"Focus, little one."
His master's stern voice distracted him and for a fourth time he felt the sting of the laser-ball fire. He didn't understand why his master insisted on blindfolding him, he could see nothing, as the fifth sting on his leg proved. He hated wearing only an under shirt and shorts, he wanted armor! Something sturdy! He whimpered. "I wanna be done."
"I don't care, stop being dull. This is training time, John. Focus. Feel, don't think."
"I don't understand…"
"I know you don't, luckily for you I do. Focus, John." The ball was swinging around a sixth time. His apprentice's frown lines were becoming deeper and deeper. Sherlock had excelled at this exercise as a boy, mostly because he knew exactly what to look and listen for. John was simply whining about hunger.
They had been training together for the past week together, and after quite a few hits and misses they found the perfect schedule for the pair. John enjoyed reading, Sherlock enjoyed being alone, both needed to train. Sherlock sat down with John and explained physical training would start at six each morning and go until eleven. John immediately whined about breakfast, to which Sherlock informed him he would have to eat before training. John was torn between sleep and food. Secondly, lessons would begin at two and go until four. After this John had to leave Sherlock alone for at least three hours, he was allowed to do anything he pleased as long as he didn't wander off. Sundays both men were free to do what they pleased.
"Why must I do this, Master?" John was taking a beating from the ball as it went in to over drive. The boy grimaced painfully, but no tears fell. He held his ground like a true Jedi.
"Because I said so." Sherlock said sternly. He frowned at his own words. Mirror, mirror on the wall, he was his master after all. John was finally starting to deflect some shots, but nine out of ten times he was taking a shot to his small body. The clock on the counter rang eleven times and to John's thankfulness the ball sank back into the ground. He yanked his blindfold off.
"That was awful." He groaned.
"I'm being nice, padawan. My master used to make me sit there until all shots were blocked." Sherlock took the young boy's training saber and blindfold from him.
"Why am I free, Master?"
Sherlock sank back onto the couch and in an even tone said, "Because I'm bored, little one." He reached lazily out with the force and caused his padawan's light saber to float a few inches in front of his face. John watched it closely.
"That's rude, Master." John said, slowly inching towards his saber.
"It's honesty, little one. It is a valuable asset as a Jedi. We never lie." Sherlock smirked silently as he watched John trying sneak closer to him. John's eyes were shining as he crept closer, his lips were betraying a hidden smile.
"You never lie, Master?" John asked disbelieving. He was getting within snatching distance of his saber.
"Never. Even when I lie, I'm telling the truth." Sherlock closed his eyes in his usual cocky manner. John inched forward eagerly.
"That is a paradox, Master." John pointed out. At last he was in range. He held his breath, his body tensed. The little boy made a mad lunge for his floating light saber, which Sherlock easily lifted higher into the air. John crashed onto the couch next to his master.
"Yes it is little one. May the force be with you."
He rose from the couch after dropping his padawan's light saber back to the ground. John was hanging upside down on the back side of the couch with his feet drooping into his face. He frowned heavily as Sherlock ascended the stairs from the training room. He wiggled into an upright position and listened to his master's heavy tread. He fingered the hilt of his saber absent mindedly.
He didn't know what to think of Sherlock. He was comforting, but he was usually cold. He was firm, but he could be gentle. He was polite, but only when it suited him. He cared for John, but sometimes he was neglecting. He was never warm, but sometimes he was kind. He tucked John in every night, but for three hours after four o'clock he forgot John existed. Sherlock was one big paradox himself.
But despite all of his flaws John felt safe with his master.
John scampered up the stairs quickly. His master stood in the kitchen leaning over the burner, John could hear a pot whistling. The smell of tea hit John's nose, the small boy giggled. Sherlock would eat nothing, but if he didn't have tea in his belly every two hours he was an absolute grump. John made his way until he was pressed against his master leg, Sherlock absent mindedly reached down to card his hand through John's sweaty blond hair.
"We need to go into the village today, little one." Sherlock said as he poured a bowl for himself and his padawan. He passed a bowl down to the small boy, which was accepted gratefully. John wiped his brow, his tiny body was exhausted from over use. Sherlock could sense his padawan's fatigue. He was aggravated that John slowed him down, but how could he reasonably expect an eight year old to keep up with a Jedi knight.
He didn't want to be reasonable. He wanted to go into the village now.
Patience, my eager apprentice. He could almost hear Lestrade laughing at him. Sherlock had never understood how his master had been so patient with his apprentice. In honor of his memory Sherlock would try to be patient with John.
"Rest, little one. We can leave later this afternoon, when you are refreshed." Sherlock said evenly. He was proud that he displayed none of his aggravation. John was nodding gratefully. "But do not think you are getting out of your lessons today. I will quiz you on the ride into the village."
John pouted at him. "I know everything."
"Padawan." He said warningly.
"Most everything." John corrected himself.
"Brat."
John tackled his master's leg playfully, Sherlock had braced himself upon sensing his padawan's aggressive energy. He picked the young boy up by the back of his shirt, John wiggled in his grasp. "Master!"
