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boliv-jenta · 1 year

Text

Part of the Merged series

Tim Rockford x OFC

WC:2.8k

Warnings: talk of smut.

Summary: Tim and Evie decide to learn more about the world they have found themselves in.

Recon

Tim instantly drew his weapon. "Put the gun down!"

The pirate looked over at him. "Relax. I'm not going to shoot him!"

The mirth in his voice suggested he thought Tim was crazy for thinking he was going to shoot the man than he had just been aiming a gun at, before holstering his pistol.

"We're going to duel." He drew a long sword with a flourish.

The knight raised his own sword in preparation for the pirate's attack.

"What the hell?" Evie pulled Tim back into the apartment slightly as the sound of clashing swords filled the space. "Are you really willing to get into the middle of that?

"Yes. Well, it's my job. I can't let people run around brandishing weapons. People could get hurt."

As if to prove his point the Knight cut a portrait on the wall in half with a backswing of his sword.

"Yes. Us. We're the people who could get hurt. I get that you're a cop but you're not a cop here. You don't know if this is just something they do here."

The two men crossed swords time and again. The clash of the metal like nails on a chalkboard to Evie's fraying nerves. The two swordsmen were either perfectly matched or this wasn't their first rodeo.

"That's enough, you two! I won't keep telling you about this. Words! If you have a problem, use your words." A thick Brooklyn accent preceded its owner up the stairs to your right. "I'm not going to keep climbing up these goddamn stairs."

The owner appeared, a cop in a 1930's uniform. He was fair skinned, blonde, maybe late 20's.

"Sir. Ma'am." He tipped his hat at you. "Sir, why don't you take your girl inside. I'll handle this."

Evie was out in front of Tim in seconds. "His girl doesn't need to be taken anywhere."

The cop casually looked at the door number of their apartment. "Sorry, Ma'am. I didn't realise. Henriksen's new recruits, right? I'm Mallory. I'll take care of these guys from here. You enjoy your day."

As he ushered the pirate and the knight down the corridor to what they guessed were their apartments. Tim and Evie caught bits of a dispute about a shared balcony and the pirate growing an invasive species of plant that keeps taking root in the knight's planters. A little stunned by the whole thing they wandered back into their apartment.

"So I guess that's normal here?"

The laughter that bubbled up from Evie startled them both. Tim hadn't heard her laugh. He was utterly charmed by it. It was crazy that he knew he loved her yet he didn't know what he loved about her. Her laughter was definitely one of the things he loved. It crushed him when the laughter turned to tears.

"Hey. Hey. It's alright." Tim hugged Evie as tight to his chest as he could as he guided her to the nearest chair. A comfortable brown fabric armchair in keeping with the style of the apartment. It cushioned Evie as he eased her down.

"I'm so sorry. I'm being stupid." Evie tried to stop her tears. She hated to show weakness. Logically she knew it was perfectly fine to cry after one had died and moved on to some weird place, with cops and pirates and knights, and having amazing and confusing sex with a stranger that felt like your soulmate. Fuck. Henriksen had said that. Soulmates. Still, she felt weak and didn't want Tim to see her like that.

Tim knelt in front of her. His large hands rested on her knees provided a grounding point. "You are not stupid. This whole situation. The crazy land and the duel over plants. That is stupid. By getting upset over it all you are being sane and smart. Not stupid at all." He doesn't even think twice as he kisses her cheek. "You're alright. We just need time to process all of this."

"How are you so calm?" Evie sniffed, wiping her eyes on her sleeve.

"I think it's because this is a giant mystery. Mysteries always helped keep my mind calm. There's a logic to them, you just have to find it." Despite him being the older of the two, he looked boyish as he spoke.

"You're not just a Detective, you're a mystery fan."

"Yeah. My mom and dad worked a lot. My mom even more so after my dad was killed on duty. It was just me and my abuelita most days. She loved mysteries. She would make them up for me to solve."

Evie didn't know exactly why she loved Tim but his love for his grandmother was definitely part of it.

His eyes were warm and wistful as they met hers. "Look. I don't have many facts to start with here and the one's I do have are based on any of this actually being real. The one thing I do know, and don't ask me how, I know I have these feelings for you."

"I know. Me too."

"Yeah? I know that I'm in love with you but I don't know why. I know nothing about you."

"After last night. I hope you know a couple of things about me."

Tim looked sheepish. "I don't usually do that, you know? Fall into bed with women. Even if they are beautiful. I only got divorced two years ago. I dated a woman for a couple of months. It didn't work out. My ex-wife was my college sweetheart."

