brother_mine (brother_mine) wrote in onewaythreads, @ 2017-07-19 10:27:00 |
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God help him, those miniature mousse cakes were absolutely delicious. Mycroft knew he was in trouble when he asked the event planner, Caroline, not only to provide them for the party to welcome the newly selected Council Members, but to order fifty more than what she would ordinarily provide for an event this size. Mycroft was supposed to be on a fitness program. His trainer, Faora, had him on a strict diet and regularly had him work out. In the few short weeks since he began, he’d made marvelous progress and he couldn’t be more pleased with the results.
But kale smoothies and fresh fruit wasn’t cutting it. His cravings were still there. Mycroft was a master at denying himself, his will power was amazing. But sometimes… sometimes... his willpower wasn’t enough.
The party was going on full swing, flashing lights, music blaring, and crowded dance floors. Just the kind of thing Mycroft abhorred. But the size of the party made is easier for him to sneak off to avoid people.. He found himself inside the kitchen, which was definitely bustling with an event like this, but nowhere near as packed. The stoves were not being used, since everything was brought in by the caterers, and the staff were setting up platters of food and pouring drinks to be served to the guests on the other side of the door; they noticed Mycroft there, but were too busy to pay him heed.
Mycroft adjusted his cuffs, and that’s when he spotted it. Close by, on the corner of a counter - a platter filled with those amazing bite-sized delights, as if they were placed there just for him. He stared, then looked away, but his gaze kept returning. Pursing his lips together, he quickly glanced around and before he knew it, he’d snatched the entire platter and was walking away with them. Somewhere. Somewhere private.
A door. Unlocked. He peeked inside. A pantry filled with utensils, pots, and cleaning cloths, but otherwise empty. Mycroft looked around again - nobody had seemed to notice, or if they had, they didn’t care. And so Mycroft slipped inside the pantry and closed the door behind him.
The ball was a lot bigger than Mycroft’s cocktail party. She had actually taken a break here and there at the cocktail party, got to enjoy herself and the fireworks which was nice, especially since it was Klaus’s first event in Preya. But this ball had her on her toes. She was running around like crazy, in heels no less, making sure everything was running smoothly, fixing decorations that were just slightly out of place from all the commotion, making sure the caterers weren’t running short on anything, and that everyone had all the supplies they needed.
Which led her to the pantry.
She was going to grab some cleaning cloths so the used champagne flutes could be cleaned and brought back out. They had plenty, but people liked to drink. It never hurt to keep cleaning the glasses throughout the night on the off chance they did run low. However, what she was not expecting to find in the pantry was Mycroft Holmes.
Caroline’s eyes went wide for a moment as she caught the councilman indulging on an entire platter of mousse cakes. Well, that certainly explained his request for extras. “Oh!” Caroline practically gasped. “Sorry!” She quickly shut the door, not sure what else to do.
The first bite caused Mycroft to groan with pleasure in a way that sounded sexual, and then helped himself to another, and another. By the time he door opened, he’d polished off half the plate. He was caught like a deer in the headlights, startled and eyes open wide, chocolate and raspberry on his fingers and at the corners of his mouth.
The door closed immediately after, and a myriad of thoughts raced through Mycroft’s mind, including guilt, shame, and anger at himself for not having the foresight to lock the door. He quickly set down the platter and wiped his fingers and lips using one of the cleaning cloths on the shelf, then picked the platter up again before opening the door. Seeing Caroline, he raised his eyebrows and nervously told her, “This is not what it looks like.”
It looked like Mycroft had eaten half a platter of the cakes. She was pretty sure it was exactly what it looked like. But she knew better than to argue with the person that employed her. And even if he wasn’t a client, it would just be rude to disagree. Caroline Forbes was far from rude.
“You beat me too it,” Caroline replied with a bright smile. “I was hoping to get a platter for myself,” she added. She was trying to lighten the mood. Make him feel better, less guilty about eating half a platter.
Mycroft blinked his eyes and paused, realizing how undignified he was behaving for a man of his status and social upbringing, hurrying to justify his behavior like a child misbehaving. His respect for Caroline grew for acting with propriety, and not using it against him, even in jest. Quickly, but gratefully, Mycroft mustered his poise and held his head up high. “I’ll have you know,” he begun, his voice reflecting his stature, “that the catering is as of high a standard that I’ve come to expect from your services. Well done.”
If he liked her work half as much as he seemed to like the catering she must be doing a pretty damn good job. Not that she would settle for anything less. She held herself to some pretty high standards. At least when it came to her work. But still she found herself beaming at the comment. “Thank you,” yes she was just doing her job but it was still nice to be appreciated. “I’ll be sure to use them for every event the city needs me for.”
This was the kind of attitude that Mycroft respected. He nodded to acknowledge her discrimination; he knew Carol would have the sound judgement not to mention this to anybody without him even asking. "I ought to return to the celebration," he said in a dignified voice, adjusting the lapels of his suit with a tug. But not before finding a mirror to make sure there was no lingering evidence of his indiscretion remaining upon his mouth.