AvidReader1979

I’m Very disabled & I have to spend 95% of the time in bed & most of that lying down flat. I’m in immense & constant pain and my head and body feels like I have permanent flu all the time (real proper fevery flu).

As you can imagine this is not very conducive to making real life friends, I did have lots when I was fit and well and could put time and effort into keeping up friendships, but they’ve dwindled somewhat now that I can’t. I also have a very teeny family, & I’ve worked out that on my birthday I’ll have probably have 2  presents and about 4 cards to open if I’m very lucky.

So I wondered if, out of the kindness of your hearts, on the 20th April you could send me a fun message to cheer me up, or tag me in a post, or write something to me to keep me occupied, or post something nice for me to look at & take my mind off the dullness of being in bed 24/7.

I’m not doing this for any kind of sympathy or pity – it’s just that my birthday is quite utterly sad otherwise - for the past 2 years I’ve asked people to do this & I got a wonderful response and even last year had some amazing people send me things from my Amazon wish list, so I had actual presents to open, which was most unexpected and utterly delightful. I’ve been really ill recently - but I’m still posting when I can and struggling on & I’ll post as often as I can possibly do so. Recently with Covid19 my life has gotten even more dull, I’ve been even more cut off from the real world than ever before.

My about me page is (here) incase you’d like to read more on why I’m disabled. There are also pictures of me in my wheelchair from a few years ago.

Added my Amazon wishlist (here) & I added vouchers in case peeps prefer that to choosing things, so I can buy meds/supplements with it, bless you so much.

‘Skultus has now received 700 comments on AO3. Thank you so, so much. 

I’m thrilled that you guys are enjoying the story, and it’s fantastic to see you all speculating. I’m having obscene levels of fun watching. (Lately I’ve had to force myself not to reply to certain comments.) I read every single review as soon as it arrives, and so I spend my days breaking into frequent grins over my e-mails. I am a Ridiculously Happy Moth.

It’s easy to tire in a long story. Thank you for keeping me going, guys - from the bottom of my heart. <3

Being able to see what you all think as the story develops is such a kick. I know our other writers will agree with me on that. And genuinely, you’ve had an enormous impact on my original plan. I’m so glad.

I’m starting on the final stages now. Holy smokes, this is going to get intense. I’m about to write those parts that flash in split-seconds very quickly at the end of the trailer, and I’m basically squirming with the sheer amount of fun I’m having. You guys have got me here. I don’t say that lightly. It’s entirely down to comments.

I was just gonna do a small version of my standee, like so:

‘Skultus has now received 700 comments on AO3. Thank you so, so much. 

I’m thrilled that you guys are enjoying the story, and it’s fantastic to see you all speculating. I’m having obscene levels of fun watching. (Lately I’ve had to force myself not to reply to certain comments.) I read every single review as soon as it arrives, and so I spend my days breaking into frequent grins over my e-mails. I am a Ridiculously Happy Moth.

It’s easy to tire in a long story. Thank you for keeping me going, guys - from the bottom of my heart. <3

Being able to see what you all think as the story develops is such a kick. I know our other writers will agree with me on that. And genuinely, you’ve had an enormous impact on my original plan. I’m so glad.

I’m starting on the final stages now. Holy smokes, this is going to get intense. I’m about to write those parts that flash in split-seconds very quickly at the end of the trailer, and I’m basically squirming with the sheer amount of fun I’m having. You guys have got me here. I don’t say that lightly. It’s entirely down to comments.

I was just gonna do a small version of my standee, like so:

@egmon73 I am non-native as well. From wnat I can gather having cheese in a “wheel” shape is something brought from Europe to America by law abiding immigrants seeking citizenship.

I highly suspect it was brought here solely by the hand of the Swiss but then again most of Europe loves its cheese so it could be any nation.

Its called a wheel of cheese because it looks like a wheel (probably those old wooden ones that used to haul those things because DAMN they’re heavy) and taste pretty good with triscuit crackers.

Turns out, when he became president this guy in NY decided to give him a huge wheel of cheese. I’m talking 4ft diameter, 2ft thick and weighing 1400lbs.

So Jackson, not wanting to embarrass himself and insult the entire state of New York (we really do love our cheese) decided to make the best of it. So he placed it in the white house and declared that since the government was for the people, by the people, yada yada yada, anyone could just stroll right in and eat a chunk of cheese. As you may imagine, the smell was horrible, and of course, his VP got his own smaller wheel of cheese so our white house smelled like cheese for years.

