Day 17: "You Look A Little Pale"
today's prompt fill is an excerpt from Something Of The Night About You.
For the next twenty-four hours, John barely left Sherlockâs side while the detective remained in a deep, dreamless sleep. He sat vigil over his motionless form, only concerned with Sherlockâs wellbeing and ignoring all of Lestradeâs texts about what had happened the night theyâd tried to nab their suspect, who was, by all accounts, in the wind and long gone.Â
Good riddance to bad rubbish, John had thought, as he finally tore himself away from Sherlockâs side to answer to his rumbling, empty stomach. Moving like an automaton, John put together a lazy manâs charcuterie plate; a few triangles of Laughing Cow cheese and water biscuits, a small handful of grapes. He sighed, popping a few grapes in his mouth and closing his eyes, exhausted. Whatâs happened to you? He wondered, gaze turned sideways, keeping Sherlockâs bedroom door in view.Â
Mindful of the floorboardâs creaks, John went back to the detectiveâs bedroom as silently as he could, and moved to change the cold compress heâd left across his forehead. âOh, Sherlock, the state of youâŠâ he lamented softly, ringing out the cloth in the bowl of water on his bedside before replacing it on his alabaster forehead. âThe colourâs completely gone from your face,â he observed, touching his cheek gently. Taking the manâs wrist in his hand, he counted his pulse and kept an eye on his watchâs second hand. âThready,â he noted, placing Sherlockâs hand by his side once more and squeezing it. âYouâre so cold, this canâtâŠâ he shook his head. âI canât lose you, not like this,â he sighed, head in his hands and his elbows resting on the bed. âIâve never seen this before, feverish but still so cold,â he bit back frustrated tears and shook his head. âDo you remember, once, back when we first met, and I found you completely spaced out,â he managed a small smile. âWankered on nicotine patches, you idiot,â he shrugged, a soft, bitter laugh escaping him. âYou do such stupid things, Sherlock,â he held his hand, squeezing. âYou always do such stupid thingsâŠâÂ
In a moment of weakness, John let a few tears escape his exhausted eyes. He looked back to his meagre plate, still untouched, and realized that he had lost his appetite entirely; all he could think about was Sherlockâs state. âWhy did you do it, hm?â He asked the sleeping figure. âWhat could have possibly possessed you to let yourself be so taken byâŠâ he shut his eyes, not wanting to remember but being cursed to recall the scene. âIf only Iâd followed you closer, if Iâd stepped inâŠâ
âThen he would have harmed you, tooâŠâ Sherlockâs cracking voice, sore and small from disuse, interjected. He lifted a weak, shaking hand to Johnâs cheek. âJohnâŠâ he managed a small smile. âHowâ how longâŠ?âÂ
John blinked away his tears and held Sherlockâs hand against his face. âJust over a day,â he replied, heart racing. âSherlock, tell me what happened,â he pressed, âwhat did he do to you?â He wiped Sherlockâs brow and removed the moist cloth, combing back his unruly mop of hair with shaking fingers. âGodâŠâÂ
âI hadnât meant to,â Sherlock blinked slowly, taking in the sight of Johnâs fretting face. His vision was beginning to return to him, things coming into focus at last; he felt as weak and flimsy as a paper doll, and as he slowly raised his hands in front of his face, he noted the now-pallid shade of his normally alabaster skin. âSomehow, all control was taken from me when he looked at me. I really thought I was for it,â he remarked, âI felt the life being stolen from meâŠâ he flexed his hands open and shut slowly, watching his fingers. âI thought I was going to die before I couldâŠâ he stopped himself, and shut his eyes.Â
thank you @ailesswhumptober for the prompt!
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