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It had been nearly four months since Hamish joined their family and he still had yet to decide what to call John and Sherlock. Normally he just started crying, knowing someone would come at his first scream.
John felt that they should tell Hamish to call them something but Sherlock thought differently on the subject matter. Hamish was up in room asleep. They had no case so they were able to spend time just the two of them. They had curled up on the couch and had on something on the telly. Sherlock had a glass of wine and John had his beer.
“John, don’t worry. When Hamish is ready he will call us what he wants. It’s when the time is right.” Sherlock explained to him as he looked down at John. He had to agree with Sherlock but it was hard for him. He just feared Hamish would call them John and Sherlock. Though he wouldn’t mind being seen his dad, or father or papa.
John leaned his head on Sherlock’s shoulder as he thought about the words Hamish liked to use. “No” being one of his favorites. John had to blame Sherlock for that one. His other favorite word was “bored” and again, Sherlock took the blame for that one. Though Hamish seemed to say it only when he was happy so John supposed it was all right.
~~~
“I just don’t want him to think that he can’t call us Dad or whatever,” John told Sherlock the following day as they stood in the kitchen. Hamish sat in the living area playing with his polar bear plush toy and a few other things he had received as gifts from his new Aunt Sarah. “I want him to know that we are his dad’s.”
Sherlock wrapped himself around John and kissed him on the side of his lips gently. For John being the one who was against Hamish when he first came John had seemed to more than warmed up to his son. “He knows,” Sherlock said to him as he wrapped his arms around his neck and laid his chin on his shoulder.
Sherlock’s words were comforting but it still got to John. But all thought stopped as Hamish let out an ear piercing cry. John saw blood. He grabbed his first aid kid and headed into the living room. Even without an official title he still was a father and his son was bleeding from no doubt something Sherlock didn’t put away.
This continual worry continued to be on the forefront of John’s mind for a few weeks until he and Sherlock got bogged down by a very complicated and dangerous case. As they ran out of the flat they dropped Hamish off with Ms. Hudson.
Ms. Hudson didn’t mind watching Hamish; she rather much enjoyed spending time with him. He was a bright boy and she knew he was going to have a very interesting and full life ahead of him. “What shall we do today Hamish?” she asked him. Hamish looked at her with a smile, shrugged his shoulders and walked over to her couch to sit down.
Hamish was used to Ms. Hudson’s flat. He had spent many a days and even some evening there. It was like another home for him. After Hamish got settled down on the couch he looked up at Ms. Hudson. “Book.” He shouted and then grinned broadly.
Ms. Hudson smiled back at him and went over to the bag John had packed for Hamish. She reached in and grabbed a fairy tale book. Walking back over to Hamish she took a seat next down to him and opened up the book and began to read. “Once upon a time there was a mother and a father…”
“No!” Hamish said as he looked at her. His blue eyes having a very serious look to them, “two daddies.”
Ms. Hudson looked down at the 18 month old boy. “Two daddies?” she asked him. “What about the momma?” she questioned him.
Hamish was even more confused at this idea. He turned his small body so he was fully facing Ms. Hudson. He looked up at her, his head cocked as he said. “What is a momma?”
Ms. Hudson sighed and made a mental note to talk to John about Hamish’s question but for now she deflected it. “Never mind dearie. I’ll start over.” she said Hamish beamed a grand smile as she said that. He moved closer to her so he could see the pictures of the book. “Though if there is two daddies what will the prince, call them?” Ms. Hudson asked him.
“Call them?” Hamish questioned as he kept his eyes on the pictures.
“You know, say he wants his shorter daddy to come instead of his taller daddy. What does he call his taller daddy?” she asked trying to help him think of John and Sherlock in his head. Hamish sat there thinking about the question. He thought about it when Ms. Hudson read him a few more books. When she made him lunch (which was better than John’s cooking so he had seconds), when he watched a film and even when he napped on her couch.
The quiet air around 221b was soon gone as the front door opened. John and Sherlock were home.
“You are an irresponsible tit who needs to remember we have a son now!” John hissed as he knocked and walked into Ms. Hudson’s flat.
“Says the man who almost misfired the gun-”
“Watch it!” John said pointing a finger at Sherlock with furrowed brow and a serious look on his face. Ms. Hudson shook her head at them as she emerged from the kitchen. “He is in here playing, I didn’t know when you would be home so I’ve been making some dinner.” She informed John and Sherlock. “Also,” she said as she walked closer to them. “Also John about the fairy tale, you might want to talk to Hamish about how some kids have mum’s and dad’s, and how some have a mum or just a dad or two dad’s even two mum’s.” She told John as a small fire ball of energy known as Hamish Watson-Holmes came bolting out of the kitchen towards them.
“I will,” John told her as he looked down at their son.
“Daddy! Papa!” he cried as he stood in front of John and Sherlock. Both of them looked at each other and then back at their son. Sherlock bent down and scoped him up in his arms. Setting his son on his hip he looked at him.
“What did you say Hal?” he asked him.
“Daddy, Papa. What happened? You’re all covered in icky red stuff.” He said looking at Sherlock’s face and then over at John’s who’s head had some blood on it which has dripped down to his jumper.