You can read about it here http://mentalfloss.com/article/27228/andrew-jacksons-big-block-cheese

Or listen to a podcast called the Dallop, episode 10, ‘The Jackson Cheese’ to learn all about it. (It’s two hilarious guys talking about American history, I think you’ll enjoy it).

@mottlemoth   Finished. :D

Enjoy!  

Ngai, this is perfect. It’s magnificent. I can’t stop staring at it. 

Genuinely this makes me happy to the soul. You are so, so talented. Your art makes the world a better place for me, and you are wonderful.

I have two of them!!!!!

(Quick note: continuation of this earlier prompt here. For those just joining us: It’s Greg’s birthday. He’s going to Rome. And my beta reader @avidreader1979​ has filthy ideas sometimes.)

Mycroft had booked the Palazzo Manfredi, and the room was fucking gorgeous - masculine in style, autumn colours with a carpet so plush Greg could have slept on it, and a view of the fucking Colosseum.

It was late when their flight got in. The sun was melting over Rome through the windows as they came into land. At the hotel they were greeted like visiting royalty, shown up to their suite and left in luxurious privacy, with a guarantee that anything they could possibly need was only a phone call away.

Greg unpacked, still so shocked he could barely believe this was happening - and feeling so guilty he could eat his own fingers.

“Did you think I forgot?” Mycroft asked, amused, stepping close behind his lover as Greg gazed out at the Colosseum. He nuzzled into the side of Greg’s neck.

“A bit,” Greg admitted, biting his lip.

Apologies… our best laid plans for this evening will have to be changed. M[Received 17:09]

great. perfect. nice.[Sent 17:14]

fuck this.[Sent 17:15]

Excuse me? M[Received 17:17]

you’re cancelling on me… right?[Sent 17:27]

Something has arisen. Unavoidable. All I’m requesting is an amendment. M[Received 17:31]

Am I to take it from the lack of response that you are angry? M[Received 17:43]

you know what, myc? I don’t even know what to say to you right now…[Sent 17:46]

oh no… wait…[Sent 17:46]

here it comes…[Sent 17:46]

you are a PRICK.[Sent 17:47]

you are just a PRICK. And its all you are. [Sent 17:47]

you don’t even realise why I wanted to meet up tonight, do you? You don’t even remember why TONIGHT might matter to me[Sent 17:48]

of course you don’t[Sent 17:49]

because… as we’ve now established… you are a prick.[Sent 17:49]

why did I even dream you might remember its my stupid birthday and try to be there[Sent 17:50]

its not like we’ve been together for 6 months, right?[Sent 17:51]

6 months of you cancelling on me and postponing and “amendments” (btw I know you mean “move it to some time in 3 weeks”)… 6 months of you making me last priority when I always bloody put you first[Sent 17:52]

jesus christ, why do I even fucking bother…[Sent 17:52]

literally all I wanted was to have dinner with you[Sent 17:53]

just have you to myself [Sent 17:53]

for ONCE, spend some time together[Sent 17:53]

you know what? forget it[Sent 17:54]

this is over.[Sent 17:54]

Greg smashed the final ‘send’, locked his phone and hurled it at the pillows of his bed. It resounded off the headboard with a clunk. He didn’t check to see if the screen had smashed. He didn’t care.

He’d turned down drinks with Scotland Yard for this. He’d said no to a takeaway with John and Sherlock. He’d said no to all his family, no to all his friends, no to everyone in the whole bloody world… just so he’d get to see that face by candlelight, for once, for his birthday.

Fuck this. This is how I’ll remember my fiftieth.

Sitting alone in his flat, grieving. Drinking. There were two bottles of wine on the coffee table - a gift from his division. Greg made immediate plans to drink both of them before midnight. He was going to drink them so fast he barely tasted them.

As he headed through to the kitchen for a corkscrew, too angry yet to break into tears, there came a knock at the door of his flat.

One of the neighbours, Greg thought. They’d been dropping by all day - cards, well wishes.

Maybe it was someone who’d want to come in. Greg knew most of the other flats well, and right now he’d give anything not to spend his fiftieth alone. He hoped it was someone who liked drinking red wine very quickly.

He unlocked his front door as he arranged his face into some semblance of happy greeting. He jerked the door open.

Standing outside on the landing was Mycroft.

Greg’s face fell.

