2. Don't Be Down - Pandora Moon (Panda's Song)

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"Smile?" The overly joyful and frankly annoying nurse questions, her face almost cracking into two as she gave the boy sitting on the bed a large grin.

Said boy, Sherlock, just blinks at her like she was an alien that dropped trou - he'd been looking at the nurses and such the same way since the moment he arrived this morning.

They were always asking him to smile.

It made him want to smile even less than he currently did, which he thought wasn't really possible at this point.

The nurse gives up after half a minute of creepy smiling and silently leaves the room. Sherlock flops back, staring up at the ceiling blankly.

He gets checked on every fifteen minutes by different nurses and doctors making their rounds in the hospital.

They never give up asking him to smile.

*

Sherlock was sat on his bed, like he had been every other day for the month he'd been here, the only difference was that this time he was sat between his boyfriend's legs.

One of Jim's legs were on either side of Sherlock's waist, his left hand trailing up and down Sherlock's scar littered arm as the taller of the two leans back against Jim's chest, staring out at the unusually sunny sky.

Every few minutes, Jim would press a kiss to the back of Sherlock's neck. Other than a small smile, that never stayed, Sherlock didn't react to the displays of affection.

It'd been hard for them both, seeing Sherlock this way.

It wasn't that Sherlock hated himself or his life. He was still the arrogant prick that did as he pleased.

No. Sherlock was sick.

With the worst kind of sickness a man like Sherlock could get. A mental sickness.

He was still Sherlock. He'd deduce people and go about life as he always did. But then sometimes he'd change, allow the voices in his head to take over and control him. He had no power to stop it. It was like being high but he had even less awareness of what was happening around him.

He'd almost killed John and himself, apparently, the day before he got sent here. John had only been to visit twice so Sherlock guessed he did do something, something bad enough for John, the ex soldier, to get really shaken.

At least he still had Jim.

His beautiful Jim.

Jim was always here and always would be. Sherlock knew that but unfortunately no amount of love was able to wipe away the disease slowing rotting Sherlock's once pure and completely brilliant mind.

"You okay, love?" Jim's soft Irish lit pulls Sherlock away from his daydream.

Sherlock simply nods. He rarely spoke now, even more so than before. He'd remain eerily quiet and observe everything around. Always watching, never commenting. It would have been unnerving if Jim wasn't able to see that flash of life in Sherlock's sad eyes.

Jim nudges his boyfriend gently. "Hey. I'm not telling you to smile"

Sherlock gives a small, quick grin at that.

It'd become a joke between them by now. The nurses and doctors would still ask Sherlock to smile at least fifteen times a day and it hadn't been long before Jim had taken the mick out of them all.

He was the only one to make Sherlock smile anymore.

Jim's hand runs through Sherlock's curls, soothing him like he would a broken child. Never, however, did Jim pity Sherlock - like so many others did. He'd baby him a tad, which was expected, but never would be pity.

It was just another thing about Jim that Sherlock loved.

Turning his face, Sherlock plants a short kiss on Jim's lips. Jim smiles as Sherlock wordlessly turns back to look out the window.

Some time later, Sherlock spoke quietly.

"Do you love me Jim?" His voice sounded hoarse, like he hasn't used it since the last time Jim had visited (he hadn't) and that was four days ago.

"That's a silly question" Jim murmurs with a soft chuckle, pressing his lips to Sherlock's neck.

Sherlock remained quiet, not looking at Jim and continuing to look out the window. To most, it would look like he hadn't reacted to the jokey comment but Jim felt him tense slightly before relaxing. He wanted to hear the words.

Jim kisses Sherlock's jaw, pulling him closer and whispering. "Of course, I love you, Sherlock. I love you so much, and what's happened lately hasn't made me love you any less." He pauses. "You understand that, right? This changes nothing. You're still my Sherlock"

Sherlock relaxes into Jim's arms completely, melting and leaning against Jim's chest with a lazy grin, his head on Jim's shoulder.

"Good. Because I love you too"

"I know"