A/N: an interlude from my Phantom Thief series, set between chapters 1 and 2 of Chasing Shadows.
John H. Watson is clearly a clever man, his posture and the fact that he is the youngest trauma surgeon attest to this. But what has gotten my attention is how he had gained my brother's interest and the fact that he was able to make my usually stoic younger brother's face redden and make him stutter,something which I was never able to do, I knew that at that moment sooner or later Sherlock would come to love this man.
For this man to make my younger brother be something close to human as possible is a feat and so I endeavored to be able to speak with this man privately, To assess whether he would be the making or destruction of younger brother. Throughout our conversation he has continued to surprise 'this man has hidden depths' were the thoughts that ran through my mind and when a lull came to our conversation I remembered a conversation I once shared with Father;
" Mycroft, in this world people constantly wear mask, not once must you let yourself be fooled but most of all be wary of those who are like chameleons, those who are able to blend in to the background, the ones who are able to make themselves so painfully ordinary for they are the most powerful persons"
"why Father?"
"Because they're the ones who are able to find friends and allies in everyone"
"You don't seem the kind to make friends easily" I say wanting to test this man and he smiles one that I can not easily categorize.
"And what may we deduce from that?"
I, as the British Government am rarely break my mask for this man to do so with a single sentence, a mere bait, I knew that I should reconsider him
"You have trust issues" I answer and he chuckles as if amused and I felt myself frowning, he looks at me with a laid-back manner "Don't we all? some are just more pronounced that others"
I stared at him and he continues " It's normal for the younger sibling to consider that" and I looked at him surprised "sibling?" I asked and once more he smiles and answers " You are Sherlock Holmes' older brother, considering the fact that he has not mentioned you to me yet, I sincerely think that he considers your presence annoying"
And I felt my face harden but his next words caught me off guard " but I know that he cares, just like you do towards him...must be a Holmes trait"
I know that the last part was meant as a comment and I am forced to re-deduce John Watson once more.
'If angels exists he would be one of them'
"I know that I have a track record for having a lot of partners casual or not, but be assured that I have no absolute interest with Greg" he says and I am broken out of my line of thoughts
"What?" I blushed upon realizing my blunder and he laughs good naturedly and pats me on the shoulder " It's fine, and if you take him out for dinner on Friday we might just expect a happy announcement by the end of the week"
he walks away and I am left staring at his wake, I felt my lips twist into a reluctant smile this man who was able to make both Holmes children act of our character is one Mummy would like to hear.
I wonder if what Father told me years ago was not a warning but rather a hint and as I went home I went back to that memory looking at it from another angle. It was only later that I realize John Watson would be the making of my brother but that is a story for another time.