Lockwood & Co - ONE SHOTS

(2)

✨ Slipping Rapiers✨
POV: George finds himself in a sticky spot when the girl he has a crush and newest member of Lockwood & CO and Lucy doesn't get on..
Warnings! - Violence and toxic behaviour that is addressed

Small authors note:
Although George and Flo have a little something, I thought it would be nice for him to have something similar
To Lucy and Lockwood. A romance building in the close proximity of Portland Row. I would like to add that I do not agree or condone the type of behaviour displayed in some characters in this chapter. - Enjoy!

Part 1 - Shorts and Scratches

Meghan followed Lucy as they grumbled down the street toward the house. It was dark, around 2am and getting colder by the minute.
"Lucy, for Godsake" Meghan called to her, quickening her pace. Lucy had said nothing since they had left the job and for someone who hated dark atmospheres, Meghan was miserable. "Come on, look just-"
"Just shut it!" Lucy turned abruptly, eyes sharp. "I have nothing to say to you"
"Well that's fair enough but I've got plenty to say to you" Meghan frowned. "Now wither you want to avoid it or not , it must be discussed"
"I have no idea what you're talking about" Lucy drawled quietly, turning away again. Meghan reached for her arm and tugged back around again. Lucy flicked away from her grasp and glared harder.
"You messed up" Meghan's voice was quiet, severe. "Big deal, you got caught up with your talent again and I know why your in a huff. You think as soon as I go through those doors I'll tell the boys."
"Aren't you? I know how close you are with George" She crossed her arms, taking a step toward each other.
"What about how you're close with Lockwood?, like how you told him about me forgetting my flares, after I asked to use one of yours when you packed extra at the wool-mill last week?" She watched as Lucy's expression flickered. "Yeah, I know you told him. He made a good show of coming to me the next morning while I was practicing in the basement and gave me a bollocking about talking the job more seriously" Meghan scoffed, head shaking casting curls in each direction.
The two girls sized up then, both having enough words to say in their arsenal now to start a battle.
"Wouldn't be half wrong now would he?" Lucy curved an eyebrow. "You've floated about the house like a fairy since you started, getting George to help you in all your little problems, the rest of us have to figure it out on our own"
'Oh darling, you better stop bringing the boys into this- you and I both know you haven't liked me since the start. Exactly the same way you didn't like Holly when she first started. Oh I know all about how you treated her-"
"How me and Holly got on when she first started is none of your concern, glad to hear you and her have nothing better to do than gossip about me" Lucy's gaze narrowed before turning away but this time, kept on walking.
"You know what your problem is Lucy, your jealous" Meghan called after her, making Lucy halt in the middle of the road. "Yeah, any girl that drags away the attention of your precious little bubble, you can't handle it. " Lucy stormed back, fury bubbling in her eyes as they were toe and toe again. "You're insecure and take it out on people you know won't defend themselves cause it makes you feel better. All you are is a bully" She finished quiet enough for them only to hear.
"I am not a bully, you just can't take anyone telling you what to do. That's why tonight failed and why we ended up nearly dying. Because you have to prove yourself. I don't have to bully anyone to make myself feel better, if I wanted to get rid of you Meghan, I can do it with the snap of my fingers. One word from me and Lockwood would tell you to leave" She pushed toward her, making the smaller girl take a few steps back.
"I wonder what Lockwood would think of you after hearing that. Knowing that you would use how he feels about you as an abuse of power because someone a little younger than you is better at the job and it pisses you off" Meghan scoffed, taking the steps back again. She didn't however see Lucy's hand subconsciously go down for her rapier. "Why tonight failed, Carlyle was because I was right and you didn't want to listen to me. You followed your talent and granted its unbeatable in your field but it doesn't work when there are six ghosts in the room and you want to have a catch up outside the iron chains- never mind the fact that you refused to do basic training and find the source first before trying any other plan. You know I found the source and you refused to watch my back and went on your way to find answers that didn't concern the case we were on and wasted time. You wasted time. You failed, not me and no matter what opinion you have of me, you know I'm right." Meghan poked a finger at Lucy's shoulder and then it was her turn to walk away. She fished out her keys from her trouser pocket as Lucy stood fuming in place.
