"You do realize there are these things called protective eyewear, right?" John asked as he leaned over the detective, his right hand cupping Sherlock's jaw while the other pressed a damp cloth gently into the fragile skin surrounding Sherlock's closed eyes.
Sherlock peered up at the doctor with one of his eyes- the one John had already cleaned the chemicals out of. "I am aware." The detective stated defensively. "There wasn't enough time to grab a pair- the test subject incubated a lot sooner than I had predicted. I had to act fast."
"Yes- so fast you tripped over yourself and splashed hazardous chemicals- that are probably illegal to have in the first place- all over your face." John murmured idly as he flipped the cloth in his gloved hand.
Instinctively, Sherlock glanced with his open eye over to the closed door of their flat and back up at the doctor. The action was subtle but still, John caught it.
"You keep doing that- stop it.. I'm not going anywhere..." John breathed with a step back from his handy work.
Apprehensively, Sherlock opened his other eye, pleased to find it didn't accompany blindness or even a mild burning sensation. "Are you sure you don't want a roommate with normal hobbies like- shopping, or- going to the spa?" Sherlock droned with an eye roll.
"Not.. Unless I were a teenage girl, no" John said back with a quirked eyebrow as he tossed the cloth onto the table. He then proceeded to pull off his medical gloves, his lips pursing as he did so.
Sherlock said nothing back and instead moved over to start working at his experiments again- oblivious to John's silent stares as his project once again consumed him.
"Sherlock.."
"Hmm?" Sherlock acknowledged, his focus still mainly on his experiment.
"Why, exactly, are you afraid I'm going to leave you?" John asked, his left hand coming up to help support his head as he leaned over the table. He was preparing himself for a long, serious, conversation.
Sherlock froze in his movements before pulling back from his microscope and turning to meet John's gaze. "Don't be an idiot- we both know our relationship is a time bomb. One of these days it'll explode. It's a fact." Sherlock sneered. He almost looked to be offended by the question as he turned back to his work- silently deeming their conversation over.
"So you've said, but- I don't see it as such." John piped it, seemingly incapable of acknowledging the fact that Sherlock had already ended their conversation.
With an eye roll, Sherlock fell back against his chair and crossed his arms childishly over his chest.
"Just because you can't see it doesn't mean it's not there." Sherlock gritted out, his eyebrows drawing in when John opened his mouth to carry on their conversation.
"Again, you keep saying that but you've only started doing this recently- it doesn't make sense." John breathed with a broken laugh as he stared back at the frustrated detective.
Sherlock peered at the doctor with blue eyes for a long while as John stared back with a bit lip and raised eyebrows. They both seemed to be waiting on the other.
"Forget it." Sherlock bit out as he stood abruptly from the table and stormed off to his room.
"Forget? Forget what?" John called back in confusion as he followed Sherlock with his eyes.
"Just shut up." Sherlock growled before slamming his bedroom door behind himself.
"What- Sherlock?" John asked wearily as he forced himself to stand and walk cautiously over to Sherlock's door. He knocked his fist lightly against the door and asked, "Sherlock?"
"Go away." Sherlock replied, his voice muffled by something other than the door.
With a sigh, John turned the door knob and walked into the dark room. "Sherlock, come on.. Just talk to me about this- it's clearly bothering you a lot more than you've been letting on" John said in a quiet voice to the bundle of detective and blankets resting atop Sherlock's bed.
"I told you to go away."
"And I told you to talk about it." John retorted as he took a seat on the edge of Sherlock's bed.
"You're an idiot.."
"Yes, so you've said" John breathed.
The doctor watched idly as Sherlock poked his head out from under the covers and looked up at him. "You're an idiot." The detective repeated.
"Are you just going to keep repeating that until I leave, or..?" John asked with a raised brow as he leaned back on his arms to show he wasn't planning to leave any time soon.
With an exasperated sigh, Sherlock sat up and let the blanket fall off of his shoulders. "John.. I have something I need to tell you.. And... I understand.. Should you choose to leave.." Sherlock said quietly, his back straight despite the way his eyes stuck to the lower half of the door like glue.
"Sherlock.. You can tell me anything." John assured and not for the first time.
Sherlock glanced uncomfortably to John and quickly darted his eyes back to the door. "For a while now, I.." He stopped then, and narrowed his eyes. "Have had... Feelings.." He said stiffly as though the word pained him.
"Discovered you're a real boy, huh?" John asked, the slightest smile sliding across his lips when Sherlock shot him a glare.
When Sherlock's glare stayed in place, John quickly found his smile faltering. "Sherlock..?" He asked as he watched Sherlock watch him unblinkingly. "What is it?" He asked, fairly certain his little jab hadn't brought on such a reaction from the other man.
Scoffing, Sherlock rolled his eyes and let in a shaky breath. "You're an idiot."
"You might have mentioned that-"
John felt his words catch in his throat as cool, slender fingers wrapped around the sides if his face and pulled him in for a clash of lips with the detective.
Sherlock pressed his mouth firmly against John's and exhaled shakily as he backed away, his hands retreating with him as he gave the doctor some space.
However, John said nothing as he stared back at Sherlock, his eyes wide with a hint of confusion as he stared into nervous blue.
With a bite if his lip, Sherlock let out another breath a walked out of his room- a stunned John still left upon his bed.
It wasn't until John heard the door to the flat slam that he blinked back to reality, his lips still stinging from the quick release of pressure.
Then the doctor was looking out the doorway of Sherlock's bedroom where the detective had exited through and he sighed.
"I really am an idiot.."
Author's Note: Reviews are appreciated!
