A/N: So, this here is another request prompt given to me by a lovely person on Tumblr. I decided to make this multi-chaptered because I feel like it will work much better that way. So, expect more! I don't know how much more, but, definitely more. And, I have no idea when I will update it next, because I really like to take my time with these fics, and so, it could be next week, or next month... But don't worry! I will not leave this unfinished! And also keep in mind that I have never written teen!lock before, so, DON'T JUDGE ME TOO HARSHLY! Anyways, I hope you enjoy this!
Also, yes, it is short, BUT THERE WILL BE MORE. So deal with it!
Sherlock had known this to be a terrible idea from the moment John had suggested it. But yet, there he stood, at the edge of the ice arena, wondering how he was going to prepare himself for the humiliation that would surely ensue the moment he stepped foot onto the slippery surface…
John and Sherlock had only formally been friends for a few short months, but Sherlock had known of him for at least two years prior. The upperclassman boy was popular, active in sports, and was notorious for his many pretty, and popular, girlfriends. On paper, this boy should not have interested Sherlock in the slightest. In fact, he should have been one of boys Sherlock had written off completely because of his school social status. Boys like that were of no concern for Sherlock, they were all the same in his mind. Dull, predictable, and capable of great cruelty. More than once, Sherlock had been taunted, teased, bullied, harassed, beaten, and cast out by John's 'crowd'. Yet, Sherlock had been drawn to John for some odd reason and their friendship somehow worked.
The reason was, simply, that John was different. He was quieter than his rowdy mates, had a history of being uncommonly kind to everyone, but also, (although no one paid attention to this strangely enough), John Watson was smart.
And not in your conventional, good-grades, academic smart, even though he was rather a model student. No, he had wit, he was sharp, something Sherlock admired greatly. But there was something else, something Sherlock couldn't quite put his finger on. It was some quality that John possessed that drew Sherlock to him. Sherlock noticed it the first day that they had properly met, (a rather odd coincidence involving a football and extreme amounts of pain).
But that's beside the point.
The point is that ever since meeting, John and Sherlock somehow managed to create a working friendship, despite their obvious differences. For example, John, although an excellent student, has always struggled with the subject of chemistry. Sherlock had always despised those who couldn't seem to grasp it and its importance and yet, they somehow managed to find common ground. Sherlock, in a brilliant display of his patience, (or rather lack thereof), obliged to help John, something that John thought he would sorely regret. But he didn't, and his marks in chemistry rose, and their friendship, if one can believe it, became stronger. There was just something that the two of them possessed, that seemed to click together perfectly.
And Sherlock had no idea what it was, no matter how he struggled to find the answer.
Sherlock hardly ever interacted with his peers unless it was absolutely necessary, (John being the exception), and when he did, it always ended with him making some kind of rude and snippy remark. Which was exactly the reason why Sherlock never made any attempt to talk to John's friends. As much as he enjoyed John's company, he could not understand his affiliation with that crowd of ignorant, superficial, and dull morons. Yes, they were teenagers, and Sherlock hardly expected much from his peers, but John's crowd, were brilliantly stupid. Spectacularly so. And people idolized them. Worshipped the very ground they walked upon. It was astonishing to Sherlock. But, he did not, in any way, want to upset John by insulting any of them, therefore keeping his thoughts to himself. But this was becoming increasingly harder as he spent more and more time with John. And then, his worst nightmare; social gatherings.
"Hey, John!" said a girl's voice from behind Sherlock as he stood by John's locker while John packed up his bag. John looked up and smiled and Sherlock to see who had addressed him. Mary Wallace, one of the less annoying girls in John's crowd, was striding towards them. John cleared his throat and licked his lips as she approached. Sherlock watched him keenly, interested by his behavior.
"Hey Mary, what's up?" John said, tilting his head to one side ever so slightly. Sherlock's chest tightened as he realized that John was interested in this girl. Sherlock's lip quirked and Mary gave him a questioning look before turning her attention back to John.
"Well, some of us were thinking about going to Queens tomorrow, would you be up for that?" Mary asked. Sherlock went through his mental catalogue of places in London with the name of 'Queens'. The only place he could think of, (in which John's crowd would spend their time), was the ice rink, Queens Ice and Bowl. Ice skating, Sherlock would be shocked if John agre-
"Yeah, sounds fun. What time?" Sherlock gaped at John who was either ignoring him or too focused on Mary to notice his expression. Mary beamed at him and tucked her hair behind her hair in a flirtatious manner. Sherlock was seething.
"One sound good?" John nodded and adjusted his bag on his shoulder, his eyes never leaving Mary's face.
"Brilliant," Mary said, glancing over to Sherlock, and as if she had just remembered he was standing there, guiltily turned to him with a sheepish look. "You're welcome to come along too Sherlock, if you're not busy." Mary said rather stiffly, as if hoping he was busy. Sherlock stared down his nose at her.
"I-" Sherlock started, about to decline the invitation when John cut him off.
"We'll be there." John said brightly. Mary's face fell ever so slightly, but she recovered after a moment and nodded cheerfully.
"Great, I'll see you two tomorrow at one. Bye!" She waved once then turned back the way she came. Sherlock turned to glare murderously at John who had turned back to putting things into his bag.
"And what makes you think that I want to go?" Sherlock hissed. John looked at Sherlock with a sigh.
"Come on, Sherlock, it'll be fun. You'll love it."
"I highly doubt it." Sherlock said haughtily.
"Look, I spend most of my time with you-"
"I don't see you complaining." Sherlock muttered. John gave Sherlock an annoyed look before continuing.
"Can't I spend some time with my other friends as well?"
"I never said you couldn't. But why must you drag me along?" Sherlock scoffed.
"Because, you're my friend Sherlock. I don't want to always have to choose between you and my other friends all the time. It gets, tiring." John said earnestly, hesitating with the last word. Sherlock's expression softened some as he looked into the face of his only friend.
"Fine, I'll come, but only if you don't leave me alone to continue flirting with that girl." Sherlock said as they started walking down the hall toward the entrance. John's ears turned red.
"I don't know what you're talking about." He said in mock indignation. Sherlock smiled, making John grin. They stopped just outside the school entrance, pulling their coats closer around as the chill bit at their exposed skin.
"So, I'll meet out front of the rink around one?" John said. Sherlock nodded.
"Yes." John nodded and stood there awkwardly for a moment, biting his lip as if to say something else. Suddenly he looked up and stared Sherlock right in the eye, making Sherlock's heart rate accelerate ever so slightly.
"Sherlock, I know you don't like this sort of stuff, and well, you don't really like my friends very much, but, I'd like to tell you how much I appreciate you, you know, coming and, well, thanks." John said quickly, his cheeks growing red. Sherlock raised an eyebrow.
"I, well, you're welcome, but why are you telling me this?" John pursed his lips together and shrugged.
"Just, well, I dunno," John said, then took a deep breath and gave Sherlock a quick smile. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow." John turned and walked away, leaving Sherlock to stare after him. After a moment, Sherlock turned to leave too, wondering why John had been so flustered. But what troubled him more than John's strange behavior, was the fact that tomorrow, he would have to put on display his complete inability to skate. He must really care for John if he was putting himself through such embarrassment. What a novel thing for Sherlock.