The characters in this story do not belong to me but to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and in this incarnation to the BBC and it's writers. The idea for this Fic came from lines in The Sign of Three.
"Don't worry," Sherlock said to Mary "I've been tutoring him"
"He did, you know, 221B behind closed curtains" John replied smiling slightly at the memory.
It had all started not long after the case John had named The Empty Hearse, the date of the wedding had been set and the arrangements were falling into place. John had decided for the last week that he'd move back into 221B to make his and Mary's first night as a couple special, something Mary had encouraged knowing that it was also partly due to the fact that both John and Sherlock would miss sharing the flat.
Sherlock had gone out for a walk to collect his thoughts, he'd been doing this more and more the closer the wedding loomed John had noticed. He'd also started to close himself off more, almost regressing to how he was before John knew him and John knew this was because he didn't want to admit how lonely he would be once John had moved out. John decided that with the flat being empty now would be the perfect time to continue practicing for his and Mary's first dance, something he'd been practicing in private to avoid being laughed at.
He turned on the music and imagined putting his hands in position on his imaginary dance partner before slowly carrying out the moves for a traditional waltz.
"1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3" he mumbled under his breath, counting out the steps trying to get the timing right. He was just starting to get the hang of it when he stepped on a test tube, one of the remnants left over from an experiment Sherlock had performed earlier involving a finger and a solution of Sodium Hydroxide. Loosing his balance John toppled over and, narrowly missing the table, landed on the floor with a crash.
Lying on the floor, his head buzzing from the impact, John suddenly became aware of someone snickering behind him and turned his head to find Sherlock standing in the doorway. John narrowed his eyes and slowly pulled himself to his feet.
"I'm glad someone found that funny" John said completely unamused.
"Sorry, sorry" Sherlock replied pretending to wipe tears from the corner of his eyes. "I've just never seen anyone quite a graceful as you."
"Well I'm sorry we can't all be like you, you great git" John said "Anyway I was doing pretty well until I slipped on one of your bloody test tubes"
Sherlock snorted "I have been here for quite some time and I can assure you that whatever it was you were doing before, that was not a waltz"
"Oh and you'd know would you?"
"Yes I would in fact, Mummy had both myself and Mycroft have dance lessons as children. You should have seen Mycroft, it was like trying to teach an elephant to be graceful" Sherlock grinned.
John just shook his head an amused smile on his face "Posh git" he murmured before turning to go upstairs to check for any injures he may have received.
Later that night John was in his room working on his vows when a knock came at the door.
"Yes Sherlock" he called
Sherlock opened the door and leant against the door frame.
"Can you come downstairs a moment?" Sherlock requested after a moment of silence.
"What for?"
"I'll show you when we get downstairs" Sherlock replied mysteriously.
John sighed shut down his laptop and followed Sherlock back downstairs. John paused for a moment when he saw the changes to the living room, earlier a cluttered mess it was now not only tidy but all of the furniture had been moved to the sides leaving a large space in the center, large enough John noticed to be used as a makeshift dance floor.
"What's going on?" John asked, although it was pretty obvious given the state of the living room.
Sherlock turned to face him from his position in the center of the living room and rolled his eyes "Obvious" he said sounding incredibly bored "I'm going to teach you The Waltz."
John stood there for a moment his mouth open "No, no. That's quite alright Sherlock I almost have it down, like I said I was doing fine earlier until I tripped over that test tube."
Sherlock raised an eyebrow "I was observing you for sometime before your little fall John and I can assure you that you did not have it down as you put it."
John narrowed his eyes at that.
"Please John, it'd be my pleasure and you can consider it a wedding gift" Sherlock requested.
John sighed but moved into the center of the space, there was no point arguing with the detective when he was so obviously determined. Besides it seemed like disagreeing would be cutting off his nose to spite his face seeing as Sherlock was volunteering to do this so he and Mary could have a perfect first dance.
Sherlock switched on a small CD player from behind him before turning back to face John and holding out his hand. "May I have this dance?"
John shook his head slightly at the absurdity of the situation but placed his hand in Sherlock's all the same. "Of course you may." He replied with a grin not noticing that Sherlock's own grin didn't quite reach his eyes.
"So" he said trying not to become too flustered as Sherlock placed their hands in position, his left one on Sherlock's shoulder and Sherlock's right arm wrapped around his waist and on the center of his back. "When did you begin dancing?"
"Oh at about the age of five, I found I had a natural talent at it and that it was yet another thing I excelled at that Mycroft didn't. Then as I grew older I began to enjoy it more and more."John grinned at the image of five year old Sherlock and an overweight pre-teen Mycroft taking dance lessons, Sherlock gliding around graceful as always while Mycroft tried to keep up.
Once Sherlock had taught him the basic moves they then proceeded to practice slowly. At first it was awkward and untimed and several times John found himself accidentally brushing his leg against Sherlock's. After about an hour though Sherlock's corrections became rare and a quiet fell over the flat. The only sounds where the music in the background and Sherlock's deep baritone voice counting out the steps 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3 keeping them in time.
Before they knew it 2 hours had passed and the flat was growing dark, the only lights were coming from the kitchen and the streetlight outside which streamed through the window, the curtains having been neglected, and illuminated the living room with a warm yellow light.
"I suppose we should stop now?" Sherlock asked, a slight hint of regret that John put down to Sherlock's love of dancing.
"Well it is getting rather late" John agreed.
Sherlock just nodded, a bored expression once more settling onto his features and John watched as the man slowly closed himself off once more, turning to face the window and look out into the street below.
"Look mate. I've still got a few more days before the wedding and I'm nowhere near up to standard yet for this dance. I don't suppose, I mean, would you be up for a few more lessons?" John asked
Sherlock turned and John felt a lump in his throat at the sad expression in his best friends eyes, a moment later though and it was gone, Sherlock Holmes master of disguise hiding his emotions even from himself.
"I suppose I could, nothing better to do and I'd hate for you to embarrass yourself in front of your wife" he replied with a grin. "Better not let anyone else on though, people might talk."
"People do little else" John replied, smiling slightly at the phrase Sherlock always responded with when John said that sentence.
Little did they know that Mrs Hudson was standing on the steps outside 221B, a hand over her mouth and tears in her eyes.
"Those silly, silly men" she thought to herself. Silently walking downstairs to tell Mrs Turner what she had just seen.
A/N. Hope you guys enjoyed this little one shot inspired by The Sign of Three. I'm sorry about the angst, I always try to write fluff but it always turns to angst in the end.
Let me know what you think
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