Hey, this took longer to post, mostly because I forgot... Sorry.
Anyway, no other things to say, besides 'Enjoy!'
"Hello, John." Mycroft sat down in the chair next to John.
"Wh-what are you doing here?" John was a lovely shade of red.
"I could ask you the very same thing." John was confused, but when he looked at Sebastian grinning, he could at least venture a guess that it had something to do with the fake teacher.
"Mycroft, pleasure to see you again." Sebastian held out his hand. Mycroft looked at it, not moving to take it.
"I wish I could say the same. John, you really do attract the worst kinds of people."
"I-I think he's v-very nice." John tried to defend Sebastian, but neither of the men seemed to remember John was there. It was as if Mycroft was using John to passive aggressively intimidate Sebastian. They were caught in a glaring match with each other.
"I rather hoped you lot would be gone for longer." Mycroft said.
"Hate to disappoint. Wait, no I don't." Sebastian was calm and tense all at the same time. John was confused. His embarrassment forgotten.
The last time he'd seen Sherlock's older sibling was on a case nearly three months ago. It had ultimately resulted in a dead end, something Sherlock had simply missed the first time around… not that John believed that.
John was never allowed to be in on the really cool cases. He wasn't even allowed to know about some of them… He got to help on the ones that were a five or lower… A six was the only reason Sherlock left the house. It frustrated John to no end. He tried to be understanding, sure, but that didn't make it any less annoying.
Three months and now John was sitting at a table in a sandwich shop with a fake teacher and his flatmate's older brother. It sounded like the set up to a bad pun.
"Staying out of trouble?" Mycroft raised an eyebrow.
"Who, me? Of course not. I have to keep make sure no one can replace me." Sebastian grinned. His comment confused John even more. It seemed like Sebastian was a very, very, arrogant man. John knew he hadn't had this level of snide prior to Mycroft appearing… So either he was being uncharacteristically nice to John and he was an arrogant ass all the time… or the arrogance wasn't sincere. At this point, John didn't know which he believed more.
"Does he have any plans?" Mycroft leaned in slightly.
"I wouldn't tell you if he did."
"So, that's a yes… Interesting." Mycroft leaned back.
"S-so, um, what's going on?" This seemed to shock Sebastian out of it, resulting in Mycroft looking down at John.
"Nothing you need to worry about, kid." Sebastian answered before Mycroft could.
Mycroft snapped his head up to look at the man across the table, glaring before turning back to John.
"You are in with the wrong people. I suggest you stop lurking around with this scum." Mycroft got up to leave. "Also, do not concern yourself. I will not tell my brother of your… feelings." He spat the last word like it left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Not a moment later, Mycroft Holmes was gone with no trace he had ever been. John watched the car until it turned and John could see it no more.
"U-Um, what just happened?"
"The British government has its eye on you. It saw a suspicious character walking next to you and sprung into action. Really, you should feel honored. He hates leg work. Ready to go?"
John nodded. He was so confused about the exchanged that just occurred, but he knew no one would tell him. Nothing new there…
They got up, walking the very short distance to the flat. John walked up the stairs, telling Sebastian to wait in the living room.
"I'll only be a second or two. Feel free to sit down. I'd offer tea… but the kitchen is a bit hazardous."
Sebastian nodded and in seconds John was up the stairs in his room.
He wanted to pack light, but he didn't want to forget anything. He changed into night clothes. It made what he had to bring less… and Sebastian's home was near enough that he'd only be judged by a few people. His pajamas looked like a little kids… Mrs. Hudson had bought them for him, they had dinosaurs all over them and were an ugly shade of brown, but they were the most comfortable pajamas in the world.
He packed the basic toiletries into his book bag, as well as a pair of clothes for school. He packed two more things into his bag before looking around his room once more to double check that he hadn't forgotten anything.
Sebastian was right where John had left him, standing in the living room near the door. When he saw what John was wearing, he smiled, trying not to laugh.
"They're comfortable." John grumbled.
"I'm sure they are. " He let one of his laughs slip, but quickly composed himself. "I was expecting you to be longer. I'm impressed."
"It's not really something to be impressed by…" John had learned to be as quick and efficient as possible. If he was even a second late Sherlock would leave him. Not that he'd been late ever in his whole time living with Sherlock. Or before… but John didn't like to think about that. For all he cared, his life started the day he met Sherlock.
"Ready to go?"
