17th July 2005
John's POV
When they are done eating things actually get serious, and he is only lightly surprised and highly pleased to see that it's Sherlock that actually does it.
—Those letters were almost too much at one time,—the teenager hesitantly says after things have been quiet for a few minutes.
Mycroft nods slowly. —I worried that they might be.— Turning his attention towards them, the politician states simply, —Thank you.—
Jim waves it off as if it is unimportant.
Jasper glares at his friend for a moment before nodding once sharply, —We're friends, of sorts, I don't tend to let friends get into mischief without me.—
Something says that sort of mischief is never on the actual agenda. Still, he gets the point that is being made.
Wildcard smirks, something dangerous flashing in the psychopaths dark eyes, —He's not lying. He manages to keep me mostly out of trouble, but we are always in mischief.—
Ignoring the two agents for the moment, he focuses on Sherlock, —How can this situation be improved?—
Tentatively the stormy eyed young man answers, —Don't give me emotionally based information when I will be alone?—
He smiles encouragingly, agreeing, —Good idea.—He then meets each of the other three geniuses in the room's eyes firmly to make sure that they got the point being said. Of the three only Jasper meets his gaze head on, which is startling, he would have expected it to be Jim. Nope, the psychopath meets his eyes before looking away, nodding once in agreement but saying nothing else. He has a feeling he needs to have a chat with the Wildcard in the near future. Mycroft flinches but doesn't look away, the politician is embarrassed by his failure to assess the situation and wishes to correct that error in the future.
He lets the silence ride, wanting this conversation to be driven by Mycroft and Sherlock. That's important. When Jim's hand lifts like he's going to say something, he just barely moves his head but the agent seems to understand.
—I want to go with you in the city,— the teenager states, then adds slowly, —I just don't think I can do the entire thing right now.—
His encouraging smile gets warmer as he nods in understanding.
—We need to actually talk,— Mycroft comments, —I need to listen. I think that's where I went wrong the most.—
Good for the politician, he's happy the older man seems to realize what is wrong and wants to actively change it. The question is: can Mycroft maintain that for the long run that it will take to actually make things better? The hardest part might be admitting something is wrong, but it's also very hard to keep to it.
The five of them sit in peaceful silence.
The cousins seem to enjoy it, each seems to be reflecting on something. Jim, on the other hand, starts to get antsy roughly five minutes in, fingers lightly drumming on the table top. He'd bet the psychopath's foots bouncing too.
After several more minutes of this, Sherlock burst out laughing, startling Mycroft who stares at the teenager.
—I used to do that all the time. Still do when I'm not lost in my own head.—the lanky young man comments when he finally stops.
It's good that Sherlock is feeling relaxed enough to laugh so much, he thinks with a smile. It's probably a change from before if Mycroft's expression is anything to go by. That's alright, it's a good change.
—I've been in my own head a lot lately,— he's sure if it was spoken, Sherlock would have been whispering.
Jim flashes a fake smile, replying, —I'm always in my head, I just have too much energy for sitting about normally.—
—That's as long as he's not playing in someone else's head.—Jasper cuts in.
The teenager ducks his head, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
—It's alright to smile, some would say it's even healthy,—he tells his patient and friend.
—Learn different types of smiles, they work great for getting most people to do whatever you want or need,— Wildcard suggests.
He plants his elbow firmly in the psychopath's side, feeling the way the breath goes out of the slightly taller man.
This time it's Mycroft who chuckles, drawing Sherlock's stare.
So apparently not laughing is a family trait. Lovely.
Someone needs to teach these boys how to have a good time. He's fairly certain he's not the right person to do it. He's a deaf doctor, not a miracle worker. Still, he has a feeling that it's going to end up being part of what he does.
o-O-o
Sherlock's POV
He can't remember the last time he has laughed so much. His sides are beginning to hurt. He's not actually sure why he is laughing, except he is genuinely enjoying himself. When was the last time he had fun just to have fun? When was the last time that he actually had enjoyed spending time with anybody? When was the last time anyone enjoyed spending time with him?
Whatever else can be said, getting to meet John has been a life altering experience in the best sort of way. The other two were just bonuses, he thinks as he glances at his brother, for the first time in a long time not feeling automatically bitter, worthless, or ignored.
o-O-o
Mycroft's POV
The last time he can remember his little brother laughing like that is before he left for school. That was literally years ago. Sherlock wasn't even ten yet. He got how much he enjoyed the sound, even though it's different now. The highness of a childhood laugh has been replaced by the deepness of his brother's developing voice, more of a low rumble than anything. Does that mean that Sherlock's voice has broken in the time since the overdose? Does it mean his brother is finally healing? Whatever is doing the trick, it has to be continued.
He hadn't realized quite how much he actually cared until he nearly failed to save Sherlock's life, and knew that it would have been his fault.
Apparently their little team of one deaf doctor, two morally questionable agents, and bureaucrat with more ambition than familial understand seem to be the right group to help his brother. Maybe they can even continue to work on this until they are friends and his brother can speak again without choking up and getting so very frustrated. That'd be good.
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Authors Note: On the 28th of November I will be posting a complete 130 chapter fic over on AO3 called Different Paths that is a James Bond triad verse soulmate fic. The triad is James Bond/Alec Trevelyan/Q (Jon). If there is any interest, I'll also post it here for folks to read over the next few months.