"Yes, and…?" Mycroft replied idly, showing not the smallest hint of sympathy (much unneeded sympathy, of that he was certain) at the words, as he continued to leaf through the notebook, flipping page after page after page. The text was slanted, small, and nearly indecipherable save for his own eyes (and sometimes, not even then, because even one’s own handwriting has a strange custom of coming alive on pages and metamorphosing into a different creature… perhaps he should have pursued a career in medicine, after all). He had been looking for a specific page for the past three quarters of an hour (three lines of text, insignificant and yet not, lost among a sea of words) with such mounting frustration that he had been obliged to discard his blazer and roll the sleeves of his pristine button-up to his elbows, lest he overheated and went on a bloody murder spree in the common area of study. (Of course, that was unlikely, but one never liked to take chances, now did they…?)
"I think that a love affair with recreational chemistry is hardly the makings of a scandal in your family, hm?” The words were as cutting as a scalpel, and, when they flicked up (however briefly) so were his watery grey eyes – before slipping into a cordial, almost pleasant, neutrality. Mycroft scoffed, and the corner of his lips threatened to slip into an amused smile.”I wasn’t even aware that you ever cared for their opinion, and they’ll be divorced by the end of the year anyway, so could you please cease distracting me?”