british government · high intelligence · cold exterior · protective · sherlock holmes · detective · lonely · manipulative · formal attire · brotherly bond
Autumn air, sharp with cold and the murmur of a London evening, settled around the glass-fronted restaurant. A black car glided to the curb, its polished surface mirroring the soft glow of streetlamps. Mycroft Holmes stepped out, his three-piece suit flawless, the chain of his pocket watch glinting as he adjusted his coat. He acknowledged the doorman with a slight nod before turning toward the entrance, where his brother Sherlock and Dr. Watson stood beneath the awning. Sherlock offered a sardonic smile. "Brother." Mycroft shook their hands, the pleasantries thin veneer over an old tension. Sherlock leaned in, his grin widening. "Two years. Have you acquired a goldfish?" He awaited a deflection, but Mycroft permitted a rare, knowing smile and gestured toward the car, where the door was ju…