Fic: Fold
All right, people, you've done it now. I have been tempted and tormented and have finally given in to the impulse to write Holmes/Russell fic. As this came from a 50lyricsfanfic prompt, I may end up requesting this pairing for that comm, despite my further protestations that I must do no such thing. Tell me what you think of it, unless you have not yet read The Beekeeper's Apprentice, in which case you must run (don't walk! run!) to the library or bookstore and read it immediately.
Title: Fold
Fandom: Mary Russell series
Characters: Holmes/ Russell
Prompt: You got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away, know when to run. -- "The Gambler", Kenny Rogers
Word Count: 171
Rating: G
Summary: Holmes comes to a decision on keeping ahead of his mysterious opponent.
Author's Notes: Set about halfway through The Beekeeper's Apprentice, so no substantial spoilers.
At first, it had actually been interesting, a problem that wasn’t so damnably obvious as to bore him from the moment it was presented to him. As for the danger... well, he had always taken calculated risks. It was part of the job description - self-developed though that was - and part of the excitement. But now... Now Russell had been targeted not once but thrice, two of those incidents in the same hour. That, above all else, was unacceptable.
This had ceased to be a chess game, to sit and stare down one’s opponent until he - or she - could be out-thought and out-maneuvered. This was a game of cards, with his opponent holding a better hand by far. It galled him to retreat, but the stakes had become far too high; there was a time to fight, to take risks, and a time to fold and minimize one’s losses. He desperately needed to reshuffle. He would have to deal with Russell’s infuriated protests, but there was no other way. He rang Mycroft.
Title: Fold
Fandom: Mary Russell series
Characters: Holmes/ Russell
Prompt: You got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away, know when to run. -- "The Gambler", Kenny Rogers
Word Count: 171
Rating: G
Summary: Holmes comes to a decision on keeping ahead of his mysterious opponent.
Author's Notes: Set about halfway through The Beekeeper's Apprentice, so no substantial spoilers.
At first, it had actually been interesting, a problem that wasn’t so damnably obvious as to bore him from the moment it was presented to him. As for the danger... well, he had always taken calculated risks. It was part of the job description - self-developed though that was - and part of the excitement. But now... Now Russell had been targeted not once but thrice, two of those incidents in the same hour. That, above all else, was unacceptable.
This had ceased to be a chess game, to sit and stare down one’s opponent until he - or she - could be out-thought and out-maneuvered. This was a game of cards, with his opponent holding a better hand by far. It galled him to retreat, but the stakes had become far too high; there was a time to fight, to take risks, and a time to fold and minimize one’s losses. He desperately needed to reshuffle. He would have to deal with Russell’s infuriated protests, but there was no other way. He rang Mycroft.