With Sherlock busy with his concerns about what his brother did and also trying to figure out what the mental version of John was trying to tell him in his Mind Palace, the doctor is left on his own. That suits him just fine, because while he does enjoy spending time with Sherlock, there were things that he wants to do while he's back here in England. His side is healing quickly since it was just a graze anyway, one more scar to add to the others he has.
Once New Year's Eve comes around though, John gets some supplies and heads back to the flat, shaking his head a little as he notices the door is unlocked again. "Good, Sherlock, you're here. I was hoping we could spend New Year's Eve together, since I have to leave tomorrow." He says as he looks at the younger man, smiling a little to see him laying on the couch. But the doctor has learned to tell the difference between when the other man is sleeping and when he's in his Mind Palace.
Opening his eyes slowly, Sherlock takes a deep breath and then looks over at John, frowning for a few moments. "You're leaving tomorrow?" He asks in surprise, since he didn't realize that it's been that long since Christmas.
"Yeah, I told you, Sherlock. I reminded you twice this past week. I have to leave tomorrow." John says with a little shake of his head. "So come on. I bought some games for us, some snacks and drinks." He says as he starts taking everything out and laying it on the coffee table, before he takes out a bottle of champagne and goes to put it in the fridge, coming back with two glasses, since he already took out Rum and cola from the bag.
Sherlock frowns a little as he thinks about it. "I don't remember you saying that at all." Finally, he sits up and glances at everything. "If you insist, playing board games seems a little juvenile." he says before he arches an eyebrow as he looks at the drinks. "It seems ill advised to play games while intoxicated." He points out as he looks up at the doctor.
A small chuckle comes from the blond before he nods quietly."Ill advised? Absolutely." He says with a little grin. "But that's the fun of it." John says with a small shrug, looking at the games. "Let's save this one for last." he says as he puts the top one on the floor, then he looks at the others. "Come on, it'll be fun." He says with a little grin at the detective, picking a game and starting to unpack it and lay the board out on the table.
"Very well. It seems you cannot be deterred." Sherlock says before he scoots down the couch a little and opens the cola and rum bottles mixing their drinks, and while he makes it a more traditional mixture for John, he makes his a little heavier on the cola side since he was never fond of rum as a drink.
Their first game is Monopoly, rather traditional but unfortunately one that favors Sherlock. The detective quickly figures out the strategy, and turns out to be a rather merciless when it comes to winning the game.
"I'm thinking!" John says as they near the end and he is left with very little money and almost no properties left with which to earn more money, and he's trying to figure a way out of it without giving up, because he really doesn't want to lose to Sherlock, especially when the younger man has such a smug expression on his face.
Arching an eyebrow at John's antics, Sherlock looks at the board, which he basically controls, then back at John's meager money. "John, it is quite clear that you would not last another turn. Even if you were to make it past Go, the 200 you would collect would not allow you to pass the next side of the board, which I control." he says as he motions to it. "No amount of thinking will change the facts." He points out as he takes another drink out of his glass and puts it aside, matching John in that they both are on their second drink, even if John's is a bit stronger than Sherlock's.
Sighing a little, John sits back and he nods, admitting defeat. "Fine. I give up. You win, Sherlock." He grumbles, shaking his head a little before he reaches out and opens the box of biscuits that he got, looking at the younger man for a moment. "You want to watch the tellie for a bit, or see if you can beat me at another game?" He asks with a little smirk, knowing full well that Sherlock will probably beat him at every game, but he knows that it will at least pass the time until midnight.
Since they are his favorite, Sherlock reaches forward and grabs one of the biscuits, letting John clean up the board and put everything back into the box where it belongs. "You seem to have the evening planned out, John. And it seems I will participate regardless." he points out as he sits back on the couch and eats his cookie, looking around the flat for a few moments.
"Well, considering it will be back to letters in a few weeks, I thought we should make the most of it." John explains, glancing at the time and then considering for a few moments. "Mmm.. let's see.. Another game it is. This one is Life, much less strategy, much more chance." The doctor says with a slight smirk as he switches the games around, opening the new box and putting out the pieces.
At the mention of their letters, Sherlock looks at the doctor for a few moments. "Well, it will be much easier now, I imagine." He says as he studies John, knowing that he won't have the chance again for a while. "Will it be difficult for you to go back?" he asks, wondering how committed the doctor still feels to what he signed his life up for.
