Character x Male!Reader

Sherlock Holmes x Male!Reader (Highschool AU: Leave Me Alone)

(A/N: Based on a real story, so I wrote it in first person. Set back when Sherlock was in high school. I'd recommend listening to the song I linked. It's from Kiki's Delivery Service and I think it works really well with the story lol.)

Freshman year.

Sherlock and I have been going to the same school for six years now. I've known him the longest out of any of our friends, and any outsider would say we were inseparable. Before I was old enough to realize he was gifted, I forced him to play silly games with me, like tag or hide and seek. He always seemed like he was faking enjoyment, but I guess I never really noticed.

This year, I felt like there was something going on with him. He seemed more distant, like he was trying to avoid me. Of course, me and my dumb ass didn't take the hint, and I sat with him and talked almost everyday. I didn't know I was annoying him.

His birthday was coming up soon. I was giddy with excitement. I made him a card. I poured my heart into it.

I walked up to him in the hallway, but I noticed his eyes were bloodshot. Why would he be crying on his birthday?

"Hey Sherlock... are you okay?" I asked tentatively. He didn't turn around to face me. I tapped his shoulder and held out my card.

"Happy birthday," I offered. He finally turned, tears streaming from his beautiful blue green eyes.

"Leave me alone, I never want to talk to you again," he growled, storming away.

The card slipped from my fingers and fluttered to the ground.

Sophomore year.

I think after two months, I finally managed to deal with him not talking to me anymore. It was a lonely year.

I sometimes still cried when I thought about the memories we shared. We had done almost everything together.

Why did he suddenly snap at me that day? Was I too stupid for him to want to be friends with me anymore? That was likely the case, so I set myself to a strict regimen everyday. Study, study, study.

I lost too much sleep and weight.

Junior year.

Sherlock said hello to me in the halls. My heart leapt with hope, as I tried not to stammer my response. He nodded curtly at my greeting, his long strides carrying him past me in the opposite direction. I felt happier than I did in a long time.

It was science class that made all the difference.

It was a mundane group project that no one wanted to work on, but it counted for a large percentage of our marks, so we had no choice but to try. The teacher named our pairs, and I was shocked to find that I had been paired with Sherlock. I nervously glanced at him from across the room.

He didn't even turn to look.

Through minimal dialogue, we agreed to meet at my house during the weekend to start and hopefully the finish the project within one day. With Sherlock's brain, it was entirely possible.

It turns out, we worked seamlessly, picking up where the other had slack. We finished within three hours.

As Sherlock packed his things, I finally built up the courage to say something, anything.

"Good work today..." I trailed off. Sherlock looked up and raised an eyebrow at me.

"... Indeed. I had expected it to take much longer, but it seems you've smartened up over the past two years." I tried not to let his statement hurt. I failed.