Strange Detective

Scars

Sherlock fell asleep on the sofa with John, tired from his day out.

John smiled at the childlike man in his arms and slipped from underneath Sherlocks weight so that he could stand up, he then scooped the detective into his arms and carried him out of the room.

John used his knee to balance the detective as he opened Sherlocks bedroom door and then laid him down on his bed, undoing Sherlocks shirt quickly and sliding it off his shoulders, as John was about to slide a t-shirt over the detectives head he noticed all the scars that were scattered across his pale torso.

The scars varied in size from what looked like stabs and knife wounds as well as long slashes that looked like they'd been done by a whip.

"Oh Sherlock" John whispered, sitting next to the detective, and gently tracing the scars with his fingers, Sherlock shivered in his sleep and John pulled Sherlock against him and then pulled the duvet over Sherlocks body to keep him warm.

John felt protective over Sherlock and he would kill anybody that hurt hem. If he caught the people that did this to him he would put a bullet through their heart without a second thought.

Sherlock shuffled in his sleep and wrapped his arms around John who smiled gently at him and gently traced over Sherlocks bare torso with delicate fingers and caring hands.

Johns arms stayed carefully under Sherlocks arms, wrapped around his body and resting on his bare stomach, Sherlocks head laying in his lap and John pressed a gentle kiss to his temple as he slept, before falling asleep himself with Sherlock safe in his arms.

***

Sherlock woke in the morning, he could feel something moving under his head, he could feel a weight on his own chest and tried to move only to find said weight was holding him down tightly.

Sherlock pulled the duvet off his torso only to look down at Johns arms wrapped around his bare torso where he could've sworn he was wearing a shirt beforehand.

"John?" Sherlock said nervously, unsure of how this had happened.
John didn't move so Sherlock tried again and tried to free himself from Johns grasp so he could at least turn to look at him.

John stirred after a while and he loosened his grip on Sherlock so Sherlock sat up carefully, pulling himself out of Johns grip so he could look at his face.

"Morning Sherlock" John whispered.

"Um, morning John" Sherlock said uncertainly, looking around for his shirt or something that would do for one. He soon found his blue silk nightgown and pulled it over his shoulders, pulling it tightly around himself and hiding the scars.

"Don't hide Sherlock, I'm not going to hurt you, you fell asleep yesterday on the sofa and so I carried you in and I was changing your shirt for you and I saw the scars and then I just kinda felt a bit protective and I guess I fell asleep here." John assured him, sitting up against the head board.

Sherlock looked John up and down, he was still wearing the same clothes as yesterday but they were ruffled and creased from sleeping. John smiled at him and pat the bed next to himself encouraging Sherlock to sit down.

Sherlock nervously sat back next to John, his back rigid and his muscles tensed.

"Promise I won't hurt you Sherlock" John said softly, reaching out to Sherlocks thigh and keeping his hand there.

Sherlock nodded and leaned slightly against the headboard, letting his body relax just a tiny bit more.

"Is that from your time spent away?" John asked gently, putting his arm round Sherlock and pulling him against his own body, out of harms way. Sherlock just nodded again and let John hold him still.

"You shouldn't be ashamed of them Sher, you did what no one else could do, you were brave and they are a mark of your bravery" John said softly, his voice calming to Sherlocks confused brain.

"But you hide your bullet wound" Sherlock defended, his voice still gentle.

"I don't hide it, I just don't show it, you have a bullet from that wife of mine, I'm glad I got divorced after what she did to you, no one should be able to hurt you like that and get away with it" John said protectively, his hand gently running patterns into Sherlocks arm.

"That wasn't your fault John, she wasn't who she said she was, she lied to you" Sherlock whispered.

"Yeah well I shouldn't have ever stuck with her after knowing what she did to you, I'm glad I didn't" John said quietly. "You've never seen my shoulder have you?"

"No, why?" Sherlock asked, confused.

John undid the top few buttons of his shirt and slid it down his left shoulder showing the mangled scar tissue and the white scarring around it. Sherlock looked at it in awe and reached out his hand slowly, looking at John for confirmation who nodded.

Sherlock very gently touched the scar, the skin felt soft under his fingers but it had little bumps every so often, strips of skin patterned like veins breaking away from each other. His touch was featherlight as he traced the lines and shattered skin across Johns shoulder.

"Now I'm showing you, I'm not hiding it" John said softly, lifting his hand to touch Sherlocks shoulder.

"I was just scared, that's all" Sherlock replied quietly, his hands trembling constantly as they moved.

"Never be scared around me, because I will never judge you and I will never hurt you whether that be physically or mentally because you mean the world to me Sherl" John assured.

Sherlock smiled weakly and John reached a hand under Sherlocks nightgown, holding onto his shoulder gently, skin against skin.

John looked at Sherlock for reassurance before slipping his hand down Sherlocks chest and over the bullet wound near his heart. John was gentle and kind as he let his hand gently explore Sherlocks skin without scaring him off.

John used his other hand to gently pull the robe back off his shoulders so it pooled around them on the bed, blue silk reflecting the light like splinters of glitter.

John traced his hand over the wound on Sherlocks chest, the skin torn and slightly risen, hidden amongst other fainter scarring that riddled along his body. Sherlocks breath hitched in his throat and John lifted his hand slowly away.

Sherlock smiled weakly at him and John slipped his hands back around Sherlocks body, holding his shoulders from behind and hugging him tightly.

"I won't let anyone hurt you again, not if I can help it, I promise I'll try whenever" John promised him, his hand gently carding through Sherlocks sleep tousled curls. Sherlock sighed into Johns shoulder, letting John hold him safe from the world, because he felt safe with John and he felt unreachable.