CHAPTER 32. WARNING SIGNS
The room is dark, voices low, "You'll love this mate just relax." Sebs trying to hold down a giggle. "This is my friend Frankie. Frankie is a good pal to have, he brings life to every party."
"I'm sure." Sherlock didn't hold back the sneer in his voice.
Seb was wearing designer jeans, a black blazer over his silk green shirt his red rimmed eyes glassy and dulled, he kept rubbing his nose and Sherlock cringed assuming the aspiring banker had a cold.
Sebastian Wilkes roomed across from Sherlock and John and he usually had such a sour look on his face when they passed in the hall, but tonight his mouth formed the cheesiest of grins, Sherlock fought the urge to punch him in the face.
"Oh, come on now mate. You hardly know me, don't insult me yet. We could be good friends. Sebs here tells me you come from a well to do family. Well I only socialize with the well to do. I like my money up front in the form of cash. You rich boys always seem to have it on hand." Sherlock looked over the younger man with dark brown hair and sharp eyes. Drug dealer, Sherlock deduced easily rolling his eyes. His scientific mind told him all he needed to know about substances and he was not interested in adding to the chemical imbalances he was quite aware he possessed.
"Not interested."
"Oh, now Holmes give it a try." Sebastian leaned back into the leather couch.
"Sebs tells me here you suffer from boredom. This is guaranteed to quiet any demons, to cure any boredom and bring you joy you have yet to know."
"Hardly believable."
"You wont know till you give it a try Holmes." Sebs nudged the Drug Dealer and the man laid the vile of white powder out on the table in the dimly lit room.
"Come on now. I was telling my friend Frankie here you were a proper genius. You could identify what chemicals were which and how much. He didn't believe me. Doesn't think anyone has that ability." The younger Holmes sat back looking around the room, the party music was muffled by the closed doors, it did sound like an interesting experiment.
"Hey is it true you room with that Watson kid?" Sherlock looked up from the white powder that Sebs carefully tapped out onto a large oval mirror.
"Yes. John is my dormmate. Why do you ask?" Sherlock's eyes narrowed.
"Oh, hey I'm not interested in him. He's all yours there kid. Just heard from Sebs here he was a med student. I don't normally take on scholarship kids as clients but seeing how he's a close 'friend' of yours I could make an exception. Besides I have lots of med students and premed students on my costumer list. I'm sure your friend would love to sample some of the goods. It does wonders on those long nights of study." Sherlock frowned he accepted what looked like a rolled up banknote and did as Seb had. Thinking of John doing something like this didn't seem plausible. John managed to concentrate fine, well unless some dim witted girl is trying to gain his attention. Like that annoying Rita? Rebecca? Whatever her name was.
In fact he was trying to chat her up, that's why Sherlock decided to wonder off, John always insisted Sherlock accompany him occasionally to "get out " for a bit. Isn't this part of getting out and trying something new?
It's just a chemistry experiment, surely John couldn't fault him that, and it would just be this one time.
Except it hadn't been just one time. It was euphoric just as Frankie promised, everything was suddenly so sharp and all the background noises faded out. It was easy to hide from John, a nagging instinct warned Sherlock that John would be very much against this kind of recreational use of chemicals. Especially when Frankie introduced him to intravenous cocaine, John would definitely not approve but John wasn't his minder he wouldn't need to know.
"Hey! You! Wake up." John's voice was loud, irritating, grating on his nerves, Sherlock only rolled over in bed, but his persistent roomie opened the blinds letting the light in. "Alright Dracula-what the hell happened to you?" John's hand gently touched Sherlock's forehead, cold against the warm. "You look terrible Sherlock. Are you sick? You feel warm."
Sherlock didn't feel like answering, he just wanted to sleep it off, he already texted Frankie, complaining about that last batch not being exactly the superior stuff Sherlock was used to or paid for.
"Why are you here?"
"Well friend I live here and one of the guys on the Rugby teams been saying you haven't been showing up for class. Is that right?"
"Been sick."
