Chapter Five
Title: Static
Author: A Study in Schadenfreude
Pairing|Characters: No strict pairing
Length: Undetermined
Genre: angst, action-adventure
Warnings: Post-Reichenbach Fall.
Rating: T
Disclaimer: Moffat, Gatiss, and Conan-Doyle own the characters, we're just making them dance to our tune.
Summary: Companion pieces to the main fic "Mobile." You really should read "Mobile" to understand what's going on here, but you can read it as a stand-alone if you want. :)
Mycroft's mobile rang.
He knew what had happened before he even heard him speak. He hoped he was wrong. He wasn't.
"M-mycroft. Mycroft." His younger brother sounded distressed. No, Mycroft corrected himself. More than distressed.
He sounded devastated. Forlorn.
He was crying.
"Sherlock, breathe." Mycroft said softly.
"Mycroft he's dead. John. I didn't make it in time. I - "
His little brother cried harder. It had been years since he heard Sherlock cry, and Mycroft's reportedly icy heart twisted at what he was hearing.
"I couldn't stop him Mycroft. He's dead. And it's all my fault."
Mycroft pressed his lips together, and shut his eyes.
When they were younger, Sherlock would come running to him when a pet died.
Sherlock would start crying over his 'bestest friend ever', cradling the poor animal in his arms. 'He's dead, Mycroft." He would sniff. "My hedgehog died. James died."
Mycroft would give him a hug. Together the brothers would put the critter in a shoebox and bury it in the backyard. Sherlock would wrap his arms around Mycroft, press his face into his older brother's stomach, and cry.
The very next day, Mycroft would bring him a new pet. A new friend to take his mind off the creature they buried in the backyard.
Sherlock would be ecstatic. He will immediately take his new friend into his room, and spend the whole day with it.
It never failed to make his younger brother happy.
Mycroft opened his eyes.
His younger brother still sobbed into the phone, but sounded like he was trying to pull himself together. It didn't do good for a Holmes to cry, after all - this was something taught to them since they first understood what the word cry even meant.
"I'm sorry, Sherlock." Mycroft said. "I'm so sorry."
The phone clicked off, and Mycroft stared at it for a moment before putting it down.
Mycroft sighed. He buried his face in his hands.
"I'm sorry, Sherlock." I can't help you now, brother.
I can't replace your best friend.
A/N: Shouldn't be too much longer until chapter 4 of Mobile is finished and ready for posting, but in the meantime, we hope you enjoyed this chapter. Liked it, hated it? Let us know with a review! Thanks for reading and reviewing 3
j88- Fair enough xD