Ficlet: "Caring is Not an Advantage"
I don't even know where this came from, I'm supposed to be catching up on the prompt fics I owe people (not long now talcat, sorry) or even writing the sequel to Effort of Being Okay... But no, this daft thing popped into my head and started jumping up and down.
Title: Caring is Not an Advantage
Author: szm
Fandom: Sherlock, Doctor Who
Characters: Eleven, Rory, Amy, Mycroft, Sherlock, John, mention of Harriet Jones.
Rating: G
Word Count: 661
Summary: Mycroft and the Doctor have an ideological difference.
“Caring is not an advantage”
The tall man with the bowtie stopped in his tracks and turned to stare at Mycroft.
“Mycroft,” said John with a strange mix of warning and pity in his voice.
The Doctor waved a hand at John behind his back but didn’t take his eyes off Mycroft. “Do you really believe that?” asked the Doctor.
Mycroft lifted his chin and stared back.
The Doctor looked disappointed, and Mycroft felt a little like he’d failed some kind of important test. “Right,” said the Doctor breaking eye contact. “I have a plan, well almost a plan. It’s very nearly a plan at any rate…”
**
Mycroft stood next to the blue box, it seemed impossible, everything he’d seen today. Oh he’d read the reports from Torchwood and UNIT, but even knowing the facts hadn’t prepared him for the reality. He looked up at the stars, he felt small in a way he hadn’t felt since he was a child.
“There are thousands of things up there,” said the Doctor behind him. “Terrible, wonderful, indescribable things. Some of them hate you, some of them want to control you, or eat you, or just kill you. The vast majority of them don’t care about you in the slightest.”
The Doctor stood next to Mycroft staring up at the same patch of sky. Mycroft had the unusual sensation of not knowing what to say.
“Caring,” continued to Doctor gravely. “Is absolutely the only advantage the human race will ever have. To be able to care, even when it’s stupid, especially when it’s stupid.”
He tipped his head to the side and grinned at Mycroft. Just then John and Rory came out of 221’s front door, chatting and swapping stories, both of them smiling easily. Mycroft turned to watch them cross the road.
“Two of the most powerful beings I know,” said the Doctor softly in his ear. “Because they care, so easily, about everyone. Even I struggle with that.”
“I liked Harriet Jones,” said Mycroft just as softly. “She was an excellent PM.”
The Doctor looked at his feet. “She cared,” he said without raising his head. Mycroft felt like maybe he’d scored a point, but he didn’t feel very good about it.
Amy and Sherlock followed Rory and John a few steps behind and their voices carried in the night air.
“Okay,” said Amy. “Do another one.”
Sherlock had a completely self-satisfied smirk on his face. “You took two, possibly three, violin lessons when you were twelve. You hated them. You told your mother your imaginary friend stole your violin.”
“No way!” exclaimed Amy. “There’s no way you knew that! Rory must have told you…”
“Do come along Pond!” called the Doctor. “We have places to go.”
Rory and John shook hands; Rory offered his hand to Sherlock who just raised an eyebrow in return. Rory withdrew his hand nervously and cast a look towards John. Amy just rolled her eyes and hugged Sherlock fiercely. Sherlock looked deeply uncomfortable; John had to stifle a smile with his hand.
“I’ll work out how you did that, just see if I don’t,” she promised pulling Rory along with her into the TARDIS. The Doctor shook first Sherlock’s then John’s hands enthusiastically.
“Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson,” he said with a chuckle. “Keep up the good work!”
The next thing Mycroft knew he was enveloped in a huge time lord shaped hug. “Mycroft Holmes. Stop trying to be such a grown-up all the time,” said the Doctor then he was in the TARDIS and the box faded from view.
Mycroft was left on the side of the road with his brother and John who both appeared to be trying to out-grin each other. John was a few seconds from outright giggles. Mycroft gathered up every little bit of dignity he could as his car pulled up next to them.
“Goodnight Gentleman,” he said climbing into the car and letting it speed him away.
Title: Caring is Not an Advantage
Author: szm
Fandom: Sherlock, Doctor Who
Characters: Eleven, Rory, Amy, Mycroft, Sherlock, John, mention of Harriet Jones.
Rating: G
Word Count: 661
Summary: Mycroft and the Doctor have an ideological difference.
“Caring is not an advantage”
The tall man with the bowtie stopped in his tracks and turned to stare at Mycroft.
“Mycroft,” said John with a strange mix of warning and pity in his voice.
The Doctor waved a hand at John behind his back but didn’t take his eyes off Mycroft. “Do you really believe that?” asked the Doctor.
Mycroft lifted his chin and stared back.
The Doctor looked disappointed, and Mycroft felt a little like he’d failed some kind of important test. “Right,” said the Doctor breaking eye contact. “I have a plan, well almost a plan. It’s very nearly a plan at any rate…”
**
Mycroft stood next to the blue box, it seemed impossible, everything he’d seen today. Oh he’d read the reports from Torchwood and UNIT, but even knowing the facts hadn’t prepared him for the reality. He looked up at the stars, he felt small in a way he hadn’t felt since he was a child.
“There are thousands of things up there,” said the Doctor behind him. “Terrible, wonderful, indescribable things. Some of them hate you, some of them want to control you, or eat you, or just kill you. The vast majority of them don’t care about you in the slightest.”
The Doctor stood next to Mycroft staring up at the same patch of sky. Mycroft had the unusual sensation of not knowing what to say.
“Caring,” continued to Doctor gravely. “Is absolutely the only advantage the human race will ever have. To be able to care, even when it’s stupid, especially when it’s stupid.”
He tipped his head to the side and grinned at Mycroft. Just then John and Rory came out of 221’s front door, chatting and swapping stories, both of them smiling easily. Mycroft turned to watch them cross the road.
“Two of the most powerful beings I know,” said the Doctor softly in his ear. “Because they care, so easily, about everyone. Even I struggle with that.”
“I liked Harriet Jones,” said Mycroft just as softly. “She was an excellent PM.”
The Doctor looked at his feet. “She cared,” he said without raising his head. Mycroft felt like maybe he’d scored a point, but he didn’t feel very good about it.
Amy and Sherlock followed Rory and John a few steps behind and their voices carried in the night air.
“Okay,” said Amy. “Do another one.”
Sherlock had a completely self-satisfied smirk on his face. “You took two, possibly three, violin lessons when you were twelve. You hated them. You told your mother your imaginary friend stole your violin.”
“No way!” exclaimed Amy. “There’s no way you knew that! Rory must have told you…”
“Do come along Pond!” called the Doctor. “We have places to go.”
Rory and John shook hands; Rory offered his hand to Sherlock who just raised an eyebrow in return. Rory withdrew his hand nervously and cast a look towards John. Amy just rolled her eyes and hugged Sherlock fiercely. Sherlock looked deeply uncomfortable; John had to stifle a smile with his hand.
“I’ll work out how you did that, just see if I don’t,” she promised pulling Rory along with her into the TARDIS. The Doctor shook first Sherlock’s then John’s hands enthusiastically.
“Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson,” he said with a chuckle. “Keep up the good work!”
The next thing Mycroft knew he was enveloped in a huge time lord shaped hug. “Mycroft Holmes. Stop trying to be such a grown-up all the time,” said the Doctor then he was in the TARDIS and the box faded from view.
Mycroft was left on the side of the road with his brother and John who both appeared to be trying to out-grin each other. John was a few seconds from outright giggles. Mycroft gathered up every little bit of dignity he could as his car pulled up next to them.
“Goodnight Gentleman,” he said climbing into the car and letting it speed him away.