Glass: Reader Requests

The Ambush

A day out with the Holmes family.
Part I of II.
Author's Note: Once again, I've somehow managed to lose the original request for this. I'm really sorry! If this was your request then please let me know and I'll be sure to add a dedication to you.

*

Rain fell from the sky in a gentle mist, sitting atop the fabric of Sherlock's coat like a sheet of finely milled glitter. It was early morning, the sunlight weakened by dreary grey clouds, the ground slick, air cold as he walked down the street and crossed the road, avoiding puddles with effortlessly large strides. He turned up his collar to shield himself, though the rain still managed to trickle from his hair down the planes of his stony face.

Beside him, as always, was John. Quickening his pace to keep up as he kept his hands in the pockets of his jacket. "Who's that?" he asked as they approached the police tape on the other side of the road.

Sherlock groaned. "New person. Don't like new people," he said, as though it were too early for his mind to produce a full, complex sentence.

John glanced up at him and rolled his eyes. "Don't do that thing."

"What thing?"

"That thing," he repeated. "Whenever someone new appears it's like you can't help but do everything in your power to make them dislike you."

"I don't do that."

"Yes you absolutely do."

The man in question was standing near the edge of the scene. He was wearing a dark raincoat over a well-fitting suit, mobile phone in hand as he glanced up at the men approaching.

Sherlock tensed, preparing for the usual back and forth that came with meeting a new official - the fight for dominance and battle for power that would inevitably end with a new enemy to add to his ever growing list.

"Sherlock Holmes?" The man said, lifting the tape to let them through.

"Mm," he replied skeptically.

"I'm Detective Brookes, it's good to finally meet you. You too, Doctor Watson I assume?"

John's brows raised with pleasant surprise as he nodded and looked down at Brookes' extended arm, a warm smile on his face as he waited for Sherlock to shake his hand.

Sherlock stared down at it suspiciously, confused by the lack of hostility coming from the new detective. There was a moment of awkward silence before he finally managed to utter a single word.

"Detective..."

"Yes, just transferred from-"

"Somerset."

"Yes," he said with a smile. "Y'know, they said you might do that. I've been looking forward to you sussing me out."

John's mouth twitched with a grin as Sherlock continued to malfunction beside him, like a robot failing to compute. This man was nice; excited and eager to meet them, and it had clearly caught him off guard.

"Well you're the first one to ever say that," John laughed.

"They said that too."