Chapter Text
Lucy woke up a few hours later feeling safe, warm, and, impossibly, well-rested. That last one hadn’t been true for quite a while, and she slowly began to recall the events of the night before. Each scene flickered behind her eyelids like an old-fashioned slide projector.
The case at the church. Listening to the Visitor. Remembering the nightmares. Passing out on the job (she winced at that).
Then, the images all shifted to focus on Lockwood: Lockwood taking care of her. Lockwood making sure that she was comfortable and that she finally slept. Lockwood bringing her food and sitting with her while she ate. Lockwood listening as she explained what had happened in the church basement.
Lockwood saying that he was hers. Lockwood gazing at her in amazement while she told him she loved him. Lockwood saying those precious words back to her.
Anthony being in love with her.
Lucy felt an electric current run through her at the memory of his words, the look in his eyes, his lips tenderly moving against her own.
Suddenly she was wide awake and registered that the warm presence against her back was in fact Lockwood. She had turned sometime in the night so that his torso was pressed flush against her back. His arm was looped around her middle, hand resting underneath her shirt on her bare stomach. He still seemed to be sleeping, his face buried in her neck, even breaths ruffling her hair. Lucy relaxed into his embrace, unable to remember ever waking up with this sense of peace.
Lucy had known what it felt like to wake up in his arms, but not like this. Not when she had the knowledge that her feelings weren’t one-sided. That wanting him, so much that she felt like she was burning with it, wasn’t wrong.
As always with Lockwood, she found herself cataloging the little details, tucking them away for the moments when their world became too much. The scent that was so intensely Lockwood invaded her senses, and she breathed in deeply. His warm hand pressing against her skin made her wonder what it would feel like if he moved it up…or down. She could feel the planes of his lean, muscled chest that she longed to trace with her fingers and tongue.
And against her backside…
That was something that she had previously tried her best not to think about at all. Especially when he was sleeping, she had chalked it up to biology. Even the one time that she had felt him against her while he was awake, hard and insistent, she had brushed it off.
Now that she knew that he returned her feelings, she no longer felt ashamed about her reaction to him. And Lucy definitely could not deny that she was feeling a very physical reaction to every inch of Lockwood pressed against her, his thin boxers doing little to hide the shape of him. Her thighs squeezed together, trying to find some relief. But she knew that nothing would truly give her the relief she so badly needed.
Nothing, save for the boy - no, man - in her bed.
And judging from the change in his breathing, he was waking up. His lips pressed against the tender skin behind her ear, tongue darting out to tease her there, causing her to shiver. She felt his hips move against her a few times before he tensed up and started to pull away, ever the gentleman.
But Lucy was having none of that. Her arm shot behind her to grasp his hip, holding Lockwood in place. He groaned as her fingers brushed the bare skin above the waistband of his boxers.
“Lucy,” his sleep-roughened voice was right in her ear. “You have no idea how much I want you.”
She had some idea, between his desire-laced words, fingers desperately inching up her torso, and of course the already impressive erection that she could no longer ignore. But she could only respond with a moan as his seeking hand reached her breast, cupping it and kneading gently.
Lockwood moved his hand to give the same attention to her other breast, fingers daring to tug lightly on her stiffening nipple. Lucy drew in a sharp breath, feeling a new surge of wetness between her legs.
“Anthony,” she whispered, not even caring about the desperation in her voice.
“Tell me what you want,” came his reply, his hand still teasing her breasts.
Turning in his arms, Lucy found her face just inches away from Lockwood’s. She watched as his eyes swept over her in the soft pink-orange glow of the sunrise through the attic windows. The light gave his beautiful brown eyes a golden tint and she found that she couldn’t look away.
Lockwood seemed just as transfixed as she was, sleep leaving his features completely as he seemed to register what was happening. What they were on the brink of, if they just let go.
His hand had slipped from her chest to her back, and she felt him tracing careful fingers along her spine, unable to suppress her shiver. They breathed each other in, neither speaking as the moment wrapped around them.
The house was quiet and they knew that George wouldn’t be up for a few hours. It truly felt like they were the only ones awake in London, in their little world that they created together.
