John swallowed hard as he clambered up the tall oak tree, as fast as he could go. He knew if he went high enough, then they wouldn't be able to catch him. The gang of boys, who were much older and stronger than him, had chased him all the way to the tree. John could feel his heart hammering away in his chest, as he leant against the tree, trying to catch his breath back. When he heard them leave, he slowly moved down to a lower branch, and watched them go, before he heard a small voice, which caused him to nearly topple out of the tree.
Sherlock, posed in the branch above him had been watching the whole scene. He didn't know if he was amused or disgusted. The boy had blindly, yet deftly made it up the tree. The group must have scared him to his wits for him to resort to such primal instinct. Whatever the case was this boy was in his tree. "You're a quick one" he remarked carefully. "Now get down. You know they won't come back, you've done this before. Just the other day actually."
John looked up at the boy that had startled him. "How did you know?"
Sherlock rolled his eyes. "If you're not utterly blind you'd find tree bark in your jumper sleeves, a thin cut under your ear from the leaves, and a splinter in your left thumb. I also saw it happen." His eyes evaluated the kid. Blonde, athletic, under pressure. Completely normal, but new to the private school. Fresh meat. "Now as I've repeated before, this is my tree, get out."
John didn't move, "What makes this your tree?"
Sherlock smirked. "The same force which makes it not yours. I have spent months here undisturbed. Why, I even keep my bag up here. Mine" he contained a laugh.
John frowned and started going down the tree.
Sherlock's smile sank suddenly. "Wait!" He called. He didn't feel right sending the boy away. He was lonely up here. "You don't have to leave, I guess. What's your name, at least?"
John stopped and looked up at the stranger, "John. John Watson."
"Sherlock" he responded curtly and extended a hand to John.
John climbed back up to where Sherlock was sitting on the highest possible branches of the tree and took his hand, "Nice to meet you."
"Pleasures all mine." Sherlock replied. He peered over the edge. "Why were they chasing you? Not for money not here."
John looked at his hands, "They... It's nothing."
Sherlock pouted. "Oh do tell me." He insisted and bent down to John his school issued shirt, unbuttoned just at the neck, exposing his pale collar bones.
John looked up at Sherlock, "Oh the usual."
Sherlock groaned. "The usual is hardly ever usual." He sighed. "Just elaborate," he commanded. "It won't kill you"
John sighed, "What do you think they would want from me, new to the school as I am?"
"Entertainment. Popularity. They desire to be on top and put you in your place, which evidently is below them. I don't agree. You're in perfect physical and mental standings, you're kind, and you're blonde. You should be on their level if not higher. Except you're here on scholarship right? Yeah. That's it. Society. What an ugly word." Sherlock waves his hands about as he talked.
John looked shocked, "Right."
"You're a dull one" Sherlock sighed and hooked his legs around the branch to dangle upside down, exposing his stomach. "Tell me John, have they ever hurt you?"
John shuddered at the thought, "Not yet." He watched Sherlock dangle upside down, "Have they hurt you?"
Sherlock's eyes flashed with brief anger. "Perhaps they might have. You've never been bullied before. If you had you wouldn't be so scared." He ventured.
John frowned, "Perhaps not."
"Spoiled" Sherlock muttered "only child? No. Only good child! That's it"
John looked surprised, "How did you know?"
"Never bullied. You have an older sibling, probably a trouble maker because she has to be out of the house. Older, not younger, because your backpacks a hand me down, still had the initials of the child in the side, HJW. Knowing your name did not match said initials I insist you have a sibling. You got into this school, meaning you're the good one. The scholarship isn't full unless you play a sport, on some semblance of a professional level. Parents had to help. A bit spoiled we are. New shoes, new pen, broken however, so it's cheap. Spoiled but not rich."
John almost fell out of the tree again, "How did you know all of that?"
"How could I not, you're so easy to read" Sherlock taunted
John rolled his eyes, "If you're going to be that way, I could just leave."
"And yet you listened to me when I asked you to stay" he replied as John began to climb down. "Why is that?"
"I thought I could have found... a friend." He sighed once he reached the ground, "Turns out I was wrong."
Sherlock stiffened. The words of every idiot didn't hurt but John wasn't an idiot. That much was clear. And his words hurt like a knife in his gut. Sherlock smoothly jumped from the tree, landed the ten foot jump and stood at his full six foot height gracefully. "I didn't mean-sorry. I can be...intolerable." He said, grazing on modesty but not quite hitting the mark
John raised his eyebrows, "I can see that."
Sherlock rolled his eyes. He shook his head and chuckled darkly. "I'm off John, but if you want to use the tree you can use it." He said as a peace offering before trotting off toward the school building.
"Thanks," John called after him. Then, his curiosity getting the better of him, he shouted, "Wait, where are you going?" and started after him.
Sherlock turned and smirked to himself. "Least populated area of the school." He paused and tossed his head as a way of direction. "Library"
"Can I come?" He had almost caught up with him.
Sherlock opened his mouth to say no but thought about it. He could keep John safe. And the boy was obviously desperate for any socialization considering he was associating in some way with Sherlock. "Yeah, if you stay quiet, I guess" he said finally and headed inside the ugly building. How he hated school.