"I got shot.”

 (Sherlock meta by Ivy Blossom)

It’s such a pleasure to read John’s facial expressions. I love what his face says, in response to Mike asking him what happened: isn’t it obvious? Look at me, what do you think happened, ffs? I’m walking with a cane and incredibly obvious limp, do you think I’ve come home to join the circus?

And he follows it up with that trademark tight John Watson smile, which expresses so many of John’s inexpressible emotions. John smiles like that when he’s angry, impatient, offended, uncomfortable, embarrassed, feeling threatened, about to get violent, etc. In this case it absolutely does not mean what he’s sort of attempting to pretend it means: I’m perfectly okay with you asking me about that, I have no problem discussing it, I’m awfully glad to have run into you, what a pleasant surprise!

 John’s irritation about Mike’s failure to make the simplest deductions to save John this embarrassing conversation is interesting. He’s primed to meet Sherlock, isn’t he.