A Study In Him (Teenlock)

Healing

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|Short Filler Chapter :)|

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"How you feeling, John?" Sherlock slowly entered John's room. He lay in bed, wrapped up in covers with the heating on.

Nice and warm.

"It's a little warm in here, Sherlock," John rasped. Sherlock turned the thermostat down slightly, "Well I don't want you cold."

John slowly sat up onto his pillow, grunting. He had another white shirt on, which was actually one of Sherlock's. It was long on him, but a bit tight. Through it Sherlock could see the bandage around John's torso that Dr. Martin gave him.

John was well-built-- not incredibly muscular, but still built well from years of sports education-- and this could be seen through the tight white shirt.

"Sherlock, you've been checking up on me every 30 minutes for the past two days. I'm fine, really."

"I'm just making sure of that," Sherlock sat on the end of John's plush bed, "I feel bad, letting my mind get swept away by science and leaving you there. You're lucky you didn't get a bad infection."

"It's not your fault," John firmly placed a hand on Sherlock's arm, "Really."

Sherlock shrugged, "Well, I feel like it is. I get closure, checking up on you, and making sure you're okay. All you have to do is lay around all day, and I don't want you getting lonely."

"It's been two days, I think I can--" John let out a pained grunt as he straightened up, "Move around."

"Apparently not," Sherlock mused, "You got a fairly bad hole ripped through you, that's got to hurt."

John sighed in defeat, "It does. In two days, you'd think it'd feel better but that area still hurts when I move."

"Let me check it," Sherlock instructed, "Lay down."

John, groaning, flattened out on the bed. Sherlock moved the covers and lifted up the white shirt, revealing the wrapping.

He ran his fingertips along John's chiseled frame, admitting to himself he was a little jealous.

John let out a sigh, "This really isn't the time..."

"I know," Sherlock pulled his hand back, "Sorry."

The future detective undid the clip that held the bandages together, slowly unraveling them from around John's middle.

The scar was certainly noticeable, bruised and swollen and seeping with pus. The tight wrappings left indents in John's skin, though those would go away.

The smaller boy let out a relieved sigh, "That feels better...The bandages were so tight. They could've squeezed my innards out."

Sherlock snorted, "No, they couldn't. Anyway, I'm worried about this. From the small amount of medical training I've had, I know that's what an infected wound looks like."

John sat up a bit, propping himself against the wall with another pained grunt, looking at his injury. His eyes widened, worried, "Yeah. That's an infection."

"I'll call Dr. Martin," Sherlock got up and grabbed his phone, "In the meantime, your wound gets a chance to air out."

"Feels nice," John rubbed the surrounding area, "I've had that thing on for two whole days."

"I bet. Now shh," Sherlock shushed his friend, motioning to the cell phone held to his ear.

"Yeah hi, Dr. Martin..." Sherlock's voice faded out as he strode out of the room, pacing up and down the hall as he explained John's status. John laid back down, sighing as his head squished into the soft pillow.

Sherlock reentered the room, pocketing his phone, "He'll be here momentarily."

Just as he said, Dr. Martin arrived about 5 minutes after the call. Sherlock led him upstairs to John's room, "We believe it's infected, as I mentioned before."

"Yep," Dr. Martin examined the injury, "That's infected. Not badly, so you'll be fine, but I will give you some medicine."

Dr. Martin rummaged through his satchel, looking for the right medication. John turned his head to the Holmes family doctor, "So...Do you work at the town hospital?"

"Nah," Dr. Martin flashed him a smile before returning to his searching, "I ain't a surgeon or nothin'. I work at the clinic down the road."

John nodded, "Anything you can teach me? I'm an aspiring doctor...Not a surgeon, but a job like yours."

Dr. Martin momentarily ceased his search, "Well I'll be! A young, aspiring doctor with loads of potential! Come 'round the clinic any time you want, I can give you some mentoring."

John smiled wide, "That's...The first time anyone's fully accepted my life's dream...And been happy about it!"

"Nah, can't be!" Dr. Martin nudged his shoulder, "You have the needs to be a great doctor, surely they can see that?"

"I know I can."

Dr. Martin turned and caught the loving look Sherlock gave John. The family doctor raised an eyebrow, "Now I know this ain't my business, but are you two..."

Sherlock broke his gaze, "Uh, no, he's just staying over. Family issues."

"Ah," Dr. Martin nodded, "My apologies."

John nodded as the man returned to looking through his satchel. Eventually, he pulled out a bottle of ointment.

"Clean off the wound once a day and apply this," he instructed, "Don't forget. You should be healed in no time!"

John nodded thanks, "Okay. I'll be sure to show at the clinic before I have to go back to school, and during spring break."

"Oh, boarding school then?"

"Yep. Sir Arthur's in Central London. I go back on the 5th of January."

"Well I'll be," Dr. Martin looked astonished, "You got in to Sir Arthur's University? Like, the one in Central London? That's the best boarding school for aspiring greats! Good on ya!"

John smiled awkwardly, "That's where I met him," he gestured at Sherlock.

"Yep, I know Sherl goes there."

"Hey," Sherlock looked at his family's doctor, "Don't call me that."

"I remember when you was just a boy," Dr. Martin teased, "Your mum called you that all the time."

Sherlock looked at his feet, "Shut up."

Dr. Martin chuckled, collecting his satchel and standing up, "You come 'round sometime, eh? I know you have the needs to be a great future doctor."

John smiled back at him, "Will do. Thanks!"

Sherlock watched Dr. Martin leave, and then turned back to John. Never, in his whole time of knowing the other boy, had he ever seen such a big, genuine smile on his face.