Fic: 221B - Face your fears

[anarion]

Title: Face your fears
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.






Previous 221b: Like daylight shooting stars


Today's prompt: beard

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Face your fears


Greg Lestrade is a brave man. Someone who would die for his friends, for his family and even in the line of duty. There are not a lot of things that he is afraid of.

John Watson can be one of them.

Oh, don’t get me wrong. He isn’t afraid of him as such, these two have become rather good friends over the years. John was there for him when his marriage ultimately ended, when the alcohol became tempting again and when he was nearly going up the walls when his daughter was born and there were complications and he wasn’t allowed in.

But today, John scared him.

Sherlock had been missing for four days and when they found the body of a white male, Lestrade went in to identify him.

He couldn’t. The body had been mutilated beyond recognition.

Then John arrives. Lestrade refuses to let him see the body, says that they would wait for conclusive tests. And right there, right then he thinks John will kill him. He doesn’t shout, he doesn’t push. He just goes cold, his body rigid, his eyes and voice like steel.

“I’m not going to ask twice. Step aside, Greg.”

He does.

He hears him say ‘It’s not him’ and watches his friend go to his knees in relief, suddenly looking so breakable.



Next 221b: I don't beg


------------------
AN:
Today's prompt was 'beard'.
Apart from the very obvious reason it also means to 'confront someone/something bravely'.
And we all know I try not to go for the obvious (except when it's porn *ahem*).


I'm sorry, but I just returned from the cinema after having seen 'The Dark Knight Rises' and I am way too tired to come up with a witty title for this one.
Good night.







.

Comments

[verityburns.livejournal.com]

Bloody hell, that packs a punch!

You can tell you're a good writer when I am actually now worried about Sherlock and hoping that he is OK and will be back with John soon... you get me. Your writing gets me

[treelight.livejournal.com]

Oh, I wouldn't want to stand in John's way in that moment, too. On the other hand, I would probably be at least as worried as he is in that situation.
Please, bring Sherlock back home sound and save.
And please tell us how he went missing in the first place :)

[atlinmerrick.livejournal.com]

God you're a force to be reckoned with. Two hundred and twenty-two words and they hit you hard, right in the chest.

All of this is wonderful but:

"He hears him say ‘It’s not him’ and watches his friend go to his knees in relief, suddenly looking so breakable."

It's only one line and you have packed so so so much into it.

[chocolamousse.livejournal.com]

John was there for him when his marriage ultimately ended, when the alcohol became tempting again and when he was nearly going up the walls when his daughter was born and there were complications and he wasn’t allowed in.
I like how you give us the feeling that the time passes, it's like a rich canvas behind your fics.
*hopes it makes sense*

He hears him say ‘It’s not him’ and watches his friend go to his knees in relief, suddenly looking so breakable.
Ow. This is intense. You often write about vulnerable!Sherlock and I love that, but John's emotional break down is so understandable here. But you can't leave us (and them) like that, you MUST write the reunion scene now!

Why do you worry about the title? It's a very good title, and Sherlock's death must be John's worst fear indeed. Although I must confess that when I read it after reading the prompt I thought, "Ah! It's about Anderson and his frightening beard in the pilot!". I'm so perspicacious! :D

*looks at your current mood*
Well, me too. It's horribly late in the night but I couldn't stop reading the 221Bs I missed when I was at the Place With No Internet. Oh well, I'll have a lie-in tomorrow. I mean today. So, good night to you too. I mean good morning. No, in fact I mean...
*gives up and goes to bed*

Did you write the first half of the fic in the past and the second half in the present on purpose? Also, you typed "execpt" in "except when it's porn". :-)

[rox712.livejournal.com]

Buried in my personal chaos I didn't see this one. This was agonizing! You write so good it scares me.

And since you were asking for sequels: this needs a prequel and a sequel!

[purrculier1.livejournal.com]

Oh crap, Anarion's gone to the dark side again.

You pack a power house of a punch in few words. Your description of Lestrade."Someone who would die for his friends, for his family, and
even in the line of duty." (solid, steady, and brave)

Then a few more well used words to paint the picture of his friendship with John, while somehow conveying whole chapters of history between them.(you're scary good.scary,scary good.(yup)and speaking of scary.)

Sherlock missing/A body found(oh.god.no). Lestrade going to try to identify body/Can't 'cause mutilated(deep breath,starts to shake). John arrives/"I'm not going to ask twice. Stand aside Greg."
/Lestrade *DOES IT*(*whimpers* and stops breathing.)

"It's not him." (Gasps for air and nearly goes to own knees with John.)

Whew. Now.Please.Tell.Us.What.Happened.Next.
Begging, pleading, saying howdy to Dark-side Anarion 'cause just wow.so,so,scary good.

[tracionn.livejournal.com]

*gulp* That was intense. And so well done!!

[anarion.livejournal.com]

Although I must confess that when I read it after reading the prompt I thought, "Ah! It's about Anderson and his frightening beard in the pilot!". I'm so perspicacious! :D
*snorts*

Yes, I did that on purpose. But if it's confusing I can change it.

[chocolamousse.livejournal.com]

Oh no, it's not confusing at all! I'm sorry, I didn't want to seem "school-teacherish". (Is this even a word? :D) It's just that the change in tense looked a little odd to me when I read it and I wondered if you did that on purpose, but hey, I'm not even a native speaker! Now I understand you meant to speed up the action with the present and make it livelier, more immediate. And it works! Sorry again for my nitpicking. :-)

[anarion.livejournal.com]

Oh please, never apologise! I am so grateful for your on-the-way betaing! *hugs*