Chapter Four: Partners
"I'm John Watson and this is my partner Sherlock Holmes," John was saying to their current witness. Their newest case had taken place in the middle of a crowded park, meaning lots of witnesses to question, all of which had mysteriously seen absolutely nothing.
Sherlock fixed John with a narrow stare. The doctor had been saying that a lot since the start of their more intimate relationship. Before, it had just been, "I'm John Watson and this is Sherlock Holmes."
"Why do you keep calling us that?" Sherlock finally asked after John had thanked the useless so-called witness and had turned away to search for the next one.
"What?" John gave him a confused look.
"Why do you keep referring to me as your partner?"
"Oh." John colored slightly. "Well, we're something, right? It's just that 'boyfriend' seems far too immature for what we haveand 'lover' is a little too explicit. 'Partner' just seemed to fit better. We're partners in crime solving, in a relationship, in life, really." His blush darkened and he scrubbed his hands over his face. "That was way too cheesy, wasn't it?"
Sherlock considered the idea seriously, then reached out with gentle fingers to pry John's wrists away from his face. "No, I believe your right. 'Partners' fits us just fine." John offered him a shy smile and linked his hand with Sherlock' two headed towards the next set of witnesses and Sherlock took the lead, anxious to try out the new term.
"Good afternoon, ladies," he said to the pair of elderly women waiting for them. "I am Sherlock Holmes and this is my partner John Watson."
Both sets of wrinkle-bracketed eyes widened and the ladies tittered in delighted shock, their meaty hands clasped over their mouths. John's dark blush returned, but he listened to their statements with a determined and long-suffering expression. As soon as the ladies departed, still giggling, Sherlock turned on John.
"What?" he demanded. "I said exactly the same thing you said!"
"You said the same words," John agreed, sounding torn between amusement and embarrassment, "but your tone was far more... suggestive." Before Sherlock could argue, John shook his head and smiled. "It was fine, Sherlock. You don't have to change anything. I'm not embarrassed to be in a relationship with you. Besides, you can't help that everything that comes out of your mouth is suggestive."
Sherlock gave John his most affronted look. "It is not."
A small smile quirked the corner of John's mouth. "It is for me. Your voice is like liquid sex. That's the only reason you get away with saying half of the outrageous things that come out of your mouth - I'm too distracted by your tone."
Sherlock's desire to continue arguing was overrode by the interesting connotations of that statement. "So what if were to talk to you explicitly while we were having sex? Would you enjoy that?'
"Dear God, Sherlock!" John groaned before grabbing both of Sherlock's arms and propelling him towards the next witness.
Sherlock took that to mean "yes."