Pausing in what he was doing, John looks up at the detective and thinks about that question rather seriously for a moment. "Yes. I think it will be difficult. It was easy, when I never came back here, it was easy to just keep going and forget that this world, the real world, doesn't exist. But it does, and this reminds me of it. If nothing else, I'll remember it. Thank you for that, Sherlock. For letting me stay here and giving me a wonderful Christmas. I'll certainly find it more interesting to read your letters, now that I know you a bit better and I know what you sound like." he says with a little smile, sounding a little amused as he looks into the younger man's pale face, and into his ethereal eyes.
Taking a small drink out of his glass, Sherlock watches the older man for a few moments, considering what he's saying before he makes a reply. "I am sure you will do your duty, John. You're an excellent doctor, I am sure." He reassures before he looks down at the game. "Now, explain the rules to me." he says as he looks down at the board, taking everything in.
John explains the rules and they begin the game, crowing in victory by the end because he manages to win it, causing the detective to sulk slightly. By this time John is feeling the alcohol a little bit and he chuckles as he gets up and sits next to Sherlock, a little closer than normal. "Oh, don't be such a bloody bad sport, Sherlock. I handled defeat much better." He decides, nodding his head a little. "Let's watch TV for a little while..." He looks at the clock and then smiles. "We don't have time for Cluedo anyway. It's almost midnight." he says as he motions toward it, then turns on the TV and puts his feet up on the coffee table, taking a drink out of his nearly empty drink.
"Well, then I suppose we'll need the champagne, it should be chilled by now." Sherlock says with amusement as he gets up and goes to get the champagne, rummaging around in the closets before he finds two champagne glasses, making a sound of surprise. He thought he had some, but he couldn't be sure until this moment and for some reason it amuses him. Likely the alcohol, he muses to himself, shaking his head for a few moments before he returns to the couch in order to put the glasses and bottle down to let it wait until midnight, since it's not that much far off. After sitting back down next to John, he looks at whatever programming the doctor has decided to turn on, arching an eyebrow slightly.
"What? I happen to like this movie." John says defensively as he sees the look on Sherlock's face. Sighing, he finishes off the liquid in his glass, and he puts the glass aside before he sits back so that his shoulder is lightly pressing against Sherlock, making the doctor frown a little. "Bloody hell, Sherlock, are you really all skin and bones?" He asks as he sits up, turning toward Sherlock and reaching out to put a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it a little before squeezing down his arm a little, poking him with slightly less than professional curiosity. "You really need to eat more, Sherlock.." He says with a little shake of his head. "Honestly.." He mutters softly, before he looks at Sherlock for a few moments.
"It's really not fair you know. I got a letter. I answered it. And then I met a man who should really not exist. I had everything figured out, I thought I was done re-discovering myself. I think you're going to continue to drag me out of my comfortable little spot in the world. Probably be the death of me." John mutters, rambling on a bit, slightly drunkenly as he looks at Sherlock, leaning toward him a little. As the bells outside start to strike midnight, John watches the handsome man in front of him. "Happy New Year, Sherlock..." He says as he sways a little closer to him.
Being the more impulsive one, with his defenses lowered a little anyway due to the influence of several drinks, Sherlock takes the initiative and leans forward quickly, one long-fingered hand reaching out to curl around the back of John's neck, tipping him forward enough so that their lips can meet in what is meant to be a lingering yet somewhat innocent kiss.
Dreams and lowered inhibitions make it a little more than that though as John leans forward a bit and into the kiss, letting it linger before he finally jerks back in surprise, jaw dropping. "Bloody hell.." he mutters as he stares at Sherlock for a moment, feeling a little lost as he turns back toward the front.
Slowly licking his lips, Sherlock leans forward after John distances himself from the detective, "Happy new Year, John." He says as he opens the champagne and pours two glasses, casually handing one to John as if they did not just share a kiss, and one that they both quite liked if Sherlock is reading the signs right, and he always is.
John takes the drink, feeling a little numb as he drinks it a little more quickly than he probably should. "I.. think I'm going to go to bed." he decides afterwards, getting up and stumbling a little. "I'm ok." he mutters quickly before he walks toward the bedroom and shuts the door, knowing he needs to be up early to dress and he absolutely cannot be hung-over. He also needs to figure out what the hell just happened and what it means
Watching him go, Sherlock just smirks and sips his champagne, looking down into the glass sadly as he thinks about John leaving him the next day and he takes a slow, deep breath before he nods quietly and gets up, sealing the champagne after finding the cork and putting it back in the fridge, shutting down the flat, going to the window and opening it into the cold winter air, sneaking a cigarette as he sits in the window sill and considers the changes to his life.
