I am not lonely [Mystrade]

CHAPTER 69 : Knightsbridge

"Come on Aldy,  you need to put the jumper." requested Gregory, trying to force the  little boy arms into the navy blue pullover. It was the first day of September  but the weather was still sunny and warm and after spending the last  two weeks in shorts and T-shirts, the toddler was rather reluctant at  the idea of putting up trousers, a long-sleeved shirt and a jumper.
"But Papa, I'm to hot." he protested, pouting and keeping his arms close to his body.
"I know darling but you have no choice. It's part of the uniform ..." explained his father, looking worryingly at his watch.
"Uniforms are stupid ! It's too hot for jumpers. You don't wear a jumper." retorted the little boy, still refusing to obey to his father.
"I  have to put a jacket to go to work, just like you have to wear this  jumper to go to school. You see, all uniforms are stupid but we have to  wear them, that's it." replied Greg, becoming less and less patient.
"Why  should we wear something stupid ? And I don't want to go to school. I  want to go to the nursery and see Alicia." refused the toddler.
"Because  it's like that Alden. I wear a uniform, Daddy wear a uniform, Sarah,  Lucas and Jack wear uniforms and even Uncle Sherlock wear a uniform in a  way. Now, put this on or we will be late." snapped the detective,  trying not to yell at his son's stubbornness. "He really is a Holmes  with his damn questions at the worst time." he thought to himself while  the little boy was finally accepting, rather reluctantly, to dress  himself for school.
"Why can't I go to the nursery ?" he tried again when his dad lifted him in his arms, dashing downstairs.
"Because you are a big boy and big boys go to school and not to nursery darling." explained Mycroft who was waiting for them in the corridor and handled the yarder his jacket. "Ready to go ?"
The  inspector nodded and the three of them climbed in the black Jaguar  parked in the alley. The toddler was looking quite sad and really  reluctant at the idea of going to a place he knew nothing about and to  meet new people but the elder Holmes was quite confident everything was  going to be fine and was literally beaming with pride of his son and  joy.
"Why don't you want to go to your new school little man ?" he asked softly while they were stuck in the traffic.
"I want to go to the nursery and see Alicia and my friends." pouted the little boy.
"But you will still go to the nursery from time to time Aldy, and Rowan is going to the same school than you. You would be happy to see Rowan again, won't you ?" the official tried to pacify him.
"Yes, Rowan is great. But there will be other people I don't know ..." scowled the toddler.
"Don't  worry, all the kids will feel just the same than you. They don't know  each other either." replied the auburn, running his fingers in the  fluffy ginger hair. "You remember your first day at the nursery last  year ? You were scared because you knew nobody and now you don't want to  leave your friends. It's going to be exactly the same, I promise you."
"But what if they don't like me and don't want to become my friends ?" whined the boy.
"Why  won't they like such an intelligent, cute and friendly boy as you ?  Everybody likes you, there is really no reason those kids won't. And  remember you are not alone, you have Rowan." answered the official,  finding it complicated to reassure his son when himself spent most of  his time at school on his own.
"But what if they find me pretentious ?  Uncle Sherlock says that he is more intelligent than Anderson and  that's why he hates him and find him pretentious ... Am I more intelligent than other children ?" remarked Alden, worried.
"I  am going to give you a secret so people don't find you pretentious."  whispered the official. "Whenever you are to say something mean, like  when Uncle Sherlock say to Anderson that he is an idiot because he  haven't deduced something, instead of saying it, you think of something  you really don't like, for me it's a plate of veal kidneys. You think of  it until the subject has changed and that will repress you of being  mean with people because they are less intelligent than you."
"So if I don't like when Papa give me kisses when he grows a beard, I just have to think about this ?" wondered the toddler, doubting of the technic.
"Yes.  I swear it works." nodded the auburn. "And when you are in class and  the teacher ask a question, you shall sometime let the other answer even  if they are wrong. And if you correct them when they make a mistake,  don't be harsh with them, point out their mistake kindly."
"So, think  about the beard when I am to insult someone's brain, let them answer in  class sometime and be kind when they are wrong. And they will like me  and find me not pretentious ?" enumerated the boy, counting out to three  on his fingers.
"Absolutely, I swear it you." exclaimed his father, rummaging through the hair of his already more cheerful son.
"And I'll see Alicia soon ?" requested Alden.
"Yes, you'll see her at every holiday. Is that good enough for you ?" winked the elder Holmes.
"Hmm ... Alright." accepted the toddler, making both his fathers laugh.
The driver parked the Jaguar in the carpark  in front of a large building and the three of them exited the car and  made their way to the door in the middle of the crowd of other parents  and pupils all dress up in the navy blue school uniform. If Alden smile  had been plastered back on his face since Mycroft  had reassured him that everything was going to be alright it faded  again as soon as they've gone through the heavy wooden door of the  school. Gripping Greg's hand harder than ever, he was trying to walk as  slow as he can.
Noticing his son discomfort and fear, the detective  kneeled to face him. "What's going on sweetheart ?" he asked him, very  softly.
"I don't want to go. I don't like it here." whimpered the boy, his lower lip shuddering.
"But  Alden, we've been here before and you find the place very great, you  remember ? I know it's difficult to spend your first day in a new place  but everything is going to be alright, I swear it." the yarder tried to comfort him, hugging him gently. "You are a big boy, you can do it, I'm sure you can."
"And  you know what ? Even Sherlock has survived this school so why couldn't  you ?" winked the official who had kneeled beside his partner.
"Uncle Sherlock came here ?" repeated the toddler, not sure if his father was telling the truth.
"Yes,  you'll ask him next time you'll see him." nodded the auburn. "Come on,  let's go to class now if you want to impress your uncle."
Still snivelling a little, Alden accepted to follow Mycroft and Greg to his classroom where he was greeted in by a young tall black man. He gave a last hug to both his fathers before joining the other kids sat around small tables. The official grabbed his phone and snapped a couple of pictures of his son in the classroom before the inspector dragged him away.
"You can't stay here all day Myc'. You've got work to do, so does he." the yarder chuckled lightly.
"I wasn't planning staying here all day, I was just taking picture." denied the elder Holmes, pocketing his phone.
"Yes. Of course." laughed Gregory while climbing into the car.
"Oh  bugger." snapped the auburn, smiling. "Will you please drop my husband  at New Scotland Yard before driving me to the Diogene Club please ?"
"Right sir." answered the driver, taking off.

