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John had settled on the sofa with snacks an tea and was thumbing through the search feature on Netflix for his movie choice.
Sherlock sat beside him in clear protest. Arms folded in annoyance as he looked to him, "You really would enjoy 'A Beautiful Mind'." The svelte man tried to argue.
John laughed, enjoying the small battle they were having. "I honestly would have thought that movie too trivial or personal for you to want to watch."
"Nonsense, It's one of the better fictionalized portrayals of a very important issue." Sherlock countered.
John shrugged clicking confirm on his title choice as his fingers sifted out a handful of popcorn. "So we can watch it on one of your nights then. Tonight's my turn."
Sherlock fell silent for a beat before speaking up,"Honestly John, Owen Wilson? You expect me to be engaged by Owen Wilson?"
"I'm amazed you know who he is." John chuckled as the credits started.
Sherlock rolled his eyes, "Your blog has gotten enough animated snippets-"
"Gifs." John interrupted.
"-of him that I had to learn who he was because I saw his face often enough." Sherlock finished, referring to the 'wow' gif that seemed to be a favorite among John's readers.
John relaxed further into the sofa. "Just watch it. You might like it, you love dogs. Anyway, you've gotten away picking the last four movies in a row. My turn, no fighting."
"Fine, your turn." Sherlock gave an over exaggerated sigh of defeat.
Rolling his eyes before he let his fingers dig into the popcorn bowl and affixing himself to his seat.
It was John's turn to pick a movie and it had only been granted after a rather considerable lull in cases. Sherlock was bored stiff. While John was unwilling to leave the flat after a shift run long at the surgery, so they settled on a movie night. 'Marley & Me' was something he hadn't seen for awhile and he couldn't pass up the small amount of torment it might cause his infuriating and impatient genius.
The start of the movie was harmless enough. Hopeful and almost cavity-inducing sweetness of the honeymoon phase of a relationship. Wedding, moving, settling down and finding a puppy. Marley was of course a handful and John burst out with small moments of laughter as the canine caused problems for the new pet-parents.
Sherlock gave a pointed glance to John at the fifteen minute mark almost exactly.
"What?" John asked sounding defensive.
"Nothing, just, if you enjoy this I may have over estimated your intelligence." Sherlock replied as passively as he could.
"Oh, stuff it. If it kills you in the next hour and half to watch this I'll pay for the funeral personally." John smirked.
"I'll hold you to that." Sherlock harrumphed.
Every so often he risked a glance sideways to Sherlock, fully expecting an expression of disinterest and paralyzed boredom. Instead he found that the self-proclaimed detached detective seemed soften at the sight of the golden retriever created chaos on the screen. John always made sure to quickly flick his eyes back to the tele so Sherlock might not accidentally realize that he was enjoying himself.
Soon the antics took a sour turn in the film. Cancer, of course it was cancer; Sherlock thought inwardly. Still, John couldn't help but notice the aborted gesticulating sign of a sob catching in Sherlock's throat at the diagnosis. Making sure to keep stock still and eyes forward even. The corner of his eye confirmed a second shuttering movement of dismay brought to a halt inside of Sherlock.
Allowing himself to frown with the film, John really wished that Sherlock could just let himself be more emotionally vulnerable. Everyone cried to this movie but heavens forfend the youngest Holmes admit something akin to humanity.
The popcorn bowl forgotten and mostly empty as the pair of them watched through the climax of the story. The family had truly grown and gone through so much in the fourteen years the film encompassed. That beautiful dog, tethered them together in a rather spiritual way as any pet would.
John wasn't afraid to wipe away errant tears on the sleeve of his jumper. Marley had died and the blogger was invested enough emotionally to understand their pain. In a truly shocking fraction of a moment John could have sworn that he had heard a sniffle beside him.
Looking away from the screen and to Sherlock, realizing that he hadn't imagined the sound. John was in disbelief when he saw the emotion on the Sherlock's face. The watery glint of tears threatening to fall made the normally immovable man look incredibly vulnerable. John just gaped silently for a moment, forgetting the film entirely.
Sherlock offered back a look as if to ask what John was gawking at.
John hated himself for the grin that came across his lips a second too late.
"Oh, piss off." Sherlock groaned.
Snapping out of the sentiment and steeling himself suddenly.
John winced at the reaction and looked quickly back to the screen. "Nothing. Nothing, it's just…it's really sad, yeah?"
Sherlock sat up a bit straighter in his seat and gave a curt nod.
Allowing the rest of the movie to finish in silence. The end credits started to roll and John stood first.
John stretched as he sat up and stood to toss out the left over popcorn and snack wrappers.
"Was it at least tolerable?" He asked with out looking back to the sofa.
Sherlock stood now and went to the kitchen as well with a shrug. "More or less."
"Does that mean I get another turn next week?" John joked as he put on the kettle for one last cup of tea before bed.
Sherlock rolled his eyes. "No, I don't trust you not to pick something as obviously emotionally manipulative."
Grin renewed as John pulled two cups from the cabinet. "So I guess that means 'Old Yeller' is out?"
Sherlock's demeanor cracked at the clear joke and he returned with an affectionate smirk, settling at the table with his laptop. "And everyone thinks that I'm the monster."