I'm not a Goldfish, Mycroft Holmes

But, Its Mycroft.

On the last day of their trip she brought out the gifts she had bought for him as a thank you.
"Alice...you didn't have to."
"I know but I wanted to." She said, kissing his cheek. Since the night of the banquet she had the freedom to touch him anyway she liked. This was still really new for Mycroft, sometimes he didn't know how to react to her affection. Sometimes he'd freeze or tense up. Sometimes push her away before apologizing profusely. She was understanding, always understanding. She didn't fuss when he had to cut conversations short to take an important call or had to leave the hotel, or work long hours, she was patient and kind.
When he received the gifts he wanted to kiss her but held back, he wanted her permission and wait for the right time, they may be in the city of love but it didn't feel right.
He watched her pack, it sounds weird but he liked to watch her, every move seemed so graceful, so delicate to him. He loved how her hair moved when she walked, the golden hairs that were undeniably Alice.
She would often tease him about his staring. He would apologize but she would then explain that she was in fact teasing.
On the plane home she sat close to him and introduced the one of the "weird things couples do", in this instance it was hand holding. He was so nervous at the beginning, his hand was shaking but when she laced their fingers together he steadied himself. Her hand was so soft and warm, he didn't her to let go, but eventually her hand started to slip when she fell asleep.
He dropped her off at her flat but didn't leave until he was sure she was comfortable and safe. He promised he'd call in the morning. And he did. They had a pleasant conversation before he had to go to work. He said he hates to cut the conversation short but again she said it was okay, he was a busy man after all.
She went to visit Sherlock and John after being away. Sherlock was telling her about the cases he solved and how he hasn't heard anything about Irene Adler for a while now. Alice was only half paying attention. Her phone kept buzzing, she received cute messages from Mycroft all day. Among them are "I miss you." "You make life less boring." "I wish I could see your face." Cute things like that, no one was even aware of how sweet Mycroft can be when given the opportunity.
Sherlock managed to get her attention.
"Who are you texting?" He asked.
"No one."
Using his lanky frame to his advantage he swiped the phone from her and went through the messages, all from Mycroft, all were sickly sweet. Sherlock pretended to gag.
"You're romantically involved with my brother?"
"Um...yes?"
He turned to John."Can you believe this?"
"She is a grown woman, Sherlock, she can make her own decisions, even if it is Mycroft." He said without looking up from his paper.
"Thank you, John."
"But isn't there a rule about how friends don't date friends siblings?"
"No, Sherlock, theres not. And so what? I like your brother."
"But its Mycroft." He protested.
"What's your point, Sherlock? I like Mycroft, I really like him."
"But-"
"No."

-
"I want that introductory assignment done for tomorrow's class." She said when the bell rang, her new set of students left the room in groups of two or three. Her phone came to life when she turned it on. She had texts from Mycroft, a few from Sherlock and nothing from Blake. Theres a knock on the door, one of the office secretary's was standing there with a vase of flowers.
"These were dropped off for you, they look really expensive." She said and put them on her desk.
"Thank you Lori." Alice said and checked for a card.
'Hope your day is going well. -Mycroft.'
She smiled and pressed the card up to her lips with a smile. After her last class had ended she grabbed her case along with the flowers and walked to her car. On the drive home it started to rain. Alice liked the rainy weather, it gave her the perfect excuse to sit inside with a book, a blanket and a cup of hot cocoa and the ability to not talk to anyone all day.
The blonde parked her car at the end of the parking garage and walked to the elevator, excited for her evening plans. The minute she stepped through the door she was greeted by the beeping of her answering machine.
She shrugged her purse off her shoulder and put the peonies down, the message was from Blake.
"Hey Alice, hope everything's okay at home, how was Paris? Listen, I lost my phone so I'm calling from a phone box before I pick up a new one. Um, school is great, the teachers are awesome, I took Jess for a tour around campus before she had to go home, she's thinking about coming here when she graduates. I'm taking her to a Rihanna concert when she comes to visit next weekend." Her brother paused. "How are things with Mycroft? You should really ask him out, I can tell that you like him, and he likes you, so just put on your big girl pants and ask him out already." A couple voices could be heard in the background as well as a car horn. "I got to go, I'll call soon. Bye." The message ended. Alice smiled and took off her heels, she was really looking forward to her book when her doorbell rang. She sighed and answered the door.
"Oh, hey Mycroft, c'mon in."
"I take it you just got in?" He said and placed his umbrella in the holder by the door. "Ah, you got my delivery, good."
"They're wonderful, thank you." She said, grabbing a bottle of white wine from the rack she kept by the dining table.
"So how was your day?" She asked, small smile creeping on her lips.
"Dismal." Mycroft said, he was still standing near the door. Alice sighed a little and nodded over to the kitchen/dining area. "You don't have to stand there, you're allowed to go anywhere you like, except my bedroom." She brought her glass up to her lips with a wink.
"Yes, well sometimes I forget. How was your day?"
"I have three classes, two sets of twins in each, imagine that. And they're identical."
"Imagine that." He said with a smile, but got to the point right away. "Listen, Alice, there is a political function I have to attend and I was hoping you'd go with me."
Alice blinked and set her glass down. "Um, yeah. Yeah sure, that would be wonderful."
"Splendid, I'll have Anthea pick you up tomorrow, I doubt you have anything in your current wardrobe." He said. Alice took this with venom but pushed it aside, instead she just smiled and had a pleasant conversation until he left.
And when he did leave she sat on the couch under a blanket, wondering why he seemed so cold all of a sudden. Her 'me' time was cut short when she remembered she had work to grade.