Title: The Animals Within
Pairings: John/Sherlock
Summary: John takes Sherlock to the zoo where Sherlock deduces which animals best fits their personality. Johnlock.
"Boring." Sherlock drawled as they passed through the entrance of the zoo. John looked up from the map he was reading and gave a long and heavy sigh, putting the map in one hand and looking sternly at his friend.
"Few minutes ago you said you wanted to go to the zoo." John reminded him. To John, it felt Like dragging around a lanky five year old child everywhere with him. "And now you're saying it's boring. Do you want to have a look around or do you just want to insult every thing in your sight?"
Sherlock surveyed the crowd before him, ignoring John's question and began to deduce everyone in front of him. Nearly everybody had the same boring lives. His nose twitched in irritation and he put his hands in his coat pockets. Sherlock snatched the map out of John's hands and began to study it. It was almost like a children's map but then again, Sherlock knew that the zoo was a place for children. "Let's take a look at the reptiles." He pointed to where the reptiles were kept and sauntered of in the direction with John in his wake.
The reptiles weren't far of and the room was more or less empty as the children were mostly looking at the elephants and tigers. The few children that were there were mostly looking at the poisonous spiders and frogs in the middle of the room. Not taking much notice of the different types of snakes that were kept in the large cages behind them.
"I haven't been to the zoo in donkey's years." John admitted as he and Sherlock began looking at the snakes that were kept in the cages. "Before Harry became an alcoholic I think."
"Only been once. Got bored as soon as I walked in." Sherlock replied and John snorted, not finding the comment very surprising. "Who do you think this snake reminds you of?" Sherlock asked, pointing to a snake. John looked at the table where it said it's breed was an Indigo snake before looking at the animal. The snake was thin and long and had dark scales that shone underneath the light and it's tongue flickered in and out of it's mouth as it stared up at them with it's coal black eyes.
"Doesn't remind me of anyone." John frowned, not really sure what his friend meant. "Why? Should it?"
"Reminds me of Moriarty don't you think?" Sherlock asked before he sauntered of outside, his coat billowing behind him as he went.
John stood there bewildered for a second before he looked back at the reptile who raised his head and stared at him in the eyes as though seeing his very soul. John could see why it reminded Sherlock of Moriarty because Moriarty personality was just exactly like a snake. Cold-blooded, cunning and deadly and could see every inch of your soul.
He shivered slightly and not bothering to look at the rest of the animals in the room, he walked out after Sherlock only to find him in front of the otters.
The otters were swimming lazily in the waters and John noticed two otters fast asleep and holding paws as the water drifted them further downstream and he couldn't help but smile and found it rather sweet.
"They remind me of you." John commented as he leaned on the railings and Sherlock looked surprised at him.
"What do?"
John gestured towards the otters. "The otters. They are very egocentric, unstable and definitely love to exaggerate."
"I certainly do look like an otter don't I?" Sherlock smirked and John nodded in agreement. "All though on the other hand, I am not warm, friendly or compassionate like those otters over here." He pointed to a group of otters on the riverbed who were busy playing with each other and rolling about in the mud to notice the adults.
"Of course you are all of those things Sherlock, you just have a hard time showing it."
Sherlock gave a tight smile. "Don't let Mycroft here you say that John. He'll think I'm beginning to lose my touch." He snatched the map out of John's hand and quickly glanced over it before he stuffed it into his pocket, creasing the pages and John rolled his eyes. It was typical behaviour of Sherlock. "Let's go to and see the arctic fox." He sent his friend a wide grin before turning left on his feels and walking towards the mini hill.
When they arrived John found that the arctic fox had a very spacious area with lots of thick trees and mini ponds and John was somewhat glad that the animals here had plenty of freedom even if it wasn't in their natural habitat. He was also pleased that they seemed well looked after as he knew not many animals had this type of luxury.
"Who do you think the arctic fox reminds you off?" John inquired his friend as he gazed at the animal who was perched on top of a mini hill and a few seconds later was joined by a whelp and the mother licked it's head and the whelp whined as though in protest that the mother was embarrassing him.
"Lestrade." Sherlock replied in an instant with a smirk upon his face. "They remind me of Lestrade. He's got silver hair like these muts have. They are both city animals and sometimes countryside animals and can be playful at times."
As John thought about it, he realized Sherlock was right. The arctic fox did remind him of Lestrade. Now he'll always think of his friend as the silver fox. John gave a deep chuckle.
"What's so funny?" Sherlock asked.
"Oh, just thinking that Lestrade is now known as the silver fox by us." Sherlock eyes gave a wicked glint. Lestrade would never hear the end of it.
"C'mon, where to next?" John clapped his hands and rubbed them together, suddenly feeling very cold.
"Well there's an owl and birds of prey show on right now. Want to see that?"
"Go on then, if you insist."
They moved past the crowds of young children, ignoring their cries and shouts of joy before they reached a large area which was near the diner and saw about eight different birds perched up on some logs with a tall, blonde haired lady who spoke through a microphone stood next to them.
"And here we are with Arthur. He is a gorgeous Guatemalan pgymy owl. Personally one of my favourite breeds of owls." She unchained the bright red and orange creature who raised it's wings and battered them before it moved it's tiny legs to perch on the woman's arm before ruffling it's feathers. "Now, the Guatemalan pgymy owl mainly feeds on insects, arthropods and amongst other vertebrates and their main habitat is mountainous regions so they can be mainly found in southern Mexico to Guatemala and Honduras."
"Boring!" Sherlock yawned and John face-palmed. Really, Sherlock could be such a child sometimes but luckily for him, nobody really heard it apart from the family in front of them who turned and glared at him. "However the owl really does remind me of Mycroft." Sherlock smirked.
"Mycroft? What, because the owl is fat?" They both bursted into laughter, knowing that Mycroft was probably breaking his diet right now and eating some baroque cake in downing street or in Buckingham Palace.
They began to walk out of the zoo, not bothered if they have missed all the other animals as Sherlock had a case he needed to get on with and John had work later on in the day. They waited for the taxi to arrive as they stood outside the bus shelter when John turned to Sherlock. "You compared the others to animals but never me. What animal do you think I am?"
He was about to reply when a black taxi pulled up and Sherlock opened the door for John and he got in after him, giving the driver the address to their flat before Sherlock faced John again.
"It's obvious isn't it?"
"What's obvious?" John looked confused.
"Which animal you are."
"Not really. Go on then, what animal am I?" John folded his arms and looked pointedly at Sherlock.
"A hedgehog."