Chapter 1: Introduction
A/N: This is an ongoing 100 Theme Challenge, where every day for the next 100 days I will try to write and post some lovely drabbles. The entire thing starts at a Study in Pink, and will continue chronologically to post-Reichenbach. Each chapter is Johnlock-centric and from mostly their perspectives. Heavily inspired byRiddelly's Instances. This chapter takes place at the beginning, when John and Sherlock first meet.
Disclaimer: Don't own Sherlock; I'm simply a fan.
"Afghanistan or Iraq?"
Suddenly, John was having second thoughts about giving his phone to this man.
"Sorry, What?"
"Which was it, Afghanistan or Iraq?" He repeated, glancing up from the phone to look at John. He seemed to examine John for a second, before turning his attention back to John's phone.
John was stunned, completely and absolutely stunned. This stranger had figured out that he was a soldier and even managed to narrow it down to two possible countries John had been stationed at in a matter of seconds. He had been in the lab for less than a minute, and without saying anything vital, this complete stranger appeared to have figured him out. When John first entered the lab, he paid little attention to the man hunched over the very serious looking experiment, instead looking around the unfamiliar room at the strange chemicals and supplies he vaguely remembered from his high school chemistry class. If you had asked him to characterize this man based on the few seconds that they had been in the same room, the best John could say was that he appeared mysterious but maintained a formal and superior air about him, tinged with danger. There was absolutely no way John could have told you part of his life story just by looking at him.
Yet that's exactly what this stranger had done to him, with no introduction needed.
Snapping back to the present, he shot a confused glance at Mike wondering if he had said anything about him to the stranger, but a shake of the head indicated that he had done no such thing. The door behind him opened as he looked back over at the suited man, both amazed and curious as to how he figured that out.
It was in that moment that John decided he wanted to become part of this man's life. He wanted to see or even understand the inner workings of his mind, and wanted to stay by his side no matter the consequences. The hole created by his discharge was caused by being forced to leave behind that spontaneous danger and excitement. However, something deep inside told John that he would never be far from sudden peril or thrill if he stayed and ended up sharing a flat with this strange, dark-haired man.
"Afghanistan."