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It had been a terribly long week and the team at 35 Portland Row was in desperate need of a break.
Which was how the team found themselves lounging in the sitting room, several bottles of beer awaiting their attention. Even Holly had an open bottle and had already downed half of it, lamenting the last week’s workload.
“I just don’t understand how we had three clients so blatantly lie about their Visitors. In one week? It’s unbelievable.” She took another sip and sighed.
Lucy hummed in agreement. “Maybe DEPRAC needs higher fines for these people. It’s not enough obviously.”
“Preach.” Holly tilted her beer bottle at Lucy.
Lucy snorted at the action. The girl must already be feeling the alcohol; she’d never heard Holly say anything of the sort before.
“How about a game? Loosen up a bit?” Lockwood suggested, sipping his beer appreciatively.
“What did you have in mind?” George settled in his deep armchair.
“I dunno. A drinking game?” Lockwood pursed his lips in thought.
“Never Have I Ever? Haven’t played that in a bit.” Kipps finished his beer and grabbed another, sitting back against the loveseat he and Holly shared.
There were murmurs of approval from the small circle.
Lucy took another sip and asked, “We played where you put up three fingers and first with all three down drinks. Is that the same for you all?”
“Oh we used to do every time but I guess your way makes sense,” Kipps said.
“We could switch to something stronger for it if everyone wants?” Lockwood grinned.
“I’m not much interested in getting drunk tonight, but a shot here and there wouldn’t be all that bad,” said Holly.
Lockwood nodded and pushed himself up from the loveseat, vanishing into the kitchen for a few minutes. He returned with a stack of shot glasses and three bottles. “We have rum, some cherry flavored vodka Flo brought us a bit ago, and some Irish whiskey.
“I vote we all start with liquor for the first two shots we take? Then we can switch to beer if we want?” Kipps helped Lockwood pass a shot glass to each team member.
“Sounds good to me,” Lucy said.
“Same,” George agreed, downing the last of his first beer.
Holly and Lockwood approved as well and the team settled in for a night of fun.
“I’ll start then,” Lockwood said as each put three fingers up in front of them. “Never have I ever…gotten black out drunk.”
Kipps and Lucy each put down a finger.
Lockwood raised his eyebrows at Lucy.
“What? I grew up in a shite town in the North. What else was there to do?” She shrugged and sipped her beer again, her two fingers still in the air.
Kipps went next as he was to Lockwood’s right though on the opposite loveseat.
“Never have I ever pretended a rapier move was real in order to get someone in bed.” Kipps grinned.
“Pretend it was real, or invented a new move? You say tomato…” Lockwood put a finger down with an eyeroll. “I would also like to point out that it worked twice.”
Lucy snorted imagining the ditzy girls who fell for it. “Was their combined IQ 100?”
The others guffawed as Lockwood laughed sarcastically, “Ha ha ha.”
Holly interrupted the laughter to continue the game. “Never have I ever had straight sex.”
Every other person in the room groaned and put down a finger.
“I feel like that’s just cheating, Hol,” George complained.
She simply shrugged.
But then George smirked at Holly. “Never have I ever had sex with anyone other than the opposite sex.”
“Wait are we talking cisgender only?” Lucy clarified, eyebrows knitted together.
“No, if you, for instance, had sex with a transgender man, that’s sex with the opposite sex. I didn’t realize that was applicable to you, Luce.”
Lucy shrugged. “It actually isn’t yet, but I wouldn’t mind. Mostly just wanted to make sure we were on the same page.”
It was then that George and Lucy realized Holly hadn’t been the only one to put down a finger. Both Kipps and Lockwood were red, each having put down a finger.
“Interesting.” Holly’s eyebrow quirked upward.
“You aren’t the only queer Lockwood and Co member, thank you very much,” Lockwood whined but poured a shot of his whiskey and downed it, making a quick face at the burn.
Kipps had already taken a quick shot of vodka.
“Reset fingers or keep going?” George asked.
“I vote keep going,” suggested Lucy.
“Same,” said Holly.
“Sounds good to me. Alright, Luce. Shoot.” Lockwood set his shot glass back on the coffee table and leaned back.
