Work Text:
You watched him as he entered the station, following Lestrade.
Sherlock Holmes.
A detective.
A sociopath.
And something more?
The pale man with piercing blue eyes. Tall. Dark hair.
Followed by a shorter man, blond hair, John Watson.
You liked John. He was nice. He was human. Well he was a human with emotions and that certainly didn’t count for Mister Sherlock Holmes.
The empathy thrown right out of the window at his birth.
Zero. None.
That is why you didn’t like it when he talked with suspects or family members of dead relatives. He lacked that empathy and it annoyed you. In the work world.
Outside of it you couldn’t care less about his empathy. He was a brilliant man.
His mind working at a speed and capacity you have never seen before. It amazed you. It intrigued you.
It was god given and god taketh away that you didn’t have to work with Sherlock Holmes.
At least you didn’t have to watch him talk to the victims families, but it also meant you weren’t a witness to his brilliance.
You sighed and grabbed your coat, sliding it on as the door of Lestrade’s office closed. They were talking about some case that was going on in the middle of the night, but you didn’t care as you were finally off.
You had just finished your report about a case in Chinatown as the case was finally brought to a close.
You strapped your bag over your shoulder and pushed your chair back behind the desk.
“Home” You murmured as you made your way out of the station.
Ahhh weekend. Finally. You weren’t on call this time. It was all Lestrade. You could crawl into your bed and emerge on Monday. No obligations. No meetings. No friends. Ah, yeah that could be seen as sad, but more time for yourself and less time explaining your lifestyle.
You were in your late twenties, what most people see as baby age. But you never wanted a kid. You wanted to live for yourself and now also for your work.
You never cared about having a mini you. You had a sister who could fulfil that part. Making your parents grand-parents. But you didn’t want to do that.
You weren’t damaged because you thought that way. It was just a fact.
This also meant that looking for a partner was a bit hard. Of course everyone you ever dated, had either broken up or you had to break up with them, as they either always wanted to have kids or wanted to change your mindset to have a kid with them.
One even got you pregnant as he had poked the condoms you had been using together.
That made you kick him out and have a very painful doctors visit. But nothing a few painkillers couldn’t fix.
You looked up as the bus arrived and got on, nodding a greeting to the bus driver before looking for a seat. It was so late already that the bus was nearly empty. Only two people were sharing the downstairs area with you.
What time was it anyway? 01:29AM. And Lestrade was working on a case at this hour? Have fun drinking coffee all day to keep yourself awake, Greg.
You sighed.
Suddenly the bus came to a stop and announced the end of your ride.
“Sorry people, the tire broke. Get onto the next or wait for the mechanic” The bus driver told you over the speaker.
Great. That was the last bus heading to your home tonight.
But to your luck, it was only two stops away from your home. Definitely walkable distance.
You got off and started walking, putting your earbuds in switching on some music to keep you company. You walked through those dark alleyways and empty streets to your home.
You opened the door to the house you were renting an apartment in and got inside, walking up to the first floor, getting inside of your tiny home.
You dropped your bag to the floor by the entrance and took off your jacket. You slid out of your shoes and walked over to the kitchen, switching on the light over the oven, not bothering to switch on the big light.
You hummed as you filled yourself a glass of water to take to your nightstand.
You placed it down in your bedroom and changed into your comfortable clothes, a pair of jogging pants and a loose band t-shirt you got while attending a concert.
You stretched yourself before closing the blinds, so you could sleep in and plopped down on your bed, crawling under the covers. You were so tired.
So tired that you didn’t notice that you were being watched the whole time since you entered your apartment.
“Fuck” You breathed out as someone knocked all the air out of you as they sat down right on your chest, pinning you down.
You felt a gun to your head, your gun.
“What do you want?” You managed to breathe out, the person was fucking heavy.
“I will kill you for taking my brother” The person hissed and you could hear the safety being unlocked on the gun.
Fuck who? You never killed anyone, you just put people into prison. But then again-
“He killed himself in prison, because of you. Fucking cop”
Ah there we go.
But that wasn’t your fault, was it?
“Fuck you” You hissed, as you had your hand wrapped around the wrist of the hand that was holding the gun to your temple.
