Sherlock jolted upright in bed with a short cry, now awake.
John was still sleeping peacefully next to him.
Sherlock anxiously chewed on his lower lip as he stared down at him. He could still hear Moriarty's words echoing throughout his head, and it was giving him a bit of a headache, so he got up and headed for the bathroom to see if there was any aspirin in the cabinet behind the mirror.
Lucky for him there was some.
He downed two pills and put the bottle back, closing the cabinet door. When he looked into the mirror, he saw Moriarty grinning at him instead of his own reflection, and he jumped back in surprise. "You..." He muttered.
Moriarty laughed evilly before vanishing.
His head down, Sherlock stepped forward and clutched the edges of the sink. He felt laughter beginning to bubble up inside him, and soon found himself laughing hysterically, his knuckles white from gripping the sink so hard while his body quivered.
John began to wake up. "Sherlock...?"
The laughter became crazed and maniacal, and John heard the sound of the mirror smashing.
"I AM NOT LIKE YOU!" Sherlock laughed at something.
John quickly jumped out of bed and ran for the bathroom. "Sherlock, are you alright?!"
Sherlock stopped laughing when he heard John's voice. Slowly, he stepped out of the bathroom with a bloody hand from punching the mirror. "John..."
"Sherlock, what happened?" he asked with concern.
He slowly shook his head. "N-nothing, I..." After a brief silent pause, he suddenly pulled John close and held him tightly.
John slowly hugged him back. "Sherlock...?"
"We have to solve this case asap, John." Sherlock said in a solemn tone. "I'm not sure for how much longer I'll be able to..."
"The only way to do that is to bring Moriarty to justice." replied John.
"My sanity's on the line."
"What do you mean, Sherlock?"
"I'm not myself..."
"What are you talking about?"
Sherlock stepped back. He opened his mouth to tell John what was wrong, but then snapped it shut.
He couldn't tell John. What if he was scared away?
His pale blue eyes wide with terror, Sherlock slowly shook his head, grinning slightly. "Nothing." He said in a forced but quiet happy tone. "I'm fine. I'm just fine."
"If you're sure."
Sherlock looked away.
"Sherlock?"
"I'd never hurt you."
"I know you wouldn't, Sherlock."
"I don't." He admit quietly.
"What did you say?"
"I'm glad." He lied. "I said I'm glad."
"Well, let me clean your hand and bandage it up so we can go back to sleep."
"I'm not going back to sleep, John."
"But you need your sleep."
Sherlock shook his head. "Sleep is useless, just like eating. After a while, you get used to going without it."
"Sherlock, you need to eat and sleep."
"It's a waste of time." At this point, Sherlock realized his headache was only getting worse, and he still was hearing Moriarty mumbling in his head. It was hard to focus on what John was really saying.
"Sherlock?"
Sherlock tried to shake his head of the voice of his current nemesis, but to no avail. "What...?"
"Are you alright?"
"I... need to sit down..."
"Alright, Sherlock."
Sherlock took a step past John before he fell to his knees, clutching his head. "Just SHUT UP!" He screamed at the echo in his head.
"Sherlock, what's wrong?" cried John as he rushed to him.
"Please, John... Stay back..." Sherlock mumbled.
"Why? What's wrong, Sherlock?"
"I'm not..." Sherlock began groaning, no longer paying attention to John but only to the voice. "I'm not going to hurt him... You can't make me..."
"Sherlock...?"
"John, make him shut up..."
"Make who shut up?"
A look of distress appeared on Sherlock's face as he looked up at John. "You mean... you can't hear him...?"
"Hear who?"
"M-... Moriarty..."
"But he's not here, Sherlock."
"I know..."
"You mean... he's in your head...?" he asked in concern.
Sherlock, not having the heart to answer, averted his eyes.
"My word... You are hearing him in your head..."
"Please, John... I'm not... I'm not crazy...!"
"I didn't say that, Sherlock."
"But you can't deny that's what you're thinking..."
