Day 1 (Day 2): Cuddling Somewhere
They get word that the subject is back in England the next morning. Sherlock quickly packs (throws his and John's clothes into their bags), and drags John out of the hotel.
"Sherlock!" John cries as he follows Sherlock on the platform. "I don't want to take the train home!"
"The flights were all booked and I need to get back to London today," Sherlock argues over his shoulder. "We'll be home in under three hours."
John groans loudly. "Okay," he concedes, of course. "But you're buying me lunch!"
The get settled on the train and sit comfortably in their seats. Sherlock gets John a sandwich, even though he claims John can wait until dinner, then they pull out a few documents and begin to pass the time by looking over the evidence they found in Paris.
When John's done with his sandwich, he stretches in his seat and yawns loudly.
Sherlock watches, annoyed, but a bit…fond.
John gives him his usual innocent lopsided grin. "Mind if I shut my eyes for a few minutes?"
Sherlock shrugs. "You're not really helping that much anyway."
John glares, but chuckles. "Prick. Wake me in twenty."
Sherlock agrees, then watches as John snuggles up to the hard train wall and shuts his eyes, his head resting against the even harder window.
Sherlock watches John nap for as long as he can before he feels bad about John's angry sleeping face. He's uncomfortable, clearly, being pushed against the hard wall. He might be cold too, being that close to the window.
As silently as he can, Sherlock gets off of his bench and slides across to John's. He sits as close to John as he can, then lets John's reaction to the sudden heat next to him command his sleeping actions.
Luckily for Sherlock, John shifts to lean against Sherlock instead of the window. Sherlock smiles widely, then picks up his documents and studies with little attention he can bother to give it.
At the next stop, which is soon after Sherlock moves, a woman comes to their compartment door and peeks in.
"Oh, sorry…" she mutters, stepping away.
Sherlock motions to the seat across. "Please."
She smiles weakly and sits down. "All the other seats are taken."
"This is a popular train," he says.
She laughs. "I'm Kate."
"Sherlock," he replies.
"Nice to meet you, Sherlock."
Sherlock nods at John, who is still gently dozing on his shoulder. "This is John."
Kate laughs again. "Long day," she says.
"We've been too busy working to sleep properly," he explains.
Kate nods in acceptance. "On your way back to London?"
Sherlock talks to Kate for a while longer; they talk about what they had to do in Paris (both work), their jobs, other things about their lives.
"So," she finally says. "How long have you two been together?"
"Just over a year," Sherlock says.
"A year? Wow. And no ring? Taking it slow, then?"
Sherlock smiles and nods, then quickly frowns with confusion. "Wait, no, I didn't mean…we're not—"
She raises an eyebrow. "You're not?"
Sherlock looks down at John. "We're just—"
"You're flatmates? Met randomly, through a friend? And decided to move in together? Can't figure out where to take your very close…friendship?"
"How can you tell?"
"Happened to my straight brother about five years ago," Kate explains.
"And what did he do?"
Kate unlocks her phone and shows Sherlock the home screen photo, which is a picture of Kate holding a little girl. "This is my niece, River. My straight brother and his husband adopted her two years ago, right after she was born."
"She's…" Sherlock says something John always says when he sees small children, "Adorable."
Kate smiles down at the picture. "Anything is possible," she mutters.
Sherlock looks at John. "Maybe."
Sherlock lets John sleep while he sorts out evidence and talks to Kate. John doesn't wake up for nearly an hour, and when he does he looks pleasantly surprised to be cuddled against Sherlock.
"Good afternoon," Sherlock says to him.
John sits up at straightens his back. He looks at Kate, as if noticing her for the first time. His cheeks grow bright red and his eyes wide. "Oh…uhm, hello…"
Kate smiles widely at him and reaches out to shake her hand. "I'm Kate! Your mate was kind enough to let me sit with you two."
"Oh," John says. He smiles at Sherlock. "That's nice of you." He pats Sherlock's knee, then pretends to need help steadying himself to stand and that's why his hand is still on Sherlock's knee. "If you'll excuse me," he says, shuffling past them and out of the compartment.
"He is head over heels," Kate says once John is gone.
Sherlock looks at her. "You really think so?"
"Does he always smile like that the first time he sees you each day?"
Sherlock furrows his brows and slowly nods, realizing that yes, John does that.
"Does he always linger on unnecessary touches as such?"
Sherlock bites his lip and nods, remembering a few nights ago at the party, his unnecessary touches on his back when they were standing talking to other couples.
"He has realized it," Kate says. "Have you?"
Sherlock just nods, knowing that yes, he has.
The rest of the way to London, John and Sherlock talk about the case while Kate fondly watches and offers little input if she has anything to say. Sherlock appreciates her help, then when they get to London they tell Kate it was nice to meet her and move to part ways.
"Good luck, Sherlock," Kate says as she walks away.
Sherlock just smiles.
"Sherlock, coming?" John calls to him.
"Be right there!" Sherlock calls back.