“You really want to be chased as a cop killer?” You asked, trying to push the arm away, but he was stronger, way stronger.
“I am being chased for bigger” You could hear the grin in his voice.
Damn-
Suddenly the weight was gone, letting you breathe in deeply, shooting up in an upright position.
“Who the fuck-“ You could hear your attacked shout before he was thrown against the wall, instantly unconscious.
“Are you here to kill me or to save me?” You asked into the darkness, not able to make out where the new participant was standing.
“I am here to eat” You heard a very low voice. Animalistic. Raw.
You were pushed back down, your covers pushed down, your shirt pushed to the side, exposing your shoulder. As you were struggling to comprehend what was happening, you could feel a sharp sting in the exposed shoulder, followed by warmth and a high you have never experienced before.
You were pulled into someone’s lap, everything feeling hazy, like in a dream.
Your head fell to the side, but was caught by a large hand, fingers driving through your hair and angling your head so your neck wouldn’t hurt.
You had your face buried in someones fluffy hair, smelling familiar.
Another arm was snaked around your form, keeping you in the persons lap. Keeping you close.
“Mhhh hope.. you took off your… shoes…. Not cleaning tmrw” You murmured into the soft hair before you slipped away into a well deserved slumber.
“Holy fuck” You shot up straight, only to flinch hard at the pain in your shoulder.
It was bandaged neatly as you looked down at it.
Had it all been a dream?
You got up on wobbly legs and stumbled over to the bathroom, turning on your light and unwrapping the bandages gently.
There were two dots on the back of your shoulder and two in the front. Surrounded by dark purple marks that were already turning yellow.
You hissed at the sight. It looked horrible.
You bandaged it back up after cleaning the marks gently and made your way over to the bedroom. You inspected your walls, but nothing was broken. No sign of the attacker and the … rescuer?
“Vampire?” You whispered to yourself in question.
Were they actually real? Or was someone playing with you.
Come on, fairy tales? You had probably been drugged, hence the high and assaulted, so it looked like a vampires bite. You felt like an idiot for even thinking for a second that vampires are real.
But that didn’t hold you back from driving to the station and looking through old files were this kind of injury was being mentioned.
“[L/N]! Isn’t it your day off?” You looked up from your desk, which was filled with a good amount of files as Greg was standing in your office.
“Yeah, I just had a train of thought that I had to check on” You said as you looked over the man who was just passing by.
John Watson and Sherlock Holmes right behind him. Did they have a breakthrough over night?
You nodded at Watson, who greeted you back.
And gifted Holmes with a small nod too, which he never reciprocated, until-
“Good morning, Miss [L/N]” Suspicious.
“Morning, Holmes” You greeted back with furrowed eyebrows.
Strange. He never greeted you. Spared a glance here and there sometimes but had never said anything to you.
It didn’t bother you before, you weren’t actually working together, so why should he.
It was better to be air around him, than to be in actual war with him like Anderson. You would love to think ‘poor Anderson’ but that guy was a prick and deserved every bullying he received from Holmes.
You watched the group as they left your office again and went back to work. Keeping the scene that had just occurred at the back of your mind.
You packed your things as your shoulder got too sore. Thankfully you didn’t bring your bag with you, your shoulder was killing you.
It was an early day, only around 11 AM as you left the office again. Looking for a spot to get breakfast/lunch. Breaklunch? Lunfast? Brunch… ah yes, that was the word.
You found a cozy café and choose some overpriced breakfast sandwich with a cold drink accompanying it, before relaxing into one of those armchairs that were standing around.
“There you go” The waitress said as she brought you, your breakfast.
You went at it as you checked the files you had taken with yourself on your phone. Lestrade would rip your head off if he knew you had taken pictures, but it was your offline phone, so you weren’t that scared.
Better than to run around the city with actual files.
You had found a few cases that described the injuries you had on your shoulders. There were even photographs which looked exactly like your injury.
A vampire in London? I mean, it never killed anyone. Those were just reports of scared victims that went to the police to report it. Probably loosing their credibility over it when speaking the words “I think a vampire attacked me”. Probably looking like a lunatic to the officer who had taken in the case. Poor bastards.
