John stared at the far wall, ignoring the gaze that he knew was on him.
"John."
John didn't respond, only frowned slightly. He knew what the voice was about to ask, and John honestly didn't have an answer. He didn't want to hear the question, let alone form an answer.
"John," Mycroft repeated.
"What?" John said irritably, finally looking up at Sherlock's brother.
"Do I really have to ask?"
"I don't know," John said stubbornly. "I have no idea. No idea..."
John walked into the flat, trying to juggle five shopping bags that mostly contained things that Sherlock needed for experiments. Would Sherlock help him? Of course not.
"Thanks for the help," he called up the stairs, unable to bite back the acid leaking through his words. "Send me shopping for all of this ridiculous stuff and then don't offer to help."
He huffed, dropping all five bags on the floor once he stepped into the sitting room. It took him a minute to realize that the air of 221B was... different. Very electric, almost, very dangerous. John shook himself and hung his coat on the back of the door, turning towards the sofa.
Sherlock was slumped on the couch, his eyes staring towards the kitchen. His eyebrows were knitted together, lines of concentration standing out on Sherlock's pale skin. He was sitting stock-still, and looking very dangerous.
John resisted the urge to shiver before voicing his flatmate's name.
"Sherlock? What are you doing?"
Sherlock didn't respond, didn't so much as blink at the silence.
"Sherlock? Talk to me."
John crossed the room, coming to a hesitant stop next to Sherlock. When Sherlock still didn't look up, John tapped his flatmate on the shoulder. Sherlock's attention snapped to him so fast that John nearly flinched. There was a look in those ever-keen eyes that would have made any other person back off.
"Humanity is degrading. Society is deteriorating. Leave me alone, John, I have no time for your mindless trivia."
"What the hell is this about?"
"Go away, John," Sherlock replied coldly.
"Sherlock, what did you-"
"Go away, John. I don't have time for you."
"What happened?" John breathed, not bothering to listen to Sherlock's statements, because they were not true. Couldn't be true. It was... was whatever had happened talking. And something had had to have happened, because Sherlock never acted like this.
"For once, can't you just stay out of my business, Doctor?" Sherlock said, his voice chillingly cold.
"No," John replied instantly. "You're my business; your business is my business."
"Don't be stupid," Sherlock hissed, swinging his legs off the couch. "You have nothing to do with me." He brushed past John roughly.
It took John a long moment to realize that the flat was silent and, when he looked up, he realized that Sherlock was gone.
"He just stormed out of your flat for no reason?" Mycroft pressed. "My brother has always been a dramatist, but when it comes to you, John, he tends to be slightly calmer than usual."
"He was just..." John threw up his hands slightly. "He just seemed so... dark or something. So angry. And no, he didn't say anything, nothing of importance, anyway, so I don't know what's ailing him." He looked back at Mycroft. "I'm assuming you've got someone tailing him?"
"I hardly planned on letting my anger-ridden brother wander around Central London by himself. I can't fathom the sort of trouble he might get into if there wasn't someone watching him."
John sank a little lower in his seat. "I have no idea what's wrong with him..."
"I've been asking myself the same question for years."
John gave Mycroft a cold stare. Mycroft only turned for the door.
"I will keep posted on this, John. I expect nothing like this to happen again."
John didn't bother to say that he had had nothing to do with Sherlock's sudden mood swing. To be truthful, maybe he had done something. He really, truly had no idea.
But it made him feel rather sick to think that maybe Sherlock's bad mood was because of him.
Erm... Dark!Sherlock is a bit difficult to write. xD
I've had a thought; I thought that, if anyone was interested, I'd do an audio reading of my fanfiction and put it on the YT. If you might be, I've set up a new poll on my profile for the point of this. Choose your favourite story on the poll, if you're interested. :)
Sherlock's Distressed will be Chapter Forty-Four. Distressed because of something that happens to John. Thanks for reading!
