Chapter Text
Becoming the day shift sergeant has been more challenging than Lucy realized it would be. She, perhaps foolishly, assumed nothing could be as frustrating and draining as working with The Dream Team, and the chaos of Los Angeles after dark. But her new position has proven to be just as hard.
She’s pulled in ten different directions, in charge of twenty tasks at once that all bare some semblance of importance, her boyfriend is now her watch commander and she has to learn to toe the line between professionalism and friendship when she works side by side and is in charge of the people closest to her.
The very best part of this new phase of her life though is, without a doubt, living with Tim. It had taken them some time to find their footing, both as a newly back together couple and new cohabitators. Trying to find a place for her things and remembering how to navigate their different habits and daily rituals, all while working the same chaotic shifts and Lucy’s body readjusting back to a normal schedule. But they got there, and they’re both happier than they’ve ever been.
Knowing that, no matter the day they’ve had, they’re always going to go home together.
And after the grueling, stressful day she’s had, nothing sounds better than a quiet night with Tim.
She’d been a little frustrated that she wasn’t able to leave with him at their usual time, the last call she’d had to assist with coming with a pile of paperwork that couldn’t wait til morning. Tim had met her at her desk, a gentle squeeze of her fingers and sympathetic expression, making her promise to not stay too late.
She’s managed to keep that promise, mostly because she didn’t want to be at the station any longer than needed, desperate to get home to her favorite person.
Lucy finally pulls into their driveway just after eight, a small wave to their neighbor letting their dog out.
The neighborhood is peaceful in a way her apartment never was, a fact she loves.
It’s quiet, homey, a little community in the middle of LA that doesn’t quite feel like you’re in the city.
She remembers coming to see the house when Tim was looking to buy — he’d grown tired of renting and figured it was time to use the money he got from selling his dad’s house to “start over.” An unspoken understanding between them that, regardless of the fact they’d only been dating a few weeks, this would one day be their home. The place they’d grow old together, raise a family together.
Lucy had fallen in love with this house immediately; the character it had, the decent sized backyard for Kojo, two bedrooms and a garage big enough for Tim's truck. She had already started envisioning how to help him decorate as they toured the property, how to make it even warmer, colorful, where she’d put her things when they finally got to a place where he’d ask her to move in. Tim put an offer in that night, and she helped him move in a month later. Dreaming of the day she would, too.
The dream, however, had come crumbling down a year later, two hearts broken and a key shoved into the hand she once held. Never thinking she’d have it or him again.
She’s never been happier to be wrong, or happier to take the leap and move in the moment they got back together.
And somehow, they’re even stronger than they were before, more secure and settled. There’s no more worry, no more fear.
The two of them a perfect team, living in their perfect home.
Lucy shakes herself from her musing, grabbing her bag from the back seat, smiling softly to herself as she makes her way up the driveway.
She’s almost certain about what she’ll find once she opens their front door. Tim on the couch, Kojo in his doggie bed, dinner keeping warm in the oven and some sport’s pregame show on the television.
Her keys jingle as she unlocks the door, bag slipping off her shoulder.
Their home is only dimly lit, a few lamps and the glow of the television, the pregame show for the LA Rams on just as Lucy suspected. Although, Tim is not where she’d thought he’d be.
Lucy kicks off her shoes, dropping her bag to the floor and keys into the bowl on the side table. Kojo comes trotting over from his bed by the sliding glass door, nose immediately pushed into her leg in a beg for affection.
“Hi honey,” She greets their canine, scratching between his ears. “Where’s dad, huh?”
There’s not many places he could be, their home isn’t that large. He’s not in the backyard, that Lucy can tell from her spot in the foyer, or the kitchen. The only other logical place would be their bedroom.
She kisses Kojo’s face before standing, walking down the hall towards her destination. The faint sounds of the shower running become clearer as she gets closer and Lucy can’t help but smile.
Pushing the bedroom door open all the way, she tosses her blazer on the bed and makes a beeline for their en-suite. She contemplates how to make her presence known, but the moment she pushes the bathroom door open, Tim turns.
“You’re home earlier than I thought.” He smiles big, shampoo suds running down his body.
“I may have rushed through the filing.” Lucy shrugs. “Want some company?” Her voice echoes against the bathroom wall, as she leans against the doorframe.
Tim continues rinsing the shampoo from his head, and then immediately pops the glass door of their shower open, water dripping from his eyelashes and onto the floor. He smirks, pleased that she’s finally home, nodding his head in invitation. “Like I’d ever say no to that, Luce.”
Lucy smiles wide, strips quickly, giggling at Tim when he doesn’t even try to hide the fact that he’s checking her out, and then steps into the shower. She gently closes the door behind her and crowds his space, arms wrapping around his waist. He pulls them further under the warm spray, his own hands settling low on her waist.
Her whole body deflates the moment his arms wrap around her, when she presses her cheek to his naked chest and hears the comforting, steady beat of his heart under her ear.
Shared showers were never something she cared for or did with past boyfriends, never saw the point of them, but with Tim…
With Tim they range anywhere from hot and dirty to nothing more than utilitarian and she loves every single one. There is truly nothing better than being close to Tim — being held by him, loved by him. It’s the greatest relief and joy she’s ever felt. It’s like her whole body shuts off, and can simply just exist when she’s with him.
After a moment, she lifts her head from his chest, looking up at Tim through the steam. “Hi.”
“Hi.” His reply is soft, just as his hand is when it pushes the wet strands away from her face before he cups it gently. Leaning in as she steps up onto her tip toes, sharing their first kiss since they parted ways in the station parking lot that morning.