"I don't usually either. I mean I have more than you from the sound of it. My last relationship was my longest."

"Kyle? You seemed happy together."

"We were I suppose. We just wanted different things. It was no-ones fault. Just not meant to be I guess."

"Meant to be." Tim's thumbs stroked softly at Evie's skin. It lit a fuse that trailed through her very being. Everything in her burned for him. It was as if she'd been missing him her entire life. Now that he was back, she needed to make up for lost time.

Swallowing thickly she asked. "So what do we do now?"

"I want to take you back to bed. Make you say my name like you did last night. Is that awful? In all this I just want the simple things. To hold you. To make you happy." Honesty, another trait she admired.

"That's not bad at all. It's silly but when I saw you picking at your food yesterday I thought about cooking for you. It's my love language. Acts of service."

Tim smiled as he slid into the seat next to her, pulling her into his lap to make space for himself. "It's not silly at all. It's sweet. I woke up this morning torn between feeling uncomfortable about doing that with a stranger and feeling that it was all so right."

Evie lay her head on top of his as he fit his into the crook of her neck. "Like it was the logical next step in our relationship. Even though we've only known each other like a day. Like it was something that we've always done."

Tim pulled her a little closer as he hummed in thought. "Or maybe we've done it before? Henriksen said soul mates. Don't some people believe that soulmates find each other in different lives?"

"Wow, that actually might be the straw that breaks my tiny mind apart." As Evie's thought drifted she absently ran her fingers up and down Tim's bare forearms. "As much as I'd love to trip out on that for a while. Or let you take me back to bed. We have a deadline. God, that sounded like a pun. Are you thinking about staying here?"

"Maybe. I don't know."

"Same. We should go take a look around."

"Really?"

"Yes. Detective. If not out of curiosity, imagine all the clues we can find!"

The street outside their apartment building was as busy as any other city street. Cars from all sorts of decades passed by. A young man in a flat cap shined shoes on the corner next to a Starbucks. The sidewalks held an oddity of people. A punk rocker hand in hand with a woman dressed in Victorian clothing. A few kids, one on a skateboard, one rolling a hoop with a stick, crossed in front of them.

"God, Tim. There are kids here." Evie gripped his forearm.

"Yeah." Was all he replied grimly. Tim was more than familiar that awful things could happen to kids too. For a second his mind wandered to his own kids. No, he couldn't go there right now. Instead, he focused his attention on the road. Forward to the neon signs in front of him.

"Henriksen said people from different times. Do you think they are from the future?" Evie looked everywhere but at Tim as she spoke. Her eyes tried to take everything in. The buildings were modern, almost futuristic. They had some distinct features of Asian architecture. When the street changed from the slightly retro slice of Americana there was a giant archway. It was intricately decorated. Carvings of dragons and dogs sat on top of the Xieshan style roof that bridged the two large red pillars. Tiles with pictures and writing decorated the front. It looked like the arches in Chinatown back home. Only with one difference. The arches back home didn't have Gaelic writing on them.

"Curiouser and curiouser." Evie muttered.

Tim joined her, blinking against the sun to see what she was looking at.

"This is old Irish writing. I've never seen it on a Chinese arch." Tim looked impressed by her knowledge.

"I forgot you have a thing for languages. Any idea what it says?" He stared at the language as if it would translate before his eyes.

"Abandon all hope, ye who enter here." A thick Irish accent intoned behind them.

Evie and Tim both whirled on the source. "I'm kidding. The Paifang represents a fortuitous entry into a benevolent time and space. I just added a few blessings of my own."

"You did?" Evie asked impressed.

"Yep. I'm Ailerán. Nice to…" He began to introduce himself.

"Holy…!" Tim's voice drew Evie's attention.

"Aye, you see it now?" Ailerán asked him.

Tim had resumed his staring. The text now appeared to be in English.

"Sometimes it takes a while when you're new. Don't force it. Just let it happen." Ailerán informed Evie.

"Let what happen?" Evie blinked at the stranger.

"Look at the writing." Tim's hand found her shoulder.

"Holy shit." Her hand came up to grip his.

"There you go. This place translates everything for us. I'm speaking an old Irish dialect but you hear whatever it is you speak. It makes things a whole lot easier."

Ailerán casually dropped himself into a nearby bench. "We get newbies through here all the time. You'll get used to it. Won't they?" He called behind them.

Turning they were met with the sight of a man who looked like he stepped right off the set of a Shaolin Kung Fu movie. He wore brown robes and carried a Damo, a cane-like weapon, slung over his shoulder. He was slightly out of breath and a sheen of sweat covered his brow.

