#c: tim bradford
Explore tagged Tumblr posts
russellshaws · 2 years ago
Photo
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
#we are all tim bradford
1K notes · View notes
tim-lucy · 1 year ago
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
jealous tim [lucy's version] requested by anonymous
578 notes · View notes
kanerallels · 2 years ago
Text
Lads, let me tell you something. Deciding to watch The Rookie based mainly off my knowledge from Tumblr (which mainly made me think that it was the Tim and Lucy show) is kind of a trip in the first season when Nolan and Lucy are a thing
9 notes · View notes
just-shairahhh · 24 days ago
Text
Safe. Protected. Home.
Tumblr media
Pairing: Tim Bradford x Fem!Reader
Author's Note: I finished the entire series in a week and I am literally so obsessed! I cannot wait for the next season and I just had to write for Tim. I really hope you enjoy this. Requests for "The Rookie" are open!
Word Count: 1.2 K
When you think of Tim Bradford, now Sergeant Bradford, a lot of things come to mind. Tough. No-nonsense. Fiercely dedicated. The kind of guy who thrives under pressure and expects nothing less from those around him. Tim’s the guy who keeps people at arm’s length, both metaphorically and literally, a fortress of hard-earned authority. But one thing you’d never peg him as? A sucker for cuddles. Or hugs.
He wasn’t the kind of guy you’d expect to be a sucker for cuddles. Or hugs. Stoic, guarded—those were the words people used to describe him. The guy who kept his emotions in check, always composed, always in control. But after 18 gruelling hours on his feet, every inch of his body ached, and his mind buzzed with exhaustion and all he could think about as he drove home was y/n, the way she’d wrap her arms around him. How she’d rest her cheek against his chest, her warmth seeping into him like sunlight after a storm. It was all he wanted and all he could think about.
The moment he reached home, every part of him itched to burst through the door, stride straight to her, and lose himself in her embrace. He could almost feel it—the warmth of her arms around him, the soft scent of her shampoo filling his senses, melting away the weight of the last 18 hours. But as he reached the door, his hand hesitated on the key. What if she was sleeping? The thought softened his urgency. Quietly, he slid the key into the lock, turning it with deliberate care, the faintest click breaking the silence. Pushing the door open just enough to slip inside, he tiptoed across the threshold, his movements cautious and measured.
But little did he know that sleep was the last thing on her mind. She was curled up on the couch, a book resting in her lap, softly humming along to the faint music playing in the background. The moment her y/e/c eyes met his, her face lit up, and she sprang to her feet, her joy radiating like sunlight through the room. Her expression quickly shifted as her gaze sharpened, scanning him from head to toe with practiced care. She looked for any signs of injury, any hidden pain he might be hiding, her concern as palpable as her love. Only when she was certain he was physically okay, did the tension in y/n's shoulders ease, and a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding escaped. His reaction was the opposite though. The sharp, vigilant eyes that had been trained all day to watch for danger, to stay alert to every possible threat, softened the instant they locked onto hers. In her presence, the edges of his world dulled, and for the first time in hours, he felt something close to peace. Tim Bradford had finally made it to his home.
“You’re home,” y/n said softly, he didn’t say a word, just crossed the room in three long strides and pulled her into his arms. The weight of the world slipped away as her familiar scent surrounded him, grounding him.
"Hey, baby," she said softly, her voice warm and soothing as she pulled him closer. "Rough day? I saw the news. I’m so proud of you."
He let out a weary sigh and pulled back a little, “I’m just grateful we got those kids back to their parents safely," he murmured, his voice heavy with exhaustion yet tinged with relief.
Y/n reached out, her fingers grazing his cheek gently. "You did good," she whispered, her gaze steady and full of admiration. "More than good." Tim only hummed in response as he buried his face further into her hair.
"Are you hungry? Should I warm up some dinner for you?" she asked, her voice laced with concern as her eyes searched his face.
He shook his head, a small smile tugging at his lips. "No, we grabbed something from the food truck near the station before heading out. Did YOU eat?" His hands found her cheeks, cupping them gently as his eyes filled with worry, scanning her face like she was the only thing that mattered in the world.
She grinned, a playful spark lighting her expression. "I did. The last time I offered to wait and have dinner with you after work, you threatened to watch ‘The Bachelor’ without me. Remember that?"
His smile widened into a low chuckle. "And the threat still stands," he teased. "I’m gonna grab a quick shower, and then we can get back to it. Maybe... some cuddles, too?" His voice softened with hope, a rare vulnerability sneaking through his exhaustion.
"Deal, Sergeant," she replied, laughter bubbling in her tone as she poked his chest. "But make it quick, or I’m starting the episode without you."
He gave her a mock salute, his grin growing as he headed for the bathroom.
When he came back, the living room was unrecognizable, transformed into a cosy sanctuary. Y/n had pulled out the couch to its full size, layering it with a soft, inviting blanket and scattering pillows around. A few of her stuffed toys nestled in the corners, adding a playful touch, while a small assortment of chocolates and snacks sat neatly on the table beside the sofa, within easy reach. The fairy lights she’d insisted on months ago— “They add character!” she’d argued—were now casting a warm, gentle glow over the room, their soft twinkle making the space feel magical. The TV was ready, paused at the latest episode of ‘The Bachelor’, the title screen glowing in quiet anticipation. As if that wasn’t enough, a few lavender-scented candles flickered softly in the background, their soothing aroma already working to calm his frayed nerves. She’d remembered, of course—lavender always helped him unwind.
He stood there for a moment, taking it all in, his heart swelling with gratitude and affection. This wasn’t just a room; it was a safe haven. Yet none of it held a candle to her. Y/n was his safe haven. She stood in the middle of it all, a quiet smile playing on her lips, her eyes full of love and a hint of mischief. Y/n wasn’t just the one who made the room feel like home. She was home.
“Hey, you’ve been standing there for a while. Want me to bring the party to you?” she quipped.
With a terse nod, he shakes his head and runs over to her. No words were needed.
As he reached her, she shifted on the couch, sitting upright to make room for him. Without hesitation, he lowered himself onto the soft cushions, resting his head against her chest. The steady rhythm of her heartbeat filled his ears, a soothing melody that made every hardship, every struggle of the last few days, feel distant and almost insignificant. He snuggled in closer, his body melting into hers, while her arms wrapped around him protectively. One hand rested on his back, grounding him, while the other slipped into his hair, her fingers weaving through the strands with gentle, rhythmic motions.
For years, Tim Bradford had carried the weight of the world on his shoulders, always the protector, always the shield. But here, in her arms, he finally felt something he hadn’t allowed himself to feel in far too long.
Safe. Protected. Home.
.
.
.
.
.
192 notes · View notes
newobsessionweekly · 9 months ago
Text
Secret signals
Main masterlist | The Rookie masterlist
Tim Bradford x fem!reader Fandom: The Rookie
Summary: You and Tim have been best friends for as long as you can remember. Little did you know he feels the same way about you.
Warning: None. Pure fluff. Not proofread yet
Fluff
A/N: Yes, i'm back with another fluff. And yes it's shorter than the last one (i hope so) . Anyways, I love this one. I love all of them and I hope you enjoy it as well! Also i suck at title so forgive me. I have a surprise coming up so stay tuned. Also, the feedback is always welcome and would help me out. Have a wonderful day, bubs. and lots of love 🫧 Requested: Yes Words: 2.3k GIF not mine, credits to the owner.
Tumblr media
You made your way through the crowded streets, heading to the police station, a direct order and classified information dictating your day.
Inside the station, the air is alive with activity, officers bustling about as they go about their duties. The scent of coffee and paperwork fills the air, a familiar aroma that feels like home. You navigate the labyrinthine halls with ease, your footsteps echoing off the walls as you make your way toward a specific desk.
And there's Tim, your best friend and partner in crime. He's every bit as striking as you remember, with his broad shoulders and commanding presence. His piercing blue eyes hold a hint of world-weariness, a testament to the countless battles he's fought both on and off the streets of LA.
You couldn't help but smile at the sight, Tim frowning over some files, trying to find a way to catch that woman. Gladly for him, you were sent there to give them a hand.
Playfully, you snuck up on him, sliding into the chair beside Tim with a mischievous grin. "Hey there, partner." you greeted him, nudging his shoulder.
Tim's head shot up, a surprised, almost intelligible, smile breaking through his expression as he grumbles something indecipherable, but you know him well enough to recognize the hint of amusement in his eyes. "Can't a guy get some peace and quiet around here?" he mutters.
"Don't be so exited to see me, I might think you like me or something." you played the sarcastic card as you reached over to snatch the file from his hands.
"So, what brings you to the lion's den today?" Tim asks, arching an eyebrow in curiosity as he leans against his desk, arms crossed.
You lean in closer, your fingers brushing against his arm as you secretively whispered, "I heard there's a handsome police officer in need of my assistance. Thought I'd drop by and grace you all with my presence," you quip, earning an amused snort from him.
A playful smirk crosses Tim's lips as his breath winds warm against your ear. "Right, because we all know this place wouldn't be the same without you."
As Tim leans in closer, his voice low and husky, you find yourself drawn to him like a moth to a flame, captivated by the warmth of his presence and the depth of emotion in his eyes. And as he grins at you, that familiar twinkle of mischief dancing in his gaze, you can't help but feel a surge of affection for the man who's been by your side through thick and thin. You chuckle, knowing Tim's gruff exterior hides a soft spot for you. "Actually, I'm here on official business," you admit, your expression turning serious.
As you steal a moment to admire Tim, you can't help but notice how the dim light of the station casts a soft glow on his rugged features, accentuating the lines of his jaw and the shadow of stubble along his chin. His tousled hair falls across his forehead in a way that makes your fingers itch to reach out and brush it away, but you resist the urge.
Tim's interest is piqued as he straightens up, all traces of humor fading from his face. "What kind of business?" he asks, his tone more serious now.
You take a deep breath, steeling yourself before continuing "Well, you know how my department has been working on that recent string of burglaries? I think I might have stumbled upon some information that could help you catch the woman behind it," you explain, your words coming out in a rush as you anxiously await Tim's reaction.
Tim's expression shifts, his eyes narrowing as he processes your words. "You think you've found something?" he asks, his voice tinged with a mix of skepticism and intrigue.
You nod eagerly, a surge of adrenaline coursing through you as you showed him the files. "Yeah, I've been going through the data from our latest investigations, and I noticed a pattern," you explain, your excitement palpable.
His lips twitch into a half-smile, a flicker of pride evident in his eyes as he looks at you. "You're amazing, you know that?" he says, his voice low and sincere.
Tim's eyes soften as he looks at you, a warmth radiating from him that makes your heart skip a beat. You find yourself getting lost in the depths of his piercing blue eyes, unable to tear your gaze away.
There's a subtle warmth in his touch, a lingering of his hand on your arm as he gestures or a light brush of his fingers against yours when passing papers. It's a touch that speaks volumes, conveying a depth of affection that goes beyond mere friendship.
Despite your best efforts to keep your feelings in check, you can't deny the way your heart races at the sight of him, or the way your skin tingles with electricity whenever your hands accidentally brush against each other. It's as if every touch, every fleeting glance, only serves to deepen the unspoken connection between you, binding you together in a way that defies explanation.
Your voice barely more than a breath as you lean into his touch, savoring the feeling of his fingers against your skin. In that moment, it feels like the rest of the world fades away, leaving just the two of you in your own little bubble of warmth and affection.
As you and Tim discuss the details of the case, a beautiful woman approaches with a stack of papers in hand. "Sir, I finished up the paperwork from this morning's arrest," she says, flashing a bright smile, confident and proud of herself.
You switched looks between the woman and Tim, admiring him and how his muscles were more visible. He switched in his seat to face Chen, as written on the tag. With one hand still laying on your waist, slowly moving up and down, sending cold shivers down your spine despite the warmth, he took the papers from her with his free hand and inspected them with a serious expression.
"Quit frowning, you'll get even more wrinkles." you told him as your elbows rested on his desk, your hands cupping your cheeks. You can't resist the urge to tease Tim, your playful banter a familiar comfort amidst the tension of the moment.
You smiled at him as he ignored your remark, he turns at the woman nodding his head, acknowledging her with a grunt. "Officer Chen, this is Y/N," he introduces, gesturing towards you. "She's an old friend of mine, works in the forensic department."
Lucy offers you a friendly smile and extends her hand. "I'm Lucy. Nice to meet you," she says warmly.
You shake her hand with a smile of your own. "Likewise," you reply, noting the earnestness in Lucy's eyes. "So this is your rookie." you turned to your best friend and then your attention focused on his rookie once more, "Tim speaks about you all the time."
Tim clears his throat, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. "Well, we should get going," he says, his voice a tad too loud in the suddenly awkward silence. "We've got patrol duty."
