entranceway | [Action]

Because if I didn't ask you, you'd think I didn't care. I care very much that you continue to try and to improve. This is me validating your efforts in a way which cannot be interpreted as false praise as you seem to find it more belittling than anything else. It reinforces the desire to improve either way and one day you will be precisely right, earn exact praise, and feel at long last accomplished. Don't deny yourself that moment by asking me to stop.

[He looks around with his magnifying glass.]

The colors and symbols do indeed correspond. As do the designs of the pajama suits. I'm a Seer and therefore I wear the clothes of the seer in the color of Mind. Which appears to be green. Those who know their true worth have been more or less promoted in abilities to the position of godtier.

Oh, and I am cheating a bit with all this. Obviously.

[He stares at Sherlock in surprise; not only was he doing this for John's benefit, but he was outwardly admitting it. Normally, these moments, the ones they discussed not too long ago whilst tumbling about on the floor of Sherlock's room, were something that John recognized and cherished privately, unknowing if the other man even realized he was going about something for his partner. John is taken aback by that, as well as his refusal to stop just so that the doctor would have a moment of accomplishment in deduction sometime in the future, that he'd earn Sherlock's praise. His throat feels tight with emotion at that.]

Sherlock...

[John opened and closed his mouth, floundering for a response as Sherlock carried on, deducing smoothly on the meanings behind the symbols and colors. Shaking himself, John finally spoke.]

...A 'Seer of the Mind'...

[His mouth quirks fondly.]

Yeah, that suits you perfectly. Godtier, too. Of course.

[Then his expression wavered.]

So... I'm not on the same level as you because I don't see my 'true worth'...

[He shifted, rolling his shoulders tensely.]

I see...

Trust me, we'll be working on that last bit. I'm a little disapointed in you, John. I didn't think you were less than confident in your own worth.

[John's face twitches in a small wince, darting his gaze away from the other man. Disappointing Sherlock is almost more painful then admitting his limited self worth.]

Don't bother. It's only significant for this event, right? Nothing more then a few days of walking while everyone else floats about. I can deal with that.

Edited 2012-05-25 19:06 (UTC)

It only makes a difference for this event. It still matters. Especially as I'm the cause. Again: cheating. Appologies.

[Sherlock tosses his magnifying glass, playing with it.]

So, what would you like me to burn?

[John's shoulders draw up defensively.]

Burn? No, wait, Sherlock, in a minute--you're the... Your new mind powers are telling you you're the cause?

[He shifts his weight. He feels like he should protest naming the other man as the cause so bluntly, but he knows... he knows that the downward spiral he'd fallen into after Sherlock died isn't that easy to shake off. But, as he found out, Sherlock had done it /for/ John, and he shouldn't put himself in charge of fixing this result, it wasn't fair...]

...It's not your fault.

I never said it was. I said I was the cause. You're at fault. Well... maybe Moriarty. It depends on how much is internal to begin with and how much was internalized as a direct result.

[He spies another Imp and aims hsi magnifying glass at it. Vroosh~]

[John follows the blast as best he can with his eyes, twitching as his gaze lands on the crisp Imp in the distance. He's glad he can't smell it from here, no matter how much you chased criminals it was impossible to forget or ignore the smell of flesh burnt by explosion.

He grunts softly in response, but doesn't speak right away, absorbing Sherlock's words. Well, at least Sherlock wasn't attempting to fix him out of guilt.]

...So, what would I have been, if I had become Godtier? Are you able to tell with those new powers?

Edited 2012-05-25 20:03 (UTC)

You'd be the same as you are now. Just.... more. Better. You're the Knight of Life, aren't you? I've seen a few godtier Knights. Nice armor. Green--not so much teal as mine but a truer green.

...The Knight of Life, huh?

[John smiles hesitantly, testing the title on his tongue. Perhaps it's just because of the event, but it feels right to him.]

That... works.

[He rolls his shoulders, trying to appear casual.]

Too bad, that. I think I look pretty good in green, even if they're rather pajama-like.

Well, we could always cheat and just get you the costume out of the closet. Or a vendor might carry it. No one said you have to earn the clothing. I'd rather like to trade mine in.

That's okay. I'd hate to be pushed off of something high up because someone thought I'd be able to catch myself midair.

You're trading yours in? But I thought you liked pajama parties, Sherlock; you parade around in your dressing gown all the time.

Only because you'd throw a fit if I walked around in the buff.

