Chapter 3 – The First Date (Part 1)

6.30 PM. Greg was stressing out, unsure whether he should wear his navy-blue suit or his black suit. A 'dark suit' was too vague for him. This was his first date with a man and he had no idea how those types of dates went. Or maybe… Maybe he had to treat it as any other date. Love is equal in all forms and shapes, after all. Right, this date with a man was just like a date with a woman. The only difference was the other person's gender, but that didn't mean he had to think differently about how to dress. Greg went for the navy-blue suit, because he had used his black suit on funerals, and he did not want to bring that vibe with him on the date.

As he buttoned up his white shirt, he looked at himself in the mirror. I look like a homeless person, he thought. Maybe I should shave just a bit. He finished up his shirt, straightening the collar properly, and then quickly shaved his face here and there, but he wouldn't touch his beard too much. Women loved him with a little stubble, and Mycroft would probably too. Wait a minute… Why was he trying so hard to look good for Mycroft?

"I'm not gay," he whispered to his mirror image as he applied some cologne. His hair was fine, the same as ever, but with a little water-based hair gel to keep everything in place neatly. He checked the time. 6.40 PM. "Shit." Mycroft would be there soon. Maybe he was the type of person to come early, or exactly on time, or 'fashionably late'… The latter sounded more like him, but then again, with the position that the man holds, the first option seemed more logical. Greg put on his trousers and jacket and faced the mirror once again. Something was missing. A tie, or maybe a bowtie. He had both in the same colour as his suit, so either would work, but one was probably more appropriate than the other. He chose the bowtie. It looked more playful and it made him seem less like he was going on a business date.

6.50 PM. Greg was pacing around. Why was he so nervous? Why did he try so hard to impress this man? He hadn't found it that important yesterday, so why was it such a big deal now? He wasn't gay; not in the past, not now, not ever. Or maybe he would be, in the future. Maybe he'd turn gay for this man, who had had the guts to ask him out. From a woman's perspective, he could definitely see that Mycroft was hot. From a gay man's perspective… The same. Greg frowned and splashed a little bit of water in his face. After having dried it, he pointed at himself in the mirror.

"Don't be nervous. You're the cool guy, the cool D.I.!" He chuckled at the rhyme, but the smile quickly disappeared when he heard a car. He ran to the window and was relieved to see a black car, and not a cab. And out of the car stepped a man who wasn't Mycroft. And he opened another door, and out came… Mycroft! "The man has a bloody driver?!" Greg hurried to get the last bits of his physique done, his hair had become a little bit wild nonetheless, and he sprinted downstairs, just as the bell rang. Greg didn't think about it and immediately opened the door. Mycroft jumped a little and raised a brow, a smirk lingering on his lips.

"Have… you been waiting at the door?" he asked.

"What?" Greg frowned, but then realised how strange it must have looked from the outside, him instantly pulling the door open just a second after the bell had rang. "Oh! No, no, I was just… eh…"

Mycroft chuckled and stopped him. "I was only kidding, don't worry about it. You look gorgeous tonight."

Greg blushed and stammered more. "Eh, thank you… You, eh, too, My-… Mister…"

"Just Mycroft is fine." Mycroft looked behind him to see that the driver was still standing near the car. Then he turned back to Greg. "I told him that this is a business date. You didn't want anyone to know, right?" He smiled a warm smile, and he was glad to see that Greg managed to relax a little.

"Thank you, that's very kind. Um, would you like to come inside for a moment, or do we just go?"

"Depends on whether you cleaned your home especially for me," Mycroft answered, to which Greg grabbed his coat and put it on.

"Let's go instead then," he said, and both men laughed. A silence fell as they looked at each other.

"What?" asked Mycroft when Greg didn't stop his staring after a moment.

"Oh, eh… Your smile," he said softly, not because he didn't want the driver to hear it, but because he was a little embarrassed to say it at the start of their first date. "It's beautiful."

Mycroft looked down, his smile changed from a happy one to an embarrassed one.

"Why thank you…" he said and looked up at him again. "We… should go now."

"Right, right." Greg pulled the door to a close.

The two walked to the black car and the driver opened a door for them. They climbed in and as soon as the driver was ready, Mycroft gave him the address. Greg recognised it: that place was something he could barely afford with his pay, but he had taken his now ex-wife there once. It had worked like a charm back then.

Mycroft smiled at Greg, and Greg smiled back, but they were silent during the entire ride. The driver stopped right in front of the restaurant and an employee of the restaurant opened the door on Greg's side. He slid out, and before Mycroft got out, he could hear the driver say: "Good luck with business, sir." With Mycroft on his side, they walked into the restaurant, and they were lead to a table in a quiet corner. They sat down and the silence between them suddenly stood out. Greg swallowed thickly and looked around. This was it: his first date with a man. And honestly… He fancied him.