OTP challenge - day 15
there are two parts because I couldn't didn't want to shorten it for the life of me.
I wanna apologize for not updating regularly - never mind daily. i hope you can forgive my non-existent organization talent! thank you to everyone who is still in on this challenge!
[link to day 14]
15. teaching each other how to do something
(pt. 1/2)
Five year old Rosie stopped playing the violin with a loud dramatic note. "Well done, Watson. Keep practicing and it will be perfect." Sherlock praised his little apprentice.
John scoffed which turned his daughter's and best friend's head around. "Whatever do you you wanna say, John?"
"Just that Rosie already sounds perfect to me."
"Oh, she is. However let's not feed her ego too much.", Sherlock countered and winked at Rosie who grinned up at him.
"Yeah, she is already better at everything I am, aren't you, honey?"
There was a proud twinkle in Rosie's dark blue eyes when she giggled at that.
"Well", John stood up from the armchair that used to be his. "Thank you for the lesson, Sherlock. Are you sure you don't want-"
"I will not accept any payment from my favorite student." Sherlock immediately interrupted.
John made an amused noise. "Yeah, alright. It- it was good to see you, Sherlock." Their relationship ever after the Culverton case has been fragile, they never quite went back to what it used to be but... each man took what he could get.
"Good to see you too, John", Sherlock said softly. "Watson", he added, making the littlest bow towards Rosie. John adored how Sherlock treated his goddaughter. It made the doctor feel soft inside and sometimes this softness creeped through his walls to show through a smile. Like right now. Then he caught himself and clapped his hand against his thigh - a sign to say goodbye.
"Say thank you, Rosie, so we can head home."
Rosie finished putting away her tiny violin, then stretched her arms out, so Sherlock would pick her up. The detective did so, and then let her kiss his nose. "Thanks, Sherlock. Love you."
"Love you, too, Watson.", he said and kissed her temple.
At that moment, Mrs. Hudson walked into the room with a tablet of freshly baked biscuits. (Sherlock doubted it was anything but very calculated timing. She missed John terribly and adored Watson horrendously.) "Hoohoo, darlings! Buiscuits and tea anyone?"
"Mrs. Hudson!", John exclaimed pleasantly surprised (he had of course not seen through the landlady right away like Sherlock). "It's so good to see you!"
"Oh John, you should visit more often! Baker Street misses you.", she shot a meaningful glance at Sherlock, who pretended to busily clean his violin bow.
"And my sweet little Flower, how have you been?"
"Good! I love my violin sessions.", Rosie said enthusiastically.
"I can imagine, it sounds lovely from downstairs. Ooh! But I gotta go! The next round of biscuits is in the oven still!"
"May I come?", Rosie asked excitedly.
"Of course, dear.", Mrs. Hudson immediately agreed (no doubt this was her plan all along).
"Dada, may I?", Rosie asked her father.
"Yeah alright, I'll be right down."
"No hurry!", the two girls said in unision, on their way out.
John laughed after them, "Yeah, I see how it is."
Sherlock smiled, "Hudders adores little Watson."
"Everyone adores that kid.", John replied, shaking his head affectionately.
"Yes, indeed.", agrees Sherlock. He still had that soft smile on his face. Back in the days John liked to think it was only for him. These days, Rosie Watson was on the receiving end of it most of the time. John was glad at least one Watson had that honor.
"You're a fantastic teacher, Sherlock. Rosie... she really loves you.", John wasn't sure why he felt so awkward. They used to flow, now they are stuck in unspoken words and unspeakable emotions.
"It's my pleasure. She - both of you - mean a lot to me."
John softly carressed Rosie's violin case. "Do you know why I wanted her to learn to play the violin?"
Sherlock didn't say anything, but his interest was piqued, John didn't have to see him to know that - he felt it.
"It reminds me of you.", John said quietly and now he did look up at Sherlock. He hoped Sherlock knew what he actually meant: John missed him. How they used to be together.
For a long few seconds Sherlock looked at him. As so often, John could not look away. He didn't want to anyways. Then Sherlock breathed in sharply, turned around and grabbed his violin. John immediately fought an eye-roll. Of course they wouldn't be able to talk, how had he ever thought they-
But Sherlock held the violin out for John to take. "Sherlock, what do-"
"Take it."
Bemused John looked back and forth from the instrument to the man. "Are you sure- ", he started.
"I want you to try. Take it.", Sherlock insisted.
Hesitantly, carefully, John took the instrument. It felt fragile, but it was heavier than John had expected it to be.
"Put it under your chin. Like-"the gentlest touch redirected John's chin. Cold fingers. "-this."
"Hold the bow like-" Again, cold fingers on him, gently, just a whisper of a touch. "There you go."
Sherlock's mouth was close to John's ear. His voice velvet and deep. It crept inside of John, making the fine hair at his neck stand on ends.
"Now play for me.", Sherlock whispered. John surpressed a shiver. He was pretty sure, this shouldn't sound this alluring.
He didn't try to push his finger on a string. He simply let the bow glide and he produced an actual passable sound from a violin.
"Good, that was an A. Now try-", but John forgot to listen when Sherlock stepped behind him, feeling his fingers placing his index on the string, feeling his hand wrap around his bow hand, feeling Sherlock's chest against his back. John is pretty sure he forgot to breathe.
Sherlock was simply too close. He registered the man saying something, but he didn't know what. He tried hard to force the fog away. Instead he felt Sherlock leading his hand over the string, it was so darn cold against his own sweaty hand. A tone played and it was all so surreal: Sherlock teaching him to play the violin, Sherlock against his body, Sherlock whispering in his ear, Sherlock's cold fingers against his own warm ones. The tone sounded on and on and it sounded like the beginning of something. Like the beginning of something magical. Like the beginning of them.
But soon this something, that danced in the room to the tone they had played together, was interrupted by the thunder of upstairs-running kid's feet.
[to be continued in part 2!]
---
Special thanks to @totallysilvergirl whose series "Drawn to Stars" but especially "Teach Your Children Well" has subconsciously inspired me to write this incredibly talented and loving Rosamund Watson. I didn't realize until later, that it was very much inspired by you. Check this series out if you haven't yet! I love it so much!
tag list! (please tell me if you wanna be added or removed! 💚) @catlock-holmes @justanobsessedpan @helloliriels @boredsushi @fluffbyday-smutbynight @inevitably-johnlocked @hisfavouritejumper @rhasima @forfucksakejohn @ohlooktheresabee @turbulenttrouble @7arantellgrrl @ssmeowl123 @so-youre-unattached-like-me @peanitbear @train-mossman @loki-lock @smulderscobie @timberva @grace-in-the-wilderness @chinike @pansherlock @the-smol-bean-libby-blog @jawnn-watson @whatnext2020 @escapingthereality @missdeliadili @kettykika78 @musingsofmyown @7-percent @speedymoviesbyscience @astudyin221b @francj15 @almosttinycowboy @ladylindaaa @we-r-loonies @mxster-jocale @sherlockcorner @noahspector @our-stars-graveside @jobooksncoffee
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