Sherlock Oneshots

The Other End of the Bar

Ship: Mystrade.
Characters: Mycroft and Greg.
Words: 1151 words.
Warnings: N/A.

This used to be a flashback in "Mycroft's Lap" but I thought it could be a stand alone oneshot. Hope you enjoy!
~ Rhys <3

Greg was just enjoying his pint when he saw him. Mycroft Chad Holmes. Well, he didn't actually know his middle name. He didn't really know much about the older Holmes. He talked to him once but that was just to confirm that Mycroft was in the right place. He just thought it was funny if the most sophisticated looking man in the world had the middle name "Chad".

Mycroft would walk in through the right side of the door to avoid Lorraine who was on the left side of the door (she was a lovely women but she had a tendency to get in people's way). Then, he would sit on the bar stool and take off his gloves, left one was always first.

Slowly, he'd saunter over - with his drink of lemonade with ice - to the booth in the corner that had his mates in. He would do this funny thing. He did it everytime. He would turn around, in Greg's direction, and just wink at him before turning back around to sit down with his friends. It made Greg's heart melt and his stomach flutter.

He had Mycroft's routine memorised.

Perhaps, because he loved him. Greg always daydreamed of one day finding the courage to ask him out. Maybe they'd have a lazy weekend where they'd do nothing but eat icecream and kiss each other gently until the sun went down or maybe he'd be able to help Mycroft relax - if you know what I mean - after a long day at work. Not that he'd ever tell Mycroft he had any of those thoughts though.

This time, Mycroft entered through the left side of the door as Lorraine wasn't anywhere to be seen and that's when Greg knew today wouldn't be an ordinary day.

Mycroft planted himself two seats closer to Greg than he usually would - leaving a stool inbetween them - and ordered himself a lemonade with ice before swivelling his body 90 degrees to ask Greg "What are you having?".

Greg just looked at Mycroft in shock. The Mycroft Holmes had just spoke to him. The guy he had liked since he first gazed eyes upon him at the other end of the bar. "Uh, I- um..." Greg managed to splutter out. Holy moly, why couldn't he just tell him. It was a simple order of "Diet coke with ice" Greg spoke before adding "I think I've had enough alcohol for one day" Greg laughed out. He had a tendency to laugh in awkward situations.

"One diet coke as well then, please" he told the employee before turning his body to face Greg once again. The waiter brought out the drinks as they naturally fell into meaningless chatter, almost like they've been friends for years.

"So why aren't you sitting with your friends?" Greg asked Mycroft as he gestured to the booth in the corner, hoping it wasn't too much of a personal question. "They're not my friends, they're just my co-workers" Mycroft replied to Greg before pausing. Would this be the day he told his biggest secret to the only person he truly cared about?

"I'm not a good person, Greg, that's why I don't have any friends" Mycroft told Greg honestly. "I'm your friend" Greg said without hesitation. He meant it, he felt like they had become very good friends within the past few hours they had been talking for, he just wanted them to be something more that that.

Unknown to Greg, Mycroft wanted them to be more than friends too, more than anything else in the entire world but he was about to find that out. "Well, that's very nice of you but I would much prefer it if you weren't my friend but rather my-" Mycroft started before getting rudely interrupted by Lorraine.

"Is this your boyfriend then?" Lorraine asked Greg, paying no attention to the darker haired man in the fancy suit. Greg instantly started to blush, a subtle pink shade kissed his cheeks. He tried to hide his ever growing blush with his hands but failed triumphantly.

Mycroft slowly snaked his hand up towards the older man's face. His hands timidly removed Greg's hands from his face with the aim to see that gorgeous smile of his that was hidden in the shadow of his hands. Revealing the perfect features of the Detective Inspector, Mycroft held Greg's hands in his for more than he needed too. Both men knew that neither of them was willing to let go anytime soon.

"He's not my boyfriend" Greg replied to Lorraine's question. He knew Lorraine, she was nice, but she didn't have to embarrass him.

Lorraine, seemingly unsatisfied with his answer, finally turned her focus to the darker haired man in the fancy suit."Is he your bit on the side then?" Lorraine asked, definitely not one to shy away from personal questions. Mycroft paused to string together an appropriate answer. "He's not my bit on the side. He's fair too pure to be anyone's bit on the side" Mycroft told Lorraine.

Greg stared at Lorraine, basically telling her (as politely as he could) to go away so he could have more time with Mycroft without scaring him off forever.

Thankfulky, she got the hint. "Seems like you have some stuff to talk about then. I'll leave you two to it" Lorraine spoke before swivelling her body round and walking off towards her friendship group. Probably to tell them about the new man Greg had managed to pull as well as to pay Janine for winning the bet.

"I haven't told her we're a couple or anything. I'm not creepy. That's just what she was thinking" Greg told Mycroft rather urgently, watching Lorraine walk away as he did so. The last thing he wanted was his crush to view him as creepy.

"Let her think what she wants. I would quite like to make that a reality if you would let me" Mycroft responsed, trying to ease the tension and trying to get himself a date with a very attractive man. "Well, the bit about being boyfriends not the bit on the side part" Mycroft added quickly, scared he'd lose Greg forever if he didn't. His calm demeanor was slowly beginning to slip.

Then he did the funniest thing. The thing he did everytime he saw Greg at the other end of the bar. He winked in Greg's direction.

"Are you asking me out?" Greg asked Mycroft, really hoping he wasn't getting the wrong idea. "Maybe. Are you saying yes?" Mycroft responsed, regaining his calm demeanor whilst on the inside he was screaming with joy. "Of course I'm saying yes" Greg excitedly responsed to the other man's question, moving ever so closely to his lips as he did so.

Well, maybe afterwards he got overly giddy and threw up all over Mycroft but if you asked him now, he'd never admit to it.