His Ability
Rating: K
Spoilers: None really, just needing to know the basics about characters.
A/N: No idea if this idea has been done already, but I'm giving it a shot. Hope you enjoy.
Summary: During Sherlock's and Watson's free time, Watson had the chance to ask the question that has never been answered: how did Sherlock get his ability to read people? Things become off topic pretty easily. Sherlock/Watson friendship.
Most people call him insane, crazy, psychotic, senseless, emotionless, a psychopath. But if they knew anything about him, they'd know that he is not a psychopath, but a high-functioning sociopath. Or if you were Watson, you'd know and call him brilliant.
Mr. Sherlock Holmes didn't care about titles though. He just wanted to get the job done, whatever that was. At the moment though, he didn't have a job. The day was spent trying to find one, with several people asking, or even begging him, to solve their personal case. Most weren't interesting to a man like Sherlock.
"Was that really nice of you Sherlock?" asked Watson, watching the people leave the apartment building crying.
"There's no need to butter them up, as people say," said Sherlock, sitting on his couch reading a book.
"Well at least you could have let them know in a nicer way," Watson said, slightly mad at Sherlock.
"But it was so obvious," said Sherlock. He stopped reading the book and put it on the side table. "I could just remember the man who was sitting on that couch as clear as day. There was purple under his eyes meaning that he had been tired lately. His clothes were not straight on his body with the collar uneven, meaning that he must have been in a hurry. There is also a different hair colour on his suit jacket. The hair colour on the jacket was an auburn while the female, who claimed to be his wife, had blonde hair. He was also wearing a new watch due to how shiny it is, but more importantly his wrist is acting like it's a lot heavier than it actually is. A stainless steel watch is one of the lightest watches out there. But stainless steel contains nickel, which his wife is allergic to. You might ask how I could tell? Well, there are recent rashes on her hands that weren't there before. She had been itching at them while her husband told the case. Also, he wouldn't buy a watch since he has been married to her for six years. The tan line was noticeable while she was moving the ring on her finger to stop her from itching at the rashes, which meant that it has been there a long time. But how I knew it was six years was because there is a recently new necklace she is wearing – nickel free of course – that is silver with a diamond in it, which is usually only given in special occasions such as a five wedding anniversary. It's clearly not their first since he knows about the nickel allergy by heart. But it's been six because the necklace and ring are about to rust due to the amount of playing of it lately and that most couples start to separate around 7 years. I could see that that is where they are going.
"But the most important thing is how I know himself, friend and family member didn't buy the watch was because they know his wife is allergic to nickel and no friend would buy such an expensive watch that has gems engraved into it but another lover."
The room filled with silence. Watson's eyes focused on Sherlock's movement. Sherlock watched him for a moment before grabbing the book he placed on the side table and started to read it.
"You're unbelievable," said Watson. He stared at Watson one more time before he turned around and power-walked to the kitchen. Sherlock ignored Watson as he walked away.
Watson's hands' shook, opening and closing. He walked back the amount of force he walked away. "How did you learn how to do that? Like how can you read people from what clothes they are wearing?" asked Watson.
"It was a long time ago," said Sherlock, catching Mrs. Hudson enter the room from the corner of his eyes.
"Tea anyone?" Mrs. Hudson asked, carrying a tray with two tea cups on small plates and a tea pot that let out steam through the spout. There were some biscuits on the tray to snack on.
"Just leave it on the kitchen table," said Sherlock. Mrs. Hudson walked to the kitchen, dodging Watson, who was standing in the way. She set the tray down on the table gently.
Just as she was about to pass Mrs. Hudson a second time, Watson whispered, "Thank you." Mrs. Hudson smiled and nodded, and continued to the door to head back downstairs. She closed the door behind her.
Sherlock stood up from his bundle of blankets and walked over to table where Mrs. Hudson placed the tray. He grabbed the tea pot and pores himself a cup.
"Were you going to answer me Sherlock?" Watson said madly. Sherlock found the sugar on the tray that Mrs. Hudson left out. He grabbed the serving spoon and stirred the sugar around.
"I did," he replied, dumping a teaspoon of sugar into his coffee.
Watson placed his hands on his hips. "I don't think "It was a long time ago" is a good enough answer," said Watson. Sherlock grabbed another spoonful of sugar and dumped it into his coffee. "I thought you were thinking back to when the event happened."
Sherlock removed the small spoon from the cup and started stirring his coffee. "I was thinking how stupid it is for people to place a high value on diamonds," said Sherlock. "It's just carbon that has been under pressure and heat. I could turn my breath into diamonds if the right tools were invented."
Watson let his anger soak in, taking a deep breathe in with his shoulders moving up and down with the breath. He looked at the ground below him so he could only reflect on his thoughts. It was only a quick second before he walked over to Sherlock and stood in front of him and the tray. "Please Sherlock," said Watson. Sherlock stared into Watson's eyes for a moment. There was anger and a serious tone in Watson's eyes, but none of it impacted the way Sherlock thought. He walked around Watson to get to the tea.
Watson said with the sound of begging in his voice, "For one second of your life Sherlock can you-"
"One," interrupted Sherlock after exactly one second. He reached beside Watson and grabbed the tea cup he made of himself. The spoon was still sticking out of the cup. Sherlock smelt the strong smell of the coffee before walking away from Watson back to his mass of blankets.
Watson turned around and walked over to Sherlock. "Your just going to lie here in your blankets and do nothing all day?" he asked, almost at the point of giving up in flames.
"I'm going to read my book in my blankets, along some other books," Sherlock said calmly. "Unless other people have a case for me."
"Fine," Watson said madly as he walked over to the coat hook. He grabbed his coat and slipped it on quickly. "I'm going to go do something more productive." He opened the door and there was a girl standing outside. She had on a light green jacket with navy blue jeans. She had a scarf on that mainly looked like it was for fashion than for warmth. She had some cute pink boots on, which didn't match the outfit she was wearing, not that it matter. She also looked to be about eight.
"What are you doing here without a guardian?" asked Watson.
"Is this where Sherlock lives?" the girl said curiously.
"Yes, I'm over here," replied Sherlock loudly. The girl peeked pass Watson and stared at Sherlock who was sitting on his couch covered in blankets.
"Mr. Holmes isn't available right now," Watson said as he tried to guide the girl away from Sherlock's apartment.
"No, just wait there. Dr. Watson was just about to leave," Sherlock said, grabbing his blankets and walked over to the door. He grabbed Watson's shoulders with his blanket-covered hands and guided him out the door.
"You still haven't answered my questions Sherlock," Watson said loudly. "I won't leave until I get an answer."
"So if I tell you, you'll leave and I can talk to my client in peace?" Sherlock asked, considering his options.
"I will," said Watson, looking like he wanted to say something else, but kept his agreement. Sherlock gazed between Watson and the girl who was standing beside Sherlock. She looked confused.
Sherlock turned back to Watson. "I read and observed people. Most people were different than me and it gave me something to focus on. I wasn't good at first, but I have narrowed to getting one or none wrong."
Watson stared at Sherlock, though his look softened. "That was the saddest thing I have even heard from you Sherlock," he said.
"Don't get use to it," Sherlock replied. "Now, you said you would leave. Goodbye Watson." Sherlock directed his attention to the girl. He guided her into his apartment and closed the door. Watson stared at the door for a moment. He smiled at the door and turned around. He walked down the stairs and headed out the door.
He shook his head, laughing, "Reading people? Are they a book or something?" He opened the door and joined the crowd of people.
Hope you enjoyed. Let me know what you think.