As Sherlock had said, Mycroft arrived and stayed just under a week. During this week he and Sherlock got into four spats, two of which John was present and able to break up, the other two involved one of them swinging a punch and both being banished to their rooms by their parents.

Mycroft went back to uni and returned again the day before Christmas Eve, much to Sherlock's dismay.

"I see you've been taking the internet by storm, brother dear," he says over breakfast on Christmas Eve.

Sherlock glowers over his toast, "been stalking me again, brother dear?"

His brother raises his eyebrows, "you realise your John sent me a friend request on Facebook and he posts about little else?"

The scowl deepens but Sherlock remains quiet.

"Are you seeing him today?"

Sherlock shakes his head, "he's visiting his grandparents. I saw him yesterday when we did our last Christmas video, and I'm going over on Boxing Day. He did say he'd ring me tomorrow though." He pauses for a moment, "what about you, anyway?"

"What about me?"

"You're obviously seeing someone."

Mycroft snorts, "and what gives you that idea?"

"You seem… happier," Sherlock leans on his elbows, "and you've smiled almost every time you've picked up your phone to answer a text since you got home."

"Good deduction, no matter how wrong it is," Mycroft stands to take his plate and mug to the sink, "I'm not seeing anyone and if I was I wouldn't be telling my tell-tale of a little brother."

Sherlock narrows his eyes, "I'll work it out sooner or later."

"No, you won't, because there's nothing to work out," Mycroft says a little too quickly. He scruffs up Sherlock's hair and gets an annoyed oi as he sweeps past and out of the kitchen.

: :

The countdown to New Year on the TV finishes and Big Ben chimes out midnight.

"Happy New Year, Sherlock," John smiles and tilts his face up to Sherlock's, pressing their lips together in a soft kiss. They hear a gagging noise from across the room, so Sherlock raises one hand and flips his middle finger at his brother.

Their dad tuts, "this year can the two of you at least try to be nice to each other?"

"Not a chance," Mycroft snorts.

"The only thing we'll agree on this year, I'm certain," Sherlock adds, nuzzling his nose against John's cheek.

John rolls his eyes and untangles himself from Sherlock's arms. He picks up his beer can and downs the remaining liquid before grabbing Sherlock's hand and tugging him out of the chair. Sherlock sighs and moves so that John can sit back down before reaching around the back of the armchair to pull out his violin case.

He rests it on the arm of the chair and lets John hold it steady as he takes the instrument out and carefully checks the pegs. Once satisfied he tucks it under his chin and steps in front of the coffee table.

Mrs Holmes sits forward in her seat and smiles encouragingly. He shuts his eyes and takes a breath before softly starting to play Auld Lang Syne in time with the crowds of people singing on the television.

When he draws out the last note, Sherlock reopens his eyes to his parents grinning at him and clapping. Mycroft surprisingly joins in, giving Sherlock a look he only doles out when he's really impressed by something.

Sherlock glances over to John.

"Can we go now?" He mouths at his boyfriend.

John nods and opens the case on his lap so Sherlock can safely tuck his violin away. He allows Sherlock pull him up and out of the chair and pause to let Sherlock's mum kiss her son's cheek before they head up the stairs to Sherlock's bedroom.

Half an hour after they've tucked themselves into Sherlock's bed and John has rolled over and started to snore, there's a quiet knock on the door. Sherlock glances up from his laptop.

"Come in."

It's his mum and she pokes her head around the door with a soft smile on her face.

"Thank you for playing tonight, Sherlock. It was really lovely."

"You're welcome, Mummy. It was John's idea though, he thought you might enjoy it. I'm playing again for his family after lunch tomorrow."

His mum taps her nails against the wood of the door, "you've done really well for yourself recently Sherlock. We're all very proud of you. Even Mycroft, though he doesn't show it much."

Sherlock smiles at her, "thank you. Goodnight."

"Night."

The door clicks shut and Sherlock closes his laptop. He gently rests it against the bedside table before switching off the lamp and snuggling under the duvet, curling against John.

: :

Not a week later is Sherlock's birthday and after the pair have arrived at Sherlock's after school, John shyly hands over a box wrapped in blue paper, "happy birthday."

Taking the box, Sherlock mumbles a quiet thanks and starts picking at the sellotape. He opens the end of the wrapping and pulls out a box holding a camera and proclaiming lists of features.

