"CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT" • CHENFORD IMAGINES

"𝚆𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚍 𝚖𝚢 𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚍?"

Finally, short sleeves.

It's what the entire rookie class had been waiting for the last few weeks, getting to upgrade from long sleeves to short sleeves. It couldn't have come a second too soon, with Los Angeles temperatures topping out at over ninety degrees.

Lucy Chen took a long look at herself in the mirror, taking a deep breath as she finished buttoning her shirt. She was more excited to no longer have to wear a tie rather than long sleeves. Tying those damn things has always been aggravating. She felt confident. Look good, feel good, do good. Today was going to be a good day, she felt it in her bones. Yesterday had been shitty. It would take her a long time to get the bloody images out of her head. He was just a kid, she thought to herself for probably the hundredth time. Her TO, Tim Bradford, reminds her every day that she can't be weak. She can't let the bad days stay with her - she has to let them go before she leaves the station at night. But deep down, she knows she'll never be able to. Lately, there seems to have been more bad days than good.

Today, she's wearing short sleeves and no tie. What could go wrong?

After sitting through roll call with her fellow rookies, West and Nolan, Lucy jumps up ready to get her day started.

"Get your ass up, boot," Tim barks at Lucy, seemingly in yet another bad mood. "Get our shit and meet me in the shop."

Lucy's yet to figure Tim out. Men are confusing, always have been, but she's never met a man as confusing as Tim Bradford. One minute he's as sweet as sugar, joking around and dare she say flirting with her, and the next he's shooting daggers and snapping at her. Maybe that's what keeps her on her toes; never knowing what version of him she's gonna get. Today, she gets the latter.

Tim watches from the drivers seat as Lucy carries their bags, hands full and muscles flexing. He squeezes his fist around the stick shift and looks away, not wanting to get distracted before their day even begins. He shouldn't have let her wear short sleeves. He should have forced her to keep wearing long sleeves, because now he has to spend his shift looking at her smooth, tanned arms. He wonders how much she lifts at the gym... No, no, he can't. Thinking like that leads to screw ups, and that's the last thing he needs. She's his rookie. His boot.

"Took you long enough," Tim snaps as she hops into the passenger side, buckling her seat belt. "You know we don't have all day, boot."

"Who pissed in your Cheerios this morning?" Lucy snaps back, not wanting his bad mood to ruin her good one. "Seriously, why are you always so hot and cold? Did something happen with Isabel?"

"That's none of your fucking business-"

Tim is cut off by the radio, a call coming in about an armed robbery just a few blocks away. In broad daylight. The nerve of some people, Lucy thinks. Even though she's now a police officer, it's still hard for her to wrap her head around how cruel some people can be.

It never fails, the sheer adrenaline that flows through her veins when a call comes in. Even if it's just a welfare check, it turns her blood to electricity. Because what if this it it? What if everything goes wrong? What if... No, it's gonna be a good day. Nothing is going to go wrong.

Lucy watches Tim as he speeds to the scene, his knuckles white and wrapped around the steering wheel. There's no denying that he's attractive. He seems to have not shaved in a couple days, his hair a little messier than usual. He looks... tired. Maybe she'll cut him some slack today. Maybe.

Blood rushes in Tim's ears as he screeches to a stop at the scene of the robbery, a family owned convenience store. He knows this store well - he used to frequent it as a child after school. It's places like this that motivate him to do his best.

"Let's go, boot," Tim tells Lucy as they both get out of the car. "Ladies first."

Every time he sends her into a scene first, he cringes. Ever since the first day, he's felt an overwhelming need to protect her. Make sure she's safe. But she's not going to learn if he's always shielding her behind him. Tim follows Lucy, removing his weapon from the holster and placing his finger on the trigger.

"7-Adam-19," Lucy says over the radio, taking a deep breath as they approach the building. "We have three masked suspects, all armed. Requesting backup."

But they don't have time to wait for backup before going inside.

"LAPD," Lucy yells at the suspects, pointing her weapon at one of the suspects. Tim moves beside her, cornering another. "Drop your weapons and slowly lift your hands in-"

A deafening sound rings out, unmistakable. Lucy fires her gun, aiming at one of the masked men and hits him in the chest. He cries out and blood sprays as the other two suspects run out the back door. Lucy tries to run after them, but she can't. She falls to the floor, realizing her biggest fear.

"I'm hit!" She screams, a blazing fire shooting up her thigh. "Tim, I'm hit! I can't... Run after them!"

Tim glances at Lucy on the floor, blood pouring from her thigh. Like, a lot of blood. Holy shit, did it hit an artery? He battles with himself, should he go after the suspects or stay with Lucy? Really, to him, it's not even a question.

"7-Adam-19," he radios, his voice shaky. "We have an officer down..." as he relays the information, he drops to the floor beside Lucy.

"You're okay," he says, quickly removing his tie from his neck. "This is gonna hurt."

Lucy screams out as Tim ties his tie around her thigh, trying to stop the bleeding.

"Tim..."

"It's okay," Tim breathes out, trying not to panic. His boot... his Lucy... God, what he would do to trade places with her. "I've got this. I'm like a professional at this point."

Lucy laughs, because of course he'd make her laugh. But as he applied pressure to her wound, pain searing through her body, she was brought back to the reality of the situation. She had been shot. And she was losing a lot of blood. A lot.

"Tim," Lucy whispered, trying to hold her eyes open. "Tim, I'm scared."

"I know," Tim replies, an unfamiliar shakiness in his voice. "I know you are. But I've got you, Chen."

And honestly, Lucy believed him. There was no safer place for her to be.

"Will you hold my hand?"  Lucy looks up at Tim, and he's mush in her hands. "Just until the ambulance gets here?"

Tim looks at her outstretched hand, so small compared to his. Without question, he slips his blood covered hand into hers and laces their fingers together. He gives it a gentle, reassuring squeeze.

"Always," he brings Lucy's hand up to his mouth, in a rare moment of softness, giving it a feather-like kiss. "You don't have to ask."

She sighs as sirens surround them. So much for today being a good day.

THE END

HIIIII OMG?? I honestly don't think anybody will ever even read this but I'm so deep in my Chenford feelings it really doesn't matter 🤭 but pls be gentle!!! I'm still only on S2 of the rookie and this was my first time ever writing in 3rd person so I'm totally sorry if it's awful!!

I'm open to feedback always and definitely leave requests (if anyone even reads this lol)