Fandom x Reader OTP Challenge

Day 1: Holding Hands - Sherlock

Day 1: Holding Hands – Sherlock Homes
For ZeroHartley

Sherlock wasn't an affectionate man. He was compulsive and sure of himself, caring more about case facts and tragic deaths than human connection and relationships. Anyone could see he was close to John, closer than he was to most people. But he was a sociopath; void of emotion and full of factoids.
You weren't sure what drew you to the consulting detective, but you couldn't pull away now. You visited the pair at their flat frequently, even spending the night when you stayed too late helping with a case or John's blog. Sherlock didn't like you at first, feeling like you were in the way of him and his blogger and putting your two cents in where it wasn't wanted. After a few weeks, he grew to enjoy your company, though he wouldn't even admit it to himself.
Over time, you thought about why you enjoyed being around Sherlock. It certainly wasn't his people skills – they needed serious work. But you discovered that you liked listening to him assess people, even yourself. You would smile with impression in your eyes whenever he successfully deduced someone before they could even blink. He would catch that sparkle in your eye and you could see the ghost of a smile on his lips, as though he enjoyed your appreciation.
You'd told John of your crush on the detective, though from the soft smile he gave you, you assumed he must have already known. He sat you down with a cup of tea one night after Sherlock had fallen asleep. You discussed why you were so attracted to the tall man, and John smiled sympathetically, knowing how anti-connection he was.

Everything changed when John went to the hospital.
Sherlock's entire world was crashing down. Sure, he had other friends, but John... John was his blogger. And now he was in the hospital, hanging by a threat, requiring dangerous surgery. Sherlock had argued profusely, stating that the nurses weren't doing their jobs if they couldn't fix him. The nurses then called security to have Sherlock pulled away before they went back to prepping John for the procedure.
You stayed by Sherlock's side every minute. You knew he would have a hard time with it, even if he wouldn't admit it. He was an emotional wreck on the inside, and you could see tears welling up in his eyes, which he furiously blinked away. You longed to reach out and brush away those tears, to place your hand on his reassuringly. But you knew he'd just turn away and reject your comfort. That was how he was. The only physical contact he made with anyone was an occasional hug for Mrs. Hudson and friendly gestures with John, be it a hug or a pat on the back. He didn't even like handshakes unless he knew the person well.
You let out a sigh and slumped against the chair you were seated in. Sherlock raised a brow and turned towards you. You looked up at him tiredly and saw how broken he really was. His normally neatly curled hair was unkempt and sticking up in various places, a few strands stuck to his forehead with anxious sweat.
"What?" he asked, his usual annoyance evident in his voice.
You shook your head. "Nothing."
"You wouldn't have sighed over nothing. Come on. What is it?"
You shrugged. "Just worried about John, I guess."
"I may not be able to read minds, (y/n) but I can tell when someone is lying. Why won't you tell me what's on your mind?"
"Why don't you just figure it out?" you countered. "I know how much you love assessing people."
He turned to you fully, eyeing you carefully. "It's not John you're worried about; it's someone else, someone close that you care very much for. It's not platonic affection, though, is it? No, it's deeper; stronger. You're in love with this person you're thinking about. I can see it in your eyes. You're tired of hiding it but you know he'll never feel the same so there's no point in even telling him your feelings. You must have told John, of course. What else would you spend your nights talking about if not this secret love of yours? It's quite clear why you wouldn't tell me. I'd simply assess the situation like I'm doing now and you don't like when I hit too close to home so you wouldn't want me to say anything negative about this mystery man." He paused, taking in the solemn expression on your face. Yet there was a different emotion in your eyes... His eyes lightened. "I know this man, don't I? Of course I do. That's why you don't want me to know about it. You don't want him to know. Who do you know besides John and myself? You know Lestrade of course... but that's not the one. It's not Anderson, is it? No, you're better than that. Hm..."
He paused his assessment, leaning back in his chair. He seemed particularly stumped, trying to figure out who your secret crush was. Your heart raced loudly as you waited, expecting him to figure it out.
He let out a soft "Oh..." – his signature "I've figured it out" reaction. He looked down at his lap. "It's me."
You pursed your lips, remaining quiet with your hands in your lap. You only moved when you felt warmth encasing one of your hands. You looked down to find a pale hand covering yours, squeezing gently. Your gaze travelled up the arm attached to the hand, bringing you to look at Sherlock himself. He continued staring forward, uncomfortable with the situation.
"You don't have to pity me," you said, reluctantly pulling your hand away. "I know you don't feel the same. You don't have to pretend to."
He reached out and grasped your hand again, this time lacing your fingers. You looked up at him in surprise. He'd never been this physical.
He turned to look at you. "I'm not pretending," he said softly. "I... Your feelings are reciprocated."
"Really?" you breathed, subconsciously squeezing his hand. He returned the gesture, a small smile on his lips.
"Really," he replied.
You placed your other hand over your interlaced ones, and he did the same, his large hand engulfing both of yours. You rested your head on his shoulder, sighing softly. Sherlock didn't question it; he knew why.
That was how the nurse found you when she came out to tell you that the surgery had been successful, and that you could go visit John.