Angela overhears your name and practically materializes at Tim's desk, her curiosity piqued. "Why did no one tell me Y/N is here?" she asks, her eyes wide with interest.
Before you could think, you jump from your seat, missing Tim's warmth as you embraced Officer Lopez in a tight hug "Honey, glad to see you. It's been too long." you told her, gently caressing her back as you withdrew from the hug.
Pulling back, Angela's gaze flickering between you and Tim with a knowing glint in her eye. "I know, I've been busier than ever," she says with a chuckle. "But I might have some free time tonight. Gotta go, but I'll give you a call!"
Angela shows your best friend a mischievous grin as he clenches his jaw, uncomfortable at the attention you received. "Boot, prepare the shop for patrol." he barked at Lucy.
"Yes, sir." she nodded, following Angela's steps.
As you gathered your belongings, Tim could calmly breathe as the two of you had been left alone. It wasn't the fact he didn't adore your friendliness and caring side, he was jealous when he had to share that with anyone.
"Hey, uh," he called out, his tone tinged with an underlying nervousness.
Turning to face him, you couldn't help but notice the way his eyes seemed to search yours, as if seeking reassurance or perhaps something more.
"I was thinking," he began, his words trailing off for a moment before he cleared his throat and continued. "I was thinking we could grab a drink after our shift. You know, just to unwind."
His suggestion caught you off guard, and for a moment, you struggled to find the right words.
"That sounds great, Tim," you said, exited at the thought of escaping the daily chaos "We should ask Angela too."
As soon as the words left your mouth, his expression faltered for a moment, a flicker of disappointment crossing his features before he masked it with a forced smile. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea," he replied, his tone betraying a hint of resignation.
Tumblr media
Lucy couldn't help but steal glances back at you and as she made her way to the patrol shop. "So, Angela" she began, her voice filled with unstoppable curiosity " What's the deal with them?"
Angela chuckles softly as she saw the spark in Chen's eyes "Oh, they've been friends for as long as I can remember. They're practically inseparable."
Lucy's eyebrows shoot up in surprise "You wouldn't tell he'd have friends… at all."
Lopez helps Lucy with the bags as they made their way to the shop "Oh, they go way back."
"Really?"
"Let's just say there's a lot more to their relationship than meets the eye," she says cryptically, enjoying the opportunity to tease Tim.
Lucy's eyes widen in realization, her gaze flickering back to you and Tim standing by the entrance of the station. Tim's smile is wide, his eyes lighting up like torches as your cheeks rose a bright, red colour "You don't mean…" she begins, trailing off as the pieces start to fall into place.
Angela simply nods, a knowing smile playing on her lips. "Exactly," she replies, her tone filled with amusement. "But don't take my word for it. Just keep an eye on them, and you'll see for yourself."
Tumblr media
As Lucy and Tim hit the streets on patrol, he is back to his grumpy self, his jaw clenched as he drove through the streets of LA. His rookie tries to lighten the mood with small talk, but Tim's responses are short and curt.
"My private life is none of your business."
"Come on, Tim," Officer Chen insisted, casting a sidelong glance at him. "You've been avoiding this conversation all day. What's going on with you and Y/N?"
Tim lets out a frustrated sigh, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. "There's nothing going on," he replies tersely, his eyes fixed on the road ahead.
The rookie raises an eyebrow, unconvinced by his response. "Bull," she retorts. "I've seen the way you look at her. You can't hide it from me."
Tim's jaw tightens even further, his knuckles turning white against the dark leather of the steering wheel. "Look, Officer Chen," he begins, his voice strained. "I don't know what you think you saw, but Y/N and I are just very close friends. That's it."
Lucy lets out an exasperated sigh, frustration bubbling up inside her. "You can't tell me you don't feel something for her. I've never seen you light up the way you do when she's around."
Tim's expression softens slightly at her words, a flicker of vulnerability crossing his features before he quickly masks it with a scowl. "Feelings don't matter," he says brusquely. "Even if I did have feelings for her, which I don't, there's no way she feels the same way about me. I'm no dating material. "
Lucy shakes her head, her voice firm. "You're wrong, Tim," she says, her gaze unwavering. "You're worth more than you think, and Y/N knows that. You just have to give her a chance."
Tim falls silent, his thoughts swirling as he grapples with Lucy's words. Maybe she's right, he thinks, maybe he's been too quick to dismiss the possibility of something more with you. But the fear of ruining your friendship looms large in his mind, holding him back from taking that leap of faith.
He suddenly pulled the car on the right side, making Lucy frown. As she watched Tim forming Angela's number, a cloud of questions blurring the rookie's mind, eager to hear what he had to say.
"Hey, Angela." he began, a nervous edge creeping into his voice as he ran a hand through his hair "Listen, don't ask any questions, ok? If Y/N calls to invite you out tonight, please, just say no" his foot tapped impatiently as he awaited her response. "Thanks, I'll owe you one."
"What was that?" Lucy asked as Tim pocketed his phone and revved the engine.
"I just made sure I have a date with Y/N tonight." With a grin, he pulled back onto the road, leaving Lucy to process his unexpected move.
470 notes · View notes
therookieimagines · 4 months ago
Text
Not that he cares..or anything - Tim Bradford X fem!reader 2/?
Tumblr media
Summary: After being released from the hospital Tim is quick to make sure you’re taken care of with a place to go..even if that’s his house, but don’t get it wrong now lovelies..it’s not that he cares about you..or anything.. ;)
Warnings: past mentions of being shot, PTSD flashbacks for you and Bradford, Tim crying..a lot..panic attacks, mentions of killing somebody, guilt and regret of killing a ‘suspect’
After being released from the hospital, you didn't really have anywhere to go, but you knew you needed clothes, all your belongings, etc. While everybody offered to go with, you knew it needed to be done on your own. Tim knew better, through his year of training and chasing you around, he knew you were stubborn and wanted to do things on your own no matter the pain it caused you, so he followed you, waiting outside for you to come out. Anxiety sank in whenever he realized you hadn't come out in over twenty minutes.
As you entered your hallway you felt every muscle in your body tighten, falling against the wall, desperate to catch your breath as the memories flashed freshly in your brain, you could feel your pain all over again. As Tim walked inside he heard your cries, trying to push down his own PTSD to find you. You screamed as you felt hands on your body, attempting your training to take down the threat, but this time the 'threat' easily grabbed your hands holding them in front of you "Y/n, y/n, It's Tim, you're okay, nobody is trying to hurt you, I won't allow them" he whispered, you immediately let yourself fall into his arms, wrapping your own around him "I can't do it! I c-can't be here!" You sobbed, he held onto you tightly, not letting you fall once, he had made a promise to himself, he'd never let you fall, and if you did? he'd be there.
Tim never realized he was crying until he finished packing your clothes, he had sent you to his truck, knowing it'd be easier for him to grab your things than it would be for you, before he realized it the sadness turned into anger, which turned into having to pull his fist out of your hallway wall, where your blood stain was still splattered. He couldn't help it, what if he had been a minute later? What if you died? "Tim.." You whispered standing in the doorway, your body shaking like a scared puppy, but standing your ground to get your friend from the home. "I..I didn't think about a place to go" You mumbled disappointed "Don't talk like that, you're staying with me" He whispered carrying your bag to you sighing "I also got your side table contents" He whispered smirking resting a hand on your shoulder leading you back to the truck as your cheeks went bright red with embarrassment "It was..clean" You mumbled, not wanting to look him in the eye "I would assume" He chuckled "You can have my bed, I'll take the couch" he explained driving to his house "After I go back to work next week I'll take an extra break to take you to any appointments or to check on you" He spoke parking in his usual parking spot.
"I can't take your bed! It's huge!" You gasped flopping down onto it "Oh my God it's like a cloud" You whispered, Tim rushed over, ghosting his hands over your gunshot wound "Careful!" He lectured looking at your shirt back to you "I don't want you bleeding everywhere" He basically whined, you rolled your eyes sitting up watching as he started grabbing your clothes he had packed "What're you doing?" You asked suspiciously "Getting you night clothes, you need to shower because one you smell like a hospital and it stinks, two we gotta change that bandage before you go to bed" He explained nonchalantly, you couldn't help but watch in awe, nobody cared for you that much other than your great grandmother who passed whenever you were still a kid.
"Come on, rookie" Tim encouraged softly as he helped you off of the bathroom counter where he was re-applying your bandages, you gripped his hand tightly in pain, trying to hold back tears, but ultimately failing "Hey, hey, I've got you, let's get you in bed with some pain killers" he encouraged helping you lay down, he wiped your tears helping you take your meds. You laid in bed for what felt like hours, before the door slowly opened shining light in "I can't sleep" You heard Tim whisper "I-I can't..I keep seeing you..lying there.." You could hear the unsteadiness in his voice, like he was on the verge on crying, or had already been crying. He made his way in, sitting down next to you, taking his spot next to you on the bed but still leaving some distance between you. "I-I can't convince myself that you're here..or alive..I just keep seeing your blood" He whispered, you could see in the darkness the way he was staring into the distance, you took the opportunity to close the space and hug him tightly "I'm alive, because of you, Tim" You said, he quickly wrapped his arms around you holding you tight.
It was a few hours before actual reality hit you, you had killed a man, maybe you could’ve handled things differently, de-escalated, maybe if you would’ve never grabbed your gun after he shot you he never would’ve had to die, you didn’t want to kill him though, you were always taught to neutralize the threat to your life in the academy and training, but you never thought you’d actually have to shoot to kill. You didn’t realize you had slowly moved out of bed, now sitting on the back porch trying to stifle your sobs, you felt like this was all your fault, you could’ve done something, your roommate never deserved to die, he just had some issues but everybody had issues. Goosebumps were proudly presenting themselves on your skin, the cold night air blowing against your body violently. “Y/n?..why’re you out here?” Tim asked, seeing your curled up body in the corner of the porch fencing “it’s freezing, it can’t be good for your body right now” he protested walking over wrapping the throw blanket he had been using around your shoulders, lifting you to your feet before feeling your body shake with sobs. “Hey hey, what’s going on? Are you hurt? Y/n come on talk to me” he demanded, you could barely understand what he was saying he was speaking so quickly, but you just walked with him towards the kitchen.
“Tim, I killed someone..I-i shouldn’t have a badge or be a cop” you whimpered looking down at your hands “hey! You did what you had to. You were just following your training and protocol, there was a threat to your life and you took out that threat do you understand me?” His voice was stern, rough almost, but his gaze on you was nothing but caring and sweet. “H-he dropped the gun the minute he shot me..I-i could’ve just..waited for back up-“ he cut your ramblings off “and what? Him to get spooked and take out an on-duty cop? Take out me?” He asked you, not letting up that you were not in the wrong. “He wouldn’t-“ Tim wouldn’t let you finish any excuse you thought of “he would’ve. He would’ve been spooked the second we busted in, y/n. Listen you did the right thing, you followed protocol to a point, I just..I should’ve listened to you whenever you were trying to tell me about him, I just thought it was another one of the stories you tell to fill the silence of the shop..” he whispered hugging you tightly, you accepted the hug gratefully holding onto his arms tightly.
You both ended up just sitting on the couch until sunrise, Tim telling you about the first time he shot someone as a rookie, how it affected him for months, how he got through it, and all it did was help you realize not only that maybe you weren’t as in the wrong as you thought, but also that you were really grateful for Tim Bradford, and from what you’ve heard from Lucy, he was happy to have you as part of his team. You woke up the next morning to everything in your body hurting, not understanding why until you realized you and Tim both had tried to squeeze yourselves on the sofa together, poor Tim hanging halfway off the ledge of the couch, his arms wrapped tightly around you. You weren’t sure if it was for you, or for him to keep himself from falling, but you stayed there, afraid any certain movement might wake up, you knew he was an veteran and with the things he sees in the LAPD, you understood that waking up sometimes could be a spook, especially being so close to someone.
Tim did end up waking up with a startled jump, not remembering how he ended up on the couch in the first place, the last thing he remembered was talking with you about what you two were going to accomplish whenever you got back to work. He took in your frame, your back facing towards him as you counted the threads on the couch cushions, he coughed awkwardly, an attempt to get your attention “are you..counting my threads?..” he asked groggily trying to shriek his eyes from the sun as he sat up to get a better view of your face, that was turning red as a tomato “w-well I- I didn’t want to wake you up by moving b-but I also didn’t want to be creepy and watch you sleep so I-i just-“ he cut you off by smiling at you to your surprise, you thought he’d at least call you weird. “You’re fine, get up let’s get that bandage changed and get you to the doctor, see about getting those stitches out and getting you into work appointed physical therapy” he said standing up, stretching his arms above his head, you couldn’t help but check out his bare chest, you never got a good look in the hospital.
