Work Text:
Lucy opened the door to her apartment and dropped her bag on the floor. She was exhausted because some idiot got his hands on a flamethrower right before her shift was over and he took forever to process because a rookie had broken the camera they used for mugshots and it had taken her and Tim forever to find a replacement. She grabbed a glass of water and texted Tamara that she had gotten back to their apartment safely. Tamara was staying the night at one of the kids she nannied house for a last-minute babysitting gig because of a family emergency.
A text from Chris earlier in the day reminded her that she had promised to swing by after work. Lucy groaned. She liked Chris, she did, but she just wanted a hot bubble bath and to finish her book. She glanced at her watch, maybe she could tell him that she ran out of gas and couldn’t make it, but she had already bailed on him twice this week, one more and he would be pretty upset. Chris wasn’t a huge fan of her working to get the tab because she worked extra hours and didn’t have as much time to see him. It was ridiculous to Lucy because lawyers work crazy hours too, and making detective meant a lot to her. She sighed and willed herself to walk back downstairs and drive over to Chris’s.
When she got there, she unlocked the door and pushed her way in. She walked into his living room only to find him passed out on his couch, a true crime documentary running on the TV. Great. Lucy had driven all the way to his house (it really wasn’t that far, but still) only for him to be asleep. She debated waking him up but settled on watching the show for twenty minutes, and if he didn’t wake up going back home and leaving a note.
She shivered and got up to search for a sweatshirt or a blanket or something. She opened his bedroom door and found and grabbed one of his college sweatshirts off his bed. Sometimes she wished he was taller so she could feel cozier in his clothes. Maybe if he was built like Tim. She quickly shook the thought from her head.
She turned to leave but something caught her eye right before she opened the door. Wadded up in the corner was one of Chris’s shirts.
That lipstick on your collar, well, it ain't my shade of pink
Lucy raised her eyebrow and snapped a quick picture before heading back to the living room. When she left she didn’t bother leaving a note.
****
Hey babe, why didn’t you come last night?
I did, you were just asleep when I came over,
and I didn’t want to disturb you
Oh, okay. Have a good day at work, love you.
“Chris?” Tim questioned when he noticed she was texting someone. Lucy sighed.
“Yup.”
*****
The next time she noticed something was when he was picking her up from work.
There’s a little wine stain on the pocket of your white cotton thread. Well you drink beer and whiskey boy, and you know I don’t drink red
She didn’t say anything for the rest of the car ride and turned away when he tried to kiss her before she got out of the car. Chris furrowed his brows.
“Lucy, is anything wrong?” He asked. Lucy almost laughed. She wasn’t even sad that he was cheating on her, more angry that he didn’t think she would figure it out.
****
Lucy’s limit was when he was late to their date again. Lucy was currently missing out on bi-weekly game night with her friends, and Chris was fucking late. She was also forced to endure the pitying stare of her waiter when she told her she wasn’t alone, her date was just running late. She picked halfheartedly at her appetizer and took a long sip of her drink.
Finally, Chris came in and rushed over to her table.
“Lucy, I’m so sorry, I got caught up in helping a coworker with her case,” he rushed out. His hair was messy, and his clothes looked rumpled, almost like he had grabbed them off the floor and put them back on in a rush. Lucy scoffed.
“This is the coworker you’re fucking, I assume?”
“I-what?” Chris paled. “Lucy I’m not, I would never,” he rushed out.
“Did you really think I wouldn’t find out? You’re not exactly what one would call subtle.” She stood up and went for the kill. “We’re over Chris, and maybe your fuckbuddy will come to her senses and dump your ass too.” And with that, she waltzed out of the restaurant.
All the Ajax in the world ain’t gonna clean your dirty laundry