Work Text:
Thanks to Foxxy and AmazingGrace for help coming up with the five.
One
It wasn’t overt, really. It definitely wasn’t the first time she’d heard it, and it wasn’t the worst thing she’d faced because “she was just a girl.” But it still annoyed Lucy, still got under her skin and lingered there like a painful splinter.
She was working an easy job, a basic Shade. George had been supposed to work it with her but one of his brothers had needed emergency surgery — appendicitis, caught with plenty of time, but George wanted to be there for him — and Lucy had insisted to Lockwood she could simply do it herself. She knew as well as Lockwood did that they couldn’t risk canceling an easy paying job right now and Lockwood was scheduled to do his own type one job on the other side of town. Neither of them assumed the Shade would be something to worry about.
If only she’d known the client was going to be the one she would have to worry about.
Lucy greeted him as normal, laying out the routine and getting the particulars of the case.
“When will your boss be here?” The man, Mr. Coleman, was probably in his fifties and had salt and pepper hair, a bit of a beer belly, and sparse facial hair.
“Lockwood is actually on another job this evening.” Lucy was already taking stock of the front room and current temperatures.
“Wasn’t the other lad coming with you though?” He pressed on.
Lucy sighed inwardly. She knew exactly where this was going and she really didn’t have the energy for it.
“George had a family emergency, but as this Visitor has the markings of a Shade, there is no need for a second agent.” She smiled her most professional smile, the one that aimed to say yes I’m aware I’m both female and a teenager, but you’re clueless and I’m all you’ve got, so sod off.
But Mr. Coleman frowned, clearly unimpressed. “Perhaps we should reschedule for when one of the young men in your agency is available.”
Lucy’s smile twitched but held. “Unfortunately we are booked solid for the next three weeks.” She didn’t think that was true, but he didn’t need to know that.
He huffed a bit. “Fine. But I’m not responsible if you get in over your head and wind up ghostlocked.”
Her professionalism slipped a little, her smile tightening as she clenched her teeth. “Mr. Coleman, I have dealt with far worse Visitors on my own, ones that would kill you immediately if it weren’t for Talented agents. I can assure you I will not end up ghostlocked because of a mere Shade.”
His expression soured even further, now one of anger. “Just get the job done, girl.” He stormed off muttering about contacting her superior.
Lucy let out a soft almost-growl but got to work.
Lockwood, of course, heard about it.
“Luce, you can’t backtalk our clients.” He sat at the kitchen table with a cup of tea, his tie half undone. He’d been home before her and Mr. Coleman had clearly already called to complain about her attitude.
“Lockwood, he was trying to get me to reschedule. He almost said outright I couldn’t do it alone! A Shade !” Lucy stood in the doorway, tired, but more from the day’s dealings with men than from the actual job.
“So he was concerned about your wellbeing. There are worse things.” Lockwood sighed and sipped his tea.
“He wasn't concerned! He thought a boy could do it better than me! Me. The supposed Greatest Listener in All of London !”
Lockwood massaged his left temple with his fingers. “Lucy, I don’t know what to tell you. A job’s a job and we can’t have clients telling other potential clients that we have shite attitudes.”
Even while Lucy agreed with the overall logic, there was a part of her that just wanted Lockwood to understand . To get what it was like for her and understand why she had “back talked” the client.
Instead of uselessly trying to explain further, she just threw her hands up and yelled, “Men! You’re all fucking clueless!”
Lucy turned on a heel and fled up to the attic to take a long, hot shower. Perhaps one long enough that Lockwood wouldn’t be left with any hot water for his own shower.
Two
They were almost out of oil for the chains, but Lockwood had a meeting with a client, George was deep in the archives somewhere, and Satchell’s was about to close, not to reopen until Tuesday because of the bank holiday tomorrow.
But agents didn’t get bank holidays and they had a case tomorrow and needed more oil.
Lucy headed off shortly before their client arrived, enjoying the late spring air. It was breezy, but warm enough that it didn’t matter. As soon she got home, she decided, she would sit in the back garden with a book and enjoy the day.
Lucy rarely went to Satchell’s in the grand scheme of things. It was typically Lockwood who went as he was the one who kept up with the agency’s finances.
A bell tinkled over the door as she entered the large shop. If she remembered correctly, the oil was towards the left. She made quick work of finding it and grabbed the large container they always got. Before heading to the till, Lucy decided to wander back to the rapiers. She hadn’t gotten a new one in a while and Lockwood had been hinting that maybe they could invest in some new ones, possibly inscribed, as their company Christmas bonus later that year.
