After Serbia (Mystrade- BBC Sherlock) Ch 10/10

[cally]

Hip hip hooray! An update! I love caring, bossy Gregory paired with grumpy, sneezy Mycroft. And Gregory knowing when Mycroft is trying to hold back his sneezing. A lovely picture of intimacy you painted. Clearly Gregory has nursed him through many a cold/illness by this time. I wonder what that was like the first time. Do you think he was as caring as is he is in this story? Or did it take him a bit to realize a Holmes does nothing by halves, including being sick?

I love your stories. They are a welcome distraction. I await the final chapter.

Awww thank you so much! I'm pretty sure Gregory was just as caring now as he was then, although it probably took him some time to get used to Mycroft's particular quirks.

Yippee!!! Bossy!Greg is Awesome! Poor miserable Mycroft. I love them sooo much!

thank you.

And here we have the last chapter. All in all, I would love to go back and re-write this entire thing the way I had planned. Somehow I sort of lost the plot somewhere along the way and wasn't entirely pleased with it overall. But it's done and I hope to get back to writing drabbles in the new year.

Chapter 10

Mycroft was dreaming. He knew he was dreaming, but there was little he could do to escape from the brutal harshness of it. He was wielding the whip, his arm raised, his upper lip snarled. He saw the muscles in Sherlock’s back tense; he was so painfully thin that they stood out more than usual. He was about to bring his arm down . . . .

He woke up gasping for air, clutching the duvet for dear life. His lungs felt as if they were on fire and he coughed harshly, the spasms wracking his body.

When Mycroft finally stopped coughing, an abrasive, barking sound, he reached for the glass of water on the nightstand with a trembling hand. He barely managed to swallow without the water getting everywhere. He put the glass down and took a deep breath in through his nose, which was difficult with the level of congestion still present. Still, he knew he needed to quell the rising panic while he was able to.

He began to breath slowly and deeply through his nose and out his mouth, all while attempting to get his traitorous body to stop shaking. He did not want Gregory to see him like this, and it was increasingly likely that his partner would be checking on him, and soon. He opened the bedside table drawer and pulled out a small oak box. He removed a blister pack of pills from within and dry swallowed the small tablet and returned the box to its resting place. Now he just needed to stay calm. Mycroft breathed deeply as he could, forcing his tense muscles to relax.

He took another deep breath and . . .

Heh’NGISH! Hng’ISSH!

A pair of wet, messy sneezes exploded from him, more from his mouth than from his nose due to the fact that his nose was completely clogged. Disgusted, Mycroft quickly grabbed a handful of tissues. He barely got them up to his nose and mouth before another pair knocked him forward.

Hehhhhhh………NNNG’SHHHHH! Gn’TNSGH’SHHHH!

Grimacing, he cleaned himself up, depleting the box of tissues in the process. Mycroft was just tossing them in the bin when Gregory came in with a tray.

“I trust this tea is not drugged, Gregory?” Mycroft muttered congestedly, hoping that Gregory didn’t notice anything was amiss. Sarcasm was often such an appropriate defense.

Gregory made a wry face. “It was the only way I could get you to get some rest. I knew the second my back was turned you’d be down in your office dealing with some crisis or another. “ He put the tray down and passed Mycroft the box of tissues.

Mycroft nodded his thanks; Gregory must have noticed the haze of sneezy anticipation that had crossed his features. He plucked a few and buried his aquiline nose into them as the thick and heady sneezes made themselves known.

INGH’ish! Heh’INGTISH! Heh’TSSSCHH!—ISH!

“God bless you, love.”

Mycroft managed a brief nod before tucking his head down and away once more.

Hehhh . . . . ING’SHHHHH! Gn’ingxxishhh!

“And again.”

Mycroft looked up, teary eyed and worn down as Gregory joined him by sitting on the bed. Gregory squeezed his knee and wished there was more he could do besides tea and sympathy.

Mycroft took another moment to blow his nose as best as he could. “Thank you,” he finally stated. He plucked out another tissue and dabbed at his reddened nostrils. “You are probably correct about the rest. I do feel slightly better.”

Gregory gave him a broad grin. “I should hope so, you were out for the better part of four hours.”

Mycroft raised an eyebrow, but didn’t say anything; he knew Gregory was correct. He reached over and picked up his mug of tea and took a soothing sip. He then leaned back against the headboard and rubbed his irritated nostrils distractedly.

Taking in Mycroft’s appearance, Gregory frowned. “Is your nose still bothering you?”

