#ilsa and nick herbert

[hjellacott]

THE CAST OF C. B. STRIKE BBC ONE

All your main cast, so that you know who's who.

Cormoran Strike: Tom Burke.

Leda Strike: Kierston Wareing.

Lucy: Sarah Sweeney.

Joan Nancarrow: Linda Bassett.

Ted Nancarrow: Ian Redford

Charlotte Campbell: Natasha O'Keeffe.

Robin Ellacott: Holliday Grainger.

Michael Ellacott: Paul Butterworth.

Linda Ellacott: Suzanne Burden.

Matthew Cunliffe: Kerr Logan.

Eric Wardle: Killian Scott.

Vanessa Ekwensi: Ann akin.

Ilsa Herbert: Caitlin Innes Edwards.

Nick Herbert: Ian Attard.

Shanker: Ben Crompton.

Sam Barclay: Jack Greenless.

Pat Chauncey: Ruth Sheen.

[blueymoons]

#2: It Reminded Me Of You

I’ve decided to continue the One Hundred Ways To Say ‘I Love You’ prompt list. I plan to do them randomly, but if there’s one you’d like to see soonish, leave me a message here or on AO3, where you can find me as RoseNoble9. 😊

“Nick? Can you take the apple crumble out of the oven for me please?”

“Right.” Nick Herbert muttered to himself as he searched in vain for the oven mitts. They were no where to be seen in the kitchen. “I can. Absolutely,” he responded to the shouted request from his wife, Ilsa, “Only…where are the mitts?”

He heard a muffled curse but wasn’t sure if it was a response meant for him and so, he was bent over, rummaging through a drawer full of tea towels when Ilsa came bustling into the kitchen, muttering curses under her breath and carrying the mitts with her. He guessed she must have carried them into the bedroom with her without realizing it.  

“I swear, I don’t know why I’m so nervous Nick.” She slid the mitts on and opened the oven, “We’ve had them over for dinner countless times before.”

As he watched her settle the desert on the hob to cool he smiled. His Ilsa had a heart of gold, a mind sharp as a knife and the soul of a complete romantic. He never looked at her without feeling fortunate that she’d fallen just as hard for him as he had for her when their mutual best friend Cormoran, had introduced them at his and Nick’s shared eighteenth birthday party. She completed him in ways he hadn’t fully understood, even then.

But at the moment she was brimming with nervous energy. Bubbling over with anxiety and worry. He reached out and took her hand as she removed the mitts and yanked her to him, cradling her lush curves against his lanky frame. He hummed along with James Morrison’s You Give Me as he guided her into a slow dance, pressing his cheek against her temple.

She relaxed into his arms immediately, laying her cheek against his shoulder and sighing. “I just want it to be perfect Nicky. It needs to be perfect.”

He squeezed her tightly before drawing her back so he could look into her eyes, “Ilsa, I know we want them to realize they’re perfect for each other, but we can only do so much.” She opened her mouth to protest but he cut across her gently, “No one loves Oggy more than me. He’s the only reason I have you. But he has to come to the decision to make a move on Robin on his own.”

“Robin is just as capable of making a move herself,” Ilsa insisted.

“Of course she is. But she may not feel comfortable doing so Ilsa. Remember, she’s only ever been with Twatthew and Cormoran is her senior partner.” He squeezed her hand and sent her into a delicate twirl under his arm, still swaying to the music drifting from the lounge. “She’s the second strongest woman I know, but she’d need more courage than Neville Longbottom to make a pass at Oggy. Especially if he’s so damnably closed off with her all the time as he is when he’s with us.”

Ilsa huffed in what he knew was aggravation but nodded her agreement.

The song ended, and Nick released her with a gentle kiss, “What can I do to help you now?”

She looked around the kitchen and with a small sigh said, “I think everything is set and ready. They just need to get here.”

“Great.” He opened the refrigerator and took out a bottle of chardonnay he’d picked up for this evening. He uncapped it and poured her a small glass and held out his hand to pass it to her. As she reached for it however, he pulled it out of her reach and teased, “You have to pay your tab first.”

He loved seeing her eyes sparkle at his mischief. “And what’s the price?” she asked with a knowing grin.

“For now, I’ll settle for a proper snog. But the prices go up the later it gets.” Her lips were still curved in a grin as they met his. They stood in their kitchen, kissing and murmuring to each other, sipping wine and laughing until finally the front doorbell rang.

“I’ll get it,” he whispered to her before kissing the tip of her nose, leaving her giggling behind him.

His smile was huge and genuine as he opened the door to find both Robin and Cormoran on the front step. “Good evening! How are you Robin?” He bent to peck her cheek as she answered with a smile and a quick “I’m great!” He stepped back to allow them through the door, before clapping Cormoran on the back with a mumbled, “Oggy.”

