Chapter Text
It’s a Saturday morning, and both Tim and Lucy are off, which is a rare occasion, but they always love to soak up as much of the other as they can. But this morning, Tim woke up before Lucy, and he knew she had a stressful day yesterday, so he let her sleep. I mean, how could he not? She appeared peaceful, so he lingered a bit longer, gently moving a stray hair from her face that had fallen during her sleep. He tucked it behind her ear with a soft touch. So when she woke, it didn’t bother her, and he kissed her head before he got out of bed to start his day, which wasn’t much.
He went to the bathroom to just get ready, but that all involved brushing his teeth and running his fingers through his hair. Before he went to the kitchen, he peeked in to check on Lucy, who was still asleep, looking at peace. He then made his way to the kitchen to get some coffee brewing just for himself because he knew on days off, Lucy usually goes for tea after she wakes to steady and remind herself she doesn’t need to rush. He started to make himself some food for the morning because on days like what Lucy had yesterday, she tends to sleep in until later when she knows she’ll have off the next day.
After he’s done with his food, his coffee gets done, and he grabs a mug and pours himself a cup and then settles on the couch to relax and calm his mind since he didn’t need to keep his mind running at full speed since he didn’t have any work, calls, or other matters to attend to.
Around 9 now, he gets a text from Genny.
Genny
Hey, the boys want to play with you on their game. I don’t know what game or why, so don’t even ask.
Tim
Well, hello, good morning to you too. Yeah, tell them I can get on in a few.
Genny
So sorry… Did I interrupt your Lucy time? Good morning, brother. Even though it’s 9…
Tim
Haha, very funny. No, you know she likes to sleep in on days off. Just tell them I’ll jump on now. Goodbye, Genny.
Genny
Oh yeah… well, they are sitting on the couch, so please hurry so they stop bugging me.
Tim
Will do.
Tim turns on the TV, his PS5, and grabs his headset to ensure the house is quiet so Lucy can sleep. Then, he sits on the couch to get online and play with his nephews.
On the game
Tyler: Hey Uncle Tim!
Austin: Uncle Tim!
Tim: Hey boys.
Tyler: Ready to kick some ass.
As if they had sibling telepathy, Genny and Tim both said:
Tim: Language.
Genny: LANGUAGE!
Tyler: Sorry, sorry.
Austin turns on the couch and takes his headset off to face his mother.
“Do you and Uncle Tim have the same mind or what?”
“No, we just both know that you two need to not speak that way.”
Austin turns back and puts his headset back on, and then
Tyler speaks up with his headset still on:
“Yeah,yeah.”
Tim speaks from the game:
“Do you want me to go get Aunt Lucy to tell you then?”
As if he would ever wake her. But Tim knows that not just Tyler, but both boys have a deep respect and love for Lucy. They know she means business, and when she raises her voice at them, they straighten up like she’s a military sergeant.
Tyler & Austin: No! We’ll behave!
Tim: Good.
Genny stood in the kitchen, thinking to herself,
‘Thank god they are at least scared of one adult.’
Because, to be honest, Genny doesn’t scare them anymore. They’re a little older now, and Tim doesn’t scare them as much anymore now that they’ve seen how soft he can be by watching him with Lucy. But Lucy… they’ve seen her both soft and stern, and how quickly she gives Tim the look, causing him to shut up. And they’ve realized fast if she has that effect on Tim, they better listen. Or she’ll have the power to ground them. But they love her and adore her, even when she raises her voice at them. After all, it’s Lucy. She can be a warm glass of milk when they need it.
it’s now 11 and they are still on the game
Back in the bedroom, Lucy is facing Tim’s side and cracks her eyes open to the empty space. Then, she turns to her bedside table to see the time and date.
It’s Saturday, 11:15.
She realizes it’s the afternoon and knows Tim let her sleep in after falling asleep as soon as she got home last night. She adores him for the small things like that.
She knows she has to get up now or she’ll never get up and sleep all day. With that, she swings her legs over and gets up to head to the bathroom. But as she cracks the door open a little more, she can hear him on his game. She tries to be quiet, thinking he’s talking to some of his army friends she met some time ago.
She brushes her teeth and decides she needs a shower. She turns on the water and sheds Tim’s shirt, bra, and underwear before hopping in to scrub off last night’s stress. After a while, she gets out, dries her hair and body, and reaches for her robe, which she keeps on the hook on the bathroom door. Then, she goes to the sink to do her skincare (yes, the skincare Tim bought for her). When she’s done, she goes and puts on her lotion and then opens the door so she can slip out without making much noise.