John kissed Hamish on his little hand. “Don’t’ worry Hal. None of it is ours.” He assured him.
Hamish just blinked and nodded. “Can we go home? Dinner?”
“Yes Hal, we can have dinner.” He said to him.
Sherlock and John thanked Ms. Hudson again as Sherlock carried their son up the steps and John followed, grabbing his bag as they left. When they got up to their flat Sherlock put Hamish down, he ran over to John’s chair crawled up and sat there as Sherlock slipped off his coat and began to unpack Hamish’s bag. John headed into the kitchen. He put the kettle on and then turned the oven for them to reheat their leftovers from Angelo’s from the previous evening.
Once all that was done John strode back out to clean Sherlock up and make sure that he wasn’t hurt. Sherlock plopped down in his gray chair as John began to patch him up. Hamish sat at the end of John’s chair and looked at them. “Daddy, Papa why do you always come home icky?” he asked them.
“Work,” Sherlock said as he winced as John cleaned up the cut that was on his head. After they were all cleaned up John went to put the food in the oven as Sherlock went to finish making the tea.
“Who is who?” John whispered as he got plates out for dinner.
“I’m more curious on where he decided to call us Daddy and Papa,” Sherlock said as he handed John his cup of tea. John smiled as he took the tea and sat down on the kitchen table. “Let’s wait and see maybe he will directly call us something.”
“Daddy, Papa,” Hamish said as he walked into the kitchen. “When is dinner?”
John checked the oven and saw the food was almost done. “Now,” he said looking at him. “Go wash your hands.” He said as he looked up at Sherlock as well. Sherlock picked up Hamish and headed to the sink in the kitchen. He held him over the sink as he washed his hands. Setting him down Hamish washed his hands and Sherlock washed his own.
Pulling the dinner out John set the containers onto of the stove. Grabbing the plates, he spooned the food on them; Sherlock soon emerged with their son. Hamish climbed onto the chair with his booster seat so he could reach the table. Sherlock kissed John as he grabbed Hamish’s plate; the food was cut up into small pieces. Their son still evading the question of who was who.
~~~
A few days later John was sitting down in the living room on the computer doing some work. Hamish was up in his room playing when he heard him screaming. “Papa!” John got up from the table and ran up the steps two at a time.
When he got into the room Hamish stood there and looked up at John. He then picked up his polar bear and headed past him down the steps. John turned around and looked at him. “Hamish, what is wrong?”
Hamish stopped as he shrugged as he kept on walking. He turned around and followed his son down the steps, Hamish sitting on his butt and sliding down them. “Nothing.” he told him.
John was puzzled as he followed him down the steps. “Hal why were you yelling?”
Hamish shrugged his shoulders as he ran into the living room and jumped onto John’s chair. As he did Sherlock was climbing up the steps, ducking into the door that lead right into the kitchen. John looked at his son before he walked into the kitchen to talk to Sherlock. “He was yelling,” John said not even giving Sherlock a welcome home kiss. “He was yelling for Papa and when I came up to his room he just walked away.”
Sherlock smiled as he pulled John into a hug and kissed him on the lips gently. “He is testing out names.”
“What?” John asked a tad confused as he wrapped his arms around Sherlock’s neck and kissed him again.
Sherlock looked over at Hamish as he was talking to his bear. “He wants to see what fits.” John looked at Sherlock and then over at their son.
~~~
The next day John was home alone, he was waiting for Sherlock to get back so he could head to the surgery, and he heard Hamish yelling again. “Daddy!” John stopped reading the paper and ran up the steps to his sons’ room. Hamish looked at him with bright eyes. “Spider!”
John looked to where his son was pointing and indeed there was a tiny spider amongst Hamish’s toys. “Catch it daddy! It’s a bad guy!”
John chuckled as he grabbed a tissue and got the spider. “All gone.” He said kissing his son on the top of his son’s head. His dark brown hair thick and wavy.
“Thanks.” Hamish said as he went back to his toys.
~~~
John was happy to be home from work, it was a long day and he missed spending the day with his two boys. As he walked in and saw Hamish and Sherlock were playing. Sherlock was lifting Hamish high into the air and spinning him around.
“Papa put me down!” Hamish squealed as Sherlock stopped spinning and sat down onto the floor.
“What is going on?” John asked as he set his medical bag down and took a seat next to Sherlock. Sherlock then began to tickle Hamish as he wiggled around on the ground.
“Daddy, Papa keeps tickling me.” Hamish giggled as he moved his way over to John. “Daddy make him stowp.” He laughed as he fell on the ground his face red from laughing so hard.
Sherlock and John both smiled. “Stowp Papa,” John laughed as he leaned over and kissed Sherlock on the lips. He places his hand the side of his face.
“Ewwwww,” Hamish yelled as he covered his eyes. John and Sherlock looked at each other and grabbed their son kissing him on the side of his face. Hamish sat in John’s lap and looked up at him. “Daddy,” he smiled. He then turned and looked at Sherlock. “And you’re Papa.” His small finger touching his Papa.
“Obvious,” Sherlock replied. “But we’ll be sure to remember it none the less.”