He then realised Mycroft was standing beside a suitcase. He was dressed in comfortable clothing - a cotton shirt and knitted argyle tank-top, casual chinos, weekend glasses - and he was holding two airline tickets.

“Rome,” he said, as Greg’s brain reeled. “Eight nights. Your superintendent has authorised your leave - I cleared it with him six weeks ago - and Sergeant Donovan has said she’s happy to cover everything in your absence. You have half an hour to pack, then our flight will be leaving from Heathrow.”

Greg gaped noiselessly for a moment, still holding the door.

He swallowed.

“Has your… phone been on silent for a while?” he checked.

Mycroft’s brow creased. This was not the reaction he’d expected. 

“Yes…” he said, slowly. “Why?”

Apologies… our best laid plans for this evening will have to be changed. M[Received 17:09]

great. perfect. nice.[Sent 17:14]

fuck this.[Sent 17:15]

Excuse me? M[Received 17:17]

you’re cancelling on me… right?[Sent 17:27]

Something has arisen. Unavoidable. All I’m requesting is an amendment. M[Received 17:31]

Am I to take it from the lack of response that you are angry? M[Received 17:43]

you know what, myc? I don’t even know what to say to you right now…[Sent 17:46]

oh no… wait…[Sent 17:46]

here it comes…[Sent 17:46]

you are a PRICK.[Sent 17:47]

you are just a PRICK. And its all you are. [Sent 17:47]

you don’t even realise why I wanted to meet up tonight, do you? You don’t even remember why TONIGHT might matter to me[Sent 17:48]

of course you don’t[Sent 17:49]

because… as we’ve now established… you are a prick.[Sent 17:49]

why did I even dream you might remember its my stupid birthday and try to be there[Sent 17:50]

its not like we’ve been together for 6 months, right?[Sent 17:51]

6 months of you cancelling on me and postponing and “amendments” (btw I know you mean “move it to some time in 3 weeks”)… 6 months of you making me last priority when I always bloody put you first[Sent 17:52]

jesus christ, why do I even fucking bother…[Sent 17:52]

literally all I wanted was to have dinner with you[Sent 17:53]

just have you to myself [Sent 17:53]

for ONCE, spend some time together[Sent 17:53]

you know what? forget it[Sent 17:54]

this is over.[Sent 17:54]

Greg smashed the final ‘send’, locked his phone and hurled it at the pillows of his bed. It resounded off the headboard with a clunk. He didn’t check to see if the screen had smashed. He didn’t care.

He’d turned down drinks with Scotland Yard for this. He’d said no to a takeaway with John and Sherlock. He’d said no to all his family, no to all his friends, no to everyone in the whole bloody world… just so he’d get to see that face by candlelight, for once, for his birthday.

Fuck this. This is how I’ll remember my fiftieth.

Sitting alone in his flat, grieving. Drinking. There were two bottles of wine on the coffee table - a gift from his division. Greg made immediate plans to drink both of them before midnight. He was going to drink them so fast he barely tasted them.

As he headed through to the kitchen for a corkscrew, too angry yet to break into tears, there came a knock at the door of his flat.

One of the neighbours, Greg thought. They’d been dropping by all day - cards, well wishes.

Maybe it was someone who’d want to come in. Greg knew most of the other flats well, and right now he’d give anything not to spend his fiftieth alone. He hoped it was someone who liked drinking red wine very quickly.

He unlocked his front door as he arranged his face into some semblance of happy greeting. He jerked the door open.

Standing outside on the landing was Mycroft.

Greg’s face fell.

He then realised Mycroft was standing beside a suitcase. He was dressed in comfortable clothing - a cotton shirt and knitted argyle tank-top, casual chinos, weekend glasses - and he was holding two airline tickets.

“Rome,” he said, as Greg’s brain reeled. “Eight nights. Your superintendent has authorised your leave - I cleared it with him six weeks ago - and Sergeant Donovan has said she’s happy to cover everything in your absence. You have half an hour to pack, then our flight will be leaving from Heathrow.”

Greg gaped noiselessly for a moment, still holding the door.

He swallowed.

“Has your… phone been on silent for a while?” he checked.

Mycroft’s brow creased. This was not the reaction he’d expected. 

“Yes…” he said, slowly. “Why?”

For the amazing @theredheadinquestion, who I love to pieces, and who I can promise with hand on my heart that this fic is 100% free of peril of any kind. 

Instead, a lot of sex, and baking-based Saturday afternoon shenanigans. Enjoy. <3 

Have a read over on AO3.