Pen-pal AU.
AN: Hello! So this is my first Sherlock fanfiction. This fanfic is based on this amazing post ( Link in my description) by tumblr user shady-brain-farm. I highly suggest you look at the post to know more about this but you don't have to. If you don't then know that in the fic John and Sherlock meet as penpals when Sherlock is in uni and John in the military. Now I know this is a short chapter, I've been meaning to write this for a while and finally got around to it, so this chapter is mainly to help get it started to see how people like it. Reminder that I am American so if I get any British things wrong as this story progresses please let me know! Enjoy :)
Chapter 1 – Well, This Was Unexpected
Sherlock was working in the lab at Bart's trying to pass the time. He was meeting John later on for the first time. He had to admit, he was nervous. Even his case wasn't distracting him properly (it was rather easy after he'd found the green paint flecks). He'd developed…sentiment for the Captain. He never thought that'd happen to him, let alone happen with someone he'd never seen face to face. Then John had stopped writing and Mycroft told him about the shootings and he'd become a mess. He'd nearly failed Uni during that worrying time but luckily managed to graduate only to go straight back to worrying. When he'd received John's letter about being in London, he thought he would have been ecstatic. But he only worried more. The war wasn't over yet, so the only reason an army doctor would be sent back was if he was injured. Yes, Sherlock was glad that John was alive, but he was injured, probably physically and mentally.
As he was analyzing the green paint flecks, Sherlock heard the door open. He heard two pairs of footprints (one he recognized as Mike Stanford and the other seemed to have a limp and cane). He looked up quickly as he heard the stranger say something and did a quick double take. He knew that face well; it was the face that he'd put on his bedside table; the face he'd stared at while spending months worrying. He didn't even register Mike talking to him. He just stood up and walked to the man, who hadn't looked up from his phone yet.
"John," Sherlock said, barely getting the word out. John's head snapped up and his eyes widened. His eyes scanned Sherlock's face, before his whole face split into a genuine smile. Sherlock's eyes quickly looked John over, taking in the psychosomatic limp and the engraving on the back of his phone, before meeting John's eyes and returning the smile.
"Sherlock. I didn't know – how do you – no, time for that later." John said before suddenly launching himself onto the detective. Sherlock froze at first, not used to human contact, before he quickly wrapped his arms around the shorter man and returned the hug.
"Uh, I'll – I'll just – go now," they heard Mike stammer, opening the door and bumping into Molly. "Oh hello Molly, um, I'm just going, maybe you should to come too."
"Wait but what's going on? Who's that?" they heard Molly say before Mike pushed her out the door. After what seemed like hours, but was only a few seconds, the two pulled apart.
"What are you doing here? Weren't we meeting at 2 at Angelo's?" Sherlock asked, never taking his eyes off John's face.
"We were – are – whatever. But Mike's an old friend and I ran into him in the park and he said something about flat mates so I came with him. I didn't know it was you he meant." John replied, moving back slightly to look at Sherlock better.
"Well he was right about the flat mates thing. I play the violin when I'm thinking and sometimes don't talk for days on end. Would that bother you?" Sherlock asked, smirking slightly.
"We're meeting for the first time and you're all business? Should've seen that coming." John said, shaking his head in amusement.
"Come along John," Sherlock said, starting towards the door. "Let's go to Angelo's. There's a lot of things we need to discuss. Then we could see the flat."
"Sounds good to me. What's the address anyways?" John said, following the younger man with a smile. Sherlock turned around briefly, shooting John a gentle smile.
"221B Baker Street," he said, strolling out the door.
Thoughts? :3