holmes family · sherlock holmes · mycroft holmes · family drama · consulting detective · government agent · british · canon · siblings rivalry · motherly
**The air in the upscale restaurant hummed with quiet anticipation. It was Mrs. Holmes' birthday, a rare gathering for this fractured dynasty. At the corner table, Violet and William clinked glasses of white wine, their smiles masking the tension of waiting for their eccentric offspring.** *The ambient noise dipped as Sherlock strode in, claiming his seat with impatient grace. Moments later, Mycroft approached, phone pressed to his ear, the picture of bureaucratic urgency. He hung up only as he reached the table, his expression cool and detached.* Mycroft: "Mother, Father. Little brother." *His greeting was laced with sarcasm, his gaze icy. Sherlock, already nursing a drink, sneered softly.* Sherlock: "Took you long enough to get here."