John nodded, doing one more quick check to make sure he had everything. He grabbed his key and phone charger from they table by the door. He paused to throw on his coat, hoping it covered most of the pajama shirt. He couldn't really do anything about the bottoms, though… much to his embarrassment.
That walk back was quiet, filled with small talk about assignments and gossip about students.
John wished he didn't have so many binders in his backpack, along with more things than he'd usually have. Sebastian had offered to carry it early on, but, John being John, refused. He was starting to regret it, though. His shoulder was screaming for relief.
John heard Sebastian sigh and stop. John stopped too, confused.
"Give me your bag."
"I-I can carry it." John turned around to keep walking, but Sebastian stopped him.
"No, you've whimpered twice in the last minute alone. Give it here." John couldn't argue. His shoulder hurt so bad, he would have abandoned the bag entirely if Sebastian weren't with him.
When they got back to Sebastian's flat around fifteen minutes later, John was ecstatic about being given his bag back. He had some embarrassing things in there. Namely, two stuffed bears. John could never sleep without them, no matter how hard he tried.
He knew it was unheard of, a high-school boy sleeping with stuffed animals, but they were very special. One was beat up, nearly falling apart. He'd gotten it long before he moved in with Sherlock… Before everything had happened. The broken bear reminded John of himself, shredded, but still fighting. The other was a much newer bear. Sherlock had gotten it for his birthday the year after John moved in. John had blushed so much, he tried to keep the bear hidden… he should have known Sherlock would know, but the biggest reason he blushed was because Sherlock had gotten him a present… and a sentimental present, nonetheless.
John didn't want Sebastian to see them, mostly because he knew he'd be ridiculed by one of his only friends. Sherlock and Mycroft were the only ones who knew. Not even Harry… John almost laughed. His sister knew him less than two brothers he'd known all of two years.
"You can sleep in my bed, I'll kip on the couch."
"O-oh, no! I couldn't do that!"
"Kid, you need to lighten up. You aren't nearly as much trouble as you seem to think."
"B-but, I-I, um…" John really didn't want to sleep in someone's bed… especially knowing they were sleeping on the couch.
"Do you really want to sleep on the couch?" Sebastian looked him in the eye.
"Y-yes, sir."
"Call me 'sir' again, and I'll baby you like you're my spoiled grandchild." Sebastian leaned down, arms crossed.
"Th-that's a weird threat." John looked down, fearing Sebastian might actually do that.
"Well, I have a feeling you wouldn't respond well to crueler threats." Sebastian stood back up.
"Wh-what's that supposed to mean…?" John knew the fake teacher couldn't possibly know… Right?
"Do you want to tell me?" Sebastian gave him a pointed look.
"N-no…" John looked at the floor again. Sebastian nodded and the subject was dropped.
"Wanna watch a movie?" Sebastian asked, walking over to a very tall shelf that reached the ceiling with about ten centimeters in between the ceiling and the shelf. It had some movies on half of the top shelf. The rest of the shelfs were filled with books. Sebastian looked, John realized he was making sure there weren't any movies that John couldn't watch. He picked one off the shelf, and put it on the top.
"Um, sure." John didn't know. He felt awkward again.
"Well, you look through them, I'll go find you a pillow and blanket." John nodded. He cursed himself for not grabbing a pillow and blanket from the flat.
He walked over to the bookshelf, realizing just how much shorter than Sebastian he really was. He couldn't reach the top, so he panicked slightly. He looked around the small living space, seeing nothing he could use to increase his height.
He suddenly remembered that there were two chairs in the kitchen. He got one, picking it up with his good arm and brought it over. It was a shorter chair, but John would make it work.
John clambered onto the chair gracelessly. He still wasn't tall enough to fully see the movies… "Oh, come on… this is ridiculous."
John looked for something to stack onto the chair. He thought it would be rude to move the low coffee table, let alone put a chair on top… John thought about trying to climb the shelves like the rungs of a ladder… that seemed dangerous.
John sighed, he didn't want to bother Sebastian, so it looked like the coffee table was the best option.
He pulled it over, it was scuffed and looked old, but it was solid wood and looked sturdy. John pulled it as far as he had too, then stacked the chair on top.
John had to tiptoe to comfortably see the movies since he hadn't moved the table closer. He leaned his weight on the shelf, tipping the chair slightly. He scanned the titles, looking for a movie he recognised.
He saw 'Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' and went to grab that. It was one of his favorites. He used to read the books, when he heard it was going to be a movie, he was ecstatic. The movie was different, but John could still enjoy it. He picked it out, then continued to scan, in case there was something else that caught his eye.