Lucy studied the rack of rapiers organized by price. She was mooning over one of the more expensive ones with a stylized, wire wrapped hilt, when one of Satchell’s sales clerks came up behind.
“Looking for a gift for your boyfriend?”
Lucy spun around already annoyed at the dry tone. “No. I was looking at a gift for myself.”
The clerk made a face that Lucy couldn’t quite read. It seemed to be a mix between humor and arrogance.
“Then might I suggest one of these?” He stepped sideways and plucked a pointless practice rapier from the rack several over, holding it out to her.
Lucy narrowed her eyes. “I have plenty of practice rapiers, thank you. I’m determining my newest rapier for the field .”
He smirked at her and she fought the urge to test the expensive rapier on him.
“Then you’ll want one that is…less costly. It’s not wise to spend too much in your line of work .”
Was this arsehole seriously suggesting that she shouldn’t spend too much in case she was killed soon?
Before she could respond, he had turned to help another customer, a teenage boy who looked to be maybe fourteen.
The clerk slipped past Lucy and handed the boy the exact rapier she had been ogling.
“This would be perfect for an agent in the field,” he was saying.
Lucy gaped at the exchange, filling with rage. She plucked another of the demonstration rapiers off the rack and set the can of oil down.
“You should try it out first though,” she said to the boy.
Both clerk and boy shared a mischievous grin which Lucy took as a challenge.
“En garde,” he said, taking his stance.
Lucy followed suit and then advanced, almost immediately putting the boy on the defense. A few lackluster thrusts later, the elaborate rapier flew out of his hand and clattered to the floor. Lucy grinned at both speechless boys.
She handed the cheaper rapier to the clerk. “I’ll just take the oil for today, thanks.”
By the time she made it back home, oil in hand, she was annoyed again at the exchange. The clerk had less than thrilled with her, and instead of acting chastised, he had treated her with more disdain and arrogance, like she had somehow cheated.
Lockwood was done with the client who was walking down the front stoop when she arrived. She stormed up the stairs and into the house past a confused Lockwood. He closed the door quickly so the client didn’t see any more than they already had.
As soon as the door clicked shut, Lucy shoved the oil into his chest. He responded with a small “oof” but held onto it.
“From now on, George can go instead of me. Misogynistic arsehat clerks!”
Lockwood didn’t even bother asking as Lucy stomped up the stairs and to her room.
Three
Lucy bounced her foot against the step on the medical exam table, eyeing the stirrups on either side. She really just wanted to be done with this appointment so she could head home and take a nap, but the doctor was running behind. She’d been hopeful for this new doctor, but her hope was waning.
There was a quick knock and the doctor entered with her nurse.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, Miss-“ she glanced at her chart. “Carlyle. I’m Dr. Williams. I see you’re here for an IUD, switching from your oral birth control.”
Lucy nodded and joked, “Not unless you just wanna cut the whole uterus out. Save me from needing pain meds every month.”
The doctor scrunched her nose at Lucy, clearly missing the joke. “Miss Carlyle, I would never do a hysterectomy in someone so young barring extreme illness. You never know what your future husband will want and you want to keep those options open.”
Lucy almost choked on her own saliva. “I…I’m sorry?”
Dr. Williams ignored her, however, and began the usual battery of questions.
Lucy answered each one as calmly as she could, still reeling from the doctor’s impromptu lecture.
“Alright, lay back with your feet in the stirrups. Bottom to the edge please. Further. Yes, there.”
Lucy took some deep breaths. She’d heard from Kat that the insertion was annoying at times, extremely painful at others, depending on the patient and the doctor.
The nurse and doctor did a few things Lucy couldn’t see beyond the sheet, and then the doctor’s hands were at her entrance.
“This will be just a little pinch.”
But what was supposed to be a pinch felt more like an angry, clawing crab taking up residence in her uterus.
“Oh fuck.” Lucy’s pelvis drew back automatically at the pain.
The doctor pulled her back down. “Stay still. It won’t hurt if you don’t move so much.”
“Are you barmy?” Tears prickled at Lucy’s eyes, her uterus cramping at the intrusion of the tiny device and the doctor’s unforgiving fingers. Lucy remained as still as she could after that, trying to breathe through the pain.
The cramping continued long after the doctor washed up and suggested, somewhat unsympathetically, that Lucy take paracetamol beforehand the next time she had an IUD inserted.
Lucy held her torso the entire cab ride back to Portland Row, pondering all the ways she could kill Dr. Williams and get away with it. She had decided on ‘wraith source “accidentally” ending up in the doctor’s office’ when the cab arrived home.
