Sherlock, as a genius (you know?), has to go to the library fairly often. Most days he is able to drop Ian off downstairs with Mrs. Hudson while he goes out, but some days Mrs. Hudson leaves so Sherlock has to take Ian places.
Today Sherlock needs to go to the library. It's very vital to an experiment he's doing. He calls John to ask John to come home to keep Ian because Mrs. Hudson had to go to her sister's for the afternoon.
"Your experiment can wait, Sherlock," John says over the phone.
"I need to get this done today."
"Then take him with you."
Sherlock is silent for a long time.
"Sherlock?"
"I can't take him with me."
"Why not?"
"Because…"
"Oh, ok," John says, "You don't want to have to worry about him."
"Now don't say it like that, John. That makes me sound horrible."
"You are horrible. He's three, Sherlock. Get him a book, sit him down, it'll be fine. He'll follow you wherever you move."
"What if he begins following someone else?"
"You mean what if someone takes him?"
"Yes."
"Sherlock, listen to me honey. He's fine. You won't lose him. Take him with you. Take some snacks. Don't forget his scarf."
Sherlock sighs and says ok, then hangs up.
They have a small backpack that's Ian's size that they pack when they take him out somewhere. He packs the bag with crackers, little yogurt bites that Ian likes, and a sippy-cup of water, plus the usual stuff like tissues, bandaids, allergy relief syrup, pain reliever. He puts Ian in his shoes, coat, and scarf, puts the backpack on him, and they head out the door.
They get to the library and Sherlock heads to the kids' section. He picks three books off the shelf, lets Ian pick which one he wants to look at, then takes Ian to the science books.
"Sit right there, son. Ok? Here's your book," Sherlock says, handing Ian his book. Ian sits and shrugs off the bag, then opens his book.
Then he starts to hum. Ian has a tune he hums when he's lost in his own head. Sherlock and John think it's the cutest thing.
Well, except now.
Sherlock's trying to think. He is doing research. He is working. And Ian's humming is very distracting. He glances down at Ian and Ian's not even paying attention to anything Sherlock's doing. Sherlock kneels in front of Ian and Ian finally looks up. He's still humming.
"Ian, can you stop humming and listen to me for a minute?"
Ian nods but doesn't stop humming.
Sherlock rolls his eyes. "Ian, stop humming please."
He stops.
"Daddy is trying very, very hard to concentrate. Daddy really needs this research done today. Do you think you can keep quiet so I can concentrate? It's just that when you're using your beautiful little voice, I want to listen to you and I stop concentrating. So, do you think you can keep quiet?"
Ian nods. "Yes, Daddy. I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize, my baby, I love when you sing. Just not right now, ok, Ian?"
"Yes, Daddy."
"Ok." Sherlock kisses Ian's head and gets up to continue his research.
Five minutes later, Sherlock hears Ian rummaging around his backpack. Sherlock glances over to him and Ian has a very angry face while pulling everything out of the bag. Sherlock goes over to him and kneels next to him.
"What are you doing?"
"I want a cookie," Ian says.
"I didn't pack cookies. Here," Sherlock picks up the crackers, "Have some crackers."
"I don't want crackers."
"Will you level with me, please? Crackers or yogurt. I didn't brink cookies."
"I want a cookie," Ian pouts and crosses his arms at his chest.
Sherlock rubs his face. "Listen, when we go home I'll get you a big cookie, ok? You know the ones at the shop down the street? The ones Dad never buys? I'll get you one, ok?"
Ian still pouts. "Ok."
Sherlock stands and resumes his searching. It's quiet but for the sound of Ian slurping his water. Sherlock knows he can't possibly drink water for any lengthy amount of time, so he doesn't ask Ian to quiet or to stop. Finally Ian stops, then he starts munching away at the crackers.
Sherlock looks down at him. "Ian, can you eat quieter?"
Ian shrugs but doesn't look at Sherlock, he just keeps looking through his book.
Five minutes later, Ian sighs very loudly and looks at Sherlock. Sherlock's reading and not paying attention to anything else.
"Daddy," Ian says. Sherlock doesn't answer. "Daddy?" Sherlock still doesn't reply. "Daddy?" Still nothing. "DaddyDaddyDaddyDaddyDaddy!" Ian shouts.
Sherlock looks down at him. "What?" he shouts back.
"I finished my book," Ian says in a tiny, innocent voice.
