It was completely in Mycroft Holmes' nature to observe from a distance, to be aloof, unemotional, uninvolved. Having an entire nation's closed circuit cameras at his disposal let him watch humanity from the comfort and isolation of his office.
His online habits were the same. Lurking on message boards and social media sites was second nature to him. Rarely did he ever feel the need to express any sort of opinion, but he never gave in to those impulses.
Until today.
One of his favorite Tumblr pages belonged to a woman who loved to blog about her cat, her friends, anything but herself. It was the first page he went to whenever he was feeling overly stressed or, on the rare occasion he let his emotions get the best of him, sad. Her silly, charming little posts never failed to lift his spirits. Despite the lack of personal details, Mycroft found he could deduce a great deal about her from her blog. Thirty-one. Never married, no children. Has been on multiple first dates recently but hasn't been in a serious relationship in several years. Fancies one colleague in particular but is uncertain how to move forward and is unable to move on.
It was that infatuation that prompted him to act. Her latest post irritated him to an irrational degree.
S. came around today. I was half-expecting it (I'm always half-expecting it, tbh) so I wore one of my nicer tops. The cut is actually flattering instead of baggy. (Yes, I actually have grown-up clothes, will wonders never cease?) And everyone says teal is my best color. I put my hair up in a crown braid since I think that style looks damn cute on me. A little bit of make-up (I usually don't bother at work) and I felt pretty confident.
Did S. notice? Not in the least. I could've paraded around naked and all he'd notice would be his test results. Honestly, he is the most brilliant man I've ever met but sometimes he is completely dense. I just want to smack him upside the head but I don't think that would help.
Is it me? It must be me. I keep meeting nice enough blokes at the pub (I won't mention the blind date from hell Meena set me up on) but one date and they vanish. As soon as they get to know me, they realize they don't want to know me, apparently.
I thought S. was different, that he'd get to know me and would want to know more. It's been five years and he apparently knows all he wants to know.
Maybe I should just swear off men and adopt four or five more cats.
Mycroft went to her Ask Box without waiting to calm down.
My dear, I don't know you or S. but I do know such a man is unworthy of you. You have a great deal to offer any man and if he cannot appreciate that, then it's his problem, not yours. Find a man who will treat you the way you deserve and don't give S. another thought.
It wasn't until after he sent it anonymously that Mycroft had an epiphany. S. is the most brilliant man she's ever met but completely dense. She works with him but doesn't see him every day. He comes to her for test results. For God's sake, S. is Sherlock! That means she must be Dr. Hooper.
That's when another epiphany struck.
I am becoming infatuated with a woman who's in love with my brother.