John stepped quietly down the stairs and looked around the whole living room. He saw Sherlock sitting in his chair in his favorite thinking position.
John thought over the question in his mind, would it really be worth it to ask?
What excuses did he have this time?
And what counters did John have to throw back at him?
He finally steeled himself and said barely audible "Sherlock?..."
Sherlock cracked one eye open and replied "I was busy rearranging my mindpalace, what do you need?"
"Today is New Years Eve...and I was wondering if you would like to go watch the fireworks?" John asked.
Sherlock looked utterly surprised at the request, "You sure? What time?" he asked.
"Around 8:00." John smiled.
"Ok I'll meet you in the park over near the Thames." Sherlock said.
John nodded and turned to leave before hurriedly mumbling something inaudible.
"What was that John?" Sherlock asked moving to get up from his chair.
"Sarah's coming with us!" he said and closed the door before Sherlock could utter a single word.
Sherlock's face turned from one of excitement to a scowl. He would go, but he would have to fix that little problem of Sarah.
"It was 8:00, where was he?" Sherlock thought as he sat quietly on a park bench. He pulled out a pair of gloves and slid them on. It was a very cold December this year and Sherlock didn't like having to wait.
He was about to accept the fact he had been ditched when a cab pulled up on the curb.
John got out of one end with his usual outfit (John didn't seem to be easily affected by the cold, must be the army side of him) and walked over to the other side of the cab opening the door and bowing jokingly, and said "My lady, an amazing afternoon awaits you this evening." Sarah giggled and stepped out locking arms with John.
She was wearing earmuffs, a puffy white jacket, and a crimson scarf. They walked over to Sherlock and Sarah's face immediately fell.
"You said 'he' wasn't going to come with us." she hissed.
"And I didn't expect to have such a delightfully arrogant woman in my company this evening either," Sherlock looked at John "seems like someone forgot some important details of this meeting."
"Sarah, If I hadn't of invited him he would have came anyway. And Sherlock, be nice! Me and Sarah are going out now you need to get over it. Everyone just needs to have a good afternoon, so no fighting!" John said.
Sherlock rolled his eyes and Sarah pulled John closer glaring at Sherlock.
"The fireworks will be starting in 2 hours so until then Sherlock you can come with us to the stores around here so you don't have to spy. And Sarah, I promise this will be a great night." John said staring her in the eyes smiling.
She couldn't say no to that puppy dog face and giggling said "Oh, ok! But only because you're such a sweetheart John."
"Ugh." Sherlock huffed crossing his arms and tapping his foot impatiently "Can we go soon?"
John and Sarah walked off towards the row of stores not even glancing at Sherlock.
Sherlock thought about just walking off back to the flat, but John had invited him. And this bitter icy feeling he felt in the pit of his stomach wasn't going to go away anytime soon, especially if John was left alone with Sarah. Sometimes pretending to have no emotions whatsoever was very tiring.
He sighed and rejoined the two of them as they walked into one of the stores.
" Oh John! You didn't have to do this for me, really!" Sarah cried holding up the sparkling turquoise necklace.
"It brings out the beautiful colours in your eyes, I had to buy it for you!" John grinned.
While John and Sarah were being all lovey-dovey up at the check out desk Sherlock was standing in the shadows near the back of the store glaring at them distastefully.
He had sorted out everything in his mind but the icy bitter feeling was something he couldn't make go away. It just stayed there growing colder, mocking him.
"The fireworks start in an hour, we should get ready." John said.
"Ok let's go." Sarah said and they walked out the door.
Sherlock stayed where he was for a couple of minutes before slowly walking out of the store and with his head down and gloved hands in his pockets he walked down to the Thames.
He knew he was jealous of Sarah, and he knew he could probably never get over it. He didn't think he loved John, he just really needed him and was so used to being around him that his feelings got stronger for him. But he didn't actually love him...did he?
He flung himself down on a bench next to a large oak tree and ran his fingers through his curly black hair.
John always said he wasn't gay.
John never acknowledged Sherlock as being more than a friend, in fact he went out of his way to make sure no one thought they were together.
John obviously liked girls since he had went out with so many of them.
But Sherlock never dated.
He was supposed to be asexual, only married to his work, but even if he didn't understand many emotions he knew that the racing in his heart whenever John looked at him was love what else could it be?
As Sherlock was sitting on the bench thinking John and Sarah were sitting under a tree a little ways away.
John was looking over at him worried. His head was down and he looked like he was depressed, thinking intently about something.
Sarah saw him staring over at Sherlock and said quietly "He looks awful doesn't he. I wonder what's wrong?"