"So?"
"I want another."
"Can you wait a minute?"
Ian shakes his head no.
"Just hold on, ok?" Sherlock goes back to reading.
"Please?" Ian asks.
"Hang on," Sherlock doesn't look up.
Ian's quiet for maybe three seconds before he shouts, "Daaaaaaaaaaad!"
"Ssssssh!" the random librarian shouts back in the next isle.
"What?" Sherlock shouts, slamming his book shut and losing his spot.
"I. Want. Another. Book!" Ian shouts.
"Ssshh, stop! Stop shouting!" Sherlock shout-whispers.
"Get me a book!" Ian shout-whispers back.
Sherlock closes his eyes and covers his face with his hand. He breaths deep. He counts. He feels Ian patting his thigh. He opens his eyes, looks down.
"Ok. Quick, seriously, very quickly."
They leave the backpack and Sherlock's book in the isle and practically run over to the kids' section. He picks up three books and lets Ian choose. Ian takes forever picking so Sherlock takes all three. He pulls Ian along to their isle, sits him down, and gets back to work.
"Dad?" Ian asks after a few minutes of silence.
"What?"
"Will you read this to me?"
"No, I'm very busy."
"Please, Daddy?"
"No."
Ian pouts. Every few minutes he huffs or sighs very loudly to get Sherlock's attention.
"No," Sherlock says.
Ian throws a book at Sherlock.
"Did you just throw this at me?"
"Please read it!" Ian says.
"Stop, Ian. Not right now."
Ian begins to cry.
"Stop it! Ok, please stop, Ian. Ok, ok look, I'm sitting down. I'll read it."
Ian crawls over to Sherlock and sits on his lap.
"Please don't cry, ok? I'll read it," Sherlock opens the book and reads.
They finish the book in five minutes and Sherlock momentarily forgets about his books because Ian sitting against his chest and hearing Ian's laughter is making the world stop.
"Again?" Ian asks. He looks up at Sherlock, his eyes looking sad.
Sherlock looks down at him with equally sad eyes. "Not right now, sweetie. Let me finish my work, ok?"
Ian frowns and climbs off Sherlock's lap. He goes to his area and Sherlock goes back to work.
The other two books last ten minutes.
"Daddaddaddaddad," Ian babbles.
"What?"
"Can we go home now?"
"No."
"Dad might be home."
"I'm not finished."
Ian stands and runs out of the isle. Of course he's three with short legs, but he gets quite the head start before Sherlock gets his bearings and follows him.
He chases Ian through three isles, and when he turns into the fourth isle, the librarian is standing there holding Ian up.
"Is this yours?" she asks.
"YesthankyouI'msorry," Sherlock says in one breath. He takes Ian back to their isle.
"Alright, we're leaving. Help me clean this stuff up." Sherlock kneels and begins putting stuff back in Ian's bag. Sherlock checks out the three books he needs and they quickly leave.
The ride home is silent. Sherlock stares out the window and Ian stares at him.
"Daddy?" Ian says as they turn onto Baker Street.
"Yes, son?"
They've been working on Ian's apologies and Sherlock thinks maybe he's going to apologize.
Instead, Ian says: "We just passed the cookie shop."
Sherlock shuts his eyes and counts again. That'd be a line that John would laugh at but Sherlock is very flustered. He sighs and opens his eyes on time to see 221B and John trying to get into it.
Sherlock pays the cab driver and gets out of the car, pulling Ian along.
"John," Sherlock says.
"Oh, hey my loves I didn't see you two there."
Sherlock gives John Ian's hand, gives John his bag, Ian's two library books, and says, "Your son has been driving me crazy all afternoon, take him down the street and get him a cookie."
"Was he being disobedient? What was he doing?"
"He…was…he was just…" of course Ian wasn't being bad, he wasn't doing anything. Sherlock knows he wasn't doing anything wrong so he doesn't tell John he was. "Just keep him out of the flat for an hour, please."
"Well if he was being bad, why am I getting him a cookie?"
Sherlock unlocks the door and steps inside. "Jesus, John, just get the kid a damn cookie." He shuts the door before John can ask any more questions.
John looks down at his son. "What's his problem?" John asks.
Ian shrugs.
Later when John and Ian get home, Sherlock's finished with his work so he plays with Ian for the rest of the evening because he knows he's the one that had an attitude all afternoon.