“Never have I ever been in a threesome.”
Holly flushed a bright red and put a finger down.
“Wow, Holly, good for you,” Lucy winked.
“It was just the once…” she muttered.
Lockwood, Kipps, and George looked like they each appreciated Holly just a bit more.
Just as Lockwood opened his mouth to take his second turn, Flo sauntered in from the kitchen.
“Flo! Join us, we’re playing Never Have I Ever! You know where the shot glasses are,” Lockwood offered.
She took a quick look around the room, her trademark smirk present on her face. “I suppose that could be interesting.” Flo vanished for a moment and returned carrying a shot glass and another bottle of whiskey.
“Hey! I was saving that!” Lockwood complained.
“Sorry, Locky. A shame I know where you keep the good stuff.” She settled on the floor in front of George’s chair.
Muttering about greedy friends, Lockwood scowled but continued, “Never have I ever danced while cleaning house.” His scowl shifted to a grin as he gave Lucy a look.
Lucy squeaked. “How do you know?!”
The grin only widened. “I may have seen someone backin’ that arse up…”
She gasped in horror as the others laughed. Out of fingers, Lucy poured herself a shot of the flavored vodka and threw it back.
Kipps was next. “Never have I ever shopped at a sex store.”
“Really!? I just got all three fingers up!” Lucy protested.
“That’s what she said,” Holly snorted.
“Holly, are you going to be able to handle any liquor? You’re still on your first beer.” George studied the assistant in front of him.
“Yeah, I’ll be fine.”
It turned out that only Lockwood, Lucy, and Holly put down fingers and Lucy found herself wondering what her boss would buy at a sex shop. Holly took a shot of the cherry vodka, shivering at the powerful flavor.
Holly burped with a timid, “Excuse me.” Then she quickly took her turn. “Never have I ever broken the biscuit rule.”
Flo snorted, the only one other than Holly to not put down a finger. “I’m not around enough to break the rule. ‘Sides, I got licorice.”
George was already prepared for his turn. “Never have I ever thought another member of Lockwood and Co was hot.”
Flo didn’t put down a finger and George furrowed his eyebrows at her. “Really?”
“You said another member of Lockwood and Co. I’m not a member so that doesn’t count for me.”
George scowled.
Lucy did a double take at Holly who, like everyone else other than George and Flo, had put down a finger. “But Hol, I thought you only liked women?”
Holly smiled shyly. “I do only like women.”
Lucy’s jaw dropped. “Oh. Oh my gosh you think I’m hot? Oh, Holly, thank you!”
Holly blushed, “You’re welcome.”
Lucy happily took a shot of rum while Lockwood poured his second shot of whiskey and finished it, lamenting, “How do I keep getting out so fast?”
“We all know you well enough to purposely fuck you over?” Kipps suggested.
“Well, stop, dammit. Spread the love.”
Flo went next, clearly carefully considering, “Never have I ever given someone a gift of a family heirloom.”
“Oh, come on!” Lockwood yelled, jamming one finger down so he was already at two of his three.
There were snickers around the room, though Lucy had turned a light shade of pink.
Clearing her throat, Lucy tried to change the subject quickly, “Never have I ever taken a bath with a source.”
“Well that’s just unfair. It was for science.” George put down a finger with a huff and poured himself a shot of rum.
Lucy smiled at the wink Lockwood sent her, her heart skipping a beat.
Lockwood sipped at his beer. “Never have I ever used birdwatching as an excuse to ask someone out.”
Flo rolled her eyes. “Herons aren’t an excuse, Locky, but fine. I’ll put a finger down to make you happy.”
Kipps eyed Flo and George for a second, wondering what on earth that meant, but shrugged and continued. “Never have I ever broken the law.”
Each person around the room went into deep thought.
“Come on, Lockwood, we know you have,” Kipps said.
Lockwood shrugged and put down a finger. Flo and George had as well.
“But what do you mean by broken the law? Like minor laws? Everyone jaywalks, Kipps.” Lucy pursed her lips.
“I don’t.”
Lucy rolled her eyes but put a finger down, frowning at Holly as well who, like Kipps, had not put down a finger.
