„John?" Sherlock's voice rang through the flat. I smiled for myself before I closed a book I was reading. I rose to my feet and went out of the door to find out what my flatmate – dare I say friend – was up to.

„Yeah?" I called because I couldn't see the detective anywhere.

„I'm going shopping. Do you need anything?" Sherlock took few steps back into the living room, coat and scarf already on.

„Shopping? I don't suppose it's because you finally want to participate in keeping our fridge filled with food." I came closer to the genius. „Aren't you ill or something?"

„I'm fine. And I need to get some stuff so I thought I could do the normal shopping as well." Holmes returned. If my remarks annoyed him, he didn't show it.

„That's really nice of you." I said, surprise palpable in my voice. Maybe he finally chose to grow up.

„I think so." Sherlock replied casually. „So do you want anything?"

„Well, we have no bread and it would also be nice if you bought some milk. I have only a little tea left, but I'd buy it myself some day." I smiled and but he immediately frowned.

„You don't trust me?" He asked and I bit my lip.

„That's a great question coming from you," I chuckled, but Sherlock noticed my uneasiness. He smirked slightly. Typical.

„It is generally acknowledged that I don't trust people. But I thought you trusted me; and I'm rarely wrong."Sherlock gazed at me. I was desperately trying to maintain control of the situation.

„I do trust you with my life, Sherlock. But I don't trust you're able to buy tea. No offence." I mumbled nervously. Hell, since when was I acting like a schoolboy around Sherlock? I didn't answer this question, because it was so obvious I didn't have to. Since that moment when I told Angelo I wasn't Sherlock's boyfriend. What an irony.

„Well, if you say so," Sherlock shrugged but there was something going on in his mind, I could see the sparklets. „I'll be home for dinner, love."

I just stared after him and tried to calm my heart beat down. Sherlock hadn't meant it when he called me ‚love'. He was doing that all the time. It didn't mean anything to him, he didn't understand how much it affected me. In fact, considering how intelligent Sherlock was, it was astonishing that he hadn't already found out about the crush or whatever I had on him. Or maybe he knew it; I had no idea.

I sighed and went to the window to check what the weather was like. I looked down and saw the object of my thoughts standing on the pavement, waiting for a cab. Unpleasant memories made their way into my consciousness and I opened the window before I could stop myself. No way was I going to let him take a cab alone. The last time I did he almost died. I didn't think I would be able to kill another man to save him again. Or maybe I would; I had an unpleasant feeling I'd do anything for Sherlock.

„Sherlock, wait!" I shouted and almost fell down from the window just to stop him. He turned around and if I wasn't leaning out of a window, I might actually believe that I saw concern on his face.

„What are you doing?" He inquired and walked under the window. I regained stability and looked down at him.

„I'll go with you, wait a minute." I call. There were few people staring at us and maybe I even heard some comments, but I didn't care. I got dressed quickly because I wasn't really sure Sherlock would wait for me. I ran down the staircase and I almost made it to the door when Mrs Hudson called after me: „John, darling, don't run. It's noisy. I'd expect this from Sherlock, but I thought you had better manners."

„I'm sorry, Mrs Hudson!" I apologized and got outside.

For a brief moment I feared that Sherlock had really gone without me. I wasn't surprised, just hurt and scared. And then I heard soft steps behind me and turned around to see Sherlock's face. I resisted urge to throw my arms around his neck. This strange desire had been taking over me for some time by now. I should do something about it.

„You waited," I said, a bit astonished.

„It seemed to be important to you that I did." Sherlock answered and loosened his coat a bit. It was quite a warm day.

„Yeah. I looked out of the window and saw how beautiful the weather is and I couldn't stay at home. And I thought it would be nice to go with you." I smiled. He didn't ask why I was lying, but I could see he didn't believe me.

„It's not nice of you to say that you decided to go with me after you found out about the weather." Sherlock remarked and I needed a lot of patience to not roll my eyes.

„Well, it's good that you're always willing to go shopping with me," I replied bitterly. He stared at me for a while and then he smirked slightly.

„You made a sarcastic comment," he said as if it surprised him. Now I did roll my eyes.

„And you call yourself intelligent," I retorted.

„I don't have to, people do it for me," he said casually.

„I don't see why." Oh gods, how much I loved our banters! „Shall we go?"

„The cab hasn't arived yet." He told me and looked at me as if I just turned to a shapeless mass of ooze.

„I thought we could, you know, walk." I said and already felt like an idiot. Of course he wouldn't see why I wouldn't want him go anywhere by taxi. He didn't understand I was worried about him.

„Why?" he crooked his head to one side a bit; curiosity.

„Well, it's just a short way to the shop, we've got a lot of time and the weather is nice." I mumbled and dared to look into his eyes; he looked thoughtful.

„Let's go then." He said and didn't wait for me to reply and walked away. I caught up on him and we walked for some time before he broke the silence.

„I hate this weather."

„What?" I asked, confused. Why would anybody hate sunny weather in London? But then I remembered this was Sherlock Holmes I was talking to – there was nothing normal about him.

„Everybody is so ecstatic about it that they rather do boring things instead of good crimes worthy of my intellect." He didn't look at me.

„You know, normal people don't think crimes are fun." I pointed out.

„I don't care about ordinary people. They're boring. I'm talking about intelligent people, doing smart things. They always seem to find something better than entertaining me when the sun is shining." Sherlock stopped at the pedestrians.

„Looks like even criminals like sun. Unlike you." I replied and tried to hide laughter.

