I am not lonely [Mystrade]

CHAPTER 42 : 47.

Mycroft woke up to his boyfriend placing gentle kisses on his torso, his fingers running idly on the official's throat. Keeping his eyes closed a few more minutes not to let the other man know he was awoken, the auburn took the time to appreciate the luck he had of having such a loving and caring man by his side. He finally moved slightly, placing his hand on the warm skin of the detective's back and opened his eyes, smiling genuinely to his husband.
"Good morning love." he whispered. The inspector moved a little to approach the elder Holmes face and placed a chast kiss on his lips.
"Good morning husband." he replied in low voice. "Happy birthday !"
"Is it already today ?" asked the official, truly surprised.
"Yes, we are February the 18th, I swear." chuckled Greg, his fingers tracing deep furrows in his lover's hair.
"Oh god..." grumbled the auburn. "Let me sleep until tomorrow and pretend today doesn't exist ..."
"Oh come on ... Don't be such a party pooper !"laughed the other man before placing a new kiss on his lips.
"Why should I celebrate the fact of being one year closer to my death ?"complained Mycroft, definitely not understanding what everyone was finding fun in birthday once you were over 20.
"You are not to die tomorrow, are you ?" retorted the detective, now laid down by his partner's side, laughing frantically.
"Death come sooner than you imagine Gregory ..." moaned the auburn.
"I'm older than you and I'm still not dead no ? So come on, smile a bit. You are only 47 ! You'll make it to tomorrow ..." lectured the DI.
Mycroft turned on his side to face his partner and rubbed his fingers against his cheek, gently and slowly while humming the first notes of Let it be. "When I found myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes tome, speaking words of wisdom ...".
"I'm not a saint ..."chuckled the detective, bitting his lower lip softly.
"No because a saint won't do this." retorted the auburn, placing his lips against his boyfriend's and kissing him with passion. They kept kissing and cuddling each other until their son woke up and started crying, asking for his breakfast. Reluctantly Gregory pulled himself out of bed and seized a nightgown laying on an armchair where he had left it the previous evening before making his way to Alden's room and lifting him to his chest. He was starting to come down the stairs when the auburn exited the room wearing a matching nightgown and holding a pair of red slippers for his lover.
"Pneumonia could kill you know ? What would you possibly do without me ? " he joked, handling the shoes to the inspector and placing a kiss on his son's forehead.
"Thank you, your Serene Highness." the older replied in a smirk, bowing exaggeratedly.
They took a seat in the dining room where, as usual, Michael had displayed plates, glasses and cutlery for the three of them and quickly brought them their morning tea and some home-made pastries, including raisin bread, Mycroft's favourite pastrie that he usually avoided because of all the fat and sugar that came with it.
"If I have to die tomorrow, I'd better have a good breakfast at least !" he exclaimed, grabbing one of the pastries and adding sugar to his tea.
"So, what do you want to do today ?" asked Greg after drinking a gulp of his tea.
"Well, as you don't want to let me sleep until tomorrow, I suppose I could do with a day by the sea." replied the official, forcing a piece of his bread down his partner's throat.
"That could be great yes."agreed the detective, chocking a little with the food. "And it would be Alden's first time at the sea."
"Is Brighton ok for you darling ?" wondered the elder Holmes, carefully wiping out his son's chin of the hot chocolate he had spilled on himself.
"Yeah, sure." nodded the yarder, grabbing the teapot and pouring himself a new cup of tea before adding two sugars in it.

An hour and a half later, the two men were trying to find a space for Alden's pram in the boot of the official's car, already occupied by a certain amount of toys and a blanket for the little boy.
"Next time they ask you what car you want, please choose it better !" sighed the detective to his boyfriend.
"Yes sure. I'm sure I'll look absolutely credible with my minivan waiting for me in front of Downing Street." replied the other one, deadpan.
"Don't forget to ask it bright blue, or better, pink, to make sure you can find it easily on Tesco's car park." grinned the DI, finally finding a space for the pram and closing the boot.
"I was thinking of having my name paint on it in capitals letters instead ..."chuckled the other man, taking a seat in the car.
"No ... Some people could accuse you of showing off ..." retorted the inspector, shaking his head.
"Yeah, you're right, lets have it pink instead." agreed the official before bursting into laugher, unableto keep himself together longer. That was stupid and childish but Mycroft didn't care. When nobody could see him apart from the people he loved, the usually so cold and efficient man would turn into a loving and funny father and husband, letting himself go without feeling guilty for a second. It was like if all the love and the joy he had repressed himself of giving for more the 40 years finally was let out and he now wondered how he could have lived for so long without letting his loving and caring side express herself.

