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It was definitely different sharing a bed with Mycroft, she realized. He had a tendency to stay awake late into the night and he rose earlier than she did. But when he could, he would linger in bed until she woke up, just to make sure she didn’t wake up alone. It was something she greatly appreciated, even if it meant her mornings started before the sun rose sometimes.
Tonight he’d brought his work to bed. That wasn’t all that unusual, but she knew it was something very hush hush that involved Sherlock. Sherlock had done it rather begrudgingly, and that had put Mycroft in a very quiet and almost withdrawn mood. She wasn’t even sure he had wanted her to stay the night tonight but he asked her to.
Almost pleaded, actually.
And she couldn’t say no to that, especially because she didn’t want to.
She had changed into pyjamas in the loo and then gone into his room. She actually liked his bedroom the most out of every room in his home, because it wasn’t so stuffy and prim and proper. He had pictures up, which had surprised her at first, but there were pictures of Sherlock when he was young, of her, and of a little girl. She’d asked about her and was surprised when Mycroft said that was his sister. As far as she had known there were just the two Holmes brothers against the world. But he didn’t seem to want to elaborate and she didn’t push. When he was ready, if he was ready, she knew he would tell her then.
He was already busy reading and she simply got on the bed, under her side of the covers. To her surprise, Mycroft lifted his arm up, a silent invitation for her to move closer to him, and she grinned and did just that. “Is the world saved yet?” she asked.
“Not yet,” he said, continuing to look at the papers. She rested her head on his chest, yawning slightly. Tonight had been one of the late nights, and she got the feeling she would be the only one getting sleep tonight. She’d chide him if he stayed awake all night, but it was worrisome, too.
“Has he talked to you? About…?” she asked, trailing off.
“He keeps the conversation solely about the case,” Mycroft said quietly. “What little other things I’m told come through Dr. Watson.”
She reached around his waist to hold him. “He’ll get used to us,” she said.
“But what if he doesn’t?” Mycroft asked. “He leaves us be because I make you happy, but he doesn’t approve. And I know you want his approval.”
She lifted herself up more and then turned Mycroft’s face away from the papers so he was looking at her. When she had his attention, she caressed the side of his face. “It would be nice if he was happy for us, but if he isn’t, I don’t care,” she said. “The question is, do you want his approval?”
“I suppose I do,” he said softly. “I never cared what my brother thought before, and on most things, I still don’t, but us...this I want him to approve of.”
“Then we’ll work on him until he does accept us,” she said, leaning in and kissing him softly. She knew they couldn’t get carried away because he had work to do, but she wanted to reassure him that regardless, she cared. She would stay.
She would stay because she loved him.
She wasn’t sure how to voice that sentiment, though, so the kiss had to do. But he seemed to understand, and when she pulled away and put her head on his chest again, he seemed more relaxed. At least she had done that for him. And she felt relaxed, too, enough to yawn.
“You’re more than welcome to sleep,” he said.
“You’re going to be uncomfortable,” she said with a smile, but she pressed closer against him and shut her eyes.
“If I sleep, I’ll make sure I don’t wake you up shifting positions,” Mycroft said.
“When you sleep.”
He gave her a soft chuckle, and she felt his lips press into her hair. “Alright, Molly. When I fall asleep.”
“Good,” she said with another yawn. She hadn’t realized how tired she was, but the reassuring steady beat of his heart beneath her ear and the warmth of his arm around her made it easy to fall asleep. Hopefully, in the morning, she would find he’d slept too, just as he promised. Mycroft was the type to make a promise and never break it, even if it was as mundane as promising to sleep. That was, after all, exactly one of the reasons she loved him so much, she thought just before sleep overtook her.