quicklog: Steph &Tim
Feelings were usually difficult for Tim to address, but it was easy to categorize and siphon through the layers tonight. He was irritated at Damian, but the fact that Stephanie was worried about Damian made Tim consider that as a viable option as well. Well, worry might have been a bit of an exaggeration. Tim would settle for mild concern. So if there was some feeling, some emotion that could be described like a weirdly sour and therefore unsatisfying smoothie of worry and irritation, that was reserved for Damian. When it came to the idea of seeing Stephanie again, there wasn't much room for anxiety. They'd already reunited a couple of months back, lattes and an almost-awkward attempt at small talk on one of those first days of winter. There wouldn't be any of that this time… although he was suddenly craving coffee.
It was too late for most shops to be open, but there was always the option of some late night drive-thru with burnt, but drinkable sludge. With a resurgence of hope, Tim looked through the window of his Uber, hoping to spot a McDonalds off the freeway exit or even a Waffle House, anything…. But any dream of horrible, yet hot coffee was dashed because his driver was pulling off the exit and they were already entering Repose. Maybe Steph would have coffee. Or ooo, hot cocoa. But wait, he couldn't just expect to go up to her place and march into her kitchen to raid it for a packet of Swiss Miss with mini marshmallows. Was he even supposed to go up to her place at all? There was that anxiety again..
Tim still hadn't thought his plan of attack through when his Uber pulled up to Steph's place. Tim tipped in cash and stepped out on the curb in red Converse sneakers. He was casual in jeans and a button-up thermal sweater that was some kind of blue gray beneath the dark leather of his jacket. He still had his detective badge around his neck on a metal lanyard, and it bounced against his chest when he shuffled back and forth on the sidewalk before shooting Stephanie a text to let her know that he was outside. She'd never given him her phone number, but come on… it was Tim, the once upon a time boy genius. These days he didn't even have to be genius, he just needed a police password. It made things, admittedly, a lot less fun.