Sherlock Imagines, Oneshots and Preferences

(teen!lock) Best Friend

You had met Sherlock at school this year. You were both in the same physics class, and when the teacher asked you all to pair up for a project, you chose him. It never ceased to surprise him.

That was nearly a year back. The two of you had grown closer over the months. It started off with just acknowledging smiles, and then to silly little discussions about your hobbies, and then family, friends and gossip. Yes, gossip.

He had never expected to actually reveal so much about himself to anyone beyond his family. But you, you were different. Not like anyone else in this stupid school. He'd seen that since the beginning. You were kinder, more empathetic, more understanding, more tolerant than anyone here.

He'd accept that you'd both grown closer. But there were nights he'd spend wondering just how much closer. Were you still acquaintances? Friends?

He'd call you an acquaintance if anyone asked him. A close acquaintance, if they really insisted.

You'd call him a friend, maybe?

He doubted it. Everyday. But would she, really? Me? The freak? Even if that's what she felt, would she really let everyone know that she'd befriended the freak? She had other friends. They wouldn't like her anymore if she told them that. Maybe she calls me an acquaintance too...

He'd always whined and cried to his mum about how he needed a friend. How everyone else had one. But now, here she was, someone who called him a friend, and yet he labelled her as an acquaintance because he was too scared. Too scared, because he was afraid she would reject it. Push him away like all the others he had, at some point of time, thought to be his friend. He trusted them too easily. Called them his 'friend' too early. They never felt the same. Was she like them, too?

"Where's Sherlock? I swear, he was right here a second ago."

The sound of his name shook him out of his thoughts and he spun around, searching for the source of the voice.

You stood a few steps ahead of him, with a few of your friends. It's been a year since you'd both known each other, alright, but he'd never really spoken to them. You looked around the crowded school corridor frantically.

"Have you seen him? He was right here."

"Y/N."

"Sherlock! There you are. I thought I'd lost you for a moment there!"

"I was right behind you."

"Thank goodness, I'd be lost without my best friend."

And that's when he... stopped? He stood still. Staring. Unmoving. Lost.

"Sherlock?"

He just blinked.

"...Sherlock?"

Tears welled up in his eyes, glistening, unnoticeable. You noticed his hands shake ever so slightly as he held onto his notebooks.

"This is getting scary. Sherlock, are you okay?!?!" You pulled him aside quickly, away from the crowded school hall, shaking him out of his sudden reverie.

He hugged you. Tightly. Suddenly. The tears spilt. His knees wobbled as he clung to you.

"Sherlock?"

"You called me your best friend."

"Uhh... Yeah, I did. I guess I did, didn't I?"

"Why?" His voice broke.

You smiled. "What'd you mean 'why'? Because you are, Sherl!"

"You're telling me that I'm your... best...friend?"

"Yeah."

"Best?"

"Uh-huh."

A moment of silence as both of you stared at the ground.

"Friend??" His voice broke again as more tears fell.

"Sherlock! What makes you doubt it?!"

"Nobody has ever called me their best friend, let alone their friend before. That's why."

"Sher-"

"You have other friends. I've always thought that you were closer to them," He shrugged. "You've known them longer, anyway. And of course, they're more normal, aren't they? Not a freak like me." He struggled to say the word 'freak' through the flood of tears.

"Sherlock, you're-"

"I thought you'd be embarrassed."

"What?!"

"To call me your friend. In front of them. I definitely didn't think you'd use the words 'best friend'. I'd always thought that you'd just refer to me as your acquaintance, classmate, or just as some person you know. I really didn't expect 'best friend', let alone 'friend'. And certainly not in front of all of them."

"Aww, Sherl, come here." You held him closer, his head buried into your shoulder as he craned down and you stood on your toes.

"Y-you deserve better, Y/N. Better... than me." He sobbed onto your shoulder. You felt his whole body shaking in your arms. "You're too kind for me. You deserve better."

"Sherlock Holmes, you're exactly what I deserve."

"N-no. You don't know- how much-" He broke down again.

"Hush, Sherl. It's alright. We're best friends. Okay? We're best friends."

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What do you all think of this chapter?? I think I'll start updating a bit less often now, but anyway...
Sherlock deserves all the love in the world! ❤