„I have nothing against sun if it doesn't take my toys from me." Sherlock said and gave me a warm smile. Not his ‚I caught a criminal, I'm such a clever guy, am I not, John?' smile, but a real smile. I felt I could fly. For no reason obviously; I guess Sherlock would say I'm being childish.

„You're such a child," I chuckle as we enter a supermarket.

„Maybe. But a brilliant child." Sherlock replied and gave me a suspicious look. „So I guess you wanted to see if I am able to go shopping. I can't deny I'm a bit hurt by it, I thought I made it clear that I am able to do ordinary things, I just don't do them."

„Let's see then," I smirked and for a while I was happy he didn't see through my behavior. Sherlock Holmes was wrong! He didn't think of the possibility I cared for him and tried to keep him from harm. He thought I was testing him. I smiled happily and followed him into the shop.

It was not a normal shopping. The woman behind the cashdesk was staring oddly at us and I couldn't really blame her. We must have looked so weird I was afraid she might call police at us or something. Sherlock had his usual stoic mask but I think he was amused when he paid. I put the bread, milk and my tea into a special bag; I didn't believe the content of Sherlock's bag wouldn't poison it or something. When we walked out he gave me a look that – if it was a normal person – seemed hurt. Considering it was Sherlock, I had no idea what it meant.

He stood on the edge of the pavement as if he was waiting for something. I came to him, checked if he wasn't deep in thoughts and spoke.

„So…what are you doing?" I asked sheepishly; I don't want to look like a total idiot. (I knew he thought I was an idiot even before, ok? It was just a metaphore.)

„Waiting." He replied and rolled down the collar of his coat. He had put it up when he spent many minutes in the section with yoghurts. I didn't dare to ask what he needed there.

„For what?" I inquired. He turned to me and gave me one of his ‚I'm so much smarter than you' looks.

„For a cab. I've had enough walking today. I can take your bag if you want." He waved his arm and one black car immediately stopped by our side. It hurt me that he wasn't paying all attention to me, but again, this was Sherlock. I watched him open the door and I wanted to say something, but I was unable to. I just stared at him and tried to stop him from leaving me.

„You okay, John?" He asked with worry. His concern seemed to work like a magic spell on me.

„No!" I exclaimed before I realised I must have looked really weird. Sherlock murmured something to the driver and stood up. He came closer to me and raised my face to inspect me.

„I'm fine. I'll go with you." I mumbled, sneaked out of his reach and dived into the cab. I was pretty sure I was blushing so I turned around. Sherlock went inside just a little while after me and closed the door.

„Baker street, 221 b, please," he told the driver. He just nodded and turned around, but I noticed he looked at me in the rearview mirror. We were silent during the way; I was stubbornly staring out of the window and Sherlock probably didn't care about what I was doing.

He paid for us when we reached our destination and I mumbled silent ‚thank you' to him before I ran up the stairs into our flat. I tried to put the shopping onto its place and disappear before he got up, but I wasn't successful.

„John? What's the matter?"

I didn't notice him enter the kitchen, but there he was, standing right behind me. When I became aware of his proximity, my heart began acting independently on my mind and my answer ‚nothing' remained unspoken. I couldn't talk when he was so close, and I surely couldn't lie when his piercing eyes watched me. I turned around slowly to face him.

His expression startled me. I expected his cold, calculating look; he was watching me with curiosity and concern. He took the bread out of my hands, placed it on a table; his eyes never leaving my face. I let my hands where they were, I was too mesmerised by him. Sherlock took my fingers into his and placed them on his chest.

„You can't lie to me now. You can feel my heart beat. You would never lie to me if you could feel me this close." He whispers, but his words carried more meaning than just this; he let me touch him, he initiated the touch. I wanted to answer but I feared that everything I might say would spoil the moment.

„You are so beautiful, Sherlock," I whispered finally and ran one finger down his jawline. He took a deep breath and I backed away immediately.

„I'm sorry. I don't know what this was, I apologise. I don't want to make you feel awkward, I'm so sorry." I babbled and tried to leave the kitchen. He caught my left wrist and pulled me closer again.

„Do not apologise, John." His deep eyes were holding me in their grip. „Tell me what troubles you. Please."

I just stare at him for some time. What did he mean? Don't apologise, we will never talk of it again, or don't apologise, I love you? I was so confused and he wanted me to talk.

„I didn't want you to be alone in a cab." I said sincerely and his expression changed. At first he looked confused and surprised, but then he smiled.

„John, you poor, sweet John, you were afraid something might happen to me? That's why you tried to keep me from going anywhere by taxi?" He inquired. He embraced me and pulled me closer; if he was aware of it I knew not, but I couldn't care less.

„Yeah. I actually wanted to get a driver's licence so it wouldn't be that weird. Guess I wasn't fast enough." I smiled sheepishly.

„That's the sweetest thing anybody has done for me I can remember." He crew. I mean literally crew. I didn't thing he was capable of such noises.

„Well, I… was just trying to keep you safe." I explained, but he didn't pay attention to me.

„You're such a treasure, John!" he said and kissed me.

I was so astonished I forgot to return the kiss. He started to pull away, but fortunately my reflexes still worked so I embraced his neck, burried my fingers into his dark, curly hair and kissed him back.

When our lips finally parted, he rested his forehead against mine.

„And I thought this day was dull. Looks like even I am wrong sometimes." He murmured and I smiled.

„What are you doing in the next few hours?" I asked. I was still shaking even though there was no real reason for it. I doubted Sherlock would kiss me if he didn't want to spend some time with me. Even Sherlock had to respect some rules.

„Going on a date with you, obviously." He replied, as if it was the most natural thing. I smiled at him.

„Obviously."