Maybe fourth times the charm (Nero)

Guest

Lucy was in the garden, against the wall and she was drawing in her small sketchbook. After Jake's visit she had felt bruised but a lot better mentally. Each week she was making progress and that in itself was something good.

Mentally she hated herself for going and attempting drugs, and she hated how easily she had become addicted. It wasn't something she was proud of.

Off of them, and not wanting to go back she busied herself with drawing and practicing what Jake had taught her. A whole new range of sketches, which hopefully she'd be able to tattoo once she got out of here. Her boss had assured her job once she was ready, and people were still making appointments even though she was on a ''holiday."

Giving a soft sigh she was lost to her thoughts when she saw feet in front of her. In fancy shoes she doubted it was gonna be someone from here. No one had shoes like that. Her eyes following the body up, she saw the face the body belonged to. Nero.

Guest

Finding Lucy had committed herself drugs for a time, whilst not dealing with her kidnapping had left no option for Nero but to step in. To get better, she was going to need the best help money could buy. Nero was, of course, in a position to do such a thing, and he had. The moment they'd caught up with the young witch, Nero had paid for every part of the therapy to date.

Why?

He felt guilty. If he'd simply gone back to her work. Raised his worry with her mother sooner. Anything. Lucy might not have been subjected to what she had. It was therefore his fault that she'd been taken by the Deadly Nightshades. Nero had thrown his money at her recovery out of guilt. He'd not been to see her for this long due to guilt. What was he supposed to say to a witch he'd seemingly let down, and yet... a witch he had no tie to?

Suited for the day, shoes shined to an impeccable manner, and hair it's usual ruffled, casual style, Nero had walked in to the centre with a heavy sigh. He couldn't put this off any longer. The various doctors, psychiatrists, and other people who looked after Lucy had only good things to say. She was on the mend, they had said, and it would do both Lucy and him good to reconcile.

Which was why Nero had found himself in the garden of the rehab centre, following the directions of the staff before he came across Lucy. She was thinner than he remembered her. Looking less full of life than he'd known the witch who'd tattooed his chest. Now she stood before him, Nero didn't know why he'd come. Unprepared, that was what he was, with nothing to say, and no idea where to start talking.

Lucy's eyes moved up to meet his, though, and the inventor could do little more than offer her a small, weak smile. "Hi, Lucy." Nero said softly, not knowing in the moment what else he could possibly say. Words were never going to be adequate enough. Words would never make up for what he'd done.

Guest

Lucy's voice caught in her throat as he spoke. A flood of emotions ran through her, anger, hurt, surprise, anguish. You name it she had it.

Sighing she bit her lip. "Hello Nero...Would you like to sit?" She pointed to the ground next to her. She wasn't sure what she was going to say however she closed her artbook. One of three that was next to her. All now closed.

What did you say to someone that had indirectly been part of why she was kidnapped? Sure it wasn't actually his fault, and by no means did she blame him. There were a lot of what if's though. What if she hadn't gone to meet him, what if she had just agreed to meet him somewhere else? What if she had just gone with him? Not been so worried about work so that she had to lock up. Why hadn't she agreed to meet him somewhere else?

Lucy hadn't wanted Nero to see her while she was sick. She didn't want anyone that she knew seeing her while she was sick. Especially not here. She knew Nero was paying for her to be here, simply for the fact it was too expensive for her mother or even her boss to be paying it. Five star luxury came with a five star price.

Tucking a piece of hair behind her ear she waited for the man to sit. The granite stone warmed up nicely, and the ground was comfier then the funny looking designer garden chairs scattered around the place.

"How are you? What brings you here?"

Guest

As Lucy asked him to sit on the ground, Nero considered for a few moments before sitting down before the witch. Beside her would have been the easy option, allowing them to both look away from each other. Sitting before her meant he could sit and watch her reactions, see how she regarded him and work with that information as best he could.

"Thank you." Nero replied to the offer belatedly to her question, tucking his legs to himself so that he sat cross legged on the floor before her. That bought him a little longer, words were failing him in that moment so the buying of time was definitely worthwhile, albeit unfair to Lucy.

Which was probably why she interrupted his thoughts, pulling him back to the here and now as she asked him how he was. Nero gave her something of a wry smile in the initial response to the question. How could he answer that..? Nero decided to come back to that and concentrate instead on the latter question.

"I'm here to see you, of course. I wanted to see how you were getting on and see if I could do anything to help you out..." Nero admitted, though he'd only come once Lucy's stats had gone up enough that she... wouldn't be too unlike the witch he'd known before the attack. But also guilt was building higher and higher the longer he waited.