"Look Daddy ! Bird !" exclaimed the little boy, roosted on his father's shoulder.
"It's a seagull Aldy." specified the auburn in a smile. They were walking on the seafront, enjoying the merciful weather and the kid was excited with everything he was seeing, from the neon lights of the shops to the birds and the colours of the little flags displayed across the street between the lampposts.
Despite the sun, there was only very few tourist at this period of the year and the family could enjoy the walk without being disturbed by other people for the greatest pleasure of the official who wasn't really fond of very touristic place. They were approaching the pier, still closed at this time of the day and decided to have lunch before enjoying the beach. Crossing the road, they had a look at the menus exposed in front of each restaurant, finally selecting an Indian chop-house and settling themselves around a table near the windows, keeping a great view on the sea.
"Am I dreaming or did my husband is eating in the same restaurant than the commoner of mortals ?" laughed Greg while they were waiting for their dishes to be prepared.
"Oh shut up !" smiled the other man trying to look cross despite his smile.
"Myc' ! No swear words in front of the boy !" lectured him the detective, still laughing.
"You'll learn that it already had happened to me, to have diner in this kind of place !" chuckled the official, running a hand in his son's hair, the toddler sat just beside him in his highchair.
"When ? In 1975 ?" teased the yarder, drinking a gulp of his wine.
"Why are you so treacherous ! It was in 1997 !"retorted the elder Holmes taking his false outraged facial expression.
Not able to keep himself together, the DI collapsed on the table, laughing frantically. It took him a couple of minutes before being able to talk again, tears in the corners of his eyes. "You know that's not what normal people would have answered, do you?"
"Come on Gregory, do you really think I am like everybody?" giggled Mycroft while the waiter was displaying a plate before him.
"I'd be awfully disappointed if it was the case I have to admit ..." retorted the detective, swallowing a mouthful of his prawn curry.
"You are enough of a banal person for us two, don't you think ?" asked the auburn in a smirk.
"I don't know if it's supposed to be a compliment or an insult but at least you've said banal and not boring ..." replied the inspector in a littlepout.
"You are teasing me since we've sat, now it's my turn !" laughed his partner. "But you are right, I've said banal, not boring. Sometime banal is great. I like being able to understand you and coming back home knowing that you are not waiting for me to prove anything. I like knowing that you love me not for what I am able to do but just for who I am."
The yarder rested his hand on hisboyfriend's and smiled softly. "Who would care for your brain when they have the keys to your heart ?".

"Yes, put the coin in the slot darling." explained Greg to the little boy he was holding in his arms to allow him the access to the slot machines of the funfair.
Alden clumsily succeeded to insert the coin in the machine, provoking a concert of electronic noises that made him laugh genuinely and even winning little more coins in the process. His father put him back on the floor and collected the new coins they had won, following the child to a clamp machine filled with goldfishes cuddy toys.
"You want to try this one ?" questioned the detective. The toddler nodded and his father lifted him in the air once again. He explained him how to proceed before introducing a coin in the machine and allowing the boy have a try at it. He had left his husband a bit earlier before entering the fair, allowing him to wander around to take a few pictures while he was having fun with his son, slot machines not really being a huge turn on for the official.
Quietly, the auburn had entered the fair and came closer to his family, hiding behind a Back to the Future pinball machine, snapping some pictures of the father and the son having fun trying to catch a stuffed fish. He waited until they had succeeded before revealing himself and placing a kiss on both of their forehead.
"You two are the most precious thing I've got." he whispered to them before grabbing his lover by the waist and leading them to a candy floss street vendor and buying the biggest he could possibly choose.

Thanks Lilian for remembering me of our last trip to Brighton from which this story is hugely inspire, hope to see you soon bro xxx