In Plain Sight - AU - Locked to seaweed_writes

[ihadabadday]

No one knew how long Gods had walked among the mortals. They just knew they had. Some remained in their country of origin, some branched out and traveled. Others started business or charities. Some just went through existence simply being. Belief didn't have much to do with how the Gods chose to lead their lives.

This tale though, it focuses on the Greek Gods of old and Mount Olympus (which is a real place and traditionally is where Zeus is said to live with Hera).

John Watson didn't care for the politics of the Gods that surrounded them every day. He had other things to focus on, to pay attention to. Like medical school, and then the military. It wasn't until he was shot and laying in the desert, bleeding, did he whisper things to the God of Death, to Hades. To a god he didn't believe in. Blood whispers they were often called. And gods hardly paid attention to them, most believed they were the whispers of dying men.

But John Watson survived when others with the same injury had died. What was different about him?

He returned to London on an army pension and a cane. He shuffled through his life, a constant ache in his chest, like there was something missing. Though he had little to no idea of what was missing. He helped others where he could, donating his time and what little money. A homeless veteran (it boiled him so to see those who helped their country be left behind) once called him a beacon of light.

A beacon of light huh?

Most days he didn't feel like one. Most days his mood was dark and everything was shit.

One night when he was limping slowly back to his dismal bedsit, something caught his attention. He glanced down an alley and saw a tall man dressed in black, being mugged by some ratty youth. The man was far too posh for this neighborhood. So why was he here? But that didn't matter. John, on two strong legs, charged into the alley and used his cane to knock the criminal away. He didn't notice, but there seemed to be a light around him, an otherworldy aura to him.

He held the cane like a sword and pointed it at the would be thief. "You need to leave here." John commanded. It had been easy for some to forget that he had been Captain John Watson of the Fifth Northumberland Fusiliers in Her Majesty's Army.

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[ihadabadday]

He let himself be pushed down again before reaching out and taking Sherlock's hand. He squeezed the man's hand, unable to stop the rush of feelings. It was a strange sensation. He didn't quite understand them.

"I'm confused. I don't understand. What's going on?"

[seaweed_writes]

Sherlock squeezed his hand back, sitting on the edge of the bed, his leg pressed close to Johns.

"John." He asked calmly. "What do you remember... about me?" Sherlock;s heart would have been in his throat, if he had a heart.

This was it, he was going to reveal everything to the man and hope that it pulled him closer, and didn't tear him apart or scare him away.

[ihadabadday]

"There was a lot of arguing. A lot of anger and fear. But below that... love." John Watson had fallen in love, somehow, with Sherlock. With the god of Death. A feat no on thought possible.

He gave a shaky breath. "What's happening? Am I dying? Is the gold killing me?" He had never told many about the "gold", his power. In the past five years it had only gotten stronger.

[seaweed_writes]

Sherlock had to chuckle. "Yeah, we did argue a bit." Mostly it was him, but he wouldn't admit that to John.

"You.... cared for me a lot." He did admit. "And I ... I didn't reciprocate. I didn't know how." He paused for a moment. "But I think I know how to now."

"No. You are not dying. You will never really die. You... are not fully human. That is why you see your eyes change color. Even I don't understand it fully."

[ihadabadday]

John looked at him, a pleading expression on his face. He wanted to know. He wanted to know how the man felt. He wanted to hear him say it.

"What happens when this fully wakes up?" He asked in reference to his sleeping power.

[seaweed_writes]

"I.. am not sure." He said. "When I knew you before, the previous incarnation of you, it never had time to totally awaken. I got to see some of your powers, but I don't think it was your full potential.

"You chose to be mortal and life out a normal mortal life. But.. you don't have to this time. You will be a demigod, not a god like me, but not a mortal like the people here in the Overworld. You will have your feet in both worlds."

[ihadabadday]

John shifted onto his knees. He touched Sherlock's face. He ran his fingers down the cool skin. He let out a breath and kissed him.

Sometimes he didn't know what he was doing. But this was right, content.

[seaweed_writes]

Sherlock closed his eyes, leaning into the touch. He deepened the kiss, breaking away reluctantly after a few moments.

"I can take you back to Hell with me. We can talk to the Fates and Zeus, my brother. One of them might be able to tell us more."

It sounded like he remembered some of it, but not all of it yet. Maybe it would come back in little groups? There were still many more questions than answers.

[ihadabadday]

"You didn't like kissing." He whispered when Sherlock pulled away. John swallowed and let out a breath.

"I... I'm not ready to go." He admitted, "I want to know more before I agree to anything."

[seaweed_writes]

"I... didn't understand the meaning and reason behind a kiss." He didn't say that he had never kissed anyone before John. That was almost a given, anyways.

Sherlock's shoulders slumped a little when John said that he didn't want to go back to Hell. Wasn't that supposed to be their 'Happily ever after' or whatever that mortal saying was?

He could, of course, make John go back to Hell, but if he wanted to care for John, he was pretty sure it was best not to do things against his will.

