He was exhausted. He even contemplated letting go of his and Gregory´s dinner date at seven, because he could not guarantee he would be pleasant company. It seemed that his absence at work was too much of a luxury.
Saying that, there were some things that made him really glad. Anthea proved to be a brilliant strategist of her own merit, and Mycroft supposed that soon, if she was willing to, he might start to relieve some of his work on her. She was more than able to be as good as he was her age, even better if he were frank with himself. And Mycroft was getting old - well, not old old, but she might be the only one competent enough to replace him if need be.
Some of his long-term schemes met a succesful end, and there is nothing so satisfying as watching someone working on Mycroft´s ideas and all the time thinking it were their own. And if it helped Elisabeth to enjoy her snarky humour, Mycroft was happy to oblige.
But there were so many tedious tasks ahead of him. Signing, making small talk, more signing of things he didn´t even have to read because they didn´t matter long-term, accepting all the wishes of good health. That was the worst part, actually, watching the fools and his enemies convult their faces into something resembling sympathy and lying through their teeth.
"Why did you join politics if it bothers you so much?" asked Anthea cheerfully after another of those.
"Is it so apparent?"
"No. I just know you," she smiled. "By the way, I am really happy to have you back. It is good to be in contact with someone normal."
"I thought you had someone?"
"You mean you deduced a year ago that I have a girlfriend and decided to filter any more information out," she grinned and supplied another file for him to read. "We broke up. Weren´t compatible."
Mycroft couldn´t but laugh at that. Than he replied seriously to her original question: "One of the reasons I do this is because it is hard. I could have been another Moriarty..." "... far better, even..,"she interrupted. "But it would have been too easy."
"You are funny. Trying to project at the world a very cynical picture of you, when in fact you are just a bit too caring."
"Oh no, not another self-proclaimed psychologist," he laughed it away.
"Come on, who is it?"
"Did anyone ever tell you you are nosy, Donovan?"
"I work for the police. It is part of my job to be nosy."
"Curiosity killed the cat, Sally."
"It is a horrible habit of old people to mention a proverb whenever they have the opportunity." Greg scowled at that. He wasn´t that old yet. Sally plundered on: "Come on, you spent several weeks on holiday, presumably with her."
"Him," he corrected absent-mindedly.
"Like... really?"
"Surprised? That´s what happens when you´re too nosy," he smirked at her and passed around her towards the elevator. His working hours were over, no viscious murder happened so far and if he manages to get out of the building without the phonecall announcing one he has just the time to clean himself up and change to some proper clothes to meet Myc. Well, he thought, I supposed by tomorrow everyone in the NSY would hear the thrilling myth of ´The Silver Fox´and his elusive boyfriend.
"Are you kidding? You want me to become... you?"
"Look, I know it´s a lot to swallow... And I certainly don´t want you to become me."
"Good thing, I would look ridiculous in a three-piece. But are you actually trying to make me your... heir?"
Mycroft opened the door to his office and gestured for her to come in. There was no one else in the building at this hour and there was no way someone was having surveillance here, but still... the sound of a closing door filled him with a feeling of safety.
"Not immediately, Anna. I... what I do is dangerous. We all knew that, when we decided to join the service, that we might die. The thing is - what would you do if I actually died at the Baker Street?"
"Carried on my work for whomever might replace you, sir."
"And who might that be?" Mycroft was winning, and he knew that. He also knew that he was using unfair methods. She deserved better.
"I know you a very long time, Anna. I know that you would stop me when I´ve gone too far. I know that you are clever as hell, resourcefull, but above all, you have no desire for power, for the stagelights. You are a bit like me in that regard."
"When I started this job, you told me: The greatest power is the one you don´t have to use."
Mycroft smiled sadly. He remembered how lost he were back then. He realised suddenly that she was his friend, all the time. It was weird to realise it just now, but it filled him with a lot of pride that he had been subconsciously looking for human bond for so long. It gave him hope for himself.
"You have all the ability to do this. But... I can´t and I won´t force you to do anything. I realise there is a lot about this position which might turn unacceptable for you. So... I´ll wait for a week for your answer. Decide for yourself. If you don´t want to do this, than all right, you will remain my PA and I will look for... alternate solutions. An even if you say yes, I am not gonna just abandon my post an leave you to your own devices. We would just work more closely for a while. Decide much more things together... until either the need arises, or the time comes when I will complicate more things than solve."
"A sort of a duumvirate, sir?" she smiled.
"Yes. Exactly that."
"All right. I will give you my answer next Friday. But now you should probably pack your things and go. Greggie is waiting, you didn´t see each other for three days, after all."
"Coming. See you tomorrow, Anthea," he nodded. Just as he was leaving the room, he added: "And you might call me Mycroft when we´re alone. I´m really getting tired of the sirring."
"Goodnight, Mycroft."
"You look tired," said Greg after their conversation stopped for the fifth time in half an hour.
"I´m sorry. I´m afraid you might not get much more from me tonight than awkward staring."
"Any trouble at work? Someone trying to get you out of the throne when you were away?"
"Quite the opposite. Someone not willing to take the throne," Mycroft smiled, but it was his ´I am listening to you´smile which didn´t quite reach his eyes.
"Wanna talk about it? Could you?"
"I´d better not. And the final decision hasn´t been reached yet, so this conversation might have proved irrelevant."
"And you hate irrelevant conversations, don´t you?" Greg grinned. It warmed Mycroft inside a bit.
"You were saying?" he tried to rewind the previous conversation as he cut into his quickly cooling meat.
"I might have inadvertantly come out today at the office."
"Did they react bad?" Mycroft winced. He supposed that it must have been a bit of a shock to discover that their boss, rapidly approaching fifty, is bisexual.
"Dunno. They are more likely speculating about you?"
"I never met your co-workers."
"Exactly. In the next month they might pop unnanounced in my flat, just to see if you are round."
"Better seek refuge at mine," Mycroft smiled and continued chewing. " Is it normal to be this nosy?" he mused aloud, but than caught sight of Greg´s satisfied expression.
"What?" Mycroft asked, bewildered.
"Just thinking that I have a lot of stuff at your place anyway..."
It took a while before Mycroft figured it out: "Do you want to move in? You know you can, don´t you? You´ve already lived there for weeks, I thought it was obvious that you could stay if you wanted..."
He was silenced by a kiss. "Good. I will move in with you. You know, I want to be with you as much as I could."
"Good. Just... the home office is mine only, all right?"
"Afraid I might read something top secret? Are there really genetically modified giant sharks?"
"Giant sharks? Whatever for?"
"Seen it in a movie."
"You watch too much bad TV. And the home office... I don´t want you to know too much. Knowing too much puts you in danger."
"Oh, don´t deny it, you just don´t want me to wander through your territory," Greg added mockingly just as he was decifring Mycroft´s previous sentence.
"That might be that too," Mycroft agreed to play the game. "Do you want to get dessert? I must admit, I´m not that hungry tonight."
"I want to go home. And make love with you. Or just be with you, whatever you prefer."
"Have you had the time to try the jacuzzi while you were staying at mine?"
"There is a tub? Where? Is your house bigger on the inside?"
"And that was a Doctor Who reference, wasn´t it?" Mycroft grinned at Gregs approving nod. "I´ll show you. And now my bandages are finally gone, I will join you."
"Let´s go, then."
"I´m coming, love."