"So what now, go inside for a cuppa tea and you to spew your guts about my epic failure over cheese on toast?" Lucy called, walking too now.
"NO Lucy'' Meghan snapped, louder than Lucy had expected. "Where do you get off? See there's your problem, God!" She let out an exasperated breath before continuing. "I'm not a grass. You think I'm this big competitive person you have to beat. I don't give a shit if you want to chat with Ghosts Luce- but I had to grab you by the shorts and tug you into the iron chains before one ghost touched you, it was bleeding scary and quite frankly something I don't look forward to repeating. Cause I still care about you Lucy, your my team mate, my colleague. I will always have a high opinion of the hard work and immense talent you put into the job. Though I'm sick and tired of this bullshit you do"
"Feeling is mutual" Lucy clenched her jaw.
They just stared for a minute at each other, this conversation was going nowhere anytime soon and they both knew it.
"That's it? some thank you, honestly" Meghan scoffed.
"I told you, I had it" Lucy said through her teeth, remembering the rip she had now in her favorite pair of shorts. "And your buying me a new pair of shorts out of your wages"
"Don't you have seven others exactly like them in the wardrobe. You're like a cartoon character, with the same clothes every episode"
"That's it" Lucy shoved Meghan hard, so she stumbled back a foot or two. She pulled out her rapier with the clean crisp sound of metal.
'You're kidding' The younger one shook her head.
'I'm deadly serious, come on! ' She readied herself, watching as Meghan slowly and unwillingly took out her own Rapier. Not even a second passed and Lucy launched forward and swung, clanking the mental loudly in the empty street.
'You're delusional' Meghan prepared for another hit, steading her feet, watching as Lucy pushed forward. She circled their swords, and forced Lucy to move to the right but shoving her hard with her right shoulder. Lucy gave a loud grunt from it and whipped her rapier out harder and they fought with more aggression. Lucy put out a wild attack, toward Meghan's middle, causing her to bounce back. The sword tilt caught the end of her jumper and the sleeve was torn.
"That's for my shorts' ' Lucy smirked, readying to go again. Meghan examined the tear and glared up at the older girl with a new found purpose. She flicked the score in her hand with a flourish before stepping out with her right foot and pushed forward causing them to fight, hitting and banging the metal loudly. It clattered and woke up the neighbors, making sleepy faces to peer out worriedly from their windows. The ghost light above them flickered a green hue on their clothes, their hair and cast their shadows as vicious monsters on the house opposite of them. Meghan had pushed the advance and made Lucy step all the way to the other side of the street and made her almost stumble when the heel of her boot hit the curb. Recovering quickly, Lucy got on the pavement and tried exhaustedly to push Meghan back. However, as much as she hated to admit it, Meghan didn't have her ears or Lockwood's sight, nor George's brain but she had fighting skills unparalleled to any of them. Even Lockwood admitted to being bested by the smaller girl. When that memory resurfaced, Lucy began to regret her decision in asking for this fight.
A moment came, where an opening to win arose. Spooked by all the noise, a cat who was peacefully chasing a mouse in the front garden of one of the town houses, leapt from its hiding spot on top of a bin and sent the lid of it falling and landed with a loud frightening 'thud'. Meghan turned her head sharply, slightly breathy turning to face the noise with her rapier pointed that way. Her mind focuses on protecting again instead of childish fights. Lucy smiled, straightened up and sent out her rapier. Yet forgetting she was on the pavement and Meghan on the road- the aim for the chest went higher and pointed right at the girl's face. Meghan turned back to Lucy only for her chin to catch the end of the pointed end of the rapier and long scratch across from it. Instantly blood was seen and the two stuttered back as Meghan hissed with pain. Lucy's eyes widened, unsure what to do, she was about to explain that it was an accident but when the younger girl's eye looked up and peered hurting into Lucy's she knew that things had gone too far.
"Megs- I'm sorry I didn't"
"Don't" She put her rapier back in place, her other hand under her chin to stop the blood from rolling or dropping onto her t-shirt. "I'm going in, you win" She said genuinely then sighed as she turned to go. Yet Lucy did see the tears that began to spring in her eyes before she went. Lucy put her rapier back in place and slowly walked behind, a sickening feeling filling the pit of her stomach.