Cordially Invited
- Fourth and final part of the Sisterverse saga by DormantAllure -
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The previous parts of the series can be read here:
u/6064020/DormantAllure
They are: 1) "Intransigent", 2) "In My Place" and 3) "Anything"
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Notes: There is a slight canon distortion used here: for the purposes of this storyline, the Holmes parents aren't around, they're deceased.
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Note: I no longer write Sherlock stories under this pseudonym. You can find my new shining career by searching for baillierj at and J_Baillier at AO3.
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CHAPTER 1 / 4
"Of course we're going to go," John says, "She's sort of the reason we got together."
Sherlock does not move his gaze from the newspaper he's reading. "And here I was operating on the assumption that _we_ were the reason we got together."
John harrumphs. "If it were up to you we never would have."
Sherlock straightens the page he's reading. "Oh spare me. As though you could have resisted my considerable charms for much longer."
John throws up his arms, smiling. "Berk." He goes to ruffle Sherlock's hair.
Sherlock makes an annoyed grunt and tries to pat his curls back into submission. Then he picks up the invitation John has placed on the coffee table.
Printed on thick, creamy paper, it states the details for the wedding of one Octavia Alice Sherrinford Holmes to a Joos Henneman. Location: The United States Embassy Banquet Hall, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Sherlock's sister had been working for the embassy as a financial advisor for several years and had seemed to settl down long-term in the country. John had kept in touch via occasional emails and had learned a year prior that she'd met a well-known Dutch violinist at an embassy function and they'd hit it off.
"Anyway, that's a yes then? To going?"
"She is my sibling. And much less irritating than Mycroft so yes, I will concede even though the Bezold-Jarisch Emerald case is still a mess."
"It's an emerald. It's not like it's going to spoil or evaporate or anything."
"The emerald is missing, John. And as it is with kidnapped children, the longer they have been gone, the less likely they are to be found."
"Speaking of Mycroft, you don't suppose he's been invited?"
Sherlock shrugs. "Not my decision. I really couldn't say."
John leans his palms on his knees. "I've never been to Saudi-Arabia. Have you?"
"I hate to lessen your enthusiasm, but you _are_ aware that male-male relationships carry the punishment of stoning to death in the country?"
John doesn't really have a reply to that.
Two days later, the view on John's laptop catches Sherlock's attention. "John dearest, what on earth are you doing?" he asks and leans over his lover's shoulder.
John offers him half of his Mars bar. Sherlock waves his hand in decline.
"Booking plane tickets. Not sure if I've got enough space on my Mastercard, though."
"'SuperSaver'? What is this nonsense?" Sherlock peers towards the screen. "Travel arrangements have already been made for all of us."
John closes the browser tab, irritated. "And you were going to tell me this when exactly? After I'd whittled away the last of my credit line on non-refundable tickets?"
"You always worry about such trivial things."
"Arrangements have been made my who?" John asks, still annoyed. Sometimes Sherlock could be so, so unconsiderate. John had somehow naively thought that now that they were together they would communicate better about their finances and other practicalities, but that nothing had actually changed that much apart from, well, all the sex. Sherlock's approach to most household-related things was still 'ignore until it goes away or John finds out and yells'.
"Mycroft has sorted everything out."
John raises his brows. "So he's going then? I have to admit I'm a bit surprised."
"He called me yesterday to tell me he'd received an invitation, including the part about all of us potentially staying with Alice and the fiancee at their apartment. I have to say I was surprised as well. Alice has fought to keep Mycroft out of her life. Maybe this is an attempt at some sort of closure. Or maybe she hopes that if Mycroft gets a proper chance to snoop around their life to all his heart's desire he'll let her be then. Had it been up to me, I'd have stuck him in some as-crap-as-possible motel instead of inviting him to stay at their home."
"Has he done that? Spy on her, I mean?"
"Not even close to the extent he has attempted to meddle in my life. I am under the expression that he's left her largely unattended."
John suddenly flashes a smile to Sherlock as though something delightful has occurred to him. "It's going to be our first proper holiday together. Sunbathing, drinks with tiny umbrellas, sightseeing and all -" he gives Sherlock a suggestive nudge and wink.
Sherlock stretches his arms nonchalantly. "May I remind you that since we'll be staying at Alice's place you can forget about any sex holiday plans."
"I doubt they'll have time to play host. I sort of assumed we'd be staying at a hotel because of that. Don't they have tons to do for the wedding?"
"Certainly. I promised you would help."
"And what will you do, then?"
"Sunbathe."
"You're just teasing me."
"Maybe," Sherlock replies and gets hit on the head with the Union Jack pillow.
To John's slight surprise and great delight, they fly first class. Sherlock points out to him that there's not a living soul who could possibly imagine Mycroft in coach.
An hour before they land Sherlock emerges from the toilets wearing a short-sleeved linen shirt and shorts. John gapes at the sight.
"What?" Sherlock asks.
"Nothing. I'm sure your rowing team won the match."
Sherlock snorts. "We're headed for a country with a hot, arid climate. I am dressed accordingly."
John glances at Mycroft across the aisle, still dressed in a full woolly suit. John himself is in jeans and a dress shirt. Sherlock is probably right. "I just don't think I've ever seen your legs outside of our apartment. It'll be good for you to get some sun."
Sherlock arranges himself back into his seat, picking up the copy of Scientific American John had bought him from the airport - 'because otherwise you'll deduce every bloody passenger when you get bored and that is just not on'.