Five Times John Was Underestimated and the One Time He Wasn’t
This was a Make Me A Monday prompt from drakochi
"What would make my day is if someone could recommend me or write some BAMF!John fic. Or something like that: 5 people that underestimated John Watson and one that didn't."
Five Times John Was Underestimated and the One Time He Wasn’t
I - Harriet Watson
“You won’t get it in John. Look at you! You’re short and stocky and they need a surgeon with steadier hands than you. They need someone who can handle the gore while he’s being shot at. They won’t take you.”
John knew half of what Harry was saying was because she was afraid, terrified, that her little brother might die saving others, be shot while stitching a bullet wound. But he also knew that she believed it was the absolute truth. His whole life John had been surrounded by people who didn’t hold back on their opinions and at that point he was used to Harriet telling him what she thought be damned the consequences. She truly thought that John wasn’t big enough, wasn’t strong enough, wasn’t steady enough, wasn’t strong-headed enough, to serve his queen.
He quietly reminded her he wasn’t a ten year old who would be discouraged anymore and left her to her wine, paying for both of their dinners like the gentleman he was.
She was wrong, of course. He was carted off to training not long after their meeting and deployed later that year. She came to meet him before he left and she was a little shocked at how quickly her brother had changed from a little boy to a strong, proud army surgeon. She tried to be happy for him, but all she could feel was ice wrapped around her heart.
II. Detective Inspector Lestrade
When he first saw a short stubby man with a limp and wrinkles hobbling along beside Sherlock Holmes, he will admit he was surprised. Sherlock, he didn’t have colleagues or friends or flatmates. So clearly, Doctor John Watson wouldn’t last long. Something insensitive would be said, Sherlock would insult his family or his friends or him and his pet bloody guinea pig and the doctor would be off in a flash, and good for him. It was then that the Inspector learned for the second time in his life that first impressions aren’t always correct, even if one was a detective. When John Watson came to the next scene, and the next, and eventually knew Scotland Yard like the back of his hand, and when John Watson took hold of James Moriarty to save the life of Sherlock Holmes, Inspector Lestrade knew he’d been sorely mistaken.
III Angelo
Despite his overly cheery demeanour and his adoration for Mr. Holmes, Angelo does, in fact, have an opinion. And when he first saw John Watson run off without his cane, he was happy for him, no doubt. He just knew that it wouldn’t last. Adrenaline and distraction only worked for so long before the mind started remembering it had to pretend.
Angelo was a clever man. Sherlock would never have bothered to get him off the murder charge if he hadn’t. In fact, Angelo had made a small fortune through housebreaking, which earned Holmes’ respect in the first place. He knew his shit. So each time John ran in after Sherlock, breathless and grinning and radiant, he was surprised.
Ten years later, when they ran a little slower and ate a little more, Angelo was almost surprised when he realised that he hadn’t doubted John for a long time.
IV Sarah Sawyer
When Sarah signed on Doctor John Watson to her locum team she saw an old, warn out army doctor. A man who was happy to be home and settled and wanted a quiet life, with a few colds and a stubbed toe or two - someone who was protective and sensible and wanted to retire to a quiet country home. Sarah never had been a good judge of character. Because on their first date, not only did John bring along his ridiculously handsome and clever flatmate, he attacked a Chinese warrior and nearly got them both killed. And Sarah, she may not be a good judge of character but her observation skills are no lower than average, and she saw the look on his face, the pure adrenaline flashing in his eyes and the quirk of maniacal smile when Sherlock Holmes showed up on the scene. She knew then that she had been wrong, so very, very wrong. He wasn’t just an adrenaline junkie, he was in love with the danger and the fear and the power, with the running and the jumping and the dodging and the finding, and, even though he probably didn’t know it yet, he was in love with his stupid pain-in-the-ass flatmate.
V Sherlock Holmes
The biggest underestimation Sherlock Holmes ever made was in relation to one John Watson. Even when Irene Adler slipped through his fingers, he was aware of her and of her reputation for being clever. To Sherlock, John was just another boring, dull, easily entertained human entity who intended to bore him to death and pay half his rent. What he didn’t anticipate was a pocket rocket of a man who came running at the word danger instead of bolting away. An old army doctor who was just dying for a reason to put himself in the front line again, to run around like a ten year old playing tag and to be the most intriguing person Sherlock has come across. Because when John shot a cabbie for him with the aim of a hit man? When he tried to restrain Moriarty and ensure Sherlock’s escape? When he gave that nod before they were all blown to hell?
Well, Sherlock’s never been so glad to be wrong.
+I Mycroft Holmes
It was John’s lack of fear that confirmed Mycroft’s high hopes in this man. When he limped in after being kidnapped off a busy London street, when he checked the messages on his phone instead of cowering, when he said ‘you don’t seem very frightening’, he felt his heart swell that he had finally found someone who fit his brother. Someone who could put up with his crap, someone who had an automatic impulse to care for another, someone who loved the rush as much as Sherlock did. On the surface, he was a simple man who enjoyed tea and jam and a good episode of classic Who, but underneath he was a soldier and that quality would remain with him forever.