She makes it to the bedroom and finally gets dressed. She picks out a cozy outfit because she’s just going to be in the house all day. She unties her robe and places it on the bed to put back in the bathroom later. She gets dressed and heads out to where Tim is. As she walks into his per visuals, he turns his head to see her. Thankfully, the round ended, and they’re just waiting for the next one to start. Then, he drops his headset off his head and sets it on the couch arm. Before saying, “Hey honey, sleep well?”
She smiles at his words. “Honey”
She nods and says, “Yeah, thank you.” Then, she tilts her head slightly, just to admire him.
“Yeah,” he says as he nods.
“I’ll let you get back to your game. I’m just going to make some tea. Do you want anything?” she says as she heads to the kitchen.
“No, I’m good,” he says as he turns back to the TV and reaches for the headset. But before he puts them on, he turns to her and says, “Also, the dinner from last night is in the fridge if you’re hungry.”
Her back is to Tim, but she’s smiling in awe. She lowers her head with a quiet, small laugh and turns back to make eye contact with him. “Thank you,” she says with a soft smile.
“Of course,” he says as he turns and puts on the headset to return to the game. Austin’s voice cuts through.
Austin: Are you ready, Uncle Tim?
Tim: Yeah, I’m all ready. Is your brother?
Lucy is slightly confused at “Is your brother?”
She’s trying to think of what friends of his have brothers they are close to and play with, but she can’t think of any…
But she just proceeds to make her tea and get the kettle on the stove while she waits for it. As she waits, she turns and watches Tim from a distance, just to see what the fuss is about these games. She doesn’t understand them, but if Tim loves them, she wants to know why.
She’s watching and truly doesn’t understand them.
‘How is this calming?’ She wonders to herself, as how could this be calming to a watch commander who is always surrounded by chaos 24/7?
as the kettle whistles she takes it off the stove and grabs her mug and the tea she wants and as she places the tea bag into the mug she hears tim’s voice not speaking to her but to whoever he’s playing with
while on the game
Tyler: what’s the squeal?
Tim: that’s your aunt making tea.
Tyler & Austin: AUNT LUCY!
Tim: okay ouch. that’s my ear she can’t hear you.
In the kitchen, Lucy hears this and turns back to pour the water in. As she does, she thinks, “That’s your aunt.” ’ohhh’ it finally clicks that he’s playing with his—well I guess hers too now—their Nephews.
She finishes pouring the water into her mug and sets the kettle down on the back of the stove. She looks back at Tim with a smile, knowing he spent his morning playing video games with their nephews.
She quickly snaps back, takes a sip of her tea, and heads over to the couch. She rounds the couch by the arm and just stands there with her mug to her lips, now staring at Tim as he’s fully focused on the game.
Tim: Tyler, get your butt over here.
Tyler: Uncle Tim, I’m coming.
Austin: Don’t give him attitude, or you know he’ll pull Lucy to yell at you.
Genny chuckles a bit at the thought of Tim actually pulling Lucy in just to scold him for his attitude.
Tyler: Wait, no, okay, I’m sorry.
Tim: You’re fine. She wouldn’t yell at you for that. She’d more yell at me.
Then, he turns his head to see her staring at him with her eye brows raised and her head tilted to the right, her mug resting in her hands.
“What would I possibly yell at you for?” she asks, her voice laced with sarcasm.
He responds swiftly, “Nothing,” and turns his attention back to the screen.
Tyler and Austin both hear Lucy and burst into laughter.
Tim’s voice has now become a whisper.
Tim: You two are going to get me into trouble.
Tyler & Austin both: Not our fault.
Tim rolls his eyes, and Lucy can’t help but laugh, knowing they’re probably laughing at him. She sets her mug down on the coffee table and goes to sit down, tucking her feet under her next to Tim.
“So, what’s the fuss about this gaming thing?” she says, studying the TV as she tries to figure it out for herself.
Tim’s eyes aren’t leaving the TV.
“It’s just something to do, and it’s also fun, I suppose.”
“Hmmm,” she tries to see how this isn’t supposed to be stressful or anything, but she just can’t. “Yeah, I don’t get it, but hey, if something you like it… it’s okay, then.” She turns her head to him and moves her arm across the back of the couch. Her hand finds his hair, and she just stays there, watching him, relaxing a bit at her touch. But she moves her hand to go pick up her mug and drink more of her tea.
At Genny’s
Genny is back in the kitchen after a bit and opens the fridge and looks back at the couch where the boys still are.
“Boys, what do you want for lunch?”