It falls apart around their smiles, Tim brushing his nose against hers. She falls back into him then, nuzzling her face into his warm neck. The heat from his body and the water enveloping her in the most soothing cocoon. The stress of the day melting off her shoulders.
She feels him reaching behind her, then hears the cap of her shampoo, and then his hands are in her hair. A gentle massage at first, his fingers pressing into the base of her skull and then dance across her head. He slowly adds pressure as he goes, making sure to get the spots behind her ears and circular motions around her hairline.
Lucy has often wondered how he knows how to do this, a proper scalp massage. If he looked it up one night after offering to wash her hair. If he studied videos to make sure the next time he offered he did it correctly, to give her maximum relaxation while scrubbing away the dirt and grim.
She wouldn’t be surprised if he did, Tim has always taken special interest in the things she loves and what makes her happy. In a way no one ever has. Even years before they officially got together.
It’s part of why she loves him — the way he takes care of her. The stark contrast between how he presents himself to the world and how he is with her. Out there he is harsh, cold, closed off and almost unfeeling but with her — with her he’s gentle, soft, warm in a way that melts her own rough exterior.
He doesn’t care if his hands smell like her rose scented hair products, if her lip gloss transfers to his mouth when he kisses her. He tries her fake bacon even when they both know he won’t like it. He watches her silly reality tv shows with her, without complaint, even making a comment or two as he gets invested in the drama.
He loves her so fully and so completely.
Just as she loves him.
Tim spins them around, placing her under the steady stream of water to rinse the shampoo from her hair. He reaches for her conditioner next, spinning them out of the water again, combing it through her strands just as he’s seen her do a thousand times before.
He’s so gentle about it, untangling every knot he encounters with a soft concentration, making sure not to pull too hard. Tim kisses her again once he’s worked the product all the way through, stepping out of her space and smirking when Lucy whines at the loss of contact.
“I know you like to let it sit for a few before you wash it out.” He rinses the leftover conditioner off his hands, moving around her again to open the shower door. “You finish up and I’ll go order us dinner.”
“Thai?”
“Sure.” Tim leans over to kiss her quickly, then reaches for a towel as he steps out of their large shower.
“Hey,” Lucy calls after him before he leaves the room fully. She watches him turn back to her, an inquisitive brow raised. “Love you.”
“Love you, too, Luce.”
She can’t help but to watch him walk away, soft smile on her face. She quickly goes about the rest of her shower routine — a few extra steps this time because she definitely intends on rewarding Tim for his excellent care after dinner — eager to get back to her boyfriend’s comforting arms.
(And their dinner, her stomach beginning to growl in anticipation for her favorite food. Because Lucy knows Tim ordered her favorite, he has all her orders for just about everything memorized by now.)
She turns off the shower, squeezing the excess water from her hair before opening the glass door and reaching for her towel draped on the rack. Wrapping it around her body tightly, then grabbing the special towel she uses for her hair, twisting it up and away.
Softly padding her way into the bedroom, rummaging through her drawers for a fresh pair of pajamas, and comfortable yet sexy surprise for Tim underneath. Once dressed, she’s back in their bathroom; applying her body lotion, her skin care routine and then taking her favorite comb through her now towel dried hair. She’s just finishing when she hears the front door open, a murmured conversion between Tim and the delivery driver.
Walking out of their bedroom and down the hall to the living room just as Tim is setting their dinner onto the coffee table.
“Perfect timing.” Tim smiles at her, all big and happy, handing her a freshly poured glass of wine when she’s within reach.
“Thank you.” Lucy leans over to kiss his cheek, the two then settle onto the couch in perfect sync.
She takes a generous sip and then places her glass on the table, reaching for her food. Sighing happily when she takes the first bite, leaning into the back of the couch. They don't say much, enjoying the comfortable silence as they eat their dinner, with only the occasional comment from Tim about the game still softly playing on the television.
There’s something so comforting, relaxing about it all. Enjoying a meal together, curled up on the couch.
They’ve done it a million times before — as a couple and not — but now it feels so different. She’s not waiting and counting the minutes until their lunch break is over and they go from friends back to sergeant and aide, or for her roommate to come home and interrupt their time alone. There isn’t an awkward, heavy air between them as they eat, wondering what their future will become.
It’s relaxed. She’s relaxed.
And happy, and safe, and so wholly complete.
“I really love this, you know.” Lucy all but whispers from her spot, once they’ve finished and the first quarter comes to an end. Stretching to place her empty container down onto the coffee table.
“What?”
“Living with you.” She turns to face him, her cheeks pink and her lips lifting into a sweet, shy little smile.
“Yeah?” Tim leans forward this time, putting his own food down in order to give her his full attention. Twisting until they’re sitting knee to knee, “Me too.”
His smile grows, as does hers. Reaching to give her a quick kiss, Lucy stealing another, and then another, when he tries to pull away. Simply because she can.
They fall back into the couch after the fifth soft kiss and she immediately snuggles into his side, an arm around his waist and her head on his shoulder.
She feels his arm tighten around her, tugging her in until they’re pressed together like two puzzle pieces. Kojo joins them soon after, his head on Lucy’s feet, a happy little sigh sigh when he settles in.
Her chest blooms with warmth again as the quiet returns, stealing a glance up at Tim.
She’s lived in a lot of different places in her adult life; college dorms, a van, small apartments, big apartments with different roommates, but none of them have ever felt more like home than this.
This quaint little house, in a quiet little neighborhood, with a man she never thought she’d love this much and the sweetest dog in the world.