Cormoran instantly moved to help Robin remove her jacket, hanging it and the scarf she handed him on the pegs next to the front door beside his.

“Where’s Ilsa?” Robin asked.

“Go on through. She was in the kitchen drinking all the wine when I came to let you in.”

“I heard that,” came the droll response from his wife as she met Robin in the lounge and gathered her into a hug before swatting at Nick as he and Cormoran, who stooped to plant a kiss on her cheek, passed beside them on their way to the kitchen to obtain drinks. “Oh, I love this blouse Robin. Where did you get it?”

Robin brushed her hands down the front of her grey silk blouse and replied, “I’ve had this for ages. I can’t remember where I picked it up.” She shrugged. “But you’re welcome to borrow it if you like.”

“Hmmm.” Ilsa continued to eye the blouse, “I just might.”

Cormoran handed Robin a glass of the chardonnay as he took a deep swig of the beer Nick had poured him. He made a show of glancing around the room, “Where are the wee beasties?”

“Ricky and Ossie, if you must know, are at the vets this weekend,” Ilsa answered while making a face at her old friend.

Robin grabbed her arm, clearly worried, “Are they OK?”

“Oh yes, they’re fine…It was just time for their…well…” Ilsa trailed off with a significant raise of her eyebrows.

“Ahhhh!” Robin nodded before turning to Cormoran and grinning, “Looks like you’re safe.” She laughed heartily at his narrowed eyed glance and muttered, “Cheeky.”

Ilsa took Robin’s hand and tugged her toward the dining table, “I hope you two are hungry. I couldn’t stop myself from doing a roast and Corm, before you ask, yes, I made apple crumble.”

“You’re an angel Ils,” Cormoran replied. “I’d get down on my knees and bow to you if I could.”

“No need to worship at my feet.” Ilsa waved off his chicanery with a graceful wave of her hand. “Just continue to send me referrals and I’ll consider the debt paid.” The entire party dissolved into laughter as they took their seats at the table and started passing dishes.

They laughed and joked their way through dinner, with Nick and Cormoran ribbing each other about football, Robin and Cormoran sharing humorous encounters with clients and subjects they were tailing and Ilsa and Robin snickering over Ilsa’s stories about Nick’s attempts to train the cats.

As Ilsa brought the apple crumble to the table, passing it first to Cormoran, she said, “I have something for the two of you. It reminded me of you.”

She turned and lifted an envelope from the breakfront next to the dining table. “Nick agreed with me that it was the perfect thing for you both,” she said as she handed the envelope to Robin.

Robin opened the flap and pulled out two tickets to, “A murder mystery dinner play?” She glanced at Cormoran with raised eyebrows, obviously surprised.

“Yes. One of my paralegals is involved in community theater and they put on this show every year, with different mysteries of course, as a fundraiser. She asked me if Nick and I might be interested in going this year, but we already have plans for that day. But then I thought of you two and I thought you’d probably both enjoy it.”

“I don’t understand what it is though…is it a play?” Robin was genuinely confused.

“Well, from what I understand, you and the other attendees arrive, dressed for the theater,” she pointed to the dress code, listed as “black tie”, on the tickets and you’ll each be given an envelope with further instructions for how the evening will go. You’ll socialize and mingle with the other guests only none of you will know who the other guests are and who the actors are.” She paused as she noted that both Robin’s and Cormoran’s eyes were starting to light up.

“At some point in the evening, early I’d guess, someone will be ‘killed’,” she moved her fingers in air quotes. “And the investigation will ensue. Someone will turn out to be the murderer but everyone attending will help figure out the mystery.” Ilsa could barely contain her glee as Robin and Cormoran exchanged glances filled with excited curiosity. “What do you think? Does it sound fun?”

“Robin?” Cormoran asked, clearly willing to take a cue from his partner.

“It does. It actually sounds really fun.”

“What day is it? Do we have anything scheduled that evening?” Cormoran replied.

Robin glanced down at the tickets, flushed, and then glanced back up at him, “It’s on February 14th.”

He looked at her, nonplussed.

“Comoran, that’s Valentines Day. Don’t you have a date?” Robin laughed, but Nick could see that the laugh didn’t quite reach her eyes. Cormoran remained silent for a few moments, watching his partner, then glancing over at Nick, before responding.

“No. Actually. I don’t.” His voice was soft.

“You don’t?” Robin whispered.

“No. I’m not really seeing anyone right now. You?” Nick saw Cormoran’s hand tighten to a fist, where it rested on his leg under the table, out of Robin’s eyeline.

“I’m not. I haven’t really been interested in anyone. You know…Since the divorce.” Robin’s eyes went back to the tickets still grasped in her hand.