"I don't know." John said the note of worry apparent in his voice. I'll figure it out later." he leaned over to Sarah to kiss her.
Sherlock leaned back hitting his head on the back of the bench and sighed. If he wanted to know how John really felt about him he would have to ask him. And even then their was a good chance that would destroy their friendship and John would move out if he knew Sherlock's feelings for him.
Suddenly he felt something large hit him from behind and he fell down unable to move.
The man went over to him and searched his pockets taking out his phone, some money, and the ring John had asked him to keep safe with him at all times in case someone tried to steal it from the flat. It had been Mary's and John kept it in case he found another that was worthy of it.
"John!" Sarah cried out pointing over to the bench. He looked over and saw Sherlock fall over and onto the ground.
John leaped up and ran towards the man as it started to lightly snow. The man ran down to the Thames towards a small abandoned sailboat.
John got to Sherlock and bent down to him asking frantically if he was ok.
Sherlock was up in an instant and was off running down the hill towards the man followed closely by John.
The light snow had turned to a blizzard and Sherlock could barely see in front of him but he sped up and finally reached the man. He was just untying the boat and going to push off the side when Sherlock tackled him down in the boat.
The man threw a punch and hit Sherlock in the eye pushing him backwards and off himself. He then brung out a knife and moved over to him raising the knife high in the air.
John got to the sailboat as it was pushed off the shore, and the man was about to bring the knife down on Sherlock, and threw himself into the boat grabbing the knife that was still in the man's hand.
They struggled over the knife and Sherlock raised himself up and grabbed the man around the neck pulling him back.
He let go of the knife in surprise and turned around grabbing Sherlock and picking him up by the collar choking him.
John, not knowing what to do, thrust the knife into the man's burly shoulder.
He let out a cry of shock and pain and let go of Sherlock turning himself around to hit at John the knife still lodged in his shoulder.
Sherlock quickly grabbed the things the man stole from his back pocket and threw them down in the front of the boat.
John pushed the man off of him and Sherlock proceeded to kick him abruptly off the boat.
John sat down on the boat with a huff and started panting trying to catch his breath as the snow slowed down.
Sherlock looked out and saw the man pop up a couple feet away gasping for air and swimming towards the shore.
Sherlock sat down as well, "John, are you ok?" he asked staring at him worriedly.
He stopped gasping for breath and looked up at him "Yeah, I'm ok. But why did we chase him, what did he steal?" he asked straightening up.
Sherlock turned around to the front of the boat and picked up the phone, wallet, and ring case. He pocketed the phone and wallet and showed him the ring.
John's eyes widened, "Oh god..." he trailed off picking it up from
Sherlock's outstretched hand and opening it to make sure the ring was still in it. Then he looked back up at Sherlock.
"Thank you. Really." he said starting to tear up.
"John don't cry!" he said worriedly wiping away his tears (he really had no idea what to do), "It's ok, we got the ring back, everything is fine."
John laughed a bit "Sorry it's just..." he trailed off again and looked up at Sherlock.
"Sherlock, you're bleeding." he said moving his hand up to wipe away a bit of blood from the corner of Sherlock's mouth and he flinched away.
"I'm fine." he said looking away the feeling rising in his stomach again except this time it was tight and warm instead of dead and cold.
"You have a black eye too." he said ignoring Sherlock's reaction and grabbing his head and turning it to face him.
Sherlock could feel his face heating up and he willed his emotions to stay down in the locked part of his stomach they usually resided.
"John really...I-I'm ok!" he stuttered. He never stuttered what was wrong with him?! "Sherlock?..." he asked noticing the blush on his cheeks.
All of a sudden the sky was lit up with colours. The fireworks were going off so the countdown for New Years must have ended. They both looked up at the sky and John lowered his hands a little bit.
"John." Sherlock said making him turn his attention from the fireworks onto him. "I love you." he said and leaned in kissing him.
John didn't jump away and call him names, nor did he flinch away and say he didn't feel the same way and say he was moving out of the flat as Sherlock imagined. Instead he closed his eyes and returned the kiss just as passionately.
Sherlock was the first to pull away and he looked down at John questioningly.
"Sherlock," he started. "Here it comes, he's going to call me a freak and tell me he's going to move out." he thought looking for a way to get out of this. He opened his mouth to say something and John held up a finger to stop him.
"Sherlock, you are rude, inconsiderate towards others, annoying, and have the ability to mess up a flat in less than three seconds leaving me to clean it afterwards. You may try to sedate me in my sleep and poison my tea in the morning. But do you think I would have kissed you back if I thought anything less of you?" he asked.
