John sighed in relief when the front door opened and closed, signaling that the consulting detective had finally returned home. "It's been hours, Sherlock, and it's almost freezing outside. Where have you…" John broke off as he set down his book and looked up to Sherlock.
Sherlock was standing in the center of their living room with the back of his wrist pressed hard against his nose and mouth. What really got John's attention was that it looked like Sherlock had tears in his eyes.
"Sherlock, are you okay?"
Wrist still in place, Sherlock sniffled and scrunched his eyes shut in reply.
At the lack of response John began to feel slightly uncomfortable. He wasn't really sure how to handle a crying Sherlock, but he knew he couldn't ignore the situation. He got up and walked over to Sherlock. "Hey," he said quietly, "what's wrong?"
Sherlock shook his head and sniffled a few more times.
"Why are you crying?" John really didn't want to voice the question, but it had to be asked.
"Not crying," was Sherlock's strangled reply from behind his wrist.
John raised his eyebrows. "You could have fooled me. Do you even remember what crying is or have you deleted it?"
"Not…hih…" Sherlock lowered his wrist as his breath hitched and he immediately steepled his hands over his nose. "ihh'ccchhhuh!" He gave a sniff, pushed his wrist back under his nose and scrunched his eyes closed one again.
"Bless you," John said quietly, still worried. "Sherlock?"
Sherlock shook his head and steepled his hands over his nose once again. "ihngCCHH! Huh…ihh'SSHHhuh!" With a groan, Sherlock sank into his chair, but brought his wrist back under his nose.
"Well?" John questioned, sitting back in his own chair.
"Not crying." With a sniffle, Sherlock pushed his wrist up into his nose then dropped his hand to his lap. "My sinuses are just burning and buzzing from the temperature change from my long walk in the cold weather to the warmth of the flat." Sherlock sniffled and rubbed at his nose harshly. A few seconds later he steepled his hands in front of his nose again. "hihngTCH!"
"Bless you," John said.
Sherlock groaned as he scrunched his eyes shut again and pressed his wrist into his buzzing nose with a sniff. "I'm going for a shower to warm up and alleviate the irritation in my sinuses."
"Good luck," John said with a smile as he watched Sherlock enter their bathroom. Relieved that detective was only sniffly and sneezy instead of crying, he relaxed into his chair and picked up his book to continue reading.