His abs were what you believed every girl and woman’s dream would be, his V line was prominently showing above the waistline of his boxers and night pants, it was like he was sculpted by the gods themselves. “L/n, come on up and at em” he said snapping you out of your obvious staring contest with his torso “S-sorry” you muttered shyly rushing to your feet.
There shall be a part three my lovelies with some smut hidden somewhere in future parts ;)
135 notes · View notes
fluentmoviequoter · 8 months ago
Text
Devastation
Requested Here by @newobsessionweekly!
Pairing: Tim Bradford x fem!cop!reader
Summary: You leave Tim because he takes out his frustration about a long day on you. The next day, everyone in the station can tell you're both miserable. A surprise calls sends Tim into a devastated spiral as he wonders if what he said was worth it.
Warnings: ANGST, arguments, break up, death, mentions of execution, brief fluff at the end bc Tim deserves a break
Word Count: 3.4k+ words
Masterlist | Tim Bradford Masterlist | Request Info/Fandom List
Tumblr media
“Los Angeles is seeing an intense spike in crime rates.”
“The Los Angeles Police Department has received more calls today than in the last two months combined.”
“A new, temporary emergency line has been announced. In case of emergency and busy 9-1-1 lines, please call…”
“Nearly 5,000 police officers are on the streets of Los Angeles city limits, with more dispatched throughout the county.”
As residents lock themselves into their homes in an attempt to be protected by the crime spike, you respond to call after call with no break in between. Some of the stops you’ve made were false alarms, but you’ve also been shot at, yelled at, and engaged in two fights between those pointless stops. Though overtime was approved, you’re nearing the end of your sixteenth hour in the shop and need a break. Grey called the officers from this morning to return to the station before heading home. You only get eight hours off before you have to come back, but you’ll take what you can get.
Tim’s place is closer to the station, so you plan to go there rather than your home on the other side of the city. The more time you can find to sleep, the better. You’re sure everyone is just as tired and in need of rest, so you would like to do something special for them in the morning. If you can wake up in time, that is.
Tumblr media
“Hi,” you greet when Tim opens his door.
He is obviously surprised to see you but invites you in any way. You thank him as you walk toward the couch.
“Can I crash here tonight? It’s closer and I’m exhausted.”
Tim scoffs before he nods. He returns to the kitchen and continues cooking as you set your bag down.
“How was your day?” you ask. “I had endless calls, so I can’t imagine how hectic it was for you.”
“Of course you can’t,” Tim replies without looking up. “Considering you’re just a glorified meter maid.”
Tim is tired and stressed, you remind yourself, but the words still cut through you like the knife in his hand. You were in dangerous situations for most of the day, and though you haven’t been a cop as long as Tim, your job is still important. And you’re good at it.
“What is that supposed to mean?” you ask after a tense moment of silence.
“What I said. I do more than you, but if you’re so exhausted that you can’t even drive home-“
“Tim, that’s-”
Tim finally looks up as he cuts you off to say, “You barely passed your rookie exam, you haven’t made a decent-sized arrest in months, and you think they attached you to any decent calls? This city is ripping at the seams right now and trust me when I say you are chasing garden fluff because no one trusts you to do any more. You’re lucky they were desperate enough to bring you up from writing traffic tickets. We just needed help and you were there.”
Tim’s jaw clenches as he steps toward you, and you try to remember that he is just emotional from a long day. You are, too, but you’re not taking it out on him.
“I don’t want to fight with you about this,” you offer.
“Well, sure. Because it can’t be your fault, right?” Tim asks.
His voice is rising, and only the couch separates you. His eyes are dark, and though you don’t want to give him an excuse to keep going, you refuse to be treated like this.
“Why does everything have to be about who is at fault with you?” you demand. “Are you aware that things just happen sometimes?”
“Not to you, though.”
“If you think my life is so perfect, why do you insist on worrying about me so often? No one asked you to do any of this! You could have just asked me to go home if you were this upset about a bad day.”
“You don’t even know what a bad day is! What did you do today? Respond to all of the scared housewives in gated communities?”
You could tell him the truth, that you were inches away from a bullet intended to kill you, but you think he’d somehow find a way to blame you. Your heartbeat pounds in your ears, and though you want to stop fighting, you also need to remind Tim that you’re not a rookie he can walk all over you and blame for every little thing that goes wrong in his life.
“If that’s what you think I do, I can’t change your mind,” you reply.
“Well, those of us who actually acted like cops today went through more than you’ve seen in your career. You’re a bad cop, which makes it harder on the rest of us, to carry your weight, but no one admits it after they see your pretty smile,” Tim snaps loudly.
“I’m done, Tim!” you yell.
You’re surprised by the volume of your statement, but it gets Tim to fall silent, if only for a moment.
“With what?” he asks.
“This! I am done coming back to you every day just for you to pick fights over nothing!”
“Oh, so now it’s nothing? You can complain about your day, but I can’t?”
“That’s the difference, Tim! You’re not complaining about a long day to share something and ask for comfort. You’re tearing me apart because you can’t handle your own emotions. I love you, but these fights aren’t worth it.”
“You love me but I’m not worth it,” Tim says with a sarcastic shrug and set jaw.
“That’s not what I said, and you know it.”
“Well maybe I’m just as stupid about emotions and relationships as you are about police work.”
You pick up your bag and pull it onto your shoulder quickly. As you brush past Tim, you murmur, “I’m not doing this anymore.” The door slams behind you as you leave and severs the connection you and Tim had.
Tumblr media
After you leave, Tim sits in his anger for a while. He blames you, picks apart everything you said, and misremembers your words to make you seem like the bad guy. Suddenly, though, Tim hears your genuine I love you, but these fights aren’t worth it. He remembers the look in your eyes as he yelled at you. You never wanted to fight; you asked to stop because you just wanted to relax before returning to work. Yet Tim treated you as an emotional punching bag, something he promised himself he would never do.
Tim drops his head into his hands and sighs. He needs to apologize but can’t take back a word he said. You said you weren’t doing it – your relationship, he presumes – anymore, so Tim gives you room. The clock ticks slowly as he thinks about you, but his next shift grows nearer quickly. He texts you an apology, knowing it’s less than the least he can do. You deserve a grand gesture, a middle-of-the-night, in-person apology from the heart. But with an early morning shift, Tim knows you and he both need the break Wade sent you home to take. So, he sends a few simple words before sitting back in his misery.
In your room, you sit alone to wallow. Your phone buzzes, and you read Tim’s apology before you toss your phone to the side. It’s not enough to forgive or forget everything he said, and you can’t return to that environment yet. So, you don’t answer.
You fall asleep at the same time as Tim, though far away from the comfort you craved, with only a few hours before you’ll be forced to see each other again. Maybe another seemingly endless shift will distract you from your sadness.
Tumblr media
Walking into the Mid-Wilshire station the morning after your fight with Tim, your injured pride and broken heart go nearly undetected. You attribute this in part to the specialty donuts you brought in; you couldn’t sleep anyway, so you left before your alarm went off to try to make everyone else’s day better than yours. Lucy talks to you in the locker room like it’s just another morning, even though you are heartbroken. Tim, however, is the talk of the station. His visible devastation and misery draw the attention of every officer in the building. When you step out and unintentionally make eye contact with him, the people closest to you can see what you’re hiding a little better. 
“I should have seen it before,” Lucy tells Angela. “She was acting a little different, but I thought she was just tired.”
“I’ve never seen Tim like this before. He is miserable,” Angela says. “And he will take it out on you.”
“That’s fine. But… will they be okay?”
Angela shrugs. “I wish I could say yes, Lucy.”
Wade notices you and Tim sitting on opposite sides of the room during roll call, and he’s the last of them to be pulled into your shared misery. Now that you have seen Tim, your misery is just as obvious, and even the people who don’t know you or Tim well can see the difference.
“Nolan,” Wade calls before he instructs John to ride with you for the day. You’re unsure if it’s because of you and Tim or something else you don’t know about. Regardless, it’s because your emotions play a role in your ability to be a good cop… but maybe you were never one of those, to begin with, like Tim said.
At least I won’t have to talk. Nolan can carry the conversation for both of us, you think.
Tumblr media
“What’s up with Tim today?” Nolan asks.
“We’re not talking about Officer Bradford,” you reply quickly.
“Okay. Then what’s up with you? The donuts were nice, but I assume you had the time to get them for a reason.”
“Nolan, we’re not having this conversation,” you snap. “We’re cops, not friends.”
“Sounds like I’m with Bradford,” Nolan mumbles.
“You have no idea,” you reply.
Meanwhile, Tim and Lucy are stuck at the station doing paperwork. Today is slower, and there’s a lot to catch up on from the chaos yesterday. Lucy knows better than to pry after spending so much time with Tim, but she can see that something is weighing on him. More than whatever invisible burden he’s carrying, Tim is devastated. She has seen it before, briefly when one of Tim’s former partners passed away, but this is different.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Lucy offers.
“No,” Tim replies immediately.
Lucy nods before her phone chimes. It only makes noise when another cop contacts her, and she rushes to read the message.
“Tim, Nolan said he needs us to meet them. He just said they’re trapped and it’s really dangerous,” she relays.
“Let’s go.”
Tim runs through the station to reach his shop, and his mind races with every step. Tim lost you last night, but he refuses to lose you forever. If – when you both get to the other side of this, Tim will give you the apology you deserve, he tells himself. And he will never be in this position again.
Tumblr media
“Why aren’t you doing anything?” Nolan asks over the nearby gunfire.
You’re a bad cop, Tim says in your mind.
“I- I don’t know what to do, Nolan,” you admit. “I can’t do this.”
Nolan’s eyes widen. He knew you were acting differently, but your sudden and complete lack of confidence shocks him. Both of you are pinned in the corner of a warehouse, in danger of being tortured, executed, or some sick combination of worse things. You know you need to act, but your pride and your abilities are shot, thanks to Tim. You’ll be lucky if you don’t get shot, too.
“You can do this,” Nolan assures you. “You have to. Whoever said-“
“Move!” you demand.
Nolan ducks, and you fire through a nearby doorway. It draws attention to you and Nolan, and your confidence takes another hit as three men aim rifles at your chest. The red dots form a perfect triangle around your heart. Things could have been so different if you had just gone home last night instead of giving into your never-ending craving for Tim’s comfort.
Tumblr media
“Tim,” Angela calls when he and Lucy arrive. “You don’t want to go in there.”
“Yes, I do,” he replies.
She pushes a hand against his chest and shakes her head. Despite Tim’s grumbling, he trusts Angela as a friend and a fellow cop.
“What happened?” he asks softly.
Angela looks to her right, and Tim follows her line of sight. Your shop is standing wide open as CSU combs through it. The windshield is shattered, and the interior is riddled with bullet holes. Tim’s attention catches on the blood coating everything. No one could have survived that blood loss.
“Where is she?” Tim demands.
“We don’t know,” Angela admits. “She wasn’t here when we arrived. Neither was Nolan.”
“Let me help.”
Angela looks around before she whispers, “You’re too emotional.”
“She left me last night, Angela. It was all my fault, and I didn’t even get to apologize! So, I am helping, whether you want it or not.”
Angela nods as Lucy returns to Tim’s side. He looks back to your shop and knows. He knows he is too late. That realization changes everything.
“You’re right,” he tells Angela. “I’m too close; I shouldn’t help.”
“Timothy,” she begins.
“No, I- she’s gone. We both know that. And I can’t do this, not knowing that she died out here thinking that I didn’t love her. That I didn’t fight for her.”
“Let me know if that changes, Tim.”
Angela walks away to continue investigating the scene. Lucy lays her hand on Tim’s back to provide some comfort, but he shakes her hand off before he moves toward the shop. Crime doesn’t stop just because Tim’s world ends, and if throwing himself into his work will distract him, he’ll let it. But being busy and tired will never get between you and him again.
Tumblr media
“Snipers,” Lucy whispers as she reads something on her phone.
“What about them?” Tim inquires.
“Oh, uh, just something Angela sent me.”
“About her?”
“Yeah.”
Tim nods, and his knuckles grow white as he grips the steering wheel. “There were snipers?”
“Three of them, from what they can tell. A gun left behind matched the ballistics of the bullets in her shop. It seems like… like someone was executed in her shop.”
“Let’s take another call, Chen.”
Lucy nods and requests dispatch to begin sending them calls again. The first is a bank robbery in process, and Tim only hopes that adrenaline and devastation mix well.
Tumblr media
“Gun!” Lucy yells before ducking behind the armored personnel carrier outside the bank.
Tim doesn’t hesitate to raise his arms and shoot. The sniper falls backward, and Tim wills his mind not to wonder how different things would be if he’d been with you instead of Nolan. Snipers took you from him, but this taste of retribution doesn’t help Tim. He walks away as soon as the bank is cleared. He wants to punch something, yell, cry, and maybe do it all at once, but it won’t bring you back. Nothing short of an apology that he can’t give will.
