A small boy was sitting on the grass, away from all the other children. It was the first day of preschool, and he hadn't made any friends. He wasn't necessarily bothered by this fact, but he was bothered by what his mother had packed him for lunch. "Gross," he said, picking up the tuna salad sandwich between his fingers. He was about to toss it away when another five year old approached him.
"Hullo," said the boy.
"Hi," he said. "Who're you?"
"John."
"I'm Sherlock," said Sherlock, tossing the sandwich back into his lunchbox.
"What've you got for lunch?" asked John, sitting next to Sherlock in the grass.
"Tuna salad." John's face lit up.
"Really? All I've got is peanut butter and banana." Sherlock eyed John's lunchbox.
"Do you wanna trade?" asked Sherlock. John nodded eagerly, pulling a sandwich out of his lunchbox. They traded off sandwiches, then puddings, and fruits, and snacks for later. When they had finished eating, they played around the swing set for a bit.
"And that's how I know that Molly's mum is left handed," finished Sherlock. John stared opened mouthed.
"That was cool!"
"People usually say bugger off." The whistle blew. They headed inside.
"Naptime!" called the teacher. Sherlock had been in a bad mood since another boy named Greg had been bossing him around. John came over to Sherlock.
"D'you wanna sleep next to me, Sherlock?"
"Sure!"
Parents came to collect children after snack time, when John and Sherlock were playing with blocks. Sherlock's parents had come with his big brother, Mycroft, who was in third grade. John's parents came with his baby sister, Harry. John's parents were dismayed that John was playing alone with just one other child who appeared to have posh parents, and Sherlock's parents were happy that he'd made a friend.
Sherlock jabbered on about John for the rest of the day, and John yapped on about Sherlock until his dad tucked him in to bed.
The next day, Sherlock had a container of soup and John had leftover Chinese from dinner the night before.
"I love Chinese!" exclaimed Sherlock, shoving a mouthful in.
"I love soup," said John, slurping up a spoonful. Sherlock had apple juice, John had orange. Sherlock had a pear and John had grapes.
Soon it became a daily routine to switch lunches or compile and make a preschool feast out of it.
It became a daily occurrence to find Sherlock and John playing during snacktime.
It was a daily happening the Sherlock and John's parents talked to each other and became friends.
John got Sherlock a present for Christmas. Sherlock got one for John.
"You open yours first," said John, pushing his towards Sherlock.
"No, you," said Sherlock, pushing his towards John.
"What are you two doing?" asked the teacher. "It's supposed to be a secret Santa."
"I already put my secret Santa present in the pile," said John and Sherlock in harmony.
"This one is for my best friend only!" said Sherlock.
"It's whats best friends do," agreed John, nodding.
"Okay then," she said, shaking her head and laughing.
"What's up with her?" asked John with a questioning look at Sherlock.
"Dunno. Here, open it!"
"Open it at the same time?" suggested John. Sherlock nodded.
"One, two... Three!" They both tore. Wrapping paper flew. In John's arms sat a stuffed hedgehog, in Sherlock's a stuffed otter.
"How did you know I wanted this?" asked John, his face glowing with happiness. Sherlock thought hard before responding.
"It's what best friends do."