"What do you mean he's mine?"
Sherlock brought the small creature to eye level, studying it intently as if it had personally offended him. Turning it over in his hands Sherlock looked to Mycroft for an explanation.
" Brother mine, we talked of this earlier."
The boredom in Mycroft's voice was sharp and barely disguised. But as he settled down beside Sherlock, laid his trusty umbrella over his lap Mycroft began to soften. Sherlock raised his dark eyebrows expectantly.
" Mother and Father feel that it is best to give you some responsibility, as they believe you don't understand the consequences of your actions."
Sherlock visibly struggled to prise his eyes from the struggling creature in his palms.
" I am perfectly aware of the reprecutions that I can cause!" He said angrily, " Mother and Father should know better. Anyway why are you boring me with this rubbish?"
Irritable though he was, Mycroft was pleased with his brother's response. Anything other than disdain would have hinted that Sherlock didn't want his new pet.
" I am not aiming to bore you, just to present you with the facts."
" Which are?"
Mycroft recalled his carefully chosen words and recited them.
" If you neglect to feed him, he'll starve. If you refrain from handling him, he'll become grumpy and withdrawn and if you don't watch out for him, he'll most likely die from a preventable aliment."
" So?" Sherlock pursed his thin lips before glancing in surprise at the small hedgehog who was also mimicking his pout!
Mycroft couldn't help but laugh at the obsurdity and neither could Sherlock,
" You'd end up losing a surprisingly amusing friend."
Sherlock hunched over. Attempting to stifle his giggles without disturbing the hedgehog too much. He pulled a series of faces which the hedgehog copied with astonishing versatility.
" Why a hedgehog?" He asked as soon as the laughter seizure had subsided.
" Well you did always have a flair for the dramatic." Mycroft countered as he reached behind his back for something.
" What are you hiding Mycroft?" Sherlock tried to crane his spindly neck around but to no avail.
" Well as it turns out I too have gotten a pet." With deliberate flourish, Mycroft produced a clear plastic bag filled with water. Pride shone brightly on his features,
" This is Greg the Godfish!"
" Indeed Mycroft, that is a mighty fine goldfish." Sherlock felt his face strain, for the sake of politeness, he mustn't scorn his brothers pet. No matter how sophisticated or beautiful his hedgehog was in comparison to Mycroft's meagre goldfish.
" Well, my Hedgehog here also deserves a grand name such as Gavin too." Sherlock said.
" Greg!" Mycroft snapped before returning a loving gaze to his Goldfish.
" I think I'll call you..." Sherlock's face hardened as his tongue poked at his cheek in concentration. Seconds passed before a decision was reached. Sherlock proclaimed loudly,
" John! His name shall be John!"