Tumblr media
Tim sits on his couch in the dark because it’s as close to peace as he can get. If he closes his eyes too long, he sees you standing on the other side of the room, defending yourself from his emotional outburst. The argument was pointless, and you wanted to stop it, but Tim kept pushing. The more he thinks about it, the more he starts to turn his sadness into self-hatred because he acted like his father. He drops his head into his hands and asks himself why he allowed himself to be driven so far. Despite how he treated you and the horrible, untrue things he said, you told Tim you loved him. He loves you more than anything but didn’t return the sentiment in the heat of the moment. And now he never can.
“I love you,” Tim whispers now. “I’m so sorry.”
Someone knocks on his door, fast raps with no break between them. Tim rubs his face as he stands and walks around the couch-turned-fighting ring to answer it.
“Tim,” Angela says quickly. “We found something. We know where they were an hour ago.”
Tim looks over his shoulder to the cruiser at the end of his driveway. The lights are on, and Nyla is inside, ready to go.
“I wanted to extend the invite,” Angela adds.
Tim nods as he yanks his keys from the table by his door. He doesn’t bother to check if the door locks behind him as he races toward the car, toward you. Nyla drives quickly and parks outside an abandoned house less than fifteen minutes later. While Tim looks at the house, he sees someone move in the window.
“Somebody’s inside,” he alerts.
Nyla nods and instructs Tim to wait while she and Angela approach the house. Before they exit the car, the person walks out of the front door with their hands up. Tim throws the door open and sprints across the yard before anyone says anything.
“Nolan,” he calls.
“What happened here?” Nyla asks.
Her tone makes Tim look around, and he counts at least eight bodies in the front yard. Most are covered, and the desperation, dread, misery, and heartbreak churn in his stomach as he wonders if any of them are you.
“We walked into an ambush. She got one of them down, but we were cornered, surrounded. They dragged their ‘failure’ to the shop and finished him off before they brought us here.” After he explains, Nolan turns to Tim and says, “She asked me to give you this.”
He pulls a bloody piece of paper from his pocket and passes it to Tim, who accepts it wordlessly.
“Where…” is she? Tim wants to say, but he can’t finish the question.
“Uh, she’s inside,” Nolan answers.
Tim hears confirmation that you’re here and runs through the carnage-covered yard and house to find you. He grips the letter tightly as he navigates through the dark house. Tim stops when he sees your badge lying in a corner, and squats to retrieve it. It’s scuffed and bloody, but Tim can’t leave any piece of you behind. He tucks your letter into his pocket to hold your badge.
“Officer Bradford?”
Tim turns quickly and nearly trips over a bloody hammer. He would recognize that voice anywhere. When his eyes finish adjusting in the darkness, and he sees you slumped in the opposite corner, propped up behind the door, he crosses the room in the time it takes you to blink. Tim’s hands cup your face gently as he leans closer to you.
“I’m so sorry,” he whispers.
“Save it,” you reply. “This isn’t over yet. He said he was coming back.”
“Where’d he go?” Tim asks, effortlessly switching back to cop mode.
You smile, and Tim swallows harshly as your injured lip splits and produces a fresh bead of blood. “To rob a bank. As if you weren’t busy enough, right?”
The sniper at the bank, Tim remembers. “He’s gone,” he says quickly. “We got him.”
“You got him?” you clarify.
Tim shakes his head, and you raise your hands to his sides as you lean toward him.
“I could never do this alone. I can’t do any of this without you.”
“Did you read my letter?”
Tim pulls the paper from his back pocket and shakes his head as he reads the two short sentences.
“I forgive you. I love you,” you say as Tim reads the same words.
“It won’t happen again,” Tim promises.
“It might. We have hard jobs, but we can get through it. Right?”
Tim’s reply is a careful kiss to your forehead before he yells for a paramedic. Nolan leads Angela and Nyla inside a moment later, and they enter the door beside you.
“You could’ve mentioned she was alive,” Tim tells Nolan.
“You ran in before I said, ‘she’d like to see your face first, considering she almost died and you were the only thing she talked about,’” Nolan answers.
“Shut up,” you and Tim say together.
“This is the thanks,” Nolan mumbles.
“Can I crash at your place?” you ask Tim. “Without the argument?”
“Wouldn’t let you go anywhere else. The best cop I know deserves some comfort.”
“I thought I was the best cop you knew,” Angela teases.
“I love you,” you tell Tim.
“I love you,” he answers. After he looks into your eyes and smiles, he yells, “Where is the ambulance?”
402 notes · View notes
fandom · 2 years ago
Text
Tumblr media
Ships
Week Ending May 1st, 2023
Buddie +4 Evan Buckley & Edmundo Diaz, 9-1-1
Steddie Steve Harrington & Eddie Munson, Stranger Things
Huntlow Hunter & Willow Park, The Owl House
Destiel +6 Dean Winchester & Castiel, Supernatural
Byler +1 Will Byers & Mike Wheeler, Stranger Things
Bowuigi -5 Bowser & Luigi, the Super Mario Bros. franchise
Vashwood +1 Vash the Stampede & Nicholas D. Wolfwood, Trigun Stampede
Lumity -4 Luz Noceda & Amity Blight, The Owl House
Lestappen Charles Leclerc & Max Verstappen, Formula 1 drivers
Bumbleby +5 Yang Xiao Long & Blake Belladonna, RWBY
Jegulus +2 James Potter & Regulus Black, the Harry Potter universe
Wolfstar Remus Lupin & Sirius Black, the Harry Potter universe
Hanamusa Jessie & Delia Ketchum, the Pokémon franchise
Chenford +5 Lucy Chen & Tim Bradford, The Rookie
Slimeriana C!Slimecicle & C!ElMariana, The QSMP Minecraft Server
Ghostsoap -2 Simon “Ghost” Riley & John “Soap” MacTavish, the Call of Duty franchise
Wesper Wylan Van Eck & Jesper Fahey, the Grishaverse
Wenclair -2 Wednesday Addams & Enid Sinclair, Wednesday
Raeda -10 Raine Whispers & Eda Clawthorne, The Owl House
Kavetham Kaveh & Alhaitham, Genshin Impact
The number in italics indicates how many spots a ship moved up or down from the previous week. Bolded ships weren’t on the list last week.
Tumblr media
751 notes · View notes
no-quit-lucy · 7 months ago
Text
Five Times Lucy Chen used Tiger Balm, and One Time she Used it on Tim Bradford
read on ao3 Rated M w/c: 2,349
1.
Lucy put the small jar on the bottom shelf of her locker, shutting the door and tenderly rubbing her wrist tugging down her long-sleeved uniform. Quickly, she rushed out of the room, only hobbling slightly after roughly apprehending their last two suspects. As usual, Tim had instructed her to chase after them, running three blocks and through two alleyways before finally jumping and tackling after repeated calls to stop running and surrender. While Tim drove to catch up, she had fought further but successfully controlled and cuffed both suspects.
Already fearing she was taking too long, Lucy rushed back to the shop, hoping Tim didn't chew her out for taking too long.
She got in the vehicle, frowning when she saw Tim with his elbow on the window, waiting for her return with his eyebrows drawn together. Opening the door, she quickly got in. She watched him curiously, wondering what version of TO Tim she was going to get, stern and authoritative who would chew her out for one tiny little misstep, or the approachable, dedicated teacher who would acknowledge her efforts and reinforce her confidence in the field. From the crinkle of his nose as she reached to buckle her seatbelt, she cursed to herself that her tiny little jar was too fragrant and she’d get chewed out by the former version of Tim for infecting the shop. Instead, she was met with the latter, his tone soft yet firm as he asked, “You good, Boot?”
“Yeah, I'm good. Gonna be sore tomorrow but fine,” Lucy responded, easing his fears, suddenly more concerned with her safety ever since she got stuck with a dirty needle.
She was sure he could smell the tiger balm she had used, but to her surprise, he hadn't been bothered by it and seemed to instead welcome the scent.
“Let’s get to it,” he said, pulling out of the parking lot to go back on patrol.
2.
Tim had meetings all day, so it was unexpected when he was pulled from the office at the last minute to respond to a high-profile busted party. Calling on his aide, he made Lucy drive to the hills, knowing she had a special kind of skill for navigating the identical winding neighborhoods late at night.
When they arrived on the scene, it had already relapsed into chaos, four separate fights had broken out with low-listed drugged-up Hollywood wannabes trying to flip each other over the expensive furniture in the house. Lucy jumped into the action, helping the four or five other officers subdue the scene back under control.
After getting back in the shop, Lucy’s hair was pulled from her bun, her uniform was disheveled, and she rubbed at her shoulder and neck, guessing she had pulled something in the fight. Tim had stated he was driving back, having had the pleasure of keeping his hands mostly clean due to his supervisory role. They didn’t have to transport anyone to the station, so Tim stopped at a convenience store on their way back.
Lucy went in with Tim, grabbing a water bottle and a new jar of balm while Tim got whatever he needed. She waited until they were back at the station, taking up an empty interrogation room to fill out the paperwork together to pull out the hexagonal jar from her uniform pants pocket. Picking it up and tilting it toward Tim, she asked, “You mind?” referring to using it in the enclosed space. The scent would be strong and it could distract him, if she’s sitting next to him, rubbing the balm into her skin.
“No, I don’t mind. I don’t mind it at all,” he gave her a weak smile, still cautious about being too friendly to her at work. He still had boundaries to maintain and he couldn’t let her know how much he liked the smell and how much it reminded him of her rookie days, now that things were different and he was her sergeant and she was his aide.
3.
Lucy boiled a pot of tea for herself, knowing Tim still needed to be won over by the therapeutic properties of the dual healing and calming benefits. She joined him on the couch after he insisted on following her home after she pulled a muscle getting pushed down the stairs by a suspect. She had twisted her ankle too and had to threaten him with a bad time if he tried to carry her back from the station. They hadn’t been dating long, so his getting to take care of her was still fresh and new. He wanted to hover, make sure she was okay.
She relented at letting him drive her home, which had led to her letting him invite himself up, insist he stay the night, drive her back to work the next morning, hover, hover, hover.
Lucy didn’t mind. She liked the way his protectiveness showed, how his care for her over the last two years had grown softer to a point where she could lean herself against his chest and feel like nothing could hurt her, wrapped up in his warmth and safety.
Leaning back into his arms now, as he put on the newest episode of the kitchen competition show they liked, she picked up the jar from her basket on the table behind the couch and began rubbing some tiger balm over her calf and ankle. As she massaged the ointment into her flesh, Tim ran his hand lovingly up and down her waist, wrapped comfortably around her, holding her to him.
When she finished, she relaxed more into his body, stretching herself along his length and feeling fully encompassed by his body, the smell of the tiger balm intrinsically intertwined with the scent of him. Lucy nuzzled into his chest while he leaned down to press kisses into her hair and squeeze her hip tighter to him.
4.
Lucy was staying the weekend at Tim’s house. It seemed everything was going wrong that day. First, she had been hit with a lawsuit, claiming her arrest was an abuse of force and that she was at fault for the victim’s sprained wrist. Lucy was outraged, having proof via bodycam that she didn’t touch the guy and that the same suspect that had knocked her to the ground, had also knocked down the plaintiff and caused the sprain. 
Then Smitty had eaten her lunch, her precious leftovers that she had been looking forward to all morning.
Later, she’d been thrown up on twice by a drunk college student who was caught peeing in the street, who Lucy was also sure had relieved herself in the back of her shop. Then, when she got home, she found a note on her apartment, stating the water heater was broken and wouldn’t be repaired until Monday.
Desperate, she had called upon her boyfriend, thankful that he had given her a drawer and a key weeks ago so she was free to let herself in at the late hour with a quickly packed bag of her things. Kojo jumped from the bed and scuttered from Tim’s room when Lucy arrived, greeting her quietly and ecstatic she would be spending the night.
Tim turned in the bed to face his en-suite when she walked through his bedroom door.
“Hey, sorry, I know it’s late, I just need to do my routine then I’ll turn out the light,” Lucy spoke quietly, already sorry she had woken him up with her call.
“It’s fine,” he mumbled, satisfied watching her comfortably and erratically tote about his bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth while he was still half asleep.
After she was done, she was shuffling through her toiletry bag, looking for something she forgot to pack.
“What are you looking for?” Tim asked curiously, still lying dreamily on his side observing her with a soft, domestic smile.
“My tiger balm, my shoulder is killing me,” she griped, upset, in pain, knowing she had just finished the one she usually kept in her backpack out by the front door, not yet having replaced it.
“Second drawer on your left,” Tim called from the bed.
“Huh?” Lucy asked confused, leaning quickly out the doorway before processing what he said and opening the drawer. There, she found a brand new jar of tiger balm with the plastic band still shrink-wrapped around the lid.