“God, Lucy, is this real?” Lockwood whispered, his lips still so close to her own.
His eyes told her everything he was feeling: affection, uncertainty, a bit of nervousness, desire, and love - so much love that it took her breath away.
“Yes,” she breathed. “I'm real, this is real. But you could always kiss me, just to make sure,” she managed to tease even though she was practically trembling with anticipation.
That earned her a smile, one of his genuine, full smiles that he seemed to reserve just for her. Closing the distance between them, he let his lips ghost over hers, just barely touching her.
Then his hand moved up to the back of her head, angling her so that he could kiss her deeply, drawing her as close as possible to him. Unlike the previous night, this kiss quickly turned into the kind that promised more.
Lucy slipped her hands under his t-shirt, feeling greedy with how much she wanted to touch him. So she did, fingers tracing up and down his abs, his pecs, feeling him shudder in response.
Lockwood pulled back to quickly yank the shirt off, much to Lucy’s delight. She had seen him shirtless, of course, and had even spent the night against his bare chest countless times. But now she didn’t have to hold back, her hands continuing to map him, finding the trail of hair that disappeared into his boxers as his mouth moved to her neck.
Her eyes closed as she felt him working over the side of her neck to the sensitive skin over her throat. She lost herself in the feeling of his tongue against her skin, the barely-there scrape of his teeth.
“Always wanted to taste you here,” Lockwood murmured against the hollow at the base of her throat.
“Anthony,” she repeated, feeling him smile against her skin.
He pulled back slightly, eyes searching hers.
“Can I?” he whispered, tugging lightly on her own t-shirt. His breathing was ragged and she felt a thrill knowing that she did that to him.
Lucy wanted to say yes, intended to say yes, but she felt a surge of nervousness and he caught it on her face, hands leaving her shirt.
“We don’t have to…do anything, Luce. We can stop, or slow down.” He didn’t sound disappointed, just concerned.
“No, no. I want to. More than anything,” she said in a rush. “It’s just…” Lucy trailed off, her eyes dropping from his.
“What is it? You can talk to me.” His hand grasped hers, fingers interlocking and holding tightly.
“I just…I don’t have a lot of experience. I’ve never done this before,” she said quietly.
“Neither have I, if I’m being honest,” Lockwood said in a matching hushed tone. It seemed as though the words tumbled out of their own volition, surprising even himself.
“What?” Her gaze flicked back to his in confusion, recalling everything she had heard about Lockwood. “But your reputation…” Lucy trailed off again, flushing bright red.
She tried to ignore the onslaught of what could only be jealousy that ran through her at the thought of him with anyone else.
Lockwood sighed at that, reaching to cup her cheek gently, as if once again he could read her thoughts.
“You should know better than to believe everything you read in the papers,” he joked before turning serious again.
“My ‘reputation’ is a bit exaggerated. But yes, I have some experience…sexually. But it was...nothing like this.” He gestured between the two of them as if that would explain it.
Lucy frowned, not understanding. His cheeks reddened but he pressed on, and she was grateful for his willingness to talk about this with her.
“It was only a few times, and it was never anything other than…a quick, fumbling encounter,” he frowned, trying to find the right words, pushing through despite the awkwardness. “Nothing like this. I never brought anyone home. Never spent the night in anyone else’s arms. It’s never meant anything more than just sex.”
Lockwood now held her face in both of his hands, thumbs stroking her cheekbones as he spoke. She kept quiet as he continued, voice an impassioned whisper.
“Lucy, I’ve never felt like this about anyone before. So while you won’t be the first person I’ll have been with physically, this is an entirely new experience for me.” Lockwood paused, brushing his lips against her forehead before continuing.
“I love you and I want to show you how much I need you, how badly I want to make you mine in every way possible.” His voice had become even deeper than usual, eyes darkening.
Letting his words sink in, Lucy turned her head slightly to kiss his palm, lips lingering against his warm skin. She understood what he meant now, and any lingering doubts were replaced by a feeling of warmth.
“So show me,” she breathed once she found her voice. “Make me yours, Anthony.”