"Look Daddy ! Look !" exclaimed Alden as soon as he had gone thought the Kensington Palace Garden's Mansion's door.
"Good  evening young man !" the official greeted him, lifting him in the air  and bringing him close to his heart before placing a feather-like kiss  on his forehead.
"Look !" repeated the young boy, showing his father a drawing depicturing two men, one with grey hair and the other auburn, a dog and a small ginger kid in front of a vast brick house.
"You've done this in school today ?" asked the elder Holmes, despite the fact he already knew the answer.
"Yes.  Aidan asked us to draw our family but I added Marcus because he is part  of the family, isn't he ?" nodded the toddler happily.
"Of course he is !" smiled Mycroft, putting his son down and helping him to take off his shoes and jumper. "So how was this first day at school ?"
"Nice. I already have two new friends ! Isaac and Jamilah !" retorted Alden, beaming.
"You  see, I've told you the other kids would like you." replied his father,  hugging him once again. "I'm very proud of you sweetheart. I love you very very much."
"I love you too Daddy." whispered the boy in the man's ear.
"Why not order some pizzas to celebrate ?" intervene Gregory, a large smile plastered on his face at the sight of the scene taking place under his eyes.
"Oh yes !" yelled the small boy, jumping around in excitement. "Please Daddy, say yes ! Please !"
"Only if I have another kiss of both of you." retorted Mycroft, chuckling.
The two of them dashed to the auburn, nearly making him fall, and placed a kiss on both of his cheeks before hugging him.
"I want one with salami !" requested Alden, looking at Greg.
"Alright. But during the time we wait for it, you take a shower and put your pyjamas to be ready for bed ok ?" accepted his father, holding out his hand for the boy to clap it.
"Yes Papa." replied the boy, slapping the detective's hand and rushing upstairs to the bathroom.
"You order, choose a film and set the table and I watch him wash ?" proposed the elder Holmes to his partner.
"You lazy man, always choosing the easiest part of the job ..." chuckled the policeman.
"You  are the one who proposed pizzas, now you are in charge for having it."  winked the official, starting to climb up the stairs. "And I feel like  my son have a lot of things about his day to told me."
"I hate you." laughed the inspector, grabbing his phone.
"So do I, darling, so do I." his boyfriend's voice answered him from upstairs.