Sherlock and Kitten Kaper

Pairing: Sherlock/John, pre-slash

Rating: PG

Part: 2 of ?

Disclaimer: I own none of the Sherlocks.

Secret Santa gift for the lovely Zoe.

Outside, it was snowing in earnest. John held the kitten close to his body to keep it warm. Nevertheless, it began to shiver and mew pitifully. "Sherlock, this kitten is freezing! Do we really need to take him?"

"Her. Take her. And yes we do. We need her breed identified. It's crucial in order to know who stole the Countess of Morcar's blue diamond bracelet." Finally a cab appeared, Sherlock hailed it.

"The Countess's jewels? But we read in the papers that the case was solved. They arrested the thief." The climbed into the cab. "And you turned down that case anyway! Said it was umm, 'mundane in the extreme' if I remember correctly."

"St. Bartholomew's Hospital." He said to the cabby. To John he responded, "And so it was. But this case has just become infinitely more interesting." The kitten mewed again. Sherlock removed his scarf while moving closer to John, taking the kitten from his hands. Sherlock then began wrapping the kitten in his scarf to help warm it up. As he did this the little kitten started to purr.

"I think she likes you, Sherlock."

"Nonsense, she just likes being warm." After Sherlock had finished, he handed the kitten back, but remained close to John. John didn't seem to notice or mind the invasion of his personal space.

"So, you think the bracelet I found, is the Countess's?"

"I am certain of it."

"So, Mrs. Hudson was right then."

"What? About what?"

"About this being something that could occupy your time?" John said keeping his tone light.

Sherlock knew when he was being teased by John and it always made him feel simultaneously annoyed and grateful. Grateful because no one had every treated Sherlock normally, even just for a second. As he grew up the teasing had been merciless and seemingly without end, even in University. And John, despite all of his praise, could still manage to treat Sherlock like a "normal bloke." Giving him a jibe here and there, but only with the most benign of intentions.

"She wasn't right for the reasons she thought she was. She unwittingly stumbeled upon something big." John chuckled softly.

"I think she was just afraid you would start shooting holes in her walls again." Sherlock smiled and they spent the rest of the ride in amiably silence.