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To say that Lucy Carlyle dislike Anthony Lockwood is an understatement of the century.
There is something about him that irritating her. Maybe it was his smile (a perfect white teeth you see in a commercial) or his attitude (such a cocky show off he was) or the way he called her (Luce, as if they were some old friends). All these months working in the same case with him and his agency didn't even lessen her dislike for him.
Norrie in all of her wisdom said that its not dislike Lucy grew, but a crush. Bah. As if.
"I spy a steam coming out of your ears dear Lucy. Are you sure it wasn't jealousy I see?" Norrie's teasing voice could be heard in her ear, as she nudge her. "I definitely smell something burning,"
Lucy turn her head and glowered. "For the umpteenth time, my dear Norrie, I'm not jealous. How could I when I don't even like him," she said dryly.
"Eyes can't lie, Lucy. You look like about to march there and fight them to get to him," Norrie laughed, as she pointed to where Anthony Lockwood stood surrounded by his 'fan girls'
And it's like he had some radar that blared everytime someone talk about him, he suddenly turn attention towards Lucy and Norrie (knowing his high confidence, this was possible).
A tiny smirk tugged at his lips as he caught Norrie's finger pointed at his direction. One of his brow was raised at Lucy. She felt her cheeks grew hot from embarrassment.
He smiled and said something to his 'fan girls' before walking up to her and Norrie. Fuck!
Norrie let out a belly laugh when she saw that. Lucy elbowed Norrie trying to get her to stop, but she keep laughing. Lucy suspect Norrie has been drinking too much wine.
"Evening ladies," Lockwood greet them with a charming smile. "Why don't you two join us. I think it will be more fun to talk to me than talking about me, innit?"
"Hiya, Lockwood," Norrie greeted, still snickering before she turn her attention toward a waiter and waving her hand. Lucy should probably stop her, but she was too vexed at Lockwood to do that.
Lucy rolled her eyes and snorted. "Too much confidence is not good, Lockwood, and we were not talking about you. We were talking about the girl there," she added. Her fingers pointed at a random brunette girl in green dress.
Lockwood turn his gaze towards the girl before looking back at Lucy again. "Oh, what about her?"
"Well... she trailed off, trying to find excuse. She can't say because she like that girl dress, because to be honest that girl look like a walking christmas tree. "We know her," she said finally. It was kinda lame excuse, she know.
"Oh, really?" he said and step closer to her. "What is her name?"
"Umm, why did you want to know?" she said, as she felt a bead of sweats started to form on her forehead. Crap. "You like her?"
He smirk, likely knowing she was bluffing. Ugh. He leaned his head down, getting even closer inside her personal space. Her heart beats faster and she felt out of breath by his proximity. It's weird. "I know-
He couldn't finish his sentence because somehow Lucy's lips ended up pressed on his lips.
... HAPPY NEW YEAR!" a cacophony of noise suddenly reached her ears. Her eyes widened, as she move back and a squeak tore out of her throat. She stared at him, who look just as shocked as her and for once speechless.
A bunch of expletives running through her mind when she heard someone else voice inside her mind.
'Oh God, it's Lucy... the voice said.
'What about me?' she unconsciously replied.
She raised her head as she heard Lockwood gasped. Her eyes find his and one word running through their minds.
'Crap!'
In the world they live in, kissing someone at midnight on new year's eve will bind you to a person for a whole year. As if the 'problem' (ghostly one) is not enough.
And Lucy Carlyle just technically kissing Anthony Lockwood... At midnight... On new year's eve... Oh God...
Crap is too simple of a word to describe the mess she was in.
January
Lucy has been staring at the calendar at her desk, but no matter how long she stared at it, it still read January. Today is January 5th, there are still 360 days left for the bond to dissolve.
God... she closed her eyes and pinch the bridge of her nose. She should have just skipped that DEPRAC's New Year Party. That blasted party.