"Sherlock, you just need some rest."
"Rest won't help me, John! Rest is what made this happen!"
"What are you talking about?"
"I went to sleep, and I had a... a really messed up nightmare. When I woke up, I could still hear Moriarty, and I still can."
"Oh dear..."
"I would never hurt you, though, I swear!"
"I know you wouldn't, Sherlock."
"You're safe around me... so please don't leave..."
"I'm not going anywhere."
Sherlock looked up at him with a faint glimmer of hope in his eyes.
"You need me, Sherlock, and I'll stay by your side."
"John... You're an idiot. But you're my idiot... and I love you for it."
John smiled a bit.
Sherlock kind of wanted to hug him in that moment, but didn't feel it safe.
John ended up hugging him instead.
Carefully, Sherlock hugged him back.
"I'm here for you, Sherlock."
Trying to hide his relief and other emotions, Sherlock hid his face snuggled against the crook of John's neck.
John gently rubbed his back.
Sherlock's head still hurt and he could still hear Moriarty mocking him, but this only made him hold John tighter.
John rubbed his back more.
"John..."
"Yes, Sherlock?"
Sherlock suddenly kissed him.
He was surprised but kissed back.
After a few seconds, Sherlock broke the kiss.
John panted a bit.
"Sorry about that... I don't know what came over me just then..."
"It's quite alright, Sherlock."
Sherlock smiled a bit.
John smiled back.
"John, I..."
"Yes, Sherlock?"
"... I won't hurt you." He repeated.
"I know, Sherlock. I know."
"Make me confident that I won't..."
"Sherlock, you have to believe in yourself. Trust yourself."
"I can't, because..."
"Because of what?"
"I've... already almost hurt you..."
"You did? When?"
"When you were asleep on the couch..."
"But why?"
"I don't know, I just... felt like I had to, and then I realized what I was doing, and..."
John then hugged him close.
"J-... John...?"
"It's alright, Sherlock."
"B-but I..."
"I understand, Sherlock."
Sherlock hugged John back.
He continued the hug as he rubbed his back.
Sherlock finally began to relax a bit.
John smiled as he continued the hug.
"John..."
"Yes, Sherlock?"
"Thank you..."
"You're welcome, Sherlock."
Sherlock held him tighter.
John rubbed his back some more.
Sherlock kissed him again.
John kissed him back.
The Consulting Detective continued the kiss.
John gently held him close.
Sherlock held him tighter.
They then fell onto the bed.
Sherlock broke the kiss and stared up at John, being pinned under him.
John smiled at him as he got off him.
Sherlock then pulled him back.
He yelped a bit as he chuckled.
Sherlock let him go. "Sorry..."
"It's quite alright, Sherlock."
Sherlock smiled a bit.
John smiled back at him.
"John, I..."
"Yes, Sherlock?"
"I... Love is a dangerous disadvantage, but... I love you regardless."
"I love you too, Sherlock." he smiled.
Sherlock kissed him once more.
John kissed him back.
Sherlock embraced the doctor.
He gently held him close.
Sherlock continued the kiss.
John happily continued to kiss back.
Sherlock was comfortable like this.
So was the good doctor.
The kiss was broken again.
John looked into his eyes.
Sherlock gazed at him with a certain childish wonder.
The good doctor smiled kindly at him.
Sherlock smiled back.
John wished this moment would last forever.
"John..."
"Yes, Sherlock?"
He only smiled a little.
John smiled back.
Sherlock remained quiet, seeming to admire his partner.
John did the same.
Again, Sherlock kissed him.
He happily kissed back.
Sherlock broke it again. "Of all the things this case would lead to, doing this with you right now was at the very bottom of the list of what I expected." He said breathlessly.
John chuckled a bit. "I'm glad we are doing this."
"I am too, it's just... It almost feels surreal."
"Yes, it does."
"This is real, right...?"
"Yes, it's real, Sherlock."
"Just checking."
John smiled at him.
Sherlock smiled back.