“You know me so well,” she hemmed with a smile, applying the balm to her shoulder after turning out the bathroom light and walking toward the bed. She placed the jar on the bedside table and spooned behind Tim, pressing kisses to his neck before turning his head and claiming his mouth in a sleepy, romantic kiss.
“Goodnight, Luce. Love you,” Tim whispered, tightening her grip around his upper body and quickly falling back to sleep.
5.
They were having a romantic evening in since Tamara was spending the night with friends and Kojo was ‘on vacation’ with Genny and her kids. Lucy had lit every candle in her apartment, making Tim twitch with the desire to call the fire department and report her for violating the code on how many open flames one can have in such a tiny, enclosed space. Surely, there had to be a limit, right? Despite the stress that the apartment could go up in flames at any moment, Lucy insisted she and Tim relax and spend some time connecting since work had been so busy lately.
They hadn’t had private time together in weeks and Lucy was craving his touch, desperate for his hands on her body. Having an idea for a mutually beneficial reward, Lucy tore off her shirt and bra and stood before Tim half-naked, much to his shock and pleasure.
He sat on her couch, watching her dark hair cascade over her shoulder as she leaned over him to grab something. Her breast brushed against his arm and instantly, he adjusted his pants and leaned a hand up to touch her irresistible bare skin. He cupped her breast, kissing her neck, figuring this was what she was aiming for by her actions.
Lucy leaned back, one knee on the couch beside his thigh, and pushed his hands away from her body.
“Will you rub this on my back, please?” She asked Tim, passing him the large tin of tiger balm.
“Absolutely,” he eagerly replied, desiring more than anything to press his digits into her muscles to release her sighs and groans.
He opened the tin as she settled to sit between his thighs, the smell overwhelming him with a rush of desire running through his body. Always and forever would he associate the scent of the balm with loving Lucy Chen.
+1
“It kind of tingles,” Tim reported as Lucy sat on the back of his thighs.
“It can feel like burning, but like a cold kind of burn,” Lucy responded, pressing her thumb into his spine and hearing Tim’s responding moan of relief. “It’ll feel really intense for a while, especially if your muscles are sore.”
“Why didn’t I let you do this sooner?” Tim drooled onto his pillow.
Lucy was sat on top of him, massaging tiger balm into his back after a harsh flare-up of his previous injuries. For years, she had made a show of using the balm on herself, singing its praises, and getting to the point where half the time, it was Tim using it on her rather than her using it on herself.
It had almost become part of their domestic routine, him putting tiger balm on her sore muscles. And finally, the tables had turned and he had practically begged her to rub the ointment over his aching lower back. 
She was incredible at giving massages, but it took Tim a lot of pain to feel vulnerable enough to request one. Had he known how much she enjoyed easing his pain, it might not have been so hard to get the words out. Communication was not their strength, but thank fuck physical touch was.
“You’re making me feel amazing,” Tim mumbled into the bed sheets, overpowered by the combined effects of a massage from Lucy and the tiger balm applied by Lucy.
Really, it was just everything Lucy did that made him feel amazing. Heat traveled from her hand to his back, gliding and smoothing over his lumbar muscles, penetrating deep into the meat of his hip and his glutes. He was fully naked, lying on his bed on his stomach. Lucy adjusted above him, scooting down on his thighs to massage more of his ass. The material of her panties and the edges of the long t-shirt she had stolen from him brushed against his bare legs and he moaned, hoping she’d finish the massage with a clichéd but very welcomed happy ending.
“Let me go wash my hands,” she announced to him, dismounting and laughing at his protesting groan.
When she came back, Tim was on his back, his dick laying long and proud resting on his belly. One hand rested low next to it daring to curl around his drawn-up ballsack, while the other reached down and adjusted it to tap once, twice, on his stomach. Lucy was right, the burning sensation felt intense, but at the same time, it felt relieving and arousing, as heat settled deep in his hips and spine.
Lucy paused watching him, still finding it so fucking hot seeing him handle himself. She didn’t think there’d ever be a time she was sick of Tim Bradford, not when he squeezed himself and pumped his cock after she had finished applying the tiger balm he had asked for all over his body. She’d never dated a guy who she’d felt comfortable enough in front of to apply the tiger balm to herself. But with Tim, not only did he often rub it into her skin, but he adopted her practice and let her rub it into his skin too. The acceptance touched her, making her fall in love with all that much more.
39 notes · View notes
bradleybeachbabe · 22 days ago
Text
rachel’s winter blurb sleepover!!
Tumblr media
hi everyone <3 i have decided to do a winter/christmas themed blurb sleepover! i have been doing this for the past few years! so it’s a tradition at this point for me to do it :)
Tumblr media
rules/information:
i’ll be hosting this blurb sleepover from december 6th- 18th
after december 18th, i won’t be accepting anymore requests
please send all of the requests to my ask box
you can spam me! i don’t mind at all
if you don’t want to use a prompt from below, you can always send in your own concept/scenario. i’m totally okay with that!
Tumblr media
prompt lists:
list a
list b
list c
list d
Tumblr media
characters who i’m taking requests for my blurb night/sleepover:
jay halstead, jim street, david ‘deacon’ kay, chris alonso, bruce wayne (battinson), tim bradford, jake ‘hangman’ seresin, natasha ‘phoenix’ trace, rip wheeler, kayce dutton
Tumblr media
tagging some moots to kick off this sleepover!! @auroralightsthesky @passionwillow @fluentmoviequoter @katsu28 @oncasette @sarahsmi13s @lovinglyeternal @fiction-is-life @stargazing15 @sebsxphia @bobby-r2d2-floyd @cherryobx
16 notes · View notes
russellshaws · 2 years ago
Photo
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
#tim are you implying she’s a lying liar who lies?
876 notes · View notes
falcqns · 1 year ago
Text
you'll be alright (no one can hurt you now) chapter four
✰ 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: Lucy Chen & Tamara Colins, Tim Bradford & Lucy Chen, background Tim Bradford x Lucy Chen
✰ 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: Lucy goes on her first date since taking in Tamara. Tim nearly loses his mind when she doesn’t show up for her first scheduled shift back on time.
✰ 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: canon divergence, (eventually) autistic!Tamara, Tim Bradford would do anything for Lucy Chen, Lucy is a hardcore swiftie, Day Of Death (im so sorry) near death experience, kidnapping, hospitals, being buried alive, Caleb Wright, mentions of Rosalind Dyer, yknow the usual DOD warnings, 
don’t forget to read and reblog, and i do not give permission for my works to be posted anywhere other than tumblr. thank you.
A/n: im so sorry for this I hate this episode so much, but it is important to Lucy’s character development and who she is as a person and a cop and I don’t want to change that so we’re going to have to suffer through DOD together. I won’t be going into detail about Lucy’s POV, so I will be doing the majority of this chapter from Tim’s perspective. There’s a bit of a time jump (4 weeks) but not much has changed in Lucy and Tamara’s world. 
Tumblr media
Tim yawned as he adjusted his badge as he walked out of the locker room. He glanced at Nolan and West standing by the door to Grey’s office, talking to him with concerned looks on their faces. Tim thought it was weird, but then he remembered that Lucy was coming back to work today, and he promptly forgot. He made his way to the break room and poured himself a black coffee into his travel mug, before leaving and heading into the break room. 
As he made his way down, he thought about Lucy and how excited he was for her to be back. The last5 4 weeks without her had been filled with nothing but silence and boredom. While Tim would never verbally admit it, he had missed Lucy. He missed her voice, how she ranted about things happening in her personal life, or about drama (or ‘tea’ as she called it) that was happening around the station. He missed the scent of her chai tea latte filling up the shop, he missed paying for that extra meal on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, his days to pay. He missed her immensely, more than he thought he would, and he was very glad that she was back. 
Before he could open the door and wait for her, however, he was summoned into Grey’s office. He wrinkled his eyebrows and followed Grey into his office. He grew even more confused when he walked in, and saw Nolan and West sitting there, both looking uneasy and scared. 
“Whats going on, sir?” Tim asked. 
Grey looked at Nolan, who swallowed, and then spoke. “Lucy did not come home last night. She is not responding to texts or calls.”
“Where did she go?” Tim asked, and Jackson spoke up next. 
“She went on a date. She was supposed to come to my apartment,” Jackson said, before side glancing at both Grey and Nolan. “She was going to spend the night with me and then we were going to come to work together, as I live closer. But when I woke up, she wasn’t there. Neither was her car, and I have been trying since 7:30 am to get a hold of her.”
Fear swirled in the bottom of Tim’s stomach. “Who did she go on a date with?” 
“C-Caleb Wright.” Nolan said. “With a ‘W’.” 
Tim nodded. “Okay.” He said, pondering possibilities in his head briefly. “Is it possible that she’s just running behind and her phone is dead?” 
“Well, we thought of that but-“ Jackson said, but John cut him off.
“If she’s just running late and we ring the fire alarm, she’ll get dinged, but-“ 
“If we don’t, and something terrible happens…” Tim interjected, thoughts trailing off. He shook his head to clear his thoughts, his attention turning to Grey.  “What do we do?”
“Well, what do we know about this Caleb guy?” 
“Nothing.” Jackson said, shaking his head. “No, he uh-, he said that he worked for a medical supply company. Lucy showed me a video of him playing with a puppy.” 
Grey nodded. “Okay. Bradford, take West and run a background check. I want to know everything you can find on Caleb before we knock on his door.” He said. “And find Armstrong.” 
Tim nodded. “Right. Come on,” He said, motioning for West to follow him.
He heard Grey talking to Nolan about having him and Nyla run a trace on Lucy’s phone, in order to get her into the MUPS and NaMos systems that the LAPD used. 
As Tim and Jackson made it to Armstrongs office, where the detective was just settling in for the day, Grey walked out of his office, and called for everyones attention. 
“Everyone listen up,” He said, and the room fell silent. “Officer Lucy Chen has not been seen for approximately 13 hours. Given the circumstance, we cannot rule out abduction,” He said, and Tim breathed deeply, trying to control the nausea that he was feeling. 
His rookie was potentially missing. The person he was responsible for training, and for keeping safe while out on the streets. The person that was, even now, the best rookie he had ever trained, and ever will train. His Lucy could be missing, and he didn’t know what to do other than to focus, and do whatever Grey told him to do in order to find her. 
“So stop whatever you’re doing.” Grey continued. “I want everyone on this until she’s located.” He said, before turning to an officer. “Notify S.O., see if they can shag calls for service. 
Tim turned his focus to the computer that Armstrong was using as Nyla walked up to Grey. He overheard her say that the GPS on her phone was disabled, and he began to hyper focus on the words on the screen. He was no help to anyone, much less Lucy, if he was panicking. He had to remain calm, and get the background check like Grey had ordered him to. 
“Caleb Wright doesn’t seem to exist.” Armstrong said, concern evident on his face. 
Tim’s anxiety grew. What was going on? Tim shook his head and walked around the desk to look at the computer screen. 
“That’s impossible,” He said. “I saw his social media page.”
“Well, it’s gone now, so he must have erased it.” Armstrong said. “But if he is our guy, then he’s already faked one identity.”
“Bryan Coleman,” West chimed in. 
Armstrong nodded. “Exactly.” He agreed, pointing at Jackson. “He stole his life to gain access to the old zoo. Used it’s isolation to kill his victims,”
Tim nodded, understanding where Armstrong was leading. “But with that place burned, he’s gonna need new killing ground.” The though of Lucy being his next victim made his stomach churn, and his heart thud painfully in his chest. He couldn’t lose her. She had changed him so much already in their short time together, and he wasn’t ready for her 13 months with him to be up, much less to never see her again because she was murdered. He had to save her, but it angered him that he didn’t know how. He didn’t know the true identity of who took her, where she is, the state that she’s in, or if she’s even still alive. And that thought killed him. 
Armstrong nodded at Tim. “My guess is that he already has one, and thats where Lucy is right now.” Armstrong picked up the phone, and Tim nodded at West, motioning to the door. 
“Lets go.” He said, and Jackson lead them out of his office and towards the stairs. 
“If we don’t find her-“ Jackson started, but Tim stopped, and turned to look at him. 
“Don’t.” He said, cutting him off. “Don’t go there. If she was taken by him, the only way that you are good to her is if you are focused solely on saving her, not playing worst-case scenarios.” 
Jackson nodded, gulping. “Right.” He said. “Sorry. I’m just worried.” Tim nodded. 
“I know. I am too.” He admitted, and almost laughed at the shock evident on the rookie’s face. “But, we need to focus on her. This is not about us and how we’re feeling. This is about finding her, and saving her before it’s too late.” 
Jackson nodded. “Okay. You’re right. What do we do now?” He asked, and they continued their journey down to the main floor. 
“We go and tell Grey what we know, and wait for further instructions.” 
