Work Text:
It was nearly five in the morning by the time they got back to the car. She could tell her boss was exhausted, even if no one else could. There was no hint of it in his eyes or his face, his bearing and his posture was as upright and proper as ever. But if you knew where to look… the grip on his umbrella handle kept loosening for a fraction of a second then tightening again, like he was catching himself and overcorrecting. The ambassador was still talking; there was a slight movement of Mr Holmes’ head, as if he was stopping himself from looking pointedly at the car.
“Mr Holmes,” she interrupted, looking up from her Blackberry. “We should be going..?”
He gave her an annoyed look for the benefit of the ambassador, but years of working for the man meant she could see the gratitude underneath.
The ambassador just laughed. “When such an attractive woman calls you to bed, eh?”
Mr Holmes gave him a tight smile and said, “Indeed.” She carefully kept her face blank and mentally ran though ways she could kill the ambassador where he stood with items she currently had on her person. Mr Holmes nodded and said his goodbyes. Then finally they were climbing into the back of the car and Webber was speeding them away from the obnoxious ambassador and his inflated sense of his own importance.
Mr Holmes wasn’t slumped against the window but it was only through force of will, without taking her eyes from her phone she edged ever so slightly towards him. Mr Holmes gave no outward sign of noticing but she knew he did because just over five minutes later he moved slightly closer to her and let out a breath. The Mycroft Holmes version of kicking off his shoes and curling up against the world. She did him the courtesy of not mentioning it at all and continuing with her phone. Fifteen minutes later she felt his head drop lightly onto her shoulder. She risked a quick glance; Mr Holmes was fast asleep, mouth open slightly. Chances were there would be drool soon. She shifted a little to make him more comfortable against her shoulder.
After everything he’d done for her over the years, a little drool was easily overlooked.