#slow horses fanfiction

[lilacsnid]

𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 | 𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘹 𝘧𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳

𝙎𝙐𝙈𝙈𝘼𝙍𝙔: Y/N is leaving work from Slough House rather late one evening and passes River's office to find him still sitting at his desk. She persuades him to not be so uptight & to come have a drink with her at the pub. She learns a bit more about him that night - including the fact that River Cartwright is a massive lightweight.

𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙨: she/her pronouns used, some dialogue in this fic is from slow horses season one, mentions of sexualization/slut shaming, fluff, river being a precious baby. in a world of boys, river cartwright is a gentleman.

𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙨: this is a work of fiction; any names, characters from slow horses, places & incidents will either be a product of my imagination or used fictionally (5.8k words)

✘ ✘ ✘ ✘

Y/N sighed heavily as she finally managed to shut her computer down for the day, feeling the strain in her shoulders. She rubbed her temples, squinting tiredly as she began gathering all of her belongings together. She had opted in staying back a couple of hours to complete some paperwork, wanting to ensure that Catherine wouldn't be burdened with it in the morning. She switched off the lamp on her desk before making her way out of the office she shared with Louisa.

On her way out of the building, a faint glow caught her attention, causing her to stop in her tracks. Intrigued, she followed the light down the hallway that led to River and Sid's shared office.

She had initially assumed that she was the last one in the building, yet she was proven wrong when she peeked through the glass window and spotted River sat at his desk, bathed in the soft glow of his computer screen.

He leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed and a discernible frown etched on his face as he remained absorbed in whatever was on his computer. The black earphones that were placed in his ears suggested to her that he was engrossed in watching something.

His tousled blonde hair fell over his forehead, and in the faint lighting, his normally bright blue eyes appeared darker and wearier than usual. Y/N couldn't help but notice the fatigue evident in his slow blinks as his attention remained fixed on the glowing screen in front of him.

A soft sigh escaped her lips as she moved towards the door. Leaning against the frame, she took a moment to watch him, wondering if he would notice her presence eventually. Unsurprisingly, he remained completely oblivious, engrossed in whatever he was watching. 

Biting her lip, Y/N’s eyes quickly scanned around the room before grabbing a book from a nearby shelf. With another quick glance at him and a mischievous smile, she slammed the book down on the table near the door, creating a harsh noise that cut through the silence.

The abrupt sound drew River's attention like a magnet, his eyes snapping up from the computer screen. Despite the initial harshness, his gaze softened slightly once he spotted her in standing in the doorway. 

“Fuck,” He sighed, reaching up to take his earphones out.

Y/N tried to suppress a giggle as she held her hands up in defence.

 "Sorry," She apologised, taking in his slightly dishevelled state. "What are you still doing here?"

He met her gaze, taking in a deep breath in. "Just... sorting through some stuff."

“Such as?” She questioned, crossing her arms and giving him a skeptical look.

"None of your business," He shot back, a hint of sarcasm underlying in his voice.

She rolled her eyes at him before pushing herself off the door frame, sauntering over to where he sat at his desk. River rubbed his hands over his face, attempting to massage away the aches as he sensed her starting to make her way over to him.

“Seriously though, it’s 8:00pm,” She remarked, scrunching her eyebrows as she stood next to him. She leant back against his desk as she faced him. “I thought Lamb was the only one who practically lives here. Don’t you have a home to go to?”

He let out a small, sarcastic and dry laugh, leaning back in his chair to face her. “Says the one who is literally sitting on my desk. You should ask yourself the same thing.”

“God, you’re hard work,” She sighed, throwing her head back in annoyance.

“All right,” He sighed, shooting her a look that she couldn't quite place. “What’s your excuse for being here after hours, then?”

She crossed her arms as she spoke, “I finished up some extra paperwork from today so Catherine wouldn’t be swamped with it in the morning.”

“Wow,” River drawled out, fiddling with his earphones, “What do you want? A medal? Pat on the back?”

She groaned at his teasing. “You know what? I would settle for anything other than that contemptuous look you always have on your face.”

His face scrunched up as he squinted at her. “That’s a big word, Y/N. You sure you know what that means?”

She shook her head at him, sighing in defeat after attempting to lighten his mood.

“God, lighten up, Cartwright,” She quipped, reaching out to playfully tap her hand against his leg, “This whole 'I hate the world' attitude you’ve got going on is really starting to piss me off.”

“Well, any time you wanna leave, feel very free,” He joked, gesturing towards the door while still holding a straight face. “You know the way out.”

She shot him a pointed look, shaking her head as he raised his eyebrows at her.

“What? You planning on staying here all night?” He asked, challenging her.

“Nope, I give up,” She scoffed while standing up properly and began making her way towards the door. “I might go for a drink somewhere.”

River swivelled on his office chair, raising his eyebrows slightly as he nodded.

“Thanks for the invite,” He muttered, a hint of disappointed in his tone.

She rolled her eyes at him as she turned back on her heels to glance at him, “This is me inviting you, idiot.”

His eyes shot up at her words, making him tilt his head in surprise. He tried to act like he wasn’t flattered by the request and maintained a carefree expression in hopes she wouldn’t notice.

“You know what? I think I would rather sit here in the dark all night, thanks all the same,” He countered, pulling himself closer to the desk and picking up his earphones.

“River Cartwright, ladies and gentlemen,” Y/N mumbled, loud enough for him to hear. “Hard working MI5 agent but always the prude.”

He crossed his arms at her and raised his eyebrows, “A prude? I am not.”

“Oh, you’re not?” She questioned, walking back up to his desk and leaning over it from the front, maintaining eye contact with him. Her eyes took him in as she tapped her fingers on the desk. “Then prove it.”

He held eye contact with her as he inhaled deeply, trying to refrain from letting his gaze wander up her body.

✘ ✘ ✘ ✘

The two of them left Slough House, making their way a few minutes down the road to her favourite pub. She crossed her arms over her chest as River walked alongside her with his hands casually tucked into the pockets of his corduroy jacket.

As she walked beside him, she glanced up at River as he managed to catch her eye. 

"What?" He inquired, his face deadpan.

She shook her head as a small smile slowly creeped onto her lips. "Didn't think you would actually come."

"Yeah, well," He was quick to respond, "Maybe that’s because I'm not actually a prude."

She shrugged playfully, "Could have fooled me."

"You're unbelievable," He groaned, looking down at the cobblestone path beneath their feet as he shook his head. 

“You love it when I’m hard on you,” A chuckle escaped her as she bumped her arm against his. She briskly rubbed her hands together, a futile attempt to ward off the chill that lingered the air around them.

After strolling for a few more minutes, they finally reached the pub, the welcoming glow drawing them in. River stepped in front of her, gracefully swinging the door open and gesturing for her to step inside before him.

"Thank you," She breathed out, revelling in the comforting warmth that enveloped her as they entered, the gentle sound of conversation buzzing around them.

River took in the ambiance of the place to where she had brought him and sidled up beside her as they approached the bar. She watched as he glanced over her shoulder and leaned down slightly so she could hear him over the chatter, “What would you like?"

She was caught off guard and opened her mouth in surprise. "Oh, you're buying me a drink?"

He nonchalantly nodded, pulling his wallet from his back pocket. "Yeah. What, would you rather I didn't?"

She chuckled, "Hey, no complaints here. I'll have a beer, please."

River shot her a playful glance, eyebrows raised as he tapped his fingers on the marble counter. "Wow, you're cheap."

Feigning offense, she gasped and playfully slapped his arm while shooting him a pointed look. He scoffed, rubbing his bicep for a moment as he glanced around. "Want to find a table? I'll bring the drinks over."

"Alright," She nodded, gracefully moving away as her eyes scanned the pub.

She soon spotted a snug corner table nestled towards the back of the pub and made her way over there. Taking a seat, she placed her bag beside her on the floor. As she settled into the chair, she let out a content sigh, not being able to resist stealing a glance over at River, who still lingered at the bar.

A subtle smile played on her lips as she watched him. His tall figure leaned casually against the bar, and she couldn't deny the particular kind of allure about his presence. Unbeknownst to River, his attractive good looks were well-known among those in the service. Despite his inclination to act as if the world were perpetually against him, she couldn't help but acknowledge the undeniable charm he possessed.

She reached for the hair tie around her wrist, skilfully securing her hair into a casual half-up, half-down style just as River approached the table with their drinks. Glancing up at him, she found him holding a beer in one hand and a whiskey in the other.

"Of course, you’re a whiskey drinker, how original," Y/N teased, her eyes bright with amusement as he set the glasses down on the table.

River let out a sigh, "You’ve always got something to say, don't you? Give me a break."

She chuckled and thanked him as he placed down her drink. However, as he set it on the table, she couldn't help but notice his hand – red and showing signs of a recent burn. Her eyes widened, a tinge of concern in her voice as she looked up at him, "What happened to your hand?"

He closed his eyes momentarily, a slight groan escaping his lips. He had attempted to keep his injured hand discreetly tucked away in his pocket, but it seemed he was now unable to let it escape her notice.

"Nothing, just," He began, then stalled for a second as he settled into the chair across from her, scrambling for a quick excuse, "Burned it on a grill."

Her head tilted inquisitively, and she shot him a pointed look, "Yeah right. So, are you going to tell me what actually happened?"

He let out a heavy sigh, his long fingers wrapped around his glass, deliberately avoiding eye contact. He could feel her gaze burning through him, making him shift uncomfortably in his seat.

After a brief moment of silence, he noticed her extend her hand, a silent request for him to reveal his injured hand that he was still trying to hide. He met her expectant gaze with a sigh and a sense of defeat as he reluctantly extended his hand towards her. With a gentle motion, she cradled his hand in both of hers, taking notice of the subtle tremor that seemed to steady in her grasp. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself softly at the size difference between her delicate hands and his own.

As she studied his hand with a caution, he found himself completely captivated by her focused attention. Strands of her hair fell over her face, framing a look of concentration. His eyes remained fixed on her while she examined his hand.

"Did it hurt?" She asked, her tone careful.

He felt her fingers tracing patterns on the skin of his palm, causing him to lose his train of thought for a second. 

"No. Well, yeah, a bit," He admitted, with a sheepish glance.

She nodded, letting go of his hand to reach for her drink. "Yeah, I guess opening a flash box without the code will do that."

A quizzical look crossed his face as he glanced at her. "I never told you that."

"You didn't have to," She responded, taking a sip of her beer.

River scoffed softly, shaking his head. It seemed as though she had him all figured out.

"Why would you even do that? You are many things, but I didn't think you were stupid," She teased, arching her eyebrows as he met her gaze again.

"It's nothing to worry about," He dismissed, waving her off as he took another sip of his whiskey.

Y/N observed him for a moment, her gaze following the amber liquid as it passed his lips.

"What was in the box?" She couldn't resist asking.

River sighed, briefly glancing behind her before answering, "A laptop. With files taken from Robert Hobden."

She nodded knowingly, "Do The Park know that you opened a flash box?"

"No," He briskly shook his head, "And they aren't going to find out, are they?"

She shook her head in response, a silent confirmation of her discretion. He appreciated the unspoken trust they seemed to share between them.

"Was it worth opening a flash box over?" She teased, a playful smile tugging at her lips.

"Stop interrogating me, okay? Can we just not talk about it right now?" River redirected, tapping his glass with his pointer finger. "I thought you dragged me here to get away from work."

"I didn't drag you here," She chuckled. "And if you feel trapped here, you know the way out," a hint of jest in her voice as she playfully repeated his words from Slough House earlier.

He huffed at her, "Touché."

"I'll drop it," Y/N promised, lifting her glass again. "But you know I'll grill you about it later."

He nodded, letting out a scoff at the pun she managed to slip in. "Oh, I know you will."

They settled into a comfortable silence for a minute, during which River studied her again. Sensing his gaze, she looked across at him quizzically before asking, "What?"

Biting his lip, he contemplated the question that nagged at him in the back of his mind. Deciding to bite the bullet, he took a short breath in, leaning against the table on his elbows as he crossed his arms. "Why are you here, Y/N?"

She shot him a confused look, "Uhm-"

"Not at the pub," He corrected himself in a teasing manner, "At Slough House."

She sighed, "I thought Slough House was like prison. You're not supposed to ask what you're in for."

He sensed her attempt to sidestep the question, but it didn't seem to stop him. His curiosity got the better of him and he couldn’t deny the subtle soft spot he harboured for her, something in which he often struggled to hide.

"Well, you know why I'm there," River stated.

"Yeah, but everyone knows why you're there," Y/N countered with a smile.

She laughed as he rolled his eyes, "I was gonna give you a compliment, but you can shove it now," He said, looking unamused.

"Suit yourself," She smiled, finding amusement in how easily she could tease him, "I get enough flattery from everyone else."

"But that's what I mean," River said softly, "Everyone can see that you're different. Because you are."

She glanced up at him, a gentle smile gracing her lips before she looked down again, avoiding his intense gaze.

"I mean," He continued, breaking the intensity of his gaze, "Min, Struan, Roddy—maybe not Louisa, but definitely Moody. They were always headed for the skids. They're useless. But you're…"

She looked up at him again as his words trailed off, and they shared a momentary glance, one with an unspoken meaning as River continued to speak.

"You know," He breathed, shaking his head slightly, "It just doesn't make sense. But whatever the reason for being put in Slough House, it must have come out of nowhere, right?"

She chuckled softly, taking a swig of her drink, "Always the MI5 agent, hey?"

