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Tim has not been looking forward to today, actually he’s been dreading it for weeks after being assigned to it. It’s community outreach day and everyone has to do it at least twice a year and this is his and Lucy’s second before the year ends. They’ve got the shops set up in the parking lot, for something called “trunk or treat”, a safe option for kids to trick-or-treat, and every officer (and the few rookies) posted to the event have decorated their trunks. He and Lucy, obviously, had turned it into a competition, after learning they’d be parked beside each other because that’s just who they are. Him and his aide/rookie had gone with a dungeon theme; bars across the back with fake skeletons and bones littered across the trunk, their candy on a table beside them. Lucy and her rookie had done a Candyland theme; giant lollipops and fake gumdrops on the ground. She — or her rookie, more likely, because he definitely would have seen them before tonight, they do share a home after all — even made fake giant heresy bars to place beside their open trunk, little colored squares leading up to it (like on the game board) and bowls of different candies and chocolates inside.
She clearly won their secret competition, though he’s really not all that mad about it. Her usual chosen prize is always fun for him, too.
Once the event starts, TIm actually enjoys it to some degree. Seeing the kids come in costumes, all happy and carefree. Plus, watching Lucy interact with them always puts a smile on his face. She is so good with kids, always getting down on their level, with a soft, nurturing voice, asking about their costumes and who they came with. Handing them candy with the sweetest smile he’s ever seen. He really can’t wait for the day he gets to watch her with their kids, be the kind of mother she never had.
“Woah, Mom! This one’s a jail!” A rather rambunctious kid — Tim estimates to be no more than 7 or 8 — runs over, his mother a fair amount of steps behind.
“Hey there, what’s your name?” Tim’s rookie, kneels down, smiling at the boy.
“Braxton. You gotta gun right? That’s cool.”
The boot looks up at Tim, both sharing a look of unease as the mother finally reaches her kid.
“Well, talk about L.A’s finest.” The woman bats her eyelashes, making a show of looking Tim up and down.
“Afternoon, ma’am.” Tim tries his best to ignore her antics, keeping his face as neutral as possible.
He’s not unaccustomed to women (and sometimes men) being overly friendly when in uniform, but that doesn’t make it any less annoying or uncomfortable. Especially when Lucy is only a few feet away from him.
And, frankly, he’s just doing his job. That doesn’t warrant this kind of reaction at all from anyone.
(Unless, it’s from Lucy and then Tim is all for it.)
“Has anyone ever told you, you look like a model, Officer?" The woman steps closer, brushing her hand on his arm, completely oblivious to her kid still rummaging through their bowls of candy.
“Um,” He swallows, trying to step away. He catches Lucy’s eye briefly, and he can see she’s watched the entire interaction so far. Her brows are furrowed but the rest of her expression is unreadable. Which does, actually, make him a little nervous.
“If you’re not busy tonight, my kid will be with his dad, maybe you can come handcuff me.”
Tim’s eyes go wide, the tips of his ears turning red, knowing everyone within earshot heard and is staring.
”That’s — I don’t —“ He clears his throat, taking a breath, readjusting his duty belt and placing his hands on the front. “I’m seeing someone.”
”She doesn’t need to know.”
“Okay, ma’am.” Lucy huffs in annoyance as she steps over to their shop. “Move along.”
The two women seem to have a stare down, and Tim is a little shocked by it. He’s never seen Lucy jealous, ever in their entire relationship. She’s always been confident and — aside from their brief breakup — he has always done his best to make her feel safe and secure.
He watches her, confused and worried, and not really sure what to do, until the mom scoffs and drags her kid away.
Lucy mutters something under her breath that he can’t make out as she walks back to her own shop, not giving Tim a single glance.
Smiling, as another pair of kids wanders over, Lucy completely ignores him, going back to cheerful and attentive to the trunk-or-treaters.
And that's how Tim knows he’s in trouble, spending the rest of the event trying to figure out how he upset her and, more importantly, how to apologize.
——————
He finds her hours later, after the shops have been put back to their normal undecorated states and the kids have long since left (with every single piece of candy they had — save for one Reese's Cup Tim managed to steal for Lucy). At first he waits for her by the locker rooms, but it quickly becomes obvious that she’s already left and so he walks to the truck, seeing her leaning against the passenger door, head in her phone.
“Hey.” Tim steps up to her, hesitantly.
“‘Seeing someone’? Really?” Lucy tilts her head with a challenging look in her eye, placing her hands on her hips.
He lets out a breath, dropping his backpack on the ground beside her. He had a feeling his choice of words had been what upset her. “I know, I’m sorry. She caught me off guard and I didn’t know what to say.”
“I noticed.”
He smiles sheepishly, pulling the chocolate from his jacket pocket. “Peace offering?”
“Trying to bribe me with sweets?” Lucy shakes her head, but happily accepts the treat. “Gonna take a little more than that, Sergeant.”
“I will grovel.”
“No need for that.” She smirks, stepping closer and wrapping her arms around his waist. “Just make it up to me with a lot of sex.”
“Oh,” Tim feigns horror, quickly pulling her into his chest, hands placed dangerously low on her hips. “Sounds like a terrible punishment.”
One of her hands travels from his neck to his chest, playing with the buttons of his Henley. “Also, I was thinking. you should definitely start wearing a ring. To remind everyone and yourself that you’re married now. I know it’s only been a week, but seriously Tim?”
“I was actually looking at those silicone ones, they’re permitted on duty. I know a couple guys who wear ‘em.”
She looks up at him, big brown eyes with zero trace of anger or annoyance. “Only if I can have a matching one to wear, too.”
“I can work with that,” He ducks his head down, giving her a very chaste kiss as they are still standing in the middle of the parking garage. He pulls away, delighting in the soft smile on her face and happy little noise she makes. “I really am sorry, Luce. And for the record, I would never forget that you’re my wife now. It's all I think about.”
“I know, it was actually kind of funny.” She giggles. “You get so red and awkward when people try to flirt with you.” She steps out of his embrace, turning to open the truck door. “You’d never know you’re the same guy who took my panties off with his teeth last night.”
His mouth falls open, stunned into silence. Even after all these years together, she’s never lost the ability to completely knock him off his feet. With a shake of his head, he quickly gathers himself, picking up his backpack and tossing it into the back seat before turning to Lucy, leaning into her space.
“You know,” Tim drops a hand to her thigh and slowly inches it higher, smirking when her breath catches. “Lady had a good idea with those handcuffs, care to have a little fun tonight, Mrs Bradford.”
Lucy whines, “Get in the truck, already. So we can get started on that groveling you mentioned.”
Tim smirks, shutting the door and quickly walking around to the driver's side. Thinking about the many ways he was going to grovel, maybe they’ll get into the Halloween candy craze and use a little chocolate with the handcuffs.