“Never have I ever stared at Lockwood when he’s shirtless.”
Lucy glared at Holly who simply nodded to Lucy’s fingers.
Lockwood’s heart sped up. Lucy stared when he was shirtless? Did that mean…?
Laughter interrupted his thoughts.
George was shaking his head at Kipps. “Put a finger down! I’ve seen it!”
Kipps’ frown was deeper than normal, but he complied. Lucy temporarily forgotten, Lockwood winked at Kipps mockingly. “You, me? Later?”
“Fuck off, Tony.” Kipps took a quick shot of whiskey, frowning and still red.
“Well I had something similar in mind, but…”
George covered his ears, “Just stop talking. Never have I ever stared at Lucy’s boobs.”
All three Holly, Kipps, and Lockwood flushed crimson and put down a finger. Lockwood drank another whiskey shot.
Lucy’s eyes skimmed between the three. She’d known about Kipps, and Holly made sense now, but Lockwood? The thought of him staring at her breasts sent a slight thrill through her.
Flo licked her top lip deciding what to say. She knew quite a bit about Locky and George, but not as much about the others. With a quick evil smile at George, she made her decision. “Never have I ever made a woman come more than three times in one night.”
“Floooo….” He hissed.
“You should be proud, Georgie.” She reached up behind her and patted his knee.
George slid a finger down, as did Kipps, Holly, and Lockwood. Holly took another shot, this time rum.
Lockwood guffawed at Kipps. “You have not!”
Kipps straightened up on the loveseat. “I am more than capable of adequately pleasing a woman, Tony.”
“Adequately pleasing a woman? You sound like you’re at a job interview,” Lockwood scoffed. “And you say I sound posh, Luce.” He shook his head, but took his turn. “Never have I ever been rejected by Lucy.”
Kipps put down a finger. “At least I had the balls to try.” He downed a shot of rum.
Lockwood opened his mouth, an angry look on his face, but Lucy interrupted to keep the inevitable fight from happening.
“Never have I ever walked in on George doing naked yoga.”
Everyone except Kipps, George, and Lucy put down a finger.
Flo tapped her chin. “Does it count if it’s on purpose?”
Kipps and Holly made disgusted faces while Lucy and Lockwood just groaned. Flo smirked and took her first shot, some of Lockwood’s previously hidden whiskey.
George laughed, turning to Lucy and Kipps. “You’re welcome to join any time you want.”
Lucy, “I’m good, George… thanks.”
“I’m starting to get a touch tired. A couple more rounds and we head out?” Holly suggested.
“Aww come on. You both can spend the night here tonight! It was just getting fun,” Lockwood frowned.
“We can still do a bit more, Lockwood,” Holly promised, an idea forming as she watched Lucy trying not to stare at Lockwood for the thousandth time.
Lockwood nodded and took his turn. He was almost afraid to ask the next question, but… “Never have I ever had sex with anyone else in this room.”
Flo and George each put down a finger, of course, with George taking a shot of vodka. But no one else. Even having known that Lucy had previously rejected Kipps for a date didn’t mean Lockwood hadn’t worried that the two of them didn’t hook up every once in a while.
Lucy finished off her beer. “Never have I ever… er… wanted to slap Lockwood?”
Everyone but Lockwood put down a finger.
“Luce! You asked it. You aren’t supposed to put a finger down!” Lockwood threw his hands up.
“I couldn’t think of anything,” she admitted, taking another shot of rum.
Kipps snorted a bit. At least even Lucy knew how infuriating Tony could be. “Never have I ever burned down a client’s house,” he said drily.
Lucy made an obscene gesture at him and Lockwood simply rolled his eyes and took another whiskey shot.
Kipps stretched and stood. “Well, I’m done for the night. I’m going to get a cab and head out. Night, all.”
They bid him farewell and kept on with the game.
Holly was smirking now, her plan fully taking shape. “Never have I ever had a really hot girl regularly sleeping in my childhood bed.”
Lockwood glared at Holly but put down a finger. Lucy furrowed her eyebrows. Lockwood thought she was really hot?
Holly shot George a look and wagged her eyebrows. George tilted his head in confusion. Holly gestured with her eyes towards Lucy and Lockwood and then he got it.