"No, not just yesterday or today. He said at all this month. Now I know that cant be because I go to class and you are always gone before me. Care to explain."
"Professor dummy isn't worth my time. It's all a waste."
"Sherlock! You cant be serious. Your dad and Mycroft will flip if they find out-"
"How will they find out John? I'm not telling them and neither are you." Sherlock snapped surely John could see this wasn't the time for lectures.
"Oh? You think so?"
Sherlock sat up dizzily, his muscles cramping and head aching, he held back an urge to swing at his friend. "No, John Watson you will not say a damn thing. It's no ones business what I do with my life. It's my life. And I don't need someone telling me what to do all the time. Not my father, not Mycroft and certainly NOT YOU!"
"Don't you? Look at you. You're a mess. You haven't been going to class, you hardly leave the room except to hang out across the hall with that idiot Sebastian. You know people are saying he's a drug addict-" John paused as if something hit him. Sherlock could see his friends eyes widen and the med student started to really look at his friend.
"Sherlock-"
"Piss off John! It's my life!"
"Look at me dammit!" John had been half way to starting a kettle of tea, now he was across the small room his hands pulling at Sherlock's forearm, nearly ripping the sleeve of an expensive blue button up shirt.
"G'off me!" Sherlock tried to pull away but it was to late the shorter student was examining the bruised forearm, then firmly looking over the other, the med student was hissing.
"How long has this been going on?"
Sherlock didn't answer instead he yanked his arm free throwing himself backwards onto his bed turning to face away from the disappointment in the sky blue of John's eyes.
"Leave it John. You're my friend not my keeper-I have Mycroft I don't need another minder!"
John was moving around now opening drawers and shuffling papers, Sherlock thought he lost something but it came to his throbbing mind what exactly his friend was looking for.
"Leave it alone John. It's not your concern."
"Oh, not my concern? Well listen Sherlock Holmes I'm not going to let you become like those posh rich kids who indulge in drugs and alcohol just to ease their boredom, you aren't like them. You're smarter than this! You wont become another drug addict drop out! I wont let you."
"John! I'm not an addict! I'm not your father or sister!" John didn't even flinch he continued to look dumping Sherlock's bag out.
"No? Well one good thing about being the son of a drunk and brother of one too is-"
"You have a high alcohol tolerance. Or maybe a proclivity for boxed wine?"
"Funny. But no, I know all the usual hiding places." John replied coolly heading for the closet he pulled the small collection of hoodies and Sherlock's favorite dark coat. Sherlock growled, the noise was almost too much for his head, his nerves were stretched thin as it was. John needed to go because Frankie would be arriving with more cocaine. "Shouldn't you be in class?" rubbing his throbbing temples.
"Yup. But instead I'm stuck babysitting a six foot tall four year old!"
John found what he was looking for, checking all the usual places. There was a box he didn't need to open it to know he'd found what he was searching for.
"Bingo." He sighed moving out of the closet.
"John." Sherlock challenged.
"Sherlock." John warned.
"Stop John this isn't your business."
"Of course it is!" he barked moving to the bathroom.
Sherlock was up now nearly stumbling over his stiff legs, "Stop!"
"No!" John snapped dumping out the small baggie of white powder the last of Sherlock's back up stash. John cringed seeing the half full syringe, he'd dispose of that in the science lab they had a place for sharps, but first he' get rid of whatever substance was in the syringe. So intent on the disposal of these things he hadn't realized his taller roommate was in the door watching horrified. Sherlock made a grab for the syringe. John quickly ducked under his friends grabbing hand, flushing the powder he through the needle down and stomped on it until the plastic broke apart and spilled out onto the tile of the bathroom.
"John! What do you think you're doing!?"
"This is not going to happen SHERLOCK!" John pushed past his friend carefully placing the needle back in the small wooden cigar box.
His friend blocked his exit. "Move"
"No!"
"Sherlock, move." John hissed through clenched teeth.
"NO!"
"Sherlock don't do this. You really don't want to go up against me right now."