But to be honest, you probably wouldn’t have believed them either. But now being a victim yourself, you couldn’t do anything else than believe them.
You sighed as you took the rest of the sandwich to go and put back on your jacket to make your way home. It was the weekend after all. You didn’t want nothing more than to rot in your apartment. But no, you were looking into cases.
Into old abandoned cases. Well there wasn’t much of a case, was there? More like reports. Ah yes, reports of around 20 people who had the exact same injury.
You put your keys into the keyhole of your apartment and got inside, taking off your outside clothes and putting back on your cozy ones. You would begin the weekend with cleaning your den. Getting your mind off things.
You actually managed to do it and were now dozing softly in front of the TV. It was around 8:39PM as your book fell to the ground out of your hands. You hated the silence, that is why there had to be some background noise, hence the TV while reading a book.
You woke up from the smacking sound the book made as it fell to the ground. You stretched yourself and got up. Time for a shower.
You stood in front of your mirror and looked over the bite marks again.
The purple only being light now, while some of the spots were already a piss yellow. Sexy.
You have been thinking about the other people.
In their reports they described a similar person. Well, those were very faint descriptions really. Tall. Was something that had been occurring more often. It had been dark with the other victims. Some had just woken up with those marks. Some had fallen instantly unconscious. But those were only 20 people who reported it. 20 people in the span of 70 years.
You turned on the water as you undressed fully and got into the shower.
Vampires. In London? Why not make it romantic and be a vampire in Paris? Would have probably made a kink out of it. No one would have actually reported it probably. You chuckled to yourself.
Yeah, putting out the stereotype of a Parisian wasn’t very classy.
“Huh?” You flinched as the lights of your bathroom started to flicker and went out.
When was the last time you had changed that god forsaken bulb.
“Come on” You hissed and turned off the water, opening the shower curtain to get a towel.
“Bloody hell” You murmured as you wrapped your towel around yourself to leave the bathroom and check for some bulbs in your tiny storage. You doubted that there were some, but looking could help.
“Fuck-“ You breathed out as you were pushed against a wall.
Strong hands, familiar scent, tall.
“Wait” You nearly screamed as you placed your hand over the person’s mouth.
What did you want to wait for? You were panicking. Your heartbeat racing inside your chest.
“Are you the same person from yesterday?” You whispered, scared to speak loudly.
A long pause before you felt the person nod underneath your hand.
“I-… We- We need some ground rules. My shoulder is sore, you know” You said, trying to buy yourself some time. You knew, or you hoped, that the vampire wouldn’t kill you, but you were still somehow scared.
The creature pulled you closer and wrapped his hand around your wrist. Leather. Leather gloves.
“No we don’t” You heard the animalistic voice once again. Low. Dangerous.
Long canines piercing your wrist as you were pulled flush against the vampires chest, your forehead resting against their chest.
“No-“ You murmured as the high took over again.
“Please” You whispered as your other hand gripped the persons arm.
You were slipping again. Nearly unconscious as you felt the pressure on your arm disappear.
You were being held for a few seconds that felt like an eternity.
“Ground rules, huh?” You heard him speak before being picked up and carried out of the bathroom.
Your head was leaning against his chest. You could hear no heartbeat.
“If you want—to continue…. Coming here-… yes” You slurred, your head rolling back.
You felt your soft bed underneath you and the blankets covering you.
“Maybe next time” You heard a whisper before everything went dark again.
It was way too warm for a long sleeved turtleneck. But you didn’t want to be questioned by your colleagues why you had your wrist and shoulder wrapped up. Your shoulder had started to bleed again on Sunday after receiving new marks on Saturday evening on your wrist.
You haven’t read a report where the vampire had visited twice. Was he too lazy to find a new snack? Or were you so easy to get, that you had fallen victim two times now. To be honest, it was somehow concerning that your senses were down two times.
Even a mushroom would have felt the predator in the room.
“[Y/N] can you bring this over to Baker Street? Greg is out with the inspector for a case and Holmes is waiting on this” Donavan popped her head into your office and held up a case file.
“Sure. I was leaving anyway” You said as you grabbed your stuff. You would grab a longer shift tomorrow. Your mind was elsewhere anyway.
