Prompting Part XXX

[sherlockbbc_fic]

Please check the Sticky Post to find the newest active part and post your prompts there.

IMPORTANT! Spoilers for aired episodes are now being
allowed on this area of the meme, without warning. If you do not want to encounter spoilers, please prompt at our Spoiler-Free Prompt Post.

Comments

Re: Untitled 1b/?

[anonymous]

Sherlock can feel himself getting excited. He allows his curious mouth to fire off questions. "Once you appear? What do you mean by that? Why do you get sick? Is it always the same kind of sick? Wait, no, do you always feel ill? Because the first time I went swimming in the lake I had a cold for the whole week when I got out, but then the next time I didn't."

"Woah, slow down!" chides the man, grinning. He holds up three fingers and counts them off as he answers Sherlock's questions. "Okay, one: I usually feel sick because what I do takes it's toll on my body. Two: yeah, it's usually dizziness, nausea and headaches. And three: I feel poorly most of the time, yeah."

"You missed on the most important question!" retorts Sherlock, although his eyes are shining with the glee of having new information. "What do you mean by once you appear? HOW did you appear? Also, how did you find my secret hideout?"

"Ah, well," says the man, still grinning, "Perhaps we should make introductions first, Sherlock, before I tell you my secret. My name is John." He bends down and offers a hand for the little boy to shake.

Now Sherlock is really, really curious!

"How do you know my name?" he blurts out, totally ignoring the offered hand.

John drops his hand in lieu for placing both of them of his knees as he bends down to Sherlock's height. His eyes are twinkling, like Sherlock's does when he's really looking forward to something.

"Because I'm a Time Traveller, Sherlock."

Re: Untitled 1c/?

[anonymous]

"You're not a time traveller! Real time travellers have clothes. Usually really old ones, like Victorian clothes or roman togas or something, because they actually time travel and get clothes from different eras and cultures. And they usually have assistants to help them explore and go on adventures," replies Sherlock, a bit disappointed. He would have loved to have met a real time traveller.

John sits on the grass carefully, arranging the towel so it still covers his modesty. "Yeah, like Doctor Who? Uh, yeah, sorry, I'm a bit of a rubbish Time Traveller compared to The Doctor."

"You're strange. I'm leaving," says Sherlock, scrutinising the man sat down in front of him.

John blinks and looks a little disappointed. Then he waves his hand. "Okay, I'll catch you next time maybe."

Sherlock doesn't move. Then with a big, melodramatic sigh, he plops down on the grass opposite John. "I would leave, but you're just too interestin- I, well, I still have questions to ask."

John smiles. "Okay, shoot."

"Right, now really how do you know my name? Are you friends with Mycroft? You look too old to be. Scratch that. Are you friends with Daddy?" says Sherlock, his last question finishing on a high, hopeful note.

"I'm...well, I've never met your dad and I wouldn't exactly say I'm friends with Mycroft. Acquietences, I guess," replies John. "And I've told you, I'm a Time Traveller. I'm not lying to you, Sherlock. And I'm not that old, am I?"

Sherlock smiles slightly. "Well, of course you're old." He watches as Johns face crumples into a comical frown. "Just to me of course, because I'm only seven and three-quarters. I'm sure to Mycroft you wouldn't be that old," he hurriedly adds, desperate to appear polite in front of this strange, wonderful man.

"You're seven?"

"And three-quarters," corrects Sherlock. "How can I believe you? You have no proof."

"Well then, lets see. You've never met me before, but I've met you lots in the future, which is how I know that you're Sherlock Holmes, that you have a brother named Mycroft and, at this age, a fish called Hank. Your birthday is 6th January 1976. You live with your parents in Sway, Hampshire. Your favourite colour is blue and you want to be a pirate. Oh, and you're very, very smart. Top of your class," replied John.

Sherlock is more than a little dumbfounded. Then he shakes his head. "Mycroft could have told you that. Give me more proof!"

"Okay," says John, leaning in and surveying the young boy, "Does Mycroft know about the frogs you've been keeping under your bed? Or about your lovely friend Anna?"

Sherlock blushes furiously. "No, he doesn't. No one does. How did you..." he trails off.

John smiles, fondly remembering how he was told about Sherlock's primary school crush and temporary pets. He leans forward again though, determined to impress the little boy. "And if you want even more proof, stick around and I'll vanish in front of your eyes."