"Sorry," He apologized, backtracking, "I'm just letting my thoughts do the talking. You don't have to tell me. It's your business."

"No, it's okay," Y/N smiled, but he watched it quickly fade as her mind ticked over. "Yeah, it did come out of nowhere."

She took a deep breath before continuing, "I was put in Slough House because of a rumour about me, that wasn't even true, got spread around at The Park."

"What kind of rumour?" River asked, dumbfounded.

"Wow," She expressed surprise, "I'm surprised you haven't heard about it already."

He gestured for her to continue, giving her his full attention.

"Someone came onto me, rather forcefully, one day at the office. And because I turned him down, it hurt his feelings. He couldn't accept it, so the next day, he went around to all of his mates at the office, telling them that I was a slut and that I basically begged him for it. His mates then proceeded to tell everyone at Regents Park, which marked me down massively. No one would even look at me after that. And because everyone took his word as gospel, I was shipped out to Slough House," Y/N explained, her emotions surfacing as she spoke the truth she had tried to bottle up for so long.

River was shocked to his core. The revelation left him not only astonished but also infuriated at how someone could do that to someone as honest and kind-hearted as her.

"I’m so sorry," He consoled.

She shrugged nonchalantly, attempting to downplay the impact, but he could sense that it bothered her deeply. Understandably so.

"I heard you worked at The Park," He said, before pressing further, "Was it anyone I know?"

Y/N stayed silent for a moment before nodding, releasing a sigh, "It was Webb."

River raised his eyebrows before scrunching them together in a frown, "Spider?!"

"Yep," She replied curtly, downing the rest of her drink.

He scoffed in disbelief, finding yet another reason to dislike James Webb. "What a dickhead. How is it that he is able to get away with something like that? It's bullshit."

She nodded, "Yeah, it was shitty. But I got my revenge on him."

He shot her a pointed look, "What do you mean?"

"I'm not usually the petty type..." Her voice trailed off as she glanced down at the table.

"Oh, come on," River encouraged her, "What did you do?"

Biting her lip, she tried to hide her smile, "On my last day at The Park, I broke into his office while he was at a meeting and went through his computer. I wasn't even looking for anything in particular. But then I found some rather revealing pictures he had of himself. So, being as pissed off as I was at the time, I sent them as an email to everyone in the building. I did it in a way that no one could trace it back to me."

River couldn't stop himself from bursting into laughter, hastily covering his mouth as he began to worry he was making too much noise.

"That is priceless," He chuckled, "Who is dumb enough to even have photos like that when working in the service? Let alone on your work computer."

"Clearly Spider," She grinned, propping her chin onto her palm.

River's laughter eventually subsided, but his smile remained, "So he never found out?"

She shook her head, "Nope. But I'm sure he won't forget it anytime soon."

"I saw him today while dropping something off at The Park," He said, thinking out loud, "I should have knocked his lights out."

"Can't change anything now," She said, "Just gotta keep moving forward."

He glanced at her, shooting her a sympathetic but genuine smile.

His chair scraped across the wooden floor as he stood up to go and get another drink, "You're one of the good ones, Y/N L/N," River smiled, tapping her shoulder as he walked past her and made his way over to the bar.

✘ ✘ ✘ ✘

A couple of hours had drifted by since Y/N and River had first stepped into the pub. Conversation flowed between them quite effortlessly as they both enjoyed the opportunity to unwind outside the confines of Slough House. Y/N decided to grab another drink after her first initial one, opting to nurse the second glass River had kindly bought for her. She observed him from across the table as he indulged in several glasses of whiskey.

She furrowed her brows, finding it quite amusing to witness his demeanour shift from serious to carefree within the span of just a couple of hours.

"You gonna finish that?" River mumbled, eyeing her half-empty glass. Without waiting for her response, he quickly snatched her glass from the table and downed the remaining liquid in one gulp.

She watched him with wide eyes, shaking her head at his audacity. Leaning forward on her elbows, she tapped her finger against the silver watch on his wrist that caught the light, quickly managing to glance at the time herself. "It's late!"

"What? Tired, are you?" River asked, tilting his head at her.

"You should be," She retorted, "It's a school night."

He groaned at her words, screwing his eyes shut at the thought of having to get up for work tomorrow morning while nursing a potential hangover.

She leaned over the table, concern etched on her face. "I think you've had enough, River."

His head suddenly shot up at the use of his name. He narrowed his gaze towards her cheekily before also leaning over the table, mirroring her actions. His eyes very obviously trailed over every inch of her face as he studied her features.

"You never call me River," He whispered, his voice low, unaware of the subtle hitch in her breath caused by the close proximity of their faces.

She shook her head, her reply soft, "I never call anyone River."

"Yeah well," He cleared his throat, "You can thank my mother; it was her hippie phase."

Y/N couldn't help but chuckle as an unfamiliar feeling of warmth washed over her. It felt strange to her to witness River in such a drunken state, considering his usual serious demeanour that he held. She took in the blue of his eyes, the scruff of his beard, the way his hair fell over his forehead—absorbing every detail possible.

He glanced around, taking notice of the nearly empty bar they still sat in before mumbling, "I reckon we should go."

"Good call," She agreed, standing up and pulling her coat back on.

As she grabbed her bag, she watched River skeptically as he slowly rose to his feet. He tapped his jacket a few times, feeling to make sure he still had his keys and his wallet.

The two quietly made their way out of the pub, the cool night air hitting them instantly as they stepped out onto the quiet streets of London. Y/N stood beside River, casting a sidelong glance at him, unable to shake the amusement present from her expression.

"So, reckon you’ll be fine to get home?" She teased him.

He glanced down at her from his tall height as he towered over her, nodding as he swayed on his feet slightly. "Yeah."

"Okay," She smiled up at him, "Thanks for tonight, I'll see you tom-"

But he was quick to cut her off, "Walk with me?"

"Huh?" She questioned him, pulling on her coat tighter around her frame as she craned her neck to look up at him.

River chuckled slightly as he casually shrugged his shoulders. "I wanna keep talking to you, so will you walk home with me?"

Y/N narrowed her gaze at him, reminding herself of the fact that he had managed to drink a whole lot more than her tonight. Without stopping to give it much thought, she found herself nodding and shot him a smile. "Alright, fine."

While they started walking together, side by side,  down the street, River stumbled a bit, causing Y/N to reach out and grab his arm in order to steady him. "Easy there, Cartwright. Don't want you face-planting on the pavement."

"I've got it under control," River assured her, though the grin on his face betrayed a different story.

As they continued walking, she could feel him subtly starting to lean against her small frame slightly. His head was spinning, and to him it felt like he was floating due to the amount of alcohol he had consumed. She stole another glance at him, observing the longer strides he took compared to what he usually would. There was a peculiar bounce in his step, and the usual frown that often adorned his face was long gone which amused her with every passing minute.

"How is it that I'm smaller than you but can hold my alcohol better than you can?" Y/N teased him, leaning against him slightly as the wind crept past them.

"Shut up," He breathed, while shaking his head and licking his lips.

Before long, they arrived at a set of apartments. She stopped in her tracks, watching as River walked ahead of her, towards a flight of stairs. It was only a couple of seconds before he noticed she was no longer following him. He turned around slowly, gesturing towards her with a confused look on his face.

"You coming?" River asked, tucking his hands further into the pockets of his jacket. 

She curled her lips into her teeth, contemplating for a moment before she gave in, starting to follow him up the stairs which led to his apartment. He had slowed his pace down on the steps in front of her as he waited for her to catch up with him.

Once he had felt her place her hands onto his back, he sensed the warmth through the material of his jacket. She carefully guided him up the stairs, her presence a reassuring anchor until he stopped in front of his apartment door. He reached for his keys and fumbled with them, struggling to keep his eyes focused.

Y/N eyed him warily, observing the effects the alcohol had on his coordination. "Hey," She stepped closer to him, and spoke softly, "Give me those."

He chuckled, giving up almost instantly and passed her his keys. They stood close together, their fingers brushing against each other as she grabbed the keys from his hand.

"Which one is it?" She asked, glancing up at him with expectant eyes.

River leaned his head against the brick wall in front of him, turning slightly to look down at his keys before pointing to the right one. "That one."

She chuckled at him, biting her lip in concentration as she unlocked his front door. She could feel his eyes burning a hole into the side of her head, yet she tried to ignore it. As the door creaked open, she held it open for him, maintaining a watchful eye as he stumbled through his entryway. 

His studio apartment was dimly lit, the soft glow revealing the lived-in but tidy space he occupied.

"Alright, Cartwright," She teased, handing him back his keys. "Get some rest and maybe lay off the whiskey next time."

River chuckled, giving her a nod of agreement. "Thanks, Y/N. And thanks for walking with me."

Y/N smiled with a genuine warmth in her eyes. "Well, you did buy me a drink. Consider it payback."

He stared down at her intently as he came to stand in front of her. He drew in a few deep breaths, the sound filling the silence that enveloped his apartment. River narrowed his eyes gently at her as a sheepish grin tugged it way onto his lips.

“What are you looking at?” She asked him, feeling a warmth beginning to appear across her cheeks.

With a nonchalant shrug, he maintained his silence as he simply shrugged his shoulders in response.

Y/N knew she should take her leave, but there was something about him that made her want to stay. He didn’t seem to mind as he tripped over the mat, and he kicked his shoes off. He managed to shrug off his jacket as he made his way over to the bathroom to  brush his teeth.

Deciding to stay, she placed her bag beside the lounge as she let her eyes wander around curiously, absorbing the surprisingly cozy charm of his apartment. The warmth enveloped her, leaving her torn between the sensible impulse to leave and the pull she was feeling that made her want to stay a little while longer.

River emerged from the bathroom, keeping quiet as he sauntered his way to his bed. As he settled down onto the edge of the mattress, he couldn’t help but let out a heavy sigh, a release of tension he seemed unaware of carrying. Y/N approached him slowly, as she tucked her hands into the pockets of her coat, her gaze fixed on him.

“You alright?” She asked him, taking notice of the slump of his shoulders and the  frown on his face that had managed to return.

There was a brief silence that lingered before she pressed on, concern evident in her voice, “What’s up? Hmm?”

She swore she could hear him sniffle slightly and watched as River reached up to run his hands over his face. He soon lifted his head to meet her gaze, shaking his head, a look of weariness etched across his features.

“I just…” He sighed, deliberately trying to hold back, leaving an unspoken weight lingering in the air.

Y/N found herself witnessing a side of him she never would have anticipated – vulnerable, burdened by the weight of emotions he desperately tried to hide. . Without hesitation, she extended a comforting hand, placing it gently on his shoulder. "You can talk to me, you know?" She reassured, offering him with a supportive presence.

River sighed, his gaze remaining heavy and fixed on the floor. "I just want to be actually useful, Y/N. Do something, I mean – I could not be more bored if I tried, and I have actually tried. It feels like I’m drowning there in Slough House."

She listened attentively, allowing him the space to voice the thoughts he'd been holding back. It was clear to Y/N in that moment that opening up like this wasn't something he was accustomed to. He had a perpetual need to prove himself, a persistent desperation that echoed in his words. The weight of expectations seemed to be wearing him down, and the vulnerability he displayed was both unfamiliar and exhausting for someone who typically guarded his thoughts so closely.

“I just feel like a failure, and it’s all my fault,” River murmured, completely defeated, his frustration evident as he began to rub at his eyes with his knuckles.

A brief silence hung in the air before Y/N gently placed both of her hands on his shoulders. "River," She whispered into the quiet, watching as he glanced up at her from where he sat in front of her.

She offered a soft smile once their eyes met. "When was the last time you had a hug?"

He looked away for a moment, genuinely trying to recall the last time he embraced someone. What shocked him was the realization that he genuinely couldn't remember the last time he had been hugged.

“I don’t know,” He mumbled, shaking his head.

Y/N frowned, taking a tentative step closer, as if testing the waters. “Can I hug you?” She whispered.

River nodded, with the word "Please" escaping his lips, quiet and hushed.

Without any hesitation, Y/N stepped forward, closing the gap between them and positioning herself between his legs. Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, she pulled him into a comforting embrace. At first River was initially unsure, but gradually surrendered to the solace of the moment, reciprocating by enveloping her in his arms. His head found a resting place against her stomach, and a contented exhale escaped him as he felt her nails tracing patterns on his back through the fabric of his shirt.

Her perfume acted as a subtle anchor, which grounded him, preventing him from falling apart completely. They lingered in their embrace, the gentle swaying of their bodies providing a soothing rhythm.

“Hey,” She whispered, her hands tracing up the sides of his face, forcing him to look at her, “You’re not a failure, I promise.”

River, too tired and fatigued to muster any words, flashed her a lazy smile as his eyes started to grow heavy. Resting his chin against her stomach, he glanced up at her. The effort to stay awake was a struggle for him, and her thumbs, rubbing soothing circles into his cheeks, only added to the struggle he faced.

“I think I need to sleep,” He mumbled, burying his face against the fabric of her shirt again, savouring the warmth of the hug for a few more precious seconds.

Reluctantly, he pulled away and settled back against the mattress. Y/N observed him, grateful that he was home safely.

"You need anything before I leave?" Y/N offered, lingering near the end of the bed, her gaze briefly caught by the city lights beyond his window.

One of his eyes opened, heavy with drowsiness, as he glanced at her from where he laid. It didn’t take long before he spoke up.

“Stay for a bit?” He asked, his voice sounding small and muffled against the pillows.