You put on your jacket and took the files from Donovan before heading out of the building and getting a cab to the consulting detective and his doctor partner.
You had never been there. You knew the address, but had never had to work with the two gentlemen so you had never been inside the apartment.
You got out of the cab after paying and rang the door bell of the upper apartment.
As no one answered you knocked on the big dark door. It was only 7PM? Were they out? But weren’t they waiting for that file?
You contemplated just pushing the file through the post slit as the door suddenly opened and an older lady opened the door.
“Are you a client?”
“Oh no, I work for Lestrade, he asked me to drop something by” You said, worried who that person was.
“Ah yes, follow me I will guide you to the boys. I am Mrs Hudson by the way”
“Ah, the landlady” You said as you closed the door behind yourself as you followed her inside.
She guided you up the stairs and knocked on the door of the upstairs apartment.
“Sherlock, you have a visitor” But there was no answer.
“Sherlock?” She said as she opened the door.
“Sherlock, why do you not answer when the doorbell is rung”
“Not now, Mrs Hudson, I am waiting for a case file”
“Which is here now” You said as you popped your head into the apartment and held up the file.
“Where is Lestrade” Holmes said as he got up, walking over to.
“Probably ditching you with another date” You said with a small grin on your face.
“I need you to sign these” You said as you put out the evidence papers.
He did and you gave him the file.
“Have fun” You said as you were about to leave.
“Oh, won’t you stay over for tea?” Mrs Hudson called back and you smiled a little to yourself.
“Very kind of you, but he has to work and I need to get back home”
“Miss [L/N] I have a question for you concerning these papers. Mrs Hudson you may leave” Holmes said and his landlady started to fuss around as she walked past you down the stairs.
“Where are his manners” You could make out and snorted.
Where indeed.
You walked back inside and closed the door behind you.
“I don’t know if I can be much help for you” You said as you watched the man and shot a quick glance around the apartment.
“Why are you not working on the big cases, you are far more intelligent than Grail or Donavan”
“Greg. And well, can’t be better than the boss” You said as you looked back at the detective who was taking apart the case file.
You watched him for a while but froze.
You smelled a familiar scent in the apartment.
“Have you had any clients today?” You asked as your eyes were glued to the man, trying to keep your cool, keeping your heartbeat at bay.
“No, just Hudson and John walking around, why?” He asked back, not looking up from the papers.
Oh he knew why. His voice told you everything. The tone of it. He knew exactly why you were asking.
“What were you doing in the night from Saturday to Sunday at around 8:30PM” You asked as your hand slowly moved towards your gun.
“Thinking about establishing ground rules” He said as if to mock you, still not looking up.
“You” You whispered, taking a step back.
Vampires weren’t real. He was just assaulting you and making it look like an attack. But why should he? What was his motive? You were of no value to him? You didn’t work with him or cross any of his cases.
“What value do I have to you?” You asked as you slowly pulled out your gun, undoing the safety.
“So many questions”
“Don’t pretend like you actually needed that case. You wanted me here, didn’t you” You said, eyeing the man.
“Clever. It makes sense that you taste so good” He said, finally looking up.
“There isn’t a need for that” He added, holding up your gun from where he was sitting.
You looked down at your hands and huffed.
Of course, super speed. Anything else you needed to know?
“What value do I have to you that you visited me twice? You didn’t visit any of your other victims twice. At least not the ones who reported it” You asked again, still not moving away from the door.
“Your value, Miss [L/N], is the taste of your blood” He replied as he got up and walked up to you, looking down at you.
“I have never met anyone… never tasted anyone with such an addicting taste like yours” He replied, leaning down and smelling your neck.
“Never did I have to feed so much on one person before” He breathed against your neck.
“Hmmm no-“ You whispered. His smell. Was it what lulled you each time?
“No.” You said again, firmly this time as you pushed him away.
“No?”
“No. Ground rules” You said, squinting your eyes at him.
“Ground rules” He repeated.
“I will allow you to get more, but only with rules. I do not enjoy being surprised like that”
“Your heart beat and smell says otherwise”
“Well, fuck those, it doesn’t matter. I don’t know you that well for you just visiting me whenever you please to drink from me” You said and made your way to the couch, sitting down, crossing your legs and arms, staring at the fire place.
