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Being a father had surprised Tim in lots of ways.
One of which being the debates and arguments that he would find himself having that he never could have imagined in his wildest dreams before he had a child.
“Daddy. Nooooo.”
Tim takes a deep breath. “Sweetheart, it’s bedtime-“
“I’ll sleep but I don’t wanna take off my dress!”
Tim sighs, looking at his stubbornly determined daughter (he’d claim that’s all Lucy, but he knows Lucy would say it’s all him) who is still decked out in her Princess Elsa dress that she’s been in all day and now refuses to remove to go to bed.
At least she took off the high heels.
“You can’t sleep in the dress.”
“Why?” she challenges innocently, genuinely curious.
Well, okay, yeah. Good question. Why?
“Because it won’t be comfortable. And, it’s dirty because you’ve been in it all day-”
“I don’t care about that.”
Of course she doesn’t care about that.
“You might wrinkle it,” he tries.
“Mama will iron it.”
“Because we just don’t sleep in our princess dresses, Nora.”
“But it keeps me safe from monsters!”
Tim sighs. He knows he has to pick his battles. After all, what can it hurt if he lets her have this one? Sure, the dress is probably dirty, and uncomfortable to sleep in, but maybe she’ll learn through experience that princess dresses are not the best choice for sleep attire.
“Princesses don’t even sleep in their fancy dresses,” he decides to try and reason one last time. “They have pajamas too. And they’re still safe from monsters.”
“I want my dress!” she wails, and then the tears start – big, thick, real tears.
“Okay, okay,” Tim gives in quickly – he knew he should’ve let it be before trying to press her one last time. Tim of ten years ago would’ve recoiled if he’d seen this: him giving in to his daughter’s wants, especially as soon as tears are involved. “Okay. Sleep in the dress.”
The tears stop, and she blinks up at him as if she’s trying to figure out if he means it.
“I’m going to leave your pajamas out, though, just in case you change your mind.”
“I’m not gonna,” she insists, crossing her arms.
Yeah, she’s Lucy’s daughter.
Regardless, he sets out her pajamas on the chair in the corner, reads her a story, tucks her in, watches as her big brown eyes close sleepily before he covers her up.
In her princess dress.
“Lost that battle, huh?” Lucy smirks knowingly from behind her cup of tea at the table when Tim enters.
He clicks his tongue, signaling his disagreement. “She’s asleep, isn’t she?”
Lucy raises her eyebrows. “Is she or is she not asleep in her princess dress?”
“Look, the goal was bedtime.”
“Which usually involves pajamas.”
Tim gives her a playful eyeroll as he walks over to the cabinet to get a glass so he can fill it with water – he knows it’s all in good fun, the way she teases him. “Mark my words, tomorrow night she will be asleep in bed in her pajamas.”
“Okay,” Lucy teases, eyes glinting with mischief. “We’ll see.”
Lucy works late the next night, covering for the night shift sergeant whose wife went into labor early, until someone can come in to replace him on the schedule. Tim promises her that their daughter will be asleep -in her pajamas - when she gets home.
“Want to bet on it?” Lucy asks with a smirk.
Some things never change. “Yes. Because I’m absolutely winning this one.”
Lucy raises her eyebrows, surprised by the bravado. “So confident, and yet you couldn’t succeed last night.” Her eyes glimmer with the delight of baiting him, challenging him.
“I wasn’t prepared last night,” Tim counters, crossing his arms. “I had to assess the situation, figure out my tactic.”
“Okay,” she says with a hum. “Winner makes dinner for a week?”
Tim rolls his eyes. “Please. Let’s make it interesting.”
Lucy quirks an eyebrow. “Winner has to do whatever the other wants?”
Tim grins, knowing exactly what is implied. “Sold.”
She chuckles and rolls her eyes at how easily the promise of sex wins him over even after so many years, content in knowing that no matter what either of them chooses, they’re both going to win.
When Lucy arrives home, it’s after 9pm and she finds Tim sitting on the couch with Kojo curled up next to him as he watches the sports recap.
“Nora’s asleep?”
“Yes ma’am,” Tim says, grinning smugly.
“And by that victory smile on your face,” Lucy hums, “I take it that she’s in her pajamas?”
“Of course she is.”
She peers at him, confused. “Okay, Super Dad. What’d you do, turn TO Bradford on her?” Lucy jokes.
“I simply told my daughter it’s time to put on her pajamas, and she did.”
“Uh huh.”
Lucy creeps into the bedroom with Tim following her, and sees the Princess Elsa dress draped over the chair and their daughter fast asleep in her bed. She raises her eyebrows at Tim, conceding he may have been successful, before stepping over to kiss her daughter goodnight.
Adjusting the covers, she does her best not to burst out into laughter when she sees what she is asleep in. “Tim.”
“She’s asleep in pajamas, isn’t she?”
She holds in her chuckle as she ushers him out of the room, so as not to wake their daughter with their conversation.
“Did you go out and buy a Princess Elsa nightgown just for this reason?”
Tim shrugs, clearly proud of himself for his solution. “Again: she’s asleep in her pajamas, isn’t she?”
Lucy shakes her head, but laughs, giving him a soft kiss. “You’re a really good dad.”
He pauses for a moment. "I didn't... accidentally reinforce her behavior of resisting our directions?" he asks, and she's surprised at how he seems slightly insecure.
He’s a good dad, and they both know it – but sometimes his doubts creep in, sometimes he worries he’s not doing the right thing, and he knows how a parent’s decisions can affect a child for the rest of their life. He’s always trying to walk a fine line between not being his dad, and not going too far to overcompensate as he tries not to be his dad.
As has always been the case, Lucy is right there to understand him, reassure him, talk him through it when he has doubts.
“Tim,” she says softly, voice genuine and sincere. “You listened to what she was trying to tell you, understood it was important to her because the dress makes her feel safe, found an appropriate solution so that she would still feel safe and be comfortable in actual pajamas, made her feel listened to, and she’s now asleep while feeling happy and secure. You’re the best dad.”
“Thank you,” he replies softly as he processes his words, understanding. “And, you’re saying - I won the bet?”
“Yes,” Lucy says with a smirk, backing away, not even trying to deny it. “In fact, I have something new to wear to bed, too.”
“Oh?” his eyes darken instantly at the implication, hands reaching for her hips to pull her closer.
“Yes, except… mine isn’t meant for sleep,” she teases with a raise of her eyebrows. She swats gently at Tim’s hands on her hips as she begins to head toward the bedroom. “Give me ten minutes.”
“Five.”
“Seven,” she counters. “I promise, it’ll be worth it.”
“Six minutes, Chen,” he demands, and she feels his authoritative voice do something to her. “And I’m coming in there and taking you however you are.” She laughs. “I won after all, it’s whatever I want. And I want you.”
She gives him a flirtatious grin as she walks backwards down the hall. “Trust me, we’re both going to win.”