Without hesitation, she nodded towards him, slipping off her shoes and coat. Her body dipped against the mattress as she crawled up to the top, leaning against the headboard of his bed. To her surprise, she felt River shift closer, lifting his head to glance at her for a moment.

“Is this okay?” He asked, a vulnerable note in his voice that made her heart surge.

She nodded, motioning for him to come closer. River slumped down beside her, allowing her to hold him. Grabbing a blanket from the end of his bed, she draped it over the top of them. With an arm wrapped gently around his shoulders, she began playing with his soft, blonde hair.

“That feels good,” He hummed in content, draping an arm across her torso. The sensation of being held felt overwhelming to him, but in all the right ways.

As River slowly drifted into a peaceful slumber, Y/N felt his body starting to become heavier against her. In the quiet of his room, the city lights outside casting a gentle glow across his apartment, she continued to hold him, providing the comfort he needed in that vulnerable moment.

©𝙇𝙄𝙇𝘼𝘾𝙎𝙉𝙄𝘿

5801 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨

#jack lowden #jack lowden x reader #river cartwright #river cartwright x reader #river x reader #slow horses fanfiction #river cartwright imagine #apple tv #slow horses #jack lowden imagine #jack lowden imagines

[k-illdarlings]

where is river cartwright fanfics y’all…

#river cartwright #slow horses #river cartwright fic #river cartwright x reader #slow horses fanfiction #river x reader #jack lowden

[donotnomi]

"River is a failure even at ending his life" - fanfiction trilogy

Bear | Shoot an Arrow | River by the River

TW - suicidal attempts, suicidal thoughts, suicidal dark humour

It all began with a dark joke in a Discord chat: "River is so good at failing tasks, he'd probably fail at his own suicide too." The idea was so compelling, so quintessentially River, that all the participants wrote their own variations of this prompt.

BEAR by SuperLizard - When River runs out of energy to muddle through, the last option seems obvious. Jackson Lamb reckons with his own toxicity. The slow horses hunt one of their own.

The wind pulled him to his feet. Everything else was silent. The night was deep and the city had gone to sleep. The river was carrying all the tears of the heavens out to the sea. It would carry him too.

SHOOT AN ARROW by LurrAntsanot - So here he was. Not an Olympian. On a bridge. Staring down. (Did you know there are thirty-five bridges over the Thames in London?)

The only redeeming quality River could name when asked by a discerning judge of character was his heart. And that very heart was exactly why he'd never get what it wanted.

RIVER BY THE RIVER by donotNomi (aka me) - River is determined to end his life, but navigating the logistics of his departure from the world proves unexpectedly challenging.

River's final week of life passed without incident. During breaks, he slipped away, strolling along the banks of the Thames while nibbling on his sandwich, scouting for the perfect location to end his life. A dead spot, he chuckled to himself. When he found himself making dark jokes about his impending suicide, River knew he was mentally prepared.

I'm confident that the one I wrote is the silliest of the three, but Super Lizard and LurrAntsanot argue that it's the most terrifying one. If you read these fics, please let me know your opinion on this matter.

#slow horses #slow horses fanfiction #river cartwright #River cartwrong's wrongdoings #Expanding Slow Horses fandom one silly joke at the expece of poor River a time

[daydreamgoddess14]

First Impressions

MASTERLIST

Ahem. Hi. I've never posted on Tumblr before. Yet here I am with a mad crush on River Cartwright and instead of working all day, I did this. I'm not entirely sure I know how to post on Tumblr so forgive me if this is all kinds of wrong! I'm a grown woman and i haven't written a fictional word in about 15 years so I'm rusty af. If you hate it then that's fine too, it'll just live rent free in my head :)

First Impressions

Rive Cartwright/OFC

Rating: general for now. I might be a smut writer- who knows!

*********

“Ma’am, I think we’ve got a problem?” The nervous desk sergeant wrung his hands as he hovered outside the open plan office door at Aldgate station. “It’s about the fella in the cells. He wasn’t taking the piss, he’s MI5. Well, sort of anyway.” DI Lexie Andrews looked up from her laptop,

“Shit. I’ll be down in 5. Move him to an interview room please. And for godsake remove the cuffs.”

River was bloody freezing, he’d been full of adrenaline – running as fast as his legs would take him when his mark had disappeared and he was left to crash head first into two police officers helping a tourist. Heart pounding, manic eyes and sweating, he certainly hadn’t helped the cause of not getting arrested. And then there was the total lack of I.D. And the gun shoved into the back of his jeans.

Lamb was going to have a field day with this one. He was sat in the cell, legs splayed, elbows on his knees and his head in his hands when the cell door opened with a dull clunk. The young officer who’d booked him in was stood in the doorway with a set of keys.

“If you could come with me sir, we’re just going to one of the interview rooms and I’ll get rid of the cuffs.” Well, that hadn’t taken too long. His watch was sat somewhere in a locker, but he knew he’d only been in the cell for around an hour. The sun, which had been low in the sky when he was arrested, had just settled beneath the horizon.

“You ran my name and prints?”

“Yes sir, all confirmed.”

“So can’t I just go?”

“We’ll just be a couple of minutes, if that’s ok?” the officer looked so earnest, River hadn’t the heart to get too angry. He stood with a sigh and weaved through the dingy grey corridors. Within a couple of minutes, the door which had been left slight ajar was pushed open.

“Mr. Cartwright? Apologies – do you go by agent? I’m DI Lexie Andrews, I’m the only one left to come with the grovelling apology I’m afraid – the officers who arrested you originally have gone back out to a disturbance.”

“River is fine, I get it – no ID, no phone, they had no way to know who I really was. Not thoroughly anyway.”

“Thank you, that’s very gracious. You may not have had a phone, but they certainly did, and they’ll be reminded of that when they get back. It’s not like ‘I’m an MI5 agent’ is a common tactic for avoiding arrest around here.”

“No harm, gave me a chance to get my breath back.” River replied with a wry grin.

“Well, we are forever in your debt – if there’s anything you need from us in terms of feet on the ground, just give me a call.” Lexie slid her card across the table with an additional number handwritten across the top, “that’s my mobile number in case your request falls on deaf ears here.”

“Appreciate it, thank you.” Lexie reached into her back pocket and handed him his watch,

“I think this is all you were booked in with?”

“Yeah, helpfully my ID and phone are back at Slough House.”

“Your gun is locked away, I’ll get Lewis to give it back as you leave. I didn’t realise MI5 have an office over this way to be honest. Do you want a lift back, I’m on my way out anyway?”

“That would be great, not sure I’m ready to run back to be honest.” Lexie smiled,

“You head to the front desk for your gun, and I’ll get my bag.”

********

By the time River was back at Slough House, only Lamb remained upstairs. On hearing the front door, his signature callsign sounded through the building to summon River to the top floor.

“Did you collapse and have a heart attack or something?” he asked as River slumped into the chair across the desk.

“Better than that, I got arrested.”

“How did you manage that, you fucking idiot?”

"Ran into two coppers with my gun and no ID”

“Fucking idiot.” Lamb repeated

“The DI apologised and let me go as soon as she realised. Could be useful to have her as an ally – in case we ever need some help?”

“You fancy her more like,” Lamb scoffed and mimicked a high pitched impression of River, “I’ll just keep her on side in case I want to get my dick wet.”

“You’re disgusting. I’m going home.”

“You didn’t deny it.”

“She was gorg- actually, doesn’t matter. I’m going home. I’m ignoring you.”

“Don’t let that phone number burn a hole in your pocket. You never know when you’ll need an ally”

Lamb cackled as River made a swift exit. “Fucking idiot.”

********

Lexie felt as if she’d been pushed out of the depths of the tube station rather than walking out. She was shoulder barged in a wave of people into the sunlight and at once stood to one side away from the steps. Coffee. It was definitely time for coffee. It had been a few days since she’d driven River back to Slough House. She’d parked outside for a couple of minutes, peering up at the four storey block which had certainly seen better days. It didn’t look like MI5. She’d dropped a couple of texts to old station-mates and had been enlightened to the true purpose of the ‘Aldgate branch’ and discussed the findings with her lesser-spotted flatmate the next night.

“Failed agents. That’s what they are at Slough House. No good for real MI5 – for whatever reason.”

Her flatmate, an A&E doctor, looked up from her first hot meal in three days.

“So, you think you’re meeting James Bond, but he’s actually the poor man’s James Bond?”

“Didn’t look like the poor man’s version” Lexie laughed.

“Did you get his number?” Sophie asked, abandoning her dinner and picking up her wine glass, “what’s his name?”

“No, I was on duty. Besides, that’s a bit… I dunno. His name is River.”

“Modern, empowering? Unusual name. Does he have a surname?”

“Forward. I don’t do forward. I do shy and retiring, don’t put yourself out there, must protect self. What do you need a surname for? Planning to authorise your own background check?”

“Never meet anyone, never enjoy yourself, never open yourself up to new friends and stay alone forever?”

“Sounds like a plan to me,” Sophie raised her eyebrows, “I’m joking. I’m not eternally single. I’m just single at the moment.” Lexie clarified.

“Sounds boring. You need some fun. Surname?”

“What’s with the surname?”

“I’m just curious. You never know when a tall, gorgeous man will turn up in A&E”

“I have two points there, one, I never said he was gorgeous. Two, I need some fun? Said the doctor who works about 80 hours a week and basically lives at the hospital?”

“Ah, but there is a life at the hospital. And spare student rooms to bunk in.”

“With a very beautiful co-worker by any chance?” Lexie challenged.

“Jess and I take whatever time together we can. Would it be nice to go out, go to the theatre or for dinner? Yes, of course. But this is our current reality, so we make the best of it. Speaking of, she’s just about to have a pee break so I’m going to call her and say goodnight.”

“Tell her I miss her, tell her I’ll cook next time your both off. Maybe around 2025? His surname is Cartwright.”

“Is that the time or the year?! I’ll look out for him in A&E. Surely an MI5 agent who manages to get arrested is bound to end up there sooner or later.” Sophie grinned as she disappeared with her phone. Sophie had been long gone by the time Lexie had woken up that morning. Back to three days in a row at the hospital. Lexie made a mental note to text Jess to arrange dinner one night soon. Looking after her friends, who spent their lives looking after others, was her love language and her couple of hours with Sophie had her worried that they were both working too hard. Distracted, she found herself at the front of the queue at the small coffee shop.

********

“Large cappuccino please, to take away.” Lexie glanced around the room. She immediately recognised the tall figure at the window bar, head down in the local paper. He looked a lot fresher than the last time she’d seen him. “Could I also get another of whatever he ordered please? And one of these.” She pointed at a pain au chocolate and waved her phone at the card machine. “Would you mind taking it over to him, I can’t stop.” She smiled widely and disappeared as quickly as she’d arrived. As she passed the window, she saw the waitress put the coffee and pastry in front of River. He looked up in surprise and confusion and as he turned back to the window, he saw Lexie walk past. She tipped her coffee cup in his direction with a smile and was gone before he had a chance to process the encounter.

By mid-afternoon, River was so mind numbingly bored he was sure he could just go to sleep stood up. He’d been researching a new lead all day and his head was ready to explode. He rubbed his eyes and when they’d refocused, he was looking directly at the business card on his desk. He reached for his laptop and punched the name on the card into Google. Old habits – didn’t everyone Google new people when they met them? There were a handful of relevant hits, an entirely private Facebook profile with only the most current profile picture – looking fairly recent – visible, an article from a local newspaper from a couple of years ago with her official comments as the leading DI on the case discussed. Nothing exciting or revealing. He decided to go to the source and picked up his phone, opening Whatsapp.

“Thank you for the fuel this morning – they do the best pastries there. I should probably stop eating them. That or take up running into coppers again.”

A double tick appeared and almost at once went blue. The sign of someone with their phone in their hand already. He wondered what she was doing.

“Please don’t get arrested again. Little Lewis on the front desk might explode. Soon as he found out you weren’t lying about being MI5 you became his idol.”

He chuckled at the eyeroll emoji she’d added. The poor kid had obviously never heard of the rejects department.

“Promise I’ll do my best. I don’t want to disappoint him.”

“I find it hard to believe you’d disappoint anyone.”

Lexie’s colleagues heard her palm make contact with her face from across the room. She screenshotted the short exchange and forwarded the image to Sophie with the caption 'Kill me now. I am literally the worst at this. The worst.' In true solidarity, she received a row of crying-laughing faces in return.

River had just sat back in his chair with a wide grin when the follow up message appeared.

“Professionally I mean.”

He laughed, picturing her wringing her hands and frantically realising how her original message sounded. He made the quick decision to prolong her faux pas and sniggered as he responded.

“I’m far more likely to disappoint on a professional basis than on a personal one. I go out of my way to make sure I don’t disappoint on a personal level.”

It was Lexie’s turn to sit back with a small “oof”. She didn’t have a response to that one which she was almost certain wouldn’t escalate. Shy and introverted or not, she was still a detective. Feeling emboldened, she furiously typed out her response and then turned off the Wi-Fi on her phone.

“I bet you do. I’m sure there are many who would sing your praises.”

River stared at his phone. Was she flirting?!

*********

Two weeks later, with a handful of sporadic and entirely conversational messages exchanged later, River received a message so early in the morning that he wondered if he was the intended recipient.

“Are you around this morning? I need coffee and I could do with not being left alone with my own brain for a little while.”

