TheDarkestShinobi: The last day of my internship was Friday, so I'd expect some chapters all around pretty soon!
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Honestly, John should know better.
He has tried to date since he got back from the war and it was always in vain. Either something about him being in the military or a result of that is the reason girls lost interest, or the fact that Sherlock would storm in mid date, say something crazy that is somehow more appealing to John or, the date will have been a fake from the beginning and Jim Moriarty will slide into the other side of the booth with Mock surprise. Truth be told, he's not honestly that surprised.
His mind races with a few things he could say or do but he knows that if Jim wants dinner with him then there is nothing John can do to get out of it and he doesn't have much of a chance getting away from him now. John takes a deep breath before deciding to sod this.
"You're paying, and I'm getting something expensive, and dessert." John says nothing else, just looks back at the menu for something ridiculously priced. Jim says nothing until after they've placed their orders and John has lost the shield of the menu.
"Surprise." Jim shakes his hands a little for theatrics but John just snorts and shakes his head.
"The last time you said that a woman who was dead sent a car for me." Jim just smiles in response. John can be perceptive at times. "No. Really?" John is left open mouthed as the waitress places the appetizer in front of them and Jim takes a chip and dips it into the dip before taking a bite and nodding at the flavor. John shakes his head.
"Wait, Irene's alive?"
Jim holds a finger to his lips and doesn't say any more of it. John doesn't say anything until the food is brought to them. He cuts into his steak before stopping.
"Does Sherlock know?" He then shakes his head, answering himself. "No, he would have told me." John remembers Sherlock taking the phone from him, the composing. Jim says nothing, just drinks some wine and takes a bites of his pasta. There's no way but would Jim lie to him? John groans and shakes his head.
"I'm not playing this game with you."
"What games do you play?" Jim leans forward and John looks away and flattens his lips.
"Why are you telling me this?"
"I think, Dr. Watson, I want you to be able to trust me, as I've found myself growing fond of you." He spots the panic in John's eyes rising as John looks back to him so he tilts his head. "You remain interesting, is all."
They eat in silence for a bit before John puts down his fork noisily.
"Sherlock would have told me." Jim continues to chew slowly. "I don't know why you'd lie, but I'd know if she were still alive."
"I guess the question is 'who do you believe' and 'who should you?'"
If John can trust him with this, when John learns to trust him with this, he will tell him. He will tell John the truth and let him connect the dots he's been collecting. John and Jim eat in silence, even as John orders the biggest dessert and Jim takes out cash to pay. When the bill is paid, John uses the restroom and Jim leaves before he gets out. Afterwards, when John waits outside for a cab and wonders why he's disappointed Moriarty's gone, or why he wants to ask Sherlock about Irene.
He shakes his head and decides to walk for a bit. There is a park close by anyway.
I don't believe you. John sends to the number he thinks is still Moriarty's, even if it wasn't, John was somehow sure Moriarty would get it. He shakes his head before remembering that he wanted to pick up milk and biscuits and flags down a cab.
The cab he tries to take isn't a cab at all, and he's so frustrated at the situation he threatens to jump out of the moving vehicle, but it has child locks and now they are engaged.
…
"Everyone seems to get me on the way to get the milk!" John shouts, annoyed, as he walks down the warehouse. Seriously, how many of these are abandoned anyway? "It's just impolite!" He groans as he shakes his head. "Let this be a warning to all of you," he continues, "I'm going to use your drivers to get the shopping done from now on." Lord knows he gets kidnapped enough for him to never have to walk to the shop again.
"So what-" and once again he stops mid-sentence when brought face to face with Irene Adler. John takes a deep breath before closing his eyes and letting out a sigh.
"I didn't believe him." Why would he? John watches her smile.
"I know. That's why we're here."
John believed Sherlock over Jim, over Moriarty. That should have been a given, should have been the right thing to do. Yet, here she was, as alive as he was and only Jim had thought to tell him. Sherlock lied. John shakes his head.
"I was dead?" She offers before shaking her head. "Don't believe things like that, especially when it comes to us." Us? John meets her eyes with the question. "Surely you realize we are both powerful people." He doesn't. How cute. Oh, she'd go so far if she had what he did. "Unless you need more than the Holmes brothers and Jim Moriarty?" John shakes his head with a small smile.
"I barely have a Holmes, and I don't have Moriarty."
"Even I have a Holmes, faking my death a second time took Sherlock." John feels rage and he's not sure why. Irene digresses. "I sincerely hope you don't believe that." John shifts and Irene frowns. "It would make you terribly unworthy." John clenches his fist and looks up at her again. He didn't have Jim, but he knows Jim wants him. "So you do." She nods in approval. "Both Sherlock and Moriarty. Who could possibly have more?" John doesn't let it get to his head, but the more he thinks about it, the more amazing he sounds. To think, a year ago he held a gun and thought about ending it all.
