WHISPERS || Anthony Lockwood

two

*3 months later*

It had been 9 months since Addison had joined the small agency in Portland Row. It had been 9 months since she had made the best decision of her life... not that she would ever admit so.

Lockwood and Co was an independent agency meaning it wasn't easy to get jobs, simply due to the fact the weren't that well known. Of course they got jobs, especially after they put out an add in the paper. It seems more people read the paper than Addison had anticipated.

But of course being an independent agency with no supervisors had it downfalls, and lots of them. For one bills were a lot harder to pay then Anthony Lockwood anticipated. Bills were always paid late now and sometimes they were barley paid. No matter how many times the remaining two agents of Lockwood and Co tried to contribute to said bills, they were often turned down.

But of course there were pros of being an independent agency to. No supervisors meant no one telling them how to do what they do. Now that was something Addison greatly appreciated. They also were a tad closer than other teams. I mean that didn't come with being an independent agency but in some peoples eyes it was a bonus.

❀

It must have been about 4 months after Addison arrived at Lockwood and Co before she noticed it. It wasn't something monumental at all, no not by any means but it meant something to Addison.

She guessed it started with the nicknames. A simple 'Addie' or 'Ada' (the latter courtesy of the sarcastic spectacled boy) here and there. And then she gave the two boys nicknames. Lockwood turned into 'Lock' and George become 'Georgie'.
Then it sort of developed.
Lockwood turned into Anthony. Originally to piss him off but after awhile the boy stopped scowling at her and... smiled?

She thought she had imagined it at first but no even George had spotted it. The boy who hated being called by his first name suddenly let it happen on a day to day basis. And then of course in Addison's little sleep deprived mind, she gave him more nicknames. She would have done the same for George if he didn't already hate Georgie and she still wanted him to cook for her as well.

In a way, these two boys had broke chipped Addison's walls down. And they would continue to do so, bit by bit. And she couldn't even stop them.

                                           ❀

They needed a listener. Badly. Of course the three's combined listening was enough it just scrape them by. But they needed a listener.

"A girl. Tone, I swear to god if it's not a girl I will cry" Addison had said immediately. Of course she wouldn't actually cry but for the dramatic flare she figured she'd add it in

"Alright a girl. Under 16?" The head agent proposed. The other two thought about it. As it stood at the current moment, George had just turned 16 a few weeks prior and Lockwood was 16, whereas Addison was still 15.

"Awwww give Addie Waddie some friends" George remarked.
"Say that again and I'll take away your pet project" oh the ultimate threat to make Karim suffer.
"..."
"That's what I thought"

"Ok so a girl, sensitive, under 16 and suitably dressed. We've got ourselves and advert!" Lockwood was ecstatic to get a listener, it would make them more desirable to employ if they were 'well-rounded'.

George and Addison were not as happy. George simply didn't like change and didn't like the idea of warming up to someone else. Addison could preach to that.
Addison wasn't happy for other reasons. One she didn't like the idea of someone new imposing in her space. The other was more personal...were they replacing her? It may have seemed stupid but everyone knew listeners were gifted in the ability of touch.