Chapter Five: The Other One
Mycroft stood in the doorway looking at Sherlock. He was wearing a black pinstripe suit, white shirt and a red tie. He was carrying a black umbrella that had a wooden handle. It's not even raining and you still carry that stupid umbrella. John thought looking at Mycroft. When John had first met Sherlock's older brother he was leaning on the umbrella trying to look intimidating and failing at it.
"I better be going, I've got more bread in the oven." Mrs. Hudson excused herself, she hated being around when Mycroft was at the flat because she usually got told to shut up by one of the two Holmes brothers. John sometimes wished he could leave but he didn't trust the brothers alone together and it wouldn't be fair on Merlin to leave him here with them.
"Should I leav-" Merlin started to say but Sherlock cut him off.
"No." Sherlock said ubrutly.
Mycroft noticed Merlin for the first time since he arrived, he had turned as white as a cloud and eyes wide the same way Sherlock had.
"Oh.." Mycroft said quietly. He continued to stare at Merlin who seemed quite confused by the whole situation. Welcome to my world. John sacastically thought to Merlin. John was often left confused when with one of the Holmes but when he was with both of them he usually felt completely lost. Both Holmes were looking at Merlin for a second then looked at each other, never changing their facial expressions just looking, as if they were having a conversation through one look. Merlin's wide eyes kept looking over to John, clearly uncomfortable and confused but all John could do was shrug.
"Come with me then." Mycroft finally broke the silence after what felt like hours. Sherlock motioned to John and Merlin to follow, Merlin didn't understand at first but soon understood that he was supposed to follow. They went downstairs and Mycroft headed out the door to a black car.
"You off then dear?" Mrs. Hudson asked Merlin.
"Yes, it was lovely to meet you Mrs. Hudson." Merlin replied with a smile.
"Your always welcome here." Mrs. Hudson replied. Merlin headed out the door after the others. He had never been in a car this expensive before, actually he had only ever been in one car. John could see that Merlin was uncomfortable in the situation that he found himself in. John found himself feeling sorry for Merlin because his day had turned out to be so weird and John knew how he felt, he was probably feeling confused, awkward, bewildered and so many other things as well just like John had the day he met Sherlock Holmes.
"So your related then?" Merlin asked motioning to Mycroft and Sherlock.
"Unfortunately." Both Holmes said at the same time in the same monotone voice. Merlin seemed amused by that and John found himself smiling at the brothers. They arrived at the Diogenes Club, where Mycroft spent most of his time, and Mycroft showed them to his office. A lot of the old men there gave Merlin a disgusted look and then went back to their papers while others just stared at them.
"Sherlock what's this about?" John asked feeling left out of something big.
"Merlin." Sherlock replied as if it should explain everything, which for John it certainly didn't.
"What about him?" John pressed still feeling lost.
"He's our brother." Mycroft said bluntly.