“If you want to have more, rules first”
“Fine. What rules were you thinking about, officer? Taking you out on a date before I eat you?” He asked with a devious smirk on his lips.
“Wouldn’t hurt, but I care less about that. Maybe text before you come so that you don’t scare me in my shower? Communication would be nice” You said as he eyed you.
“Communication?”
“Bloody hell, it is my first time establishing rules with a mythical creature. The hell I know?” You replied, now pissed. The fear was completely gone since Holmes was acting like a complete asshole.
“Communication and maybe be a little gentle? My shoulder is still sore and my wrist hurts so much I could barely work today. That reminds me, is there anything I can do after you had your take on me, so it won’t hurt that bad?” You asked, taking out a small notebook from your jacket.
“You are taking notes now?”
“Sorry that I do not have an extraordinary mind like your own, Mister Holmes” You sighed and opened the little booklet.
“So… information” You said and looked up at him as you popped your pen.
“Yes. Rule number one, communication. That would require you to have my phone number”
“Don’t worry, I won’t text you. It will be one way. Like a letter pigeon” You said, waiting for his move.
“Fine” He said before dictating you, his number.
“Texting before coming. It’s your own fault if you won’t read them” He added before giving you instructions what to do after his visits.
Technically robbing a whole apothecary.
“Witch hazel?” You asked, pinching the bridge of your nose.
“Fantastic” You sighed.
“Only for you to get a meal” You whispered as you closed your little notebook.
“What are you getting in return” Sherlock asked, making you halt as you were making your way to the door.
“None of your business”
“It is, if you are planning on exposing me”
“Don’t worry, that is not why I will allow this”
“Did you catch feelings, miss [L/N]? Just because I visited you more often than anyone else and you tasting divine doesn’t mean I have-“
“No, don’t worry. I could care less about you” You added as you slipped on your coat.
“Then why-… ooohh”
“What” You shot back, not bothering looking around.
“You enjoy it”
“Enjoy what?”
“The high”
“Certainly not” You hissed back.
“Now, now, there is no point in lying, miss [L/N]. I know you do. Everyone does. That is why it’s there” He chuckled.
You groaned and left his apartment. Dickhead. But he wasn’t wrong.
You plopped down on your bed with a sigh after taking a long warm shower, after you had changed out the god forsaken light bulb.
“A vampire. In fucking London. Amazing” You murmured before dimming the big light a bit and switching on the nightstand for an evening read.
“Be there in 5 -SH” You looked at your phone as it buzzed.
You were in the kitchen, preparing dinner, just some ordinary pasta with tomato sauce.
It had been a week since your visit to 221B Baker Street. You haven’t seen Holmes since. He had been working on a case with Greg and Watson. It had probably been a hard once, since he hadn’t bothered to swoop by for the whole time.
Good for you. Your shoulder was completely healed, and your wrist was nearly done too.
You could only guess that he got his highs from a case and your blood. You wondered what made it so special? You blood type? Your past? Your work? Or just coincidence?
You wanted to ask him, but also didn’t. Maybe it was something gruesome you didn’t need to know.
You put down your phone and turned down the heat of your pasta.
You wondered if he would knock this time.
“Fucks sake” You nearly screamed as you turned around from the kitchen counter and there he was.
Standing in a dark corner of your kitchen, eyes shining through the darkness, staring right into your soul.
“I texted you” He growled, making you swallow hard.
“You did” You whispered, taking a step back as he walked over to you around the kitchen table.
He was so close in just a few strides.
His right arm wrapped around you, pulling you closer to him and up into the air. Placing you on the kitchen counter and burying his face in your hair.
“You smell good” He murmured, his voice raspy, dehydrated.
“Showered” You joked, gasping as he pushed himself between your legs, closing the space between the two of you.
“May I?” He breathed against your shoulder, the other shoulder.
“Gently” You whispered, already lulled by his smell.
You hissed as his fangs pierced your skin, a small whimper leaving your lips as he started to suck on your shoulder.
Something felt different this time.
His bare hand on your back underneath your shirt, you could feel claws gently digging into you. Not damaging you, but keeping you in place.
The other hand gripping your hips, claws digging in there as well.