Ilsa was quieter than he’d ever seen her. Nick was almost certain she wasn’t even breathing. He knew he wasn’t interested in doing anything that would distract Cormoran and Robin from each other. Ilsa’s eyes found his and he could see her hope, excitement, and yearning in them. It was their fondest wish to see their friends become a couple and it felt as though the four of them were standing on a ledge, waiting to bungee jump, and Robin and Cormoran were taking forever to make the jump.

Nick winked at Ilsa as Cormoran reached over and laid his hand over Robin’s. “Do you want to go? To this?” He indicated the tickets. “With me?”

Robin grinned up at Cormoran, though her head was still tilted down, toward the tickets, “Sure. I really would.”

Cormoran squeezed her hand and with a nod replied, “It’s a date.”

Nick could see Ilsa struggling to keep her composure. He knew she was bursting with the need to scream with joy. So, he saved her by asking, “Great! Glad that’s settled. Robin? Do you want ice cream with your crumble?”

Robin chuckled at Nick’s deflection and nodded, while tucking the tickets back into their envelope and handing them to Cormoran to stow in his jacket pocket. “I’d love some. Thank you.”

 Later, after desert had been cleared away, coffee and after dinner cocktails had been had, hugs and kisses were exchanged and Cormoran and Robin left for the evening. As they turned to walk to the Tube station that would take them back to their individual homes, Cormoran nudged Robin’s arm. She glanced up at him and he nodded his head in the direction of the front windows of the Herbert’s house.

Through the window they could see, and hear, Ilsa scream, “FINALLY!!!! OH MY GOD!!! FUCKING FINALLY!!!” as she jumped into Nick’s arms, joyfully covering his face in exuberant kisses.

Robin turned back to Cormoran and started giggling. He shook his head and chuckled before tossing his arm around Robin’s shoulders and pulling her into his side as they continued the trek to their station.

[rouyn]

"I like Robin."

"...Well, so do I. I just don't need to add her to the dead and maimed women I carry around in my head."

- Career of Evil, Part One

[robinlestrange]

Chapter 1: June 1975

A series of snapshots from the life of Cormoran Strike, all related to fatherhood. https://archiveofourown.org/works/24640189/chapters/59533195 So, the plan was to write this and publish in full on Father’s Day (which for us in the UK is 21st June). However...in a fit of insomnia overnight I’ve realised that 12 chapters seems a bit much to post in one go, and happily it’s 12 days until the 21st, so I figured I’d start now.

[unkindness313]

The boy who smokes and the girl who drank London dry.

For @robinlestrange

[rvellacott]

nick and ilsa deserve more. we deserve to know more about them. that’s the opinion of the day thanks for tuning in.

[thegreendress]

Chapters: 19/? Fandom: Cormoran Strike Series - Robert Galbraith, Strike (TV 2017) Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Robin Ellacott/Cormoran Strike, Robin Ellacott & Cormoran Strike Characters: Cormoran Strike, Robin Ellacott, Nick Herbert, Ilsa Herbert, Eric Wardle, Sam Barclay, Matthew Cunliffe, Matthew Cunliffe's Family Additional Tags: Texting, text fic, Digitalisation, Fluff, Humor, some sexual content Summary:

A collaborative series of hilarious, sweet, and sexy moments between characters, digitalised.

In case you didn’t know - some members of the Strike fanfic community have gotten together to create a series of possible text messages between the Strike characters! If you’re in need of some lighthearted fun, please do give it a read! 

Authors include @robinvenetiaa, @rouyn, @flanker27uk, @jekkyme, @rattacat, @fallingfaintlydown, GTRWTW, eticatka, blueygreeny, and myself. 

Enjoy the series! It will be ongoing!

[stillaslavetothisdream]

Chapters: 27/31 Fandom: Cormoran Strike Series - Robert Galbraith Rating: Not Rated Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Robin Ellacott/Cormoran Strike Characters: Cormoran Strike, Robin Ellacott, Lucy (Cormoran Strike), Nick Herbert, Ilsa Herbert, Sam Barclay, Andy Hutchins, Jack | Lucy's Middle Son (Cormoran Strike) Additional Tags: Striketober | Cormoran Strike Fictober 2020, Troubled Blood Spoilers Summary:

One drabble a day for the Challenge of #striketober2020 by https://robinlestrange.tumblr.com/ and https://lulacat3.tumblr.com/

Some of them are going to be connected to each other; but can be read as single snippet "in the lives of" our favourite group of people. All of them are set post Troubled Blood, so possible spoilers in case you haven't finished (or read) the book yet.

[hjellacott]

Considering Nick Herbert deliberatedly pursued an ENGAGED woman because it was the woman of his dreams and he wasn't letting her go, and that Ilsa Herbert was happy to pursue him back and cancel her engagement for HER MAN and marry him a year later like "scratch that name in the wedding invites and just put this other name", I am astonished we still haven't gotten Herberts teasing Strike from not having the fucking balls to interrupt Robin's wedding and marry her instead to be honest.

