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Fic: 221B - What is love if not this?
Title: What is love if not this?
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
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atlinmerrick.Previous 221b: Words don't come easy
Today's prompt: hurt
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What is love if not this?
'Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.’
Probably the most incorrect and stupid proverb ever, John thinks.
Children learn as soon as they can talk that words are the most hurtful weapon to choose. They learn by experience that being shoved to the ground causes a wound that bleeds and heals, while being told that you are ugly or stupid or not wanted as a playmate causes one that stays with you for a long time, it festers and re-opens every time you feel insecure about yourself.
Sherlock rarely talks about his childhood, John had to put most of it together himself, but when he does talk about it, there is a look in his eyes as if John is looking directly at the wounded and scared and lonely boy he once was.
But even now John can see the pain it causes him every time Donovan calls him a freak.
They never talk about these incidents, because John knows that words don’t help. Over the years he has learned other ways to reassure Sherlock that he is beautiful, brilliant and so very much wanted.
He has learned to prevent some of these situations before they even happen and in case he can’t do that, he afterwards weaves his love around Sherlock like a blanket.
Next 221b: The icing on the cake
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AN:
Today's prompt was 'hurt'.
I hate the title. Was all I could come up with at the moment though...
I need to stop posting these so late. I wouldn't have to put 'tired' or 'sleepy' as my mood nearly all of the time ... *sighs*
.
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This is calm, and beautiful, and soothing, and warm. Thank you for this.
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Awww.
he afterwards weaves his love around Sherlock like a blanket.
AWWW! So sweet and heart-warming, like, er, like a blanket. Great prompt. It makes me feel like snuggling. :D
I hate the title.
Oh, there she goes again. *sighs* Listen Anarion, there's nothing wrong with your titles in general and this one in particular. Why are you so insecure about them? Did someone told you, when you were a child, that your titles were ugly or stupid? Do you need a
Johnblanket?Also, go to bed now. I remind you that you need to be in peak form to write this little coda thing, needn't you? :D
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Yep. Robert Fulghum updated it thusly:
Sticks and stones may break our bones, but words will break our hearts.
The title is fine, descriptive and wonderful. It is indeed love to really look, to reach past the prickles of those who are wounded in their souls, and to speak whatever language is needed to get the message across.
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Which I am sure is softer and more snuggly than the orange shock blanket.
I loved this, because it gets to the heart of the damage that lies within Sherlock. What must the brothers' childhood have been like, one asks oneself, if their watchword is "caring is not an advantage"?
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The picture of John's love embracing Sherlock like a blanket is just utterly wonderful!!
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(I want to hug John for thinking that, I want to hug you for writing it.)
(Don't think I will ever watch or read one of Sherlock's verbal teardowns without thinking of this. Defensive mechanism: 'hurt you before you hurt me.'){Jesus. Wept.}
(This, this, this. This bittersweet and beautiful thing you wrote, broke my heart and put it back together. Thank You. Really, Thank You.)
*Shakes head* *points out* Please explain how perfect title is not perfect?