𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆, tim bradford

𝟬𝟬𝟯. pretty doctor

╭── ✿ ❀ ღღ ✿ ❀ ──╮
003. pretty doctor
╰── ❀ ✿ ღღ ❀ ✿ ──╯

the atmosphere in the shop was tense after the butting of heads they had earlier. tim was as stubborn as ever and, even after realising that he was wrong, refused to show any ounce of regret to penelope. it was nearing twelve o'clock when tim silently pulled up to a food truck that was parked, picnic tables surrounding it. "first shift, rookie buys lunch" he said, getting out of the car and slamming the door behind him. penelope followed, the pair walking towards the front of the truck. "it's tradition"

"right, well i don't have my purse with me" she broke the news to him, giving a nervous smile as he stopped in his tracks, a frown adorning his face.

"what? why not? how were you expecting to get yourself lunch?"

"i packed my own lunch, it was in the shop" she waved a small purple lunch box (that he didn't even realise was there) in the air "y'know my germ thing- did i tell you about my germ thing? point is, i have a germ thing and i can't eat out. it's the thought of someone else touching my food or strangers eating off of plates i'm supposed to eat off of" she rambled before shivering in disgust at the thought "i just can't"

"you do know people would have to touch food in the store for it to get there, right?"

"yeah, i've been down that road, didn't eat for a week, forced myself to get over it. bottom line, i don't have any money so..." she trailed off, making a grabbing motion with her hand for his wallet. tim sighed, dragging a hand down his face as he contemplated why the hell he'd decided to be a T.O at all. penny was testing his patience. eventually though, he gave over the wallet.

he went over to the table that angela, andy and talia were sitting at, jointing them with a sigh. the trio spoke for a while though tim kept sneaking glances at penny as she tried to order something she thought he'd like. the man had assumed she was friends with the other rookies, though as he saw her silently stand behind them as they chatted amongst themselves, he wasn't so sure. they didn't say a word to each other as they waited for their respective lunches to be done.

"well, i don't know why the hell you two are so determined to get out of patrol" tim interjected on the women's conversation, not sure what the big deal about being a detective was "this is where all the fun is"

"mhmm" talia hummed, having clocked tim's periodic glances towards penelope "and how's 'fun' going with your new boot?"

"she's..." he tried to find the right word. a lot of words described penelope "interesting"

"oh?" angela raised her eyebrows, having discovered a new method of tim torture "does officer bradford have a crush on the pretty doctor?" she hypothetically asked officer barnes.

"i think he does, officer lopez"

"shut up, i do not!" he pushed back with blushed cheeks, not noticing how ridiculously childish he sounded.

"oh my god, you so do!" talia's eyes went wide with glee

"we were only kidding but you actually do!" andy exclaimed.

"it doesn't even matter" he brushed their accusations off, knowing they weren't even close to being true "first of all, she's my rookie and-" tim rambled before noticing their teasing looks "oh shut it!"

just as tim managed to shut down the conversation, the rookies wandered over with their lunches. "is there meat in this?" talia asked john.

"uh... no?" he guessed before retreating with lucy and jackson.

"you didn't forget the hot sauce, did you, doctor?" bradford asked, inspecting the lunch to find it was actually relatively close to his usual meal.

"i don't forget anything, bradford" penny fired back, revealing hot sauce from behind her.

"i didn't tell you i wanted hot sauce, how did you-?"

"everything is a test, right?" she interrupted, a proud smile on her face when she saw that she'd gotten it right "you seem like a man of taste so not barbecue. ketchup does not go with tomatoes, i don't care what anyone else says so i took a chance with no ketchup and mayonnaise is disgusting and i refuse to order it so that leaves us with hot sauce. did i ace another tim test?"

"tim test?" tim looked unimpressed.

"i love a good alliteration"

"do you actually care if you fail or not?"

"of course i do! i don't care that your tests are stupid and illegitimate, i don't fail tests. ever"

"right"

at that, penelope walked away as the other boots had done. though she didn't go to the table they were sat at. she went to an empty one and sat there alone with her purple, sparkly lunchbox. "god, bradford, that's just pity full" angela sympathised, looking at a semi-content looking penny. after a few seconds she yelled over to her "hey boot! come here!"

"what the hell are you doing?" tim asked, angela ignoring him.

"sit" she ordered penelope who had walked over with her lunchbox.

"yes ma'am" she nodded.

"why aren't you sat with the other rookies?"

"i don't think they like me"

"why?" tim asked. he wasn't her biggest fan but he's only known her for less than a day. what wasn't there to like?

"nolan thinks i'm stupid. he didn't pay enough attention to anyone else but chen and west to notice that i'm actually statistically a genius. he tried to give me directions all the time in the academy so i think he means well he just thinks i'm going to flunk out soon. chen thinks i'm kind of mean because i glared at her during roll call. i was actually glaring at her sticky hands but then i offered her some hand sanitizer so maybe she thinks, i think, she's dirty? i don't know. and west is just... not interested i guess?" she rambled her way through, not realising that she was doing it "but it's fine, i'm fine on my own" she ended, about to turn around and walk back to the table.

"just sit, boot" andy offered "i feel guilty watching you eat alone like a sad hermit"

"but i like being a sad hermit. did you know-" she began telling the T.O's about the history of the word hermit. while she did, andy turned to tim, whispering in his ear.

"is this a recurring thing?"

tim, gazing at a chattering penelope with a small smile, sighed softly and muttered a small "yep"

————— authors note 💭

hey loves! penelope sitting alone is so me 😭

i hope you liked the chapter! ok this ones a little... meh, but the next one will be better (hopefully)

please comment and vote (more comment than vote)

love uuuuu byeeeee