Chapter 37
Disclaimer: I don't own Sherlock or anything.
Author's note: Please review! Thank you! Sorry for the four day delay! I've been so busy, I now have braces, and I now have a job! Thanks for your patience!
John settled into his deep and warm bath. He didn't have bubbles, just plain old water. He was so tired, today he and Sherlock had ran around after a boy who used to go to their school, trying to get him to give an old lady back her hand bag. They had succeeded, but John's muscles ached, and he was the fit one. He hoped Sherlock was okay.
John lay back so his head was underwater and he closed his eyes, his whole body was surrounded by warm and relaxing water.
He resurfaced and just lay there with his head above water thinking about bath-thoughts (which are always deep, much like shower-thoughts and just-before-bed-thoughts).
The door suddenly opened and John's eyes widened and he saved his dignity by placing his hands over his manhood.
"Get Ou-Oh, Sherlock, what are you doing in here?" John frowned. They didn't have a lock on the bathroom door so when he had a bath or shower he'd tell his family so nobody would come in. But Sherlock must have just come right upstairs.
"I'm bored. I've had a shower, and I wanted to be with you so my boredom would go away." Sherlock said and he sat down heavily on the chair just next to the bath and next to John's head.
"Erm, I'm kind of having a bath." John said.
"Oh, don't worry, the door is shut, your sister is still passed out in bed I think." Sherlock said calmly, looking down at John "John, why are you covering your genitals? It is nothing I haven't seen before when we dress in the same room." Sherlock frowned.
John honestly didn't know what to say "Erm… Listen, though I have no problem with you seeing my body, I just think it would be best for both of us if we try to avoid seeing each other so bare when it is so close to our sixteenth birthdays…" John trailed off.
"I am perfectly in control, John. As are you. You did walk in on me changing this morning, and though I could tell you were slightly aroused, you did not act on it." Sherlock said casually.
John sighed, it made sense.
"Alright, you can stay." John gave in and let go of his manhood.
"That is better. I can see all of you. I love your body." Sherlock exclaimed.
"Thanks… I love yours too." John said with a small smile.
Sherlock jumped into a conversation about the experiments he was planning on doing as he watched John rub soap all over his body.
"…And that is my theory. John, are my pupils dilated?" Sherlock asked.
John put the soap on the side of the tub and looked up into his love's eyes "Yes, very." John said.
"Hmm, I am very aroused." Sherlock said.
John raised an eyebrow and his eyes flickered down to Sherlock's crotch where his trousers were tented "I can see that." He smirked.
"Oh, it'll go down or I'll sort it out later. John, can I wash your hair?" Sherlock asked.
"Sure you can handle it while so aroused?" John said with a giggle.
"I'm sure." Sherlock said. He slipped off the chair and knelt next to the tub gracefully.
Sherlock squeezed some shampoo onto his hands and John sat up. Sherlock spent about three minutes running his hands through John's hair, doing different styles and just enjoying the feel of his love's hair between his fingers.
"Lie back and I'll wash it out." Sherlock said rather gently.
Sherlock held onto John's neck, and he didn't care that the sleeves of his shirt were getting wet, he slowly lowered John down into the water and he worked on getting the shampoo out of John's hair.
"Mmm, I like this." John mumbled with closed eyes.
"I can see that." Sherlock said.
John opened his eyes and saw Sherlock smirk.
"Alright, stop smirking; we're both hard, let's just try not thinking about it." John sighed.
"Fine." Sherlock said.
After another minute Sherlock needed release. He needed it.
"Sorry, John, going to go use your bedroom." Sherlock said.
John sat up and Sherlock speed-walked out "Why?" he called after him.
"Why do you think? I won't make it to my house!" Sherlock shouted back as he shut John's bedroom door.
John giggled and thought, well, he might as well get rid of his boner now too.
John was towelling himself dry when Sherlock re-entered the bathroom and shut the door behind him.
"I had to borrow a pair of your pants because mine need to go in the wash." Sherlock stated.
John put his pyjamas on, then walked over to stand in front of Sherlock. He hooked his fingers into Sherlock's waistband and pulled to look down.
"Oh, my red ones. Be sure to bring those back, they're comfy." John said.
"I will." Sherlock said as John let go of his trousers.
"I'm hungry. Come along, love!" John smiled and took Sherlock's hand.
They were in the kitchen when Harry finally came downstairs, she looked horrible, she had dark circles under her eyes, her skin was grey and her eyes were bloodshot. She slumped in the chair on the other side of the table from them as Alan and Julie made dinner and John was allowed some grapes. Sherlock watched John eat them closely.
"Oh look, John's back from his bath. And Sherlock's sleeves are wet. Mum! Dad! Sherlock was fondling John in the bath!" Harry accused.
"He was not! He was washing my hair!" John shouted in defence.