Tyler & Austin both focused on the game and said
“I don't know” in sync.
Genny rolls her eyes playfully because that's the answer she gets on the daily, but before she can say anything, her phone goes off and the screen lights up.
Mom
Hey Gen, I was wondering if you and the boys had plans for lunch?
She closes the fridge and leans on the counter, tapping the notification and starting to type.
Genny
No, but the only answer I got was “I don’t know,” so so far I don’t know. why?
Mom
Well, I was wondering how you’d feel if you guys came over for lunch. I will cook. Obviously. But it’ll be nice to see you guys.
Genny
Yeah, that’ll be nice.
Genny turns her head towards the boys and says, “Alright, then we’re going to Grandma’s for lunch.”
Tyler and Austin both say “okay.” Austin then turns to look at his mom and asks, “Wait, can Aunt Lucy and Uncle Tim come too?”
“I’ll have to see you unless you’ve already annoyed your uncle too much for today.”
Austin turns back to the game.
on the other end
Tim: You want us to go where?
Tyler: Oh, Mom said we’re going to Grandma’s for lunch.
Tim: Well, I’ll have to see if it’s okay with your aunt first.
Austin: Oh yes, we know since Aunt Lucy runs everything.
Tim: That is…
He stops because he knows it’s true.
Tim: Okay, yes, but shush, or we won’t come.
Austin: Okay, okay, sorry.
Lucy looks at Tim, her eyebrows raised, as she walks back in from the hall where she had disappeared to after a short while to use the bathroom.
“Where are we going?”
Tim’s eyes remain fixed on the screen, but he tilts his head slightly to show that he’s attentive.
“The boys wanted to know if we’d go to my mom’s for lunch with them, I guess,”
Lucy’s face is now plastered with a smile. “Yeah, I don’t feel like cooking, so that’ll be perfect.” She walks towards him and settles back on the couch, but this time, she lowers herself on the couch with an angle so that she can place her head on his lap. As her body angles, Tim lifts his arm from his leg so that she can rest her head on his lap. She settles her head on his lap with her hands intertwined over her stomach. As his arm lowers and gently settles on her chest, she feels a sense of comfort and relaxation as she looks up at him.
Tim is in a hideout for the moment, so he looks down.
“We don’t have to, only if you want.”
“Tim, it’s okay. I want to, I promise.” She says, giving him a genuine smile so that he can see she means it.
He sees it and nods, “Okay.”
He looks back at his game, locks in, and Lucy looks up at him for a moment before turning her head to watch the TV. She watches him play through the window he gave her with his leg and arms.
At Genny’s
Austin turns to face his mom once more, exclaiming, “Aunt Lucy said yes!”
Genny looks up at him and says, “How- I thought she was asleep?”
Austin appears confused.
“Mom, it’s almost 12 now. She’s not asleep,” he chuckles a bit at his mom before returning to the game.
Genny shakes her head and looks down at her phone, swiping to Lucy’s contact.
Genny
Hey!! I thought you were still sleeping… but you don’t need to feel pressure to come to Mom’s if you don’t want to!
Lucy’s phone buzzes from her pocket, and she shifts to get it out without trying to move. Tim lifts his arms off her and angles him so his back is in the corner of the couch, but her head is still on him so she can see who it is.
“It’s your sister.” Lucy says just to let him know because she knows he’ll wonder who’d be texting her on her day off, and if it was anyone from work, he’d yell at them.
Lucy
Hey!! ahah, well…I wasn’t until round 11:20. And don’t worry, I’ve already told your brother that it’s okay, and I’m willing to do it. Thank you though!
Genny
Okay, well, I just wanted to let you know. We’ll see you there then! And no, you don’t need to bring anything… it’s just a family meal.
“It’s just a family meal.” she thinks to herself now. She’s finally found her family. She smiles to herself before getting up from the couch and lifting her head. Tim’s attention is drawn to the disconnect, causing him to look away from the screen. “Hey, what’s wrong?” he asks, his voice tinged with worry.
Lucy laughs to herself because, of course, the loss of contact is what brings him back to reality. “Nothing’s just going to get ready,” she says as she takes her now empty mug to the kitchen, rinses it out, and places it in the dishwasher. Then, she heads to their bedroom, but before she can enter the hall, she can hear Tim say.
Tim: Alright, boys, that’s it. I’m going now. We’ll see you at Grandma’s.
Tyler & Austin: Ughhh
Tyler: Fine, see you then.
Austin: Okay. Then bye.
Tim: We’ll see you in a bit. Calm down.
Tyler & Austin: Okay, bye, Uncle Tim!