"Lu, I'm sorry," Norrie said guiltily. As the culprit of how she ended up pressing her lips to Anthony Lockwood's lips, she should. "I didn't mean to push you. I'm so sorry,"
"Stop saying sorry, Nor, it already happen," she opened her eyes and sigh. "What important is to find a way to dissolve the bond,"
"Umm, about that – Norrie paused and avoiding her eyes, not something that Norrie White ever do. Lucy had a very bad feeling about this – no known case of dissolving the bond early, Lu. So... she trailed off (again, not something that Norrie ever do).
"You want me to endure it?" she exclaimed, jumping down from her bed and began pacing in their shared apartment. "How? A year is so long," she groan out loud and slumped down beside her bed.
"Sorry, Lu," Norrie said apologetically. "But, at least it's not Kipps. All he talk about his hair and abs,"
'Kipps' hair and abs?' she frown. 'What? How did-
'Did I catch you at a bad times? I didn't really want to hear you daydreaming about Kipps' hair and abs,' Lockwood's voice echoing in her mind, a note of disgust in his words. 'If he had any abs thats it, though I wonder about your taste-
'Oh shut it,' she cuts, clearly not in the mood. 'What do you want?'
'Can we talk now?'
'We were talking'
'Not like this. Let's meet. George has something to say about this telepathic bond,'
She let out an exasperated sigh. She didn't really want to meet him now, but... George is smart. If anyone could find a way to break this bond, it was him. 'Fine. I will bring Norrie too,'
February
Despite George determination to help Lucy and Lockwood breaking their telepathic bond, more than a month has passed since then with no progress to show.
She didn't know how many old tomes about the bond he already read. From Lockwood's report, it was more than enough to fill the library in his house.
She sigh again as she think about that. If George couldn't find the answer, she must accept her fate. Ugh. Lockwood is-
'Hey Luce, thinking about me?'
- so annoying.
'Awh Luce, don't be like that,' he said. She could easily picture his smirk when he said that.
'What do you want? I'm busy,' she snap, as she pulled a box of laundry detergent from the cupboard. This is laundry day and she didn't have time to entertain him.
'What are you doing at the 14th?' he asked.
She paused for a moment. The 14th? 'Why?'
'Well, there is this event downtown for couples-
'Lockwood, in case you forgot, we are not a couple,' she rolled her eyes even though she knew he couldn't see it.
'I know that,' he chuckles. 'But they don't and the prize is very interesting,'
'What is the prize?'
'A year worth of chocolate and free meal coupons at this Italian restaurant every friday,'
Italian restaurant? That caught her attention immediately. Norrie loves pasta. 'You sure we could win?'
'Of course,' he said cockily. 'You know me Luce, I always win,'
'Not always, did you forget you lose against Kipps in Mrs. Hudson case or in Mr. Abernathy case or -
'That was the past Luce. It's not worth mentioning,' he cuts her retort. 'So, you in?'
'I'm in. See you there,'
March
'Jessica!' a scream jolted Lucy awake from her sleep. Her breath comes out in a gasp like she has been running marathon all this time instead of sleeping.
'Jessica!' the anguished scream was heard again and Lucy know only she could hear it (Norrie was still snoring soundly in her bed).
'Lockwood?' she said. 'Are you alright?'
'No, Jess! Don't leave!' was the answer she got.
'Lockwood!' she called out again. Louder this time.
'Luce?' he finally answered, his voice sounded shaky and disoriented.
'Are you alright?' she replied, feeling a bit of worried about him.
'Ah, it's nothing,' he said. 'Did I wake you up? I'm sorry-
'No, I'm already up. I couldn't sleep,' honestly, she didn't know what possessed her to lie, but if he had a nightmare (which she almost certain was the case), she knew one or two things about that.
'What are you doing up?' he asked.
'Staring at the ceiling and counting sheep,' she answered, as she lay back on her bed.
He snorted. 'Does it ever help you sleep?'
'No. But it's a habit I guess. By the way, what you do with your share of the chocolate we won?' she changed the subject.
'George hogging it. He had a sweet tooth. How about yours?'