He frowned and responded straight away. He arrived first at the café he’d been at before – practically equidistant between the Aldgate station and Slough House as it turned out. He got two seats at the window bar with two coffees and croissants. He watched her push out of the crowd from the tube station and cross the road, almost doing a double take. Gone were the jeans and baggy jumper and the messy hair. She had a calf length black wrap dress with the asymmetric hem rising to her knee where the dress tied. The dress had a deep but modest v-neck, and she wore an unbuttoned navy coat the same length as the dress. “Shit.” He whispered as Lexie swept past the window with a small wave and grin. He stood as she met him at the window seat and gestured to the high barstool seat.

“Will you be ok up there? You look lovely. I mean, it doesn’t look like you’re heading to the station?” he stuttered a little. She smelled of fresh air and a heady perfume he didn’t recognise.

“Oh I’m fine, thanks. I’m in court today.” She pulled herself up into the chair. “Not sure these chairs are built for me though.” She blushed. The dress certainly highlighted curves he had noticed before, but now they were unavoidable. The wrap dress exposed more of her legs than she was particularly comfortable with but she adjusted it and reached for her coffee. “I get so nervous when I have to go to court. I just get all worked up and anxious and if I don’t find someone to talk to, I end up with my brain just running away with itself and I get in my own head and start to doubt every decision I made on the case.” She exhaled with a shaky breath. “Sorry, rambling.”

“You’re ok, whatever I can do to help.” River put a reassuring hand on her arm and pushed the pastry towards her. “You should eat. It’ll help. Are you allowed to talk about it, or would you rather talk about something else?”

“I can’t talk about the case. I’ll be a mess. Sorry I called you, my flatmate is working again and it’s not the same being at the station. I need to see someone impartial. Tell me about your work, please?”

The pleading look in her eyes sent River’s stomach somewhere around his knees. He hadn’t seen her in person in the two weeks since his arrest, but his mind somehow kept taking him back to that interview room and the first moment he’d seen her. He started talking about Slough House, about his failed training, his colleagues, Jackson, his grandfather. He didn’t slow down until she visibly relaxed. She’d picked through her croissant and finished her coffee. Her hands had finally stopped shaking and she rewarded him with the biggest smile. “Thank you. So much, I feel loads better.”

“No problem, what time have you got til?” He checked his watch, it was 10am.

“Midday. I’m not sure how long I’ll be on the stand, hopefully just today.”

“Ok, still got some time. Your turn, tell me about your work?” She told him about the last 2 years spent as a DI, the challenges of being a woman in the MET – especially at this point in time, she despaired at not having enough time to focus on cases which she desperately wanted to attend to but couldn’t due to firefighting elsewhere. She spoke so passionately about the sex trafficking ring she was trying to investigate that River nearly signed up to the police there and then. “And how do you feel about these recent cases involving officers?” He asked.

“Awful. I’m lucky enough to have not met anyone like those people. That I know of, anyway. And if I did then I would report them internally. I’m struggling with the fact that there are colleagues out there who probably knew all along and allowed it to continue. No wonder the whole country thinks we’ve got a bad fucking orchard not just a few bad apples.” He raised an eyebrow at her language, he got the feeling that she didn’t just throw around bad language. “I need to go. Thank you for this, I owe you one.” She gave his hand a squeeze and stepped down from the window seat. He hesitated for a second, wondering whether to shake her hand? Hug her? Before his brain could function, she gave him a very brief hug. He just about had time to catch her waist and pull her to him, probably slightly closer than she’d expected. The blush in her cheeks was instant, and as they parted, he noticed that it dipped down into the V of her dress. “Bye River.” She smiled and disappeared. River spent the afternoon at Slough House in serene silence. Shirley was visibly horrified by his good mood, and Catherine was caught completely off guard.

#river cartwright #slow horses #slowhorsesedit #slowhorsesfanfiction #slow horses fanfiction #rivercartwright/ofc

[noforkingclue]

Patching Up (River Cartwright x reader)

Summary: the last thing you were expecting was a beaten up Cartwright to turn up on your doorstep in the middle of the night. But here he was and you had no other choice but to patch him up and to talk

Everything tag list: @greenrevolutionary, @byebyebreezywrites spngingerbread21,  @layazul,  @lov3vivian, @simonsbluee

You groaned softly and turned over in bed, pulling the covers over your head. When you heard your buzzer ring again you knew it wasn’t just some cruel dream. Glancing at your phone you were temporarily blinded by its screen and cursed when you saw it was two in the morning.

Whoever was at your door was going to pay.

Unless it was Lamb in which case you would have to wake up pretty quickly.

“Yes?” you said sleepily as you answered your intercom, silently hoping that it was a prank

“L/n?”

“Cartwright?” you could feel the exhaustion being replaced by anger, “what the fuck do you want?”

“Can I come up?”

“No. Now piss off.”

“Wait! Please, L/n. I… just please.”

You bit your lip as you contemplated what to do next. In your six months at Slough House you didn’t have too much to do with the infamous River Cartwright. Maybe it was because nothing had ever really happened when you had joined. You had heard about their previous ‘adventures’. Roddy in particular was keen to big up his role in them. Lamb had commented that now you had joined everything would go back to the way things should be. His joes back luck charm, if things were to continue how they should.

“Fine,” you said eventually, “but you fucking owe me one.”

You pressed the buzzer to let him in and waited for Cartwright by your open door. You pulled your dressing gown tightly around you and hoped that your angry expression would mask any sort of curiosity. That didn’t last long when you saw Cartwright slowly come up the stairs.

“Fucking hell River,” you said as you ushered him into your flat, “what the fuck happened to you?”

“Guess.”

“Either The Dogs or Lamb.”

“The first one.”

“Fuck.”

Any form of potential violence against him had disappeared at the sight of his bruised and bloodied face. He gave you a small smile and quickly winced as you, gently, pushed him into your kitchen. Once you were sure that your flat was safely locked up (how safe it would be if The Dogs came to get you, you didn’t know) you turned your attention back to your patient.

“I have questions.” you said

“Not surprised.”

“Firstly, what did you do to piss off Duffy this time? Or was it just your general existence that annoyed him.”

River grunted in response so you assumed the latter. You grabbed an ice pack from your freezer and wrapped it in a towel.

“For your black eye,” you said, “hold this against it for about ten or twenty minutes. Should reduce the swelling.”

“I know how to deal with a black eye.”

“Why doesn’t that surprise me? Now, my other questions.”

“Do we have to do this now?”

“Yes,” you grabbed a bowl of warm water and some paper towels, “out of everyone in Slough House, why me? Like I understand not Lamb or Roddy. But you’ve known Lousia and Catherine for longer than me. Marcus, well, I’m sure he’d patch you up but I doubt his wife and kids would appreciate a bloodied spook turning up on their doorstep. As for Shirley…”

You trailed off and shrugged.

“I’d say 50-50 on whether she’d help or just laugh.”

“Thanks.” River said dryly

“You’re welcome.”

River hissed slightly when you wiped at his nose a little harsher than necessary. You gave him a pointed look as you leant against your kitchen table. You tilted his head back and said,

“I don’t think your nose is broken.”

“It’s not.”

“And you should know.”

“Repeating a ‘joke’ from earlier. Running out of material?”

“Not when you’re right in front of me. You provide me with an endless source.”

You frowned when you saw him holding his ribs.

“And your ribs? Are they broken?”

“Don’t think so.”

“You should probably get that checked out.”

River let out a grunt of acknowledgement and you rolled your eyes. That was River for ‘I know you’re right but I’m not going to do that’.

“You still haven’t answered my question.” you said as you continued to clear him up

“Which was?”

“Why did you come to me?”

River bit his lip and looked away. You grimaced when you saw that expression and you knew that getting River to answer that question was going to be a struggle. You tossed a bloodied tissue into the bowl of now pinkish water and sighed.

“Well it’s late,” you said, “so you can crash here tonight. Your shirt is going to need to be chucked in the wash to get the blood out. Sooner rather than later so the blood doesn’t set in but I guess you knew that already.”

You were expecting some quip about you wanting to see him shirtless but none came. You pursed your lips and started to move away when River’s hand shot out and grabbed your wrist. He wasn’t looking at you and he absentmindedly rubbed circles against it.

“I came to you,” he said slowly, “because I trust you.”

Trust.

Trust in your line of work was a dangerous word. You couldn’t help but be surprised at this admission. Trust was something that could be exploited by the wrong people. You weren’t expecting this admission of weakness from River.

“You trust me.”

River glanced up at you and gave you a small smile.

“Yeah, I do.”

“Well, it’s a good thing that I… trust you too. I’ll grab a spare pillow and blanket and you can have the sofa.”

You had almost left the room when River called,

“Oh, and y/n-”

You could practically hear the smirk in his voice and you called back,

“Say what I think you’re going to say and I’ll kick you out!”

#fanfiction #slow horses #reader insert #river cartwright #river cartwright x reader

[velvetcovered-brick]

Chapters: 5/27

Fandom: Bridgerton (TV)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences (rating will change)

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Benedict Bridgerton/Penelope Featherington, Eloise Bridgerton & Penelope Featherington, Benedict Bridgerton & Eloise Bridgerton, Benedict Bridgerton & Daphne Bridgerton

Characters: Benedict Bridgerton, Penelope Featherington, Eloise Bridgerton, Daphne Bridgerton, Violet Bridgerton, Lucy Granville, Henry Granville, Genevieve Delacroix, Anthony Bridgerton, Colin Bridgerton, Portia Featherington, Marina Thompson, Archibald Featherington, Francesca Bridgerton, Gregory Bridgerton, Hyacinth Bridgerton, Simon Basset, Agatha Danbury, Lord Wetherby (Bridgerton)

Additional Tags: Canon Rewrite, Non-Canon Relationship, Slow Burn, Acquaintances to Friends to Lovers, Personal Growth, Benedict Bridgerton/Penelope Featherington Happy Ending, Unrequited Love, The Unrequited Love is Temporary, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Regency, Penelope Featherington Needs a Hug, Strong Penelope Featherington, Coming of Age, communication is key, background canon relationships, Benedict's Rock Collection, Benedict and Eloise discover Penelope is LW from the beginning

Summary:

Benedict's life changed the moment Lady Danbury commanded,

“Follow that Featherington.”

The year is 1813 and Benedict's sister Daphne has just made her debut. He thought he knew how this season would go. Little did he suspect he would stumble on the youngest Featherington daughter's biggest secret.

--

A complete, Benelope canon re-write, starting from S1, Ep1 all the way through season 3.

@writingwhilecaffeinated has blessed us with this canon divergent re-write with Benedict and Penelope! I promise you you won't regret reading this! Check out that word count! 👀👀👀 That chapter count! Its a damn door stop! 👀👀

#bridgerton #fanfic #fanfiction #bridgerton fanfiction #benedict bridgerton #bridgerton fanfic #penelope featherington #benelope #penedict #Benelope canon re-write #canon re-write #canon divergent #slow burn #friends to lovers #coming of age #eloise bridgerton #colin bridgerton #daphne bridgerton #anthony bridgerton #francesca bridgerton #gregory bridgerton #hyacinth bridgerton #violet bridgerton #the featheringtons #marina thompson #henry granville #lucy granville #genevive delacroix #rapscallion the horse #acquaintances to friends to lovers

[randomnerdyfan]

My Slough House mutuals absolutely NEED to read this fic! It’s a slow burn Cartwebb for you! It’s still in progress and I‘m honestly checking AO3 every single day to see if it updates, this fic is giving me LIFE!!!

The author is the awesome @cakebatteronabrickwall , go give them some love and kudos!

#river cartwright #slow horses #freddie fox #jack lowden #mick herron #slough house #spider webb #james spider webb #fanfics #fanfiction #fanfic #ao3 fanfic #ao3 link #fanart #catherine standish #jackson lamb #shirley dander #louisa guy #diana taverner

[sinsiriuslyemo]

Okay, I'm sorry but Jackson Lamb doing a Kevin McCallister in the ransom house is everything

#slow horses #gary oldman fanfiction #gary oldman #s3.e5

[orphicrose]

Fish out of water

(Arthur x OCPirate!Fem!Reader)

My art, don't steal please.

Prologue

Summary : Orphia has to leave her destined life as a pirate behind when she is marooned in America. Losing everything, and having to rediscover how to survive on the earth. Living a new life with little help. Till she falls in with a gang, not being able to bring herself to rejoin the sea and leaving those who she cares for.

! ! This is going to have a decent amount of chapters. I understand that it being long is intimidating for some to read, but despite if no one is interested i will be continuing this as its a passion project of mine. Skip the prologue if you want to! But it is important for the story. I do love a slow burn story with a lot of backstory so I apologise.

Warnings !! Guns, violence, swearing, slight g0re

Words : 3k

-----------------------

The mistress of the Atlantic was a old wives tale, told to children to petrify them into desired behavior. A name whispered in hushed tones across every tavern along the coast. Her true reputation proceeding her, striking justified fear into sailors and merchants alike. Eyes that gleamed with the cold fury of a storm-tossed sea, the embodiment of terror on the high seas. Not because she was a ruthless killer. Because she was a calculated woman, not afraid to teach those a lesson who under estimate her. She was feared for her sudden appearances, and her story. No woman during this time had ever accomplished such control over her men as she had managed, and in the eyes of those who had heard the stories they thought she was a witch. A witch who casted a spell on her crew.

Her uncanny ability to outmaneuver and outsmart her enemies struck a interest in the men she now called her crew. Never a boring day at sea with her. Respect being earnt, and not expected. That's one of the reasons they never left her side, her leadership was like no other. She pulled her weight and ensured the safety in return for their service. Till disaster finally stuck. Her luck sailing to an end.