"What would make my day is if someone could recommend me or write some BAMF!John fic. Or something like that: 5 people that underestimated John Watson and one that didn't."
Five Times John Was Underestimated and the One Time He Wasn’t
I - Harriet Watson
“You won’t get it in John. Look at you! You’re short and stocky and they need a surgeon with steadier hands than you. They need someone who can handle the gore while he’s being shot at. They won’t take you.”
John knew half of what Harry was saying was because she was afraid, terrified, that her little brother might die saving others, be shot while stitching a bullet wound. But he also knew that she believed it was the absolute truth. His whole life John had been surrounded by people who didn’t hold back on their opinions and at that point he was used to Harriet telling him what she thought be damned the consequences. She truly thought that John wasn’t big enough, wasn’t strong enough, wasn’t steady enough, wasn’t strong-headed enough, to serve his queen.
He quietly reminded her he wasn’t a ten year old who would be discouraged anymore and left her to her wine, paying for both of their dinners like the gentleman he was.
She was wrong, of course. He was carted off to training not long after their meeting and deployed later that year. She came to meet him before he left and she was a little shocked at how quickly her brother had changed from a little boy to a strong, proud army surgeon. She tried to be happy for him, but all she could feel was ice wrapped around her heart.
II. Detective Inspector Lestrade
When he first saw a short stubby man with a limp and wrinkles hobbling along beside Sherlock Holmes, he will admit he was surprised. Sherlock, he didn’t have colleagues or friends or flatmates. So clearly, Doctor John Watson wouldn’t last long. Something insensitive would be said, Sherlock would insult his family or his friends or him and his pet bloody guinea pig and the doctor would be off in a flash, and good for him. It was then that the Inspector learned for the second time in his life that first impressions aren’t always correct, even if one was a detective. When John Watson came to the next scene, and the next, and eventually knew Scotland Yard like the back of his hand, and when John Watson took hold of James Moriarty to save the life of Sherlock Holmes, Inspector Lestrade knew he’d been sorely mistaken.
III Angelo
Despite his overly cheery demeanour and his adoration for Mr. Holmes, Angelo does, in fact, have an opinion. And when he first saw John Watson run off without his cane, he was happy for him, no doubt. He just knew that it wouldn’t last. Adrenaline and distraction only worked for so long before the mind started remembering it had to pretend.
Angelo was a clever man. Sherlock would never have bothered to get him off the murder charge if he hadn’t. In fact, Angelo had made a small fortune through housebreaking, which earned Holmes’ respect in the first place. He knew his shit. So each time John ran in after Sherlock, breathless and grinning and radiant, he was surprised.
Ten years later, when they ran a little slower and ate a little more, Angelo was almost surprised when he realised that he hadn’t doubted John for a long time.
IV Sarah Sawyer
When Sarah signed on Doctor John Watson to her locum team she saw an old, warn out army doctor. A man who was happy to be home and settled and wanted a quiet life, with a few colds and a stubbed toe or two - someone who was protective and sensible and wanted to retire to a quiet country home. Sarah never had been a good judge of character. Because on their first date, not only did John bring along his ridiculously handsome and clever flatmate, he attacked a Chinese warrior and nearly got them both killed. And Sarah, she may not be a good judge of character but her observation skills are no lower than average, and she saw the look on his face, the pure adrenaline flashing in his eyes and the quirk of maniacal smile when Sherlock Holmes showed up on the scene. She knew then that she had been wrong, so very, very wrong. He wasn’t just an adrenaline junkie, he was in love with the danger and the fear and the power, with the running and the jumping and the dodging and the finding, and, even though he probably didn’t know it yet, he was in love with his stupid pain-in-the-ass flatmate.
V Sherlock Holmes
The biggest underestimation Sherlock Holmes ever made was in relation to one John Watson. Even when Irene Adler slipped through his fingers, he was aware of her and of her reputation for being clever. To Sherlock, John was just another boring, dull, easily entertained human entity who intended to bore him to death and pay half his rent. What he didn’t anticipate was a pocket rocket of a man who came running at the word danger instead of bolting away. An old army doctor who was just dying for a reason to put himself in the front line again, to run around like a ten year old playing tag and to be the most intriguing person Sherlock has come across. Because when John shot a cabbie for him with the aim of a hit man? When he tried to restrain Moriarty and ensure Sherlock’s escape? When he gave that nod before they were all blown to hell?
Well, Sherlock’s never been so glad to be wrong.
+I Mycroft Holmes
It was John’s lack of fear that confirmed Mycroft’s high hopes in this man. When he limped in after being kidnapped off a busy London street, when he checked the messages on his phone instead of cowering, when he said ‘you don’t seem very frightening’, he felt his heart swell that he had finally found someone who fit his brother. Someone who could put up with his crap, someone who had an automatic impulse to care for another, someone who loved the rush as much as Sherlock did. On the surface, he was a simple man who enjoyed tea and jam and a good episode of classic Who, but underneath he was a soldier and that quality would remain with him forever.