The boy's eyes sparkle and he fidgets excitedly. "Really?"

"Yep."

"Can you do it now?!"

"I'm afraid not," John replies, watching the boy's face drop, "I don't get to choose when I come and go. But I'll let you know when I'm feeling like I'm going to disappear, okay? It shouldn't be too long, I'm feeling a bit queasy again. Always a tell-tale sign."

Sherlock squishes his mouth to the side as he contemplates waiting for the man to magical vanish. He decides it would hurt to wait. It's only polite after all. "Oh, okay, yeah, sure."

John smiles at the little boy. "Right. Say, Sherlock, have you got any food with you? Only time travelling makes me a little hungry."

The bag next that lies next to them is upended as Sherlock searches for food. He comes up with a bag of raisins and some squashed mini ham sandwiches. "Will this be alright?"

"That's great, thanks," smiles John. The boy grins proudly back. "

Re: Untitled 1c/?

[anonymous]

"I've got some orange juice too if you'd like it!" says Sherlock giddily, watching John nod as he unwraps the sandwiches from the clingfilm and stuffs them into his mouth. Sherlock watches almost unnervingly, his eyes fixed on the man. "You eat like a dog."

John sputters slightly and finishes his mouthful. "I do not!"

"Yes you do," replies Sherlock, grinning. He plucks the orange juice from underneath the bag, where he chucked it after retrieving the food, and chucks it at John. "Do all time travellers eat like that? Is it because you still feel ill? Were you sick?"

"Ah, so you believe I'm a Time Traveller now then?" says John. He finished off the sandwiches and licks his fingers before opening the raisin packet. He offers one to the little boy, who declines with a shake of his head, finding it more fascinating watching the man eat.

"Well, of course I'm going to need more data to fully believe it," says Sherlock, eyes wide and curious, "but I'll humour you for the moment."

That deep chuckle reaches Sherlock's ears again, and he thinks for a second how good it feels to just sit here with somebody and chat. God knows Mycroft is too busy to nowadays.

He doesn't realise he's said that out loud until he sees John frowning. John pops another raisin into his mouth and asks, "Where is your brother at the moment anyway?"

"With his school friends."

"Why aren't you with your friends?" John asks, although he's already knows what the answer will be.

Sherlock pouts. "I don't need friends. Everyone's boring and stupid at school." He crosses his arms. "I'm perfectly happy."

Just the answer John had been predicting. He tries to smile warmly and asks, "Could I be your friend?"

Sherlock considers. Friends are boring, but having a time traveller as a friend would be pretty wicked. And although he won't admit it, being by himself does get a bit, well, lonely sometimes. Maybe a friend would be good.

"Yes," says Sherlock, delivering his words as if he were a king, "You can be my friend."

John lights up. It's the only way Sherlock can really explain it, its like the man was actually very happy at being Sherlock's friend.

"Ah-" murmurs John. A shiver runs up his back as he stomach churns. "Time to get going."

"What? You're leaving?"

John takes one look at the little boys familiar face and feels his heart break slightly. "It's okay, I'll be back." Suddenly, he remembers what he has to do. "Sherlock, have you got a notebook and a pen on you? I just need to write down some quick dates. It'll tell you when to expect me down here next. It'll also be good if you could bring some trousers and a shirt or something. Food and drink wouldn't go amiss either. Don't get me wrong, I like this blanket, but I like my creature comforts too."

While John was talking, Sherlock was rooting through his bag for a pen, having fished a small notebook out already. He finds a kind of blunt pencil, but John says it'll do, so Sherlock hands the pen and paper to the time traveler and sits on his hand, jiggling his knees up and down restlessly.

"Okay, so the next date you have to look out for is near Christmas. It's the 20th December at 4:00pm, okay?" says John as he hastily writes down the dates he's memorised from the very same notebook he has at home in his own time period. "Now I may appear older, or I may appear younger. I'm sorry I haven't had enough time to explain how time works. But I'm sure you can research about it, you're a clever lad! And if not, then I'll explain it to you next time, okay?"

John can really feel himself going now. He holds out his hand. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Sherlock Holmes."

Sherlock stands up and edges forward, eyes shining. He takes John's hand and shakes it slowly, solemnly. John gives one last smile as his body starts to disappear from his toes and works its way upwards. It is a pleasure to see Sherlock absolutely floored in wonder, and it is the last thing John sees before he is taken from Sherlock's childhood.