Parents

14 • Dinner

"Hamish!" Mycroft laughed as Hamish ran at my brother's legs, seemingly attempting to knock him over.

He picked Hamish up, who promptly wiped his face on Mycroft's white shirt. Hamish had just eaten his second Easter egg (a very small one) so he got chocolate all over Mycroft's suit.

"You told him to do that, didn't you?" Mycroft asked, holding Hamish slightly away and getting out a handkerchief.

"No." I said, suppressing a chuckle.

"I'll get you a cloth." John said and raised his eyebrows at me, questioning. I nodded minutely and he rolled his eyes.

"Thank you." Mycroft said and pulled Hamish back to him. Hamish promptly buried his face in Mycroft's shirt again and I couldn't hold back a laugh.

"You so did Sherlock." Accused Lestrade.

John came back in with the cloth and Mycroft cleaned Hamish's face, preventing further mess, before cleaning himself up.

"Are we going now?" Lestrade asked, impatient. "We have something for you in the car for you, Hamish." In response Hamish put his arms out to go to him.

"Bunny at Gre and My's?" Hamish asked, wondering why all the eggs hadn't been hidden.

"Yes, he wanted you to have it specially." Lestrade told him.

John went out to get the coats "Why are you insisting on this?" I asked Mycroft, annoyed.

"I've told you." He sighs "It's what people are supposed to do. I thought you wanted to give Hamish all experiences we never had as children"

I stayed quiet, not wanting to admit that he was right. I did want to go out to lunch, but not with Mycroft.

"Easter is supposed to be for families." He added, knowing my train of thought.

"Mrs Hudson is family" I retorted.

"You didn't invite her?" He asked, rolling his eyes. I was getting a lot of eye rolls today.

"You didn't tell me to." I protested and ran down to ask her. "Mrs Hudson!" I walk through her door, hoping she hasn't slept late "Do you want to come with us to dinner?"
"Oh Sherlock, of course!" She said emerging from the bathroom. She seems a little dressed up, likely in hope that we'd ask.

She promised to meet us in the car as soon as she heard us come down. I walked back up, almost colliding with John

"This is going to be boring." I say, loudly enough for them all to hear.

"You wanted to go out anyway, what's the difference if they're here." John whispers back.

"They're irritating. If I want to talk I have to wait until they finish."

"That is common etiquette, Sherlock. It's good to socialise."

"But I only want you and Hamish." I grumble and he hands me my coat.

"You'll be fine. Hold my hand and talk to Hamish."

"Fine." I say and go to put Hamish's coat on him.

A few minutes later we are in the car, which Mycroft had ordered especially so we could all go together. I buckle Hamish into the car seat that was already in there and mumble in his ear for the whole journey.

"So, Sherlock this is your first real Easter?" Lestrade asks, trying to sound casual.
"If by 'real' you mean celebrated, then yes. Although if you don't I've had an Easter every year of my life." I say rapidly, as he interrupted me, telling Hamish about how my latest experiment was important (John was the only other person who'd listen).