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“Is that a bee?” John eyed the tattoo on Sherlock’s bum curiously, “I knew you liked them, but I guess I didn’t know how much!” John teased. Sherlock pulled his pants back up over his arse and made the move to leave, John catching him by the wrist, “Sherlock- I was joking!” Sherlock eyed him suspiciously, but much to John’s relief made the move to remove his pants once more.
They didn’t discuss the bee tattooed on Sherlock’s arse for almost two months after John’s first incident with it. Of course John noticed the way that Sherlock moved that side away from John when undressing and that he refused to be on his front while John fucked him because he didn’t want John staring at it. It wasn’t until two months later, in a post coital bliss that John had garnered enough curiosity and courage to finally ask Sherlock about it.
Sherlock was wound around John like an octopus, his face on John’s shoulder. John was trying to figure out the best way to bring up the subject when Sherlock broke the silence of their combined breathing. “If you are going to ask about it, do it already, but if not, stop thinking so loudly” Sherlock slowly unwound himself from John and slid himself up so that he was sitting against the headboard. John propped himself up on his elbow and eyed Sherlock. “What’s the deal with it then? Why are you so intent on me not seeing it?” Sherlock rolled his eyes and scrubbed his hands over his face. “It’s a part of my past that I am not very proud of, but if you really want to know, you have to not get upset.” John nodded both in agreement and encouragement towards Sherlock. “My heroin dealer was studying to be a tattoo artist and offered me my weekly supply in exchange for practice- I told him it had to be a bee and that’s why I have a bee tattooed on my arse.” John poked Sherlock’s thigh, “can I see it?” Sherlock rolled over and John maneuvered himself on top of Sherlock’s legs to get the full view. The bee was not cartoonish, but realistic looking and very well done. “Sherlock?” all he got was a hum in response, “you shouldn’t be ashamed of it, it’s a part of your past and you are a better person for it, and on the plus side that guy was actually talented.” Sherlock chuckled and rolled himself over toppling John on to the bed. “You like it? He’s working at a parlour on the east end, we can get you a matching one,” Sherlock grinned at him. “No thank you, but just let that be a part of your past okay?” Sherlock bent his head to kiss John thoroughly, “Of course, my love, of course.”