“Okay. Is it okay if I just run to the bathroom quick?” Jackson asked, and Tim nodded. He could tell that Jackson was starting to panic, and needed a moment alone to collect himself. 
“‘Course.” He said. “Meet me in his office when you’re done.” Jackson nodded, and Tim watched him walk towards the bathroom. Tim was about to turn to walk to Grey’s office, when he saw Jackson pull his phone out and make a call. He stopped, watched him for a moment, but decided not to eavesdrop on his call. If it was important to finding Lucy, he knew West would fill him in. If it wasn’t, it was personal, and Tim could honestly care less. 
He walked into Greys office, and Grey immediately stopped what he was doing to look up at him. “What did you find out about Caleb?” 
Tim shook his head, his hands on his hips. “He doesn’t exist. It seems to be an alias. And we figure that if he’s already faked one identity,” He said, and paused when the door opened. Jackson walked in and Tim looked at him, silently asking if he was good. Jackson nodded, and Tim continued speaking. “If he’s faked one identity already, then it has to be Bryan Coleman.” 
Jackson picked up where Tim left off. “We speculate that he used his identity to gain access to the old zoo, and used to the isolation to his benefit to kill his victims, but since we’ve found that spot already, he has to find somewhere new.”
“And that’s where Lucy is.” Grey finished, his head nodded. “Alright. Nolan and Harper are on their way back to the hospital after talking to the victim we saved yesterday. Go take 5, and we’ll reconvene in the briefing room when they’re back.” 
“Yes, sir.” Tim and Jackson said at the same time. They left the office, and Jackson headed left, towards the front door, presumably to wait for Nolan. Tim however, went and sat in the briefing room. 
He didn’t want to take 5. He wanted to be on the streets, knocking on doors, finding out where Lucy was. He wanted to find her and bring her home. He wanted to find her, and make sure that she knew that no matter how tough he was with her; no matter how many Tim Tests he puts her through, he cared about her, and he wanted nothing more than for her to be safe. She needed to be home. She needed to be at the station with him, not being held somewhere unknown by a serial killer’s protege. 
He blinked back tears in surprise as his foot tapped against the floor, watching the minutes slowly tick down. Why was he crying? Tim Bradford rarely cried, not because he didn’t find things sad, but because he didn’t allow himself to.  The last time he fully allowed himself to break down in tears was the drive home from serving Isabel with divorce papers. He couldn’t let himself cry over Lucy, especially now. If he did, it would mean revealing his weakness, and he wasn’t ready for that yet. He wasnt ready for the looks, the whispers, the questions. The higher ups asking his nature of his relationship with Lucy. He couldn’t do that. Not to himself, and especially not to Lucy, who wasn’t even a P2 yet. So, he swallowed the lump in his throat, and sniffed, blinking away the tears.
He had barely blinked away the last tear when Armstrong came into the room, and walked up to the whiteboard that had all of the important facts about Lucy and her disappearance. 
“The bartender at Las Torres recognized Lucy and Caleb.” He said, and Tim sat up straighter, hope beginning to build in his chest. “The good news-“ he continued. “Theres a security camera in the parking lot, so we know that they left at 9:05. The bad news?” Armstrong clicked on the monitor in the room to reveal the footage of Caleb leading Lucy out of the bar by her upper arm. “The camera angles too steep to recognize faces.”
Tim sighed, shaking his head. All he wanted, all anyone in this room wanted was to find Lucy, but it seemed that at every turn so far, the universe was working against them. And Tim hated it with a passion. Tim let a breath out from his nose, attempting to calm the burning fury in his body. There wasn’t a lot that made Tim angry enough to feel the need to fight God, but someone he lo- no, cared about, being in any sort of pain was certainly enough. 
“Two minutes later,” Armstrong resumed speaking. “This car drove by.” Tim watched as a grey car drove through the frame, and Tim sighed, knowing that Lucy was most likely inside of it. 
“The licence plate on Caleb’s car was reported stolen earlier that day,” Grey said, looking between the room and the images on the monitor. “Officer Chen’s care was found in the alley where she left it last night. Which means, we believe that Caleb is Rosalind’s protege, and he took Officer Chen.” 
Tim sighed in disappointment. He knew that what they were saying was the truth, but that didn’t make it hurt any less. Tim picked up the rapid breathing of his heart, and the anxiety fluttering in his stomach, a silent threat of the possible reappearance of his breakfast. But, before he could spiral fully, Grey caught his attention again. 
“I know how upsetting this is, but we have to remain focused. She’s counting on us.” Tim heard Grey ask if there were any questions, but Tim didn’t stick around to find out. He walked out of the room, pulling his phone out as he walked. 
He dialled Angela’s number, and breathed, knowing his best friend would be able to sense the shakiness of his voice no matter how hard he tried to hide it. 
“What’s up?” She answered casually. 
“Hey. Lucy’s been taken. I need you.” He said simply, and waited for her response. The line was silent for a moment before Angela spoke again. 
“On my way.” Tim hung up the phone and stuffed it back into his pocket, walking back into the briefing room. 
When he re-entered, Nolan was up at the front, relaying the information that he and Harper had gotten from the other victim at the hospital. 
“Nora was abducted two nights ago.” He said. “We found her 18 hours later, already tattooed, and about to be put in a barrel to be suffocated. This makes Caleb’s timeline from abduction to death approximately 24 hours.” Tim’s hands shook listened.
“Which means we have less than 10 hours to find Lucy.” Jackson said, his face portraying everything Tim was feeling. 
“Unless we’re wrong, and she’s dead already.” Armstrong stated casually, and Tim dug his nails into the palm of his hands to prevent himself from punching Armstrong for even thinking to suggest such a stupid idea. No, she was alive, but they needed to find her before she wasn’t anymore. 
“No,” Harper interjected. “Look, I know I haven’t known Lucy as long as the rest of you, but I do know she is a fighter.” She said, glancing back at Tim briefly. “She’s gonna do everything she can to stay alive until we save her.” Tim nodded in agreement, watching as people filed out of the room, but Tim remained rooted to his spot, staring at her picture on the whiteboard. 
He needed her safe. He needed her by his side, where he knew she was alive, and okay. He didn’t know how he was going to get through these next few hours, but he knew that he had to do it so that his rookie, his Lucy, would be safe. 
He suddenly found himself sitting down next to Jackson, answering calls, when Angela walked into the station, Wesley trailing behind her. 
“Hey,” he said, standing up to greet her. “Thanks for coming in.” 
“Of course,” She said, looking to the side of her, and seeing the phones that him and Jackson, and two other officers were manning. “Grey’s got you on tip lines?” 
Tim nodded. “Nothing says we got squat like listening to the public.” He looked up at Wesley. “Day off?”
Wesley nodded, not making eye contact with Tim. “Yeah, something like that.” Tim looked at him suspiciously, but let it go. “Can I help?” 
Tim crossed his arms. “Whats your tolerance for cranks and asshats wasting your time?” 
Wesley shrugged. “I’m a public defender.”
Tim nodded his head to the phones. “Have at it.” 
“This is useless,” Tim said, turning to Angela as Jackson spoke to Wesley. “We should be on the streets kicking down doors.”
“Who’s doors?” Angela asked, a concerned look on her face. 
“I don’t know,” He answered honestly. “But I-I can’t just sit here.” He stormed away, desperate to do something, anything, to bring Lucy home. 
Of course, Angela being Angela, followed after him. “Wait up!” 
Tim rolled his eyes. “I’m fine, just blowing off steam.”
“I get it,” Angela said, following after him. “But you got to get your head in the game.”
Frustrated, Tim turned around to face her. “I don’t need a pep talk.” 
“Then why’d you call me?” She demanded. “Clearly, you need to get something off of your chest.”
Tim sighed. “This is my fault.” He answered, looking down at his shoes. 
“What?” Angela asked. “How?” 
“The day I came back from my leave, I went to her apartment after shift. No one would tell me anything about why she was off. I questioned her, but she wouldn’t tell me. Something was going on, and I should have pressed her more. I should have been there for her, I’m her training officer for gods sake. I should have known something was wrong.”
Angela took a step closer. “Tim, she didn’t tell anyone. All we know about her leave is what Jackson and John have been permitted to tell us. Something happened, and she needed time off to deal with it. That doesn’t make you a bad training officer. You did all you could.” She explained. 
“I could have done more.” Tim stated, before turning to walk away. 
“What is it about her?” Angela asked, making Tim stop in his tracks. 
“What?” He asked, turning around, confusion all over his face. 
“Look, I’ve known you since before you became a TO. You’re hard on your rookies, but you’re also fiercely protective over them. But with Lucy, you are more over protective than you have with any other rookie. You’ve honestly been quite lenient on her so far. So, what is it about Lucy that makes you feel like you should have prevented this? That you should have protected her better, or been there for her more? You’ve always said that you’re their training officer, not their friend. What is it about Lucy that changed that for you?”
Tim shook his head, before looking up at Angela. She’d been his best friend for years. He could never hide anything from her, even if he wanted to. He knew that she would instantly see through whatever bullshit answer he would give her, so he decided to be truthful. As much as he could be with himself, anyways. 
“She turned around and smiled at me.” He said, his voice quiet and shaky. A crease formed on Angela’s forehead, showing her confusion. “Her first day, when Grey said she was paired with me, she turned around, and smiled at me. I don’t know what it was, but she’s got this grip on me, and I don’t know why. I don’t know how to not care about her this much.” He said, a stray tear, falling from his eye as he spoke. 
“Tim…” Angela said quietly. “Tim, I think you know why.” Tim shook his head immediately, knowing what she was getting at. 
“No,” he responded. “Thats not it. She’s my rookie, I would never cross that line.” 
Angela smiled sadly. “I know you wouldn’t. That doesn’t mean your heart doesn’t still want her.”
Tim shook his head, trying to protest, but his face betrayed him, crumpling as he fought to stop the sob clawing its way out of his throat. Angela didn’t say anything, just pulled him into her arms, and held him as he cried. 
“We’re going to find her,” She said eventually. “Whatever it takes.”
—- 
An hour later, and Tim had calmed down. His sadness and anxiety was now replaced by anger. Anger that was stronger than before, and made him want to burn the world to ashes just to find her. And that’s exactly what he was going to do. 
“Problem officer?” 
Tim wasted no time in reaching through the open window, grabbing a fistful of the Benjamins hair, and slamming his face onto the steering wheel. 
“You listen to me very carefully,” He spat. “Your name is Benjamin Lassie. You’re a mid level idiot who controls every illicit item that enters the Central California Women’s Facility. And today is your day of reckoning.” He squeezed tighter. “Now, I am responsible for a life that is in jeopardy, and I will do whatever I have to to save her. Do you understand?” He demanded. 
“Theres a man who gives you items to smuggle onto death row for Rosalind Dyer. You are gonna give me that man.” He continued. 
“Why would I do that?” Benjamin demanded. 
Tim squeezed even tighter. “Because if you don’t, I will pull you inside out.” He threatened, and he then watched with a sickening satisfaction as Benjamin saw his life flash before his eyes, and spit out the name; Jerry Havel.
Tim smiled, released Benjamin, and sent him off with a threatening look that told him Tim would follow through with his threats if he said a word about what just happened to anyone. 
Jackson then shakily followed him back to the shop, and as soon as he shut the door, Tim was speeding back to the station while Jackson typed his name into the computer to do a background check. 
“Any information you get, you text it immediately to Lopez.” Tim said in a calm tone, feeling bad for scaring him.
“Yes, sir.”
—-
30 minutes later, Tim had managed to get a S.W.A.T. team and a no knock warrant together, ready to raid Jerry Havel’s place. Tim followed behind S.W.A.T. as they moved in on Havel’s place. 
They paused briefly at the door, before busting it open, and running inside. “Go, go, go!” One of the S.W.A.T. member said as Jerry began to run. Another officer shot him in the right shoulder, and he fell to the ground on his face. 
Tim ran up to him, Jackson following behind. He grabbed him, and turned him over. “Where’s Lucy?” His heart dropped into his stomach when he realized that the man he was faced with was not Caleb. “That’s not - that’s not Caleb.” He said, moving away from the man in front of him. “Damn it!” he yelled in frustration. 
He tried to control his breathing as Jackson took over, yelling at the man about his name, and where he worked. Tim looked back at Jerry, who told them through stuttering that his name was in face Jerry Havel, but he had never worked at that prison, and had been on disability for the last five years after an inmate shivved him during a riot. 
“Look, DOC clearly states that you work at that prison.” Jackson said. 
Jerry sighed and looked down. “My identity was stolen.” He said. “Right around 3 years ago. Really screwed up my credit.” 
Tim nodded, making the connections in his head. “Caleb used Jerry’s identity to get into prison, get close to Rosalind.”
“Just like he stole Bryan Coleman’s identity.” Jackson finished as he holstered his gun. 
