Title: Five Secrets of Lucas North (and One of Adam Carter)
Fandom: Sherlock Holmes (ACD)
Rating: G
Length: 410
Summary: Even for a spook, Lucas has a lot of secrets

Being a Spook meant inevitably you had secrets, but Lucas North seemed to have more secrets than most.

There was, of course, the secret history, which meant when his new neighbour asked him where he’d moved from he’d given a non-answer, hurried into his flat claiming he had an important phone call to make, and then carefully avoided seeing her for the next few weeks, by which time it was too late for introductions.  Because he wasn’t going to speak about eight years in a Russian jail to anyone if he could avoid it, even to those who did know where he’d been.

In addition, there was his secret past.  Few people on the Grid mentioned their childhood, but occasionally someone would mention something they had done, or there’d be a discussion about favourite television programmes or pop groups.  It was never particularly revealing, but even so Lucas was very careful not to say anything.

The years of hunger in prison had left Lucas with what he felt was his secret vice.  Every day when he left work he would call into the nearby bakery and buy one of the cakes which were left.  He liked going in late in the afternoon, not because the cakes would be reduced in price, but because there were far fewer to choose from, which made it easier for him.  On the occasions when he realised he wouldn’t be able to leave before the shop closed he would become anxious and make an excuse to slip out so he could still buy his cake.

On top of these secrets was Lucas’ secret fear Harry would reject him and he would be abandoned somewhere again.  He knew this was irrational, and yet the voice in the back of his head would repeat ‘he left you once for eight years, what’s to stop him doing the same again?’

And besides these there was one thing Lucas kept wrapped up inside himself.  It was something which he only brought into the light when he was alone in his flat, to be held gently in his hands before being carefully wrapped up again.  He was secretly in love with Adam Carter.

Lucas was so deep in his own secrets he failed to notice one someone else had.  He didn’t see the covert glances Adam was giving him and he didn’t hear when Malcolm spoke to Adam just as they were going home saying, “Ask him!  He won’t say no.”