Step Twenty-Five: Life With Mycroft Holmes IV

Michael was a terror. He refused to sleep for more then four hours and was hungry all the time. He cried whenever Mycroft left the room and took to staring at the dinosaur toy Anderson had bought him.

Greg tried his hardest to get his son to quieten down when he woke in the middle of the night. He, Mycroft and Anthea took it in turns to feed Michael. Anthea wasn't breast-feeding but decided to stick around and help out the new parents.

No matter what Greg did, Michael would scream. Feeding him didn't work, burping just made him cry harder, and Greg was beginning to think he really hated the dinosaur toy. He tried other toys but Michael hated dogs, cats, monkeys, everything. Greg was beginning to worry that Michael hated him too.

All it took was two seconds for Mycroft to calm their son down. He'd appear at Greg's shoulder, take the baby in his arms, and hum under his breath. Michael would go quiet and fall asleep instantly.

It depressed Greg to no end. What was he doing wrong? Was it because Michael, with his ginger-brown hair, was clearly Mycroft's biological son? Or did Michael just hate him?

Mycroft tried to calm him down, Michael was just a few weeks old, after all. It didn't help though. Greg feared his son would never love him.

{oOo}

Mikey was eight months old when Greg came across a website that made baby toys. He was... let's call it working, when he found the website. He smiled and typed in a few things before ordering. Mikey still hated all his toys and Mycroft was emptying his bank account trying to find something their son would love.

A week later the order came and Greg and Mycroft sat in the nursery. Anthea had gone home and they were alone in the giant flat. Mikey was in his favourite spot; Mycroft's lap.

Greg opened the box and went through the toys. He tried a large green wolf first (Mikey seemed to love all things green). The baby stared at it before crying and Greg quickly put the toy away. A koala followed with the same results, and so did half a dozen other toys. They struck gold when Mikey giggled at a kangaroo toy. But the winner was a thirty centimetre long umbrella.

It was a plush toy, made of nylon and cotton. It was a miniture toy version of the umbrella Mycroft carried, complete with black colouring and bamboo handle (though the toy's was made of cotton).

Mikey squealed in delight and made a grab for it. Mycroft passed the baby over and Greg held him in his own lap. Mikey grabbed the umbrella and swung it around, hitting Greg in the chest. Greg chuckled and Mikey sucked on the toy.

{oOo}

That night only Greg could get Mikey to bed. The baby refused to sleep when Mycroft put him down and screamed bloody murder. Greg tucked their son in, making sure the baby still had his umbrella.

'I told you he likes you,' Mycroft commented.

Greg smiled and leaned back into his husband's warmth. 'Mm, just had to buy him an umbrella; little weirdo, just like you.'

Mycroft chuckled. Circling his arms around Greg's waist, he hugged him tightly and kissed his neck. 'Poor Gregory, surrounded by strange men.'

'It's the best way to live,' Greg replied.