“Is this connected to the officer that was abducted?” Jerry asked. 
Tim nodded. “Yeah.” He said, tears welling up in his eyes as he spoke. “And you were our last shot at saving her.” 
Tim moved on auto pilot for the next hour. So much so, that he didn’t remember anything between leaving Jerry’s house, and arriving back at the station.  Once he arrived there, he was handing over a file that had a record of the credit card charges on the card that Caleb had used under Jerry’s name that Jackson had found. 
“Hey, hey,” He said, getting Angela’s. Grey’s, and Wesleys attention. “We got something.” He said, dropping the file on the table. “Caleb used Jerry’s identity to rent a post office box in Kern County, near the prison. But, he kept it up after he quit.” He explained, as Angela opened the file, and began pouring through the contents. “Still pays for it. He must have a place close by.” 
Angela grabbed a piece of paper, and read from it, comparing what was in the file with her own notes. “Rosalind’s family - her trust owns a farm in Kern County.” She handed him the paper that showed evidence of the farm. 
Before he knew it, he was in the stations helicopter, racing to Kern county with Angela, Grey, Jackson, with Nyla and John on the ground in a shop. 
When they landed on the farm in Kern County, Nolan told them that Caleb was dead, and that Lucy was buried somewhere on the property. Tim felt a sick sense of happiness knowing that Caleb was dead. He was gone, and now he could never touch a single hair on her head again. She was one step closer to being safe, and now all they had to do was dig her up before it was too late.
Nolan thrust a phone into Angela’s hands. Angela looked down, watching the video of Lucy inside the barrel. “I can’t even tell if she’s still breathing,” She said anxiously, looking up at Grey. 
“Spread out.” Grey commanded. Tim looked around, trying to find a good place to start looking. “Airship, we have an officer buried alive.” The panic that Tim had been desperately trying to keep at bay came bubbling to the surface, and his chest started to constrict as he looked at the open fields. He swallowed the lump in his throat, trying to keep the tears at bay, but knowing at some point in the next few minutes, he would be crying. Either from relief, or grief. 
He took a moment to calm himself, repeating the words he had said to Jackson earlier in the day to himself in his head. “The only way that you are good to her is if you are focused solely on saving her, not playing worst-case scenarios.” 
He turned to look at the house briefly, before realizing that there was no way Caleb would have buried her close to the house. He turned to Jackson and explained, before summoning Jackson to follow him. He took off running as far as he could as fast as he could. 
A few minutes later, they came to the top of a hill. “Lets split up,” He suggested to Jackson. “You go left, alright?” Jackson nodded, and took off to the left. Tim continued forward, looking around for any possible sight that Caleb could have buried her. 
Then, as he was coming down the slope of another hill, something caught his eye. A sparkle, so bright it nearly blinded him briefly. He didn’t think anything of it at first, but then realized that there wasn’t much around there that could produce a sparkle like that. He took a step closer and looked again, finding the sparkle once more. He ran up to the spot the sparkle originated from, and fell to his knees in front of it. 
He scooped up the source of the sparkle, and could have cried right then and there when he realized what it was. 
Her ring. Her moonstone ring. 
He stood up, and began looking around in the dirt for any indication that she could be close. He began kicking dirt around, and stomping, hoping to God that she had dropped it on purpose, and it wasn’t another one of Caleb’s tricks.
But, when he stomped again, and heard the unmistakable sound of rubber on metal, he knew it wasn’t a trick. Lucy had left him a clue, and she was right there.
He stomped two more times just to be sure, but once he heard the clanging two more times, he turned around and shouted. “I’VE GOT HER!” He then pocketed the ring, dropped to his knees, and began digging with his bare hands. 
His hands ached after a few seconds, the sharp rocks in the sand cutting and digging into his skin, but his need to save Lucy, get her out of that barrel outweighed all of that. He was so close to her, he just needed to keep going. 
A few moments later, Nyla, Jackson, and Angela joined him in the digging, with the rest of the officers headed their way. The local PD joined in moments later, bringing shovels, making the process move quicker. The metal of the shovels hit the metal of the barrel, and Tim choked out a sob. 
“Guys,” He managed to say. “Right here.” He said as he reached forward for the latch on the barrel, pulling it towards him. It took two pulls, but on the second one the latch snapped, and the lid came off. 
He threw it behind him, and looked into the barrel.
There she was, hunched over, her curled hair laying over her back, tangled with dirt and blood. 
“Come on!” Tim yelled, and began pulling Lucy out of the barrel. Everyone joined in and helped him get her out and onto the ground. 
He touched her head softly once she was laid on the ground, and leaned in, listening for breathing. He heard Grey ask if she was breathing, but didn’t answer. When he heard no breathing, he cupped her chin and her forehead, breathing two rescue breaths into her mouth to help her lungs inflate. He then moved his hands to her chest and started compressions, watching her face for any sign of life.
As he did the compressions, all he could focus on was her. He got to her, now all he could do was hope he could restart her heart in time. The more compressions he did, the more desperate he became. Why wasn’t her heart starting to beat? Why wasn’t she moving, breathing, crying? Was she-
Lucy gasped in a deep breath, her body starting to shake. Tim cried out in happiness as her eyes fluttered open. He reached behind her and helped sit her up, cradling her to his chest when she burst into tears, curling towards his chest. 
“You’re okay,” He whispered to her, as he pulled her closer. As he held her, he noticed that all of the anger, pain, anxiety, and fear had disappeared. As soon as she took that gulping breath in, his body knew she was safe, that she was alive. 
“You’re okay,” He whispered into her hair. Even after all that she went through, she still smelled like herself, and it calmed Tim down even further. “You’re safe. I’ve got you. He can’t hurt you anymore.” He whispered as he cradled her head to his chest. 
He breathed deeply, letting the tears fall from his eyes. They got to her in time, and she was going to be okay. She was back in his arms, she was breathing, and was crying. All signs she was a survivor. 
——
Tim rode with her in the ambulance. When the paramedics had arrived on scene, she refused to let go of Tim, starting to go into a panic attack whenever someone tried to separate her from him. Once they had gotten her into the ambulance, and had taken her vitals, they gave her a sedative, and she fell asleep within a minute, still holding tightly to Tim’s hand. 
Tim held onto her hand the entire ambulance ride, and then helicopter ride back to St Stephens, his eyes locked onto the bleeding marks from where she had been bound at the wrists. He didn’t let go until they landed at St Stephens, and she was rushed into the back to be examined. 
He was shown into a waiting room, where he was told that Dr Sawyer would come and get him when he could see her. He was about to sit down, when his phone began to ring. He fished it out of his pocket, and answered it, briefly seeing Nolan’s name flash across the screen. 
“Tim,” John said as soon as he picked up. “Listen, I don’t want you to question what I’m about to ask you, I just need you to do it.” He said, and Tim, who was still in shock from everything, just agreed, and listened to what John had to say. “I need you to go to Mid Wilshire Childcare Centre. You need to go to the baby room and pick up Tamara Chen, and bring her to the hospital. Don’t forget your ID. You’re on the approved pick up list and I’ve called ahead, so don’t worry about any questions. There will be someone waiting for you at the front door to show you where to go, alright?” He said, and Tim, who was utterly confused now, nodded. 
“Yeah,” he said. “Yeah, okay.” He said goodbye to John, and left the hospital immediately after informing the nurses that he would be back. He hopped in the shop, stopped by the station briefly to grab a carseat, and then hopped back in the shop. 
He pulled into Mid Wilshire Childcare Centre, and grabbed his drivers licence out of his wallet, before making his way to the front door. There was a middle aged woman waiting for him, a smile on her face. 
“Tim Bradford, I’m assuming?” She said, and Tim nodded. 
“Yes, ma’am.” 
The lady nodded. “I’m Martha, the chef here. If you follow me, I can show you to the baby room. I know you’re in a hurry.” She said. She turned, put a code into a key pad, and entered the building, Tim following behind her. As soon as they walked in, Martha turned right, and led him to the end of the hallway. They entered a small classroom with two educators, and 4 babies. 2 of the babies were playing in a water table, the other one was sitting at the table, eating banana, and a third one, who didn’t look older than a few weeks old,  being held in a rocking chair by another educator. 
“Tim, this is Ella, and Cara. Ella is Tamara’s primary educator.” Martha said, and Tim nodded to her. 
“Nice to meet you, Ella.”
Ella smiled. “You too, sir.” She said. “Tamara has had a really good day today. She slept well, drank both bottles, and enjoyed our walk we took them on.” She said, as she went over to the other educator, Cara, and took the small infant from her. 
She carried her over, and Tim blinked quickly, realizing that the small infant must be Tamara. “Okay, thank you.” Tim said. 
Ella smiled. “No problem. We will need some more wipes for her, probably in the next day or so.” Tim nodded. 
“Okay perfect. Is there anything else?” 
“Oh, yes.” Ella said, grabbing the binder off of the counter. “Could I just see your ID?” 
Tim nodded and handed it over. Ella compared the names before smiling and handing it back. 
“Thank you.” She said, putting the binder down. “If you follow me, I’ll show you Tamara’s things.” 
Tim followed Ella as she showed him her cubby, and handed him her backpack.
“Okay, you’re all set, we’ll see you later.” Ella said and Tim thanked her again before following Martha out of the building. 
“Have a good night,” Martha said, holding the door open for him. 
“Thank you, you too,” He responded, looking down at the small infant in his arms that apparently belonged to Lucy. 
“Okay, little one,” he said quietly, opening up the door to the shop, and buckling her in her carseat. “Let’s go see Mama, I guess.”
—-
When Tim walked back into the waiting room, he was greeted with Grey and Luna sitting together. They both turned to look at him when he walked in with the baby carrier, and Grey smiled. 
“Oh good,” Grey said. “You didn’t have any issues picking up?” He asked, and Tim shook his head no.
“No, sir. I guess Nolan called ahead because she was ready to go when I got there.” He said.
Grey chuckled. “You look confused, son.” 
Tim laughed quietly, sitting down, and placing the car seat at his feet. “I am very confused. When did Lucy have a baby?” He asked, as he bent down and got Tamara out. Tamara gazed up at him as he lifted her up, holding her head in one hand and bum in the other. 
“She didn’t,” Grey said. Tim looked at him, confused. Grey sighed. “Look, I’m going to tell you this simply because you need to know why you’re holding a baby that shares a name with your rookie.” He said, and Tim nodded. “When you were on leave for your GSW, Lucy was on patrol with Wrigley. She found a mother OD’d, just hours after having given birth to her.” He said, pointing to Tamara. Tim’s eyes locked onto the tiny infant while Grey spoke. 
“Lucy came with her to the hospital, and when DCFS showed up, Lucy asked to take her in, as she is an emergency foster parent. DCFS agreed, and that’s why Lucy went on leave.” He said, and Tim looked at him in shock. 
“Oh,” He said, stunned. 
Grey nodded. “Yep. Then, 4 weeks ago, she got a call from DCFS stating that they were unable to locate any of her family, and Lucy was given the option to adopt her.”
Tim smiled. “Which she took.” He said, running his thumb over her cheek.
Grey nodded, as Luna sat on the other side of Tim.
“Yes,” Luna said. “And she’s doing a terrific job as a single mother.” 
Tim smiled again, moving Tamara closer to his chest. “I have no doubt about that.” He said. “Gosh, she’s so beautiful.” He commented, as Tamara’s eyes fluttered shut. 
“That she is,” Grey said. “Look, please don’t be mad with Lucy over hiding this from you. She was just trying to protect Tamara.” 
Tim nodded. “I know, and I’m not. But I am going to tell her that I am going to help her, in anyway she needs. I’m her training officer, but also her friend, and I’m going to help her through this.”
41 notes · View notes
chenfordfanficquotes · 4 months ago
Text
Much like now, the pain of losing Tim had been a constant dull pain, occasionally punctuated with spikes of agony when he did something. There was pain when he obviously avoided her eyes in the hallway, pain when he didn’t acknowledge her return, pain when he rode with someone else. The Lucy of that time had so few things to be confident in but she had always known she would end up in the passenger seat of the shop with Tim Bradford driving and glaring at her every time her hand inched towards the A/C. That was her seat, her spot, her birthright. 
-i used to know my place was the spot next to you (now I'm searching the room for an empty seat) by @apple-grass-and-smiles (submitted by @sisterofficerlucychen)
8 notes · View notes
kanerallels · 8 months ago
Text
@chenford-prompts Day 5 of 2 Weeks of Chenford: Silence!! I wrote a little ficlet for my Chenford vigilante au, set before "Not Just Pretend" sometime
One of the most important parts of Tim’s life as a vigilante was knowing when to keep quiet. Not just while following a criminal, or while staking someone out. It was more about one’s secret identity, and that of their fellow vigilantes.