"How are you doing?" Nero asked in return, giving her a warm yet hesitant smile.

Guest

Lucy was pleasantly surprised when he sat down opposite her . She sighed a little and wriggled trying to get comfy . She wriggled just a little and looked at Nero .

" I'm doing okay ." She said with a soft smile , " thank you for the visit ." Lucy was glad to see him , " Unless you're breaking me out I'm pretty good actually ."

She had already told him she was doing good so Lucy looked at him. " How are you going ? How's the Nimbus going ?" She asked " Any new fancy parties or hookups ?" She'd heard he'd gone and done a girl the night she'd left but hey that she couldn't hold against him . Nor did she .

" Still waiting for that bit of wood between my legs . Mum said it arrived and she's got it ready and waiting for me ... For when I get back ."

Tucking a piece of hair behind her ear she tapped her pencil . Nero seemed on edge but she wasn't entirely sure why

Guest

Nero's lips twitched up in to a smile as Lucy mentioned breaking her out of here. "We both know that being here is the best place for you, at the moment, but, when you're better, maybe I can break you out of here." Nero compromised, though, of course, it wouldn't be breaking out if she was free to leave. It was something of an end goal, though, something Nero hoped would help the witch, if even a little.

The question of him made Nero give a casual shrug. "Business is going well, so that's all that matters in my life. Elyah is doing well in school..." There wasn't really much more to say on him. Talking about himself didn't seem right now. The question of parties and hook ups made Nero let out a soft laugh. "There's always parties, some more extravagant than others, but they've been fun." He replied, missing out his answer on other women, he doubted this was the right time to talk about others.

"Ah, she's got you to ransom with the broom, huh? I suppose that's a good idea, make sure you have a goal or two..." Nero replied, liking the idea that Lucy's mum had made sure to get her daughter on the right track.

From there, though, Nero wasn't quite sure what else to say to Lucy. Perhaps coming here had not been the best idea he'd had... Bringing one hand up to his face, Nero rubbed at the stubble on his chin lightly, before looking back to Lucy. She was alive, surely that was all that mattered... and, yet, he still felt terrible.

Guilt was a beautiful thing like that.

"Lucy..." Nero started, though his eyes averted from hers. "I... I'm sorry, that I didn't raise the alarm sooner. I thought you'd gotten cold feet. Didn't want to meet up. Whatever excuse my head formulated. I mean, I'm twice your age, it wasn't exactly plausible. But... I'm glad you're okay, and I hope that you can forgive me for... well, not doing enough at the right time."

Pausing again, Nero nodded to himself and got up from the ground. "I'll... leave you to your drawings." He finalised, turning on his heel.

Guest

Lucy smiled as he said he might break her out later, now that , that sounded like fun.

She listened as he continued to speak, he didn't seem to want to talk about parties so she didn't push. Laughing a little at the ransom "not quite ransom but close enough. More so I don't fly out of here." Lucy pointed out.

When he spoke she frowned before standing and grabbing his arm. No he didn't get to be selfish and walk away. "Nero..don't think for a moment that I hate or blame you. I would have thought the exact same thing given how much trouble I'd put you through to actually say yes to a date.

Nero you did nothing wrong, Jake told me how you helped and did everything you could. I don't care about your age Nero, Nor do I care that you didn't raise the alarm straight away there was no reason to. No one could have expected this. I'm just plain Lucy the tattooist, I don't have political power or anything interesting okay. If that's what your worried about please don't be..and...

Please stay."

Guest

Nero conceded the point on flying out of the hospital. "It would be quite the spectacle." The man replied with an amused smile playing on his lips. But, he wasn't going to encourage such behaviour in Lucy. She needed to get better, whether she liked that fact or not.

His plan to escape this, though, was cut short when Lucy's small hands caught on to his arm, stopping him in place. The tirade of words that came from her mouth made him want to say and do many things, but he opted for none of those options. Not yet.

Letting out a soft sigh, Nero stopped from leaving, and turned back to the witch. He didn't really have anything more to say to Lucy. He'd apologised, she'd told him he didn't need to. They were at an impasse, now.

"I'm not really sure what else I need to stay to say..." Nero admitted to her softly. He felt more than awkward now, as if his apology was not enough. Her words had told him not to worry, but Nero did, he was. Not that he completely understood what had brought him here in the first place, but that was relative, at best.

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