“Never have I ever had a ‘dream’ about another Lockwood and Co member.”
Lockwood glanced between Holly and George. What were they up to? “I’m sure we’ve all had dreams about each other, George. That’s pretty normal.”
“ Dreams , Lockwood.”
He blinked at George. “Yes, I heard you.”
“Jesus, Lockwood, he means sex dreams!” Holly shouted.
Lockwood’s jaw drooped. “Uh…”
“Just put a finger down, Lockwood. I’ve walked past your room at night,” George said.
Lockwood could feel himself turning bright red, but then he noticed Lucy was also red and had one fewer finger up than she had moments before. Oh. That was interesting.
Flo, who had picked up on the ploy, lobbed the next shot. “Never have I ever fantasized about a member of Lockwood and Co while getting off that I wasn’t already with.”
Lockwood and Lucy both looked to the ground, their faces hot.
“I think you both owe a shot,” Holly said loudly. “And now I’ll start cleaning up. George? Flo?”
The three worked their way around the silent pair, grabbing empty beer bottles and shot glasses. They left only the liquor and Lucy and Lockwood’s shot glasses.
“Night, all!” Holly sang cheerfully. They heard the front door close.
From the back of the house, George was saying goodbye to Flo who tromped out the back door.
“Night! Don’t be dumbarses!” George’s footsteps echoed on the stairs.
And then it was silent.
“I think I’m gonna need that shot,” Lucy murmured, pouring herself a shot of Lockwood’s whiskey.
“One for me too, please.”
She tipped the bottle again, filling up Lockwood’s glass. Lucy set the bottle back on the table and picked up her and Lockwood’s shots.
“Cheers.” She handed him his glass and clinked hers against his.
They both tipped their heads back and drained their respective glass.
Lucy cleared her throat, partly from the burn of the whiskey and partly from nerves. “So, um, you fantasize about a member of the agency…?”
Lockwood also cleared his throat, but his was entirely from nerves. “Uh, yeah. You do too?”
She nodded. “Is it… who I think it is?”
Lockwood was suddenly torn whether he was grateful for the alcohol streaming through his system, or regretful. He stared at his hands in his lap. “At this point, I would think it was obvious.”
“So, George?”
Lockwood whipped his head up, eyebrows knit together. Lucy was smiling mischievously at him. Biting back a laugh, he schooled his face into a serious and sincere expression. “Absolutely. You see one session of naked yoga and there’s no going back.”
Lucy giggled. “I suspected as much.”
“So what happens now?” His nerves were back in full force.
Lucy chewed at her bottom lip. The alcohol was happily buzzing through her, and if anyone asked her later, it was the significant factor in what she said just then. “I think now is the part where you kiss me.”
Lockwood, who absolutely had not expected Lucy to be forthright, first looked shocked, and then extremely pleased. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right.”
With a swiftness that would have made Flo proud, Lockwood scooted next to Lucy, wrapped a loose hand in her hair, and pressed his lips to hers. In all the times he had kissed another person, he had never had as immediate a reaction as he did with Lucy. Everything in him felt lit up and on fire, the kiss sparkling like a beacon in the dark.
Lucy leaned into him, a bit unsure if she was actually already upstairs asleep in an alcohol-fueled dream. His lips were as soft as she had imagined, perhaps more so, and he was absolutely the best kisser she had ever experienced. It was as if he knew exactly the right moment to be gentle or rough, to nibble to lick. Lucy sighed into his mouth.
They pulled away slowly, both of them enjoying the tingling on their lips.
“Did you want to play a few more rounds?” Lockwood nodded to the remaining alcohol.
Lucy smiled in a way Lockwood had never seen before. It sent his stomach tumbling.
“Actually, I was thinking of heading up to my bed…all the way upstairs…if you wanted to join?”
Lockwood suddenly understood the smile, one of his own forming. “Lead the way, pretty girl.”
The next morning, when Holly let herself into the house and realized that Lockwood hadn’t slept in his bed, she found that she wasn’t even mad that they hadn’t cleaned up after themselves in the sitting room. She simply hummed to herself and set about putting things where they belonged.