Fic: 221B - Like ships in the night

[anarion]

Title: Like ships in the night
Words: a 221B has 221 words and ends with a b-word
Rating: Pg-13
Pairings : Sherlock/John
Warnings: none
Disclaimer: Not mine.

Summary: ‘365 days of 221Bs’ challenge: a prompt a day, given by atlinmerrick. Day 318.




Previous 221b: Protection detail


Today's prompt: Darkness + Hope

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Like ships in the night


Not many people have seen Sherlock shaken to the core, a fact that led to the common misconception that he does not have emotions.

No one seeing him now would be able to think that.

It was one of the most gruesome things John had ever seen and he has seen a lot, what with being a doctor and a soldier who spent time in Afghanistan. The only comparison he can think of is a slaughterhouse.

He knows that Sherlock likes to pretend that things don’t get to him, that he is not affected by violence and cruelty, but he also knows that it’s not true. Usually putting the bad guys away helps.

This time solving the case brought neither comfort nor conclusion.

***

John wakes up in an empty bed, Sherlock’s side cold and deserted, and wanders through the kitchen into the living room to find Sherlock tossing restlessly on the sofa. The small, painful sounds he makes tear at John’s heart.

He wants to walk over and with a gentle touch wake Sherlock from his nightmares, but he knows that these are nightmares that don’t leave just because you are awake and that Sherlock’s body needs all the rest it can get.

So he just watches Sherlock drift away from him.

***

It has been two days and John starts to fear that this might actually be the thing that ends them. Ends everything. Maybe they were flying to high, to close to the sun, and this is the price they have to pay: Getting burned to ash.

They both drift through the flat like strangers, passing each other like ships in the night, not talking, not touching, and John has no idea what to do. How do you help someone find their way back when you yourself are lost?

The solution is rather simple: You go searching together. Sherlock bumps into him in the small corridor on his way to the bedroom or the loo, and suddenly all John can do is reach for him because he fears that if he doesn’t hold on to something, he might just crumble into tiny pieces that get blown away by the wind coming in through the open window.

Sherlock’s reaction is instantaneous and intense, he turns around and grabs John in a fierce embrace that has him losing his balance. They go to the ground, clinging to the other desperately and there is nothing gentle in the way they come together.

Neither of them sleeps that night, but when morning comes it doesn’t seem gloomy anymore but almost pleasant and the sunlight that streams through the windows is welcome and bright.





Next 221b: Things you never wanted to know


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AN:
The prompt was 'Darkness + Hope'.

Sorry for not posting yesterday, it was a beautiful day and I was out until late.
Have a double feature (2 times 221 words) today! :D








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Comments

[tracionn.livejournal.com]

The tears I this brought me! *sniffs*
This was so capturing, I felt like I've been there with them and it hurt.
So excellentely well done, and god I'm so glad Sherlock bumped and John hold on.
*sniffs*