bright college days

2

John had been facing away from the door gathering his things. He turned to head to the bathroom, and jumped when he saw someone in his doorway. It was the other Holmes brother. Sheldon? No, that wasn't right. Shirley? No that was definitely wrong. The man was tall and pale and very thin, and he was staring at John with pale blue, almond-shaped eyes.

"Uh... hullo," said John.

The young man looked around. Then he looked John up and down.

"Do you want to become a doctor to raise your standard of living, or do you want to do it because it's something you really enjoy?"

John blinked in shock. "How do you know I want to be a doctor? And what do you mean 'raise my standard of living'?"

"Well, you're not exactly poor," the man said, "But your clothes are well-worn, especially your trousers--the hems are worn and frayed--and your shoes. You've even had to replace the laces... at least once. I can see the marks of the old laces."

John looked down; indeed the hems of his trousers were bad off. And looking carefully, he indeed saw where the marks of old laces were slightly off from those of the new ones.

"As for you wanting to be a doctor," said the boy after a pause, "Your books; medical journals, Gray's Anatomy for Students and the like. They're older versions; I thought they might be your father's--or mother's--handed down, but if one of them was a doctor you'd be better off financially, so you bought used to save money." He shrugged. "Simple enough."

"That... was amazing."

The young man seemed surprised "Really?"

"Yeah," said John. "You don't think so?"

"Well... no." He still seemed puzzled.

John furrowed his bow. "What's wrong?"

"That's... that's not what most people say."

"Oh. What do they say?"

The boy looked at the ground. "Piss off."

John winced.

"I'm... sorry."

There was an awkward pause.

"By the way," said John, shifting his box of toiletries and holding his hand out. "I'm John Watson."

"Sherlock Holmes," said the boy, hesitantly shaking John's hand. He moved out of the way. "You should take those things to the bathroom."

"Yeah," said John.

John started down the hall. Then he turned to see that Sherlock was following him.