pocket. "I should probably do that before this gets even messier."
But Tim’s eyes glinted with a mischievous spark before she could pull her phone out. “You know what? Let me help you with that.”
Before Lucy could even protest, Tim snatched her phone from her hand with lightning speed. "Tim! No!" she gasped, jumping to try and get it back. But Tim, being as tall as he was and with years of tactical training, simply lifted the phone high above her head, well out of reach.
"Tim Bradford!" Lucy groaned, trying to jump up and grab her phone. "You can’t just break up with someone for me!"
Tim gave her a smug grin, his arm stretched far above her. "Watch me." He started tapping away at her phone while Lucy frantically hopped up to snatch it, but her height difference didn’t help her in the slightest. She let out an exasperated sound, throwing her hands up. “This is not how you break up with someone, Tim!”
Meanwhile, Herman and Julie—who had been listening in from behind the bar—were doubled over in laughter. Julie was clutching her stomach, tears forming in her eyes. "Oh my God," she wheezed, "this is better than any movie!"
"You gotta admit," Tim said, still holding the phone out of her reach, "this is more efficient. And hey, I’m doing you a favor." He managed to find Chris’s number in her contacts and typed out a message. "Let’s make it short and sweet."
"No!" Lucy practically shrieked, still reaching for the phone. "Tim! I’ll do it myself, give me that back!"
But Tim was relentless. In one swift motion, he hit ‘send’ and grinned. "There. Done."
Lucy, still panting from her unsuccessful attempts to grab the phone, finally crossed her arms and glared at him. "What did you say?"
Tim lowered the phone, handing it back to her with a casual shrug. "I just told him, ‘It’s not you, it’s me. I’ve realized I’m in love with Tim. We’re done.’”
Lucy’s eyes went wide as she read the message. "Tim!" She huffed, half-annoyed but also trying to hold back a laugh. "That’s awful!"
"It’s honest," Tim said, giving her a wink. "I figured you’d appreciate the truth."
Herman and Julie were practically howling with laughter now, their shoulders shaking as they leaned against each other for support. "I can’t… I can’t breathe," Julie gasped, wiping tears from her eyes. "This is too much!"
Lucy glared at Tim again but couldn’t help the laughter bubbling up inside her. "I can’t believe you just did that."
Tim grinned, clearly pleased with himself. "Well, you’re free now. No more Chris to worry about."
For a moment, the absurdity of the whole situation hit Lucy, and she burst out laughing, too. "You’re impossible," she said, still giggling as she finally gave up trying to be mad at him.
Tim’s smile softened, and he took a step closer to her, reaching out to brush a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "I know," he said quietly, his voice suddenly serious again. "But I’m also crazy about you, and I’m not going to waste another minute pretending I’m not."
Lucy’s laughter faded as their eyes met, the moment turning tender again. She let out a soft breath, feeling the weight of everything that had just happened. "You really did just break up with Chris for me, didn’t you?"
Tim shrugged, pulling her closer. "Well, he wasn’t the right guy for you. I am."
Before she could respond, Tim closed the distance between them, kissing her once more—this time slower, sweeter, like the beginning of something they’d both waited far too long for.
As they pulled away, both of them slightly breathless, Herman clapped his hands loudly, drawing their attention. "Well, that was the most entertaining breakup I’ve ever witnessed. Bravo, Tim. Bravo."
Julie wiped another tear from her eye, still giggling. "You two are like a real-life fairy tale. I can’t wait to tell my daughter about this."
Lucy, cheeks flushed and heart racing, just shook her head with a smile, leaning into Tim’s side. "This is not how I imagined tonight going, but… I think it worked out."
Tim wrapped an arm around her, looking down at her with a smirk. "Hey, sometimes you’ve just gotta take things into your own hands."
"And sometimes you have to stop your ridiculous co-worker from doing the most insane things," Lucy shot back, though there was no real annoyance in her voice anymore—just affection.
"Ridiculous, huh?" Tim teased, pulling her closer.
Herman grinned, watching the two of them bicker like they always had but with a new layer of affection and honesty that had been missing before. "Well, if this is how your love story starts, I’d say it’s off to one hell of a beginning."
Lucy tilted her head up to look at Tim, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "Guess we’re writing our own script now."
Tim grinned back. "And I’m more than okay with that."