When morning comes, it's John who oversleeps in the end, which means that he has to rush a little bit in order to get everything together and packed up. Back in his fatigues, he brings his bag to the door and sets it down, trying to make sure that he has everything, having already called for a cab to take him to the airport. He doesn't want to say goodbye's twice or risk an awkward cab ride. He's got a hangover, but he is hoping he can sleep some more on the flight. "Sherlock?" He calls as he looks around the flat, not sure what to do about the night before, still, and not sure what Sherlock remembers or thinks of it.
Emerging from his bedroom, it seems almost as if Sherlock dressed for the occasion, wearing a smart black suit with a deep purple shirt underneath which is obviously tailored to him. Idly, he buttons the front of his suit jacket and walks over to where John is, looking down at him for a moment. "You look ready to go." he observes as he watches the doctor.
"Yes. I am. Thank you again, Sherlock. For Christmas, and this.. vacation. I'll write when I get back to Afghanistan." John says with a small nod of his head as he looks at the taller man, admiring him in the suit for a moment and then trying to drive those thoughts from his mind. What the hell is up with this, anyway, he is supposed to be straight, has always been straight, why has this man invaded his senses? He's sure that he just has to get away from the detective's intoxicating presence for a bit and he'll be better.
"Of course." Sherlock says before he pulls an envelope from the inside of his jacket pocket. "For the ride to the airport." he says as he hands the sealed envelope to John, then clasps his hands behind his back. "Take care of yourself, Captain." he says formally with a slight smile curling the corners of his lips.
Taking the envelope, John looks at it uncertainly before he nods quietly. "Alright." he says, feeling even more confused. Instead of letting Sherlock off that easily however, John gives in to his more tactile nature and pulls Sherlock down into a rough hug. "I think I'm going to miss you, Sherlock. Quite a bit." He says, deciding not to mention anything about the kiss the night before which is still haunting him. "Take care of yourself and be careful, alright?" Letting the hug linger for another moment after those words, he finally steps back, straightens his shoulders and nods to Sherlock just as the cab honks from outside, and he picks up his duffel. "Well. That's it, then. Goodbye."
Somewhat surprised, the brunette nonetheless returns the hug from his friend and he nods a little. "I will." He promises, smirking a little as he moves back after being released. "I'll look for your letters." He says in lieu of saying goodbye. He watches John leave, closing the door behind him and then wandering to the window, staying back far enough that the soldier - his friend - cannot see him, merely watching as he walks to the sidewalk, looks back at the window with a sad smile, and then gets into the waiting cab.
Once they are a little ways away from the flat, John looks down at the envelope in his hands and opens it carefully, having no idea what Sherlock might have in store for him. Inside he finds a folded piece of paper, but when he opens it what he sees nearly makes him cry. It's another picture, this one looking almost like a portrait. It's the flat, with the fireplace in the background, roaring and alive, and the Christmas tree off to one side. Sherlock is standing there stoically as always, hands behind his back, his body turned slightly toward John, yet gazing at the 'camera'. John is there in his casual jumper and jeans combination, seeming to almost be glowing with happiness, a serene, happy smile on his face. It's completely fabricated of course, since this scene never happened, but the way Sherlock captured it makes John laugh a little in surprise and then smile as he finds a few tears coming to his eyes. He didn't know that it would be this hard to leave his detective behind. Carefully tucking the picture back into the envelope, John turns toward the window and smiles, wiping the one tear that escapes. He'll see Sherlock again, he has no doubt of that, and until then, they always have Letters.
And so ends part 1. I am sincerely sorry it took me over a month to get this out. Between the holidays, work, and some personal issues that I've been going through, writing was the last thing on my mind, and it was something I actually couldn't bring myself to do until the last week or so. Thank you for sticking with me and bearing with me while I try and get myself back in order. While this is the last chapter to this part, I will be creating a part 2, which will be called Letters to a High-Functioning Sociopath. I plan to have it up by Saturday morning, and I will be resuming the Letters format that I started this one with which I think will also be much easier for me.
I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter and this story, and thank you again to everyone who has been following this and leaving such lovely reviews, I don't think I would have brought it this far without knowing that you all liked it so much. So once again, thank you, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I'm sorry again it took me so long to get it out.
As always, Reviews/Comments welcome!