Author's Note:

Tumblr Fanfic Challenge. I was asked to write a fanfic with John, Sherlock, a dog and a carrot. Very random but I came up with this! Just a silly drabble I came up with under an hour. Hope you like it! Reviews would be lovely!


"John!" Sherlock stepped around a cat in the flat with a frown. "Why are all these animals in the flat?"

"I'm animal sitting for a friend." John replied from his chair, while petting a dog in his lap.

"Shouldn't you have discussed that with me first?" Sherlock muttered and avoided stepping on a rabbit this time.

John smirked a bit. "Like you discuss putting body parts in the fridge, or playing the violin at three in the morning?"

"That's different! The experiments are worthwhile for data collecting and I get bored in the early hours of the morning when there isn't a case going on." Sherlock had to stop mid trek to avoid stepping on a hamster rolling around in a ball. "Who owns all these ridiculous animals?" He was getting annoyed and he managed to make it to the couch and slump into it to pout.

"I'm doing it for money Sherlock, so we can pay rent next month. It isn't that bad." John got up from the chair, placing the dog into it. He walked into the kitchen and got a bag of carrots. The rabbit Sherlock had almost stepped on was waiting under the table expectantly. John knelt down and fed a carrot to the floppy eared mammal.

"When do they all leave?" Sherlock's voice was full of reproach and loathing.

"Don't you like animals?"

"Not really. They need constant attention, fed, some let out to pee and some just piss inside. What is there to like?"

"Didn't you have a puppy or something growing up?"

"Mummy did. She had dachshund that pissed everywhere. It had anxiety problems or something. I also had to clean up after that mutt." Sherlock grumbled the last part, arms crossed over his chest as he eyed the animals around him with disdain.

John couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, I see where this is going. Not all pets are like that, you know."

"Pets don't even serve a functional purpose." Sherlock grumbled, still pouting.

"That isn't true. Pets can relieve stress and make good companions."

"Isn't that what you are for?" Sherlock asked, purposefully baiting his flatmate due his current state of frustration.

"Funny, Sherlock. If anything, you are the pet." John finished feeding the rabbit and put the carrots away.

"Me?"

"You leave the flat a mess, I clean up. I have to make sure you eat and sleep, otherwise you wouldn't. I am constant doing things and getting things for you." John walked back out to where Sherlock was, a smirk on his face.

Sherlock was pensive a minute. "Do I relieve your stress?"

"Hah! More like increase it."

"Then by your own definition I am not a pet."

"Touché."

"Seriously John, when do these things leave? I can't think with all this noise!"

"Soon, okay? The owner should be back in an hour or so."

"I hope you are at least getting paid well for this ridiculous job."

"Of course."

"Really? How much?" Sherlock asked with a raise of his eyebrows.

"I don't believe that is any of your business."

Sherlock huffed in reply, rolled over to face the back of the couch to continue on with his childish pouting.

John shook his head and decided to let Sherlock continue his tantrum in silence.

Eventually the owner came and John took all the animals downstairs one by one. He was handed a heavy bag and the former army doctor walked back upstairs.

"Finally!" An exasperate Sherlock shot up from the couch and eyed the bag suspiciously.

"What?"

"There is no way there is money in that bag."

"Oh, right. I got paid in jam," John replied as he walked to the kitchen and began putting it away.

"Jam? What happened to rent needing to be paid next month?" Sherlock trailed after his flatemate.

"Oh, I paid that in advanced already."

"John, you lied me?"

"You're just mad because you didn't catch it," John said with a smirk and then back out to the sitting room.

"Fine! But when I play the violin at 'three in the morning' I don't want to hear one compliant from you!"

"Fair enough."