It was 1890, Orphia had been a pirate captain for almost a decade. Learning from her experiences and growing as a leader. But even when the brightest minds are caught off guard, they can be overthrown.

A freeing breeze whipped through the sails as normal, waves crashing against the solid wood of the black pearl. Blue stretching for miles as the horizon curved at the edge of the earth. "Captain!" a voice hurried from behind her followed by a herd of footsteps. Orphia turned to find her brother, her first hand man. Stood in front of the audience of her crew. "They caught up with us, and they have friends" he pointed to the armed force of army ships a few miles away. The English army had been chasing them for years, they had grown too smart and advanced with their knowledge on Orphias crew.

The battle was short, but it seemed the dawn had caught up with them as the darkening sky came upon them as the deafening raw of dozens of cannons terrified the night. Ships closed in around the black pearl, suffocating it's structure. Orphia had to say goodbye to her life that day. The ship began taking on water fast as the four rival ships battered it beyond repair. Fires not being given the mercy by the salt water, bringing down the sails as they crashed into the deck. Cries for their captains help haunt her mind to this day.

If her brother hadn't pulled her from the burning pits of the crumbling platform, she wouldn't be here. Jumping into the pits of the dark blue below them with nothing but survival in their minds.

She had woken up on a muddy shore, a pistol still tangled in her hands. Sunburnt and covered in seaweed. The crew was scattered on the sea bed along with their former vessel. Determination to reclaim her lost glory was lost along with everything else, except for one other survivor. Enzo had been awake for a lot longer than her, pulling himself along the coast with bruised hands. Looking for his sister. She ran to the body on the floor, looking like a burnt corpse.

His shrapnel wound shifted her priorities to a pure motif of survival. "Am i going to die? Orphia?" his voice was desperate, digging his nails into the dirt next to him.

"Hush. I made a promise to our father that i wouldn't let that happen" she tightened the cloth ,that she ripped from her own shirt, around the bloody mess on the young boys leg. He gritted his teeth together in agony, refusing to let out a noise. "Right..." The pirate pulled the hat off her head, twisting it in her hands to ring out the water. "We need shelter, think you could stand"

The boy looked at her as if she was an idiot, motioning to the blood stained dirt surrounding his limb. "Think for a second. What do you think the answer to that question is?"

Orphia scoffed, her hat landing atop her hair once again. She hoisted the boy up, leaning his full body weight on hers as his arm clutched around her shoulder like a walking stick. "Don't be a smart ass, or I'll leave it here"

Dragging the harmed man through the deep swamps of mud was no easy task, but she managed. The morning sun setting over the Lemoyne landscape gave a nice feeling of their drenched clothes drying off.

A house stood, hidden behind bushes and a large forest along the coast. A miracle, she thought. The mansion itself is a grand, yet dilapidated structure. The surrounding marshland serving as an efficient barrier from unwelcomed guests. Though the atmosphere was eerie and foreboding, it was the perfect place to hide.

Enzo rested as best he could, tossing and turning as soon as night rolled around. Orphia spent the next week hunting with a small knife, not having much luck considering she had never done it before. Managing to steal a chicken from a farmers stead in the night was her best bet at survival. "My leg" The boy whimpered, gripping at his leg with both hands. His head was covered in blankets of sweat and his body burned to the touch. "Its not gone gangrene, you'll be fine" Orphia mumbled, peeling away the rotting dressing that covered it.

"Tell that to the metal in my leg" He hissed in pain.

She made attempts at stealing medicine from a small town, but their guns were intimidating enough to make her turn the other way. The gun powder in her pistol soaked, not having the right tools to fix it she was effectively weaponless. Defenseless. Back to being the damsel in distress, not being able to help herself or her brother. She was no one on land. A fish out of water.

"Use your knife" "against a whole town of fully armed Americans?" She scoffed "I don't think so, kid"

"So, steal a gun."

"You aren't very smart are you?" the two bickered around the fire they had made outside the home. Sharing an old tin of beans they found in an old wagon. Orphia spent the night pondering. Her next task was to find some sort of weapon. Perhaps she could trade for it. Or sell something. But what.

Society scared her, the unnatural order of it all. The stillness of the land made her feel ill. But she had to somewhat conform if they were going to survive. Then it hit her, that farmer she stole chickens from had a nasty shotgun on him. She'd nearly fallen victim to him countless times. She knew he was a drunk, a drunk who passed out when consumed to much. She can use that to her advantage.

The next night, she waited. Watched him from afar. The man was sat on his porch, polishing said shotgun funnily enough. A bottle of beer sat next to his chair. Not long passed before the old farmer fell asleep, rocking on his chair and spilling the contents of his drink all over the wooden floor.

Orphia suck up to him, a cloth tied round her face as to not reveal her identity. It was too easy to be true. She snatched the gun from the floor next to him and ran like she was being chased by it. Snatching a chicken on the way put because why not. The alarm calls from its friends woke the man, he stood abruptely to the sight of the figure running away like a fox. Even more alarmed when he went to reach for his shot gun and finding his hands empty.

"I'll catch you, little maggot!"

Orphia laughed with relief as her legs carried her further and further away, holding both the chicken and the gun.

"You did it? You beautiful bastard" Enzo cheered at her as she entered the home. "Who's not very smart now" He prodded at her, pulling himself to his feet using the table in front of his chair. His sister moved round the table and pushed him back onto the chair. Causing a painful sigh to escape him.

"Now i just need to somehow steal medicine" She threw the now deceased animal onto the table alongside with her newly obtained wespon.

"Going at night would be easier, no?" The boy began to pluch the feathers from the chicken.

"That's a idea, but the sheriffs is right next door. and I'd have to cause a lot of noise to get in." Her hands were rested on the table as she leaned on them. pondering once again. "I'm going to wait till morning, when it first opens. The sheriff on morning duty is another drunk so there's a high possibility he will be hung over or passed out"

"Look at you go, cowboy" Enzo threw a feather at her playfully, Orphia lightly whacking his head in return.

"Dirty pirate" She laughed back. "someone has to get us out of this"

Early the next morning, before the sun even had a chance to unveil itself, Orphia threw on her jacket riddled with holes. The shotgun was thrown over her shoulder, and fabric was tied around her face to once again hide herself.

The town was close to the farm she had been robbing for, the citizens calling it Rhodes. It had everything you'd need. So she didn't want to cause to many issues, as it was the closest civilisation to her apart from the big city. Saint denis. But she would be avoiding that sespit at all costs.

The sun peaked over the horizon as the doctor unlocked the door into his establishment. The rest of the town quiet of people. Orphia snuck through the door as he was settling into the desk in front of her. Pointing the gun at him to see when he turned around. A frightened 'Oh!' left his lips, immediately raising his hands as if he had done this before.

"I don't want to hurt you" was her first words, pushing forward towards him. "Keep quiet, and give me something to treat a wound, and you keep your head"

The pharmacist began sweating profusely, his poor mustache twitching above his lip. His hands still in the air, a finger stretched and pointed at the shelf on the far end of the shop. Bandages and tonics sitting idly, rising sun shining through the glass bottles and reflecting on the wood of the floor.

Her gun never left his site, keeping a keen eye for any sudden movements as she walked sideways to the cabinet. Using a free hand to stash anything she could find into her satchel, and backing away into the door behind her. When she was out, she ran. As fast as she knew how to.

It wasn't long till she could hear the Clerk shouting for help, the sluggish sheriff flying through the doors to see the commotion. But it was too late. She was already out of site.

Enzos wounds were tended to properly, disinfected and bandaged. A wave of relief hit the two, hope for a better tomorrow. "You know, you could have just casually stole this shit without pointing a gun at the poor man" Orphia tightened the fabric around his leg, causing him to wince in pain.

"Yeah well, I haven't exactly been cowboying for that long" she tapped his leg, again, causing him to hiss. "Maybe you can give me some lessons when you get up off your ass"

"Hey, it's not my fault i can't walk" He fell silent after the sentence left his mouth. Neither of them having a chance to grieve, to really think about what happened. Their whole life was on sea, they barely remember anything before that. That ship had been their home since they were children, baring victim to its cellar for a large portion of their childhoods.

"Are we going to talk about what happened?" Enzo mumbled, looking up to his sister from his resting place by the fire. She shook her head. "There's nothing to talk about, our luck ran out and they got us."

"We lost our friends. Are we just going to ignore that?"

"What do you want me to say? Want me to throw a funeral for all 22 of them without their bodies?" She bit back rather quickly, pulling the hat from her head and playing with the feather. "If we think too deep about it, we wont be able to move on. The army believe we are all gone, so we have the chance to start over. Lets take it" Orphia's tone shifting to a more desperate one, turning to see him. "You're only 19, brother, you still have so much ahead of you"

His face solemn, looking deep into the pits of the fiery blaze in front of him. "Where do we go from here?"

She thought for a second, sharing his view. Then looking over at the house behind her. "We already have shelter, lets focus on food for now. Maybe i'll look into getting us some money."

"What? You want to join this shit hole?"

"If we are going to stay here, we need to play the part. I don't like it either"

Enzo made quick progress over the next week, on the third day he managed to catch a rabbit. Orphia will never know how it happened but she was grateful to have a proper meal that night. They made acquaintances with some of the locals, Enzo sweet talking some strangers into lending him a bow. Which massively improved their diet. Adapting rather fast to their new life style.

In means of money, they kept to a piratey rout. Setting up small heists and jobs around towns to get some simple cash flow.

These jobs consisted of simple robberies, stealing carriages and selling them. Things like that. But with the new rise in crime, they also had competition with rival gangs. The lemoyne raiders being especially a pain in the arse, more so than Sherrif grey.

"Hey, check this out!" Enzo was heard, shouting from outside the gates of shady bell. His figure not visible. Orphia stood from her seat on the porch, looking around for the source of the sound.

His head bopping over the hedges around him, finally revealing a large black and red horse he had found. His legs flung around as his arms wrapped around the neck of the beast for dear life. "I don't know how to control it!" He yelped, turning to a worried mess as the horse attempted to buck him off its back. Orphia sat back down, agreeing that this was his well earned Karma.

"Orphia! Help! Please, i'm going to die up he-" His back his the floor with an 'oof'. Leaving the horse to roam freely around the edge of the swamp, still visibly disturbed. "She was fine earlier, maybe she saw you and was spooked" He clutched at his winded abdomen. His sister stifling a laugh as she shook her head.

"You're going to have such a stupid death one day." she laughed between words, resuming to polish her gun. Her idiotic brother climbing to his feet and attempting to win over the horse once again.

"Lets call her Pearl. She will be our new vessle" He shouted over, now standing a meter from the rearing horse with his hands out ready.

"No, you cant just use the same name again"

"Okay, you think of something."

Orphia looked up at the horse. "Hmm" she readjusted in her seat.

"What about Atlantic. No. Atlantis"

"Atlantis" He repeated. "Makes sense, she was lost before i found her."

#fanfiction #x reader #ocs #red dead redemption 2 #red dead fandom #arthur x reader #arthur morgan #Arthur x oc #slow burn #horses #dutch van der linde #hosea matthews #sean macguire #mary beth gaskill #charles smith #javier escuella #josiah trelawny #red dead redemption arthur #red dead online #red dead redemption fanfiction

[lilacsnid]

𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐬 𝐎𝐮𝐭 𝐈𝐧 𝐔𝐩𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐭 | 𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘹 𝘧𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 (𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘦)

➪ 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐓𝐖𝐎

𝙎𝙐𝙈𝙈𝘼𝙍𝙔: They despised one another & barely tolerated each other while working at Slough House. Tensions rise as they are sent out into the field together, working undercover to search for a sleeper agent in the cozy village of Upshott. To avoid being caught, they are forced to pretend that they are "together". Being so close in each others company causes certain feelings rise to the surface that they have both tried to bury for far too long.

𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙨: she/her pronouns used. this story is based on the episode - from upshott with love, but I have changed the storyline line slightly, so it might not be the exact same as the show.

𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙨: this is a work of fiction; any names, characters from slow horses, places & incidents will either be a product of my imagination or used fictionally.

✘ ✘ ✘ ✘

Music blared through her earphones as Y/N sat outside Gloucester train station, perched on an uncomfortable bench. One leg crossed over the other with her bag resting underneath her feet. She kept peering over the bridge of her sunglasses, surveying the station's surroundings. With a quick glance at her watch, a flicker of annoyance crossed her face. She had received very particular instructions from Lamb earlier that day to be at Gloucester station by 2:00 pm, and now it was already 4:45 pm. She was starting to grow impatient. The prospect of a mission outside Slough House had completely and utterly exhilarated her. She felt as if she had been withering away there and craved an opportunity to prove herself. The anticipation of action was a welcoming change.

Her fingers picked mindlessly at the chipping paint on the seat beneath her, trying to stop herself from going crazy. Out the corner of her eye, she spotted a black car pull up in front of her. No cars had entered the car park since she got off the train, so she jumped up, fairly confident that it was Lamb.

She stood to her feet with a heavy sigh, slinging her bag over her shoulder. Her gaze remained fixed on Lamb, who briskly got out the car, meeting her eye before closing the door.

“Oh, you are here. Didn’t expect you to show,” Lamb quipped sarcastically, retrieving a cigarette out from his pocket.

Through her sunglasses, she rolled her eyes, retorting, "You're hilarious, really. What the fuck took you so long? I've been off the train for at least two hours."

He let out an exasperated sigh. "Had a few loose ends to tie up. Surprisingly, you weren't at the top of my to-do list."

"Sure," Y/N scoffed, pushing her sunglasses up to rest atop her head, shooting him a glare.