Mycroft rolled his eyes. When wasn’t his nose a terrible bother? The annoying irritation had returned tenfold and he pinched his nostrils in between his thumb and index finger. His eyes fluttered shut in ticklish anticipation.

Gregory had to pause to rub his own nose, as a sympathetic tickle of his own had appeared, before he passed a handful of tissues over to his lover.

Mycroft could do nothing but press them to his chapped nostrils. He gave a wheezing, hitching breath and angled his body away from Gregory as best as he could before succumbing.

Hehhhhhh………NNNG’SHHHHH! Gn’TNSGH’SHHHH! TISSSSHH! TNSGH’SHHHH! ING’MMFPTIGHshhhh! Hng’ISSH-OOO!

“Christ! God bless you, love,” Gregory gasped out before he clamped a loose fist up to his nose, sneezing loudly.

Huh’HuhhrahhhSHHhooo!

Mycroft’s eyes widened in shock and surprise. “And God bless you, my dear.” He studied his partner carefully but could see nothing more than a sympathetic reaction and no sign of illness.

“Sorry,” Gregory said, with a sniff. “And thank you,” he added.

Dabbing at damp nostrils, Mycroft smiled softly. “You’re welcome. I daresay I owe you quite a few in return at this point,” he said, clearing his throat against the congestion.

Gregory chuckled. “You know I don’t mind.”

Mycroft sniffled wetly, cringing. He didn’t understand how Gregory put up with him, but that was definitely a question and a conversation for another time, he thought as his breath hitched again.

Huhhhhhhh-ING’SHHHHH! ING’MMFPTIGHshhhh! Heh’TISSSSHH! Gn’TNSGH’SHHHH!

“Oh love. God bless you again.” Gregory frowned.

“Mmm. Thank you,” Mycroft murmured, snuffling into his handful tissues.

“You’re welcome.” He paused a moment. “ Will you eat something?” Gregory asked, gesturing to the tray. It was just crumpets and fruit, because he knew Mycroft’s appetite was the first thing to go when he was unwell.

Mycroft eyed the tray suspiciously, but selected a section of Satsuma all the same. He ate a few segments and half of a crumpet before he was completely full. He finished his tea and sank back against the pillows, reaching out and squeezing Gregory’s hand.

“Thank you, my dearest heart. I do not deserve you,” Mycroft said with a sigh.

Gregory removed the tray and put it on the dresser and then sat back down next to his partner. “Better?” He asked hopefully.

Despite himself, Mycroft was feeling marginally better; at the very least the panic had ebbed away. He nodded. “Yes, a bit better now, thank you,” he sniffed.

He could not wait until he was fully recovered so he could show his Gregory how much he appreciated him. And maybe then he could finally come clean to his partner about the anxiety and what happened in Serbia, he thought as Gregory put his arm around him and pulled him close. Mycroft settled against his chest, content for the time being.

[AngelEyes]

“I trust this tea is not drugged, Gregory?” Mycroft muttered congestedly, hoping that Gregory didn’t notice anything was amiss. Sarcasm was often such an appropriate defense.

Awww. Touchy.

Taking in Mycroft’s appearance, Gregory frowned. “Is your nose still bothering you?”

Mycroft rolled his eyes. When wasn’t his nose a terrible bother? The annoying irritation had returned tenfold and he pinched his nostrils in between his thumb and index finger. His eyes fluttered shut in ticklish anticipation.

This is just so much wonderful.

You made my New Year's Eve. I love this. I will also love more drabbles. So much Love!!!

[Subtly Clashing Wishes]

Awww, a sweet, comfortable ending.

I understand what you mean by having lost track of the plot. I can see how this story could have gone in many different directions at several points. I enjoyed it as a sick fic with lots of comfort and caring. I suspect other readers did as well. If you are struck with a bolt of clarity on some of the other issues raised, you can add an epilogue. No worries!

I'm looking forward to your forthcoming drabbles. Happy New Year!

[matilda3948]

Such an awesome start to the New Year!!! I've loved this story from the very beginning. Wonderful stuff!

[Shamaël]

Okay, so I know this is an old story but...SCW advised me to read it (after a Mystrade discussion) and I'm not disappointed! This is awsome. Angsty (I like it!!!), with a character analysis (I love it!!!). Mycroft is my favorite just after Sherlock and I really like when authors manage to show him helpless without being out of character - and that's what you have done perfectly! I like your drabbles very much, but you are very good at writing a longer story. Bravo!!!

Edited December 6, 2016 by Aliena H.