A/N: I couldn't really avoid this subject
Brit-picking and beta-reading: Riverdancer17.
"Well, if it isn't the infamous Mr. Holmes." Greg drawled the moment he caught sight of the man.
Mycroft turned, eyes confused and searching for the source of voice, and then, when his gaze fell on the Prime Minister, he frowned but came up to meet the other man half way. "You should be in a meeting." Was the first thing out of his mouth.
"Well, hello to you too." Greg replied, his tone light. "Nice to see you."
Mycroft rolled his eyes, but his demeanor changed, expression softening and tone turning friendlier. "Good evening, Prime Minister. I was merely wondering what had brought you here at this time of the day. I was lead to believe that your meeting was taking longer than usual."
"I managed to sneak out early."
At Mycroft's flat look Greg looked down bashfully and said. "Fine, it just ended but I asked Amelia to inform you that it was still in progress."
"Corrupting your own assistant?"
"Don't you dare remove her." Greg warned sternly, aware what the other man was capable of. He didn't want the poor girl to get fired for helping him.
"I don't appreciate people lying to me." Mycroft replied haughtily.
Greg decided against pointing out that this was what Mycroft himself did a lot. And it was highly unpleasant to be lied to, especially by a person you cared about. Greg just smiled and steered the topic of the conversation. "I had a very good reason to do so." He nodded self-importantly. Then Greg looked around at the people milling about, keeping a polite distance to allow them a parody of privacy but sending them subtle curious glances. It was not the right place for what the Prime Minister had in mind. "Come on," he put a hand on Mycroft's forearm and pushed the man gently in the right direction. "Let's talk in my office."
Once they were hidden from prying eyes, Greg moved his hand from the others forearm to his lower back – a light caress - before letting go and stepping around the man so that they would be face to face. "A week ago," he started in a serious tone. "I obtained a very valuable piece of information."
"Pray tell, what may that be?" Mycroft asked with mild interest. He doubted there was any piece of information the Prime Minister knew that Mycroft had not been aware of. There were times Greg felt offended by such disregard but there was nothing he could do – any intelligence report landed first on Mycroft Holmes's desk and only then was handed to the Prime Minister.
"I was told that you, Mr. Holmes," he pushed at Mycroft's chest with his finger, allowing accusation to seep into his voice. "Have a birthday today. Something that you failed to mention last time we met."
Mycroft glanced down, clearly uncomfortable. "That is not your concern." He said stiffly, but his tone failed to be strict and he didn't meet Greg's eyes. This reaction was new; the Prime Minister allowed himself a moment of speculation – 'I care but do not want you to see this' expression seemed a wonderful assumption. Now if only it were true…
"That is for me to decide." Greg countered. Then his voice softened. "Really, Mr. Holmes, you shouldn't rob me of an opportunity to get you a crazy birthday present."
"How crazy?" Mycroft lifted his eyebrows. A playful glint appeared in his eyes – a clear sign that the man had gotten over his embarrassment.
In his free time Greg liked to play a game of his own imagining 'The ways I can make Mycroft Holmes flustered'. Some of them hadn't worked, a lot were still waiting for the right moment, and the most of them warranted a situation which was unacceptable for their current relationship. After all, Mycroft probably wouldn't be pleased if the Prime Minister had suddenly, but very gently, bit his earlobe, or licked his collarbone – and those were the tamest of his fantasies.
"You'll just have to see for yourself." Greg retorted, setting his fantasies aside for the moment.
"You are aware that I do not like surprises?"
"Yes, but you will like this one. I promise."
"Please, Prime Minister, do not make promises you can't keep. It is the basis of your profession, after all." Mycroft countered but allowed himself to be ushered aside to a less formal part of the office. There was a couch, which they occupied, sitting side by side and a little too close for colleagues but not close enough for friends (lovers), which they were not, and a coffee table with an elongated parcel on it. Mycroft eyed it curiously albeit warily.
"This is your craziness?" He tilted his head to the side and glanced at the other man.
"It's your birthday present." Greg announced proudly. He ran his fingers over the parcel lovingly before pushing it over the polished tabletop, in his subtle way urging Mycroft to open it.
"Do I really want to know what's inside?"
"You will love it," Greg promised once again. Truth be told, he wasn't so sure, but hoped that his confidence would pass to the man he was so desperately trying to impress.
Tentatively, Mycroft reached for the box; it was dark grey and elongated, pretty big, leaving a lot of options for Mycroft's imagination. Carefully he lifted the lid and put it aside. His eyes widened as he noticed the thing inside and a pleased smile graced his lips.
"This…is not a bad surprise." Mycroft allowed his smile to widen as he glanced at the other man.
Greg just laughed. "I guess that is the best compliment I can get from you? But you just wait until I tell you what this lovely thing can do."
Mycroft lifted his eyebrows in curiosity and carefully lifted the new umbrella from its case. It was very much like the one he always used – an old black thing with the paint faded on the creases with a handle made of wood. But this umbrella was brand new, it's colour bordering on black but turning to be rich dark blue with enough lighting. The handle was of pale wood with speckles of warm amber colour, polished to perfection and fitting into his palm. It felt nice in his hand.
Mycroft tore his eyes from the present. "It is lovely. Thank you." The smile that now bloomed on his face was not as wide but even sweeter; he ducked his head, almost shy.
"And it has some great additional functions." Greg announced proudly.
"A brolly? Having additional functions?"
"Well, you always said I watch too many spy movies." The Prime Minister said bashfully.
"You didn't…?"
Greg grinned. "Come on. Let's move somewhere we won't be disturbed and I'll show you everything this little thing is capable of!" He grabbed Mycroft's hand to drag the other man to a room adjoining the office. They wouldn't run the risk being disturbed there. After all, Greg did not want someone to walk in on him explaining Mycroft how to shoot an electric gun hidden at the point of the umbrella or get a knife out of the handle.
He was happy to see that Mycroft seemed pleased with his birthday present.