Chapter 51
"University application done," Hamish commented with a grin as John walked into his room to check on him.
"Good," John replied with a smile, ruffling his son's hair and sitting down beside him. He had been pestering Hamish to get it done for ages. At least finally he had got on with it. He was applying to Cambridge, Oxford and a few others with the goal to go to Cambridge. He would undoubtedly get in. John found the thought scary. His son, who was sixteen, was going to University. That was terrifying as a parent. He knew Hamish would be fine and not that far away, but still. He would worry. Both him and Sherlock. "Just have to get the results you need in your exams and get in."
Hamish rolled his eyes. "Of course I'll get in. I took three A-levels last year and got straight A*s in the subjects I needed. I'm almost guaranteed to get in. I could fail with these next three exams."
"But you won't," John smiled. "Because you're too smart for that." John was surprised how he never really felt overwhelmed by the intelligence of his children. Hamish was just like Sherlock genius wise. Martin was a genius in other ways; the artistic ways. Molly was also like Sherlock, but already planning to go down John's career path (that being medicine). John was just the normal bloke of the family. But he loved it and wouldn't have his kids any other way.
"Of course I won't" Hamish replied with a shrug, lying back on his bed. "I will breeze through without trying." Definitely like his dad. He had been developing his, well, arrogance lately. That being the "I'm always right and know everything."
"I believe you." John smiled, getting up and leaving.
Hamish was indeed right (as per usual). He breezed through his exams, passing with straight A*s. He was not at all surprised when he got accepted into Cambridge (and ever other university he applied to) during the summer. John was over the moon for Hamish, as was Molly. Martin was absolutely elated for his twin, his excitement quite clearly heard through the phone (he was staying with Max in Edinburgh for the first two weeks of the holiday). Sherlock, like Hamish, treated it with a kind of indifference. In a manner of 'it was quite obvious he would get in – what are you so excited about.' Hamish also wasn't really surprised when he got a call from Ollie later than night.
"Did you get in?"
"Of course," Hamish snorted his reply, a light grin on his face. Ollie's first words had been exactly what he had expected. "You?"
"Congrats! And yes! I did. What college?"
"Peterhouse."
"Same." Hamish could hear the smile in Ollie's voice. "We need to go out and celebrate."
"No. I am not being dragged to a party with your friend," Hamish groaned. "I've got a... family dinner."
"That will be postponed until tomorrow if you're going somewhere with Ollie," Sherlock commented with a smirk at his son while he walked past, having got the gist of the conversation from Hamish's groan. He said it loud enough for Ollie to hear. Sherlock liked Oliverio. He was a good friend for Hamish. Both John and him put a lot of effort into pushing Hamish out the door to do something with Ollie and his friends. So he would have some form of social life (a thing Sherlock never truly had).
"Looks like you don't anymore," Ollie's laugh caused Hamish to scowl even though he knew his friend was being teasing. "Anyway, don't worry. It's not a party."
"What have you got planned then?"
"I was thinking that we could go ice skating."
Hamish paused, eyes narrowing before he replied. "No. No way."
"Aw come on! It would be fun! At least for me. Being, you know, better at something than you. Come on, Hamish. I promise that you'll enjoy it."
"I guess it is better than a party."
"You could say that. So, meet at the ice rink? How does in an hour sound."
"Sounds good."
"See you then!"
"Yep," Hamish smiled lightly as they both hung up at the same time.
"So where are you going with Ollie?" It was John who asked, from where he sat on the sofa. Sherlock had lain down beside him (well half on top of him) and Molly was curled up on one of the seats. They were all watching him. Molly was hiding a teasing grin behind her book, John looked so proud that his son had a friend who actually wanted to go do something with him and Sherlock was smirking in that 'I'm making Hamish go out of the house for something that isn't a case' way.
"Ice skating," Hamish replied, rolling his eyes at the expression on each family member's face. "We're meeting there in an hour."
"Ah, I'm assuming Ollie skates then?"
"Probably."
"So he'll be better than you," John glanced at Sherlock, who merely pretended to ignore his partner. Hamish had got the whole "liking to be the best" thing from Sherlock. Strangely enough there was no competition between father and son. Nor was there any between either Hamish or Sherlock with Molly, who had also inherited the genius gene.
"Not necessarily," Hamish scowled.
"The facts point towards it... Don't they Sher?" John smirked slightly at Sherlock, who just gave an uncommitted grunt.
"Paaaa," Hamish moaned, shooting a glare at both of his dads. "Stop rubbing it in."
John chuckled, shaking his head. "Sorry, Mish. But it is rather entertaining. Both you and your dad are."
"It is," Molly added in with a light giggle.
Hamish frowned at his sister. "Stop ganging up on me."
"If it is any consolation I think that they are being completely idiotic," Sherlock joined in the conversation from where he lay.
"That is only because you have the same superiority complex as Hamish, which you passed on." The annoyed scowls on Hamish and Sherlock's faces were identical.
"Well, I'm going to go so I get there in time. And so I can get away from this horrible family."
John rolled his eyes, pushing Sherlock's legs off of him and standing. "Have fun, Hamish. Maybe you'll find out that you are a natural at ice skating."
"Maybe I will," Hamish smiled, quickly hugging his papa (having to bend over to do so). "Bye!" Molly gave a frantic wave, while Sherlock just expressed his goodbye verbally. Hamish pretty quickly skipped out the door and John sat back down. Sherlock moved his legs to allow John to do so only to promptly drop them back down.
"Hamish is getting far too tall," John sighed.
"Yes, it is rather entertaining seeing you beside our sons. You are so adorably short."
"Martin is also getting quite tall. He is taller than Hamish, actually. At the rate he is growing he'll be taller than you." That shut Sherlock up.
Hamish arrived at least fifteen minutes early at the ice rink, mainly due to his fast walking speed.
"You ready for this?" Ollie grinned as he arrived, causing Hamish to scowl slightly.
"No. If I injure myself we all know who to blame."
"Yes, you for injuring yourself," Ollie laughed lightly.
Hamish rolled his eyes with a snort. The two of them headed inside, both buying their tickets. They remained in a friendly silence as they got their ice skates and began to put them on.
"So will you want me to hold your hand?" Ollie teased, a smirk on his tanned face. "Or will you just hold onto the side?"
"I think I will be fine," Hamish muttered as they reached the entrance to the actual ice. Ollie quite easily stepped on, skating a bit out to wait for Hamish. Hamish took a deep breath, putting one foot on the ice. Then another. Then promptly gripping onto the wall at the edge.
"You need to move forward," Ollie said as he skated slightly forward, waiting for his friend. Hamish frowned in conversation, shuffling forward. "No, no, no, not like that! Don't try to walk. Keep your feet together and kind of push out your right one, then your left one. You know a skating motion. Go on, try it!" Hamish took another deep breath and, keeping a grip on the wall, tried.
"I'm moving!"
"Yes, well done."
A few falls and a bit of friendly hand holding later Hamish was skating without the wall beside Ollie with a reasonable ease. He had picked it up quickly, just having to get past the initial nerves (which he now claimed had never existed. Him, scared? Never).
"I have to admit, you're a natural," Ollie commented reluctantly, causing a grin to cross Hamish's pale features.
"Hah! I can't wait to tell my papa. I actually quite enjoy this, though. Different from what I usually do... Maybe I should take it up."
"That would be awesome," Ollie glanced at him with a smile. "I'm considering starting classes again. Maybe we could both go to the same class?"
"Yeah," Hamish smiled. "Is there an ice rink near where we're going to Uni?"