“Sherlock” You breathed out as your head fell back, the high overwhelming you.
You felt your fingertips getting numb just like your lips. Your eyes slowly rolling back as he had his way with you.
Your breathing got heavy as you tried to not pass out. You wanted to enjoy it as long as you could, before the pain would settle in again.
“You taste so good” You heard him as he leaned back a bit, licking over your wounds, making you gasp.
“I hope so” You chuckled, drunk on the feeling.
You noticed that his nails had turned human again as he gently rubbed your hips with his thumb.
“How do you feel”
“as if you care” You breathed out, his hand now on the back of your head, leaning your head back to the front, for it to only fall against his chest.
“I do, actually” He said, picking you up from the counter.
You wrapped your legs around his middle out of instinct, not wanting to fall to the ground.
“is good” You murmured, sleepy.
“Good” He whispered.
You felt your bed underneath you and let go of Holmes.
You heard rustling and then his cold fingers on your shoulder, rubbing in the stuff you bought for his bites.
“My salvia should do the trick, but better be safe than sorry” He said and you hummed in response.
He was gentle. Moving his hand between you and the bed to slightly raise you and massage the back of your shoulder.
He didn’t have to, but he did anyway.
“Do you eat human food?” You asked, lazily, on the verge of falling asleep.
“I do”
“There is unprofessional pasta on the stove if you want some” You whispered before passing out in his arms.
You woke up early, like every day on a work day.
You remembered what had happened the evening before and noticed that your shoulder wasn’t killing you like it did before.
It felt actually pretty good.
“Good morning” You nearly screamed as you looked to the door.
“You are awake” Holmes added as he switched on the lights in the kitchen which was right outside your bedroom.
“You are still here?” You asked as you slowly got up, feeling very light headed.
“I wanted to make sure you are alright” He replied as you leaned against the wall, trying to catch your breath.
“The other times you didn’t bother, why this time?” You asked, your head still spinning. It was too early for a conversation.
“I took too much” He said, walking over to you and steading you.
“Maybe you should call in sick today” He suggested and you shook your head.
“I can’t, I have a case” You whispered, leaning against him.
“Just a second and I will be good”
“Stubborn”
“Just like you” You whispered with a small smirk.
“Have it your way then” You heard him sigh and he pushed you back down onto the bed.
“No… I need to-“
“Go to work. I understood. Don’t worry” He replied and you could hear him go through your warderobe.
“Why don’t you wear your fancy clothes to work”
“Because you made me look like swiss cheese” You whispered, slowly opening your eyes.
“The dark green turtle neck will do” You chimed in as he was holding the piece in his hands.
“Your choice” He replied and put it down on the bed, next to a pair of trousers and socks.
“May I?” He asked and you looked up at him as he held out his hand to you.
You knew what he was suggesting. A man you barely knew helping you dress into your work clothes.
But then again, he probably saw so much and didn’t care seeing you like this. In only a few years he wouldn’t remember you anymore. Being probably immortal and such.
“Sure” You murmured, taking his hand, allowing him to pull you up and moving you against the headboard of your bed.
He helped you into your pants first, before undressing you from your tshirt and helping you into the turtle neck.
“I feel like a doll” You murmured, so goddamn sleepy.
“You should really call it a day” He repeated and you shook your head.
“Nope. Have criminals to catch” You replied and let him help you back off the bed.
You stumbled to your front wardrobe and slipped on your jacket and your shoes.
“You can go now, Holmes. You shouldn’t be seen with me, or the people will talk. Famous detective seen with a police officer in the morning hours. The press will be onto you” You hummed as you took your bag and slid it onto your shoulder. Your healed shoulder.
“If I cared what people thought about me, I wouldn’t live in London” He said as he walked out right behind you, watching you, ready to catch you if you should trip.
“It’s your image, Mister Holmes, I don’t care about mine” You slurred with a shrug as you walked down the stairs, leaning against the wall.
“You should really stay home”
“Mhhhh fuck you too” You grinned and stumbled out of your front door onto the pavement.
“Drink this at least” Holmes said as he placed a cup on your desk.
“Thanks. What is that?” You asked as you rubbed your temples. A headache had found you. A terrible one.