"They will. They would perhaps feel more comfortable quicker if you were a better host." Walking around Tim and Evie, the man pushed Ailerán's foot, lazily thrown over his other leg as he reclined, until he uncrossed his legs and sat up. "Forgive him. Ailerán is the most laid back man I have ever met. Nothing ever bothers him. He forgets that not everyone shares his disposition. I understand this all must be very overwhelming. We are happy to help you settle in. I am Guo." He gave a small bow of his head.

Both Tim and Evie suddenly felt like they to stand on ceremony. They nervously gave their names.

"And I'm the one not making them feel welcome." Ailerán pointedly shot at Guo. "He's still a little uptight, it's how he was raised. He was one of the first Shaolin Monks."

"One of the first?" Evie rooted around in the back of her brain to come up with a date. The best she could do was at least fifteen hundred years ago. "You're over a thousand years old?!"

Guo smiled. The laughter line around his eyes aged him a little but nowhere near his real age. He looked to be, at most, thirty five. "We don't age here. We don't feel time the same way either. I remember arriving like it was yesterday."

Tim had been standing quietly taking this all in. "A thousand years and you remember it all?"

"Yes. That is why you new ones are always surprised by the technology. I've been here for a long time. I've had a long time to work on my inventions. Other's come and go and add their own inventions and ideas. This advancement is what happens when scientists are allowed to work in peace with religious or political interference."

As if to prove his point about him having scientific free rein. A machine walked over. It stood as tall as Guo. It moved almost like a man…

"That's a robot." Tim exclaimed with a tone of childlike wonder.

"That is not the term I prefer." The not-a-robot told him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…what should I call you?"

"My name is Asimov." Asimov extended his hand to Tim, who shook it firmly.

"Asimov? As in Isaac?" Evie asked.

"Yes. I thought it was humorous at the time. I, robot." Asimov explained with a small laugh. His voice was human in tone but the speech pattern and inflection were different. "That was some years ago. Thanks to Guo I have learned that I am more than just a machine. I have imagination and free will. I am more like a human. I enjoy human pastimes, like cooking. Dinner is ready if you would like to join us?"

So that's how Tim and Evie spent their evening with an android, his preferred term, a Shaolin Monk and a Gaelic warrior. The food was incredible. It was served on a table that heated up in spots when it felt the plates come into contact with it, yet didn't burn them if they touched it. The glasses were automatically refilled by a small machine in the centre. The conversation varies from the beauty of Ailerán native countryside. A sight that he said was almost comparable with the land you had seen in the distance beyond the castle. Guo spoke about his passion for science. The soft spoken man came to life as he did so. Ailerán looked on adoringly. Asimov spoke about his 'birth'. The android explained that it wasn't the day he was activated that he counted as his birth. It was the day, when Guo trusted him, he was given free will.

After finishing off a beautifully light pavlova that Asimov had baked, they were dropped off at their apartment by a self-driving hover car. Coming in to the apartment, the two of them just sat in silence at the kitchen table.

"Remember when I thought going out would help us be less confused?" Evie finally broke the silence.

"It's funny, after all we saw, it's just Asimov's comment about free will that stuck with me."

"Really? That's all?"

"If we go on the next place, the peaceful, happy ever after one, will we have free will? Surely if it's a place everyone is happy in, forever, they can't be making their own choices? People don't always make great choices and groups of people make even worse ones. Freewill will just bring conflict."

"That makes sense." Being caught up in learning about their host and the wonders of this world, neither of them thought to ask about the next one. Maybe they could have gotten an insight into the next world.

Tim continued. "Plus there's this thing between us. Don't get me wrong it feels so good and so right to be with you. It's amazing…"

"There's a 'but' coming…." Evie instinctively moved away from him. Tim was quick and caught her hand.

"...but I kind of want do things the old fashioned way. I want to get to know you. Date you. I want to find out who you are for myself and why you are my soulmate."

Evie couldn't help the smile that blossomed on her face. "You, Detective, want to solve another mystery."

His lips found the back of her hand. "Maybe I do. It's one that is definitely worth solving."

"I think so too." She pressed a kiss to his lips. "So when you say the old fashioned way. Does that mean you wanna wait until we…again."

"Not at all." Evie squealed as he pulled her towards the bedroom.

#pedro pascal character fanfiction #tim rockford #tim rockford x ofc #merge mansion game ad

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coulsons-fullmetal-cellist · 1 year

Text

To Catch a Thief

Featuring one Detective Tim Rockford and a certain thief

Words: 1, 985

The thief had eluded me once more, outsmarted me like a fox. I’ve been staring at the board for hours now, hoping a clue would call out to me, but nothing was popping out.

