[ Glow ] ~ Anthony Lockwood x OC

XXIV - Cluster

"Locks you can't just 'kill' Kipps because he had to save us from that cluster." Daniel laughed, both her and Lockwood walking just in front of George as they made their way up the steps to 35 Portland Row. 

"How could you not realize it was an execution site?" Lockwood ignored Daniel's quip and focused his annoyance back at George. 

"Because you gave me no time for research. Again!" George slammed the front door shut. 

Daniel flinched, her shoulders going slightly tense from all the aggravation. 

"They had time to figure it out! They knew exactly what they were walking into." Lockwood huffed, pulling Daniel's rapier from her and dropping both his own and hers into the stand. He threw his kitbag down on the bench by the door while George and Daniel kicked their shoes off. 

"Locks-" Daniel started with a sigh, only to be cut off by more yelling from George. 

"Because they don't have to actually visit the libraries and churches like I do!" 

"Hey." Lucy said softly from just by the stairs, grabbing everyone's attention. George had his coat half off, Lockwood was re-tucking his shirt in, and Daniel was still trying to figure out how to get them to stop arguing. Apparently all it took was Lucy being okay. 

"Uh. . .Hey, uh-" Lockwood walked closer to her. "How are you. . .feeling?"

Daniel rolled her eyes, pushing Lockwood in the shoulder slightly and giving him a disapproving look. "She's not fragile-"

"She might be." George butt in.

Lucy's brows drew together as she looked between the three. "Normal. . .thanks for letting me sleep in." 

"Are you sure you're okay?" George asked, holding his coat between his hands instead of hanging it up.

"Yeah, I'm fine. How about you guys?" Lucy crossed her arms against her chest. "I'm guessing you didn't find that wraith?" Daniel groaned in annoyance, hanging her head back and rolling her eyes. 

Lockwood sneered slightly, "Oh, no, we did. But then we found 13 others, didn't we, George?" Lockwood took his blazer off and walked into the library, Daniel close behind. 

"Locks, we've been over this. It isn't his fault!"

"Then whose fault is it?" 

"Nobody's!" Daniel called at the same time George scoffed "Yours." 

Lockwood turned around. "Do not go blaming this on Dani."

"I'm blaming this on you actually." George huffed out before turning to Lucy. "Total cluster case. We didn't have flares, did we, Lockwood?" 

"Both of you shut up." Daniel grumbled, falling back onto the couch.

"How did you get out?" Lucy asked. 

It remained silent for a minute before George spoke up. "We were rescued."

"We were not 'rescued'." Lockwood seethed, hitting the wall with his fist.

"Locks-" 

"Oh shit." Lucy mumbled, a smile making its way onto her face. "Kipps's crew?" 

"Stuck-up mediocrities." He muttered. Daniel rolled her eyes, standing up and walking over to Anthony as he kicked the bookshelf. She put her hands on his shoulders, forcing him to turn around and look at her. 

"Shhh." She glared, the boy immediately shutting up and his expression softening. 

"Dani-"

"Shut up about Kipps." Daniel grumbled, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him into a hug. He relaxed into the embrace, his arms falling around her back and drawing her tight against him. 

"They saved our lives, killed the wraiths, and sealed the source. It was quite dazzling." George told Lucy.

"We would've been fine. Locks and I could've handled it." Daniel rolled her eyes. 

Lockwood tapped his finger against Daniel's nose, getting her to look up at him. "I thought we were shutting up about Kipps." He grinned, raising a brow. 

"No, you're shutting up about Kipps." 

"Oh, really now?" 

Daniel nodded, smiling. 

"Did they share the fee?" Lucy asked George.

"No, finders keepers." He denied. "But that's not what this is about."

Lockwood glowered, and probably would have hit something again if Daniel hadn't her arms wrapped so tightly around him. "He wouldn't even acknowledge." Lockwood pulled both himself and Daniel into view of Lucy so he could talk directly to her. "He's acting like Combe Carey Hall never happened." George gave the two a weird look, up and down. Daniel stuck her tongue out at him, and he immediately looked away. 

"Hmm. He must've signed the same NDA we did."

"Yes. But he could let us know that he knows. He lacks respect." Lockwood huffed. 

"But you know he knows." 

"But he won't show he knows."

"It was annoying." George agreed, "'Cause you take the lie, and you take Kipps's face and put them together, and-" 

"He's a dolt." Daniel shrugged. "But we knew that already." 

"And you just. . .wanna watch him. . .die." Lockwood paused, running his hand over Daniel's upper back. "Sorry. Very long night. Please tell me there's tea." 

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Word Count - 798

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Published - August 28, 2023

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