[He goes back to burning things~]

[Cue one jaw drop and mental keyboard smash here, executed by one Doctor John H. Watson. He has to shake himself out of it, helped along by an explosion off in the distance.]

Yeah, probably.

Edited 2012-05-25 22:09 (UTC)

[Does a Doctor John H. Watson keyboard smash include more than just the two fingers?

He smirks just a bit. Don't act like you have no idea how he sleeps in general, John. It's not as though he undressed to throw a sheet on instead of serviceable night garments.]

Don't worry, I don't sleep naked on the couch. Flesh on leather? Imagine the squeak.

Probably quite uncomfortable, too.

[This is him internally keyboard smashing once more. Even faster, since it'd be with his forehead. The sound of flesh on-- goddammit Sherlock.]

Wonder which you'll miss more first, then, a proper bed or sleeping in the nude? Very kind of you to refrain from doing so while we were stuck camping, would have been quite a sight for our poor tentmate.

I'm surprised your concern is with what the tentmate would think and not the fact that you would have been laying next to a naked man. Well, a naked me if that makes any difference which I presume it does.

[John realizes after a moment he's stared at the other man far too long, enough to place his long look into a 'deer in the headlights' category. Exactly what he didn't want to do, not with Sherlock Holmes investigating his expression. John breaks out of the stare and shuffles, finding distraction in picking up his tossed paper tea cup.]

Yes, well. I'm used to you, aren't I?

Too used to me one might argue.

[He gives John a slightly questioning look, the one that says he's seen into you but isn't quite sure what he's found. To be precise, it's exactly the way he looked at him before trying to let him down gently and explain his devotion to work at Angelo's. As with then, he just turns and looks back out at his objective.]

People have been arguing that. Since I moved in, in fact.

[John jokes, working far too hard to make his smile seem natural and relaxed so it only feels like an awkward baring of teeth to him and he can only hope that his facial muscle memory of the expression isn't letting him down. He eventually awkwardly clears his throat, glancing out onto the checkered landscape.]

[People have. From his own brother to complete strangers, people have either jokingly or seriously believed them to be closer than acquaintances and even more so as friends. From day one to even the end of his known days, people doubted John's insistence there was nothing there. People can be very stupid but even clever people such as The Woman...

Sherlock does something he knows he shouldn't do but can't resist: he lets himself think about the possibilities. If he does A, what is John's B? If John As, and Sherlock Bs, what is C? He lets his new powers take his vision far beyond his comfortable scope to a place far too specific and real. He can see everything from this moment forward in so many possible paths with really very few differences in outcome.

It's not comforting. It's not thrilling or fascinating so much as it is slightly terrifying. Because John is wrong. And Sherlock can see it. And 95% of all possible paths he can think to query say the confrontation can't be avoided, the only possible way of keeping things exactly as they are being one of them leaving before the tipping point. He can envision hundreds of possible ways they lose themselves and their sanity for several different reasons: comfort, event properties, passion--that one is the most unstable and confusing.

Sherlock puts his hand to his forehead, closing his eyes as though the sun is too bright. This was a bad idea. He doesn't want to know these things. Millions of variables with truly very few possible solutions. He tries to delete it all as quickly as possible. He's seen something he never should have.]

[John watches Sherlock, the change of expression as the other man looks more and more pained, even distressed. Worry knots in the doctor's stomach, and he comes over as Sherlock closes his eyes, pressing a hand against the other man's shoulder.]

Sherlock, what's wrong? Are you alright?

[Sherlock pulls away, jerking his shoulder out of his grasp too forcibly, too obviously intentional. He puts his other hand up to make him keep his distance.]

I'm alright. It's just... I need to go back inside.

[He pockets his magnifying glass and starts towards the door.]

[John frowns and is two steps into perusing his friend when the held up hand makes him flinch back. He stares after Sherlock as the man retreats towards the door.

The way Sherlock drew away from him... had he done something wrong? A cold, sinking fear settles in John's gut. What if it's...]

...Okay. Try not to set your room on fire.

[Even to his own ears the light hearted tease sounds flat. But it's all he can think to do.]

What? Oh. No, right... No, I'll.. I'll keep the fire to an outside activity.

[He walks to the door and stops, sort of rocking in place as though trying to decide something. He's rather obviously frazzled--not an easy achievement.]

John, I... ah... I have work to do. So I'll see you tomorrow.

[action]

was_a_soldier - 2012-05-27 02:30 (UTC) - Expand

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not_a_hero - 2012-05-27 02:41 (UTC) - Expand