Chapter Text
"Sherlock, dear, time to get up. Come meet the neighbours."
"Dull, Mummy." Came Sherlock's bored voice from his pillow.
"Sherlock, I will not tell you again! Get up, child!"
"Fine!" Sherlock replied, throwing his blanket across the bed with his usual dramatic flair.
"Sherlock will be right down." Sherlock heard his mother telling their 'guests'.
"Who are you? Never mind, you're probably boring anyway. Mummy, what's for breakfast?"
"Sherlock, one neighbour please. Just one that you won't reduce to tears. Can't you do this one thing for your mother? Try to act normal despite your exceptional brain, please."
"As you wish, mother."
"I'm Sherlock and you are?"
The ten year old boy looked terrified under the other's ice cold gaze
"John Watson." He replied with a cough, shifting in his seat.
"Yes, well, very dull and quite very boring, but I promised my mother that I'd be nice so I'll humour you and ... wait, John Watson? Doctor John Hamish Watson?"
"That's my father. But I'd like to be a doctor someday though. I want to ..."
"Go into the army, yes, very obvious. Well, John, what else? Are you clever? Ha, of course not. Clumsy, as well, given the scrapes on your knees and not from a very wealthy family but ..."
"Sherlock Horace Holmes! Don't you dare! Apologise at once!"
"Apologies, dear Watson."
"Dear Watson?" Mycroft scoffed. "Why I do believe my brother has become fond of you already, young John."
"Shut up, Mycroft."
"Sherlock." His mother warned sternly.
"That's okay, Mrs Holmes, Sherlock's right. I am very clumsy and I might not be from a rich family but I try my best and that should be enough!"
Sherlock smiled at the young boy's outburst, just as he dreamed him; strong, yet gentle, loyal, yet independent. Maybe Sherlock could be friends with John after all. They could be best friends.
"Come along, John. You can assist me."
"With what?"
"Oh, John, please don't be so oblivious. You really aren't as dumb as you seem."
And without another word, the two young boys went off to do God knows what. But John didn't care as for all his cruel words, he was sure that he and Sherlock would become the best of friends.