'The chocolate is mine, but the coupon is definitely Norrie's. She will marry the pasta if she could,'
He laughed softly. 'Of course she will. You-
She didn't realize until the first light of the morning appear that she talk to him all night.
April
The sound of a charcoal pencil against the paper filling the room as Lucy draw her latest sketch, a flower that caught her eyes from one of their clients garden. The blue flower stick vividly in her mind.
Norrie, as usual, is in her own bed reading one of her gossip magazines.
All in all it was a peaceful night.
She was about to draw its leaves when a familiar voice called to her.
'Luce, are you there?'
'Where else could I go? This is my mind,' she replied sarcasticly, as she continued to draw.
'Are you busy?'
'What is it this time?'
'Well... Me and George kinda need your help,'
'What? Could you repeat it? I think I heard it wrong. The great Anthony Lockwood need my help?'
'We are trapped. George has been screaming at me to ask for your help. The wraiths has been circling around us for some time,'
'Ah, of course. Wraith. Nasty business,'
'We need your help, please Luce,' she know it must pain him to say this, asking for help and saying please.
She sigh and put down her sketch book and charcoal pencil at the desk. 'Where are you? And how many of them?'
He rattled the address and the information in quick succession.
'Alright, hold tight. We'll be there soon,'
"Let's go Norrie," she said to her, as she jumped down of her bed and began to walk to where her gear stashed.
"Where?" the rustle of the sheet means Norrie now sitting on her bed.
She turn her head towards Norrie and said with a straight face. "We got damsel in distress to save,"
"What?"
May
... This is why I said research is important, Lockwood!"
"I never said it was not important, George,"
"But you always go head first into danger without regard to my research. We could have died last night,"
Lucy sip her tea slowly while she saw Lockwood and George bickering. Beside her, Norrie watching it all like she was watching some tennis match.
'You should apologize to him'
She stifle a laugh as she saw his startled expression. Months has passed since they have this bond, but it still felt strange hearing someone else's voice inside your head.
'Don't startle me,' he said curtly.
'Like you don't do the same,' she retort, 'And is that how you talk to your saviour, damsel in distress?'
'You are going to held it over my head, right?' he raised his brow at her.
'Of course,' she smirk. 'When could I get this opportunity again?'
He chuckles. 'You-
"Hey lovebirds, you don't hear a word I said, right?" George's voice interrupting their telepathic conversation.
"We are not lovebirds," both of them protesting at the same time.
"Jinx!" Norrie yelled, her laughter rang in the air, causing a couple of patrons to look their way.
Lucy felt her cheeks grew warmer. "Shut it, Norrie," she glowered. Norrie took one look at her face and promptly burst out laughing again.
Lucy sigh, already familiar with her best friend antics.
June
Lucy is sick.
There is no other explanation for her runny nose, headache, and sore throat.
Trust her to caught a flu in summer.
She didn't even realize she was sick until all of the symptoms hits her body this morning. She wake up miserable with aching body.
There is no food in the apartment, having planned to go out today to buy groceries.
No medicines either. They forgot to stock the flu medicines.
Norrie is not here right now. She was meeting with her parents (finally) after they agree to meet in London, instead of forcing Norrie to come home. No way Norrie (or her) would ever step foot in Cheviot Hills again.
Lucy didn't know when Norrie would come home. Hopefully not at midnight. She felt like she was dying, lying miserably on the bed.
'Luce?'
'I'm not in the mood today, Lockwood,'
'I know that,' he said softly. 'Getting sick is not fun,'
'How did you know that?' she asked curiously.
'You are projecting quite loudly in your mind,'
'Oh, sorry. Just ignore it. I didn't realize I do that. Sorry again,'
'I can't just ignore it-
'Then what did you want me to do about it? I can't fight with you to-
- that's why I left the food containers in front of your apartment,' he finished his sentence.
'Oh,' she said, feeling a bit guilty for going off at him.
