Scarlet Letters
Title: Scarlet Letters
Fandom: Sherlock Holmes
Characters: S. Holmes, J. Watson, Mrs. Hudson
Table: Five
Prompt: Prompt #17. Threat
Word Count: 479 Words
Rating: G
Summary: "The message had been written with ink so red it looked like fresh blood."
Author's Notes: Will probably write a sequel to this one at some point in the future. Also, this story has absolutely nothing to do with kcscribbler's FINA/EMPTY AU trilogy, I swear.
Drop the case or you will regret it.--JM
The message had been written with ink so red it looked like fresh blood.
Even though he knew full well what would be done to make him regret if he continued with the case, Sherlock Holmes would not drop this case.
He could not allow his emotions to get in the way, not even once.
Protecting his friend from harm by obeying the demands of this murderer would only open the door for other criminals to do the same. Some might even skip sending a warning letter and jump straight to kidnapping the doctor, or worse.
So what was he going to do? He had to do something to protect Watson, to prevent this murderer from carrying out his threat.
The sound of footsteps on the stairs below alerted him to the coming of Mrs. Hudson with breakfast.
"You are going to eat, Holmes," growled the occupant of the other armchair.
"I am on a case, Watson," objected Holmes. "Digesting our landlady's cooking will only serve to interfere in its prompt solution."
"Not digesting it will result in the same outcome, Holmes," Watson shot back. "You haven't eaten a single morsel for nearly three days straight."
Further words between them went unsaid with the arrival of Mrs. Hudson.
"Now, Mister Holmes, you must at least have some of this lovely toast," she declared as she laid out the breakfast things. "Or I will find some way of making you eat."
Her threat was punctuated with a glare that dared Holmes to give her the opportunity to follow through on her words.
Holmes didn't give her that chance, wisely deciding to eat, if only to avoid the embarrassment that her threat would entail for him.
After Mrs. Hudson had left them to their breakfast, Watson asked, "May I ask you something about this case, Holmes?"
A little disconcerted by the doctor's request, Holmes said it was fine by him.
"When were you going to tell me that the murderer was sending you threatening letters?"
If Holmes had had any theories about what Watson had wanted to ask him about, none of them would have involved the letters. He hadn't even been aware that Watson knew about their existence!
"I had hoped to avoid mentioning them at all to you," Holmes shamefully admitted.
"How many times do I have to tell you--" Watson began, but Holmes cut him off.
"I haven't even come up with a satisfactory way of keeping you out of danger, Watson," Holmes interjected. "I am not going to drop this case, even if I was able to."
"Is my life worth so little to you?" Watson demanded as Holmes took a bite of toast.
The detective nearly choked on his toast at the doctor's words.
"Do you think that I don't want to drop this case!?" he snarled.
'Fall' has been moved. You can find it here.
Fandom: Sherlock Holmes
Characters: S. Holmes, J. Watson, Mrs. Hudson
Table: Five
Prompt: Prompt #17. Threat
Word Count: 479 Words
Rating: G
Summary: "The message had been written with ink so red it looked like fresh blood."
Author's Notes: Will probably write a sequel to this one at some point in the future. Also, this story has absolutely nothing to do with kcscribbler's FINA/EMPTY AU trilogy, I swear.
Drop the case or you will regret it.--JM
The message had been written with ink so red it looked like fresh blood.
Even though he knew full well what would be done to make him regret if he continued with the case, Sherlock Holmes would not drop this case.
He could not allow his emotions to get in the way, not even once.
Protecting his friend from harm by obeying the demands of this murderer would only open the door for other criminals to do the same. Some might even skip sending a warning letter and jump straight to kidnapping the doctor, or worse.
So what was he going to do? He had to do something to protect Watson, to prevent this murderer from carrying out his threat.
The sound of footsteps on the stairs below alerted him to the coming of Mrs. Hudson with breakfast.
"You are going to eat, Holmes," growled the occupant of the other armchair.
"I am on a case, Watson," objected Holmes. "Digesting our landlady's cooking will only serve to interfere in its prompt solution."
"Not digesting it will result in the same outcome, Holmes," Watson shot back. "You haven't eaten a single morsel for nearly three days straight."
Further words between them went unsaid with the arrival of Mrs. Hudson.
"Now, Mister Holmes, you must at least have some of this lovely toast," she declared as she laid out the breakfast things. "Or I will find some way of making you eat."
Her threat was punctuated with a glare that dared Holmes to give her the opportunity to follow through on her words.
Holmes didn't give her that chance, wisely deciding to eat, if only to avoid the embarrassment that her threat would entail for him.
After Mrs. Hudson had left them to their breakfast, Watson asked, "May I ask you something about this case, Holmes?"
A little disconcerted by the doctor's request, Holmes said it was fine by him.
"When were you going to tell me that the murderer was sending you threatening letters?"
If Holmes had had any theories about what Watson had wanted to ask him about, none of them would have involved the letters. He hadn't even been aware that Watson knew about their existence!
"I had hoped to avoid mentioning them at all to you," Holmes shamefully admitted.
"How many times do I have to tell you--" Watson began, but Holmes cut him off.
"I haven't even come up with a satisfactory way of keeping you out of danger, Watson," Holmes interjected. "I am not going to drop this case, even if I was able to."
"Is my life worth so little to you?" Watson demanded as Holmes took a bite of toast.
The detective nearly choked on his toast at the doctor's words.
"Do you think that I don't want to drop this case!?" he snarled.
'Fall' has been moved. You can find it here.