Chapter Text
Greg walked into their shared home with a grim expression. He set his bag down and carefully approached Mycroft at his desk. Upon his entrance, Mycroft looked up from the book he had been reading. One look at Greg’s face told him something was wrong.
“Oh Lord. What have you done?” He asked, seeing Greg grimace.
Greg hugged Mycroft from behind and kissed the top of his head.
“You know how much I love you, right?” He asked into his hair. Mycroft sighed and set his book down.
“What have you done?” He repeated, slightly more nervous. Greg hurried in front of him.
“Remember how we were going to go out for dinner tonight?” He asked, sitting down next to Mycroft.
“Yes…” He responded suspiciously.
“Well…I may have accidentally agreed to babysit my niece.” He offered a sloppy grin.
Mycroft sat in silence for a moment before responding.
“I hope I’m not expected to partake in your mistake, yes?” He asked. “You do know how I despise children.” He narrowed his eyes at the thought.
“Of course!” Greg confirmed, standing back up. “I’m not asking you to do anything. My sister just started crying about how stressed she was about job hunting and that she couldn’t make it to an interview tonight because she had to take care of her daughter and before I knew it, I was agreeing to watch her.” Greg sighed. “I’m really sorry, Mycroft.”
Mycroft placed his hand over Greg’s and smiled.
“I understand. You have to look out for your family. We’ll reschedule our date. But for tonight I will be locked in my office until the child is gone.” Greg laughed.
“Deal.” He said, kissing Mycroft’s cheek.
“Okay, I’ll be back before 8:00. You are a lifesaver, Greg!” Greg’s sister, Laura, said before kissing her daughter goodbye and dashing out the door. Greg looked down at the child standing in front of him.
“Hey, Jamie! How are you doing?” He asked with a cheerful expression. He wasn’t completely sure how to talk to six year olds, but he’d figure it out.
Instead of responding Jamie just looked up at him in silence.
“Er…Do you want to draw or watch telly or something?” He asked. Jamie didn’t respond. She just kept looking at him in her little pink overalls and bright yellow backpack slung around her shoulders.
“Do you…have something in your backpack you want?” Greg didn’t know what to do. She was literally just standing in the doorway and hadn’t spoken a single word.
Greg looked around awkwardly. He was already starting to regret his choices. Was she seriously going to stand there for the next two hours?
Mycroft had locked himself in his office, just as he said he would, the moment Laura had pulled up to their house. Greg wasn’t going to interrupt him, but he couldn’t help but think that he would know what to do.
Jamie started taking her shoes off and placed them next to the door. Without saying a word she brushed by Greg and plopped herself on the floor in the sitting room. She unzipped her eye-sore from a backpack and pulled out a box of crayons and a notebook before beginning to sketch with a green crayon.
Greg approached her and leaned down, taking a look at what she was making. It looked like a combination of disfigured blotches.
“What are you drawing?” Greg asked, resummoning his overly sweet voice.
“A dragon.” Jamie responded, not looking up.
“Oh, she can talk!” Greg exclaimed, throwing his hands up playfully. Jamie stopped drawing and slowly turned her neck to stare at him. She kept an uncomfortable eye contact for a few moments before continuing her drawing.
Picking up her lack of interest in talking, Greg stood up and started making them dinner. He made sure to keep a watchful eye on her, just in case a knife or something happened to materialize. He made a box of mac and cheese with a side of chicken caesar salad.
Greg presented the meal to Jamie with pride. She took one look at it and wrinkled her nose.
“What? What’s wrong with it?” Greg asked, strangely offended.
“I don’t want mac and cheese.” Jamie said. Greg could feel impatience bubbling up inside him. He spent an unreasonable amount of time making sure she got well fed.
“I’m sorry to hear that, but that’s what there is.” He said through an exhale. Jamie looked back up at him with a pout.
“No.” She stated blankly.
“I’m not making anything else.” Greg squinted his eyes.
“No!” Jamie exclaimed. Greg could sense a tantrum approaching. He tossed the dinner on the table and sat down with a groan. He closed his eyes and massaged his temples. Just then a door creaked open. Greg looked up to see Mycroft standing before him.
“What are you doing here?” Greg sighed.
“I suppose you see why I detest children now?” He smiled. Greg rolled his eyes.
“If you only came here to rub salt in the wound, why don’t you just leave?” Greg snapped. It wasn’t fair to blame Mycroft, he knew that, but why mock him?
Mycroft simply grabbed the dinner, a spoon, and a bottle of whipped cream. Greg watched with interest as Mycroft put just the smallest amount of whipped cream on the spoon and presented it to Jamie. She took it with a smile and immediately ate it. Mycroft held the bottle out, then the dinner. Jamie looked at the plate, then the whipped cream, then back at the plate.
Before he knew what was happening Jamie took a bite of the dinner. Then she took another. She even took a bite of the salad. Mycroft refilled the spoon, adding just a touch more this time. They continued this pattern until the entire dinner was gone and Jamie finished her last spoon of whipped cream with a smirk.
Mycroft returned with the empty dinner plate and a knowing smile. Greg huffed and let his head fall into his palms.
“How’d you convince her?” He grunted.
“I work in international affairs darling. I know how to deal with childish behavior. In order to get what you want, you need to have something that they want. Give them a little taste, just enough to get the satisfaction, but not enough to get nothing in return. Just to leave them wanting more. Funnily enough, it’s not my first time using whipped cream with that method.” Mycroft explained.
Greg let his head fall onto Mycroft’s shoulder.
“Let’s watch a movie with her.” Mycroft suggested. Greg nodded as the pair moved to the couch. Jamie picked out some American kids' movies that Greg struggled not to grimace at.
Laura got back just before 8:00 with a smile plastered across her face.
“You look happy.” Greg whispered. “Good news?” Laura nodded.
“I think they really like me, but only time will tell I guess.” She tilted her head. “Why are you whispering?” Greg pointed to the couch. Jamie was sleeping soundly against the couch cushion as Mycroft flipped through channels next to her.
“Aw, you got her to sleep!” Laura exclaimed in surprise. “You’re really such an amazing uncle. I can’t thank you enough, Greg.” She smiled, hugging him tightly. Greg returned the gesture with the same affection.
“Alright, I’ll get her out of your hair. Let me know if you ever need anything, yeah?” She offered, walking towards the couch.
Laura picked Jamie up and wrapped her arms around her back. Jamie stirred slightly, but didn’t wake. Mycroft handed Laura Jamie’s zipped yellow backpack. She profusely thanked both of them again and promised to keep Greg updated on the job.
With both of them gone, Greg cuddled up next to Mycroft on the couch. They sat under a blanket together with some movie Mycroft turned on in the background.
“And here I thought you didn’t like kids.” Greg teased, lightly poking him.
“Truly loathe them.” Mycroft confirmed. “But I do like you and there’s no way you would have been able to survive two hours with her.” He kissed Greg’s head.
“Yeah, she’s a little demon. You should have seen her silently stare at me for like a minute when I made a joke.” Greg laughed.
Mycroft slithered an arm around Greg’s back as Greg let his head fall on Mycroft’s shoulder.
“Dinner tomorrow?” Greg suggested, still feeling bad about the cancellation of their plans.
“It’s a date.” Mycroft smiled, kissing his forehead.