I am not lonely [Mystrade]

CHAPTER 58 : An instant to remember.

        Mycroft was stood, stationary, in the middle of the desert since half an hour looking rather angrily at two big expressionless black eyes.
"You know I can spend my entire day like this if it's needed, don't you ?" he warned, looking as threatening as when he was lecturing Sherlock.
The eyes owner didn't answered and kept looking at the official as if they didn't understood what was happening.
"Myc' love ... You know it can't reply, don't you ?" chuckled the detective who was observing the scene since its beginning, amazed and amused by it.
"Then it just have to obey." retorted the auburn, dead seriously.
"Mycroft Holmes ! It's a camel for my mother's sake !" the yarder laughed, bashing his left hand against his forehead.
"And it's a bloody insubordinate and stubborn one !" remarked the official, realising that his attitude probably was stupid but still pissed at the animal's reaction.
"Come on darling, take mine, I'll manage this one if you prefer." proposed Gregory, hasty to finally take off.
"No. If I do not succeed there is no reason you would." refused his husband, knowing that the policeman was way more gifted than him with animals and that he would actually succeed in making the camel move but just refusing to admit it, his ego already crumpled by the battle he was loosing against the stupid camelid.
"Oh Myc', stop being childish and put your pride away for five seconds would you ? You are able to handle the Queen and Lady Smallwood, there is nothing wrong with admitting that camels are not your cup of tea." laughed the inspector, handling his own mount's reins to the auburn before hitting him gently on the bum to make him move away. The elder Holmes moaned, complaining about the animal and threatening him with a life-long sentence in a high security prison from what the detective could heard but accepted his defeat and climbed on the other camel.
Five minutes later the two men were finally both climbed on their mounts and ready for their ride, taking off for alittle village further in the desert where they were supposed to spend the night before coming back the next morning. The auburn was still hurt in his pride by the animal's behaviour and remained silent during the first half an hour of the trip, only letting a few grumbling out, making the other man laugh every time. Greg was used to his boyfriend's sometime childish reaction when someone or something wouldn't obey him but it was quite rare that it came to that extent and he was finding it incredibly funny, something which, of course, made the official mumble even more. But if he had to be completely honest, the DI was definitely completely amazed by the fact that his partner had even thought about riding a camel, something that was, in Greg's opinion, probably the last action he was expecting the official to do.

They arrived to the village just before dusk and were welcomed by a young teenage boy who showed them around and pointed out a sand dune from where they could have a good view on the sunset before taking care of the animals they had come on. Following the young Indian recommendation, the two travellers sat down on the dune, the still hot sand burning slightly their bottoms, Mycroft's arm wrapped around his lover's waist. Waiting for the sun to dusk, Greg seized his phone and took a picture of the two of them before sending it to his mother and to Molly with a little arrogant note on how great the trip and the weather was.
The two men remained silent, not seeing the point in breaking the magical moment they were living with vain words,closely entangled one to another. It's only when no sun ray was remained to be seen that they stood up and made their way back to the house they were to occupy that night, finding that the young Indian boy had displayed their belongings in the room and made them some hot and heavily sweetened tea. The little cottage wasn't provided with running water but a huge bucket of cold water was positioned behind a silk screen in one of the room corner and, undressing himself, the detective entered the tub, relieved at the contact of the cold liquid on his hot body. He was sat in the bucket, his eyes closed, all his muscles unstrung for less than five minutes when he felt his husband making himself some space and curling himself in the DI's arms, resting his head on his shoulder. Gregory kept his eyes closed and placed a gentle kiss in the other man's neck pretty much decided to stay in this position for his entire life if he could.
But around twenty minutes later, they were disturbed by someone knocking on the door and, moaning a little, the yarder exited the tub and seized a towel, fixing it around his hips before heading up to the door. He opened it slightly, revealing the face of the teenager that had welcomed them earlier.
"Sorry to disturb you sir but I just wanted to inform you that the diner will be ready in five minutes in the yard." he informed the older man with a huge smile.
"Right. Thank you." the policeman smiled back before closing the door and grabbing a light blue shirt.
"Love." he shouted. "Move your arse out of the bath and come dress yourself. We are expected for dinner."
The auburn stepped out of the bucket and approached his partner quietly, placing a kiss on his cheek. "Are you sure you want my nice arse covered ?" he whispered into his ear.
"Hmm ...That's tempting but I'm not sure our hosts would appreciate it as much as I do ..." replied the other, handling him his underwear.
"If you say so ..." retorted the auburn with a little pout, agreeing to dress up.
The temperature had gone lower since the sun had disappeared but for the two men who were used to British weather it was still feeling quite hot when their hosts were already wrapping themselves in scarves and shawls. They took place on what looks like benches covered with blankets around a fire, small coffee table placed beside the benches receiving the trays and plates containing the food. Alongside the teenage boy were a little girl that appeared to be his sister, his mother and his grandfather, most of them speaking a nearly perfect English despite an accent more or less noticeable, allowing Mycroft and Greg to learn a lot more about this part of the country and the nearby city of Jaisalmer in particular and when they headed back to their room and crashed on their bed, they both had the feeling of being especially lucky and ofliving probably one of those rare instant they will remember distinctly for the rest of their life.

