DISCLAIMER:
The only way I am associated to the show Sherlock, BBC or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is through my hyperactive imagination.
Telescope
By MadameHappy
These blasted knobs can't turn.
Sherlock had been adjusting for ages now and all he could see through the telescope was darkness and smudges of white nothing. He groaned quietly. To think that with all the microscopes he had adjusted in the past for various reasons, this should just pass by as an easy job.
Telescopes, he found, were frustrating knobs and turns, bits and bobs, tripods that couldn't stand right, lenses that wouldn't obey. It was irritating. In his mind, he mentally banished Galileo to the seven pits of hell.
It didn't help that he and John were in a dark field in the middle of the night when the moon was new, and the manual was henceforth useless, since neither of them had the sense to pack a flashlight (Him. Sherlock bloody Holmes. Forget his flashlight.).
"I don't see the point of this, John."
John watched him work with amusement grazing his face. "You need to learn these things Sherlock. It helped with the case of that fake painting."
"Once."
"Something else could come up."
"In which I could rely on you."
"Might not always be there- for God's sake, hand it over."
Sherlock was tugging on the knobs fiercely, in frustration, almost to the point of breaking. Resignedly, he stepped aside on the empty dark field, throwing his arm in a mock-welcome gesture.
John took over Sherlock's spot and looked the telescope over and peering through the glass. After a few tweaks, John's face brightened and he stepped aside. "There. Should see the stars clearly now."
Frustrated that John adjusted it so easily, he strode over to the telescope and peeked through it.
He blinked at the mass of stars that he has never seen with the naked eye. He tore his gaze from the telescope and looked up at the stars. Not nearly as many as he had seen. Curious. His mouth twitched upwards at this discovery, though in the darkness of the field he thought John couldn't see it.
But of course John could see it, and he smiled and followed suit, looking up at the sky. He noticed one of the lights wasn't twinkling like the others. His smile widened. Just their luck.
Sherlock blinked as the telescope was yanked away from him, tripod and all. Before he could say anything however, John cut him off. "You're in luck. A planet's out tonight." He set down the tripod in a new spot, adjusted the lenses and he hummed, a smile on his face. "Come over."
Sherlock looked through the lenses and he blinked as the planet came to view. His eyes scanned the pale blue planet, narrowing as he looked up. "What is it?"
"Uranus."
He paused, looking vaguely offended. "Excuse me?"
"That's the name." John said, eyebrow raised. "Uranus."
Sherlock stared at him, and after a moment, shook himself in the stupidity of it all. "John, this is exactly why-"
"Oh grow up!" John laughed, crossing his arms and rolling his eyes. "Honestly, only you would-"
"Would what?"
John looked up and started. Sherlock was suddenly so close; how the hell does he do that? He swallowed unconsciously.
Sherlock's eyes narrowed in the darkness. "John?"
John stepped away, his face tinged in the darkness. "Enjoying the telescope?"
Sherlock's eyes remained narrowed for a split second before returning to its unassuming gaze. "Yes, yes I am actually." His mouth quirked upwards. "Thank you."
John rolled his eyes again and grinned. "You're welcome, you git."
Sherlock looked back to the ridiculously named planet. Then he looked back at John, who seemed to believe he couldn't see the sudden change of colour in his face. He smirked.
Perhaps they should do this more often.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
A small drabble that I worked on, stopped working on for an age and finally finished. I hope you enjoy it.
To be honest, I only wrote it to make Sherlock react to the planet Uranus.
-Happy