"Yes, my underweight apprentice?"
"Put me down!" John said indignantly.
"I am not holding you, little one." Sherlock showed John both his free hands. "See. Clearly it's not me."
"Master!" John's sweaty bangs fell into his face. He squirmed uncomfortably in the air, Sherlock smiled. John looked so young Sherlock nearly plucked him from the air just to hold him. He would never admit it, but John's adoration was not completely hated. Infuriating at times, but others…
"Answer my questions little one. I'll let you down." Sherlock leaned against the counter sipping tea. "Who founded the Jedi order?"
John answered.
"Who is the current highest ranking master?"
"Master Yoda, of course."
"Who is the current highest held sword's man?"
"Master Dooku?"
"Are you asking me or telling me?"
"Telling you." John said unsurely.
Sherlock allowed John to sink slowly back to the ground. John looked up at him with small annoyance. "Told you, Master." He said smartly.
"You would do wise to learn humility, John. You were not confident in your third answer, you did not tell me correctly. Bring your lessons book, you will be studying not driving."
John frowned, Sherlock had a way of making him feel incredibly stupid. He interest shifted to his tiny feet. "I did know some."
"Irrelevant. Go clean up."
"Yes, Master." John said quietly, he looked completely defeated. He turned to enter his room with his head bowed. It wasn't long before Sherlock heard the shower going. He frowned.
How could John not understand he was trying to teach him to be mindful? The boy was too confident that he had the right in every situation. Sherlock sighed, although sometimes he was right. The shower stopped in the other room. Sherlock entered the small boy's room minutes later and heard the tiny boy speaking to his bear.
"He isn't proud of me, Mako. I don't know what to do anymore…in my nightmare I'm sad because he isn't proud of me. I don't mind so much. I'm still little, but when I'm big he'll be proud of me. I'm still too little, no one's proud of the little ones."
Sherlock's heart dropped into his stomach. He was going unnoticed as his padawan rolled on his side with his bear held in his little arms. Sherlock sat down slowly on the yielding mattress. John twisted around surprised. "Master?"
"You did alright with your questions, little one. You just need confidence." Sherlock said softly, not gently, softly.
"Okay, Master." John said still too sadly for Sherlock's liking. The boy's sadness was making him feel odd.
Not good odd.
"I am…John…I do care about you." Sherlock struggled with his emotions, however that was the truth, Sherlock genuinely cared about the boy.
"I know, Master." John said quietly. "Thank you."
"Little one, you are very…intelligent." He couldn't say clever, not yet. But John was very advanced for his age. He reached out to card his hand through the now clean blond hair. John shut his eyes and nestled into his master's palm. John picked Mako up and pressed him close to his chest, he sat up slowly.
"We don't have a Jedi bond, sir." John muttered. He squeezed his bear tighter and looked away from Sherlock in shame. "Some of the others thought that if a master and padawan don't bond right away…it means the apprentice is bad…"
There it was, the very not good odd feeling again.
"Is that what is troubling you, John? You're far too young for the bond, I was going to wait until you were at least ten. Your body can hardly take five hours of training, I did not want to add stress to your mental state."
"It's not stressful!" John protested. "You're my master, I want the same bond as every master and padawan have."
"Little one." Sherlock said firmly. John flinched. With a soft sigh Sherlock continued, "You will not be able to hide your emotions from me, nor your thoughts, until you learn how to control your mental shields." Not like the boy could do it anyway, but there would be no question if Sherlock allowed the bond to be formed. "I will still be able to hide from you what I wish, but you will feel some of my emotions as well. The bond will never die, little one. Three years ago I felt my master as he lay dying because the bond could not be severed."
John's eyes widened. "I want the bond, Master."
He wants the bond so he knows I won't abandon him. Sherlock realized painfully. Fine.
Sherlock reached forward slowly and placed his hand on the side of John's face. He placed his thumb in the center of the boy's forehead, their eyes locked. "Are you sure you won't wait?"
"Yes, Master." The next move was John's. The bond could only be formed if the force guided John to react properly. John's left hand held the big hand on his forehead and his right rested over Sherlock's heart.
"John Watson from here on out there are three bound in obedience. There is the teacher, the student, and the force. With this bond I, the elder one promise to lead you through the light, with my protection I will guide you on your path until you are strong enough to go alone. And even then little one, I will still be with you in permanent bond. The force binds us until the hereafter. Are you sure this is what you want, little one?
I will not be a comforting master, nor an attentive one, but I will teach you. I will protect you, and I will care for you. This is all I can promise you, John. I am not a kind, caring man, and nothing will change that."
It was a lie, John was already starting to change him. His force wavelength was different, it was becoming affectionate. A foreign thing Sherlock had hated at one time, but as he looked at the small boy nodding eagerly before him. He allowed the force to bind their souls, their minds, and whatever was left of Sherlock's heart.
John slumped forward against his master's chest. Sherlock held him closely, slowly, unsurely he lay his padawan on his chest and closed his eyes.
"Good morning, little one."