Title: You Can Talk to Me
Fandom: Sherlock (BBC)
Rating: General
Length: 300 words (Triple drabble)
Summary: Mrs. Hudson gives advice. Sherlock takes it. John needs someone to talk to.
Note: Humor. It's a little early for Day of the Dead imagery, but I'm in California and the sugar skulls are out!


"If you want my advice--"

"Thank you, Mrs. Hudson."

"--You'd get him a nice gift."

"Gift?"

"Something cheerful, Sherlock, you know. To remind him of you."

"I'll only be gone a month."

"Oh well, then. I guess he has me to talk to."

*

"A gift?" John frowned.

"Open it."

"A -- skull."

A colorfully painted skull with flowers in its eye sockets.

"Calavera, to be precise."

"Erm."

"Something to talk to while I'm gone."

"I'm sure we'll have a lot to talk about."

Sherlock bent suddenly and kissed him. Then he was gone.

"That, to start," John said to the skull.


***


The cheerful calavera grinned as if to say, I'm here! Talk to me!

"Look, skull," John said. "He hasn't texted me for two days."

The calavera gave him a bright blue flower stare.

"Right. Out of service area, probably."

The calavera's painted red lips reminded John of Sherlock's kiss. He turned it to face the wall and sat down opposite Sherlock's empty chair.

He stood up.

"Fine." He turned the skull to face him. "I'm worried. I miss him. I want him to kiss me again. There. I've said it."

To a skull. The only person he could talk to.


***


John was jolted awake by noise in the hallway. The door banged open.

"Back," Sherlock announced, weaving slightly.

John blinked. Sherlock looked like he'd been drowned, pummeled by the sea and washed ashore with an oil slick.

John staggered to his feet. "Tea? Er, scotch?"

Sherlock glanced at the mantel, where the calavera sat grinning brightly.

John smiled. "We've had some nice chats."

"Have you?"

"Yes." John gently pushed Sherlock into his chair. "Sit. God, you look terrible."

"Scotch, please."

John leaned over and kissed him.

Sherlock pulled him down into his lap.

The calavera's flowered eye sockets glinted blue.