The genius's weakness
Sherlock was being an ass. And not because he was enjoying it, moreover that he was simply an ass.
John was watching from the corner, wishing he could sink away from the situation in front of him. Which was Sherlock having no compassion or sympathy for the crying client in front of him.
"It was your dog. Now get out." Sherlock finishes. Turning away from the stunned woman before he even finished his sentence. Sitting down on his chair, his eyes immediately fade to a glaze of deep thought.
"Uh, follow me. Please." Watson says, gently urging the still stunned woman in front of him. "My dog?" She says vaguely as she walks out the door and Watson shuts the door behind her.
"Do you HAVE to be such a DICK?!" John asks, his hands over his face. "She's dumb. The answer was right in front of her. She let herself get blinded by grief." Sherlock answers, not even bothering a glance up from his trance.
John sighs, "She's human Sherlock. We all have weaknesses. Whether they are physical like my limp, or emotional like that woman, we all have them." But Sherlock simply gives a short snort and continues to ignore him.
"Even you." Watson says warily, trying to at least get a reaction out of the man. And was not disappointed. "I-" Sherlock starts. "-am not an average human. And I do not have childish weakness as such." With that, he clumsily gets up and stumbles into the kitchen for some bad tea.
But the message was clear: Sherlock was hiding something. Some sort of weakness. Something that makes him feel human and weak. And as Sherlock's only friend, it was obviously his duty to find out what it is.
'It will be good to have something to use against him when he decides to be an ass. This may be a very good thing after all.' The smaller man thinks to himself, allowing himself a grin.
Sherlock was in the kitchen drinking his tea, ignoring John. Oblivious to his plot to find sherlock's human weakness.
The next couple days were uneventful. With no case to delve into, it gave both men time to themselves. Sherlock was lounging on the couch in his pajamas while John sat in his chair pretending to read his newspaper.
"What." Sherlock says. His eyes closed. "I didn't say anything." Watson answers, bewildered. "You didn't have to. Your thoughts are deafening."
Watson sighs and decides that cutting to the chase was better than trying to fool the genius. "You're human Sherlock. You are an incredible one. But a human nonetheless. And the cost of humanity is weakness. As soon as I mentioned you having a weakness a couple days ago, you got all flustered and retreated from the room. You're hiding something."
Sherlock still refuses to open his eyes. But his face was flushed which was enough confirmation for Watson. "Holmes, stop ignoring me. I'm trying to help you. Accepting this is important."
Silence still from Sherlock. John sighs once more, rises from his seat and walks towards his friend.
"Hey" he says snapping his fingers in front of his face. Sherlock's eyes remained closed and uninterested. "Oye" john says once more, this time poking his friend for emphasis. But something peculiar occurred. Sherlock's eyes snapped open, grabbing John's retreating hand before he could react.
"Don't do that." Sherlock says quietly, but his voice was not as authoritative as usual. It was higher, and overlaid with false security.
Watson was in shock. There was no way he had discovered his weakness so fast and there was even less of a possibility that his weakness was that he was … ticklish. And yet there was no denying it. Sherlock's eyes gave all confirmation he needed.
However lucky and coincidental his discovery was. There was no way he was going to let it go. Twisting out of his friends grip he pushes his knees onto the couch next to Sherlock and begins his assault.
"John!" The taller man yells, thrashing and holding in his reaction. 'How did the fool figure it out?! Brother just have told him, there is no way this is coincidence. Damn, stay away from my hips Watson!' Thoughts race through Sherlock's mind as he struggles to escape.
But future note: tickling makes his mind plaice useless. And his self defense even more so. He could barely function, let alone fight back. Oh the weakness, how it drowns him.
"I'll stop when you admit that you have weaknesses Sherlock!" John says gleefully, not even trying to hide that he was thoroughly enjoying himself.
"S-top, there is nohoho w-Ay-yy I'm saying thahat!" He responds, still trying to maintain his composure as Watson attacks his neck and torso.
Sherlock may be larger, but johns army training and general experience with dealing with Sherlock allows him to get the upper hand. The black haired man was now immobile beneath Watson's knees above his head.
He tugs at his arms half-heartedly, but the genius knows it's futile. "John, I know your darkest secrets, if you continue this I will make sure every human in the world knows!"
John just laughs, "then I'll just tell Molly and Greg that you're ticklish." Sherlock shuts up immediately, but still continues to glare at his traitorous friend.
The smaller man sets back to work poking and squeezing all around Sherlock's torso, slowly inching up his body.
The farther up he got, the more desperate Sherlock's struggling became and the less control he had over his composure. "Are arms a bad spot Sherlock?" John teases, earning a glare from the other man. But the venom in his eyes was dampened by the uncontained grin on his face.
Then john digs into his armpits and what little composure Sherlock still maintained over himself dissolved into loud, frantic laughter. John had never truly heard Sherlock laugh. Not fully, not like this. With no boundaries or worries.
"JOHOHOHN STOHOHOP! THIHIHIS IS CHILDIHIHISH!" He yells, squeezing his eyes shut and pulling on his arms desperately. "Admit that you are just as human as everyone else and that you have weaknesses." John resoponds.
"WATSON! THIS IHIHIS HUMILIATING!" Holmes continues, kicking his legs. "PLEAHAHASE WATSON, PLEASEEE!" He yells.
A wave of sympathy washes over Watson, Sherlock wasn't used to being so vulnerable. But deep down he knew this was good for Sherlock, but it still made him since to hear the great man begging.
"Just admit it Holmes" he says, letting up a bit on his tickling. "Please stop Watson," Sherlock pants " why is this so important to you john?" He continues, opening his eyes to look at his friend above him.
"Because it's good for you to admit it." John says. "Anyway, enough breaktime." He says, and launches back into his attack. Pinching his ribs, swiping up and down his sides, a couple of randomly placed pokes to keep Sherlock guessing, and full on attacks on his armpits.
Soon Sherlock was begging again, going mad in the humiliation and laughter. "PLEASE JOHN. ILL DOHOHO ANYTHINGGG!" He screams, thrashing all over the couch trying to do anything to get out of the grip.
"Admit it, god damn it Sherlock!" Watson yells back. "Stop being to stubborn and just saying you damn fool!"
"OK! JUST STOHOP!" Sherlock laughs back, barley able to breath. "I ADMIT IT! I ADMIT I AM HUHUHMAN AND THAT I HAHAHVE WEAKNESSES. NOW STOHOP!"
John considered still going, but decided the man had enough. His forehead was shiny with sweat and his hair was matted and pressed on his forehead. John gets up from his friend and lets him get his breath.
"Thank you" Sherlock says, breathlessly. Then, he snaps up and glares at him. "Don't you dare ever do that again, and don't even THINK about telling anyone. I'm already plotting my revenge against my brother for telling you." He mumbles.
But john just looks confused "your brother? Sherlock, I found out on my own. Totally on accident." He says, bewildered.
Then he stops, "wait, are you telling me your brother used to hold you down and tickle you to tears when you were young?!" Watson asks,mouth open and grinning.
Sherlock goes red and immediately tries to think of a way out of the situation. No such luck prevailed.
"Oh what a good day indeed" Watson says. All this new information in one afternoon. 221b was about to get a lot more interesting. But first, Watson needed to have a chat with Sherlock's Brother.