Mycroft always carried an umbrella with him. Black, with a wooden handle and handmade. He really cared for all his umbrellas but there was one more cared than the others. He seems not different from the others but to Mycroft Holmes he meant many things.
18 years earlier, Holmes Mansion, Christmas time.
Mycroft was 24 years-old. He was a young and brillant politician. Two years ago, he had graduate from Oxford with a MhD in Political Sciences and had found a minor job in the Home Office. In fact, just after the graduation ceremony, two men from the Home Office went to see him and proposed him a job. He was now living in London, in a flat given to him by the government. He had a good salary. But, for Christmas, he left his modern London flat for the old Holmes Mansion in the countryside.
The young politician arrived the 24th of december on the afternoon. Violet Holmes, also known as Mummy, welcomed him in the entrance. She hugged her son strongly before calling her younger son. Sherlock came downstairs a few minutes later. The younger Holmes was 17 years old. He was very slim, almost too slim, with a dark curly hair. He was the anti-social type, spending all his time alone. He nodded to his brother and went back upstairs. Violet rolled her eyes and went to the sitting-room with Mycroft. She talked with her older son, mainly about Sherlock. About how he passed all his time locked in his bedroom, how he didn't ate only when she forced him.
At precisely 7 o'clock, Sherlock joined them. He said nothing. The three of them sat in the dinning-room. They ate the dinner, taking their time. Mrs Holmes and Mycroft were chatting a lot. Sherlock spoke only when he was asked a question. They went all to bed after midnight after a delicious dinner.
The next day, around 10 am, as the three of them reunited in the dinning-room for the brunch, they proceed to the traditional gift exchange. Violet offered her elder son a pocket watch, the one Mycroft always carried on him since then. To her youngest, she gave some rare chemicals. Then the two boys gave gifts to each others. Mycroft hasn't really know what to buy to his younger bother. As he was a violin player, he had bought him a polishing set for his violin. Then Sherlock gave his gift to his brother.
The package was long and thin. It was packed in a red paper with a big green bow. There was a card attached to the bow with written on it ''From Sherlock to Mycroft''. Mycroft unwrapped the gift carefully. There was a box. He opened it and saw that gorgeous umbrella. Handmade. Sherlock must have payed the thing a fortune. Mycroft felt really touch.
''It's not just an umbrella,'' said Sherlock, taking the object in his hands. He pressed a small button on the handle and pull this one. When Mycroft saw the hidden sword, he laughed. His brother was really amazing. This gift was just perfect. He hugged his younger sibling, whispering a ''Thank you'' at his ear.
Now, everytime Mycroft was holding this particular umbrella, he thought of Sherlock. He always took this particular umbrella during particular events like official ceremonies. He also took care to have this umbrella when he visited Sherlock. And everytime, Sherlock smiled at that, feeling touched by his brother's attention.