This is a little... something brought to you by the feels from the Sherlock Christmas Special trailer. XP
John stares incredulously at his detective friend for exactly a minute before placing the stethoscope back to his medical bag. He forced to hide his smile as Sherlock Holmes enumerates or should we say complain with his symptoms; symptoms that only occur around a certain lady's presence.
John Watson took a deep breath before he decided to tell his friend of his findings.
"You're not dying Holmes," He said, answering his friend's inquiry about his illness like it was a common cold.
"You're simply... In love." He stare directly to his friend's face, his voice veiled the wonder and reservations that he's currently feeling.
Sherlock stood from where he sat, taking off his coat and loosening his cravat, "What's the difference?!" he replied sarcastically.
"Well for one, love will not kill you." Watson replied a matter of factly, he followed Sherlock with his eyes as the detective started pacing.
"I'm not sure that is entirely accurate" he paused then runs is fingers through his hair in agitation. He looks at Watson in resignedly, his hands settling on his hips. "Let's say for once that you are correct, that I am... capable of... being... in a way...in love. What should I do? How do I go on about it?" Sherlock asked lost and at the same time he felt his stomach flip at the possibilities that flashed through his mind.
"You- you are asking for my advice... Good heavens... Right, well "
Sherlock huffed exaggeratedly at the doctor's reaction. John on the other hand do not know what he should say to the brilliant git; he's still trying to get a hold of the idea that his best friend Sherlock bloody-married-to-my-work Holmes is feeling – well anything sentimental at all and for him to consider it out loud, not inside his mind palace? The world must be ending and Mycroft did not intentionally inform them. He tried not to express his amusement on the matter in front of his friend. John cleared his throat upon noticing that Sherlock seriously awaits for his reply.
"You should tell her, and make haste about it. Ms. Hooper will be utterly delighted to hear this news." John nodded confident with his advice.
Sherlock's face fell at the suggestion; there must be something that is holding him back. For once John can see the emotions playing in Sherlock's unguarded expression; doubt, fear and insecurity were just a few but after a few moments it as overshadowed by something, something that started so small then it grew bigger as time passed, something like hope. He can see it from the sparkling of his eyes, from the smoothening of his furrowed brows, the minute curving of his lips that gave way to a shy boyish smile.
"Do you think she will be? Delighted I mean. Do you think she will accept me?" doubt lace Sherlock's voice but John is determined for his friend to push forward with this endeavour.
"Of course she will have you. She holds you in the highest of regards, everyone knows of her affection towards you. What ever makes you think otherwise?"
The detective's eyes flutter away, avoiding the doctor's stare.
"After all that I've said... all that I've done, I don't know if she would ever want to see me again."
"Well whatever happened I'm sure that Molly will forgive you." John said nonchalantly, reassuring his friend with a smile.
Sherlock did not reply, instead he threw a worried glance at his friend and continued with his pacing. John surveyed the detective's nervous behaviour; he paused weighing his next question.
"What have you done?" He asked in a neutral voice, hiding his apprehension at what his friend did to the gentle Ms. Hooper.
"Sherlock?..."
The silence from the detective increased the doctor's anxiousness, now concerned that his friend did something that may have irrevocably damaged Molly Hooper's reputation.
"Sherlock tell me what you've done! For I swear to God-"
"Molly slapped me." Sherlock interjected at the doctor's tirade, "the last time Molly and I met, I congratulated her for the fall out of her engagement with that mister, Thomas White. And she slapped me."
John let out a sigh of relief but was soon confused at what the detective just confessed to him, John did not know what to think of the situation except that his friend's insensitivity knows no bounds.
"Why... Why would you even think of congratulating her? Their engagement is off, it's a sad event-"
"I congratulated her because it's in order!" Sherlock again cut John off, his voice higher than it was a moment ago, "It's best for her not to marry that scoundrel! You also knew that he only offered for her because of her money, he even plans to keep his lady friend at his side after they're married."
Sherlock now pace more forcefully around the room, he spat every word about the unfaithful man. Without warning he turns to John continuing his outburst.
"And even if he is a good man... a good, honest, great man, I will still express my felicities at their broken engagement! She is no longer attached to anyone and I am beyond glad. That is what I felt when I received the news and that is exactly what I said to her. I was just trying to be honest!"
John sighed understanding his friend's logic at the same time lamenting at his thoughtlessness.
"If you already knew... if you feel that strongly for her, why didn't you just go and tell her all of it?"
Sherlock stopped his stride and settled beside a window, watching the busy street outside.
"Molly slapped me John, can you imagine how upset she was to do that?" Sherlock replied silently.
John was about to reason that Sherlock may have deserved that slap and more after all Molly went through with him and for him, but the detective continued almost irritably.
"And I can't very well tell her 'all of it' in front of her friends, this may not be my area of expertise but I do know that some of these things are best said in private; that plus the fact that she ran after she delivered her hand on my face stopped me from telling her." he ended miserably.
"Remind me why was I not there? I would have loved to see that one." John asked offhandedly.
"You were teaching Ms. Morstan how to ride a horse, a lesson she obviously didn't need. She looks more comfortable riding a horse than you do." As he speaks Sherlock casually shrugged into his coat.
"Doesn't need? Wait," John furrowed his brow at his confusion, evidently unprepared for the turn of their conversation. "Sherlock, what do you mean? She always asked for my help whenever she mounts and dismounts a horse."
Sherlock huffed loudly as he ties his cravat, raising his brow at his friend before answering him "It means Doctor Watson, that you should consider getting an earlier date for the wedding before Ms. Morstan change her mind." With that the detective straightened his coat as he squared his shoulders and stepped towards the door.
John halted him on his way, "Hold on, wait! And where are you going? We are not finished discussing your problem."
Sherlock continued going down the stairs as he shouted his reply to the doctor, "I'm done talking John; I have to find Molly before another country bumpkin tries to lure her into another engagement!"
Dr. Watson stayed no more than a minute to get his coat and hat; he hailed a carriage and rushed off to Ms. Morstan's home, fully intending to change the date of their wedding but most importantly to tell her of the news about Sherlock.
Thank you for reading!
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