Title: Greg's Coffee Shop
Fandom: Sherlock (BBC)
Rating: PG
Length: 459
Summary: Sherlock Holmes works in the coffee shop owned by Greg Lestrade, who has just employed a certain John Watson
A/N: The main cliché is that possibly over-used AU, the coffee shop.  There are other clichés liberally sprinkled around, a bit like decorations on the cup cake icing.

“So, who is he?” Sherlock Holmes asked Greg Lestrade, the proprietor of the coffee shop Sherlock worked in when he wasn’t being obnoxious elsewhere.

“Who?”  Greg was only half listening, his normal state when Sherlock started talking.

“The new guy you’ve hired?”

“I’d have thought you’d have deduced that immediately.”

“Of course I know who he is – ex-army, invalided out, in need of occupation to supplement his income and give him reason to leave his miserable accommodation.  Oh, and pushed your way by the intolerable git you call your boyfriend.  But even I can’t work out a name without some help.”

“May I remind you the ‘intolerable git’ also persuaded me to take you on out of brotherly concern.  As for accommodation, Mycroft’s arranged with Mrs Hudson for him to have a room in her upstairs flat.”

“But that’s my flat!  She can’t do that.”

“I think you’ll find as your brother currently pays half the rent of the flat, he’s entitled to have a say in who stays in the other room.”

“He should have asked me first.”

“And would you have agreed to a second person?”

“No!”

“I wonder why he didn’t ask.”

Greg went to fetch some more cakes from the kitchen, leaving Sherlock to tidy the counter.  The door opened and a man leaning slightly on a cane entered.

“Hi,” he said, “I’m John Watson.  Greg Lestrade said to get here at ten o’clock.”

Sherlock said nothing but looked at the man in front of him.

“Umm, is Greg here?” John continued.

“What?  Oh yes, he’ll be out in a minute.”

John stood patiently, taking in his surroundings without moving.  Sherlock watched, fascinated.

Greg returned with a tray of cupcakes.  “Hi, John.  Good to see you.  And you’ve already met Sherlock.”

John glanced towards the other man.

“Who has, as ever, forgotten his manners,” Greg continued.  “John Watson, meet Sherlock Holmes, your new co-worker and the person you will be sharing a flat with.”  Under his breath Greg added, “And hopefully you won’t move out again anytime soon.”

“Hi,” John smiled at Sherlock, who smiled back apparently having lost the ability to speak.

Suddenly, Sherlock seemed to shake himself and said, “Thank you, Greg.  That’s great; you can go back to your baking now.  I’ll explain everything to John.”

Greg grinned at John, before once more returning to the kitchen, reaching for the phone which was vibrating in his pocket as he did so.

“Hi,” he said.  “It’s worked a treat.  I don’t know where you found this John Watson, but Sherlock is totally smitten.  Which means we can have that weekend away.  I’ll pick you up on my bike at three o’clock on Saturday and whisk you away in style, my leather clad lovely.”