This is my imagination about how Mycroft and Lestrade begin their relationship. It's sort of like a prequel. I hope you can find it sweet and fluffy.
Enjoy~
Lestrade is a great man, perfect as a D.I. Intelligent as a good detective, wise as a good leader, witty as a good colleague, on top of that, he's tolerant as a great elder. But he is not old. 38 don't mean old. Even though he does look a little mellower for his age, it doesn't matter at all. He is a real handsome man. But to make the way he looks, Sherlock contributes a lot, so did Lestrade's losing marriage, which was the only defect in his perfection.
No use to complain about that. You can't serve your wife well when you have to search every block in London to capture a murderer and save Sherlock from your colleagues' raging fists, let alone stacks of paperwork and millions of tabloid reporters you have to cope with.
Lestrade was aware of the fact that his wife had an affair with a bloody P.E. teacher, even if Sherlock had not bothered to enlighten him. Yes, he knew it, but kept silent. He didn't want to ruin everything about his life, for his job had done enough for him. But Sherlock didn't care. On that Christmas night, Lestrade finally decided to end it up. He admitted he was responsible for the absences of both his wife's birthdays and their anniversaries, but not for her affair. Pounding toward home, Lestrade prepared to pull his ring off.
In the meantime, Mycroft received a text from Sherlock in the morgue after he just hung up the phone with John. Looking at the screen, Mycroft grinned, which was really offensive in the morgue, but he couldn't help it.
- Time to rescue your D.I. from his tomb. S.H.
A successful capture has everything to do with a good timing, and Lestrade is always good at it. But he didn't feel good when he caught his wife shagging the P.E. teacher on the bed they used to share. Then, here he stood in the snow, outside the house, a bag in his hand. The divorce should be simple, even much simpler with Mycroft's mysterious help that he would never know. He should feel lucky for they didn't have children. However, he didn't feel anything in the present, not even the freezing snow dropping into his collar.
"Do you wish to spend your holiday with a cold, Inspector?" A black umbrella covered his head, keeping out the snow for him, and an intoxicating voice rose beside him.
It was definitely not a good time to tackle a Holmes. Lestrade couldn't feel grateful for Mycroft's surprising companion, but a bit annoyed at his presence.
"What are you doing here, Mr. Holmes? Don't tell me your brother wants a case now. I just got out of his house, and he didn't mention that. Besides, even the serial killer needs break." Lestrade blurted with almost no respect.
Mycroft smiled as if he didn't hear any offence at all."How many times do I have to remind you, Inspector? Just Mycroft, please. As for your concern about my little brother, thank you. But no need at all. He's quite good by himself." Then he paused, waiting for Lestrade to digest his word."My presence is merely an accident. And if you don't mind, it'll be my honor to give you a lift."
"Oh, it's...it's very kind of you."Lestrade seemed to come back to earth completely."But I don't want to bother you, Mycroft. I will just take a cab. Thank you for your offer."Lestrade didn't want anyone else to get involved in this mess.
"I insist, Inspector. Take it as a return to the help you gave Sherlock."Mycroft said, with his warm smile still on.
Lestrade looked around, surrendering to the truth that there would be no cab in a short time, and to the offer Mycroft had provided.
"OK, thank you. It'll be really kind of you if you can take me to the Yard."Lestrade said.
As if by magic, a sleek black car pulled over as soon as Lestrade stopped. He rolled his eyes and accepted his fate and drilled into the car. Well, it's Holmes, so there will be no magic, Lestrade thought.
In the car, Lestrade turned his head to the window as if he was appreciating the snow outside, sporting a great sign of refusal to communicate. However, no use for Mycroft.
"No offence at all, but may I ask you what you go to the Yard on a Christmas night for, Inspector?"Mycroft asked cautiously.
Mycroft couldn't come up with the idea which part of his question ignited Lestrade, nonetheless, it did. Lestrade turned around, stared at him, and said in his rages," Oh, come on, Mycroft. What is this? A sugarcoated sarcasm? A pitty on me? With your Holmes' genetic power of deduction, you really don't need me to tell you that."Then he turned back, completing the conversation with a snort.
"Oh, in this case, I would like to provide my house as your temporary refuge."Counting the distance, Mycroft decided to surpass the boundary.
Lestrade widened his eyes, still raging, but more likely, confused.
