"Detection" (WWI Era, Holmes Minor 2020 February Prompt)

[gardnerhill]

Title: Detection
Author: gardnerhill
Form/Wordcount: 300
Characters/Pairings: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Rating: G
Warnings/Content: None
Summary: John Watson knows his husband's heart. A sequel to my January 2020 Holmes Minor prompt, A Sight for Sore Eyes.
Author’s Notes: For the Holmes Minor February 2020 prompt: Heart



"When did you last see a doctor, Sherlock?"

I stroked John's hair in the dark, smiling. "Just before I switched off the lights in here."

His head turned from its repose on my breast; he could not see me in the room whether the lights were on or off, but the automatic gesture came nevertheless. "I'm serious, dammit. You have an arrhythmic heartbeat."

I responded with amused exasperation. "One normally has an irregular heartbeat when making love to one's spouse."

A spouse, I did not need to add, returned from his final war, one so vile and deadly that every day I thanked God that the only thing John Watson lost in France was his sight. I had already witnessed enough of John's nightmares to deduce why he too counted his blindness a mere inconvenience. While he had been in the heart of Hell I'd been dizzy with fear, light-headed with panic hourly; now the ecstasy of our reunion had me dizzy with joy, light-headed with love… Ah.

"A rapid, strong heartbeat is associated with sexual intercourse, you stubborn ass. A skipped beat or flutter in a 66-year-old man with a past history of cocaine usage is a canary staggering off its perch in a coal mine." The hands gripping mine were shaking, and not from war-memories.

He was right. I'd neglected my health in his absence and he would not permit that any more. He was now blind for the rest of his life, but my dear doctor saw through me as no one else ever could.

And another chill struck me. He needed me now, to help him navigate a familiar world made strange, keep him away from the cliff's edge. If I died…

I gripped his hands back. "Tomorrow, darling. My other doctor will see me tomorrow."

Comments

[smallhobbit]

I like this sequel. And particularly a canary staggering off its perch in a coal mine. Nice to see Watson hasn't lost his ability with words.

[gardnerhill]

Just because he can't see any more doesn't mean Watson's stopped being a doctor. And that is a graphic depiction of how close Holmes is to going feet-up in the cage bottom!

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Very poignant scene showing the strength of their love.

[gardnerhill]

Thanks. Watson isn't going to let a little thing like blindness stop him from seeing when something is wrong with his lover.

[scfrankles]

Echoing Small Hobbit - I particularly liked the line A skipped beat or flutter in a 66-year-old man with a past history of cocaine usage is a canary staggering off its perch in a coal mine.

It's kind of poignant and touching, and also ironic, that Holmes has been so focused on Watson that he completely failed to notice what his symptoms indicated and didn't deduce he might need to see a doctor. And it's also touching that it's always Watson's needs that come first: He needed me now, to help him navigate a familiar world made strange, keep him away from the cliff's edge. If I died…

[gardnerhill]

I do like that canary line myself.

Many people are good at tending to others and are terrible at tending to themselves (mothers, doctors, consulting detectives), so putting it in terms they'll understand (if you don't take care of yourself, who'll take care of them?) may work.