After Greg finished he looked up and smiled. “What can I do for you?”
Mycroft felt his face heat for a second at the implications those words made him think about. “I was hoping now would be an acceptable time to have our quick meeting.”
“In my office?” Greg leaned back in his chair, stretching his legs out and crossing them at the ankles.
“Yes,” Mycroft adjusted his tie. “I did not want you to feel like a prisoner, so I presumed it would be more comfortable for you here, in your office.”
Greg smiled. “How thoughtful. Now, I assume you want to know about Sherlock.”
Mycroft tried to keep the displeasure at Greg’s bluntness. He had hoped they would have made idle chat for a little while before delving into the real reason of his visit. He’s married. What are you expecting? Mycroft nodded once.
“Well, nothing really seems to have changed from before. He is getting better at hiding the symptoms. I wouldn’t even notice the trembling if I wasn’t looking for it.” Greg folded his hands and rested them on his stomach.
Mycroft nodded. “That is good to hear. I take it this…arrangement is something you can live with?”
“For the moment, yeah. Someone needs to look out for the man since he clearly isn’t doing it for himself.” Greg chuckled. “It’s astounding that you two are brothers for how different you are. At least how it appears.”
“How do you mean?” Mycroft raised his brow. Everyone always commented on how the brilliant Holmes boys were like two peas in a pod. They were awfully similar. It was strange to hear someone say they were different.
“Well, you have Sherlock who cares a lot about himself while seeming to not care at all about anyone else.” Greg looked at him, his brown eyes searching Mycroft’s own. “Then there’s you…who cares about so many. At least that’s what I understand.”
Mycroft tilted his head. How so?
“You have this weight that seems to have settled itself on your shoulders, most likely from caring too much or having a lot of responsibly. I’m assuming that you do care a lot about many things and people, while not putting yourself first once in a while.”
“I beg your pardon?” Mycroft said, a little fire behind his voice. “You do not have the authority to make a claim like that.”
Greg held up his hands. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t saying anything negative by it. I was just pointing out an observation.”
The room filled with a tense silence.
“I apologise,” Mycroft said softly. “I know you were simply making an observation.” Albeit a correct one. How could he know so much without spending much time with me?
Greg nodded. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
Mycroft stared at him. He wasn’t used to that level of sincerity when it came to anything to do with himself. Whenever someone had to apologise to Mycroft, it always had the underlying feeling of fear or obligation. No one, at least no one in a very long time, ever seemed to apologise because they upset him. Not only apologise, but mean it.
However, the fact that Gregory knew something had bothered him meant that he was showing too much. He had to get himself back under control. “It’s quite alright.” He fidgeted with his umbrella again.
Greg sighed. “How frequent do you expect these meetings to be?”
“We could just converse through e-mail, if you would prefer that,” Mycroft said quickly.
“No. I mean, if something comes up, then of course I’ll contact you. But…I think these meetings are important,” Greg said. “It would give us a chance to…form a partnership of sorts,” he finished quietly. He had wanted to say friendship but knew Mycroft would not be open to that.
Mycroft nodded. “If you wish. How frequent would you prefer?”
Re: Criminal Conversation 1g/?
Mycroft felt his face heat for a second at the implications those words made him think about. “I was hoping now would be an acceptable time to have our quick meeting.”
“In my office?” Greg leaned back in his chair, stretching his legs out and crossing them at the ankles.
“Yes,” Mycroft adjusted his tie. “I did not want you to feel like a prisoner, so I presumed it would be more comfortable for you here, in your office.”
Greg smiled. “How thoughtful. Now, I assume you want to know about Sherlock.”
Mycroft tried to keep the displeasure at Greg’s bluntness. He had hoped they would have made idle chat for a little while before delving into the real reason of his visit. He’s married. What are you expecting? Mycroft nodded once.
“Well, nothing really seems to have changed from before. He is getting better at hiding the symptoms. I wouldn’t even notice the trembling if I wasn’t looking for it.” Greg folded his hands and rested them on his stomach.
Mycroft nodded. “That is good to hear. I take it this…arrangement is something you can live with?”
“For the moment, yeah. Someone needs to look out for the man since he clearly isn’t doing it for himself.” Greg chuckled. “It’s astounding that you two are brothers for how different you are. At least how it appears.”
“How do you mean?” Mycroft raised his brow. Everyone always commented on how the brilliant Holmes boys were like two peas in a pod. They were awfully similar. It was strange to hear someone say they were different.
“Well, you have Sherlock who cares a lot about himself while seeming to not care at all about anyone else.” Greg looked at him, his brown eyes searching Mycroft’s own. “Then there’s you…who cares about so many. At least that’s what I understand.”
Mycroft tilted his head. How so?
“You have this weight that seems to have settled itself on your shoulders, most likely from caring too much or having a lot of responsibly. I’m assuming that you do care a lot about many things and people, while not putting yourself first once in a while.”
“I beg your pardon?” Mycroft said, a little fire behind his voice. “You do not have the authority to make a claim like that.”
Greg held up his hands. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t saying anything negative by it. I was just pointing out an observation.”
The room filled with a tense silence.
“I apologise,” Mycroft said softly. “I know you were simply making an observation.” Albeit a correct one. How could he know so much without spending much time with me?
Greg nodded. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
Mycroft stared at him. He wasn’t used to that level of sincerity when it came to anything to do with himself. Whenever someone had to apologise to Mycroft, it always had the underlying feeling of fear or obligation. No one, at least no one in a very long time, ever seemed to apologise because they upset him. Not only apologise, but mean it.
However, the fact that Gregory knew something had bothered him meant that he was showing too much. He had to get himself back under control. “It’s quite alright.” He fidgeted with his umbrella again.
Greg sighed. “How frequent do you expect these meetings to be?”
“We could just converse through e-mail, if you would prefer that,” Mycroft said quickly.
“No. I mean, if something comes up, then of course I’ll contact you. But…I think these meetings are important,” Greg said. “It would give us a chance to…form a partnership of sorts,” he finished quietly. He had wanted to say friendship but knew Mycroft would not be open to that.
Mycroft nodded. “If you wish. How frequent would you prefer?”