Fic: 221B - At the Break of Dawn

[anarion]

Title: At the Break of Dawn
Words: 221
Rating: PG-13
Pairings : Sherlock/John
Warnings: post-war trauma
Disclaimer: Not mine.

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





Previous 221b: An Evening Out


Today's prompt: holes

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At the Break of Dawn


They discovered that Afghanistan gave John a second trauma to carry around by accident in the early days of their relationship.

It was a cool spring morning – not only outside but inside as well because Sherlock had been to lazy to close the window properly the evening before.

Dawn was just something to guess in the distance but the birds had already started singing, waking John who had always been a light sleeper.

Under the blankets it was warm and cosy and he snuggled against his lover, who stirred and sighed contentedly.

John sneaked under the blanket and started to kiss his way down Sherlock’s spine, which caused the other man to turn onto his back. The blanket settled itself closely on John and he suddenly had a very vivid flashback of being covered by hot sand, hiding from enemy patrols, the small breathing holes providing not nearly enough air.

He sat up, throwing off the blanket in the process, heart racing, breath completely out of rhythm.

The upside of having a very observant boyfriend is that Sherlock, although half asleep, knew immediately that something was very wrong.

***

Dawn found them sitting wrapped into each other’s arms, John talking softly about the mission and everything that went wrong, crying silently in the safe embrace of his partner until he felt better.







Next 221b: Buried Alive


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AN:
Today's prompt was 'holes'.










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Comments

[chocolamousse.livejournal.com]

Aww, the end is so tender. I admire you for being able to go through sweetness, a hint of porn, unexpected angst and sweetness again, in 221 words only. It's an original use of the prompt; I mean, well, this word... *coughs* Well done! And I love the sentence Under the blankets it was warm and cosy and he snuggled against his lover, who stirred and sighed contentedly., it's so, er, warm and cosy. :-)

I think there's a problem with the "Today's prompt" thing before the fic: it says theatre. :-)

[tracionn.livejournal.com]

I have no idea how you do this - each and every time it's just wonderful, your writing I mean and your ideas. So glad you started that project!
I'm such an h/c girl and so I naturally adored this one here.

[rox712.livejournal.com]

Tender, angsty and beautiful. Some nights I sure would wish there was someone like that...

[arianedevere.livejournal.com]

Dear Santa, please can I have an understanding boyfriend like this? Well, a boyfriend would be nice, but an understanding one even better. I promise I've been good. Love, Ari x

This is a gorgeous response to the prompt. I love how inventive you are with the words you're given.

[antesqueluz.livejournal.com]

Oh, this is so lovely. And clever take on the prompt.

[verityburns.livejournal.com]

Oh, this is beautiful... and how the hell do you pack so much into only 221 words? Your fics are so much bigger on the inside :D

[atlinmerrick.livejournal.com]

What gets me about this one is how you slip in what certainly sound like facts about war—and yet you have never been in a war. This was smooth and lovely and real.