Lockwood groaned at her words, watching as her hands came to the hem of her shirt. In one fluid movement she pulled it off, fighting the urge to cover herself.
He leaned back, taking her in. Lucy felt herself flush all the way down to her chest, where his eyes were currently fixated. She never had any major opinions about her breasts. They were somewhere in the middle in terms of size, but she felt that they suited her.
“Beautiful,” Lockwood murmured, reaching out to touch her again.
He cupped them in his palms and leaned down to kiss the swell of each one. His eyes shot to hers to make sure it was okay, finding his answer before his mouth traced a path to one dusky nipple.
Lucy cried out as his mouth closed around her, and his hand shot up to her mouth.
“We’ll have to be quiet, love. Unless you want to wake George up…”
She shook her head emphatically and he laughed as he returned to her breast, the vibrations echoing through her.
Lockwood took his time with her, learning every curve of her torso with his mouth and fingers. He pressed kisses to her abdomen, swirled his tongue in her navel, and nipped at each of her hip bones.
Each motion had Lucy squirming beneath him, loving his ministrations but at the same time needing more. So, so much more.
He paused around the waistband of her shorts and she thought he was waiting for her permission again. But when she looked down, she saw Lockwood's eyes locked on a series of deep, old scars.
Shit.
“Lockwood?” Her voice shook and she reverted automatically back to his last name.
“These aren’t from a job.” It wasn’t a question. Lucy couldn’t make out his tone.
Swallowing hard, Lucy shook her head. She wasn’t embarrassed by the scars she had acquired in her years as an agent. Those she bore proudly, along with Lockwood. They were their generation’s versions of battle scars, and they both had more than their fair share.
The others, however…
Lockwood gazed at her, and she watched as understanding dawned on him. They had sworn to not have any secrets between them years ago, so he knew a lot about her past. Her so-called family, her father’s drunken rages and her mother’s neglect and abuse. It still hurt to talk about it, though, so some of the details she had skipped over.
“Oh, Lucy,” he whispered. She didn’t detect any traces of pity in his voice, which was a relief.
She remembered the first time he found out about the big picture of her childhood, or lack of one. He had been so angry, enraged that anyone could treat a child, could treat her like that. And when she finally did tell him more, he simply held her as she cried.
“Those look like…” Lockwood trailed off as his fingers brushed lightly against the scars.
“Burn marks? Yeah. I have some on my back, too. They’re from when…when I would struggle against him.” She took a shuddering breath. “I’m sorry I never told you. And that they’re not - that is, my body - I’m not much to look at.”
“No, Lucy. You don’t have to apologize for anything. I had some idea, I just - god, I hate them so much.” She nodded, sharing the sentiment.
“But never, never think that you are anything less than beautiful to me. Nothing could make you seem anything less in my eyes.” Lockwood dipped his head to press soft kisses to each scar.
“Not these marks, not the scars from fighting ghosts that we both carry. I’ll spend the rest of my life proving that to you.” His eyes were blazing, not with anger but devotion.
Lucy let out a sob, and she saw his panicked expression, worrying that he had ruined the moment. But it was his mention of the rest of their lives that got to her. She wasn’t even certain that he realized what he had said.
The boy with a death wish had grown into a man who wanted to spend his life with her.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-” Lockwood started, but now it was her turn to cover his mouth. He kissed the fingers she held there, eyes desperately seeking hers. She traced his lips lovingly, trying to reassure him.
“Like you said, no apologies in here, okay? I love you, more than I ever thought possible. I want what you want. The rest of our lives…I want that to start now. And I want you to see me, to see all of me.”
Her hand moved down to briefly trace the scar on his shoulder from the bullet he took during the Bone Glass ordeal. The long-healed wound was a reminder of every time they almost lost each other, almost lost everything.
“I think - I think we both deserve to have this, to have something that’s just our own, together,” Lucy continued. “Everyone else, everything we’ve been through - they don’t have a place here with us. Don’t you agree?”
Lucy was smiling now, a small, bright thing and Lockwood nodded at her words, wiping away the few tears that had escaped down her cheeks.