A sudden realization hit her as she drew in a deep breath - Lamb hadn't been the one driving the hire car. Before she had the chance to voice her confusion, the other car door opened, and River emerged from the driver's seat.

Her narrowed gaze locked onto River, looking at him from head to toe before shifting her attention back to Lamb.

"Why is he here?" She asked sharply.

Lamb took a long drag of his cigarette, replying rather nonchalantly, "He's going with you."

Y/N raised her eyebrows in disbelief, her expression twisting in bewilderment. "You've got to be kidding."

"When do I ever joke?" Lamb retorted rhetorically. "Didn't have enough assignments to go around, and frankly, I could do with a break from the constant bickering between you two."

His words caused Y/N to shake her head, her gaze shifting over to River, who raised his hands in a gesture of surrender from where they rested on the roof of the car.

"Trust me," He said, his eyes briefly glancing off into the distance, "I'm not exactly thrilled about it either."

Approaching her with a file in hand, Lamb handed over the contents. "New ID, brief, funding package and dossier. Try not to fucking lose any of it," He remarked, met by another glare from Y/N as she snatched the file from his outstretched hand.

"Enjoy yourselves," Lamb said, already heading towards the train station's entrance. "Oh, and one more thing I forgot to mention. Your cover story: you two are engaged."

"WHAT?!" River and Y/N both yelled in unison as they stared him down, their voices echoing through the station.

Turning back to face them, Lamb explained, "The point is to stay undercover, right? You need a believable story. No one will suspect two lovebirds exploring the cozy villages of Cotswolds."

"Seriously?" River objected, disbelief etched in his voice.

Lamb let out an exasperated sigh at the two of them. "Listen, I really couldn't give less of a fuck about the specifics, but for your own sake, make it look fucking convincing. Real lives are at stake here, and I don't need to remind you how that weighs on the line. I know 'acting' might be a stretch, especially for you two."

"Such a prick," Y/N muttered under her breath as they watched Lamb stride away.

River couldn’t help but steal a quick glance at her, watching as Y/N strode toward the boot of the car in frustration. With a forceful heave, she tossed her bag inside beside his, the resounding sound of her slamming the car boot shut making him cringe. Reclaiming the driver's seat, he waited for her to slip into the passenger seat beside him before reversing out of the carpark and back onto the gravel road.

An uncomfortable silence lingered within in the car, thick with tension, as they kept driving. Y/N couldn't believe just how unlucky she had gotten — being paired with the one person who drove her absolutely crazy. Their snide comments and constant bickering would undoubtedly always drive their colleagues mad.

She opened the folder Lamb had handed over, skimming through the documents detailing the individuals they were tasked to surveil. She made sure to read over the brief, absorbing all of the pertinent details.

"Just when things seemed to be looking up," Y/N murmured, her gaze now fixed on the passing scenery as they drove.

The audible sound of River sucking his teeth showcased his patience that was wearing thin. "You're not the only one feeling like that,” He grumbled, sinking back into the driver's seat. One hand gripped the steering wheel, while the other casually rested on his thigh.

A few moments passed in silence, the air growing even more thick with an unspoken tension between them. River drew in a deep breath, the air of annoyance dissolving momentarily before he spoke up again.

"Look, I get it. You're not my biggest fan, and I've never quite figured out why," He began, stealing a quick glance in her direction. "But I really want to nail this. Chances are, you do too."

She responded with a nonchalant shrug, though her eyes held an expectant look, urging him to continue.

"Regardless of our history, let's set it aside while we're out here," He proposed, gesturing towards the road ahead. "As Lamb pointed out, people's lives could be on the line."

Y/N sighed, knowing deep down that there was some truth in his words. Their clashes had been a staple at Slough House, a constant battle for dominance. Ultimately, she knew the mission took precedence, regardless of who she was partnered with.

"Fine," She relented, nodding in agreement.

"Great," River replied, raising his hand from his thigh, offering it for a shake. "So, are we good?"

Glancing at his offered hand, she hesitated briefly before accepting it in her own, giving it a firm shake. "We're good."

She felt the unexpected warmth of his hand leave as she released his hand. She offered a soft smile as she watched him maintain his focus on the road ahead. There was a palpable shift in the air, a mutual understanding settling between them.

“This doesn’t make us friends though, Cartwright,” She pointed her finger at him, “This purely for the sake of the mission.”

“Agreed,” He grumbled, a flicker of agreement laced in his tone.

As River continued to drive, they dove into the dossier. She continued firing off questions about the individuals that were listed while River shared what he had found from earlier on in the day. They planned their trip, discussed accommodations and went over their cover story multiple times to ensure it held up under scrutiny just in case anyone came asking questions. 

“Harriet Madden,” She spoke, reading the name off her fake driver’s license, “And what is the name of my so-called fiancé?”

River chuckled softly, leaning across her to reach into the glove box, retrieving his own counterfeit driver's license.

"Jonathan Walker," He stated, extending the card for her to inspect.

With a playful eye roll, she accepted the card, examining it with a smirk, “Oh, this is going to be fun.”

✘ ✘ ✘ ✘

The sun was starting to set, casting a warm amber glow across the car park as Y/N lounged in the passenger seat of the hire car with her feet resting on the dashboard, engrossed in her phone. She had quickly changed into high-waisted jeans paired with an oversized sweatshirt, finding comfort in the casual attire as night would soon be approaching. 

A while later, she heard the car door creak open causing her to glance up. She instantly did a double take at River's transformed appearance. He now wore black jeans complemented by a black button up shirt and topped with a forest green jacket. What really grabbed her attention was the reading glasses perched on the bridge of his nose, altering his usual look entirely. It was a change Y/N wasn’t entirely opposed to. She couldn’t help but stare at him with an evident furrow in her brow.

He caught her stare, returning it with a curious gaze of his own. He couldn't help but admire the relaxed vibe about her in the casual outfit—a side of her he had never witnessed before. The contrast between her usual demeanour and this relaxed appearance intrigued him, causing a subtle shift in his perception he had of her.

"What?" River queried, arching an eyebrow in response to the smile she wore.

Her grin widened, her gaze lingering on him. "You actually pull off the specs, you know."

"Was that a compliment I just heard?" He chuckled, fastening his seatbelt.

"Don't get used to it," She shot back, crossing her legs with a playful glint in her eyes.

Shaking his head in mock disbelief, River took a quick glance at his watch, releasing a short sigh. "Right, we better get going," He announced, turning the key in the ignition. 

Y/N nodded in agreement, securing her seatbelt as they prepared for the last fifteen minutes of their drive.

"Oh, I almost forgot," River interjected suddenly, grabbing her attention as she watched him reach into the pocket of his jacket. "Here." With a deft toss, a small box landed in her lap.

Her curiosity piqued and she picked up the box, examining it with a quizzical expression. "What's… this?" She inquired.

He hesitated momentarily before responding. "Well, considering our 'engagement'," he emphasised the word with air quotes, "It might help if you had something to wear, you know?"

With a mix of surprise and intrigue, she slowly opened the box, revealing a ring that sparkled in the light that filtered through the car window. She gazed at the ring nestled inside, caught off guard by the gesture.

"It wasn’t expensive or anything, so don't get carried away," River remarked, his cheeks flushing slightly as he averted his gaze.

Her laughter was soft and genuine as she carefully examined the simple gold band with its oval-shaped rhinestone. It’s cheap appearance, most likely bought from the convenience store's jewellery section at the service station they were at, didn't change the thoughtfulness of it.

River tried to ignore the sudden tightening in his chest caused by the unfamiliar but pleasing sound of her laughter. 

“Oh, so that’s what it sounds like when you laugh!” He teased, glancing down at her with a funny look. 

Shaking her head, a lingering smile tugged at her lips. She purposefully avoided his expectant gaze, a playful edge in her voice. "Shut the fuck up."

It was quiet for a moment as Y/N bit her lip, a teasing glint in her eye as she remarked, "Who knew River Cartwright had a romantic streak?"

"Shut up, Harriet," He retorted, playfully jabbing at her with the fake name.

Y/N scoffed before sliding the ring onto her finger, finding it a tad loose but still manageable. She lifted her hand to display the ring, wiggling her fingers and drawing his attention to the now deadpan expression on her face. His eyes caught the sight, and he scoffed while rolling his eyes. 

"Set your expectations low," He quipped, beginning to reverse out of the carpark with a hint of amusement laced in his voice.

 

✘ ✘ ✘ ✘

It was dark by the time they had made it into Upshott. Y/N peered through the car window at the pub they had just arrived at, her brow furrowing at the peculiar name. Despite the late hour and it being midweek, "The Downside Man" appeared rather inviting, glowing with dim lights and a bustling atmosphere.

"The Downside Man," Y/N recited the name aloud, pondering about the way it rolled off her tongue. "Why is it that all these small villages have such peculiar names for their pubs?"

River casually unbuckled his seatbelt, shrugging slightly. "You tell me and we’ll both know."

They jumped out of the car, the cold air greeting them almost instantly. They both hopped out, heading towards the boot of the car to grab their bags. River took a moment to survey the surroundings, locking the car before turning his attention to Y/N.

He waited for her to glance up at him before asking, “You ready?”

"Absolutely," She replied with a sigh, gesturing for him to take the lead as they moved towards the welcoming glow of the pub.

Opening the door to the pub, he held it open courteously for Y/N to step in first. As she entered, the warm embrace of the cozy atmosphere and the lively hum of conversation instantly enveloped her. River walked ahead of her as she followed him through the animated crowd until they reached the bustling bar area, filled with patrons enjoying their evening. River spotted the barmaid, and Y/N took a quick moment to observe her as well. As they shuffled through the small crowd of people, he quickly glanced back at her over his shoulder, ensuring she was still in tow.

She came to stand at his side, glancing around at their surroundings while as River approached the bar. The distinctive sound of him placing his bag on the floor caught the attention of the barmaid, causing her to look up.

"Hi," She greeted with a hand on her hip. "What can I get you?"

River cleared his throat slightly before speaking, "Actually, we're just checking in for the night."

Y/N suppressed a scoff as she watched the barmaid blatantly check him up and down. The barmaid then quipped, "Johnnie Walker?"

Her lips curled under her teeth, and she glanced up from where she stood beside him as he hesitated. It only took a brief moment for him to regain his composure, shaking his head slightly.

"Yes. Yes, I am," He replied with a smile, recovering smoothly. "Sorry, you threw me. It's- It's Jonathon or Jon. It's not Johnnie, sorry."

The barmaid laughed, her eyes twinkling. "Do you get that a lot?"

River chuckled in agreement, "Yeah, mainly in pubs."

Y/N's gaze narrowed as she observed the scene unfolding between River and the barmaid. A subtle cough from her drew his attention, as she discreetly fixed a pointed stare at him. She couldn’t help but suspect that he might have been appreciating the barmaid's charms a bit too much.

Breaking the moment, River suddenly introduced her. "This is my fiancé, Harriet," He announced, resting his hand on Y/N's shoulder. She offered a polite smile towards the barmaid, "Hi."

However, the barmaid, simply turned around, completely blanking her as she grabbed the key to their room. "I’m Kelly, follow me," The bar maid instructed, leaving Y/N feeling like she was somewhat invisible.

She trailed behind River as they followed Kelly through the lively pub, a flicker of unease beginning to settle within her.

“What brings you to Upshott?” Kelly questioned, twirling the key in her finger as they began to climb the stairs.  

River discreetly glanced back at Y/N, a silent exchange passing between them, before responding, "I'm a journalist, and Harriet is a photographer. I've been working on a piece about village life, and well, Upshott just seemed like the perfect place to start, really."

As he smoothly recited their rehearsed story, Y/N listened intently, realising that every detail matched their car conversation word for word. Kelly finally looked at Y/N for the first time, offering only a slight nod before unlocking the door to their room. Y/N couldn't help but narrow her eyes at Kelly as she turned her back, surprised by the lack of a proper greeting.

Despite “Jonathon” mentioning his fiancée, Kelly still refused to even acknowledge her presence. 

"Who do you write for? Insomniacs Weekly?" Kelly joked with a playful smirk as she stepped into the room.

River chuckled slightly, "No, uh, The Times."

"Oh!" Kelly exclaimed, her gaze unwaveringly fixed on him.

Unable to stay silent any longer, Y/N stepped around River, walking further into the room. "This is lovely!" She exclaimed, raising her voice and briefly glancing at Kelly as she walked past.

Once again, Kelly ignored her and turned her attention back to River. "Well, I can give you the headlines. Apart from the village pub downstairs and the village shop, there really is fuck all going on."

Suppressing the urge to roll her eyes at her behaviour, Y/N had to bite her tongue. It was evident that Kelly was captivated by Jonathon Walker, and River Cartwright's undeniable charm and good looks played a significant role. Despite their personal differences, Y/N couldn't deny his ability to make a woman feel weak in the knees. He was an incredibly attractive man.

The barmaid's blatant disregard for Y/N's presence surprised her, and she couldn't help but notice the tension in the air. River could also sense her discomfort and walked across the room to stand next to her rather than alongside Kelly. Y/N felt the subtle brush of his arm against her shoulder, and she kept her gaze fixed on Kelly who was standing at the door.

"Well," He continued, maintaining the facade, "Where there's people, there are stories."

"Boring stories," Kelly retorted.

"No," He countered, "You ask the right questions, and you can usually find something interesting. You know, everyone has a secret."

