Fic: 221B - Vulnerable

[anarion]

Title: Vulnerable
Words: 221
Rating: PG-13
Pairings : Sherlock/John
Warnings: none
Disclaimer: Not mine.

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





Previous 221b: Clear as Mud


Today's prompt: brave

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Vulnerable


Bravery is by far the kindest word for stupidity.

And this is where Mycroft is wrong. To be brave means doing something in spite of being afraid to do it and without knowing how it will turn out.

People always tell John how brave he is, because he decided to become a doctor, because he went to Afghanistan.

People never see how brave Sherlock is. And I don’t mean running after an armed culprit or jumping over rooftops and in front of driving cars. That’s just stupid.

No, I mean when he fell in love with John. For someone who had never even admitted having a heart to decide to give it to another human being, that takes guts.

Because Sherlock sees. Sees what love does to people, what they do to each other in the name of love. All the hurt. All the hate.

In order to let John in, he needed to shed some of his defences and make himself prone to get wounded much more easily. Not that John would ever do that on purpose but the closer people get to you, the more ammunition you give them.

So it was an act of great bravery to let John in despite the fact that Sherlock knew he would be able to hurt him more severely than a bullet.





Next 221b: The Sniffer Dog


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AN:
Today's prompt was 'brave'.














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Comments

[antesqueluz.livejournal.com]

Lovely...and so true.

[atlinmerrick.livejournal.com]

Yes! This is so true. And a much more daring bravery it was. I'm belaboring the point, I know, but I really love reading each of these to see the unique spin on each single-word prompt.

[chocolamousse.livejournal.com]

To be brave means doing something in spite of being afraid to do it and without knowing how it will turn out.
Yep, absolutely.

And I don’t mean running after an armed culprit or jumping over rooftops and in front of driving cars. That’s just stupid.
I've got a feeling this is John talking to Sherlock while putting dressings on his wounds one more time. :D

I love the last part. It's touching and penetrating. (No, it's not an innuendo.) You say very valid things and you say them beautifully. Well done! And I like your title very much. The person you love is your greatest strength and your greatest weakness. Yep, that was me thinking profound thoughts. :D

[tracionn.livejournal.com]

Aaaawww, all the feels.
So moving, so true. And I'm sure at least John knows how brave Sherlock is! (well, and we of course)

[sabrinaphynn.livejournal.com]

<3 ;_; awww... And very true, in all senses of the word.

[treelight.livejournal.com]

And aren't we glad that Sherlock did this brave step ... in so many lovely fanfictions big and small :)

[verityburns.livejournal.com]

That's very perspicacious of you - I like it :D