"Give me that box John and you can get out."
"You want me to leave fine! I will but I'm taking this box with me!" he shoved past his friend knowing Sherlock wasn't in any condition to fight him.
Sherlock Holmes collapsed onto the couch, glaring at the door that John had just left through with his emergency stash of drugs. He wasn't an addict how could John believe-how could his only friend try and judge him? Him of all people, John was lucky to be allowed-allowed. Oh, Sherlock rubbed his eyes, his palms sweaty his head throbbing. Why couldn't he delete the look of John's disappointment out of his mind? He should go after him, say sorry. No, no he wouldn't be told what to do, but John rarely ever told him what to do, other than to eat, and sleep and wear a coat. Dammit, he wasn't supposed to find his stash, or know. This was Sherlock's fault for underestimating his only friend.
He angrily forced himself off the couch, he would tell John off, and maybe they would come to some kind of agreement. At least that had been what Sherlock's drug addled mind had worked out, until the sounds of angry voices penetrated his carefully laid out reasoning.
"Oh yeah! You think you're better en me? Who the hell do you think you are threatin me?" Sherlock recognized Frankie's voice right away, "Maybe you should give it a try before you knock it."
"Fuck off!" That was John and his voice full of icy rage, that was a tone Sherlock wasn't familiar with. "I'm warning you, I'll give you five seconds to clear out before I call the cops."
"You threatening me Johnny boy?"
"Now calm down lets everyone calm down. We can be civilized-" That was Sebastian trying to play mediator, from the sound of John's fist colliding with the the business student's nose, Seb wasn't a very good peace maker.
"What the hell John!" came a muffled cry.
"Fuck off Seb! You're the reason this filth is in our hall!"
"Who the hell are you calling FILTH! You aint nothing John Watson! You're just a scholarship student! Only reason you got into this place was cause your little boyfriends family! Do you know who I am?"
"Sure, some junkie trash that leeches onto the rich in hopes of elevating himself to their status. Stay down Wilkes or I'll put you down!" John growled. "And News flash Frankie, they only call you for your drugs. You'll never be anything better than dealer trash from-" Sherlock stood at the top of the stairs in time to see the taller boy in the black hoodie connect a hard fist to John's left cheek.
"What about you Scholarship kid? You obviously hang out with Holmes because of his money. You're just as bad s'ept you have em thinkn you two are friends. I was just offering him my friendship. What you jealous I'll take your little boyfriend meal ticket from you?"
John was on his feet tackling the other boy. "He's my friend! Something you wouldn't understand, but I'll put this in terms you can comprehend you will not bring that poison here! Or I'll beat the holy hell out of you! Then I'll call the cops!" John struck out with a hard fist to the side of Frankies face, straddling his chest and holding him by the collar John swung again.
"If you call the police I wont hesitate to point fingers!" Frankie grunted as he tried to pull the kid off of him.
Sherlock watched in awe as the two rolled around and traded punches, until the sound of campus security started to echo from outside. Frankie twisted free "This aint over Watson!" he growled running for the back entrance, John made to follow but Sherlock could see he was hurt, he held a hand to his side, his own t-shirt was ripped and his face bloody. He sank down next to the stairs unaware of his audience.
Sebastian crawled away a hand to his bloody nose.
"John?" Sherlock was crouching next to his friend, something like guilt twisting in his stomach.
"What Sherlock?" the premed student didn't look up from his crouched position.
"You should come back to the room." a plea.
"Yeah?"
"Before the campus security shows up and asks questions."
"Yeah. Fine. I need a minute." John whispered, wincing again his hand to his left side.
"Come on." Sherlock despite his aching head and muscles he leaned down to pull his friend to his feet. The two made their way back up the stairs and safely to their room. Sherlock had paused to pick up the box containing the broken syringe. "I'll get rid of this John."
"I'm serious Sherlock if I see this again I'm telling Mycroft."
"You wont see it again." Sherlock promised, then swore to himself to do a better job at hiding the drugs next time. "I'll get you some ice for your head."