“I love you, Luce,” he rasped before kissing her soundly.
Her breath caught as he made his way back down her body, fingers catching in the elastic waistband of her shorts.
The fire caught between them again as he pulled them slowly, so slowly down her legs, trailing kisses along her newly exposed inner thighs. He groaned at the sight of her panties, dark blue with a hint of lace.
“Always blue with you,” Lockwood said with a smile of his own. He pressed a kiss to her clothed center, so close and yet so far from where she needed him.
“I need you,” she keened.
“I know. I’ve got you.” And then the panties were joining her shorts on the floor and she was bare before him.
He sucked in a sharp breath, leaning back on his heels. Lucy could see the distinct evidence of his arousal outlined against his boxers and she groaned, feeling an answering surge of wetness. Lockwood ran his fingers through her folds, hissing at how soaked she was. Her hips jumped as his thumb found her clit, rubbing circles that quickly had her panting.
“Can I try something?” he asked almost shyly, meeting her eyes.
“Anything you want,” she breathed, her legs falling to the sides, exposing herself even more.
Lockwood groaned above her and that was all the warning she had. Then he was on her, mouth determined and searching, discovering the most secret parts of herself. He seemed to know which places would bring her pleasure. Lucy moaned as his tongue traced patterns over her clit.
She loved that he was the only one to see her like this, touch her like this. And, oh, if she had thought that he kissed her mouth with intensity…
Lockwood smirked against her as her thighs began to quiver. Her hands had found purchase in his hair, tugging just on the right side of pain to have him moaning into her. The tighter he wound her up, the harder she tugged. His answering sounds of pleasure only added to the sensations she felt.
Lucy had heard enough stories from the girls at her old agency about sex to be surprised at just how into it Lockwood seemed. She had been told that while yes, a boy using his tongue on her was supposed to feel incredible, few boys actually took the time for it. Instead, the other girls said most boys would expect her to suck them off, especially if she wasn’t going to “put out.”
But Lockwood was relentless, his fingers joining his tongue as he slowly took her apart, finding spots she hadn’t been able to herself. He lapped at her like a starving man, and she blushed furiously at the sounds filling the attic. He flicked his dark gaze up to her, desire turning them night-black, and she fell.
Back arching off the bed, Lucy’s mouth opened in a silent scream as he worked her through the most intense orgasm she had ever felt. Bringing herself to completion with her own hands paled in comparison to feeling his mouth and fingers focused solely on her pleasure.
He withdrew his fingers from her and she felt the heat between her legs returning with alarming speed as he licked them clean. As if he hadn’t gotten enough of her taste even after getting her off with his mouth.
God, this man.
“Fuck, Lucy, that was…incredible.” Lockwood crawled his way back up to her, capturing her lips.
Lucy surprised herself by probing her tongue into his mouth, groaning at the taste of herself.
“Isn’t that my line?” she asked as she pulled back, earning her a laugh.
How was this so easy with him? Sure, they had a learning curve as they figured out how to do this together, even with Lockwood’s past experience. But even when things became a little stilted or uncertain, Lucy just kept feeling how right it was.
She pushed him gently onto his back, snapping the waistband of his boxers against his skin.
“Can I take these off?”
He was nodding enthusiastically and she laughed, pulling them off. Her eyes zeroed in on him, hard and hot and already leaking for her.
And now it was her turn to explore him. She experimentally wrapped her hand around him, and his head fell back to the pillows, eyes closing.
“I don’t know what I’m doing,” Lucy whispered. His hand came to join hers, showing her how to stroke him until his hips were thrusting into her hand.
“Quick learner,” Lockwood ground out. After a few more moments he covered her hand again, stopping her movements.
“Was that not good?”
“Oh no, it was very good. You, touching me? Lucy, that’s more than I dreamed I’d ever get to experience.”
“Does that mean…do you want to…?” she asked tentatively.
“I’m not sure what you’re asking,” he teased and Lucy scowled.
“Fine. I’m asking you to fuck me, Lockwood. Anthony.” Her voice lost its bravado at the end but she held his gaze steadily.