Well, that was sort of a compliment.
"What I'm trying to say Sherlock is..." he hesitated a little. "I love you too." he said his face flushed.
"You...are you sure? I mean...you always say..." he asked eyes wide at the confession.
"I never lie. I know I always say I'm not gay and everything...but I feel differently about you. The only reason I said that was because you said you were asexual...you know, married to your work." he whispered lightly looking down.
"I..John I. I love you I just...it's hard." his eyes looked hurt.
John put his hand on Sherlock's head keeping him in place and leaned forward kissing him passionately.
Sherlock let himself smile into the kiss and closed his eyes, kissing him back just as passionately.
He wrapped his long arms around John's neck and pulled him closer.
The fireworks were still going off in the background and it was snowing lightly setting the entire mood.
After a while of this they both pulled back breathing heavily. Both of their faces were flushed and when he noticed it Sherlock started laughing. Seems like he was showing a lot of emotions tonight.
"What is it?" John asked confused moving back a little.
"We're both blushing!" he laughed out and John's face turned a darker shade of red. He huffed and crossed his arms leaning back a bit.
"Kidding I'm kidding, you look cute like that." he said soothingly as he finished laughing. He stopped pouting and looked up at him breaking into a grin.
"Haha. You do to Sherlock." he laughed and hugged him tightly. He hugged him back and reached for the ore's.
"Ok, we'll each take one and try to row back to the shore." Sherlock said and handed one of them to John.
He nodded and put his ore in the water. Sherlock did the same and they began to row through the water.
The snow was starting to let up but Sherlock tried to pull his scarf closer to his face as it was still freezing. As they were rowing John groaned loudly and he turned to look at him.
"I totally forgot about Sarah!" he exclaimed, "I feel awful now!"
"Doesn't matter now you have me." he said back at him.
John blushed a bit and looked down "Yeah," he mumbled "But I still feel bad." Sherlock leaned back and placed a chaste kiss on his lips.
If it was possible John blushed even more at this.
"Love you too." John whispered the blood in his cheeks rising to make a deep red blush.
"I will /always/ love you." Sherlock whispered back pecking him on the lips again, he could never get enough of kissing John.
Out of habit his tongue flicked out and he licked his lips.
Sherlock's breath hitched and he tried to calm himself down so he didn't let his emotions steer him into the wrong thing here.
After all, John had just now said he liked him, he wasn't going to turn it into one of his sick fantasies...well not this soon anyways.
He would give John a little time before he- his thoughts were cut off as they hit the shore. It seemed he had calculated the distance to it a little off but who could blame him? His mind was pretty preoccupied at the moment.
They laid the oars down and moved to get out of the boat. Sherlock was out first and turned back for a minute to check how John was doing getting out when he slipped off the side crashing into Sherlocks back.
They fell to the ground with a little "Umph!" of surprise from Sherlock as the air was knocked out of him.
They fell to the snowy ground John on top of Sherlock.
John was the first up, he jumped up realizing the position they were in and started rambling on about how sorry he was his face a crimson red.
Sherlock sat up and looked over at him, and then he broke into a deep laugh.
John quickly stopped and looked away, face reddening even more.
Sherlock held a hand out to him as he raised himself up.
John reluctantly took it and Sherlock gave him a reassuring squeeze.
They walked up the hill hand in hand and to John it seemed almost unreal.
He was actually holding hands with Sherlock Holmes, the most unemotional man in London. He let himself shake silently in laughter.
"What?" Sherlock asked looking over at him.
"Us." John replied with a sigh. Sherlock grinned and looked away.
They made it up the hill and Sherlock pulled John over to face him by his other wrist. John let out a huff of surprise as they were face to face.
"Never leave me, ok?" Sherlock said in a hushed whisper.
"I promise." John replied back.
"Really?" Sherlock could almost be showing fear at the moment.
"Absolutely." John said with warm smile.
"This has been quite possibly the best New Years ever." Sherlock pulled him into a light kiss.
When they both broke away John slipped his hand back to hold onto Sherlocks.
"I love you, I mean it." He said staring straight into Sherlocks eyes.
"I love you too, I promise." Sherlock said back full of sincerity.
There was a moment of silence before John piped back up, "Alright let's go home." and Sherlock nodded his head.
Sherlock hailed a cab and they both slid in, then the cab sped off in the night towards Baker street.
A/N- And so the Consulting Detective fell in love with the Army Doctor. Because you always have to end a fic with a cheesy overused quote. =.=" Please Review,Fav,Follow, cetera~ :3