Like, I imagine them hearing what happened and Nick scoffing and being like "and you didn't do anything? really, what a baby".

[blueymoons]

Ready to go on a ride full of angst, pining, smuts and ultimately sweet, sweet love?

Me too. 

Welcome to Good Luck, Kid!

I hope you enjoy it. 

[therewasstilltime]

Inky Seas (41991 words) by Therewasstilltime Chapters: 13/31 Fandom: Cormoran Strike Series - Robert Galbraith Rating: Explicit Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Robin Ellacott/Cormoran Strike Characters: Cormoran Strike, Robin Ellacott, Vanessa Ekwensi, Ilsa Herbert, Nick Herbert, Linda Ellacott, Michael Ellacott, Al Rokeby, Jonny Rokeby Additional Tags: Fluff, Relationship(s), Eventual Smut, Developing Relationship, Case Fic Series: Part 2 of Ellacott & Strike Summary:

The continuation of 'Midnight'.

Strike tries to survive Christmas in Cornwall without Robin.

Uses the lyrics of "Inky Seas" by Laura Groves.

[hjellacott]

Goddaddy Strike and Godmama Robin, that's just <3

[robinlestrange]

Chapter 3: June 1985

A series of unfortunate events sees ten-year-old Cormoran and his younger sister back in St Mawes without Leda, and enrolled at the local primary school.

Kids can be cruel, but Uncle Ted is there to pick up the pieces. https://archiveofourown.org/works/24640189/chapters/59658070

[robinlestrange]

Chapter 17: The Calm Before the Storm

Robin puts on a brave face for two more visits from Matthew, but even as he starts his business trip he's plotting his next move. A barbecue at the Herbert's provides a well earned opportunity to relax for Robin, and a chance for Alex and Edie to make some new friends.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/23482807/chapters/58781860   

[robinlestrange]

My first post for WIP Wednesday! I’ve got a few on the go at the moment, but decided to go with this, which is part of a one-shot, coming at some point in the next few weeks, rather than one of the chapter fics I’m working on...hope you enjoy! “Come on Robin…it’s been over six months since your decree absolute. You really should at least think about getting out there again.” Ilsa shot a surreptitious glance at Strike. The local band they’d come to see had reached a break in their set, and he was reading the subtitles on the TV in the corner of the pub, resolutely avoiding engaging with the conversation. She was more than a little tipsy and had her devils’ advocate hat on, determined to goad her oldest friend into admitting his feelings for her newest one, if only to his stubborn self. “Why, Ilsa?” replied Robin. “I’ve got a great job, a lovely flat share, a good social life. I’m happy and enjoying my freedom. What do I need a man for?” She took a mouthful from her large glass of wine – they were onto their second bottle already. “A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle,” she declared firmly. Nick felt like he was watching a tennis match, his gaze bobbing between his inebriated wife, her tipsy friend, and Strike who was doing his level best to appear completely unruffled and failing miserably. “Well,” Ilsa lowered her voice conspiratorially, “I’m afraid that’s where you’re wrong. There are some things us women definitely need a man for,” she giggled, “Isn’t that right Nick?” “Leave me out of it,” he replied, flushing slightly but giving his wife an affectionate smile. The adverts had come on and Strike turned back to the table, unable to continue pretending to be distracted by the television. “Nope,” Robin argued, “You’re wrong Ils. I am a modern woman. There is nothing I need from a man that I can’t get from a vivid imagination and a well-equipped bedside drawer,” she winked broadly and giggled into her wine. Ilsa looked at her friend wide-eyed, she hadn’t seen that coming! Strike was open-mouthed across the table, his ears turning bright pink, like they used to when they played kiss chase in the school playground, reminisced Ilsa fondly to herself. Nick cleared his throat. “I think it’s your round Oggy.” Strike glared at him. He absolutely could not move. Robin’s comment, and the ensuing image that had popped into his mind’s eye of her pleasuring herself had gone straight to his groin. It took Nick a few seconds to realise his friend’s predicament and he stifled a smirk. “Forgot, your leg’s been playing up hasn’t it? I’ll get ‘em.” “Here,” Strike reached for his wallet and gratefully handed Nick a note. “Thanks.”Nick headed off to the bar, and a few moments later, Ilsa and Robin stood up and announced their intention to visit the ladies, leaving Strike alone battling his thoughts and his misbehaving cock, at least until Nick returned with two more pints of Doom Bar.

[robinlestrange]

Chapter 12: Memory Box

Kathy and Ilsa quiz Robin and Strike about their unexpected lunch date. The urge to investigate overwhelms Robin.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/23482807/chapters/58198195