John tossed in his sleep. Small murmurs escaped his lips. Terror flashed through his mind as the nightmare ran rampant. He shifted again, but nothing changed. He was being held back- forced to watch as his friend stepped up to the guillotine. Just then, he felt a firm weight across his chest and smelled something that reminded him of home. The nightmare faded away as he realized it was Sherlock's arm laying over him. He slowly awakened and opened his eyes to see the detective staring at him.

"What? Are you watching me sleep now?" he asked tiredly.

"No, I felt you moving, woke up, and deduced that you were having another nightmare. I put my arm around you to remind you I'm here and everything is okay."

"So you're cuddling me?"

"Now, John, when you agreed to this, you knew that 'cuddling', as you called it, was an inevitable result."

"Yes. Sorry, yes. You're trying to help me. I'm just not used to it, is all. I suppose I'm so used to fighting off the gay rumors that I automatically deflect anything that could possibly be misconstrued."

"You do seem to be abnormally adverse when it comes to accusations of homosexuality. Your sister is gay and your only opposition to her is her alcoholic tendencies, so it's not in defense of your moral code. Furthermore, the number of women you've sexually pursued and your relationship with Mary, along with the fact that you have a naturally produced child, strongly confirm your heterosexuality. So why is it you get so het up about people questioning your sexuality?"

"Sherlock, it's-..." John glanced at the clock. "Jesus Christ, it's nearly four in the morning. Do you really have to be doing this now?"

"Hmm. Clear signs of deflection. How telling…"

"Telling of what?"

"I've been cultivating a theory, but there's only one simple yet effective way of putting it to the test."

The army doctor sighed. "Fine, I'll humor you. What's this test of yours?"

"This." Before John could react, Sherlock leaned over and firmly pressed their lips together, slowly parting and closing them with a smooth rhythm. The doctor resisted at first, but quickly succumbed to the motion and allowed his own lips to follow the pattern freely. A few moments passed before the detective pulled their lips apart and leaned back.

John's face turned about as red as his best pants. "What. In the BLOODY HELL was that?!"

"Just proving a point."

"What point? I am NOT gay!"

"Now, we both know what you really mean, so just say it."

"If we both know it, why do I have to say anything?"

"Because you'll feel better when you do and your secret is safe with me."

John sighed. "Alright, you win. I'm not gay. … I'm strongly bisexual."

"Ooh, strongly? That's not a word I expected you to use."

The doctor paused in thought. "Sherlock , did you do that to me strictly as an experiment, or at least in part because you wanted to? Over the years, I may have been 'abnormally adverse' to the idea of homosexuality, but you… you've been completely unopinionated on the topic. So, let's have it, then. How do you identify?"

"Initially, I considered myself 'strongly' asexual. However, I have admitted to you that I, in moments of weakness, have been known to text The Woman back and flirt with her."

"Yeah, we all know you have a thing for Irene Adler, but that's not what I'm asking you, now, is it? Do you like men, yes or no?"

"Yes," Sherlock stated quickly.

"Any I know?"

"I should think so, you sprained one's arm a while back."

"Wiggins? You went out with Bill Wiggins?"

"Yes. He… took care of me- to the best of his ability- while you were off with Mary, and then again when she was gone. He did his best to make sure I kept from going 'too hot' because he cared. It was never anything too serious, but there was a relationship there, nonetheless."