A Study In Sleep

Chapter. 41

As for Mycroft he went home, sat with a glass of scotch in front of he fire, staring aimlessly and dazedly into the flames. Luckily for John he had been let in by security, due to being close to the Holmes boys. He sighed, following the sound of the crackling fire and smell of the fermented scotch.
"Hello?" He called quietly peering around the door, "Mycroft?"

Mycroft glanced up at this, getting to his feet as he noticed John, smiling faintly but very sadly as he greeted him by the fire.
“John. I didn’t expect to see you here.. are you well enough to be chasing after me?” He chuckled a little.
"Of course I am, don't mind what Sherlock says, he's just protective as always..." John replied, taking a seat on an armchair opposite Mycroft, "I am so sorry for Greg turning you down and everything, I really wasn't expecting it at all." He sighed, glancing to the floor before back to the official,
"are you okay?" He asked softly.
“My brother...” Mycroft sighed as he sat back down again, crossing his leg over the other.
“... is a man who is deeply in love with you. He’s protective because everything he feels is more than you and I. A childhood of... problems does that to you.”

Mycroft kindly and softly sighed before taking a sip of his scotch as he heard John ask whether he was okay or not. He smiled weakly.
“It is what it is, John. Life isn’t always full of joys as much as we all wish it to be.” He chuckled a little.

"Mycroft, look, I'm sure if we talk to Greg we can sort this out and you can both make up.." John began suggesting, trying to fix what he had broke, "Sherlock's talking to him right now.." he added, hoping Mycroft would want to fix this.
The relaxed back into his chair, glancing over to John.
“Sherlock is? God help us.” He chuckled slightly before it fizzled out.  He soon shook his head as he downed the rest of his scotch.
“This isn’t your fault John. And please... let Gregory come to me on his own terms. I’m sure he’ll have a reason... and I want him to tell me.” He asked politely.
"Mycroft, what if he doesn't though? What if he acts as if it never happened? You both need to talk it out." John spoke, obviously stressing the point, "you can't live your life waiting for other people to explain themselves." He pointed out sternly, "trust me, I know." He mumbled slightly.
“If you’re referring to my brother, he believed no one could love him because no one had ever shown interest in him.” Mycroft retorted before sighing.
“He will come. I know he will. Greg isn’t good with guilt.” He smiled sadly as he relaxed back into his seat.

John sighed, rubbing his face a little before taking a seat,
"would you mind if I have some?" He nodded toward the scotch with a sigh. Feeling the warmth from the fire shine upon his whole body.

Mycroft nodded at this, pouring some for John and handing it to him with a frown.
“What’s so wrong for you to be having scotch?” He questioned, wondering is something had happened between his little brother and John.
"Nothing.." John replied, taking the glass before sitting down slightly, "it's just.." He sighed, "honestly, it's nothing." He admitted quietly.

'Nothing.' Was such a funny word to use, but obviously was the wrong one at the same time. Of course something was wrong, for some reason everything felt wrong these days and it was just too difficult to explain.

He took a sip from his glass before sitting back slightly,
"How do you manage it?" He asked, watching the golden liquid in the glass, "how do you manage showing who you are and being proud?" He added.
Mycroft frowned at this, resting back into his seat as he thought over the rather odd question.
“We have no choice, John. It’s part of life, part of what makes us. We have to show ourselves in our purest form whether we like it or not or are proud of it or not. In my case... I just keep the people I like near me, because they are what make me... me.” He simply stated.
"Oh.. okay." Replied the blogger thoughtfully with another small sip of the scotch before taking another sip, "yeah, I get what you mean.." He nodded thoughtfully.