Picture Book

It was Mycroft's birthday. Again. He never had the intension to celebrate such a day in past. But in last three years, it changed. It was only logical, that when he insisted to celebrate Greg's one, his couldn't be missed either.

At his age and with his money, there wasn't anything he needed. Well, maybe few things, but you can hardly receive better people to work with as a birthday present. Especially when you're Mycroft Holmes.

So Lestrade had a quite hard time thinking about what he could get for his partner. But suddenly, when he was in shower humming a melody, he came out with pretty good idea. Definitely the best thing he had thought of till this moment.

"Happy birthday, love," he handed him a box wrapped in paper patterned with little cakes. Holmes rolled his eyes, but smiled warmly. His Gregory had done this every year.

"I told you, I truly don't need anything. You could give me the paper by itself," he joked. Still, he was glad he was on somebody's mind after all this time. On his mind.

"And even though, I tried and got ya this. I think, you owe me a nice 'thank you'," said Greg with eyebrows raised. Mycroft replyed nothing and started to unwrap his present.

Mycroft tried not to tear up the packing completely. He had always kept the part with 'to my My, Gregory xx'. Still couldn't believe how could he change that much in somebody's presence. When you would met him on a street, you would said he hadn't changed a bit.

"You won't convince me, that you're not pleased there's something in it. Even you must like receiving things. Especially when you don't know what's inside," said DI, while Myc was opening the box. He musted admit, there was excitement bubbling inside him. Greg was good at giving gifts.

"That's-," he was slowly turning one page after another. All of those memories came back. The day when their favourite bakery re-opened, thanks to donation of unknown sponsor, and there was picture of Mycroft and the enthusiastic girl, who was running it.

Then some photos from the very few holidays they were together on.

Even picture of John and Sherlock, the damn hat on his head with annoyed expression. John, obviously, even wrote a short note to it and both of them signed it. Well, all three of them. Rosie's fingerprint was in the corner of the page.

Then there was photo of him lying on a sofa with glasses on and a book in his hands. He cringed a bit over that, but when he realised, that he didn't remember how the picture was taken, there was this not so unwelcomed feeling around his stomach. He must had been so relaxed, that he hadn't noticed.

"Well," Lestrade started to ask, still not sure, if it's appropriate enough.

"Picture book, of people with each other, the proof they love each other," Holmes recited the lyrics with shining eyes and hardly audible voice. He heard Gregory to listen to this song a while ago.

"You- you know it?" Said Greg, sounded genuinely surprised. Of course he knew Mycroft had one of the greatest minds in the world, but...he knew something about rock'n'roll music? Lyrics of a song?

"You listened to it," sounded short answer. Of course his brain hadn't deleted this information.

"And you remember the lyrics?" The brown eyed man hadn't stopped the flow of his questions.

"Well, yeah. And I also remember that besides The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society you like the album Lola Versus Powerman. Especially the song Apeman with lyrics you identify for a bit," said he without a blink. Which was probably good, because there was a statue in his garden.

"Wow, I should be the one saying nice things since is your birthday," he musted to laugh and let himself slightly blush.

"Just hollow facts," pointed out Mycroft. He just remembered what he heard. And what he googled afterwards. And he's not that unknown to pop-culture if anyone still asks.

"No, no... Your behaviour was compromised by sentiment, Mr Holmes. I've never told you this. You had to found about it by yourself " smiled Lestrade fondly. It was nice to know how to recognize that Holmes cares about you. He still couldn't believe it.

"Maybe," Mycroft surrendered, ,,but aren't it what you want? Me being nice?" He said to chuckling Greg and hugged him around his waist, head on his shoulder. They both silently browsed the photos for a moment.

"I left some pages empty," pointed out DI. He hoped for much more time to fill the book. To fill him.

"To the always unexpected future," Mycroft sighed. But not in a bad way. In the most 'looking forward to spending time with you' possible way for him.

"And you know how the lyrics continues. Picture of you, in your birthday suit," he moved his sight back on Holmes, devilish grin on his face.

"I think I owe you a nice 'thank you'."

Wow. My first ff in English. Firstly, I'm most sorry for all grammar mistakes, it's not my native language (well, one person from Tumblr read it after me, so thank you! but still, ya know). Secondly, I'll be glad if you'll comment where they are and how much you like this oneshot.

Even though, I hope you enjoyed!

Klára 🖤