Normally, I wouldn’t give robbery my time, it just being some petty thief liberating rich assholes of their treasures. But rich assholes are loud and make one hell of a fuss about their property being stolen. I would’ve written this off as some Robin Hood type vigilante except they skipped the give-to-the-poor part.

This thief has proven a challenge to me. He’s like a flowing river; always running, being one step ahead of me, and stepping into its current would surely sweep me away, so I have to stand on the shore and hope to build a dam in time. He’s stolen from all the big-name families, no rhyme or reason to his method. No evidence: not a fingerprint or even an eyelash left behind. It’s like he’s mocking me, a spectre always behind me.

Fuck, I’m tired. I’ve been staring at this board for too long. I should take my mama’s advice and sleep on it, come back to it with fresh eyes. Driving back home, I’m running on autopilot. The darkness greets me as I open the door to my empty apartment. Not bothering to even take my shoes off, I’m out like a light as soon as my head hits the pillow.

The morning wakes me up with her horrible city noises. I slept on my bad shoulder which I regretted as soon as I moved from my slumber. Not even a scalding hot shower could each the eternal ache. It just makes the ugly scar stand out further.

Arriving at the station, I walk into a hurricane of chaos. Another robbery in the night. Once again, the thief has gone under my nose, tickling me with that feather of mockery. There was not enough cheap coffee in the world to deal with this shit storm.

“Rockford, it’s bad. The Ashford’s were hit this time.”

“What was taken?”

“All contents of their safe.”

“Don’t these people use banks anymore?”

Of course, they were making an even bigger storm in the kettle of the interview room. Priceless jewels stolen; family heirlooms gone forever. These rich snobs have all the money in the world and yet they go for the cheapest security because who would dare to steal from them? I’d never say they were asking for it, but you get what you paid for. When you pay for nothing, you end up with nothing in return. I’m sure once their insurance kicks in, they can buy new family heirlooms.

I added this case to my ever growing board and wait for another clue to call to me, but my captain was on my ass about catching this guy. His wife must be friends with these high society types. He’d always brag about the fancy parties he’d attended the night before, sipping on champagne while the rest of us have to deal with cheap instant coffee.

Sipping this cheap swill, my team formulated a plan to set a trap. The Montgomery’s were having some fancy shindig, unveiling a new work of art they purchased for some amount of money that would’ve bought be hot meals for life. Art was the first thing stolen, must’ve had a love of it before going onto things much shinier.

The whole place was swept over like a vacuum cleaner, picking up any bugs of contempt. Security cameras installed and several officers placed around the party scene, uniforms apparently being a downer in the festive atmosphere. And because my captain was attending, I also had to be on alert.

I never understood the rich lifestyle, too much spending money on things that don’t make sense. Who needs a bathroom with two bathtubs? And who enjoys the salty crap of caviar served on a cheap cracker? Give me a roof over my head and a bottle of something alcoholic to ease my pain and I’m happy.

I had to admit my heart wasn’t in it tonight, not completely on the job. I felt more of a thrill in the chase rather than waiting for a mouse to fall into an obvious trap. I was sure nothing would come of this aimless escapade. I was handed a glass of something fancy, so I settled myself down on a chair out of the way of the noise and partook of my gifted libation. Well, liquid gold does have a taste to it.

“Detective!”

I don’t remember falling asleep, the only thing I do remember was being shook awoke by a passing officer. The thief struck again. The easel empty of its work of art. The only thing left was a note.

The first clue and it was deliberately left to mock me. So either he got cocky, or we were so useless at finding even a crumb, he had to start leaving us whole meals out for us. Again, no fingerprints, not even a cobweb was disturbed. Security footage returned nothing, the phantom flying through once again.

Until next time.

“Take this to get the handwriting looked at. Notify me as soon as you have something” I managed to pass the note to an officer, the lad managing to get out before my captain came barging in, all hell following in his wake.

“Rockford! What the hell?”

I quickly rubbed the sleep from my face, hoping he wouldn’t notice I was out in the land of nod when it happened.

“Rockford, how in the hell did this bastard manage to get past us again?”

“Honestly, I only have theories. We were the only ones who knew the plan. Someone must have ratted us out or, it was an inside job. I’ll have to question everyone in the team.”

“An inside job? What kind of crazy are you talking here?”

“It’s the only theory that makes sense.”

