Work Text:
“I meant it,” Tim mutters against her lips. She’s practically in his lap at this point. They always somehow managed to get to this point not that Tim minded. It would just be nice if his whole face wasn’t bruised up and his lips didn’t sting from kissing Lucy.
“Meant what?” Lucy asks and she’s careful as she runs her fingers down his face. He hisses a little in pain but he doesn’t want her to know it hurts. He likes the feel of her fingers on his skin.
“I have grown quite fond of your face,” He says and he watches as her face lights up a bit. In all honestly, it’s been awhile since he’s seen that and it makes his heart race a little faster. “But really it’s all of you I’m fond of.”
It’s true, he loves every part of Lucy. He’s fond of her from her head to her feet and everywhere in between. He can’t believe he actually gets to live this life with her.
It’s something he dreamed of before they got back together. All those sleepless nights without her next to him.
And now he gets to live it.
Hopefully for the rest of his life.
“You better save this for the future.” She says softly. Tim just smiles at her and this time he leans in to kiss her.
“I mean it. I mean I really love it.” Tim says and maybe it’s the overwhelming need to protect Lucy even when he knows she can handle herself. Maybe it’s the fact he almost lost her, and for days after had nightmares that it became a reality. Maybe it’s the fact that she is staring at him with such love and affection that it makes him want to say fuck it and get on one knee.
“Well,” Lucy says blushing a little. “I like your face too.” She runs her finger underneath his eye and then presses a kiss to it. She trails her hand down his cheek and presses another kiss to it. She does it again and again.
Over and over.
“Even when I look like this?” He asks. He gestures to himself and she nods her head. Her eyes never leave his face, the look of love and affection never fading.
“Yes,” She says. “Even now. You know it’s hard to work sometimes with you looking that.”
“You like this?” He asks raising his eyebrows in suspicion. “You think this is attractive?”
“I mean when you didn’t just get in a fight with a trained solider.” Lucy says. “You aren’t too bad to look at.”
“Thank you?” Tim says. “You really have a way with your words Lucy.”
“Shut up.” Lucy hits him on the shoulder and he grins at her pulling her in for another kiss. They don’t let up until they both need air. “I just think our future kids will be really pretty.”
“Kids?” He says and thinks of his earlier thought of getting down on one knee. It was unusual for them to insert kids into the conversation they had been doing it since they started dating. But still it made his heart beat a little faster because he knows his future is with Lucy. They would get married and start a family.
That was his future. With her.
“Do you want them?” Lucy asks and she looks a little worried. He nods his head and this time his hands are on her face.
“With you?” He asks his voice soft but firm. He traces her lips with his finger. “Absolutely.”
“Good,” She says. “I want them to look like you.”
“I want them to look like you.” He shoots back. Lucy grins at him, and he holds onto her hips as she buries herself into his chest.
“Well I guess we have to have more than one huh?” She says. Tim nods and then he kisses her again and suddenly the pain isn’t there.
And it’s good. So so good.
***
“Hey,” Lucy says a little later. He has a new can of beer on his bruises, the other was warm from just sitting on the coffee table. “Remember when you took a desk job so that we could be together?”
“Yes,” Tim says. Lucy is no longer on his lap but snuggled into his side with her head on his shoulder. “And you got me into metro even when I said I was fine.”
“You lied,” she says simply and puts her hand on his leg. “You were miserable and you knew it.”
“I wanted to be with you.” He says and it’s true. He would have done anything to be with Lucy, and if that meant a desk job then he would take it. Being with her outweighed being miserable and not on patrol.
“I know that.” Lucy says tracing a shape on his leg and then she rubs the spot a little. “But you were just thinking about me and not yourself. I didn’t want you to resent me.”
“I wouldn’t—”
“You would.” Lucy argues and then she sits up to look at him. “I really appreciated it Tim. I did but I wanted you to be happy too.”
“I know.” He says. “But that’s in the past. Why—”
“You are at a desk again.” Lucy says cutting him off. There’s a soft smile on her face. “The old closed off Tim never would have admitted that he was bored. He would have suffered in silence.”
“Well—” Tim starts and then stops because she’s not wrong. He never would have been this open about it. He never would have gotten a solution for it. He would have just not said anything. “You aren’t wrong.”
“I know that,” Lucy says with a smug look on her face. “I told you being more emotionally healthy is a turn on.”
“It’s not a bad feeling to be honest with myself.” He says. He remembers what his therapist told him in him in group therapy. He couldn’t assume that hooking up was a mistake and he couldn’t assume Lucy regretted it. He couldn’t take away her agency, he needed to talk to her about it.
And he knows she didn’t regret it.
She did come back on April Fool’s day.
“I’m so proud of you Tim.” She says. “And I know whatever you decide to do—it will be the right the decision. I will be right here with you.”
“I think you are right. I think I can change it up a bit.” He says. “I mean despite all the downsides of being Watch Commander… I do like it at times.”
“I know babe.” She says. “You were meant to patrol the streets and by the way I love taking down bad guys with you.”
“As long as they don’t mess up your pretty face.” Tim says leaning in to give her a kiss. “I agree.”
“Your hunny bunny appreciates it.” Lucy says. Tim shakes his head and pulls her closer so she’s almost on his lap again.
“How does my hunny bunny feel about going to bed?” He asks. “Because I for one am exhausted and my head is pounding and—”
Lucy presses a kiss to one of his cheeks and then the other. She cups his face with her hand and then presses a kiss to his lips.
“I think that sounds perfect.” She says. Tim stands up and pulls Lucy with.
He thinks it sounds perfect too.
***
Tim lays awake with one arm over his head. His head is still pounding and he’s just trying to shut his eyes and his mind but he can’t seem to turn it off.
“I know you are still awake.” Lucy mutters. “Why are you still awake?” Tim sits up and Lucy rolls over to face him.
“I can’t sleep.” He says and he really thought that he would just be able to fall asleep. But then he started thinking about his bad feeling that day and how if he hadn’t had all those meetings he could have been with Lucy.
He could have been there for her.
“What are you thinking about?” She asks. She sits up on her elbow and looks at him. He can’t see much except for the soft glow of the streets lights shining in on them.
“If I wasn’t watch commander I would have gone with you that day.” Tim says. Lucy’s face falls and she reaches out for his hand. “I would have ridden with you and maybe—”
“No.” Lucy says. “It’s not your fault, you had no idea it would happen. You had no idea—okay?”
“But—” Tim says. “You are my priority and I should have realized the bad feeling was real. I’m sorry.”
“Tim,” Lucy says softly. “I don’t blame you okay? You have been there for me in more ways than one.”
“It just has me thinking.” He says shrugging. “I love being in the action but I also—.”
“And you love being a leader. You are a good one too.” Lucy says. “You can do both Tim.” Tim nods and presses a kiss to her shoulder.
“Okay.” He says and now his eyes feel heavy. “Now I’m really tired.”
“Go to sleep Tim. Clear your mind.” Lucy mutters and she mutters something else into his skin that she doesn’t understand.
“Goodnight Lucy.” He mutters. He hears Lucy chuckle a little bit and then her soft, sweet voice.
“Goodnight Tim.”