"So long, so long, so long…" John started humming, not realizing when Sebastian walked back in.
"What are you doing?" Sebastian's voice was raised, not in anger, but in concern. John realized this, but it startled him nonetheless.
John squealed and pushed back, tipping the chair over completely. The chair fell backwards off the table, taking John with it.
John braced himself for the impact with the floor, hoping his shoulder didn't get hurt anymore… But he never hit.
John looked up, Sebastian had materialized next to him and had prevented him from falling any farther. John was shaking a bit. Sebastian plopped John on the couch, draped a blanket over him, then kicked the table farther back. John was confused. Sebastian went to the kitchen, grabbing the other chair.
When Sebastian walked back in, he looked concerned. "You alright?"
"Y-yeah… sorry."John looked in his lap.
"Well, you're not hurt, there's no reason to be sorry…" Sebastian grinned. "It's not your fault you're so short."
"Hey!" John pouted, looking up at Seb.
"Did you get a movie picked?"
John nodded. Then he realized it was still on the top shelf. "I- uh, left it up there…" John pointed.
Sebastian walked over, picked up the only one not put away and examined it. While he did so, John was silently cursing his small stature. There was no way he'd ever be a tall as Sebastian… or Sherlock, or even Lestrade. Sebastian had reached up as if it were nothing. It wasn't even kind of fair.
"This is a good one." Sebastian popped the disc in.
John snuggled into the blanket, putting the pillow behind him. He didn't know if Sebastian would watch with him, he didn't want to ask… John was afraid of sounding clingy. John made sure there was enough room on the couch for the other man, should he decide to watch.
The movie started up, John was almost upset when Sebastian walked away. Only for him to walk back out with pillows and blankets galore.
"Why do you need all of those?" John asked.
'We," Seb pointed between the two of them. "Are going to make the best pillow fort of all time." Seb paused the movie.
"I- uh, I've never made a fort… pillow or otherwise… I don't think I'll be much good at it…" John fidgeted with the edge of the blanket.
"Nonsense. Everyone is good at making forts!" Sebastian looked offended.
"I-I'll try to help." John got up.
"Good. First, let's get a blanket or two down to put the couch cushions on." John nodded. He grabbed a thicker blanket, throwing it across their space. Seb grabbed the other side and they made it perfect.
"Nice. Now, cushions." John threw them down.
"Perfect. Chairs." They set up the chairs equidistant from the cushions and each other. Seb grabbed a sheet and threw it over the chairs, stacking some folded blankets on the chair's seet to keep it there.
John mimicked.
"Congrats. You've made your first fort."
"I'm not going to lie… this isn't that bad…" John admired the fort.
"Here, get in. I'll make popcorn or something." Seb walked away and John got into the fort. It was even cooler on the inside. He flipped the front up so they could see the movie.
Seb was back in record time, bearing popcorn and a soda for each of them.
"Thank you." John started to tear up.
"It's just soda, kid."
"It's not that."
"I know." Sebastian looked at John a moment longer and, when he realized John wasn't going to respond, he picked the remote up. He pushed play and they were thrust into the movie. John nearly fell asleep a few times, but tried to force himself to see the end of the movie.
Half way through, Sebastian saw him doze off slightly. "Want me to stop the movie?"
"No." John muttered sleepily. John was out less than a second later.
"Okay." Sebastian chuckled warmly. He got up, stopped the movie, tucked John in, made sure to get the bears out of the bag. Sebastian knew it was kind of wrong to do that, but John wouldn't have brought them if he didn't need them.
He took the top of the fort off, so as not to scare the kid when he woke up. Sebastian moved silently, cleaning up the remains of their snacks and put the chairs back.
When that was done, he checked on the kid once more. Deciding it was okay to leave him, Sebastian went to his room.
He sighed and picked up his phone. He needed to fill the Boss in.
He walked into his room, shutting the door. He picked up his phone.
The line was picked up. "Seb! It's so nice of you to call! I was actually just about to ring you."
Sebastian paced the room slightly. "This kid is a handful. Just a few minutes ago, he almost broke his neck trying to reach the top shelf of my bookcase." He was exasperated. His new role as 'Guardian Angel' was already a hassle. And it was his first day.
"He's at your house?" The Boss sounded amused. "When I said to watch out for him, I didn't really see you kidnapping him."
Sebastian chuckled. "He's just staying the night."
"Scandalous."
