An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/6 Fandom: Sherlock (TV) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson Characters: Sherlock Holmes, John Watson, Mrs. Hudson (Sherlock Holmes) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Tattoos, Friends to Lovers, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, OOC Sherlock Holmes, he starts off softer than he does in the show, Tattoo Artist Sherlock, Mentions of past drug use, but only vaguely, Fluff and Angst, Two Pining Idiots, Mutual Pining, No Smut, mary morstan is a minor character Summary:
John gives in to his girlfriend's wheedling to get a tattoo. Sherlock is a tattoo artist who can read what kind of tattoo a person should have. When Sherlock refuses to give John the tattoo he asks for, John is forced to think about who he really is. And Sherlock has to learn to let another person into his life and his heart.
Excerpt
“I’d like a tattoo of this, please.” John slid across the counter the picture he’d printed out earlier. The man sitting on a stool behind the counter didn’t look up from what he was drawing.
“No, you don’t.”
John stared at the man with a frown. One, what did the man know about what John wanted? Two, he hadn’t even glanced at the picture.
“Um, yeah, I do.”
“Nope.” He popped the P extra loud as he said it.
“Excuse me,” John replied, feeling his blood pressure go up ever so slightly. “I think I know what I want. Also, you didn’t even look at it.”
The man sighed, dropped his pen and sketchpad on top of the printout, and looked up. Piercing, light eyes met John’s. “I’m sure it’s something boring like your army unit or the rod of Asclepius, or maybe your girlfriend’s name, if you’re a complete idiot.” His eyes ran up and down John and raised an eyebrow as if to ask, ‘Are you an idiot?’