Both boys looked up at her with wide eyes as she slammed into the kitchen.
“Tea and drugs. Now, please.” She collapsed into a chair and let her head fall to the table with a whimper.
“Luce?” Lockwood asked gently. “You okay?”
“No. I need a new bloody gynecologist.” Her voice was muffled against her arms and she winced at the sharp pain in her pelvis.
“Didn’t you just get a new one?” George asked. She heard him set a cup of tea and the paracetamol bottle next to her head.
She whipped her head up violently, but regretted it at the pain that shot up through her. “Yes, but I may need to murder her, so I’m going to need another.” Lucy twisted open the bottle and downed some pills with the tea.
“I…um why?” Lockwood stepped closer to Lucy, which she felt was quite brave.
“Because she suggested I wait until my husband decides how many children we need.” Her head slammed back to her arms on the table.
“Your…husband?” George’s voice was clearly confused. “Lockwood, did you and Lucy get married and not tell me?”
Lucy appreciated that both she and Lockwood shouted at George simultaneously. “Shut up, George!”
She pushed herself off the table and stood, ignoring the jabbing in her uterus. “Ugh, no one bother me until dinner.” She walked off muttering about idiotic patriarchal norms and those who perpetuated them.
Lockwood and George shrugged at each other and set about putting the kettle on for more tea.
Four
Lockwood and Lucy heaved the last of the groceries up to the checkout and sighed. George was sick, which meant it fell to them to get the groceries, and it had taken them forever to remember what all they needed.
The cashier began to drag each item over the scanner while behind them, an older woman waited with her food.
“That’s very kind of you, young man, to help with the groceries,” she said.
Lucy and Lockwood both turned to face her with confused expressions.
“Oh, well, just the weekly shopping.” Lockwood shrugged.
“But it is so sweet to see you help.” She turned to Lucy. “You must be so thankful to have him around to help you out here and there. Especially since he’s an agent.” The lady nodded to Lockwood’s rapier.
Lucy turned slightly so the woman could see her rapier as well. “I’m also an agent.”
The woman did not look impressed. “Oh. That’s nice, sweetie.”
Lucy blinked and opened her mouth to say something, but the cashier gave them their total. Lockwood handed over the money and motioned for Lucy to help with the bags.
“Have a good day!” Lockwood smiled at the old woman while Lucy just stomped away scowling.
Once they were outside, Lockwood spoke.
“Luce, that was kind of rude.”
“I know, did you hear what she said?” Lucy agreed.
“What? No I mean you storming off like that. She was being polite.”
Lucy stopped mid step forcing Lockwood to pause and turn back to her.
“Did…did we witness the same conversation?”
“Yea, she said I was sweet for helping.”
Lucy stared, fists clenching the heavy bags. “No, she said you were sweet for helping me, a girl, do the things that I should be doing because I’m female and you, a boy, shouldn’t be doing them.”
“Luce, I think you’re overreacting a bit.”
She took a deep breath then, her eyes widening at first before narrowing at him. Lockwood took one step back at her expression, but Lucy closed the gap between them.
“Do not ever tell me I am overreacting,” she hissed. “That old lady implied that I should be at home, barefoot and pregnant, while you do ‘a man’s work.’ You have no fucking clue how often I hear that rubbish and I’m sick to death of it .”
Lockwood hesitated for a second, clearly unsure if he should respond. He opted to nod with a short, “Sorry.”
She huffed and pushed past him, leading a pondering Lockwood home.
Five
The trio sat happily absorbed in their own reading. George with some new book about the Problem, Lucy with a novel she was angling away from the boys so they couldn’t read the dirty words contained within, and Lockwood with the latest gossip magazines.
“Blimey! Look!” Lockwood sprang from his chair and held the magazine in front of George to read.
George adjusted his glasses and read it aloud. “‘Anthony Lockwood and George Karim of the independent agency, Lockwood and Co, receiving praise from Inspector Montagu Barnes following last week’s high profile case involving the East London Primary School Ghost.’ Wow, I can’t believe they’re calling that high profile. It was a type one.”
“Yes, well, who cares? It’s great publicity!”
Lucy joined the two where George sat on the floor, craning her neck to see the picture. “Did they not include me?”
Lockwood shook his head and pointed, “no, you’re here too.”
Lucy snatched the magazine up and took in an unflattering picture of her. It had been taken after all three had wound up in A&E following a case with a Poltergeist, one in which they had gone in expecting a Cold Maiden. Barnes had ordered all three to report to hospital and be thoroughly checked out on threat of suspension. Lucy’s clothes had needed to be trashed, covered with ectoplasm and full of burn holes. The hospital had found some random clothes for her to wear so that she hadn’t needed to wear a gown home (again) but they weren’t exactly her taste: a pair of bright red baggy jeans and an oversized hoodie with the word Stud emblazoned across it.
