Yooooo, I'm excited to post my first Timeless story. Please read and review! I hope you enjoy it and let me know if you have any suggestions for future fics!
Flynn sidled over to the coffee machine and blinked in surprise as he found a nearly full pot waiting. He glanced down at his watch. It was far too early for anyone to be awake. He glanced back at the pot of warm liquid and shrugged. He wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. Flynn poured himself a cup of coffee and was about to make himself comfortable on the nearby leather sofa when he spotted a familiar shadow sitting at the "dinner" table in the corner of the room.
Lucy sat with her back to him. There was a weary hunch in her shoulders that he didn't like and was nearly certain he could massage away. Several large books were open in front of her, along with a notepad. Her head rested on her fist, but her eyes stared off into the distance instead of at the work in front of her. He was sure that if he was facing her, he would see the same haunted look in her eyes that he saw in his own reflection.
This was not the first time he had caught Lucy lost in thought. In fact, she frequently sat with the large history books, working late into the night to prepare for every possible outcome. She was obsessed with her historical preparation and he was definitely the most qualified person to identify obsession.
Flynn hesitated momentarily before he slowly approached her and dropped unceremoniously into the chair across from her. The chair was stiff and wooden, significantly less comfortable than the leather couch he had initially planned to relax in.
Lucy's eyes flickered to him in surprise and she lifted her head away from her hand.
Flynn eyed her neat handwriting on the notepad between them and the large history books in front of her.
"Doing a bit of light reading, I see," he said as he lifted one side of the nearest book.
Flynn was momentarily struck by how young the Lucy in front of him looked with her hair pulled away from her weary eyes.
"I was enjoying the silence," she said, her eyes narrowing slightly. He smirked at the not so subtle hint that he would choose to ignore.
"Mhmm," he sipped his coffee slowly and loudly. Lucy's eyes narrowed further. Flynn leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table. "You know, Professor, I thought that as a credited historian and teacher you would be through with all of this reading," he gestured lazily to the books once again. Lucy glared up at him through her eyelashes.
"I'm looking for significant changes or traces of Rittenhouse," she stated. Flynn nodded thoughtfully and then reached across the table and closed the books with a loud snap. Lucy let out a small squeak of protest.
"What're you-" she choked out as he dragged the books away from her.
"I do not deem this a good use of our time," he spoke over her, dismissing her protests as he stood and set the books on the shelf a few meters away. He swiped a small box from the top of another shelf.
"Our time?" Lucy continued to stutter out surprised protests. Flynn returned to his chair across from her and set the small box on the table between them.
"Yes, I'm exhausted watching you read those massive paperweights," Flynn sighed as he grabbed the box of cards and removed the contents.
"So, you want to play cards," Lucy stated rather than asked, her brow scrunched in confusion.
Flynn would agree that his behavior was unusual, but he felt that lightening her mood would bring an overall increase in morale...It wasn't merely for his own selfish reasons.
"Yes," he stated bluntly as he shuffled the cards in his hands. Lucy continued to stare at him in shock for a long moment. He waited for further protest, but she offered none and merely took a drink from her coffee mug. Lucy's eyes watched his shuffling in slight wonder and he fought the slight smirk that pulled on the corner of his mouth.
"You know how to play Rummy?" Flynn glanced up at her as he continued to shuffle. Her eyes met his and he could see a shadow of excitement as she nodded. Lucy paused for a moment, unsure of herself.
"Did you know, that the origin of Rummy can be traced back to the Chinese game called Khanhoo? It was created as-" Lucy lit up as she began explaining the history behind the game. Flynn listened with a smile as he dealt the cards and they began to play. Flynn noticed that the weary weight had disappeared from Lucy's shoulders as she leaned forward and studied her cards. She seemed to sense his watchful gaze and glanced up at him.
"What?" She asked, her voice much lighter than it had been moments prior.
"Nothing," Flynn smirked. "Just thinking about the bragging rights I'm going to have once I whoop you in Rummy."
Flynn felt a familiar warmth in his chest as Lucy's soft laughter echoed around him.