Sherlock leaned down. "Sleep, if you need to rest, John. I promise, I won't be offended." He gave his lover the very lightest of kisses on the back of his neck.

he worked on that knot of muscle and scarred flesh for a time, then started to move back down John's back, over his shoulders, down either side of his spine, then.. finally.. he approached the one place that he hadn't touched yet, that horrible mass of new scarring on John's thigh.

For a moment, he paused, scared to continue. Sherlock took a deep breath and touched it for the first time, gently, exploratory.