Probably the world's least original meta about Mycroft
Mycroft: I've never been very good with them.
Sherlock: Babies?
Mycroft: Humans.
~ + ~
Ah, Mycroft's version of "high-functioning sociopath". Well, I call time on this. Because there's no way he got to where he is today without being very good with people. Not nice (no one with eyes, ears, or brains could ever consider Mycroft nice), but he has a deep understanding of human nature. And that comes not from intelligence, but from observation and at least some ability to form relationships with people while executing a very high degree of judgement about people's characters.
Mycroft's the man with the greatest soft power in Britain, and that kind of power is based on relationships. Not friendships, but relationships. Professional ones, ones built on time, mutual knowledge, and considerable trust. Which is why he's so obviously disappointed at the implication that Lady Smallwood might have been a traitor: he trusted her, has for "a long time". And her defence is based on the idea that he will accept her denial based on that long-standing relationship. And Elizabeth is no more a fool than he is; she expects that defence to work or she wouldn't have used it. These two have been through the wars together and that builds something between people.
Hardly the MO of any flavour of "sociopath".
Sherlock: Babies?
Mycroft: Humans.
~ + ~
Ah, Mycroft's version of "high-functioning sociopath". Well, I call time on this. Because there's no way he got to where he is today without being very good with people. Not nice (no one with eyes, ears, or brains could ever consider Mycroft nice), but he has a deep understanding of human nature. And that comes not from intelligence, but from observation and at least some ability to form relationships with people while executing a very high degree of judgement about people's characters.
Mycroft's the man with the greatest soft power in Britain, and that kind of power is based on relationships. Not friendships, but relationships. Professional ones, ones built on time, mutual knowledge, and considerable trust. Which is why he's so obviously disappointed at the implication that Lady Smallwood might have been a traitor: he trusted her, has for "a long time". And her defence is based on the idea that he will accept her denial based on that long-standing relationship. And Elizabeth is no more a fool than he is; she expects that defence to work or she wouldn't have used it. These two have been through the wars together and that builds something between people.
Hardly the MO of any flavour of "sociopath".