Author's Note:Final Chapter for Circle. Look for the next story in this series, 360 Degrees. Thank you for all of the comments and support. I really do hope that you've enjoyed this story as much as I have. Epilogue coming soon!
When John Watson stepped out of the shower,he felt as though something had shifted in the air.
The heaviness of the storm had become oppressive, foreboding.
Every breath that he dragged into his lungs seemed to be made of water.
The simply functions of drying off, brushing his teeth and fixing his hair seemed to drag on.
"He wrapped himself up in Sherlock's dressing gown once more, hoping that the cool silk would dispel the anxiety coiling in his stomach.
Instead, it felt shilled, and heavy.
The opposite of what he wanted.
He trudged into the living room, the feeling of dread growing as he entered the kitchen.
Within he was surprised to see a fully dressed and mostly groomed Sherlock pouring hot water into two mugs.
His curls were surprisingly damp, the excess water staining the collar of his shirt.
"Sherlock, how, in the world, did you manage to shower and dress before I did? With me in the shower for gods sake."
The detective smiled, but it seemed forced, like the smile he gave the families of victims to pry information from them.
"I used Mrs. Hudson's shower. It really is convenient having that second bath."
John rolled his eyes, flopping in to his chair with huff.
"You could have popped in with me you know, I wouldn't mind."
The detective's smile grew warmer, and he placed the mug and a piece of jam-smeared toast in front of the doctor.
John was presently surprised.
"What's all this then? Candles last night, breakfast in the morning? You're getting downright domestic."
The detective frowned at the word, his fingers fidgeting with the small cube in his pocket.
"Is domesticity necessarily a bad thing? I mean, you've spent much of your adult life looking for a woman to settle down with and have your 2.5 kids,your house with the lawn, and a private practice of your own."
The Doctor rolled his eyes, pointedly glaring at the detective.
"Yes, and then I went to war, got shot, came back to London and met you, you git."
The detective looked confused.
Hurt even.
John's glare softened and he reached across the table for Sherlock's hand.
"I didn't mean that in a bad way. I wouldn't change this for the world. The cases, the adventure. You said danger and I came. I love you for you, and all your quirks,not for the option of settling down with the 2.5 kids, the house with the lawn, and the private practice-as you put it."
Sherlock's grin was threatening to break pen his features, and he drew the cube from his pocket.
John's sharp intake of breath and the sudden stiffness to his features molded the detective's next few words.
"I'm going to propose to you now, Doctor John Hamish Watson. Don't be alarmed. As attached as I am to you, as much as I, err, I love you- marriage civil partnership, what have you- really isn't my area."
The doctor relaxed slightly, but his features remained guarded.
"That being said, it has come to my attention that my brother has brought my trust to the forefront of your attention."
John nodded, once.
He could feel Moriarty's bombs strapped to him again.
One wrong word and the world could collapse around him.
"So I was considering the possibility of an engagement. If only for the benefit of a little extra money to subsidize what you will be loosing from the surgery."
John's brow furrowed in confusion.
"Why would I be loosing money from the surgery?"
Sherlock gave the doctor his patented you-really-can't-be-that-thick-John looks.
"I plan on you missing quite a few days of work."
The innuendo lacing the phrase had the doctor's mouth watering.
"So all I have to do is pledge to eventually pledge myself to you for the rest of my natural life,and it's easy street?"
The detective popped open the box.
"With the added perk off me in the mix."
John rolled his eyes and snatched the cube from Sherlock's grasp.
He stood and walked around to the other side of the table, sitting on the edge and twirling the box in his fingers.
"Sherlock Holmes, I'm going to say yes, on one condition."
Sherlock turned to stare at the profile of his blogger.
"And that is?"
John took a deep breath, and turned to him.
"That you promise me that we will never get married."
The detective laughed, a genuine laugh that shook him to the core.
"Yes, John of course."
The doctor let out the breath he had been holding and pulled the larger of the two rings from the box.
He slipped it onto his finger and stared down at it in wonder.
"You do realize that we can't wear these outside of the flat,right?"
Sherlock nodded, flipping the black velvet lining up , pulling two thin silver chains out.
"It appears Mycroft thought of that as well."
Sherlock took John's ring from him and looped it onto one chain, hooking it around his blogger's neck, before repeating the process himself.
The simply sat there for a moment,staring at each other, before they each burst into laughter.
"Shall we call Mycroft and inform him of our engagement?"
Sherlock's phone buzzed on the table.
"Apparently not."
THE END