The barmaid smiled, her sharp gaze fixed on him. "Well, don't be asking too many questions. We tend to sacrifice troublemaking strangers to the Green Man."

Observing their conversation, Y/N discreetly narrowed her gaze towards her as she spoke, feeling an unexplained unease. There was something about the way she watched them talk that unsettled her, though she couldn't quite pinpoint it. River maintained a polite smile but glanced down at her, his eyes searching hers as if to say - you okay?

Y/N maintained her smile, playing her part as she leaned against the bedpost.

"Oh," Kelly said, turning around. "I need to get you some towels. I need to get back downstairs, but I will leave them outside your door later."

"That's alright," River replied, glancing down at Y/N. "Think we're both pretty keen for bed, aren't we, darling?"

She looked up at him, her breath catching at the unexpected pet name that momentarily threw her off character. Nonetheless, she smiled and nodded in agreement. Sensing Kelly’s stare, Y/N felt his hand slide along her waist before resting on the bedpost where she leaned. In a spontaneous move, perhaps to irk the barmaid further, she wrapped her arms around his torso, leaning into him to present the image of a normal, happy couple.

"Alright," Kelly spoke shortly, glancing quickly at Y/N before offering the key to River.

Stepping forward, Y/N interjected, taking the key from her hand instead. "Ta," She said as she nodded, her face completely deadpan.

"Anything else?" Kelly asked, the question clearly directed at River.

"Uh, no," He answered, pulling Y/N back into his side. "All good, thank you."

"Right, see you later," Kelly said as she approached the door, pausing momentarily before adding, "Johnnie Walker."

River laughed, calling out, "Just Jon."

Y/N couldn't help but let out a dry, sarcastic laugh at the nickname. As the door closed, River glanced back at her with an oblivious look.

"What?" He asked, throwing his arms up in question.

She couldn't resist rolling her eyes at him.

"I'll see you later, Johnnie Walker," She said mockingly, tossing the room key onto a nearby table.

He scoffed, starting to take off his jacket. "Fuck off."

"She's clearly into you," Y/N observed, "And making it rather obvious that she doesn't give a fuck about me being here."

River scoffed again, this time playfully. "Not like you to care that much about something like that."

"I don't care," Y/N insisted, attempting to dismiss the uncomfortable feeling in her stomach at the mere thought of River with someone else.

A brief silence lingered between them, both their gazes settling on the solitary double bed in the middle of the room. Y/N had just about forgotten the obvious fact that there would be only one bed.

"Oh, great," She muttered, gesturing towards the bed.

River sighed, "I'll sleep on the floor."

A wave of guilt washed over her almost instantly, prompting her to abandon the bratty demeanour and take his comfort into consideration. The night was exceptionally cold, and the thought of him trying to sleep on the hard wooden floor seemed rather harsh.

"No, I'm sorry. Don't do that," She said, crossing her arms. "It's freezing, and I doubt you'd get a wink of sleep on this floor."

He looked at her, trying to figure out what she was implying.

"We can share the bed; it'll be fine," She suggested.

He half-smiled, "What if I would rather sleep on the floor?"

"Well, then knock yourself out," Y/N retorted. "Just trying to look out for you."

"That's unlike you." River remarked, furrowing his brow.

"River..." She sighed, growing a bit annoyed with his teasing.

"Alright, alright," He relented. "Thanks."

He watched her as she sat down on the bed, falling back against the mattress with a content sigh.

"Take what you can get, Cartwright," She remarked, "It's actually really comfortable."

River nodded, his gaze fixed on her as he stepped closer. Standing in front of her, he glanced down at her. Her eyes were closed, and her hair sprawled out across the mattress. Despite everything, he found her beautiful, though he thought admitting it to her face was a step too far.

She heard his footsteps across the floor, and when they stopped, she opened her eyes to find him standing in front of her, towering over her as he looked down.

"What?" She asked, watching him chew on his lip.

"If I'm sleeping in the bed, you're going to have to move," He stated.

She shot him a perplexed look. "Excuse me?"

"I always sleep on the left side," He explained with his hands in his pockets, his silver watch on his wrist catching the light.

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh, is that right?"

"Yep," He confirmed, shifting his weight on his feet. "So, shove over."

She scoffed. "Not a chance. You're lucky I'm even letting you sleep in the bed at all."

"C'mon, move," He urged, tapping her on the leg.

"No," She shook her head, staying put.

River sighed. "Move."

She laughed, "Fuck off!"

He groaned in annoyance as she sat up, starting to playfully poke and prod at him with her hands.

"You're annoying me, stop," He said, holding his hands up while trying to avoid her playful gestures.

She found it incredibly amusing, knowing all too well that she was the only one that could get under his skin the way she always managed to. Her teasing continued as she started to sense his patience wearing thin. River groaned, gripping her arms forcefully, yet still being careful not to hurt her. With a mischievous squeal, she tried to resist, but he leant over her small frame while skilfully trapping her arms at her sides.

In this unexpected proximity, their faces were mere inches apart, a closeness they hadn't experienced before. A wave of familiarity swept over Y/N, a sensation she hadn't associated with River until this very moment. He felt it too, yet he tried his hardest to dismiss what he was feeling.

"I said, stop," He breathed out, shooting her a stern look.

Their eyes held each other's gaze for a few moments as they found themselves both getting lost in the silence. A quick idea sparked in her head, and she purposefully alternated her gaze between his eyes and his lips, enticing him to lean closer. She could feel his grip on her arms starting to loosen and she seized the opportunity. Without warning, she expertly wrapped her legs around his waist, flipping him over so that he was now laying on the bed, with her on top. Placing her forearm against his neck, she made sure not to press down too hard.

He grunted, attempting to stay as still as possible, but the feeling of her pressed against him became overwhelming, causing him to throw his head back.

"Great," He huffed, not being able to move as she had him pinned down. "Bet you’ve pulled this move on many people before."

"Only a few times," She chuckled. "Just be glad you had the bed to land on, unlike that poor policeman who you dropped onto the concrete at Stansted."

River sighed, shaking his head. "It was a training exercise."

"Don’t think he’ll be forgetting that in a hurry," She teased.

She soon released her hold from him and rose, briefly sitting back on his thighs. River followed suit, propping himself up on his elbows to gaze at her. Eventually, she stood up and headed over to her suitcase.

Grabbing some pyjamas, she made her way to the bathroom. "I’m having a shower."

As soon as the bathroom door closed, he fell back onto his back and stared up at the ceiling.

What the fuck just happened?

✘ ✘ ✘ ✘

As the hot water cascaded over her weary body, Y/N found her thoughts drifting. Despite her efforts to focus on the mission, River kept intruding into her mind. Each time, she attempted to shake off the distraction, but it proved to be quite a challenge, especially given their close proximity.

She didn't want to get side-tracked, but she couldn't seem to help herself. Unfamiliar feelings were beginning to surface, starting to complicate things.

Stepping out of the shower, she went through her night-time skincare routine before changing into a pair of light grey pants and a matching singlet top. Towel in hand, she left the bathroom and entered the dimly lit room. Her eyes fell onto River, who was sorting through his clothes near the end of the bed. She scrunched her hair with the towel as she sat down at the desk in the corner, observing him pick out clothes he wouldn't have chosen for himself.

Just as she opened her mouth to speak, she noticed him glancing over his shoulder and out the window, a shift in his demeanour quickly catching her attention.

"What is it?" Y/N asked softly.

He held a finger up to his lips, quickly switching the bed side lamp off to avoid being seen as he shushed her, gesturing for her to join him by the window. She hung the towel over a chair before approaching him. Standing together, they gazed down onto the street where a figure stood.

"Hey, Dad," They heard a voice say as Kelly emerged from the pub.

Y/N squinted, trying to discern the figure on the street below, and continued to eavesdrop.

"Just out for a stroll," The man spoke. "Thought I’d walk you home."

He then glanced up at their room. "Who's staying in the guest room?"

"He's a journalist, here with his fiancé, writing an article on village life," Kelly explained.

Y/N quickly glanced up at River, noting his focused expression in the moonlight, his eyes trained on the street below. They were so close, he tried to ignore the fact that he could smell the sweet scent of her perfume.

"Is he a proper journalist or a pretend one?" The man inquired as they began to walk away from the pub.

Kelly sighed, "Says he works for The Times."

They both watched sneakily through the window, peeking behind the curtains as the pair walked off down the street.

Y/N sighed, turning to face him. "Well, at least our story checks out."

River hummed. "For now."

She eventually finished her night-time routine, quickly brushing her teeth and running a brush through her damp hair. She then made her way over to the bed, pulling back the covers and slipping beneath them in an attempt to avoid the night chill. River took his turn in the bathroom, closing the door behind him causing the darkness to envelop her. She closed her eyes, trying her best to seek relaxation for the night.

After a few minutes, the bathroom door opened, and River emerged, clad in sweatpants and a loose shirt. She heard him approach the bed, sensing the movement as he pulled back the covers and the mattress dipped when he settled in beside her. Even in the confines of the small double bed, they still managed to maintain some space between them.

Y/N lay on her side, facing away from him as she could feel his gaze on her. He drew in a deep breath before speaking, "I reckon we take a look around the village tomorrow, try and see what we can dig up."

"Okay," She hummed.

They fell into a breif moment of silence before he mumbled, "Night, then."

"Night," She replied.

Despite a couple of hours passing by, sleep became impossible for Y/N. The room was cloaked in darkness, with only the moonlight filtering through the curtains. Frustrated, she tossed and turned, unable to still her mind that was racing at a relentless pace. She turned onto her side again, facing the wall, and shook her head, unable to silence her thoughts. Suddenly, she heard a voice breaking through the silence.

"What's wrong?" River asked groggily, his voice laced with sleep. "You've been tossing and turning for ages."

She sighed, feeling guilty for waking him. "I just... can't sleep."

He sighed gently, turning onto his side to face her back. "You're the worst person to share a bed with."

"Yeah, thanks," She grumbled, tossing the sheets off her shoulder.

River breathed out, opening his eyes to peer at her back. The moonlight casted a gentle glow, revealing the cascade of her hair down her shoulders and back. A yawn escaped him, and after a moment of contemplation, his hand instinctively reached out.

Y/N felt her hair being pushed aside, initially thinking it was her imagination. Yet she soon felt a warm hand resting on her back, between her shoulder blades. Her breath hitched as she turned her head slightly to look at him.

"What are you doing?" She whispered.

"Just shut up and close your eyes," He teased. She gave in, turning back to face the wall. She could feel his breath on the back of her neck with every exhale he took through his nose.

His hand traced soothing patterns on the soft, exposed skin of her back. Despite the space between them, she could feel the warmth radiating from him as he inched closer just slightly. She surrendered to the sensation of his fingers tracing her back, gently lulling her into a deep, peaceful slumber.

©𝙇𝙄𝙇𝘼𝘾𝙎𝙉𝙄𝘿

5296 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨

#river cartwright #river cartwright x reader #jack lowden x reader #slow horses #slow horses fanfiction #river x reader #jack lowden #apple tv

[k-illdarlings]

if any of you fanfic writers open for request pls lmk

Especially for river cartwright from slow horses y’all give my man a watch and some fluffy fics🥹

#fanfiction #coriolanus snow x reader #thomas shelby x reader #tommy shelby x reader #frank castle x reader #billy russo x reader #kaz brekker x reader #remus lupin x reader #sirius black x reader #harry potter x reader #peter parker x reader #slow horses #river cartwright

[celestialsister0918]

Ya’ll!!! (Yes, I say ‘ya’ll.’) My Jackson piece is really coming together. I’ve written all the dialogue and actions, now I’m just lacing it all together with some descriptions and fluffing it a bit.

It’s gonna be soooo long so I’m thinking maybe installments.

It’s based on a priceless line from a Gary interview as well as one of my favorite songs from my teenage years.

Wanna see my favorite line from the fic?

“As it stood now, she felt he’d finger her into a double round of antibiotics.”

😂😂😂

#gary oldman #fanfiction #jackson lamb #slow horses #smutty fanfiction #coming soon #sneak peek

[waugh-bao]

#unfortunately. I live for middle aged/older people in long term complicated undefined relationships full of revenge and weird affection #(also the healthy type. but that’s not really even in the universe of this) #slow horses #slough house #jackson lamb #diana taverner #river cartwright #catherine standish #louisa guy #fanfic #fanfiction #my stuff #ao3 #not the stones

[noforkingclue]

Fractures Chapter 1 (James 'Spider' Webb x OC x River Cartwright)

Summary: there are certain unofficial rules that you need to follow when working in MI5 and Rebecca Blake is finding these out the hard way after one of her friends gets dumped in Slough House. Just how far is she willing is test these rules in order to maintain this friendship and just what will she uncover about the people she thought were her closest friends.

Author's Note: hello and welcome to my fic where I emotionally torture these characters, especially my OC. I should warn you, this fic will contain spoilers for Slow Horses. If want to watch the series spoiler free maybe don't read this...

Slow Horses tag list: @cillmequick

It started with a picture.

Everyone was drunk. Well, drunk was putting it mildly.  It was the last official day of training and let’s just say that everyone wanted to let their hair down before the serious shit started.

“River! James! There you are.”

The two men at the bar turned around at the familiar voice. Rebecca pushed her way through the crowd grinning at them. She pushed her way in between them and put her glass heavily on the bar. It was immediately refilled with red wine and she raised it in thanks.

“So,” she looked at the both of them, “last day of freedom for the both of you.”

James took another swig from his pint and grimaced. Not exactly his first choice but it was free. River seemed a lot more at ease in the setting.

