Chapter Seven

Sherlock yawned widely.

"Look, just go to sleep," John murmured, leaning back in the chair.

"I don't wanna sleep while you're watching me... it's... weird," Sherlock retorted.

"Sherlock, you're exhausted. And I'm exhausted, but in case you forgot, we barely got out of the hospital so soon, anyway. Thanks to your... brother," John muttered, "and us saying that Mrs. Hudson would keep an eye on us, we managed to, but since you refuse to let Mycroft into the flat and don't want Mrs. Hudson hovering about-" and John couldn't say that he was upset about either option- "you're going to have to deal with it."

Sherlock groaned, drawing his arm over his eyes.

"I'll be quiet," John said.

"No, you won't," Sherlock replied. "Why do you have to sit there, anyway? Go... Go write a blog or something!"

"I might, but not right now. Now, stop fighting the medication and go to sleep."

Sherlock sighed heavily, removing his arm from his eyes only to grab the blankets and wrench them over his head.

John sighed also, wishing he'd grabbed himself an ice pack for his nose. He had a terrible headache and the medication he'd taken had long since wore off. He wasn't going to leave Sherlock's side right now, however, partially because he told Sherlock that he wasn't going anywhere right now, but mostly because he was worried about the consulting detective.

And John understood, all too well, that there was nothing to be done for the consulting detective right now. Sherlock was going to have to rely on crutches, medication (which John wasn't wholly happy about), and John himself. And Sherlock was just going to have to realize that, no matter how long it took for the barmy detective to see that.

Despite that, John couldn't bring himself to leave Sherlock's side. Perhaps after the detective fell asleep...

"John."

John looked towards the blankets were Sherlock was hiding. "Hm?"

"Please... stop thinking."

John smiled faintly. "Sorry."

"If you have to sit and... supervise me... please don't think about me, also."

"Well, considering the events of today, I can't exactly not think about you, Sherlock."

Sherlock seemed to huff, although he didn't resurface from the blankets, so John couldn't be sure.

"So..." John murmured, "let's not do that again, okay?"

"Hmm?" Sherlock sounded half asleep.

"The... car wreck. Let's not do that again."

"It wasn't my fault," Sherlock said, sounding defensive.

"I didn't say it was."

"You were implying."

"I was not."

"Your tone sounded like you were..."

"Well, I wasn't. I'm just saying... Not a very good day..."

"Could be worse."

"With you, yes, but hopefully not."

"No..."

"What?"

Sherlock sighed, seeming to curl up under the blankets. "No, let's not do that again... Honestly John, for telling me to rest, you talk an awful lot."

John blinked before smiling faintly. "Good. I thought that maybe you'd say you were measuring the extent of injuries based on different cabs or different scenarios or... something."

"I can do that with police reports..."

"Right, just look through old automobile reports... I didn't think of that."

"Of course you didn't," Sherlock muttered. He finally folded the blankets back, appearing from underneath them. He looked pale and exhausted. "Now do please shut up."

"Goodnight to you, too, Sherlock," John replied.

Silence followed and John thought that Sherlock was finally following the advice (albeit if John did delay the detective's rest with a conversation). He wondered why he didn't pick up a book, along with an ice pack, so he could have something to entertain himself with.

"John...?"

John blinked, looking back at Sherlock again. "Huh?"

"... It's not night-time..."

"... Right. Good afternoon, then."

Sherlock's lips twitched towards a smile. "Thanks..."

John leaned back in his chair, smiling faintly. He wondered if he was the only one who heard the double meaning behind that word. "You're welcome."

And this is how Pain and Suffering: The Silver Lining concludes! Thank you all for following the story! I appreciate every favourite and follow and the reviews so much! I hope you enjoyed this story. =3

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