AN: I see quite a bit of fan fiction featuring the perfect life of Sherlock and John as a couple, but that's not really how I picture it going. I picture their relationship to be full of awkward tension, sweet apologies, and a whole lot of well-meant bickering! I'll try to capture as much of this as I can manage in the next chapter or two. Enjoy. =]

John's eyes snapped open, heart racing, and he let out a gasp of relief to find himself in his own bed, in his own dark bedroom. It was just another war dream. He rubbed his eyes. The clock on the table read 5:19am; his alarm wouldn't go off for another ten minutes. Knowing he wouldn't be able to sleep anyway, he moved to get out of bed, and froze.

Fast asleep, with his dark hair sticking out at impossible angles, Sherlock had wound his arm snugly around John's waist sometime during the night. John slowly leaned back into bed, so as not to wake him, the events of the previous days coming back to him in flashes. I… kissed... Sherlock Holmes. And now he's in my bed. Oh God… Every denial, every awkward moment, every comment about their living arrangement flooded into his mind at once. If this gets out, If we really do this… I might be the laughingstock of London! No one will ever take me seriously again, I'll just be Sherlock Holmes' little boyfriend for the rest of my life, even if I called it off! Oh, God, what have I done now…?

Sherlock groaned in his sleep, pulling John closer. Too distressed to enjoy this, John wanted nothing more than to pull free. Only memories of just how grumpy Sherlock could be if woken a moment before he planned to kept him from doing just that.

Unfortunately, the universe had other ideas. The blaring of the alarm clock sent Sherlock flying out of bed in surprise, the sheets wrapping around his slender legs and causing him to crash onto the floor, crying out loudly for John, whose previous apprehension fled his mind entirely as he burst out laughing.

"Oh, WHERE are my cigarettes." snapped Sherlock, freeing himself with difficulty.

"Over, they're over-" gasping, John attempted to piece together a sentence before giving up completely and surrendering to whoops of mirth. Sherlock's disdainful glares only worsened the situation, with his tousled hair and wrinkled night shirt, it was impossible to take him seriously. John found himself forgetting everything that could go wrong, simply allowing himself to feel an overwhelming affection for the man in front of him. "Come on, we've got a case today, I'll make breakfast."

Looking for a moment as though he might argue, Sherlock changed his mind and instead stumbled towards the doorway, pushing his hair out of his eyes. "I'm putting sugar in the coffee," he muttered crossly, marching out with as much dignity as he could muster.

Sherlock's rather unceremonious awakening kept a tiny smile on John's face all morning. He didn't even mind when Sherlock grunted at him rather than thanking him when John placed a fresh, hot breakfast in front of him. "As pleasant as always, I see," said John, grinning.

"It's a quarter past six in the morning, John. Excuse me for not being a bundle of morning cheer." he eyed John, who was still grinning helplessly as he attempted to clear away enough of his flat mate's equipment to take the place opposite him at the table. "Thank you… for this." he mumbled grudgingly.

"Don't mention it."

"So," Sherlock drummed his fingers on the table nervously. "Are we uh, what are we?"

The carefree smile slowly slipped off John's face. "Sherlock, I don't know if I can do this," he swallowed. "You know, I spent my whole life…"

"I know." Sherlock's intense stare had John's skin prickling.

"It's just a difficult thing to do, Sherlock. Just, ah, give me time. I won't want to hide it forever." John couldn't bring himself to meet his eyes.

"You won't?"

"No, no, of course I won't. Now finish that up, Lestrade wants us both in by seven." watching the way John's lips formed the words, Sherlock fought an impulse to kiss him, and instead settled with putting an awkward hand over John's. John finally met his eyes, and the two promptly dissolved into hopeless laughter, all their tension and worries melting away, if only for a moment.