“‘Lucy Carlyle, also of Lockwood and Co. seemed to be struggling last Thursday, but with her fashion sense rather than her Talent. Perhaps her boss, Mr. Anthony Lockwood, should take her shopping.’” Lucy seethed at the magazine and threw it to the ground. “I was leaving A&E after taking a jewelry box to the head! I was lucky to be alive and they’re on about my clothes ? Which weren’t even mine?”
The boys exchanged hesitant glances and Lockwood tried to soothe her. “Luce, no one really reads these things…”
“ You do! And you were just saying how everyone would see your picture and how great it would be for the agency!”
He winced, “well that’s not exactly what I said.”
She shot him a glare and he shifted tactics. “Anyone who reads these magazines could give a rat’s arse about fashion. They’ll only care about the hauntings.”
Lucy’s glare only deepened. “That’s not the point, Lockwood! The point is they’ve written all about how you and George are heroes while I’m a fashion disaster. Do you not see the double standard? And where the hell am I in this picture? They cut me out. I was standing right next to you !”
Lockwood shifted between feet. He looked down to George but George quickly looked away, back at his book.
Lucy turned and grabbed her book from where she’d set it in her chair. “Never fucking mind.”
“No, Luce! I get it! I do!” Lockwood called after her, but she was already halfway up the stairs.
And one
The potential clients sat across from Lockwood and Lucy in the front room. They were explaining the problems they were having when the husband finished his tea and looked directly at Lucy.
“More tea.” He held out the cup.
Lucy furrowed her eyebrows at his demeanor, but lifted the kettle and poured.
He went back to sipping while his wife continued on.
Lockwood was nodding along as she spoke and asking questions to clarify. “So it was just in the upstairs office that this has been happening?”
“Yes, Mr. Lockwood, that’s correct,” the wife confirmed.
The husband took over then, adding his own experiences with the room and the wife looked at Lucy.
“I’d like more sugar for my tea.” The wife nodded to the empty dish on the table.
This time Lucy glanced at her boss but did as commanded and left to get more sugar.
By the time she returned, they were working out the schedule.
“So it will be you and, what did you say your other male associate was named? Mr…Karim… this Tuesday evening?” The husband was saying.
Lucy had just sat down with the sugar bowl outstretched towards the woman.
She felt Lockwood tense beside her.
“And Lucy as well,” Lockwood corrected. “She is the best Listener in all of London and an essential part of our team.”
The husband and wife traded looks and the husband spoke.
“We would feel more comfortable with just you two. Female agents have proven to be…well, too emotional for us.”
Lucy wanted to throw the sugar bowl at his head, but she saw where it was going and stood to leave. They needed the money, and that’s what mattered even if she was raging inside.
“I’ll leave you all to figure it out then.” She clenched her fists behind her back to keep from backtalking the client as Lockwood had once scolded her for.
“No, Luce. Wait.”
Lockwood’s unexpected words made Lucy stop just as she stepped away from her seat.
He turned back to the couple. “With all due respect, we work as a team. I did not exaggerate earlier in my claim. She is the best in London and we will not be going on any job without her. Our lives would be at risk. I believe it is in everyone’s best interests for you to seek agents through Bunchurch or Tendy’s perhaps. I hear they lack integrity and likely wouldn’t mind taking on your job.”
The couple looked completely taken aback.
“Mr. Lockwood—“ the husband started.
“Now if you wouldn’t mind leaving my home, my associate and I have other clients to attend to.” Lockwood stood, staring the couple down expectantly.
They muttered to each on their way out, but Lockwood ignored them and closed the front door soundly behind them. “Well, glad that’s done.”
Lucy, who had been silent through the entire exchange, merely following her boss as he escorted the rejected clients out, threw her arms around Lockwood.
A smile tugged at his lips. “Alright, Luce?”
“Thank you, Lockwood.”
“Anytime.” He wrapped his arms around her in return. “After all, no one treats my best girl that way. We don’t go in for double standards here at Lockwood and Co.”
She squeezed her arms a little tighter around him before pulling back with a smile. “How about I get us some tea?”
“Now, Lucy, here at Lockwood and Co, both our male and female agents are capable of fetching tea.”
She rolled her eyes. “No need to overdo it.”
“Fine. But I’m going to make you toast.”
Lucy chuckled. “I would be shocked and offended if you didn’t, Lockwood.”