There were only a small handful of people who knew about Tim’s work as Orion. Angela and Talia, as his best friends and a pair of incredible smart detectives, had figured it out incredibly fast. They’d actually given him his code name, which he’d objected to at first. Now… it had its uses.
Past that, he had a couple of contacts who knew, and his former army medic who usually patched him up with minimal judgment when he really needed it. And that was all he needed. The less people who knew, the less people there were who could be endangered.
Tim himself didn’t know the secret identity of most of his fellow vigilantes. And if he did know, he stayed silent. That was the job.
There were times, though, when he was really curious about a few of them.
But it didn’t matter. What mattered was doing his job— both as a vigilante, and running his late father’s woodworking shop— and doing it well. Whether or not he knew someone’s secret identity wasn’t important, even if it was—
“Hey, Tim? Earth to Bradford!”
Lifting his head, Tim met Lucy Chen’s inquisitive gaze. “Hi,” she said. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah— fine,” Tim said, waving a hand. “Just lost in thought.”
“I can see that,” Lucy said, looking amused. “Well, do you have enough time for your favorite customer?”
Tim scoffed. “Okay, if anyone’s my favorite customer, it’s your roommate. He’s the one who keeps ordering end tables or whatever he’s got this time.”
“New chairs for the kitchen counter,” Lucy corrected him. “Which I’m here to pick up— and honestly I’m a little offended you didn’t personally work on your favorite customer’s order.”
Arching an unimpressed brow at her, Tim said, “You got Nolan working on it. He’s the best there is. Where’s your receipt?”
Digging in her pocket and retrieving a folded slip of paper, Lucy said, “Well, I like your work.”
There was… plenty Tim could read into that sentence. Lucy Chen was something of an enigma to him. Despite his gruff attitude and his best efforts, she’d stuck around, even dropping in with coffee when she didn’t have an order to pick up. She was friends with Nolan, so it probably made sense.
At least, that was what he told himself.
Shaking his head to dislodge the errant thought, Tim reached out to accept the receipt. And then he saw it.
It was just a ring. Silver band, set with a large white stone. A moonstone. Any other time, Tim wouldn’t have given it a second thought.
Except he knew that ring.
He’d found it, out in the middle of the desert, when his partner had been kidnapped and buried alive.
Lyra. Bringer of light, both literal and figurative. Tim had never met someone so optimistic and kind as well as so blasted stubborn. She’d nearly died half a dozen times in their first year of working together, when he’d finally caved and started to show her the ropes of being a vigilante. The time when a serial killer’s protege had buried her alive had been particularly painful, for all of them.
But he remembered it, every detail. He remembered searching desperately, panic pounding against his chest. And then he spotted it— a tiny silvery gleam in the dust.
He’d never seen Lyra wear any identifying jewelry before. But he’d known, without a single doubt, that the ring was hers. That she’d left it to mark where she’d been buried, that she’d saved herself.
He remembered bringing her back to life. And he remembered returning that ring, almost a week later, after keeping it in his pocket. Every so often, Tim had reached in to touch it, to remind himself she’d made it.
At this point, he’d memorized the shape of that ring. He knew it. But that could only mean…
No way. Chen?
It made sense. Her roommate was a cop, and she had the same fire, even if she acted more easy going.
“Tim? You’re doing that weird spacey thing again.”
“Right— sorry,” Tim said, grabbing the receipt. Checking the number on it, he said, “Uh— actually, this order isn’t ready yet. Nolan’s got some finishing touches to do.”
“Oh, okay,” Lucy said, still eyeing him oddly. In a way that was so familiar, even without the mask, that Tim wondered how he’d possibly missed this. “Um— when should I come back, then?”
Was it really her? There was only one real way to find out.
A test— a Tim Test, in her words. Lyra’s words.
“Try back here on Friday,” he told her, passing back the receipt. “It should be ready then.”
Tucking it back in her pocket, Lucy shot him a smile. “Awesome. Thanks, Tim— see you then.”
Tim was already returning to the ledger he was studying when he said, “See you then, boot.”
Boot. The LAPD unofficial nickname for new rookies. And what Orion had taken to calling Lyra. She’d clearly understood it— another point on the colum of reasons it could be Lucy— and grumbled about it often enough. So it should be exactly the kind of comment that would make her realize who he was.
“See you then,” she said, heading for the door.
Or… maybe not? The bell at the door jingled as it swung closed, and Tim frowned. Was he wrong? Maybe it was just a similar ring. Maybe he’d been reading into things too much. Maybe he just liked the idea of knowing who Lyra was.
Maybe he was over thinking this. Rolling his eyes, he went back to reading the ledger.
Two minutes later, the door swung open with a crash.
“ORION? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?”Hmm, Tim thought as Lucy stalked in, glaring at him in a way that couldn’t quite conceal her delight. So I was right.
11 notes · View notes
summerongrand · 7 months ago
Text
Fanfic Masterlist
Tumblr media
Stories:
Psyched On U (ongoing) Chenford's love story Romance, angst, fluff, humor Rated E
Sacred New Beginnings (completed) Consuming this fic is like eating a big spoonful of caramel sauce Rated C for cavities
Bee's First Boo! (completed) Fluff and humor Rated T for language
All of the Girls You Loved Before (Tim Bradford Has a Type) (ongoing) Ch. 1: Serious and funny Ch. 2: Adorable chaos, fluff and humor Rated T for language
You're Losing Me (ongoing) Angst Rated T for language, canon typical violence
Do You Remember Me? (ongoing) Rated GA
13 notes · View notes
Text
Post 5x16 Fic
Los Angeles, February 15th, 2022
Lucy knows it’s only a matter of time before it will come up again. It being the fact that Noah only clocked that Tim was that Bradford after she mentioned him sleeping in her bed. She wasn't sure why she didn’t want Tim to know. Sure, the morning after the incident, she found it equal parts heartbreaking and embarrassing when she thought about it for too long, but there wasn’t any reason to hide anything now. They were together now— an actual full-blown couple. He was blissfully asleep, his face an inch from hers with his arm draped over her middle. The story of him being that Bradford only added to their history.
Sacramento, c. 2021
She and some of her UC classmates had found a dive bar in downtown Sacramento to blow off some steam for the evening. It started off lively with an animated trading of war stories and the jukebox playing one classic rock hit after the other, but within a couple of hours, she felt herself recede into her head. She looked around the table at the laughter, at the chatter and she felt so disconnected. None of it was familiar. And that had made her feel lonelier than she had in awhile.
Lucy couldn't help but let her mind wander to Tim— to missing Tim, to being angry with Tim for telling her to come here, and then to the look she must have dreamt that flashed across his face just before he left her heartbroken in the corridor of her apartment building. She knows it isn’t the “right thing”… the “right thing” would be for her mind to wander to Chris, the guy that is still technically her boyfriend, right? She feels the spiraling begin and makes the genius decision to try and drown it out with another drink. But soon, one more drink turns to two and two turns to five and she finds herself spilling her guts to Noah.
She really didn't mean to spill her guts like this, but the rest of the group moved onto another bar to “keep the party going,” while she and Noah hung back to wallow apparently. He was going on about missing his girlfriend, April, when Lucy chimes in with, “At least she misses you back.”
“You don’t think your boyfriend misses you back?” Noah asks as he takes a swig of his beer.
“He isn’t my boyfriend. He’s— he’s…” she trails off. She could blame her lack of answer on being drunk, but she knows that even stone-cold sober, she wouldn’t know how to define Tim and what he is to her. To call him a superior or even a friend would be factually correct, but severely lacking of all the layers of the something more they have built over the years. After all, what do you call the person who you have the most important relationship of your life with? Especially when that person is not the person you’re dating?
“It’s complicated. Got it. But, it kinda sounds like maybe you should talk to him. You know, lay all your cards out on the table and all that,” Noah offers.
“He just— he doesn’t want me in the same way. I thought he might… for minute there, I thought there was something… but then he told me to move on,” she says as her voice gets slightly choked up and before she knows it, tears begin brimming her eyes. She glances to her surroundings and the crowded bar and she begins to feel crushed by the over-stimulation of it all. “I need to leave. I need to get out of here.”
“Yeah, of course, lemme close out the tab and we can grab you a cab.” Noah quickly springs up from his chair and sets off through the crowd.
Lucy pulls out her phone and begins to scroll through the few photos she has of Tim. One with him and Kojo. One with him from Angela’s courthouse wedding. And two of him from the day he got his award. One was with just him and one was with both him and Jackson displaying their awards proudly. That’s the one that breaks her. She’s desperate to talk to him. Someone who knows her, someone she felt safe with. But just as she is scrolling through her contacts to call him, her phone’s screen goes black. Dead.
Before she can even talk herself out of it, Lucy’s up from her seat with her purse in hand and heading to the dimly lit corridor that leads to the restrooms. She had noticed on one her earlier trips to relieve herself that there was a payphone mounted to the wall. And all she can think now is that she misses Tim and that she needs to see him or talk to him. She just needs him someway, somehow.
She rummages around in her bag for her wallet to pull out some loose change in the zippered coin compartment. Her vision is blurred by tears and she can barely stop from shaking as she begins to shove whatever coins she can into the slot. With a few steadying breaths, she begins to dial the number and after a few rings, she’s only greeted with his voicemail. But, it doesn't stop the words that the tequila has been forcing her mind and heart to replay from falling out of her mouth in a rush.
“Tim, it’s your me. I mean, it’s your Lucy— I mean it’s just Lucy … I don’t know what I am to you exactly, so sorry for… that… but to be fair, I don't know what you are to me. You’re not TO Officer Bradford. You’re not Sergeant Bradford. You’re not even my bestest bud Bradford. You’re— look, I know you probably don't feel the same way, but fuck it, I’ll just say it… you’re important to me. You’ll always be more than you are. I just miss you. I’m here in UC school like you told me I should be… but I haven't moved on, okay?” she pauses to inhale sharply as she swallows back the acid that begins to rise in her throat. “That night in the hotel room when we were on the op, I shouldn’t have said it was just biology, it wasn’t. That kiss, it felt right. I should have—”
“If you are satisfied with your message, please press one. To rerecord, please press two.”
The automated voice jolts Lucy out of her self-imposed pity party and she punches down on the 2 key and slams the receiver down. She feels her legs about to give out from the adrenaline and nearly considers sliding down to sit with her back against the wall. Just as she begins frantically wiping away at the tears streaking her face, a loud trill comes from the payphone in front of her. And as if there’s some mysterious string that always pulls her and Tim toward one another, she picks up the receiver and places it to her ear and waits for the voice she somehow is expecting to hear.
“Hello?”
It’s him. It’s his voice. She remains quiet, just wanting to recommit the sound to her memory.
“Hello? I can hear music… is anyone there?”
She wants to say something. Anything. She wants to let the words that spilled out earlier in a moment of recklessness to be said clearly in a moment of bravery, but she can’t bring herself to. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
So instead of responding, she hangs up one more time. She turns around resolving to finally head home when she sees Noah standing at the end of the corridor.
“How much of that did you hear?” she asks him as she clutches the strap of her purse to channel her nervous energy.
“Honestly? I caught everything after you told him you don't know what he is to you. Bradford, I mean.”
Lucy groans in even further embarrassment at the revelation that he also clocked Tim’s name.
“Don’t worry Hot Pants, I won’t tell a soul. Now, let’s get you in a cab.”
She gives him a small smile in appreciation and follows him out through the bar.
Los Angeles, February 15th, 2022
When Lucy wakes up the next morning, she finds that the left side of her bed is empty. Light clanking comes from her kitchen, so she quickly gets up to investigate. She finds Tim already showered and dressed standing at the counter, mixing bowl in hand and whisking some kind of batter.
“You’re up already! I was expecting to finish up making breakfast before I went to wake you.”
“You could have woken me up so we could cook together.” She rounds the counter to offer him a quick good morning kiss.
“Thought I’d let you sleep in a bit. I mean it’s only fair, I did wear you out last night,” he says with what Lucy can only describe as his signature flirty eye-twinkle.
“Um, for the record, I also wore you out. You’re just being an amazing boyfriend and powering through delicious exhaustion to make me breakfast. It is the cherry on top of a night of make up sex, after all,” she says with a giggle.
“Well since we’ve officially made up and we have some extra time before work, how about you tell me why I’m that Bradford.” She looks back up at Tim to find him smiling teasingly at her.
She grabs the mixing bowl from his hands and places it on the counter before pulling him down into a slow deep kiss.
“I’ll tell you soon. But right now… I think there are other things we could do with our extra time, right?” she says as she pulls away just enough so that she can still feel the heat radiate off of him.
“Agreed,” he breathes out.
As she backs them up towards the bedroom with Tim’s lips firmly attached to hers, all she can think is that while he is indeed that Bradford, he is more importantly her Tim.
126 notes · View notes