"All good things have to come to an end" the official thought, looking absentmindly by the plane porthole at the night outside. After 10 days far from his usual occupations, it was time for him to go back to his work and despite the promising cases waiting for him at the Diogene Club according to Anthea, he still couldn't cheer himself up. The only bright side at him coming back to England was that he was missing his son and this eventuality almost made him forgot about the rainy and cold weather he was to face as soon as he would step a toe out of the airport.
He glanced a fond look at thedetective snoring gently on the seat beside him and rested a hand on his tight before choosing a new film, unable to sleep. He was used to flight since his early youth, most of the time for his work, sometime for his leisure, but he never had been able to catch a single minute of rest, unlike Greg or most of the people he knew. He decided himself on an old Poirot film and adjusted his headset, trying to relax in the comfortable leather seat of the British Airway's first class.
After half an hour he already had deduced who was the culprit and even that the main actor was having an affair with one of the actress and he stopped the film, seeing no point in watching the remaining hour. He took a look at the channel broadcasting the plane position and remarked that they weren't even half-way home. Grumbling because he already had gone through all the films he could have an interest in and definitely not wanting to have a go at the various video game offered by the entertainment device, he resolved to choose some music and to try to relax until his boyfriend awake. He noticed that his favourite album of one of his favourite singer, Joan Baez was available and he selected it before lying down his seat and closing his eyes, letting the music fill him entirely.

As expected, the English weather was rather disappointing and the two men dashed to the car waiting for them in front of the airport, letting the driver take care of their luggages.
"Good evening sir, hello Gregory." Anthea greeted them from the passenger seat.
"Good evening." replied the elder Holmes in a smile, quite pleased with the incredulous look the young woman was glancing at him after seeing his tan. "May I ask you what you are doing in my car when I'm still off duty ?"
"I wanted to give you a file summarizing all what we have done during your absence and what you will have to expect for the next days and I thought I could give it to you myself." explained the PA, handling her boss a beige file.
"Good initiative. Thank you." agreed the auburn, smiling while the car was taking off.
"And your uncle Rudolf said he will be waiting for you at your place with Alden." the employee added.
"Perfect" thought the official, opening the file and starting to take a look at the different documents enclosed in it. There was nothing of the greatest importance, only a couple of small crisis that had been easily avoided and the usual country running matters, the only remarkable event being his forth coming meeting with the French and American secret services chief next week, mainly to discuss the investigation on the terrorists attack that had happened one and a half month ago. Now that he was back on the ground, Mycroft was feeling fairly exhausted and he spent the rest of the journey fighting not to sleep while his partner was looking by the window, watching rather unpleasantly at the rain pouring down and at the people in the street wearing their coat, despite the fact it was already July.