"These are numbers, John. They're a code. We just have to figure out the code." Sherlock Holmes says, standing in front of his mantel, the mirror covered by printed out images taken of ancient Chinese numerals painted with yellow spray paint.
They've been working almost two days straight on this case now, trying to figure out the code.
"What could the message be trying to convey...?! John, we're so close to figuring this out. Are you listening to me, John?"
Silence.
Slowly, Sherlock turns around. "John? I- oh?"
John Watson is sitting at the desk behind Sherlock, his head down against the table against his arms. He's breathing quietly through his nostrils.
Sherlock frowns a bit. "John... John." He steps closer and gently pokes his flatmate's shoulder.
"John, wake up. I need your help for this."
John stirs a little, but doesn't wake up.
"John, come on. Don't make me start talking to the skull again."
"Mmghn..."
"John?"
"Shhrleck..."
"Please don't say my name like that. Wake up." Sherlock turns away and looks back at the images taped to the mirror.
"Shrlock..." John purrs quietly.
Sherlock looks back at him, his brow furrowed a bit. "John, are you okay?"
"Mm-hmm..." John giggles.
"Oh, I see. You're talking in your sleep now. You must be... dreaming about me...?" The consulting detective raises a brow at his sleeping flatmate.
"I've always loved yer deducshns, Shrlock..."
"I really wish you would speak clearly, John, I-" He stops, realizing what John has muttered. "Wait... Really?"
"They're really outstanding... I love listening t'yer voice as y'deduce things..."
This flatters Sherlock a bit, and he looks away. "... Oh. Uh..."
"Why don't y'deduce me..."
"Excuse me?"
"Seduce me, Shrlock..."
"You did just say deduce, right?" Sherlock felt as if his brain was about to short-circuit. That was the last thing he needed while working so hard to crack a code.
"Mmm... I love ya-"
"Aaalright, John; it's time to wake up now!" As he says this, he shakes John roughly back and forth.
"Hn-nnh-naah...?! Sherlock, what the fu-... Jesus, what is it...?"
"We're, uh... We're close to cracking the code, John."
John, after rubbing his eyes, looked over at Sherlock. "... Sherlock, is everything okay?"
"Yes." He answered a bit too quickly. "Why?"
"Because your face is all red, and you sound like you've got a cold again. What happened?"
"You were an idiot." was all Sherlock said on the matter before returning to business with the code.