
Sadie: Not a problem at all, anonâŚoh, and we really donât get that many messages here; weâre not popular. đ
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
âStay right here and pick up your toys, muffin. Gregâll be back in a minute.â
Now, is there anywhere in that sentence, subtext or otherwise, that sounds like âPlease, overgrown toddler man-child, disappear while the person whoâs supposed to be watching you goes for a quick wee in the five free minutes he has before getting dinner started.â
No, you say? Nothing like that at all?
Yeah, thatâs what Greg had thought, too. So, needless to say, that when he came back out of the loo to find toys and legoâs and puzzle pieces still all over the floor and no little detective to be had picking them up, Greg had to stop and question himself if heâd actually said what he thought heâd said.
âŚAnd then came a clatter from the kitchen.
Dammit.
Greg quick-stepped to the kitchen in record time, but once he turned the corner, he froze.
Now, I ask you one more timeâŚdoes âStay right here and pick up your toys, muffin,â sound anything, anything like âPlease go into the kitchen without me, turn on the stove, and then climb onto the counter directly next to the stove with your bare leg pants-shittingly close to the glowing hot eyeâ?!?
No? Still not the same?
Thatâs what Greg thought.
Seeing Sherlockâs nappied bum up on his knees on the counter, his bare calf within inches of the glowing red burner, Gregâs heart seized in his chestâŚand then he acted. He was across the room before he realised it himself and grabbed Sherlock âround the waist, then spun him off the cabinet before he could even cry out in surprise.Â
It was only when Sherlockâs feet were safely on the floor, that Greg felt his heart start beating againâŚthree times as fast as it was supposed to, mind, but at least it was still working. âWhat,â he wheezed, more than little out-of-breath after the marathon heâd just run, âwere you doing?!â
Sherlockâa little surprised âoâ of a mouth split into a wide grin. âI was helâbing!â
Greg just stared at him, mouth hanging open. â...What!?â
âHelâbing maâge dinner!â
Greg was having a hard time processing this. Sure, he heard the words, he could see Sherlock saying them, but they just werenât connecting or his synapses werenât firing right or something, because this still wasnât making any sense. âYou are notâ!â he stuttered, âYou know youâre notâŚyou are not to touch the stove!â
Sherlockâs face faltered. Gâeg didnât seem as pleased as he thought heâd be. âI waâss beinâ careâbulâŚâ
âNot careful enough, little man!â Greg still had Sherlock by the shoulders, and now spun him around and landed two sharp swats in quick succession to the pair of chubby cheeks peeking out from the bottom of the little detectiveâs nappy.
Caught off guard, Sherlock did little more than gasp and go up on his toes, then stared at Greg, mouth hanging open in shock.
Greg could only stare backâŚSherlock hadnât been the only one taken by surprise. Greg was not the one to practice physical discipline with the boysâŚhe usually left that to Mycroft.
So the fact that he was holding the baby, palm still poised for a smack, was notâŚit was not good; not to him.
Sherlock had been too surprised at first to react much, but nowâŚwell, now the sting was starting to set in. He stared at Greg, his breath coming in quick huffs as his eyes watered and vision blurredâŚ
Then, while Greg could do nothing but watch, Sherlockâs face crumbled, and he began to cry.
Greg felt his heart crumble the same way. âOh, muffin,â he sighed, and wrapped Sherlock in a tight hug. âIâm sorry, sweetheart.â
Sherlock laid his head on Gregâs shoulder and wept. âS-ss-sssâaw-awârrrreeee,â he stammered.
Greg felt like crying, too. âCâmere, sweetheart. Come sit with Greg for a second,â he said, pulling away from Sherlock (which was hard enough, even if the baby hadnât been clutching the back of his shirt) and leading him to one of the chairs around the table with an arm around his waist.
Greg sat down first, and guided Sherlock into his lap. The tyke leaned against him, still sniffling and rubbing his hand over his cheeks and nose.
Greg cuddled him close and kissed his temple. âIâm very sorry I spanked you,â he said, starting with that first and foremost. âI just got spooked.â
âS-spooâged?â
âYeahâŚsee, you were awfully close to burning yourself up there, and that scared Greg.â
Sherlock laid his head on Gregâs shoulder. âBuâd I waâss careâbulâŚâ
âYour leg was really, really close to getting burnt, muffin. Like, that close,â Greg added, holding his fingers less than an inch apart to show him.
Sherlock stuck his thumb in his mouth, and curled his fingers over the bridge of his nose. âThaâds câyose,â he said.
âToo close,â Greg agreed, and started to rub Sherlockâs back. âThatâs why Mycroft and I donât let you around the oven when itâs on. We donât want you getting hurt.â
Sherlock was quiet for a moment. ââŚSpanâgs hurâd,â he finally mumbled.
Despite himself, the corner of Gregâs mouth twitched up. âYeah, and I apologized for that. But at least a spanking wonât cause third degree burns and a trip to the A&E.â
Sherlock only looked up at him, and raised his eyebrow.
Greg barked out a laugh. âHar-har, very funny,â he chuckled, and kissed Sherlockâs cheek. âPromise you wonât touch the oven again?â
Sherlock nuzzled into the crook of Gregâs neck. âMm-hmm.â
âGood boy.â Greg stopped rubbing and patted the back of Sherlockâs nappy. âWould you still like to help with dinner?â
Sherlock sat up. âI câahn?â
âSure. Just not around the oven.â
âWhaâd I do?â
âWell, first youâre gonna go pick up your toys, or Mycroftâs gonna spank the both of us.â
Sherlock giggled and wiped the last of his tears off his cheeks. âGâeg in tâouble.â
âItâs not that funny. Dâyou want to help butter rolls?â
âYeeeeeeeeeeeâsh.â
âAlight, thatâs your job. Roll-Butterâer. Right after Toy-Picker-Upperâer.â














