Title: Making the Connection
Story Summary: A non-chronological collection of short chapters based on one word prompts, includes (pre-)slash for Johnlock & Mystrade
Chapter Summary: John thinks Sherlock's crime-scene manner could use a bit of improvement. Prompt: Petition
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Moffat, Gatiss & SACD.
A/N: As always this prompt came from oneword(dot)com, if you'd like to prompt me you can do so in a review or a PM.
"I think you should start trying to be nicer", John whispered over the dead body that Sherlock was inspecting so that the police officers that stood only a few yards away couldn't hear him.
"To who?" Sherlock replied with an irritated frown while peering through his magnifying glass at the victim's nostrils.
"To everybody. You know they've started collecting signatures to make Lestrade stop consulting you" his colleague hissed.
"Don't be ridiculous. That won't make him stop. He would hardly solve a case without me." The consulting detective licked the victim's fingertips.
"Sherlock, you don't know who they'll show that petition to if you don't start acting a little less… psychopathic." Sherlock shot him an ice cold look. "Sociopathic, sorry. But still, you don't want to lose the opportunity to work on cases like these, do you?"
"That's a stupid question." He stood up and looked around at the hostile faces that were watching his every move. He took out his moleskin and quickly jotted down a few notes. "So, how do you propose I 'get on their good sides'?"
"Make small talk. Take an interest in their lives. Okay, you get your chance right away, Sally's walking up to us" John dropped his head as he spoke and looked away.
"So, freak, what do you got?" Sally took out her own notepad.
"Sergeant Donovan, what a pleasure to see you. Is your stray cat house-trained by now?" The consulting detective had put on his polite smile and a tone that sounded genuinely interested, but Sally looked at him wide eyed and turned around on her heels.
"Lestrade! You go talk to your stalking sniffer dog, I won't let him play his mind games with me", she called to the Detective Inspector who stood by his car, talking to the medical examiner.
"See, they don't care whether I'm nice or not. They're intimidated by me either way." Sherlock hissed and John put his hands up in resignation.
"Fine, you're right. Be your normal charming self." He intended to say it sarcastically, but somewhere between his left hemisphere and his tongue the sarcasm was lost.