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: A photographer shows up at the doorstep of 221B with a surprise for its two famous tenants. Prompt: Capture
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Moffat, Gatiss & SACD.
A/N: Can you believe this is already chapter 32? This is absolutely insane. A special shout out goes to floppybelly who makes me laugh and smile with her prompted chapters when I just feel like writing angst. Thank you so much. FYI: this prompt came from oneword(dot)com.
The worst thing about being famous were most definitely the unflattering pictures that were published on the internet and in the print media. It was one thing that he was no longer a private detective, but having people comment on his and John's appearances was annoying. Well, it wasn't actually the comments. He didn't read them and didn't care for them either. But John did and he was less than pleased with them, repeating the most vicious or pornographic comments out loud all day.
One day a photographers had the audacity to show up on their doorstep. Sherlock was just coming home when he saw the man approaching their door. He quickly grabbed his neck and shoved him inside the house and up the stairs, completely ignoring his protests.
It was fair to say that John was startled when Sherlock came home with a hostage. That was a new one. When his flatmate finally let go, the young man looked around, flustered, but greeted John as soon as he spotted him sitting on the couch reading the paper.
"Hello Dr Watson. I'm sorry to..." He glanced nervously at Sherlock. "...intrude like this. Actually I just wanted to leave this for you." To illustrate his words he held up a large, brown envelope.
"What's in it?", Sherlock barked at him, because the last few months had taught him not to trust the media.
The young man flinched at the harsh sound. "Just two copies of a photo I took of you guys just before the press conference yesterday."
"I presume it shows us in an ambiguous position and you want us to give you money or you'll go ahead and send it to one of the tabloids?" Sherlock could see that the cold tone of his voice made John shiver.
"What? No!" The photographer looked abhorred, took the envelope, ripped it open and handed John one copy of the picture and Sherlock the other. "When I saw what I got I thought you might like to have it."
The young man had taken a photo of the two friends, both barely holding back a chuckle. Sherlock's hand was on John's shoulder and the older man looked up at his flatmate with a contented expression on his soft features. Somehow this stranger had managed to capture their friendship and mutual respect with a camera.
Now they looked at each other across the room, both with the hint of a smile on their faces as they remembered that little, intimate moment in which they had shared an in-joke just before yet another obligatory appearance in the public eye.
John stood up and shook the hand of the young man. "Thank you for this pleasant surprise. You must excuse Sherlock, but I'm sure you understand that we're still a bit overwhelmed with all the sudden attention from the media."
"No worries, Dr Watson. If you want it digital, it's on this pen drive." He handed it to John. "But I'm afraid I have to go now, just wanted to drop of the photos. Oh, by the way, my girlfriend's a big fan of your blog. She'll be so jealous when I tell her that I actually met you. Keep up the good work, both of you." After nodding towards both of them he turned and left.
Sherlock looked down at the photograph in his hands again. He had never seen himself looking so at ease and comfortable with himself in a picture, not even in the ones that were taken in his childhood. "Send it to my email, John, will you?"