“Maybe, once a week? They don’t have to be long or anything. We could even just meet for coffee or tea?” Greg suggested, feeling more and more like a teenager trying to do everything in her power to get her crush to notice her. That was ridiculous because Greg was married, not to mention he knew nothing about Mycroft Holmes other than his name, his brother, and that he cares for his brother.
“That could easily be arranged,” Mycroft said, hoping he wasn’t smiling. That would mean Greg was winning at trying to get more out of Mycroft than he wanted to give.
Greg smiled, excited. He couldn’t explain what it was about the stone, stoic man that caused this obsession, but Greg wanted to uncover him, figure him out. He wanted to know all there was to know about him. He sounded pathetic, even in his own head.
“I regret to say that I will be out of town for the next two weeks, so I will not be able to meet. However, I can give you my mobile number which you may use to contact me if something should come up,” Mycroft said as he reached into his pocket to grab a pen. “Paper?”
Greg handed him a piece of scratch paper to write his number down on. “Do you prefer calls or texts?”
“It doesn’t matter. Whichever you prefer,” Mycroft said with an easy smile. He was surprised that someone thought to ask that. Most people just assumed that texting as it was used most frequently.
Greg rolled his eyes. “It’s Greg. Or Gregory if you prefer.” He tilted his head. “I think we’ve moved past the formalities, yes?”
Mycroft smiled hesitantly. “Apologies…Gregory.”
Greg smiled. “See, it’s not too bad, calling someone by their first name, is it?” he teased. He was stalling and he knew it, but he didn’t know why he was so hesitant to say goodbye to Mycroft. They had really only met twice and discussed Sherlock.
“I suppose not.” Mycroft stood. “Goodbye, Gregory. I will be in contact with you when I return.”
Greg turned his attention back to the papers on his desk. “If you need someone to talk to while you’re away, you can always contact me. To, you know, have someone who’s expecting you to return.” He winced.
Mycroft cleared his throat. “Are you requesting that I inform you of when I return?”
“Yeah. And when you get wherever it is you’re going safely,” Greg said. “Someone has to look out for you.”
Mycroft felt a pleasing feeling wash over him at the thought that Gregory wanted to make sure he came back. It was, of course, mostly for Sherlock’s benefit, but Mycroft could fool himself for a few moments. “You would like to be that person?”
“I’m volunteering,” Greg said quietly, looking up at Mycroft. “I’m sure that you have a million people who are required to keep tabs on you, but I would like to be included, just to make sure you actually do come back.”
Mycroft tapped his umbrella on the ground. “Very well. I will inform you of when I arrive at my destination as well as when I return. Does that suit you?”
Greg laughed. “I’m not going to force you to do anything you don’t want, Mycroft.” He rubbed his neck. “I know it’s a ridiculous request, but I don’t want you to feel like I am only looking out for Sherlock. As far as I’m concerned, I took on both the Holmes brothers that day.”
Mycroft didn’t know what to say, so he nodded. Gregory wanted to check in with him and not just about Sherlock. Surely that meant he wanted to see more of Mycroft, right? Unless it was simply to make sure his new employer didn’t die and leave him empty-handed. “Goodbye, Gregory.”
Re: Criminal Conversation 1h/?
“That could easily be arranged,” Mycroft said, hoping he wasn’t smiling. That would mean Greg was winning at trying to get more out of Mycroft than he wanted to give.
Greg smiled, excited. He couldn’t explain what it was about the stone, stoic man that caused this obsession, but Greg wanted to uncover him, figure him out. He wanted to know all there was to know about him. He sounded pathetic, even in his own head.
“I regret to say that I will be out of town for the next two weeks, so I will not be able to meet. However, I can give you my mobile number which you may use to contact me if something should come up,” Mycroft said as he reached into his pocket to grab a pen. “Paper?”
Greg handed him a piece of scratch paper to write his number down on. “Do you prefer calls or texts?”
“It doesn’t matter. Whichever you prefer,” Mycroft said with an easy smile. He was surprised that someone thought to ask that. Most people just assumed that texting as it was used most frequently.
Greg smiled. “I’ll be in touch, then.”
Mycroft nodded. “I appreciate that, Detective Inspector.”
Greg rolled his eyes. “It’s Greg. Or Gregory if you prefer.” He tilted his head. “I think we’ve moved past the formalities, yes?”
Mycroft smiled hesitantly. “Apologies…Gregory.”
Greg smiled. “See, it’s not too bad, calling someone by their first name, is it?” he teased. He was stalling and he knew it, but he didn’t know why he was so hesitant to say goodbye to Mycroft. They had really only met twice and discussed Sherlock.
“I suppose not.” Mycroft stood. “Goodbye, Gregory. I will be in contact with you when I return.”
Greg turned his attention back to the papers on his desk. “If you need someone to talk to while you’re away, you can always contact me. To, you know, have someone who’s expecting you to return.” He winced.
Mycroft cleared his throat. “Are you requesting that I inform you of when I return?”
“Yeah. And when you get wherever it is you’re going safely,” Greg said. “Someone has to look out for you.”
Mycroft felt a pleasing feeling wash over him at the thought that Gregory wanted to make sure he came back. It was, of course, mostly for Sherlock’s benefit, but Mycroft could fool himself for a few moments. “You would like to be that person?”
“I’m volunteering,” Greg said quietly, looking up at Mycroft. “I’m sure that you have a million people who are required to keep tabs on you, but I would like to be included, just to make sure you actually do come back.”
Mycroft tapped his umbrella on the ground. “Very well. I will inform you of when I arrive at my destination as well as when I return. Does that suit you?”
Greg laughed. “I’m not going to force you to do anything you don’t want, Mycroft.” He rubbed his neck. “I know it’s a ridiculous request, but I don’t want you to feel like I am only looking out for Sherlock. As far as I’m concerned, I took on both the Holmes brothers that day.”
Mycroft didn’t know what to say, so he nodded. Gregory wanted to check in with him and not just about Sherlock. Surely that meant he wanted to see more of Mycroft, right? Unless it was simply to make sure his new employer didn’t die and leave him empty-handed. “Goodbye, Gregory.”