Work Text:
It was a quiet and cold winter afternoon, but the library in 35 Portland Row was warm, for more than one reason. The agents of Lockwood and Co were taking a short and well deserved vacation. Holly said she would use the free time to reorganize her flat; Kipps said he’d visit some old friends from Fittes, the ones who reached out to him recently; George was visiting his family. That meant only Lockwood and Lucy were at home at that moment, and they were both enjoying the warmth of the fireplace together.
After they went out for that walk some time ago, they confessed their feelings for each other, and spent all the time they could together. George had teased them that nothing changed, since they already used to do that even before they started dating.
Dating… It still seemed surreal to Lucy that they could use this word. That her love wasn't unrequited and Lockwood actually felt the same. Even though there had been some time since they started dating, sometimes she'd still catch herself wondering if all of this wasn't just a dream.
But when Lockwood looked at her with his warm eyes and shot her a smile, the one he saved just for her, she knew it was real, and it made her fall in love all over again.
“What are you doing Luce?” Lockwood asked.
“I'm trying to find something to read, but nothing is catching my attention.” She let out a sigh of frustration as her eyes wandered through the shelves. Lucy reached up and got a small book with gold detailing on the edges. “What is this one?”
Lockwood got up to see it better, “oh, that's one of my parents’ photo albums.”
“Oh, so I'll put it back, I wouldn't want to pry.”
“No, let's look through it together.” He got the album from her hands and sat on the couch. Lucy sat right beside him.
“Are you sure? You can show it to me another time if you'd like.” Lucy squeezed Lockwood's hand in silent support.
“I am sure. I want to be able to look at them and remember the good things too. I don’t want to let my grief suffocate their memories. I spent too long doing that.” he sighed, “but of course, you don't need to look through it, it might be boring.” He laughed a little.
“Of course I want to see it! I want to know more about your parents. That way we can keep their memory alive together.”
They smiled at each other and started looking at the pictures. They were from all sorts of places around the world, showing different cultures, people, landscapes. In one of them, a young woman appeared laughing at something, and her smile was so bright and lively Lucy could almost hear her laughter.
“I think my dad took this one, must've made my mom laugh before taking the picture.” Lockwood looked at it fondly, and Lucy couldn't help but think of all the times he tried to make her laugh before taking a picture, just like his father.
“So I see you got your sense of humor from him.” She joked, and they both laughed at that. But Lucy knew how important it was for Lockwood to be like his father, she knew him enough to be sure that this comment filled his heart with joy.
She rested her head on his shoulder as they kept looking at the photos. Lockwood tried to decipher where they were taken and told her stories of his parents’ trips. There was no place Lucy would rather be.
In another picture, Donald and Celia were holding hands and smiling. She was wearing a beautiful and shiny sapphire necklace that Lucy recognized as the one she was wearing at the moment. The one Donald gave to Celia to symbolize his undying devotion. The one Lockwood gave to her for the same reason.
“They look so happy.” She said, and couldn't help but feel her eyes water up.
“They do.” Lockwood also seemed emotional, and there was a sadness in his eyes.
“Lockwood,” Lucy waited until he looked at her, and when he did she continued, “they would be so proud of you. I know it.”
Now Lockwood couldn't help a few tears from falling, and he kissed Lucy. The only girl in the world who understood him. Who saw every little piece of armor he’d built for himself and didn’t shy away from it. The girl who made him want to live.
“I love you,” he whispered, “and they would've loved you too.” He said that while holding her cheek and looking into her eyes.
Now it was her turn to have tears falling, and all she could do was to whisper back “I love you too. And I love them.”
It was in the safety of their library, and in the safety of each other's arms that they spent the rest of the day. Maybe this was what healing felt like, Lockwood thought to himself as he felt Lucy's warmth against him.