Rise and Fall
“When did you first know you were falling for me?” Greg broke the comfortable silence during dinner one evening.
“I did not notice I was falling and cannot calculate the exact trajectory.” Mycroft quirked a brow at the unexpected question.
Greg stifled his smile at the very Mycroftian response.
“Truth be told, Gregory, I have never been one for the phrase falling in love.”
“How so?” Greg sat back curious for the response.
“People say they fall in love. But what is the definition of fall? To come or go down quickly from a high place, to let yourself come or go down to a lower position, to become less, to lose value.” Mycroft put his fork down and sat back. “Falling is uncoordinated; a generally unconscious act. No one wants to fall.”
“That is true.” Greg gave a nod of agreement. “The body instinctively tries to reach out, to brace itself against it. Falling is not something we want to do in any other circumstance.”
“Exactly. So why is it allowed in love?” Mycroft took a sip of water. “It’s much better to rise in it.”
“To rise?”
“Yes. Rise: to move upward, to become higher, to advance to a higher level, to become stronger, to be or become better, to make the special effort.” Mycroft gave a slight apologetic wince realizing how he sounded and cleared his throat. “Do you remember there was a riot in Vancouver, Cananda after a sporting event - specifically the photo of the couple kissing on the ground?”
Greg nodded. “I remember, it was everywhere. There was chaos all around them, police in the near distance. Yet they were kissing.”
“Precisely. For all that was going on around them, in that moment it, was just about the two of them. It's him giving her comfort in the midst of madness, and it comforts him as well for her to accept it and return it. That was a moment of rising in love between two people who had no idea the moment was captured until it was shared across the globe.”
“I see…”
“Do you?”
“Falling in love is relatively easy…” Greg grinned at Mycroft’s immediate scoff, “I said relatively.”
“Fine…” Mycroft started to eat again. “Continue…”
“You’re say falling in love is… that easy B-. It required very little effort to pass the test. Now you have time for that Saturday Social with your C, B- and maybe even B+ friends. And if that is all that’s wanted – it’s good. But then the Honor Roll comes out and you’re secretly upset that your name is not on it because you know you could have done better. Rising in love is not being satisfied with that easy B-.”
“Rising in love is not easy. It takes work, compromise, and yes, some sacrifice.” Mycroft expanded. “You’re willing to put in the work for it. Give up a couple, perhaps quite a few Socials. Some who call themselves friends will mock you. They may taunt you with all that they think you are missing, but you persevere. And when you do finally show up at a Social again, you do so with a hard-earned A, maybe even an A+ and your name on the Honor Roll.”
Greg reached out and grasped Mycroft’s hand, understanding there was more than a bit of the autobiographical in there.
Loving a man like Mycroft Holmes – Mycroft Holmes loving a man like him had not come easy for either.
And they would not have it any other way.
“Yes, rising in love is work, but the payoff is so worth the extra effort. But…” Greg gave Mycroft’s hand a teasing squeeze and winked, “…you didn’t exactly answer the question.”
Mycroft chuckled, returning the squeeze. “I cannot tell you when I began falling, because it’s not the falling - the travel to the destination if you will, that I noticed, but the sudden landing in realization that I arrived. However, once I got over the shock that I in fact had fallen, I can tell you exactly when I chose to rise in it…”
Mycroft surprised Greg with a date and time.
Then Greg surprised Mycroft with the place.
“How…?!”
It was one of the rare times Mycroft outwardly showed genuine surprise and Greg treasured it as he answered. “I made you laugh and somehow a peach slice from your dessert slipped from the fork to your lip and down your chin before you caught it. For the very first time I had the thought of how badly I wanted to kiss the juice of the peach from your lips. That I wanted to kiss – more than just – kiss you…” Greg blushed. “Then just before we were leaving, somebody’s kid was running in the aisle and caused the server to up end his tray. They cleaned it, but not well enough…”
“Dear god, I remember. The floor had a slick spot. I would have entirely fallen on my face if you had not caught me. Still, I nearly brought us both down, you… were so strong… You held fast and we were quickly righted. It made me realize you were strong in many other ways and the way you looked at me just then – I wanted you to look at me that way… always. I knew I wanted you.”
“I grabbed you because I wanted no harm to come to you, not even as something as simple and physically harmless as simple stumble. And the look you saw…?” Greg held Mycroft’s eyes intently to his knowingly looking at him that way, “You tripped… and that was the moment I realized I fell.”
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#MayPrompts2024 - Prompt 4: Fall