“Dirty mouth,” Lockwood said with a smirk before turning serious again. “You’re sure, Luce? You feel ready?”
“Yes, Anthony. I’ve been ready for this, for you, for a long time,” Lucy said breathlessly. “Plus, if what I’ve been told is correct, you’ve done a good job of…preparing me.” Lucy laughed at her awkward phrasing but he didn’t seem to notice.
“I could do that again, if you wanted.” His face lit up at the prospect of being buried between her thighs once more.
Lucy giggled at that. He really was a giver, even in bed.
“This is probably the only time I will turn down that offer,” she said with a smirk. “I need you inside me.”
He shivered at her words but then he pulled back, seeming to realize something.
“Wait - before we do this, I should have asked sooner, but do you have-”
Lucy cut him off with a quick kiss on the lips, reaching into her bedside table. He raised his eyebrows at the box of condoms she held up.
“I’ve been on birth control for years, but these also magically appeared in my drawer recently,” she explained with a laugh.
Lockwood rolled his eyes.
“George,” they said at the same time. And that was the last thought either of them paid to anyone other than each other.
“So, then...” Lockwood paused after he rolled the condom on, asking one last time.
“Yes, Anthony, yes,” she whispered.
And then he was kissing her deeply as he slowly pushed into her. She felt a stretch, and a burning sensation but it dissipated quickly. Having been turned on since they woke up, she was more than ready to welcome him into her body.
They moaned in unison once he was fully sheathed inside her, his forehead resting on hers while she adjusted to the feel of him.
“Fuck, Lucy,” he managed to say. She could tell he was trying to hold back for her sake and brought up a hand to his face.
“I’m okay. You can move,” she encouraged.
Not that she has anything to compare it too, but she was pretty sure that nothing about Lockwood could be considered small. She felt every inch of him as he dragged against her walls and then thrusted back into her.
Lucy wrapped her legs around his waist, heels digging into his lower back. This shifted the angle slightly and she gasped, clutching at his shoulders.
She bit her lip. It was good, she wasn’t complaining, but it wasn’t great. Lockwood seemed to be enjoying himself, but she wanted to be able to move her hips more with him. Her range of movement was limited in their current position.
“Can we - do you mind if we change things up?” she asked tentatively. He was nodding before she finished her question.
“Whatever you want. Take the lead, Lucy.” He smiled as she pushed against his shoulders so he fell to the bed next to her.
Sighing at the loss of him inside her, she quickly straddled his hips and lined herself back up. His hands settled on her hips as she lowered herself down onto him, moaning at the new angle.
“I should’ve known you’d like it on top.”
Lucy looked down at him, expecting to see a smirk, but instead Lockwood was looking at her with…was that awe?
His hands reached up to play with her breasts as she began to move her hips.
“Yes, just like that. I love it when you touch me there,” she moaned, surprising herself.
Lockwood seemed to like when she was vocal, her words spurring him to pinch and pull on her nipples. Gaining confidence, Lucy increased the speed of her hips against his.
One of his hands snuck between where they were joined to rub at her clit, making her gasp. The sensations became almost too much, and she let herself fall forward against his chest.
“Oh, fuck. I can’t,” she whimpered, trembling hands clutching at his shoulders.
“You can. I’m right there with you. Let go, Luce.”
One more snap of their hips and Lucy felt her release hit her, warming her from the inside out. She shook around him as she felt Lockwood reach his own ending, his teeth sinking into her shoulder to muffle his shout.
They stayed locked together, a tangle of limbs as they came back to themselves. Lockwood reached over to brush a few stray locks out of her face, a soft smile on his lips that she hadn’t seen before.
Then, it hit her. This was Lockwood, her Anthony, happy. Truly happy.
She sighed contentedly, settling against his chest, not caring that they were both sticky with sweat.
“Does this mean that we aren’t going to argue anymore?” Lucy asked once her breathing returned to normal.
She felt him laugh, a low rumble under her palms.
“No, I’ve been in love with you for two years and we’ve managed to argue just fine,” he retorted, pinching her side lightly.
“Oh good. Wouldn’t want too many things to change around here,” Lucy said with a smirk.