Locklyle - The Story after The Empty Grave

Part 30: Rapier Practice and a Bookcase

☆One Month Later☆

Lucy's POV:

This past month has been quieter than usual. September and October usually sees us becoming busier with the winter months fast approaching and curfew being earlier, but this year, according to George's numbers, we were down thirty nine percent. Which wasn't good.

While it was nice not to be going out every night to fight ghosts, it meant we were having to be more careful with what we were spending our money on.

It was as all three of us were sat at the kitchen table discussing our bills when we got a phone call. Lockwood rose from his seat and walked out of the room to answer it. George looked at me, excitement starting to creep onto his face. It was the first phone call this week, and it was already Wednesday.
'Surely it's someone needing help, right?' George asked me.
'I hope so.' I responded. The two of us sat there eagerly, waiting for Lockwood to finish the phone call and tell us if our wishes were being granted.

What felt like a lifetime but must have only been about five minutes, he entered back into the room, his bright grin lighting the room and our moods.
'We have a client!' He announced. George and I grinned at each other.
'Finally! Something to do that's not just cleaning and sitting around.' I sighed.
'It's urgent though, so George, you better get your arse to the Archives.'
'Already on it.' George upbruptly getting up while stuffing his mouth with another donut. 'What?' He asked to our raised eyebrows. 'I need my energy.'

Once he left, Lockwood turned his attention me.
'You might want to go do some rapier practice so you're not rusty tomorrow night, Luce.' He told me with a grin. I rolled my eyes at him.
'I am not rusty, thank you very much.' I said rising from my seat. 'I will, however, still do some practice.' I walked out of the room, not without giving him a quick kiss on the lips and a smack on the arm for his stupid remark.

I went and grabbed my rapier from my bedroom before going back downstairs to the basement. Lockwood was already there, sparring against Floating Joe, but when he heard me coming down the stairs, he stopped.
'Hello.' He said as he turned to face me, and... Did I just wobble? He looked oh so very hot. His face was flushed and his hair was sticking up in the most random of ways, but it still somehow looked good. I knew I was staring, but for once I didn't care. I made my way over to him, and without a care in the world, I kissed him. My hands held his face gently and I kissed him, and kissed him, and kissed him. Until he pulled away.

'What was that for?' He asked, eyebrows raised and a smile plastered on his face.
'You looked hot.' I said trying to play it cool with a shrug.
'But I look hot all the time and you never do that.' He complained.
'Well you looked extra hot right now.' I said with an eye roll, hiding my slight embarrassment.
'Okay, well if we want to make sure you aren't rusty tomorrow night I think you need to get on with rapier practice and though I hate to say it, the kissing will have to wait.'
'That doesn't bother me.' I lied with a laugh. Lockwood faked being offended before moving out of the way so I could begin my practice on Floating Joe.

I sparred and parried my rapier, Lockwood using his own to push Floating Joe in random directions so I had to work harder than usual. Eventually Lockwood took over from Joe and we sparred against each other. Lockwood won multiple rounds effortlessly, while my breathing was sounding like a dying cow. We took a quick break for water before getting back into it.

With my breath back and feeling less hot after drinking the water, I had more energy. This caught Lockwood off guard and I managed to get him off balance and with a quick flick of my wrist, I disarmed him. With a look of shock on his face, he glanced at his rapier that was now lying lonely on the floor and then back up at me. I gave him a smirk, making sure to rub it in his face.
'How does it feel to be beaten by the person you called rusty earlier?' I said, waggling my finger in front of his face.
'Okay, slow down a second,' He started, his hand up beside his head to get me to be quiet. 'That was only once out of about ten times, so don't be cocky now, Luce.'
'Oh! I can't be cocky? That's interesting coming from the person who earlier said he always looks hot.'
'Well I am, so I'm stating the truth and not being cocky. There is a difference you know.'
I shook my head at his awfully contradictory statement. He needed to be humbled badly.