Listen Closer

By The Ones Who

It was the last day of summer for Mycroft before going off to Uni, and he planned to spend it all with his brother. Mummy and Daddy were at work, they would see him off in the morning. He packed his last shirt and shut his suitcase with a sense of finality.

Mycroft turned around to call for Sherlock, only to find his little brother standing right inside his doorway with a sly smile on his face. Sherlock had grown so much in the past year, he noted. Mycroft bent forward and picked his brother up, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek before setting him down again. Sherlock frowned in a way that told Mycroft he remembered that it was going to be the last time that happened for a while.

Mycroft smiled reassuringly as he fumbled in his pocket for a second before pulling out a blindfold and a set of earplugs. Sherlock's eyes widened as Mycroft began to put the blindfold on him.

"I've got a surprise for you and I don't want it spoiled by your deductions."

Mycroft brushed his hand through the young boy's hair. After putting the earplugs in he pulled Sherlock's arms around his neck and pulled the boy's legs around his waist, carrying the Sherlock on his back. The younger brother rested his chin softly in the crook of Mycroft's neck and let his fingers drift across his nape.

Mycroft walked the boy all the way out to the Marsh before setting him down and taking off the blindfold and earplugs. Sherlock's eyes widened and his mouth curved into the most beautiful smile. Sitting right under the tree in the spot Mycroft always sat was Redbeard. Sherlock ran to the dog and hugged him tightly, digging his hands and face into the dog's plush fur. He looked up at Mycroft with a huge smile and what Mycroft swore were damp eyes.

He whispered, "thank you for My," with a nod of his head and settled back down to the dog. Redbeard licked and ran around playfully. Mycroft sat in his usual place under the great old oak tree and watched Sherlock chase that dog for the better part of an hour, eyes bright and his laugh echoing back across the field for Mycroft to hear and respond with a small one of his own.

The hours passed and the sun began to set, fading just below the tree line in the distance. Sherlock lay curled up next to Redbeard with his head in Mycroft's lap. They both watched the sunset, Mycroft's fingers wandering through his brother's hair. Both of them were lost in thought, enjoying the feeling of each other in the way one would watch the sunset if it were to be their last.

They walked leisurely back up to the house, letting the warm air brush over them in silence. Redbeard kept a steady pace with them, following Sherlock's trailing hand. Mycroft kept his hand on his brother's shoulder the whole time, trying to keep back the thoughts of the coming days where he would not have that luxury.

They sat for a long time, the three of them, curled into each other. Only breaking apart when the sound of tires crunching on gravel made their parent's presence known.

The next day, Mycroft placed his last bag in the back of the car and moved to hug his mother. She grabbed him by his arms and squeezed tight. For his father, he offered a simple hand, but it was left forgotten as his father pulled him into a loose embrace.

He stared silently and coldly at Sherlock for a few seconds before stepping into the car and closing the door.

Sherlock had to fight the urge to run forward and hug his brother with everything he had. As if the world was ending. Well, because in a way it was for him. Everything he had ever truly known, everything he had ever truly loved, was leaving him for good. And that hurt more than anything he had ever experienced.

Sherlock sat in his room that night staring at the stars, wishing that he could just go find comfort in Mycroft's sheets. That his big brother was there to wipe away his tears.