Sherlock sat in his preferred spot on Victoria's couch. She and Charlie had left for their date at some point and now John was lecturing him on...something.
He stopped paying attention a while ago.
Actually, he never started paying attention.
He flicked his lighter on and off as he stared at the wall in front of him. John continued to talk.
"John?"
John stopped what he was saying, "Hmm? Yeah?"
"You do realize that your words are falling on deaf ears, correct?" Sherlock's penetrating gaze shifted over to his friend for a moment.
John pressed his lips together and cleared his throat, "Right. Well… I guess it just makes me feel better to talk."
"You should know by now that-"
"I do know by now that you most likely not listening to me when I talk...especially if it's about something that you did...wrong." John sat next to Sherlock on the couch, "Before you stop listening to me again, though, just please listen to this one thing: be careful with her, Sherlock."
Sherlock's jaw tensed and he looked away. He was too brilliant to play dumb. Damn. "How do you expect me to do that?" He glanced at John. He found it odd talking about Victoria. He felt odd.
"You know, not that you care, but… you know that feelings-"
"Feelings!" Sherlock scoffed. "Whose feelings? I don't feel anything," Sherlock stood up and crossed to the window. He watched cars pass by, their lights shining through the darkness of the night. "She knows me well enough to not get attached."
John watched his friend sadly. "Sometimes feelings happen anyway," he said as simply as he could. He paused before adding, "Molly knew perfectly-"
"Molly is a silly girl. She looks with her heart," he scoffed at this, too, "and not with her eyes. She is a bright girl, but she isn't smart. Victoria is perfectly aware of everything, whether she acts like she is or isn't. I have seen how she thinks and how she works. She might have the heart of a teacher and someone that works with children, but she won't ever be stupid enough to have feelings-"
"Sherlock," John interrupted, "I don't care about what you assume Victoria is like. She is a woman and you will treat her as such. You will be careful with her."
Sherlock rolled his eyes at John's demand. "Women are not such delicate, breakable objects, John."
John pointed his finger at Sherlock, "You know that's not what I meant, Sherlock. She is...human and human's are delicate, breakable objects. They are especially breakable around you. You have broken me more than once and you will not do that to Victoria. I don't know exactly what your relationship is with her or what exactly you two were doing when Charlie and I showed up, but please be careful with her."
Sherlock's lips were pressed in a fine line, "I will talk to her."
Charlie twirled his spaghetti onto his fork, his brown eyes watching Victoria as she sipped at her wine.
"Vicky?" He spoke up.
Her eyebrows rose, "Hmm?" She hummed as she swirled the red liquid around her glass.
"Tell me about Sherlock," he requested, twirling his fork still even though he wasn't gathering any noodles.
"Well, he solves a lot of mysteries and puzzles… and crimes, obviously. Dead things don't bother him. Sometimes he eats food." Victoria shrugged. She knew that he was bothered about Sherlock; it was fairly obvious. She didn't really see why Sherlock should be any of Charlie's business, though. Victoria wasn't one for drama and a bothered...guy was already too much for her.
"Does he have a girlfriend?" Charlie asked and took a bite of his food, though he wasn't really hungry.
"No, why? Does he look like he does?" Victoria asked back and started tearing at a piece of bread.
"No… Just… Have you guys dated?" Charlie frowned. "Have you shagged? You two have always acted pretty chummy and it's…"
Victoria cocked her head to the side, "It's what?"
"I just don't like it. It's gross. To be honest, it makes me not want to like you as much because he's touched you." Charlie scratched at his head, "I've always a really jealous guy. It's probably nothing. Just...don't let him touch you, okay?"
Victoria smiled instead of answering.