Mycroft/Lestrade
| Pairing | |
|---|---|
| Pairing: | Mycroft Holmes/D. I. Lestrade |
| Alternative name(s): | Mystrade |
| Gender category: | m/m slash |
| Fandom: | Sherlock (BBC) |
| Canonical?: | non-canonical |
| Prevalence: | a rare pairing early in the fandom, but now one of the most popular |
| Archives: | |
| Other: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Mycroft/Lestrade, also known as Mystrade, is the pairing of Mycroft Holmes and Gregory Lestrade from the BBC television series Sherlock. Although both characters existed in other Sherlock adaptations and in the original Arthur Conan Doyle stories, the romantic ship primarily comes from the BBC adaptation.
The pairing of Mycroft and Detective Inspector Lestrade emerged fairly early on in the Sherlock fandom, becoming popular among a small, but devoted group of fans a few months after the first airing of the original series. Since then, it has grown to become one of the most popular pairings in the fandom, after the fandom juggernaut Johnlock.
Canon
Mycroft/Lestrade (Mystrade) is an unusual pairing because in the first Sherlock BBC series, the characters never appear in a scene together, so there are no hints of attraction or winks at sexual tension to play with as there are with Sherlock/John, or even Sherlock/Lestrade. At the same time, the lack of any canonical interaction between the two beloved characters offers a ridiculous amount of leeway--endless possibilities, really--for Mystrade's first meeting, budding romance, reactions of other characters, backstory, and explanations of the attraction.
Series 2 confirms that the two know each other, and were first seen on screen together in His Last Vow. The Christmas special, The Abominable Bride (first shown December 2015), showed them together for a few scenes where they appeared to know each other. Very few words were exchanged between them. These scenes were during the modern day setting, implying that Sherlock associates them with each other.
Fandom
Common fanon and tropes in Mystrade fic include:
- They usually meet 5-6 years before series canon, when Mycroft kidnaps Lestrade to interrogate him about Sherlock's doings
- They might also meet at a hospital when Sherlock is injured, or at Scotland Yard when Sherlock gets arrested.
- Lestrade is bisexual and divorced; Mycroft is a virgin or very shy/inexperienced.
- Mycroft has body image issues due to being overweight in the past.
- Lestrade likes punk rock and rides a motorcycle (possibly carryover from Rupert Graves' role as a punk-loving bike messenger in the movie Different for Girls.)
- Sherlock/Lestrade is a common obstacle; either it happened once and Lestrade is over it, or Mycroft worries that he is second best to his brother.
- Anthea is supportive and encouraging.
- The two communicate with each other in unusual ways, such as via surveillance cameras or documents on Lestrade's computer (which Mycroft of course has access to).
- Mycroft's "stalker"-ish tendencies are often played up, with this characterization occasionally being called "Stalkercroft."
The first Mystrade Fanworks Fest was held on livejournal from July-October 2011.
Notable Works
- Impact by Elfbert; one of the earliest long Mystrade stories.
- Discoveries by axidentalquark; the very first Mystrade story. The post also contained a meta essay on the ship.
- Learn to Wear Each Other Well by sinuous-curve
- Lines and Squares by emungere
- At Least There's The Football; an ongoing series by sheffiesharpe
- Keeping Secrets by Eva; wingfic
- Under the Weather by Mary Sutherland
- Scotch by earlgreytea68; a series set post-Sherlock's 'death' in series 2, with Mystrade as the focal pairing, and Johnlock as a side pairing which becomes the focus in later fics.
- The Human Remains series by Saziikins Almost 900k words. "Mycroft and Greg, two lives entwined. A love story, told over a decade. Greg's POV in Human Remains, and Mycroft's in Constantinople Falls."
Resources
- FYeahMystrade - pairing-based livejournal community
- Fuck Yeah Mystrade on Tumblr
- Megan-Moonlight's Sherlock Recs (includes many Mycroft/Lestrade recs)
- Minerva Holmes' Mycroft/Lestrade Masterlist