A/N: Guys! Over 2000 hits now, I'm pretty much delighted. I amused myself by reading the first authors note, where I said I wanted it to be a small number of chapters…it looks like there'll be about 20 chapters, and maybe a sequel. Oh, and plenty of drama to look forward to in the next chapter.
Thank you for reviewing, faving, alerting, just reading, it really, really does mean a lot!
Read away~
John was halfway to biology, running late and unfortunately rather hungry too, when he turned a corner, very nearly running straight into a man who seemed to be waiting there. Bringing himself to a halt he was about to apologise when the other spoke.
"Good morning, John."
"Good morning." He replied, manners kicking in automatically, "Sorry, who are you?"
The tall male gave him an irritatingly condescending smile and continued as if he hadn't heard him,
"I'd like to talk to you for a moment, don't worry about you teacher, I've already informed him as to where you are."
John had taken more or less an instant disliking to the man, probably largely due to the insufferably superior look on his face, with forced calmness he asked again,
"Who are you?"
"Mycroft Holmes," He supplied smoothly, "I've been informed you've fast become friends with my brother. Well isn't that nice?"
"Right, informed by who exactly?" John asked, mentally trying to figure out who would it could be. Though really, he supposed anyone with eyes was a suspect, it wasn't as if he'd thought there was a need to hide their friendship.
"Don't worry, just someone looking out for his best interests." Mycroft replied offhandedly.
"Which has anything to do with me how?" He said, impatience towards the older Holmes brother becoming apparent.
Mycroft gave a sigh deeply laced with what struck John as melodramatic concern,
"My brother doesn't have friends, John. Acquaintances perhaps but even they are in limited numbers. One has to wonder what your interest in him is."
John frowned,
"No, wait, what interest? I'm just friends with him."
"Son of an accountant, not badly off but certainly not at the average level of this school. Good academic performance, by all accounts a very promising student. And an aspiring Doctor, too. There are many schools you could have gained a scholarship to on the strengths of your sporting skills. Why this school then, John?"
He mentally groaned, it probably didn't look too good from that point of view,
"Sorry, I actually don't see what this has got to do with you. I'm sure your brother can pick his own friends."
"His past choices have not always proven to be particularly savoury." Mycroft drawled, "I'd like to keep him from repeating past mistakes, if possible."
"I'm some kind of dodgy person," John defended, "I'm not trying to drag him down or get anything out of him."
The taller raised an eyebrow.
"Not trying to get anything out of him? Interesting. You should go to your class now."
As John strode off down the corridor he heard Mycroft say,
"I'll be keeping an eye out, John Watson."
John walked into the classroom with a face like thunder; the teacher said nothing but waved him over to his seat. He sat down next to Sherlock, waiting for a chance to talk to him. The lesson reached a lull in activity, most students having finished their work taking the opportunity talk in slightly hushed tones.
"I ran into your brother." John lowly said, glancing sideways to see Sherlock's head snap up from his book.
"What? Where, what did he want? Why was he here?"
"Just down there," He nodded towards the corridor, "Wanted to know what I wanted with you actually. Seemed to think I was out to get something. Oh and he mentioned someone keeping an eye on you."
"Yes, of course he has someone watching me." Sherlock said dismissively, "I'm surprised he came all the way here just to harass you. He must think you're a threat to the family's reputation."
"Lovely." John replied, rolling his eyes, "Charm must be a family trait."
"Don't take it personally." Sherlock muttered.
"Actually, he mentioned something about your past friends, he didn't seem to approve of them."
Sherlock looked at him as if he were being completely stupid,
"I told you Mycroft was the one that interfered, when I was using cocaine. Of course he didn't approve of my…associates."
"Oh, right." John said awkwardly, turning back to his textbook. He noted Sherlock said 'using', typical arrogance from him, thinking it was something he controlled. He always seemed to think he had a perfect control over everything, irritatingly enough most of the time he actually did.
His thoughts were interrupted when the taller suddenly said,
"Ignore him, John. He has very little bearing on my life, certainly not my choice of friends."
"But he has done, before. I mean, you're obviously not friends with those people anymore. So he has." John pointed out, hoping the slight nervousness in his head didn't carry through to his voice.
"Not anymore." Sherlock said firmly.
"What are you doing here?"
"Good morning, Sherlock." Mycroft replied frustratingly calmly, "I was in the area of business, I thought I ought to drop in."
Sherlock rolled his eyes,
"You didn't come here to see me. Why do you feel the need to intimidate everyone I so much as look at? Really Mycroft, that level of interference isn't healthy."
"I hardly think you're in any position to lecture me on unhealthy habits. I didn't come here to intimidate him, I was merely ascertaining if he might have any, hidden motives shall we say." He smiled blithely.
"Stay away, Mycroft. Get a habit, or go see that girlfriend you appeared to have got yourself." Sherlock commented offhandedly.
"The shoes," he nodded in vague acknowledgement, "Almost right, but as ever slightly off, brother."
"Oh of course," he hissed, irritated, "Well there goes mummy's hope of grandchildren."
For a moment they stood with miniscule amused smiles like normal brothers.
"I mean it, Mycroft. Stop interfering."He said levelly, breaking the silence.
"I know caring is a foreign concept for you, Sherlock. But everyone has someone they want to keep safe." Smiling the ghost of a condescending smile, Mycroft turned and headed back towards the main entrance of the school.
