"John?" Sherlock asked, looking up from his copy of the day's edition of The London Times, "How do you feel about children? Good, obviously, from the way you longingly looked at that mother and child at the grocery the other day. But, are you serious about it? It's hard to tell if you have a base instinct, or if you're honestly set on raising a son or daughter. Which is it, do you want to be a father, or do you just have a primal instinct or craving?"
John coughed, shutting his laptop to look across towards his companion, "Where is this coming from all of a sudden?" he asked, leaning forward "Do you want to be a father?"
"Well, I obviously can't raise a child with you without your consent. I asked you a question and I need it answered. Do you want a kid?"
John stared for a minute, nervously tapping his foot in search for a proper response, "Well, I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought about it. A son or daughter sounds fun, but it's also a load of responsibility, Sher. You couldn't be running off with criminals and guns if we've got a child at home, you do understand that, don't you?"
The detective nodded, "Of course I understand that."
"And you do understand that children cost a ton of money, yes?"
"Do you take me as stupid, John? Of course I understand that. I can start being paid for my cases on a regular basis, and only take the ones I don't need to get shot at for. You do understand that being a father will fill this evident sort of void you've been harboring in your chest? I see the way you look at babies, John. And I see the way you sadly smile every time Lestrade brings up his kids. I know how much you want this, John, and I want you to be happy."
John nodded, slightly taken aback by Sherlock's display of rare sensitivity, "I-I didn't know I was being so obvious. You're not exactly the fathering type, Sherlock, I don't want to burden you with a kid."
Sherlock shook his head, leaning forward into his seat to catch John's eyes in his own, "John, I wouldn't have brought it up if I didn't think it wouldn't be a 'burden'. I'm a fairly straight-forward man, I don't bring up topics of irrelevance. Do you want a child with me or not?"
John nodded, taking Sherlock's hand in his own as an involuntary smile crept over his face, "Yes," he answered, placing a small kiss on the back of the detective's hand, overwhelmed with the feeling of approaching fatherhood. With the silly grin still plastered on his face, John sat back into his seat and reopened his laptop as Sherlock flipped the newspaper back open.
The doctor listened patiently and adoringly to the muttering from the chair across from him. Coming to the clear conclusion that there were no cases readily available, John hummed gently, consumed by the overabundant bliss of an answer to his unspoken questions of parenthood, "So, no cases today, then?" he asked, placing his feet into Sherlock's lap gently, surprised that he wasn't swatted away.
"Clearly," Sherlock said, placing his newspaper to the side to stare at John, reading clear and abundant joy in his partner's demeanor before smiling slightly himself. He was glad to see John so radiant and full of new purpose, and glad to know it was his own doing that made him so. He ran his fingers along John's legs for a moment, being caught up in his own thoughts of fatherhood before shooting up out of his chair and running down the staircase without a word, only small exclamations of joy, leaving a confused John Watson to trail along after him into the brisk January London streets in search of an answer to his behaviour.