'It's chicken soup. Don't worry, its George's work so it definitely delicious. Don't forget to drink the medicine too,'
There is a warmth feeling that settle in her that she was certain is not a fever.
'Thank you,' she said gratefully.
'No problem,'
July
Lucy is not a violent girl. Well, at least she doesn't think she is. But if she met her (former) landlord right now, she might as well commiting a crime for beating him up.
How could he raise the rent and only give notice right on the same day they must pay the rent? Such a nasty character.
Lucy and Norrie clearly doesn't have enough money to spare for that, hence getting thrown out of their apartment is their only option. It was not fair.
"Luce!" a very familiar voice suddenly called out to her.
She turned her head and saw him walk up to her. "Lockwood?" she furrowed her brow in confusion. "What are you doing here?"
"It seem like you need help," he smiled charmingly.
"How did you - she paused and think for a moment - did I projecting again? I'm sorry-
He chuckles. "That's not it. Norrie called me for help," he then pointed at Norrie who smiled meaningfully at them.
"Let's go then," he continued, as he grabbed the strap of one of her bag from the ground and heaved it up to his shoulder. He began to walk, motioning for them to follow him.
"Where?" she asked, pulling at the bag's strap and stopping him.
He turned to look at her. "My home of course. Lucky for you I have some place I could rent to you and Norrie,"
"And don't worry, I'm a very reasonable landlord," he added, smiling softly as he pulled at the bag's strap, accidentally pulling her closer too.
Lucy felt her cheeks grew warmer. It must be red like a tomato right now.
'How cute' suddenly a thought that was not her own echoing inside her mind.
"What did you just say?" she asked. He looked somewhat startled by her question.
"I didn't say anything," he cleared his throat and took a step back. "Let's go,"
Lucy shook her head. She must have misheard it, right? Whatever she heard earlier. There is simply no way he said that to her.
Cute? She wasn't cute at all.
August
'I want orange juice with pulp and Parma ham. The taste of fresh juice-
'Lockwood, could you stop it?' Lucy couldn't take it anymore and snap at him. 'I know you are hungry, but stop projecting it in my mind,'
'Oh, you didn't like orange juice and Parma ham? It was very tasty. I could imagine how it taste on-
'That's not it. You make me hungry too,' she cuts, sending him a glare. 'I couldn't focus because of that,'
'All the more reason for getting it after this job,' he said enthusiastically. 'We should convince George-
"Oi, lovebirds. Are you two done?" George dry voice was heard. He send them unimpressed glare while Norrie snickering in the background.
"Yes, lovebirds, come help us. This job wouldn't do itself," Norrie quipped in between her laugh.
"We are not lovebirds!"
September
There was darkness covering Lucy's peripheral. The chill seeping through her skin.
Logically she know this is all a dream, a nightmare she kept getting from time to time.
But, it never stop a scream that tore out of her throat when she saw it happen again and again. Her friends death replying over and over again.
She wake up with a gasp. Sweat drenched her night clothes.
Some nights Norrie get that too. This is a nightmare they couldn't seem to get out off. Thankfully it's not today, as she was still sleeping soundly.
Lucy rubbed her face roughly and sigh.
'Hey Luce, are you alright?' Lockwood's voice could be heard in her mind. 'Nightmares again?'
'Sorry, did I wake you up?' she asked instead.
'No, I don't go to bed yet,'
She frown, her eyes find the clock reside on the table.
'You should. Its 2 a.m, Lockwood,' she said disapprovingly. 'Sleep is important,'
'I know,' he chuckles. 'You nag just like George,'
'I didn't nag,' she huffed. 'Just go to bed, Lockwood,'
'Alright, alright,' he relented. 'But Luce, if you ever want to talk about it, about your nightmare, I'm all ears,'
'Yeah,' she replied quietly, a smile tugged on her lips as a warmth feeling settled in her heart.
October
Halloween is here and Lucy was not happy at all.
Why, you ask?
Well, you would hate it too if all night long, you need to save a bunch of idiots from getting killed or worse fined.