“Iron. It should help” He said before making his way out of your office again.
“Since when does Sherlock talk to you?” Greg popped in his head as you were sipping on the dissolved iron tablet.
“I think it started last week when I brought him the files?” You suggested as you placed down the cup.
“But don’t worry, I don’t think he developed human emotions” You added, before Lestrade could ask you about your relationship with the detective.
The man studied you for a second before popping back out.
Fantastic. It would only take minutes before Anderson and Donovan would find out.
Maybe even days, they do tend to be a bit slow. But then again, they are such gossip queens.
You felt a bit better after drinking the cup empty.
You weren’t good enough for field work but enough for office work for today, so you started to write your reports.
You didn’t remember when you have fallen asleep. But you were woken up with long cold fingers driving through your open hair, nails gently massaging your skin.
“Mrs [L/N], that isn’t good work ethics” You heard Sherlock joke.
Actually joke. Never heard that before.
“M’sry” You mumbled.
You had read that iron deficiency could lead to unusual tiredness but would have never guessed that it was this grave.
“Do you want me to take you home?” He asked and you slowly nodded, your head still laying on your desk between your papers.
He propped you back into your chair and placed your bag in your lap with your jacket.
“Let’s go then” You were picked up by your legs and back and carried out of your office.
Sherlock turned around, allowing you to lock it before making his way out of the building.
In the blink of a second you were home. He placed you down on a chair in the kitchen.
“Thank you” You sighed and leaned forward, leaning your head against your crossed arms on the kitchen table. You were so goddamn tired.
You slowly opened your eyes and noticed that you didn’t recognize the kitchen floor.
“Where am I ?” You shot up and looked around, instantly feeling dizzy from the quick motion.
“Baker Street. You are staying here over the weekend so I can nurse you back to your old self” He replied.
“What about John?”
“What about him?”
“Won’t he be questioning you, why you are keeping a woman in your room over the weekend?”
“He won’t notice”
“Sure” You murmured as you watched him walk around the kitchen, brewing something, looking for ingredients.
“May I take a shower?”
“Sure. First door on your left. Door in your front is the bedroom”
“And where will you be sleeping?”
“I don’t sleep” You nodded at that answer and went into the bathroom to take a shower.
You walked out, dressed in your own cozy clothes that Holmes had probably fetched from your apartment while you were working.
“A guest?” You heard John’s voice from the kitchen.
He won’t notice, my ass.
“Good evening, John” You said with a small smile.
“Are you-… are you and sherlock…”
“Don’t worry, I accidently took some of his drugs and feel like shit. He is repaying me with nursing me back to health before work on Monday. Don’t want Greg to find out and think I am a junkie” You said with a small smile, nearly falling into the wall as you lost balance once again.
“Fuck” You hissed and held yourself up by the wall.
It felt like you needed to puke.
“I see” John said, you could hear worry in his voice.
“Drink this” You heard Sherlock’s voice right from above you and looked to the side, where a cup with something warm was being held.
“Can I sit down first?” You asked, not sure if you could drink whatever this was while standing.
“Sure” Holmes said and guided you to the kitchen table, helping you sit down and pushing the cup into your hands before continuing his chat about his current case with John.
You didn’t listen as you were trying to keep your lunch inside of you while drinking the herb mixture that Holmes had pushed into your hands.
You could feel Watsons eyes on you, but couldn’t muster up the energy to look up at him. It’s not like you had anything to say. How were you supposed to explain that you took drugs by accident? At least he bought it for the first few minutes.
“I will head to bed. Feel like shit”
“No. not before you had something to eat. You need to eat or you won’t feel better” You heard Holmes as he pushed you back into your chair as you were about to stand up.
“But something light” You requested.
“Bread with butter and cheese” You suggested and received a nod of approval from Holmes.
“Do you carry something like that in your chemistry set that is your kitchen? Or just eyeballs of your next victims?” You asked. Ah you got your bite back a bit.
“We sure carry something for normal people to digest” Holmes bit back, but you could hear the smirk on his lips through the tone of his voice.
You couldn’t fall asleep in his bed. It wasn’t small or anything. But it felt so… empty?
You slept alone at home too, but there well pillows, warm blankets and a book and background noise waiting for you. But here?