John smiles, "your videos are doing well and Mycroft probably wants his back now. It's a better one too, records in HD and other stuff I don't understand but sounds important. The bloke in Currys said it was a good one."

John is battered around the head with the box as Sherlock throws his arms around John's shoulders in a tight hug.

"Thank you," he whispers.

John turns his head to kiss the pale neck pressed against him and rubs his hands up and down Sherlock's back, "you're welcome. You've found something you enjoy; I want to help you with it. That was supposed to be your Christmas present but they sent the wrong one first and then the replacement didn't arrive in time."

Sherlock thinks back to what he'd been given for Christmas.

"You were going to give me a camera as well as all the chemistry books and equipment?"

"Well, you still have a few months to think about what you want to buy me for my birthday," John grins and pats Sherlock's hip, "c'mon let's test this out."

He lets himself be eagerly pulled upstairs by Sherlock and perches beside his boyfriend on the bed, watching him open the box and take the camera out. The box is deposited on John's lap while Sherlock turns the camera over in his hands and switches it on. He turns it towards John and snaps a photo, looking at the small screen on the back with a satisfied hum.

John shakes his head and shuffles further into the middle of the bed and crosses his legs underneath himself. He starts looking through the camera's box and finding the papers that look important. The dip in the bed lifts and John hears Sherlock pick up his violin and thinks he's playing seemingly random notes until he recognises a tune. He looks up from the oddly thick instruction manual, "is that the Pirates of the Caribbean theme?"

In reply he gets a sly smile as Sherlock sweeps away into the hall. John stretches to see him stop outside Mycroft's bedroom door. John giggles quietly when he hears Mycroft's snappy 'go away Sherlock'. When Sherlock continues playing and doesn't move there's a loud sigh and the door opens revealing a scowling Mycroft.

"I realise that it's your birthday, brother dear, but is it necessary to play this close to my door while I'm studying?"

"Very necessary," Sherlock says, "wouldn't want you to miss out on the family dinner Mummy cooked for us. She said it'll be done soon."

Mycroft narrows his eyes and shuts the door with a mutter of, "I knew I should have gone back to uni earlier."

Sherlock turns and wanders back down the corridor with a pleased smirk, coming to the side of the bed where he puts the violin back in its case and flops bonelessly beside John.

John smiles, not looking up from the book, "so you do pay attention to the films I make you watch?"

"Occasionally, yes."

John smiles and nudges him with his foot, "you only paid attention to that one because it had pirates."

"And?" Sherlock pouts.

John nudges him again, "your fascination with pirates is adorable. Let's try the video setting out before dinner's ready?"

Sherlock goes to sit on the stool that had made its home in the corner of his room since he'd started making videos. He tuts when John reaches over and ruffles his curls and straightens the collar of his shirt. John sticks his tongue out and goes to set the camera up.

"Ready?" He asks once it's arranged with Sherlock in the middle of the frame.

Sherlock nods.

"Okay, three, two…" John gives a thumbs up as he presses the record button on the tiny remote he had found in the box.

"Hello again," Sherlock smiles into the lens, "this is just a short update video; I won't be playing any music today." He scratches his cheek, "I've decided to do a Q&A video one week after this is posted so please leave anything you'd like me to answer in the comments here and I'll have John pick out some good ones. He's good at that. And don't be boring."

Sherlock's eyes flick over to John and he gives him a tiny nod. John nods back and presses the button to stop recording.

"Short and sweet," John smiles, picking up the camera and taking the memory card out, "you're actually going to do a Q&A then?"

Sherlock shrugs, "might make me look more human. As you said, people are nosy."

John makes an agreeable noise and sits on the bed again, pulling Sherlock's laptop onto his knee, "let's get this uploaded before dinner then."

He clicks to upload and slowly types out the title, 'Quick Update'.

"What do you want in the description?"

Sherlock sits behind John and rests his chin on John's shoulder, "just ask for questions again. It's barely a minute long so it doesn't need much more than that."

"Sure thing."

When he's finished pecking out a short paragraph, John tilts the screen back so Sherlock can see what he'd written.

Sherlock snorts as he reads, "'It's Sherlock's 17th birthday today, so nice messages would be lovely and appreciated too! Smiley face John x'. Really, John?"

"Yep," John grins as he clicks 'post', "you've been working your arse off and got yourself some amazing fans. I'm sure they'd like to know it's your birthday."

Sherlock rolls his eyes.

"Now, come on. Smells like dinner's ready and I can't wait to have some of that cake your dad baked."