Chapter 21
Disclaimer: I don't own Sherlock or anything.
Author's note: Please review! Thank you!
Sherlock was first to wake up, he smiled, content in the arms of his lover. John was holding him gently but securely.
"John?" Sherlock called out.
"Hmm?" John asked.
"RISE AND SHINE, LAZIES!" Harry ran into the room and yanked the covers off of them then ran out again shouting "Merry Christmas!"
"HARRY!" John protested and curled up closer to his husband.
"Merry Christmas, John." Sherlock said.
John's face went from grumpy to happy in a split second "Merry Christmas!" he smiled and kissed Sherlock.
They were soon dragged downstairs by Harry. They found everyone was already up. Ron, Kathy, Alan, Julie, Mycroft, Harry, and Clara were all sat on the sofas facing the Christmas tree.
"Sorry, were you waiting for us?" John frowned.
"Not to worry, we only go down here two minutes ago. Harry is just insistent." Alan said.
John nodded in understanding and sat on an armchair with Sherlock, they just managed to fit together side-by-side. Sherlock paid no attention to anyone else; he just started playing with John's hair.
"Presents!" Harry started handing the ones from their parents out. They got through them quite quickly. They had a lot less than when they were little. The children then gave their parents and siblings presents and soon they were just down to a few presents.
John slipped off of the sofa and crawled under the tree to get Sherlock's. Sherlock admired the absolutely fantastic view of John's arse he had.
"Sherlock, subtlety would be appreciated." Mycroft said.
"Shut up, Mycroft. I'm trying to concentrate on John's arse." Sherlock frowned.
John sat up straight in an instant as soon as he was aware of what was going on "Sherlock!"
"What?" Sherlock asked obliviously. John just tutted but was soon happy again as he sat beside his husband and passed him his present.
"Ohh, what have you got him this year. You two are normally good at gifts for each other." Harry commented.
Sherlock inspected the present and grinned then opened it quickly.
"John! This is brilliant!" Sherlock grinned as he held up a book.
"What is it?" Clara frowned.
"A record of crime in the whole of the United Kingdom in the past one hundred years! He's been hanging around the book shop near out University for weeks now, trying to flick through the book. But the shopkeeper keeps chucking him out." John smiled proudly as he watched Sherlock flick through it.
Seeing his husband buzzing with delight at his present filled John's heart with warmth.
"I wrote a little something on the first page." John said.
Sherlock went immediately to that page and smiled as he read the message out "Dear Sherlock, Merry Christmas! Love from, John."
"Thank you, John." Sherlock said, looking into John's eyes. John smiled and Sherlock pulled him in for a kiss.
"Keep it PG, guys!" Harry said.
John stuck two fingers up at her and grinned through the kiss. But they did soon pull away and leant their foreheads together "Maybe I can read it and sit in your restaurant." Sherlock suggested.
"That would be lovely." John smiled.
"Now!" Sherlock pulled away and went over to the tree "To my presents for you."
Sherlock handed John two presents "Ohh, two, you have spoiled me." John smiled and ripped open the first. It was a book.
"It's the best book out there for what you want to do. Any medical jobs in the army, what you have to do, what grades you have to get, particular courses or little things you can do to get where you want to be in the future." Sherlock explained.
John looked down at the army medics book in his lap with awe. Sherlock had always said that he'd support John in what he wanted, but John knew the army was a bit delicate. Sherlock was so scared of John getting hurt or killed that he knew he wasn't happy about it. But this… this was… the acceptance and encouragement.
Sherlock was stood looking down at his John with those curious incredibly intelligent eyes. John looked up at Sherlock and a big smile appeared on the blonde's face.
"Thank you!" John stood and hugged Sherlock tightly, burying his face in his neck and holding him so tight.
"You're welcome." Sherlock said and held John just as tightly.
John pulled his face out of Sherlock's neck and gave him a kiss. Sherlock smiled and relaxed.
"Oh, the other present!" John smiled and they both sat on the armchair.
"If that one got a hug and a kiss, this one better be good." Harry said.
John ripped open the packaging and his eyes widened as lots of things tumbled to the ground. Then as his eyes took in all these things on the floor his cheeks went an almighty shade of red and his mouth fell open in shock.
"What the fuck?" Harry said.
"It's for later, John." Sherlock said with a smile, seemingly oblivious to everyone being silent and wide-eyed.
On the floor, lay many, many things.
"I went on the durex website and found they do lots more lubes and such than you would find in the normal supermarket. They do ones that increase sensitivity, and I bought a range so that we could experiment!" Sherlock elaborated.
John couldn't take his eyes off of the presents. There were lots of tubes and boxes with words like 'play' and 'sensual' and 'sexy' jumping out at him.
"And, I bought you this, and this wasn't from that website!" Sherlock picked up a pair of underwear, red, and obviously tight fitting.
"Right." John stood up, turned to Sherlock and stood in a very military stance facing him "Pack this stuff away and get rid of it." He said, he was quiet, but that was what was scary, he was so angry, he didn't even shout.