Silk sheets, two fluffed pillows and little to no entertainment to keep your mind off things.
You saw so much gruesome stuff every day, you didn’t want to think about it while falling asleep.
It was around two in the morning as you were standing in the living room, looking over the books in the moonlight.
“Can’t sleep?” You flinched hard.
“For the love of god” You breathed out as you turned around and looked at the couch. You had totally forgotten that Holmes was ‘sleeping’ on there.
“Yeah” You replied as you turned back to the books
“I thought that maybe you had something to read in here, something else than Oxford Dictionary or Encyclopedias …. Or case files” You said as you looked over your shoulder at the table.
“Just things that are useful”
“You only keep things around when they are useful, hm? Had bad experiences in the past?” You asked as you let your fingers dance over the books.
“Useful is good” He just replied.
You could feel his eyes on you.
“Never said it wasn’t” You sighed and took a step back.
Nothing useful in here.
“Question” You said, still not looking around.
“Yes?”
“Is it true that you don’t have a partner because you find no interest in relationships, or because you are immortal?” You asked, still not turning to look at him.
Ever since you found out his true nature you always wondered if the things said about him were true or just a façade, so no one would know that he was actually a vampire.
“Mixture of both of them”
“What about your lack of empathy”
“Lost it centuries ago”
“How old are you actually?” You asked and finally turned around to look at him.
He was still on the couch, now sitting and still,… watching you.
“Old enough to vote”
“Funny” You snorted and leaned against the fireplace with your back, looking out of the window.
“Have you been alive to witness Jack the Ripper?”
“Yes”
“Who was it?” You asked, interested, looking back at him.
“A woman”
“A woman? Tell me about her” You made your way over to him and sat down next to him.
“She was an aristocrat. A noble woman of high status” He leaned back into the couch as he looked at the wall above the fire place.
“She hated prostitutes, since she couldn’t have children on her own”
“And that is why she killed them all?” You asked, raising your eyebrows.
“People have killed for less”
“The most famous killer and it was a jealous woman who hated other woman. What are we capable of” You whispered to yourself as you leaned back too and looked up at the ceiling.
“So you are definitely older than 140 years old. Must have been lonely at times” You said, thinking about the historic events that had happened since then.
“Or did you always keep a pet around like John and me?” You asked with a small smirk, looking over at him.
“I do not feel loneliness. And my brother is a vampire too, so there is that” He said.
Made sense. Would have been weird if there was a 30 something year old man, who was calling this 140 year old man his brother.
“I always wondered if immortality is a curse or a gift” You hummed as you thought about Sherlock’s situation.
“A mixture of both” He replied, not looking at you.
“Being a witness of historical events, seeing empires rise and fall, but also being witness to the fleeting moments of mortality” You spoke to yourself.
“You are not wrong”
“Oh, the police do are right sometimes”
“Sometimes”
“Hey” You laughed and poked him in the side.
“Give us a bit more credit. I mean we didn’t get Jack or Jacky the Ripper, but we do get some smaller criminals… sometimes” You joked.
You leaned your head against his shoulder as you suddenly felt very sleepy.
“How come you sometimes get a strong urge to drink and don’t eat regularly like humans do?” You asked, noticing no heartbeat again.
“While working on a case, I tend not to drink so much, as I am working and most cases keep the hunger and drive low enough. My senses are focused on something else. But once the case is solved, the hunger comes in full force”
“Is your brother like that too?”
“No, he feeds regularly like humans. Hence his many secretaries”
“Oh so you have a powerplay going on with yourself. Kinky. Food denial. Worrisome too” You added and looked up at him with a small grin.
“You have no right to tell me, miss I can go to work dying”
“I wasn’t dying, I was just very veeeery tired, thanks to you”
“That tiredness seemed to have come back. Let’s get you to bed” He noticed and got up.
He picked you up and carried you to his bedroom, gently placing you down on the bed.
“Will you stay with me? I know you don’t sleep, but we humans tend to feel lonely sometimes” You asked as you opened your eyes and looked up at him, holding his arm, holding him back from leaving.
“I guess I could read my book here” He sighed and got down on the bed next to you.
“Thank you”
“Good night, [y/n]”