"Harriet, do try not to make deductions in your state of mind, you are horrendous at it as it is, but with a hangover I must say you sound like a moron." Sherlock said harshly.
"Mum! Dad! Sherlock was mean!" Harry complained.
"Harry, go into the living room, you know our views on your drinking, and you now have four upset people in this room." Alan said shortly.
Harry huffed "You all hate me!" she shouted and stormed out rubbing her head.
"We love you! We just hate what you are turning into! You need help, sweetheart!" Julie called after her.
John slipped his hand up Sherlock's shirt and rubbed his boyfriend's back. Sherlock smiled and leant into John.
"She's one step away from becoming an alcoholic. What are we going to do?" Julie cried and Alan pulled her into a hug.
"I don't want John involved, she's caused him enough suffering already." Sherlock commented.
"I want to help her, she's my sister!" John frowned.
"What do you mean, Sherlock?" Alan asked.
Sherlock looked between the three Watson's in the kitchen and said "It is John's place to tell you that."
"John?" Julie pressed.
"She… it isn't that bad… she just… when she comes home drunk… I try to get her to bed without disturbing you… and she says stuff, that's it." John lied.
"Don't lie to us." Julie could read her son so well.
"It is nothing to worry about!" John shouted and ran out of the house.
"I'll go after him." Sherlock said quietly and ran after him.
He found John sitting on the bench in the Holmes' front garden. He sat down next to him and placed a comforting hand on John's knee.
"Why won't you tell them? I know you want to." Sherlock asked.
"Loyalty." John stated.
"To her?" Sherlock asked.
John nodded and looked down at the grass.
"She's my sister." John repeated his earlier comment.
"But she's hurt you!" Sherlock said desperately.
"Not really…" John said awkwardly.
"John, I found her pressing you up against the wall, gripping your hair tightly and telling you horrid things!" Sherlock exclaimed.
"She didn't mean it. She was drunk." John said shakily.
"John, look at me!" Sherlock said, he tilted John's face up to look at him; he kissed John gently on the lips then rested their foreheads together "I want you to be happy. I don't want to have to feel like I have to protect you from your sister. You're strong, but you won't hurt her because you love her. Please, just tell your parents, they need to see how bad she really is!" Sherlock urged.
"I don't know how." John said "They love her too… they won't want to hear it. I don't want to say it." John said.
Sherlock pulled John into a hug "I know, John, it'll be hard. But I'm here, I'm right here. And I will support you. They need to know."
John nodded against Sherlock's chest and held his boyfriend tightly, afraid to let go.
"Come on, John. I know you can do this." Sherlock said firmly.
They stood up, and with Sherlock's arm around John's waist, they re-entered the Watson house.
Julie and Alan sat across from John and Sherlock at the kitchen table. Harry had passed out again on the couch.
Sherlock ran his fingers gently through John's hair, he knew John was feeling inner-turmoil, should he be honest to his parents, or betray his sister?
"Harry… she…" John cleared his throat "A few nights ago, Sherlock was staying, this was the only time Harry did this, but I heard some noise in the landing, and I left Sherlock to sleep and I investigated. Harry was stumbling around. I told her to go to bed, then she started saying horrible things about me, saying I've never suffered, that I was an innocent, that one day I'd feel all the pain she'd felt and she wouldn't help me because I never helped her. But I didn't know she felt that way! I promise, I didn't! I mean, I tried to give her advice just after she came out, I said she could hang out with me and Sherlock all those years ago, but we've never gotten along, so I don't really know much about her anymore. I tried to lead her back to her room, but she suddenly got really violent. She grabbed my hair, and pushed me against the wall. I don't remember what she said; it was too much at once. Then Sherlock had awoken and pulled her off of me. He pushed her into her room and shut the door behind her. She always makes sly little comments, trying to put me down in whatever I do." John finished.
"Why… why didn't you tell us earlier?" Alan asked.
John sighed; he didn't want to talk anymore. He hated talking about his feelings or anything else, unless he was with Sherlock who was different. John stood up and headed to his room.
Sherlock went to follow him "You know, don't you?" Alan asked, making Sherlock stop.
"Yes." Sherlock stated.
"Why didn't he tell us?" Julie asked shakily.
"John has very strong morals, one of the things I really admire about him. He was cut between telling the truth to you and betraying Harry. John's a loyal person, you know that." Sherlock stated and joined John in the bedroom where they lay in bed together quietly.
"Distract me… please." John said.
Sherlock pulled John closer and spoke all about his deductions, his experiments. John adored listening to Sherlock's brilliant mind, he would lose himself in Sherlock's thoughts and voice and cleverness.
The following day Julie and Alan told John that Harry was going to sort her life out. They had spoken with her and they had scheduled some hours with a counsellor and were going to help her get out of the alcohol.