This happened every year without a fail. She hope this year would be different, but to her chagrin it was way worse.
'Luce, what do you think if I go as the tenth doctor. I think I could pull that off. I look like young David Tennant, don't you think?'
'Lockwood, we are not going to a party. We are going to patrol the area around it to keep people from doing stupid things. There was a big difference to it,'
'I definitely could pull that off,' he continued, not hearing her at all.
Lucy let out a deep sigh and shook her head in fond exasperation, no one could stop him when he was like this. Not even-
Wait, since when her exasperation turned fond?!
November
'Hey Luce, are you awake?'
'Yes, why?' Lucy immediately answered, having been woken up by her nightmares again.
'Want some cuppa?'
'Where are you?'
'Kitchen,'
Pulling her jumper closer around her body, Lucy walk into the kitchen and immediately a delicious aroma of tea wafted through her nose.
"Hey," Lockwood greet as soon as he saw her. The ever present smile on his face when he put a cup of tea in front of her. "Here,"
"Thank you," she said and took a seat. She put her hands around the cup, feeling the warmth seeping through her skin.
"Did you want to talk about it?" he suddenly asked after he took a seat across from her.
"You know me and Norrie are the only survivor of Moorgate Mill's incident" she continued after seeing him nod, "My nightmare always been about that night. I'm always too helpless. I couldn't help but feel guilty about it," she didn't know why she tell him this, but words seem to come easier in his presence.
"It's not your fault, Luce," he said, his eyes gazed deeply into her eyes.
She felt herself teared up. No one outside of Norrie ever said it wasn't her fault.
"Thank you," she managed to say, as she gave him a small smile.
December
Lucy looking at herself in front of the mirror. The blue dress she chose specially for this Christmas party fit perfectly on her body.
She bit her lips, wondering if this dress actually suits her.
'Blue is really her colour,' another voice that she know so well now speak in her mind (whether intentionally or not).
Her breath catch in her throat as she turn around and saw Lockwood standing on the stairs, in his suits and ready to go.
"Norrie asked me to escort you down and – he pulled something from his pocket and give it to her – I want to give this to you,"
She looked at the necklace in her hands in awe. It was so pretty.
"This was Jessica's. I know she would love for you to have this,"
She look up at him questioningly. "Jessica?" the same Jessica that he called out for?
"Jessica was my sister," he answered softly, a sadness washing over him before it was gone and replaced with a smile. "May I?" he then asked, as he took the necklace from her hands and helping her clasped it around her neck. "Merry Christmas," he whispered close to her ear. Her heart beat faster, something that happen often when he was around her. "You look delightful, Luce,"
A year has passed since Lucy (accidentally) kissed Lockwood and somehow she felt like no time passed at all. Back then she want all of that to be over, for the bond to dissolve. But now... She kind of not willing for this all to end. She's grown too atached...
She didn't dislike Lockwood anymore. Maybe Norrie was right all along, she did have crush on him, she was just too stubborn to realize it.
Lucy can't really enjoy the party as her heart grew heavier as they get closer to midnight.
'This is stupid,' she thought, as she walk to a quieter place.
'What is?' the voice that soon wouldn't be heard in her mind anymore asked.
'It's not important, Lockwood,' she answered. 'On the bright note, what you feel now that our bond would soon dissolved?' out of everything she could ask him, this is the question she asked. Ugh. Seriously, Lucy?
'I'm sad,' come his immediate answer.
'What?' Did she heard it wrong?'
"You don't hear it wrong, Luce," he suddenly appeared beside her. "I'm sad that I don't get to hear you in my head anymore,"
"Why?" she was baffled by his sudden confession.
"I like you, Luce, and this pass few months just confirm it for me. I really like you and – he paused for a moment and bit his lips. A red hue creep up at his cheeks – if that's okay with you, I want to kiss you at midnight again,"
"It was more than okay," she smile shyly at him. "I thought you would never ask,"
At midnight, Lucy Carlyle kissed Anthony Lockwood (again), properly this time.