“Sense? Tim, when was the last time you looked in the mirror?”

“I avoid it when I can.”

“Well, you look like shit is what you look like. You know what? You’re off the case.”

That hit me like a freight train running a red light.

“Boss, you can’t take this case away from me. I’m close, I know it.”

“I’m sorry but, you haven’t been the same since the accident.”

“I only got shot, I’ve dealt with worse.”

“No, I made a mistake bringing you back too early. I thought a minor case would ease back in, but it’s spiralled out of control.”

“It hasn’t”

“Ten thefts! In the last three months! Ten families robbed of their valuables.”

A dark thought crossed my mind, but thankfully my mouth had control of itself before I could say they deserved what they got. Instead, I just stood there, head hanging in shame and anger.

“You need a bit more time off. Take a vacation somewhere nice.”

I would’ve told him where to take his vacation but decided drowning my sorrows to be a better use of my time. I grabbed a bottle of something on my way out. These rich folks neither minding nor caring whether they had a bottle less in their collection.

My apartment was still empty when I returned; the sunshine reminding me of the loneliness I was set to face. Half a bottle of alcohol in my bloodstream would soon cure me of that, making my brain forget the world existed. I welcomed the darkness like a hug from my mama.

Until I was rudely awakened by thunder. The night greeted me with a display of a thunderstorm Frankenstein would’ve welcomed in his madness. And a creature was on the prowl, making me aware that I wasn’t alone in my apartment. The goosebumps on my arms prickled, alerting me to a presence close by. Drawing my gun I proceeded to hunt down this bastard once and for all. He was a sneaky one, I admit, slithering away out of sight while tempting me with that Forbidden fruit. I swear I would just see him out of the corner of my eye, only to have him disappear as soon as I turned the corner. This twisted cat and mouse game was suddenly interrupted by the ringing of my phone.

“What?”

“Detective Rockford? I have the results.”

“Results?”

I nearly forgot what he was talking about.

“Yeah, we did a writing analysis on the note left at the crime scene.”

A sudden movement caught me by the corner of my eye.

“The handwriting doesn’t match any known criminals” he continued while I slowly approached the shadow, “All we know is that it was done on a notepad found in the house and used with a pen also found there. It’s one of those fancy fountain pens that leaks so the culprit would have smudges on his fingers but sadly no fingerprints.”

I had him now, I said I’d call back and hung up before getting a reply. He was here now, right in front of me. I raised my gun.

“Settle down there, don’t go shooting in here, you could hurt yourself.”

I slowly lowered my gun and stared him square in the eye, something about them strangely familiar to me.

“I have you now.”

“Yes, you do. But let’s have a drink first before you drag me in.”

He held up the once empty glass of mine, in smudges visible on his fingers.

“For a man who hates the rich, you sure do have excellent taste.”

“Cut the drabble, tell me how you managed all those thefts.”

“You know how I did it.”

The man in front of me was talking in riddles. Giving me puzzle pieces without showing me the picture.

“How’d you get in here?”

“You know how I got in here.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Haven’t you figured it out yet?”

Lightning flashed, showing his full form. I dropped the glass from my hand, it shattering on the floor. I didn’t remember being handed one and raised my hand in confusion, noticing ink smudges on my fingers. The thief raised his hand and I looked back into his eyes.

The puzzle pieces in my head were slowly being put back into place.

“Are you me?”

“No, I’m me, you’re you. We just, how do you say it? Have a lot in common.”

It was like looking into a mirror, literally. I’d been avoiding my reflection for months since I got shot, too ashamed to look at myself. My reflection must have taken a life of its own.

“There you were, defending some rich couple getting into their car, being held up by some petty thief. Then you, the good detective goes and gets shot defending their honour. And what do you get in return?”

My scar burned at the memory of it. I scratched away at it, so did he.

“All that pain and suffering, and not even a thank you. In fact…”

“They blamed me for letting him get away.”

The puzzle completed now; the picture came flooding back into your memory. All the pain and humiliation I was put through.

“A desk job was all I was good for when I got back to work.”

“A smart man like you being made to sit the day away in boredom? No wonder your mind started to wander.”

“A challenge was needed.”.”

“Only one you could solve. It was a fun challenge.”

“Fun indeed.”

“And you happened to get revenge against all those rich fuckers who left you to rot in the gutter.”

My smile was demonic now.

“It was fun to see their faces.”

“All to see that smile on your face.”

His smile matched mine. I thanked him with a nod, and he nodded in return. He raised a new glass and brought it to his lips. The whiskey tasted divine on my tongue.

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