AN: Thank you to silverswan51 who let me know that this got messed up and was difficult to read. I really don't know what happened. Hope that's better for everyone xxxxx
"How was your date?" Sherlock asks sarcastically.
"Nice actually, Janine's a lovely woman." John replies with a smile.
"I was being sarcastic, John."
"Oh, I know you were. I just chose to ignore that." John continues to smile.
Sherlock huffs in response and turns to face the back of the couch.
"Do you want a brew?" John asks, heading to the kitchen.
"No." Sherlock snaps, pulling his dressing gown tighter around his frame.
"Sherlock, why are you acting like this?" John asks softly, sitting down in his chair as he waits for the kettle to boil.
"Acting like what?" The detective snaps in reply.
"This. I mean, I know you get bored when I go out on dates but you don't usually sulk as bad as this."
"I'm not sulking."
John doesn't respond to that, he just rolls his eyes and goes to finish his brew. He returns a few minutes later and finds Sherlock curled in a tight ball; scratching at his head and growling.
"Sherlock. Sherlock, stop that." John replies in a worried tone, placing his brew down and walking over to the couch. "Stop it! You're going to hurt yourself." He adds, grabbing Sherlock's hands and pulling them away from his head.
Sherlock wrenches his hands out of John's grasp and tucks them into himself; almost as if John's touch burns him.
"Sherlock? What's wrong?" John asks gently, sitting down next to Sherlock's feet and resting a hand on the younger man's leg.
Sherlock flinches again and buries his face in the couch cushions.
"Have I done something to upset you? Sherlock, please talk to me." John says, now completely worried about his friend.
Sherlock murmurs something that John can't understand.
"Sher, listen, I'm sorry if I upset you. I don't know what I've done but you know me, I'm an idiot, right? I probably destroyed one of your experiments or I didn't put your violin away properly. But whatever I did, I'm sorry." John continues on, his voice breaking.
Sherlock murmurs again but John still can't understand him, "What?"
"You haven't done anything wrong." Sherlock replies, lifting his head back up.
"Then what's wrong? Please tell me, Sher." John asks again, resting his hand back on Sherlock's leg.
"Stop that." Sherlock snaps in reply, pushing John's hand away.
"Stop what? Oh, putting my hand on you? Sorry, I was just trying to comfort you but, obviously you … don't need that. Sorry."
"No. I mean, all of it. Everything. Being concerned, apologising, comforting me. I never do that for you."
"That's because you're socially-inept." John replies, giving a little smile.
"That's what I mean. Smiling when you insult me so that I don't take you seriously."
"Sher, calm down, it's al ..."
"NO!" Sherlock shouts, burying his face back in the cushions.
"What now?"
"You keep calling me Sher." Sherlock whispers, lifting his head just enough that John can understand him.
"Oh, sorry. I was trying to be more personal. Like when I call Harriet Harry." John replies awkwardly, trying to stop himself from comforting Sherlock.
"You don't understand."
"Then tell me."
"Sher is darling, in French. That's what's annoying me." Sherlock half snaps, staring at the back cushions.
"Oh, right. I had no idea." John sighs softly, looking at the floor.
"I know."
"I'm sorry." John replies sadly, resting his hand on Sherlock's leg again.
This time Sherlock doesn't flinch, he just whispers softly, "I … I love you."
"You … you? Oh." John replies, trying to gather his thoughts.
Sherlock sighs in response, hiding his face as slight sobs start to come out. John looks down at the younger man; so innocent and yet so volatile, so adult and yet so vulnerable, and yet still the great Sherlock Holmes.
John moves his hand from Sherlock's leg up to his cheek, "I … love you too, Sher." John replies softly.
"You do?" Sherlock asks, looking up at John properly.
"Of course I do, you idiot. I always have." John smiles brightly.
Sherlock smiles in return, sitting up and staring at John.
"What's going on in there, Sher?"
"I … want to kiss you. Would that be okay?"
"That would be perfect." John replies with a smile, leaning in to kiss Sherlock.
Sherlock meets him halfway and their lips touch; John bringing his hand back up to Sherlock's cheek while Sherlock's hand rests on John's thigh.
John breaks the kiss first, giving Sherlock a soft smile, "I love you, you idiot."
Sherlock smiles back softly, "I love you too, John."