“Although you both must be glad to be back in London,” Rebecca continued, “I was looking at the weather reports for your training. It was pissing it down the whole time!”

“Yeah,” said River with an amused smile, “Spider definitely loved all that mud.”

“Don’t fucking call me that.”

“But it suits you so well,” said River, “Spider.”

Spider turned to face River but before he could snap back Rebecca said,

“We need to take a picture!”

“A picture?” said James, “Why would we do that?”

“To remember the occasion,” Rebecca said, “come on. It’ll be fun.”

“I don’t think-”

“Come on Spider,” said River, who took a step closer to Rebecca, “why not?”

“Because,” Spider looked between River’s smirking face and Rebecca’s hopeful one and gave up, “fine. Just make it quick.”

Rebecca beamed at him and tossed her phone over to the bartender and asked him to take a photo of the three of them. She slung her left arm around James’s shoulders, pulling him closer to her, and linked her right one with River’s. When Rebecca got her phone back she couldn’t help but laugh at it. James’s hair was ruffled and his expression reminded Rebecca of a disgruntled cat. His cheeks were tinged pink which was probably due to the alcohol. River’s cheeks were also red and Rebecca had her head pressed against his arm.

“Perfect,” she breathed out, “thanks guys. I really mean it. I don’t know how much I’ll be seeing the two of you from now on.”

She set the picture as her phone screen and quickly sent it to the others. Rising on her tiptoes she pressed a drunken kiss against River’s cheek and then James’s. She gave them one last beaming smile before disappearing into the crowd.

“You know,” Spider said when she had gone, “the only reason why she took a photo with you was because she pitied you.”

“Sure,” River said before taking a swig of his own pint, “that’s why she kissed me first.”

“Then why did she kiss me for longer?”

“She didn’t.”

“She did.”

“For what? A fraction of a second, if that? Doesn’t count.”

“Still counts, Cartwright. So back off.”

“Or what?”

“You’ll regret it.”

River looked down at Spider and laughed. Spider turned to fully face him and held out his hand,

“Let the best man win?” he said

River paused for a second, weighing up his options, before clasping the offered hand.

“Let the best man win.” he said

After all, how could he possibly lose?

*

“River? What are you doing here? Not that I’m not happy to see you that is. It’s just… this is The Park and you’re, well…”

Rebbeca trailed off awkwardly as she struggled to find the right words. River, who was thankful he had his back turned to her, closed his eyes. He wished that he was somewhere, anywhere, else. He wished that Sid had been around to deliver this fucking laptop. It was humiliating enough having to see Spider but to see Rebecca as well.

“Well,” Spider relaxed back in his chair, “it’s rude not to answer a question, River.”

River looked over his shoulder at Rebecca. It had been too long since he had seen let alone spoken to her. She had tried to keep in contact with him after he got sent to Slough House but he hadn’t had the courage to message back. Rebbeca quickly made her way further into James’s office, depositing the files on his desk.

“Just doing a delivery.” said River

“All Slow Horses are trusted to do.” muttered Spider

Rebecca shot him a glare and tapped the files.

“And that’s what I’m doing.” she said him

“Yes well,” Spider shrugged, “that’s different. You still have security clearance. Cartwright can’t get around without a chaperone.”

Rebecca rolled her eyes but didn’t answer back. She knew when arguing with James was a lost cause. She frowned when she noticed the burns on River’s hands. She sat down in the second chair and gently took his hand. James leant forward, clearly displeased about the turn of events.

“What happened?” she asked

“Oh nothing,” said River quickly, “I just burnt it on a grill.”

“Careless.” Rebecca said teasingly

“You’re surprised?” muttered Spider under his breath, “Look,” he said louder, “I am a very busy man and Cartwright has other things he needs to fuck up. So…”

He picked up the phone but Rebecca was quicker. She stood up and gave him a bright smile.

“No need to bother anyone else,” she said, “I can lead him out.”

“But-” James said again

“She said,” River said with a smirk, “she can do it.”

“But-” Spider stood up quickly, his chair almost clattering to the floor

“Trust me James,” Rebecca said, “and I’ll see you later.”

“What-” started River

Now it was his turn to be surprised and he wasn’t liking the feeling coiling in the pit of his stomach. The smirk Spider gave him wasn’t helping the feeling and made River want to punch him all the more.

“Above your paygrade Cartwright,” Spider said, “Now fuck off. And yes,” he gave Rebecca a softer smile, “I’ll see you later.”

As Rebecca and River walked out of James’s office she linked arms with him. River stiffened slightly before relaxing under her touch. He had missed her and was enjoying the brief moment back with her.

“So,” he said eventually, “You and Spider.”

“Purely platonic,” she said quickly, although her cheeks had turned slightly red, “we’re just friends. Like us!”

“You know,” River said when they were both in the lift and trying to ignore the stabbing feeling in his heart, “he set me up.”

“River…”

Rebecca had heard this a thousand times before. Or at least it felt like it. River’s grip on her arm tightened slightly. She didn’t want to think that James was capable of doing something like that.

“Please,” he said desperately, “he gave me the wrong colours to fuck me over and get me kicked out.”

“It didn’t work though.”

“Slough House isn’t Service.”

“You still have a job.”

“If you can call it that.”

“You’ll be back eventually,” she said, giving his arm a reassuring squeeze, “It’s just a slap on the wrist. Like you said- it was a training exercise. It could’ve been a hell of a lot worse. I know what your other colleagues had done to get in there.”

“You do?”

“Working with Molly Doran I hear a lot of gossip about what goes on.”

“So, you must know what Lamb had done then?”

“Ah, no, not him. The only times Molly talks about him has been less than complimentary.”

They arrived at the ground floor and River unlinked their arms. Rebecca sighed at the action and resisted the urge to relink them. She had missed her friend but she knew why he had done it. As the two of them walked across the foyer she said,

“River, one last thing.”

“Yes.”

She winced slightly at the hopeful tinge in his voice.

“Visitors pass.”

“Oh right.”

River handed it back to her. He closed his eyes as her hand brushed against his. He wished he could turn back time, to tell her everything he wanted to say before he was exiled to Slough House. He wished he had the same faith as her, that he would be back eventually. He would do everything in his power in return and stop Spider from getting any closer to her. Right now, Spider had an unfair advantage but that wouldn’t last for long.

“River,” Rebecca’s voice dragged him out of his thoughts, “don’t be a stranger ok? We’re still friends, right? You being in Slough House shouldn’t stop that.”

“Right,” River gave her a tight lipped smile, “still friends.”

Rebecca remained where she was until River had left the building. She glanced down at his pass and sighed, running a thumb over his photo. She hadn’t realised exactly how much she had missed him until she had seen him again. Of course she had missed him but now it felt like a part of her was missing.

“Excuse me. You’re going to need to hand that back in.”

Rebecca looked over icily at the receptionist. She raised her eyebrows at Rebecca and held out her hand. Rebecca marched over and threw the pass at her. The receptionist scrambled to get it and Rebecca turned on her heel and marched down to the archives again, plotting on how to get her revenge on the receptionist.

*

“Is he ok?” muttered Min to Louisa, “he’s been like that since he got back from The Park.”

Louisa glanced through the window to the kitchen area where River was sitting. He was staring at his phone, seemingly lost in thought. She took a sip of her tea and said,

“Who gives a fuck,” she said, “although it might be better if Lamb doesn’t see him like that.”

“Why?” asked Min

“Because then he’ll be pissed at Cartwright and that’ll make our lives hell.”

“What’s going on?”

Sid approached the two of them and joined them in spying on River. She frowned at River’s expression. He sighed and shook his head before putting his phone away. However, that didn’t last long. He scrambled for it as it pinged with an incoming text.

“It’s a girl,” said Struan, “definitely a girl.”

“How would you know?” asked Louisa

“I am married,” said Struan, “I can see the signs.”

“As am I!” said Min, “But yeah, it might be a girl.”

“Ooh maybe we can invite her to our pub nights?” said Struan, “your wife Min and I sure I can persuade-”

“I didn’t know he had a girlfriend,” interrupted Sid, “he’s never mentioned her before. Do you think it’s someone in Service?”

“Can’t be someone at The Park,” said Louisa, “not while he’s here. Who would want to date a Slow Horse.”

Catherine watched the others in silence and took a sip of her tea. If any of them had bothered to ask her (although why would they) she’d have been able to tell them what River was looking at. Unusually Struan was right, it was a girl that River was looking at. A photo of him and a girl with short red hair and hazel eyes. She was grinning madly, and clearly very drunk, and had her arm linked with his. However, the small bit of blonde hair that River hadn’t quite managed to crop out told her that there was more to this story than initially met the eye.

The sound of thumping from above had everyone scattering and River almost dropped his phone again in shock. Catherine just sighed and began to make her way upstairs. Whatever was going on, River needed to learn to cover it up unless he wanted Lamb to find out about this weakness. Although, from Catherine’s unfortunate experience with knowing Lamb, he probably already knew.

*

“You need to be more careful.”

Rebecca looked over at Molly wheeled over to her. She handed Rebecca a folder which Rebecca dutifully took.

“What do you mean?”

“Cartwright Junior.”

“River? What about him?”

“I can see why you didn’t go down the surveillance route. You’re a shit liar.”

“We’re friends,” Rebecca said as she followed Molly further into the archives, “and he was here. What? Wasn’t I meant to say hi?”

Rebecca recoiled slightly at Molly's look. She just about managed to jump to the side as Molly wheeled around, not caring if she got Rebecca’s foot in the process or not.

“I’m stuck as your line manager so fucking listen to me,” she said, “now sit.”

She clicked her fingers and Rebecca sat on top of a desk.

“You still have a lot to learn,” she said, “about The Park and about how you can fuck up.”

“I’ve been here as long as James and River. I know how things work. How to keep my head down. What people need to see and who can see it. Who I should and shouldn’t be friends with.”

Rebecca said the last bit bitterly and looked away. She didn’t understand why she needed to throw away years of friendship just because of River’s fuck up. Well, on the one hand she did but her life outside of work didn’t need to be affected.

“Exactly.”

Rebecca sighed and swung her legs back and forth.

“I’m not an idiot,” she said, “I’m sick of people treating me like one.”

“You might be in some ways but not in others.”

A mug of tea was roughly pushed into her hands and Rebecca looked down at it in shock.

“Don’t get used to it,” said Molly harshly, “you moping is getting annoying. Now shut up and listen because I’m only going to say this once. You’re not completely useless down here so maybe you can stay a bit longer. If you survive that is.”

“As long as I survive long enough to get revenge on that receptionist I’ll be happy.”

*

“Are you feeling ok?”

Rebecca stabbed at her pasta and glanced up at Spider. He wasn’t looking at her, focusing on his own meal, but he always had the uncanny knack of knowing exactly how she was feeling.

“Just… seeing River today.”

Spider sighed and put down his cutlery. He took a sip of his wine and reached across the table. He took her hand and gave in a squeeze. Rebecca was the only person who was allowed to see this side of him. Really she should be honoured about him being so vulnerable in front of her. And in public no less!

“You shouldn’t think about him,” he said, “he fucked up and now he’s in Slough House.”

“But he doesn’t belong there.”

“He doesn’t belong in Service. Not after his fiasco.”

“Unless it wasn’t his fiasco.”

Spider’s grip on Rebecca’s hand tightened slightly.

“What do you mean?” he asked

“I don’t know,” Rebecca shrugged, “I wasn’t there. I’m only hearing about things second hand. Just… you’re not lying to me are you, James?”

“No,” he said firmly, “I wouldn’t. I-”

He swallowed thickly and looked away.

“You’re my friend.” he finished bluntly

“Just a friend?” the teasing tone that Rebecca used with River earlier that day returned, causing Spider to turn red.

“Well,” the cocky attitude returned trying to cover up his embarrassment, “I never knew you felt that way about me.”

Rebecca rolled her eyes and pulled her hand free. She tried to ignore the warmth she had missed from it and distracted herself by taking another sip of wine.

“Very funny Spider.” she said teasingly

“I thought I told you not to call me that.”

“No, you told River not to call you that,” Rebecca stabbed another bit of pasta and waved it at Spider, “getting forgetful in your old age?”

“You're not that much younger than me.”

“Still younger.”

Rebecca smirked at Spider’s annoyed look and glanced out of the restaurant window. She frowned slightly when she thought she could see a glimpse of blonde hair but as quickly as she had seen it, it had disappeared. James’s conversation about some irritating thing one of his underlings had done drew her back into the conversation. She wished that moments like these could last forever.

But when you worked for M.I.5, nothing ever did.

#fanfiction #slow horses #james 'spider' webb #river cartwright #james 'spider' webb x oc #river cartwright x oc

[florart98]

AU where Catherine and Jackson meet and start dating in the early 90s. How would the events of the series develop if they were together from the beginning?

#catherine standish #jackson lamb #slow horses #ao3 fanfic #au fanfiction

[daydreamgoddess14]

Slow Horses Masterlist

FULL MASTERLIST

Tumblr & AO3 links included throughout.

* = Complete

🔥 = Smutty

River Cartwright / OFC

First Impressions

CH 1 | CH 2 | CH 3

On pause - a little out of place in the Slow Horses fic community so unsure on whether this will continue...

River gets arrested and ends up making an unexpected friend.

River Cartwright/OFC. romantic fluff, general rating (language)

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/45296293/chapters/113959621

#slowhorsesfanfiction #slow horses #rivercartwright/ofc #river cartwright #jack lowden #fanfiction #fanfic #masterlist