Sherlock One Shots

Sick Of Thinking - Sherlock and John

Sick of Thinking

Sherlock Holmes and John Watson are sitting opposite each other in their chairs; their last client has just left – some boring affair – and John is writing the notes of the case in his notebook while Sherlock is staring into space. “No more.” Sherlock mutters abruptly causing the other man to snap his head up with a confused expression on his face. “No more.” He repeats almost completely oblivious John is there.

“What?” John questions. Their eyes meet and Sherlock’s harsh expression softens. He looks tired, John thinks as he studies the consulting detective. “Sherlock…you look exhausted.” He begins while his eyes sweep down the taller man. “You look weak and skinny and blatantly tired.”

“Yeah.” Sherlock replies much to John’s amazement. “I…you…” He stumbles on his words which are not coming out. It looks like he is struggling. “I’ve switched off John.”

“What?” The high functioning sociopath tilts his head down and places it in his hands which scares the blogger. He has never seen his best friend like this and it makes him feel useless. “Can I help?” A sob escapes the detective followed by another and then another causing John to jump to his feet and rush to his friend’s side. Knowing that Sherlock’s sociopathic tendencies make him repulsed to human contact John does not know how to comfort him. Sod it, he thinks before engulfing Sherlock in a hug but surprisingly he is not shoved away.

“My brain hurts.” He mumbles into John’s chest. He has managed to stop himself from crying but he feels the pain building in his skull.

“Do you mean your head?” John asks as he pulls away and tries to work out what Sherlock means.

“Isn’t it the same thing?!” Sherlock shouts impatiently but then winces when he raises his voice which gives John the evidence he needs. John scurries off to the kitchen and begins to open and shut various cupboards before he finds a med kit. He pulls open the zip and rummages around when he finds a brown bottle of heavy duty painkillers. His first thought is how Sherlock managed to get his hands on these pills without a prescription but he shrugs it off and decides that they are the best that Sherlock is going to get right now. He searches for a clean glass amongst the various test tubes and chemicals, which is more difficult than it sounds, and fills it up with water from the tap. Sherlock looks up and notices his flatmate rushing around and inwardly smiles but the pain distracts him from the good and makes him feel infuriated. “Come on…just deduct. It is basic.” He mutters to himself and he tries but he can’t.

“Here you go.” John states as he passes over the glass of water in one hand and a couple of pills in the other. Sherlock knocks back the tablets and the liquid before passing John the empty glass who stations it on the desk near him prior to sitting back in his chair.

“Sorry.” Sherlock croaks and looks down in embarrassment.

“It is absolutely fine.” John smiles reassuringly, “We all break down sometimes. We are only human.” Sherlock cringes at the last word but nevertheless understands what his small friend is saying.

“How come I’ve never seen you then?”

“Hmm?” John hums.

“How come I have never witnessed one of your breakdowns?” Sherlock explains with a raised eyebrow which is followed by a sigh in the other chair.

“I have a therapist for that.” This response hurts Sherlock knowing that his only friend goes to a therapist to discuss his problems. “Plus I didn’t think you would care being a high functioning sociopath and all.”

“Care?” Sherlock replies, “Of course I care John!” He roars before an awkward silence floods the room.

“Okay sorry.” John stammers. The pair send each other awkward looks neither of them knowing what to say. “They were quite hefty painkillers so you should be feeling better soon.” He comments passingly which is followed by a nod from the consulting detective. “So what was that all about then?”

“I have just been thinking too much that is all.” Sherlock replies. John gives him a look to urge him to continue, “Average people use approximately 10% of their brain, I am using more than that.” John rolls his eyes. “Sometimes I see it as an illness.”

“An illness?”

“Yes an illness.” Sherlock confirms with a groan. “People say my power of deduction is a gift and others find it irritating plus there is the odd person who believes it to be fake naming no names – Anderson.” John chuckles to the remark about the forensic scientist. “Can you imagine John, looking at an object as simple as a…book and then seeing hundreds of words associated to that book? It would make any normal person insane.” John lulls over this information in his head and it does hit him about how difficult and distracting it must be.

“Deduce me.” John instructs.

“What?”

“I mean it; deduce me.” He enforces.

“I can’t John. I have switched off which hasn’t happened for a long time. It is like I have forgotten how to cope without the science of deduction and being able to escape to my mind palace.” He rambles sadly as a tear slips out of his eye and slides down his cheek. “I feel lost.” John rises from his chair and wanders into Sherlock’s bedroom to the high functioning sociopath’s bafflement. He reappears with a pillow wedged under his arm and a bundle of duvet in his hands. “Wha-”

“You need to rest.” Doctor Watson instructs as he dumps the belongings on the floor and approaches Sherlock. He hooks his arm in Sherlock’s and pulls the detective to his feet. Surprisingly strong, Sherlock thinks as he is taken to the sofa and carefully laid out onto it. John plumps the pillow and lifts up Sherlock’s head before placing the pillow underneath it. He then throws the duvet over the long man and tucks it into the crevasses of the sofa. “Right then if you need me then-”

“Stay.”

“Sherlock you need to rest.” John replies with a stern look on his face.

“Please John.” He pleads and shuffles up on the sofa to make room. He opens the duvet on one side, “There is room for a little one.” He says with pout. John cannot help himself and climbs in and lays his head on Sherlock’s chest. “Thank you.”

A/n blimey it has been a while but I hope you have enjoyed this one shot! Please send me suggest either via DM or comment them. Please check out my other stories (I have just finished a teenlock one) and my YouTube channel & Instagram page under the name: officially_sherlocked

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