Hungry flames
Chapter 1: Secret Base
„Mycroft is coming today. Mycroft come to visit. Yippee" Eight year old Sherlock jumps, still in his pajamas, through the kitchen, dancing around his mother who is preparing breakfast for them and smiling at her youngest.
"Yes Sherlock he is. Now go get dressed so you are ready when he arrives after breakfast." Sherlock runs back to his room to get dressed. "Don't forget to wash yourself." Calls his mother behind him. Since he knows the date of Mycroft´s visit there is no stopping him. But it is understandable. After growing up together without many other children. They had only each other, not one of their class mates could follow them, most of the adults' ether.
As Mycroft arrives home, Sherlock was still on the table eating his toast. The door bell rung and Sherlock runs to the door, forgotten manners, toast or that they had in fact servant that would answer the door for them.
"Myc. Myc. Myc." Was all Sherlock could say as he jumps into his brothers arms. "You are late. I missed you. Will you come with me later, I will show you my secret base, no one else knows about it. Please can you stay until I´m old enough to come with you or I will hide in your suitcase and you take me back with you. Don't let me alone again-" Mycroft had to stop the bubbling with his finger on Sherlock´s fast moving mouth.
"First of all, good morning little brother, how was the first day of your holiday. My journey was pleasant thank you for asking." His brother wanted to protest about all that good educated manners. "Yes you can show me your place in the afternoon but let me first go inside, say hallo to Mummy and settle in. We have all summer to have fun. You don't need to do everything you planed in your little head at once. Alright." Sherlock nod and Mycroft carries him and a suitcase inside the hall were the case was taken by one of the servant and their mother waiting to great her son.
After Mycroft´s 'settle in' and having lunch they got ready for Sherlock´s little adventure but Mycroft doesn't mind even now, fifth-teen and being official too old to play. It was time he could spend with his little brother, the most important person in his life. He loves his brother since the day he was born. As his parents came back from the hospital holding this little human being, Mycroft´s first and only thought were to protect this small creature. The first night Mycroft sneaked out to watch his baby brother sleep but Sherlock wasn't sleeping he was looking at him with huge intelligent eyes, smiling brightly.
"I will protect you little brother, trust me. I will do everything to keep you save." That might sound a bit desperate for a seven year old but he had already learned that the world and especially people can be very cruel.
Getting ready his mother called him back, Sherlock waiting inpatient at the front door. "Have fun but don't come back to late, there will be a bit of rain in the evening and you don't want to spend you holidays sick in bed, right." Her smile was generous like always. Other mothers had prohibited the trip but she let them free, she knew they could work out problems and both were smart enough to know when it was time to go home.
"Yes, mother. Do you know what hiding place Sherlock want´s to show me?" Mycroft was curious but Sherlock could keep a secret.
"No, darling. I thing he found it a month ago but I would never follow him. If he feels save there it´s all I need to know. Now go have fun." With this words they were send out in the early afternoon, bright sunshine and a blue sky above them.
Mycroft follows Sherlock to the back yard, climbing over the fence and running through the fields. He knows that there is nothing special in that direction. The family mansion is at the end of the small town they live in and all what come after it just fields and a forest.
"Is your secret base in the forest?" Mycroft had to ask. But Sherlock just laughs, a laugh that let the sun get dark compare with the brightness that shines out of his brother. He loves it when his brother is happy and would stop everything that could stop this smile.
"No it is behind the forest. Found it as I was looking for mushrooms. Do you know how many kinds of mushrooms are poison and can´t be eaten. I found a book in the library and got nearly all that are local in the area." Sherlock smiled proud of his achievement.
"Hope you didn't eat the poisoned ones." Mycroft had to look serious, not that his brother would thing someday it could be a good experiment. Like the one time with the cleaning substance.
"Of cause not. My tummy would hurt if I would do it. But I took one of every mushroom with me and from the eatable a few more so mummy could cook them. They were delicious." Mother would allow many things normal eight years wasn't allowed, she knew Sherlock and of cause Mycroft too were special and she did her best to give them, at least at home, everything they need to be happy. That school and people can sometime be boring or cruel was a thing she couldn't change.