"He told me not to touch you." She walks closer to him and he debates taking a step back, but she's a domanatrix, a predator, and he wasn't her prey "but I can't resist touching you first." Her hand doesn't strike him as he thought it would. John looks up at her, still wearing that shade of red, the only thing she wore when they first met. John watches as her lips descend on his and pulls back a second later. His cheeks color and she takes a step back. He can feel her lipstick on his own lips and resists the urge to wipe it away.
"I'm flattered, truly-wait-What do you mean first?"
"Exactly what you think I mean." She crosses her arms. "You'll see me soon now that he's reset the game."
"So you are working for him now." He infers.
"No," she shakes her head. "I'm teasing him now." John turns his head at the sound of footsteps to see the woman who lured him into the car. "I have what he wants, or at least, I can make him think that." John doesn't respond. "Think about it, it could be fun." He turns back to Irene.
"Making Moriarty jealous?" it sounded weird even to his own ears. "That explains the last time you were at the flat."
"Made Sherlock jealous too." John looks to the distance before back to her. "See what I mean about powerful?" John doesn't respond. He's straight, mostly. Still, he's not interested in getting involved with either of them. Except now that he thinks about it… No. John gives his head the briefest of shakes that she pretends to miss. John's thoughts are back on Sherlock now, Sherlock lied.
"Now, Miranda, if you will, Doctor Watson needs to pick up some milk."
…
"SHERLOCK!"
Sherlock pauses in mid deduction, hands still in the air, as he starts to turns towards the door. John's angry. Why would John be angry? He lets his hands fall to his side as he stares at the space John will occupy in a second. He watches John come in and narrows his eyes a tiny bit as John puts a bag on the table before turning towards him.
John's attire indicated date, but the time shows that it was longer than a standard date and then, Sherlock glances to the table, shopping. The date did not go as expected, then. John's sleeves have been rolled up, indicating dinner at a fancy establishment, but he's not slumped around like he usually is after spending a large amount of money. Interesting. The other treated, but John would never let a date treat. The tension above his eyes indicates a visit from Mycroft or Moriarty, but a visit from Mycroft usually aligns John with him, not against him. Therefore Moriarty, who treated for dinner but tricked John into thinking it was a date. Food with John equals conversation and Sherlock doubts even Jim Moriarty could get out of that. So Moriarty told John something about Sherlock that made him angry. John likely kicked something and stormed off.
Then John took a walk. His shoes have mud on them, and not all of it has dried. Based on the crease in his pants it wasn't a short walk either, so the subject was important. But John's pace up the stairs indicated energy so he was driven home. There must have been an extra stop. Not Moriarty and most likely not his brother.
Lipstick on his lips. He hasn't tried to wipe it off. A woman he didn't mind being kissed by, but he's not in a relationship and he obviously did not get back from a date. Could it? Sherlock thinks back to the first meeting and his Christmas present. The woman.
"John?" he asks and John clenches his fists before loosening them.
"Were you ever going to tell me Irene was alive?" Sherlock nods to himself, of course he was right.
"Would it have impacted your life in any way?"
"No." John takes a step closer. He shook his head. The impact didn't matter but the situation did, unless Sherlock doesn't realize the implications of this. Sherlock tilts his head and John shakes his again. "You lied to me." Ah. There was the problem.
"You lied to me too." Sherlock counters. "When you heard she died you told me she was in America."
"To protect you." John insists and Sherlock scoffs.
"Protect me?" John watches the valleys on his face deepen as he sneered. "and how does that protect me?"
"You acted like a kicked puppy during most of that case."
"John, don't be ridiculous." Sherlock scolds and John holds out his hand.
"I lied to protect you, you lied for what?"
"There was no reason to tell you." Sherlock turns away and John lets out a laugh.
"Of course not."
"Oh!" Sherlock turns back to John, his dressing gown flying up. "It is me Moriarty is after, he is trying to drive a wedge between us."
"It's not him." John scolds, "It's you. You lied."
"And he was the one that told you." Sherlock points out with a small smile. Mystery solved. It was all about him! Moriarty is testing John's loyalty to Sherlock after all, so much for it being infallible. Soon Moriarty will beat John too and then he'll be bored of them. He'll leave them alone or kill them. John shakes his head. Just once this wasn't about Sherlock.
"I'm going out." Sherlock looks towards the door and then back to John.
"You just got back." Sherlock whines as he looks around quickly. John's just gotten back. John's been out a lot. John puts the milk in the fridge and leaves the rest of the bag on the table.
"Yes, and now I'm going out." Sherlock stares at the door long after it slams. Whether it's intended or not, Moriarty is driving a wedge between them.
Jim is testing John's loyalty and it is failing.