I am not lonely [Mystrade]

CHAPTER 27 : Happy Birthday

Mycroft rolled his curl around his finger, making care to place it in the middle of his forehead. He sprayed on a small amount of his Gautier's perfume and smiled to himself in the mirror. He was wearing a navy blue silk tuxedo with a matching bowtie. He fold a white pouch and turned off the cabinet's light before exiting the bathroom.
The house was quiet, excepted the noise that Michael was making while cooking downstairs. The official had dropped Alden at his parents-in-law's house for the night earlier in the afternoon after picking him up from the nursery. He settled down in the living room where his employee had lighted a fire in the chimney. It was nearly 6 and a half and Gregory was to make it home at any minutes. The auburn lighted up blueberry-scented candles on the coffee table and sat down in the couch near the fireplace.
A couple of minutes later, Mycroft heard his partner parking in the alley and exiting his car. The official straighten his collar while the DI was entering the house, hanging his coat in the corridor. This evening was a surprise organised by the elder Holmes and even if the yarder supposed that his partner would probably bring him to the restaurant he had no clue that the government official had left his work early just to make sure that everything was perfect for his lover's birthday.
The DI entered the living room, throwing his suit jacket on the couch before sitting down, not even seeing his husband sat in the couch in front of him. Mycroft coughed gently, a soft smile on his face.
"Happy birthday honey ..." he said, raising on his feet to approach Greg. He placed a passionate kiss on his lips, running his hand on the DI's back.
"Come on, I'm disgusting Myc ..." protested the latter, placing on last kiss on his husband's cheek. "Let me take a shower. I can't compete with your cuteness dressed like this ...".
Mycroftstepped back to let Greg join the first floor bathroom. Knowing that his partner would probably want to take a shower before diner, the official had hanged his favourite suit on the bathroom door to make sure the detective would be looking as gorgeous as he could look.
During the time Greg was under his shower, Michael brought a bottle of Moët&Chandon champagne and some Italian antipasti. It takes the detective less than 10 minutes to return to the living room, wearing the black Kashmir suit the elder Holmes had picked for him, his hair combed and still wet, his skin smelling of his Yves St-Laurent perfume he had bought himself last summer. He sat on the couch beside his husband and placed a kiss in his neck.

The detective poured two glasses of champagne and they toasted before drinking a gulp of the luxury champagne. Gregory was feeling amazing and huddled himself against his boyfriend, his head on the auburn's shoulder. He was definitely one of the luckiest man in the world he thought to himself, drinking a new gulp of champagne.

Mycroft put his arm around the detective shoulders and picked up some ham and mozzarella in a one of the plate displayed on the coffee table and fed it to the other man. It was the first time the official organised this kind of event, favouring most of the time bringing his partner to the restaurant for his birthday or for any special celebration, but he knew that Gregory preferred casual night at home over posh restaurants and clubs. He hoped that the inspector would appreciate the effort he was doing but from what he could deduced at that moment, it seems like Greg was having a good time.
"Where is Alden ?" wondered the detective.
"With your parents. I've brought him there earlier. They had agreed to take him for the night." answered the auburn with a grin.
"Damn, you've organised everything !" remarked the yarder, astonished.
"It was just a phone call you know ..." retorted Mycroft, trying to seem modest. "I wanted everything to be perfect for you darling..."
The detective kissed him on the lips once again and whispered to his ear. "It's amazing. Absolutely perfect..."
Gregory had celebrated his birthday earlier with his team but despite the little piece of cake he had on Donovan desk, he haven't eaten since the night before, spending his day on a couple of bloody crimes. He was determined to forget about his work this evening and enjoy his night. The two men finished their antipasti, still closely entwined, before joining the dining room where Michael brought them the first course he had prepared, a lobster Espuma with rocket salad and crust. This was one of the detective's favourite dish and Michael, who had been trained by some of the greatest French chef, cooked it perfectly.
"I've never asked you, but how does it came that Michael entered to your service ?" asked Gregory, curious, while dipping his spoon in the Espuma.
"Oh, it's the Cabinet who placed him here. I'm entitled a cook and domestic employee and when Franco retired 6 years ago Michael replaced him." answered simply the official.
"You are saying that Michael is an employee of the Cabinet in fact ?" wondered the detective, surprised.
"Yes, of course. Like the driver or the maid. That's part of the job advantages. I could pretend to a house if I wanted but well, I already have this one so..." retorted Mycroft, not looking any kind of surprised or shocked by his privileges. "The car is one of the Cabinet too."
"God. How much does that cost ?" laughed the yarder. "Is there really any reason you are entitled all that?"
"Well, I'm high in the government hierarchy, I suppose it's enough of a reason ..." laughed back the auburn. "Seriously, it's just sort of a ... 'tradition' if I can say so. I could ask for security officers 24/7 if I wished, you know ...".
Greg raised an eyebrow. "You have me." he smirked to his lover. "Whenever you want ...". The official smiled back and grabbed the DI's hand, placing a kiss on his ring-finger. "You are all I need." he whispered, his finger caressing his partner's hand.