Seeing Lestrade not be able to get his voice back, Mycroft continued," Compared with your neat office, my house will be more concealing and more comfortable. And with your permission, you can stay as long as you want to. No security guard will bother you."
Then as soon as Mycroft finished, the car stopped in front of a Victorian mansion.
Then it's too late to say no. Lestrade sighed," All right. Thank you, I think."
"My pleasure." Mycroft nodded with satisfaction.
The front hall was gigantic, and extravagant. Besides, it did have a fireplace, which warmed the room and Lestrade both.
"I wanted to fix it."After Lestrade being reheated, the sorrow and gloom came along. It seemed that the lovely flames in front reminded him of his bleak marriage.
Mycroft stared at Lestrade, wisely keeping silent, but moving closer.
"I tried, but failed. I screwed everything up. My life is a fucking mess."Lestrade buried his face in his hands.
"I wouldn't say that."Mycroft took Lestrade's hands between his own. And then he did something he'd been dreaming to do for a long time-he clasped Lestrade, stroking his hair soothingly."It's not your fault. Once she married you, she should've been prepared to confront your job with you. It's part of your life. If she loves you, she should love all of you."
"But..." Lestrade accepted Mycroft's hug, but still tried to argue.
"I know. I know. Hush, Gregory, breathe."Mycroft comforted Lestrade. Lestrade inhaled and calmed down a bit.
"Everything will be fine."
The cuddle remained for a while. Then Mycroft pulled back first. Noting the exhaustion in Lestrade's eyes, Mycroft politely led him to his room, holding his hand.
Unfortunately, there was no such thing called holiday for both the British Government and the D.I. They both left early next day.
Life still went on. With some unknown assistance, the divorce finished really fast. The house and all the other stuff were sentenced to his wife. In turn, there was no obligation for Lestrade to pay her alimony. Lestrade only got half of the savings and his personal stuff. He didn't complain, nor did he even keep the ring. Then few weeks later, he found a new house and moved in. It's larger than his former one, but much cheaper. In fact, he didn't find the house, but the realter ran into him. Without any clue nor doubt, Lestrade texted Mycroft for gratitude.
- My pleasure. M.H.
Gradually, Lestrade and Mycroft turned more intimate. First, Mycroft asked Lestrade for dinner and Lestrade him back. But in the process, both of them remained friendly, although Lestrade had found something more than that.
Then, when the Coventry event was exposed by Sherlock, Mycroft's dearest little brother, Mycroft knocked on Lestrade's door finally.
"Mycroft, is everything all right?" Lestrade didn't expect a visitor, let alone Mycroft.
"May I come in?" Mycroft asked, smiling wearily.
"Yes, yes of course."Lestrade stepped aside to let Mycroft in.
"Fancy a cuppa?"Lestrade asked.
"Yes, thank you. That'll be great."Mycroft tried to sound normal.
"Mycroft, are you all right? You look really peaky."Handing Mycroft the cup, Lestrade asked him with concern.
"Yes, yes...no."The smile on Mycroft's face faded away. He sold his pride out and decided to reveal his weakness to Lestrade in the end.
"Oh, good god, what happened?"Lestrade was shocked and worried. He put aside the cup, moved forward and held Mycroft's hands tenderly.
However, Mycroft couldn't tell him. There was nothing he could do about it. Besides, it's top secret, even being exposed.
Lestrade got it from Mycroft's silence. He didn't ask more. And then, he saw it inside himself.
Once he faced Mycroft's eyes at the door, he felt the world around him dimmed with the scraps of hope dropping in Mycroft's eyes. And when Mycroft said no and lowered his head, Lestrade felt his heart shattering, and he wished to give out everything he had to turn Mycroft back to the one who's always elegant and warmly smiling to him. Lestrade didn't know how come he would feel this way. But he was certain now that he was in love with Mycroft. And might he be flattering himself, he knew Mycroft felt the same way.
Without any word, Lestrade pulled Mycroft in his arms intensely, and said," Mycroft, everything will be fine, I'm here with you, and I'll never leave."Mycroft froze a while and held Lestrade back with the same passion.
When the scandal issue was all over, something changed too. A great villa in London suburb was sold and at the same time, every D.I. in the Scotland Yard got a special gift from the government to commend their contributions, Lestrade's more special, by the way.
Thank you for reading!