"If you want to know more, we should talk with the Fates. He might be able to give us more information." He had no way to call Greg, which mean either going to Hell, or going to his business, Fates would most likely be in one of those places.

[ihadabadday]

John pulled away from Sherlock and swallowed. He rubbed his face. This was all so much. All the information, the realizations... But did Sherlock realize?

He pulled his blankets close to himself. He felt cold, so... So...

His eyes closed as he slumped.

[seaweed_writes]

"John!" Sherlock was inhumanly fast, and he caught the man before he slumped down off the bed. He laid him back down very gently. The man was shivering, so he pulled the covers and a comforter over John.

Had he fainted? Or was something else wrong?

Was he not living up to his side?

He was trying to show John that he cared. He had kissed the man, even.

But he had no idea if it was enough.

Damn it all, he needed to talk to the Fates. Mycroft was a very last resort.

[ihadabadday]

"He's having a hard time merging the sides of him." Greg said. He had appeared behind Sherlock. "It's close. But now close enough."

Without even being asked, he stepped forward and pressed two fingers to Sherlock's forehead. He showed him how most human's showed the other that they cared. Through actions and words. With meaning behind it. Not wanting for something.

[seaweed_writes]

Sherlock turned towards Greg, his face a mask of anger and frustration.

Before Sherlock could respond to what Fates had said, he felt the fingers on his forehead, and a wealth of information rushed into his brain. He saw kissed and hugs, words to say and little things that can be done- none of which of course he had ever done before.

It was all so much, he pulled away from Greg when the information stopped.

"I... I'm supposed to do all of those things, cook for him, give him words of encouragement, hold him for no reason.... and those things will help him merge the mortal and god sides of him?" He asked, for once his voice was unsure.

[ihadabadday]

"You don't have to do it all Sherlock. But this one is human and fragile." Greg noted, "He wants to be loved and cared for. Something he hasn't had much of in his life."

He looked at Sherlock, studying him. "Surely you remember what it was like having John ripped from you. The emptiness that came after... That's how John is all the time right now."

[seaweed_writes]

He remembered it well. It was a feeling that he would never forget in all his eons. He wouldn't forget it because he wasn't going to make the same mistake twice- something he was afraid that he was doing right now. He wasn't sure he would make it through again.

Can someone without a heart die of a broken one, he wondered.

If Sherlock was going to describe John, 'fragile' would not be one of the words. One of the reasons that he was drawn to HIS John originally was because of his strength.

But he didn't argue with Fates. He kept his thoughts to himself, for once.

"I... I will try. But I can't be human. I'm not. I never was. I don't understand those feelings and emotions that these... mortals have."

[ihadabadday]

Greg was quiet for a moment. "Do you trust me Sherlock?" He asked stepping over to the man so he was standing in front of him. He watched the God of Death, hoping he would agree to the crazy scheme in his head.

48 hours with human emotions, a whole gambit of them, to try and give the god an idea of how to relate to John Watson.

[seaweed_writes]

Sherlock raised an eyebrow. It was rare that Fates ever said that. What in the world did he have up his.. well what he was wearing had no sleeves, but still.

Of course, he was one of the only gods, or really any entity on any plane that Sherlock did trust. He found himself nodding his head, against his better judgement.

"I do, but why do you ask?" He said, with some trepidation.

[ihadabadday]

"I know of a way that you can better understand what John Watson needs, to relate to him so the transition from mortal to demi-god will be easier." He explained to Sherlock as he sat on the next next to the man.

[seaweed_writes]

Sherlock thinned his eyes and crossed his arms. "If you are thinking of making me mortal for a time, then the answer is no." That was something that he would never do. He wanted to understand John's emotions, but if it meant that he would have to become mortal, then he would find another way. That was off the table permanently.

[ihadabadday]

"No, it would not make you mortal. It would simply give you the ability to feel the emotions of a mortal for 48 hours. There would be chaos and havoc if you were mortal for that period of time." Greg answered.

[seaweed_writes]

"There might be chaos and havoc if I can feel the emotions of the dying people that I am ferrying to the underworld." He said. That was an immediate worry of his as soon as Greg stated his plan. "I don't want to turn into some sniveling, bawling... mortal woman every time I see a person die. Will that happen if you give me these... emotions?"

[ihadabadday]

"They would be yours, yours to understand and catalog and process for the duration. How you handle them is up to you. But it could allow you to get a better insight into John." Greg looked at the sleeping man.

[seaweed_writes]

There were a lot of things that could go very wrong with this. "If having these.. emotions.. compromises my ability to do my job of ferrying souls, there will be Hell to pay with Zeus." He said simply. He knew Greg wouldn't do anything to intentionally cause him trouble, but he had the feeling neither of them really knew what was going to happen.

"If you can assure me that I can still do my job, then yes, I want to do this." He almost whispered, his voice unsure.

[ihadabadday]

"It depends on how you react to them. I cannot guarantee that it will affect you." Greg answered, "Some did not allow it to affect them, some succumbed to the emotions. Sometimes the strongest were the ones to succumb, and the weakest were the ones to flourish and triumph over them."

"It is up to you."