Summary: Mycroft wasn't really sure about this 'John' fellow that Sherlock had taken a liking to. Not at first. The first time he hears Sherlock laughing really honestly laughing he decides right then and there that John would be protected so he could hear his brother laugh like that again.
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Mycroft Holmes is very, very smart for a 12 year old. A Prodigy.
He has always watched over his younger brother, ever since Sherlock had reached out from the blue baby blanket and wrapped his little fist around Mycroft's finger.
He watched as his mother tried to make Sherlock and himself go out and make friends over and over.
He watched as Sherlock was turned away again and again. As people took offence to his higher intellect and ability to read all the obvious signs that most everyone overlooked. As people tried to hurt him both physically and mentally because they didn't like that his brain worked differently from everyone else especially for a five year old.
The day that Sherlock walked up to a small blonde haired brown eyed boy under a tree by the sandbox Mycroft had thought it would end like every other trip out into all the noise and people. He thought the little blonde would be offended and angry and Sherlock would walk away with a sneer on his face just like every other time they had gone through these outings with Mummy.
Instead he is left watching in surprise as the little blonde smiles up at Sherlock and Sherlock willingly sits down next to the child and engages in an actual conversation.
Mycroft was surprised then, but he had thought it wouldn't last and kept watching them.
Then he has saw his brother go utterly still and stare at the blonde. That was a warning sign with Sherlock about his emotional state. When Sherlock went completely still his emotions were very close to overwhelming him no matter if it was anger or shock or happiness. Mycroft had thought Sherlock had said something to the blonde and the blonde had said something back. Instead he is left staring in wondering shock as Sherlock's entire face lights up with a genuine smile.
He had never seen a smile like that on his brother's face before, and it shocked Mycroft that it was the plain blonde haired brown eyed boy that was standing next to Sherlock that put it there.
He spent the rest of the day at the park watching in shock as the blonde haired boy coaxed Sherlock into forgetting his intellect for a while and just playing Pirates with him all without trying.
Mycroft wondered back over to his Mother, eyes never really leaving his brother as he dashed all over the park playing with the blonde a wide happy smile on his face and his laughter echoing over the park. "Mummy?"
Mrs. Violet Holmes was a very intelligent woman- her babies had gotten most of their intellect from her. She understood that her boys' minds worked on a level that most of the world could only dream about and thus most of the world would shun them in one way or another for being different than the norm.
She also understood that no matter how far ahead of the rest of the world her babies were, everyone needed someone they could trust and fall back on that wasn't family. Family was expected to catch family- no matter how much family loved each other it would always have a tinge of obligation in it. Everyone needed someone who they could trust to catch them in times of trouble that caught them because they wanted to and weren't obligated by blood to try.
She had been trying for years to find that someone for her babies.
When Sherlock and Mycroft had gone out into the park, she knew they did it mostly to make her happy, but she knew one day they would meet that person who became family by choice, and would be loved just as much if not more than they loved her.
When Sherlock approached a little blonde by the sandbox Violet watched carefully- she had to deal with parents once or twice when Sherlock said something the child took offense to and the parent got angry.
She was left sitting up and leaning forward when, minutes into the conversation with the blonde Sherlock sat next to him rather than walking away with a sneer. She watches carefully noticing when Sherlock stills- her boy was always moving so him sitting still was a sign- and when she sees the wide genuine smile on her boy's face she knows.
She watches as the blonde boy manages to get Sherlock to play Pirates with him and cause Sherlock to smile and laugh and chase the blonde all over the park without trying, and she knows.
Sherlock had found the person who would stand at his right side and watch over him.
The person who would catch him when he stumbled, not because he was family, but because that person wanted to catch Sherlock and stand at his side without obligation or ulterior motives.
"Mummy?"
Mycroft is standing at her side, eyes glued to his little brother.
She smiles. She knows both her boys. Sherlock has had his older brother wrapped around his little fingers ever since he reached out and wrapped a little baby fist around the then seven year old boy. Mycroft has always watched out for Sherlock's happiness and health.
As the two of them watch Sherlock rushing around the park with childish energy, a smile, and a laugh echoing from the normally reserved boy she knows what Mycroft is asking.
He's asking his mother for her opinion and help on judging the situation. He's turning to someone who taught him everything she knew. Someone who had worked for the Secret Service and knew all sorts of tells and tricks he hadn't learned yet.
Violet gives her son the answer he is asking for. "He's found him Mycroft. That little blonde is going to be Sherlock's chosen family. They don't know it yet, but all the signs are there."
Mycroft absorbs his mother's words and the sight of a normally reserved Sherlock rushing around giggling and smiling and enjoying someone's company for the first time and he knows.
The boy would become important to Sherlock.
Sherlock is very important to Mycroft.
Therefore anything that can make his brother laugh and smile like that is to be protected.
Hours later Sherlock comes up to the two of them, cheeks red from exertion, chatting at the blonde boy and stops. "Mummy. Mycroft. This is John. I like him."
Mycroft fights a smirk, while Violet smiles down at John. "Hello John. You can call me Violet."
"Hello Miss Violet. It's nice to meet you." The blonde turns his blue eyes onto Mycroft and smiles "Nice to meet you too Mycroft. You have a cool name too. Mine is so plain."
Mycroft felt his eyebrow rise at the comment about his name. Most thought it odd. He had stopped more than one person from shorting his name to Mike. The only person who got to shorten his name besides Mummy was Sherlock, and Sherlock only ever called him My in very, very emotional moments. "Hello John. Nice to meet you."
As Mycroft watched John's eyes he realized that while John was nowhere near the Holmes level of intellect, he was in fact smarter than the average child and he fought a smirk.
Good.
John wasn't a goldfish.
He hadn't been too sure of John, but if he could make Sherlock smile, laugh, and play Mycroft would watch over him like he watched over Sherlock. Especially if he wasn't a goldfish. Who knew? Maybe John would pick up some things if he spent enough time around the Holmes family.
Not that he would say anything about that.
He glanced at Mummy.
She knew, but that was alright, she'd help.