For the first meetings challenge on the BBC Sherlock Fanfiction Challenges forum.
"…and the address is 221B Baker Street."
Saying that, the tall man – Sherlock Holmes, his mind supplied – turned and stalked out of the door, leaving John gaping at his back.
He shot a quick look at Mike to make sure he hadn't imagined the entire encounter. After all, there was no way that someone could know so much about him on their first meeting without being informed beforehand.
But Mike simply smiled knowingly and said, "Yeah. He's always like that."
John struggled to say anything, opening and closing his mouth like a particularly stupid goldfish. How in the world could someone do something like that?
Just as he had finally found his voice, the door to the lab opened and the brunette girl from before walked in.
"Sorry! Just forgot -" She broke off mid-sentence as soon as she saw John.
"Oh dear, he's just met Sherlock, hasn't he?" she asked, turning to speak to Mike.
Mike flashed her a sardonic grin. "'Course he has. The expression is never on a person's face unless Sherlock's been around. And since he's invited John here to be his flatmate, you can understand why he's so shocked."
She turned back to smile reassuringly at John. "Don't worry, Mr -"
"Watson," John replied automatically.
"Mr Watson. I wouldn't be too worried about sharing a flat with him. He'll grow on you if you stick around long enough."
And before John could reply, she grabbed whatever it was she had forgotten and made her way out of the room.
"So, what did you think about him? If you don't want to flatshare with him, I'll let him know. It's not a problem," Mike said, drawing John's attention back to him.
It was a valid question. Most sane people would think twice before agreeing to share a home with the type of person Sherlock Holmes seemed to be. If that little show hadn't been a one off, there was every possibility that living with him would mean having every single detail of his life analysed by him.
It would be much more peaceful if he found another flatmate, or decided to get a place outside London.
And yet…Sherlock Holmes was the most exciting thing that had happened to John since he returned from Afghanistan. He was the only one who knew his background and wasn't careful with what he said, the only one who seemed like he wouldn't coddle him.
Maybe it would end up being the stupidest decision of his life, something he would regret in the future, but John would hate himself if he never took the chance to know what life with Sherlock Holmes could be like.
Besides, all he was going to do was look at a flat with the man. If he decided that he couldn't live with him, he could always back out and blame the flat.
"No need to do that Mike. I'll go take a look at the flat with him. I can always make my final decision once I've seen it."