Everyone watched as John stalked away.
Sherlock frowned and turned to his parents "What did I do wrong?" he asked, rather innocently, which was odd assuming he was holding a pair of pants and at his feet lay lots of lubes.
"Sherlock… collect all that stuff together and put it away." Ron was the first person able to speak.
Sherlock looked really rather put out. But he didn't look embarrassed. He picked all the stuff up and though everyone in the room was still a bit shocked and not entirely happy, they did feel a little sad watching Sherlock crouch and collect everything. The man did try; he just didn't seem to ever have a complete grasp as to what was right to do in front of people and what was wrong to do. Well, he understood in some respects, but he thought it was stupid. He just… was so happy to be himself and not let others' feelings towards his behaviour bother him that he had gone wrong this Christmas.
Once everything was collected together and Sherlock put it all in a Christmas bag of his he turned back to his parents "Will you tell me now what I did wrong?"
"You embarrassed him. Immensely." Kathy said "And you've made us feel awkward."
"But why? We all do this and use this stuff." Sherlock was at a loss.
"I know. We all know. Of course, but it's just not something that you parade around in front of family or friends or other people. It's private." Kathy said gently.
"We are private. We've never had sex or anything similar in front of anyone, that's just for me and John alone." Sherlock said.
"Yes, but things we use in the act gives connotation to the act of it and makes everyone very aware of it going on. It's okay, and it's normal for people to do this, especially of your age and in your relationship status. But it's not something that people think about, or like to think about, especially one's family. And giving him all this stuff in front of us all has embarrassed him." Kathy explained.
Sherlock sat with a sigh "But I thought he'd like it. And we give gifts around the tree. That's tradition. Ugh, I really don't understand society." He complained.
"Are you going to go and talk to John?" Julie asked.
"He won't want to talk to me." Sherlock said quietly.
"Sherlock, you have done something… not good here. But you have done something very lovely, buying him that book, he was really happy with that." Alan said.
"I know." Sherlock sighed and got up, he collected together all of his and John's presents and made his way up to their room.
He found John lying on the bed on his side, his legs curled up and his arms crossed.
"John." Sherlock said and sat just behind him.
"Did you get rid of it?" John asked.
"John, I'm sorry for embarrassing you on Christmas Day." Sherlock said "I didn't understand that it would have caused the awkward atmosphere and your embarrassment."
John sighed "I know."
"You do?" Sherlock asked.
"Yes. I know you." John said with a tiny smile.
"Was that a smile?" Sherlock bent over John with a grin.
"No." John was fighting off the muscles in his cheeks trying to make him grin too.
"You smiled!" Sherlock's eyes were bright with joy.
"Maybe." John settled "Sherlock… just, a little discretion when it comes to sex would be appreciated."
"Okay, I'll try. And does that mean you're not angry anymore and you've forgiven me?" Sherlock asked.
"I suppose so." John smiled.
"Good! Then you'll be okay if I get these out here!" Sherlock pulled over the Christmas bag and emptied it out beside John on the bed. John sat up and faced his husband "No, we can't use that stuff! Now I know they know I don't really feel comfortable." John explained.
"But they think I've gotten rid of it all, they'll have presumed I'd have put it all in the bin like you'd asked." Sherlock said.
John's face went from hesitant defeat to mischievous happiness in moments.
"Well, then… how about we start experimenting later and right now I'll put these new pants on?" John asked.
"Yes! Can you wear them with the jeans I really like on you, the ones that fit well around your arse?" Sherlock asked excitedly.
"Sherlock, you will be getting off on the power of knowledge all day, won't you?" John raised an eyebrow.
"Of course! Well, not exactly 'get off' as in masturbate, but it will bring me thoughts of pleasure." Sherlock nodded.
John took the pants from Sherlock, gave him a kiss, then changed into them. Sherlock was so busy insistently staring at John's crotch and arse that he didn't notice that John had walked to the wardrobe.
"I've got a little something for you." John said.
"Hmm?" Sherlock asked, his eyes now just staring at John's tight fitted pants.
"My eyes are up here, darling." John said.
Sherlock blinked and looked up at John who was smirking rather smugly.
"Here." John handed Sherlock a wrapped present. The man opened it rather delicately while his husband sat beside him.
"Ohh, interesting." Sherlock said with a raised eyebrow.
"You like?" John asked.
"The colour is nice, as is the material. I don't often wear them this tight though, it should be an interesting experiment as to how both of us feel with me wearing this." Sherlock said. In his hands were black silk boxers, they looked rather small, but the label said 'tight fitting'.
"Well, go and put them on." John smiled. Sherlock pulled his pyjama trousers off and slipped into the pants.
"They feel nice." Sherlock walked around the room and John watched him intently, taking the image in.
"The look nice too." John breathed.
"I am aware of your feelings towards them, John. Your cheeks are flushed, your pupils dilated." Sherlock noted.
They got properly dressed and went downstairs; both of them stole cheeky glances at the other's arse and even a few touches when nobody would notice.