"It's not like that and you know it." Sebastian would never do that to a kid. Especially John. He was much too sweet and naive for that.
"Bummer. Well, what else did you find out. You wouldn't call otherwise."
"This kid… He's sweet. Like, tooth-rotting sweet. He's awkward. He, Boss, the kid's messed up. He wouldn't tell me, but there's something. He also likes cheese pizza." Sebastian smiled at their failed pizzas.
"You sound like you're attached already." The Boss's voice was singsongy.
Sebastian was shocked that he agreed. "I… Yes, I suppose I am."
"What I found out wasn't nearly as much as I wanted. I found that he has a sister. Older, boring, alcoholic. Parents are dead. He's been living with Sherlock for near two years."
Sebastian was shocked that that was all his Boss could find. His Boss was the best in the world. There was no one better. If there his Boss couldn't find it, there wasn't a record of it. And no one alive to recount it.
"You going to find the sister?"
"No point. She left years before the parents died. Seems like they were the homophobic type. That's why she left. When John was about two. Visited once or twice, but nothing beyond that."
Sebastian thought back to what the kid had said. He knew they weren't close… had she really left him all alone? His parents obviously weren't winning any the good parent award…
"Well, I also found out the kid has a crush."
"You know I don't gossip-"
"On our dear Sherlock." Sebastian smirked. He still couldn't get over it, he knew his Boss would like this tidbit, too.
"The poor thing." The Boss laughed.
"That's what I said."
"You must really like this kid. I've never, in all the years you've worked for me, heard you laugh this much. I'm sorry to break it to you, pet… but Dear Johnny boy is mine."
Sebastian shuttered. He didn't want his Boss anywhere near the kid. John got in too much trouble by himself, with the Boss? They'd bring the world to its knees by drinking afternoon tea!
"You… aren't going to hurt him, are you?" He had to ask. He didn't know if he could take it if the answer was yes.
"I haven't decided." The Boss snapped. "You better not be getting soft. I don't want to have to find a new pet. You won't make me do that, will you?" The threat was dripping from his words.
Sebastian sighed. "No, sir. I'm not going soft. This kid though. Boss, he attracts the worst people. He doesn't even realize how dangerous his life is."
"I'll see that for myself soon enough." The line went dead.
Sebastian sighed again. His life was about to become interesting.
"This is why I never had kids." He muttered to himself.
Just then, he heard screaming from the other room. He ripped his door open, sprinting to where John was screaming.
"Kid!" Sebastian looked, panicked, around for why the kid was crying and wailing. It became clear that the kid was just having a night terror.
Sebastian tried to wake him up twice more. It didn't work. John laid on the floor, curling into himself while trying to fight some unknown attacker.
Sebastian sat with his back against the couch, scooping the kid up and rocked him. He knew that's what people did to little kids… John was little, and a kid.
"Shh, shh." Sebastian was uncomfortable, but the kid started to calm down, though he whimpered and cried. Sebastian rocked him in a soothing motion for a few more minutes. Humming softly. He thinks, maybe, he would have been a good parent… in another life.
"It's okay… I'm right here." John was breathing normally again.
"Sh-Sh'rlck?" John had opened his eyes slightly, not looking up at Sebastian.
"Yes, go back to sleep." John buried his face into Sebastian's chest, falling asleep again. Sebastian put him back on the makeshift bed and stood up.
Sebastian added this to the short mental list of things he knew about the kid.
Night terrors
Has estranged sister
Too trusting
Sweet
Lives at 221B Baker Street
Goes to the public school down the street
Lives with Sherlock
Has a crush on Sherlock
Constantly in danger
He put another thing on the things he knew about Sherlock on a list too.
Helps John through night terrors.
Sebastian walked into his room, grabbing a pillow and blanket. He walked back into the living room, throwing a blanket over the floor a few feet away from the kid. He didn't feel right leaving John alone.
"Maybe I am going soft…" He looked at the kid sleeping softly next to him. Suddenly, Sebastian didn't care. He could live with going soft… Well, not for long, but he would be okay with going out that way. He pulled the blanket up on John a little, making sure he wouldn't get cold during the night.
"Night, kid." Sebastian said, though he knew the kid was sleeping deeply. Sebastian fell into a light sleep, listening for any noise the kid might make.
How was it? I'm quite proud of this story so far.
Hopefully the next chapter won't take as long to post. I have to write it up, but that's nearly done.
Then I have to edit and proof it... so maybe a week, tops?
I know better than to promise tho...
~xoxo,
Miss Taken