Sherlock Holmes had come to appreciate irony, and so there could only be one restaurant he would take John to. He could hardly resist the poetry of it. It was the same restaurant they had once sat, waiting for the man with the woman in pink's phone. Sherlock had sat just there, gazing out the window, and John was facing the rest of the dining couples.
The waiter had referred to John as his date. They both had corrected him simultaneously. The memory of it almost made him chuckle.
And yet, here John sat, still as handsome, and most definitely Sherlock's date.
Life with Sherlock had affected John, and he could see the world through the eyes of his genius if he tried. Sometimes when he didn't try. He could deduce almost as fast as him now, but every now and again, Sherlock would be one step ahead. He would keep trying.
As for life with John, Sherlock had grown much more sympathetic, more kind-hearted, and would not remark on the state of Sally's knees anymore. It had done him a world of good. He no longer hated himself.
Sherlock watched John's face, all the small muscles around his mouth and eyes pull and loosen, endlessly fascinated. He said something to make John smile, and Sherlock smiled in return. Yes, he was sure.
If he wasn't, he would not have bought the ring.
He cleared his throat and with it, his head.
They had only bought drinks. Sherlock didn't want to deal with eating or digesting.
He was lost in thought when John spoke up. There had been a lull in the conversation.
"Sherlock?"
His eyes refocused on his doctor.
"Hmm?"
"Something's bothering you. You've been on edge all evening."
A smile shone somewhere in Sherlock's blue eyes. He looked down into his drink, gathering all his courage, and then looked back up at John with that vulnerability he knew John could not resist.
"John, would you like to get married?"
The doctor's jaw dropped with a satisfying pop.
"I... Well... Sure. Yes." God, he was adorable when he spluttered.
"Great."
"Great."
They sat in silence, looking at each other. John with shock and Sherlock with barely contained joy.
They weren't sitting completely opposite each other, but John still had to scoot his chair to get close enough to Sherlock to kiss him suddenly. He did it all in one swift move and Sherlock would have been caught off guard if he had not been anxiously expecting it.
This was no peck on the lips, but neither of them cared in the slightest. As he kept the other man occupied, Sherlock pulled the ring box out of his coat pocket, and pressed it into John's hand.
They parted and he looked down at the small velvet box in his hand, then back up at his lover – fiance.
"Sherlock, I-"
"Open it."
He did. Inside was a simple gold band, which shone brilliantly in the warm light of the restaurant. Neither one of them were big with jewelry, but it drew a gasp from John nonetheless. He was looking at his future, at a commitment, a promise, a lifetime with...
"Sherlock..." Tears were actually brimming in the doctor's eyes.
"You do like it, don't you? I... I confess, I was at such a loss when picking it out. The assistant kept giving me strange looks and I got flustered and-"
He was cut off by warm lips on his.
"I love it." Sherlock smiled with relief.
John sat back in his seat and pulled the ring out. He giggled giddily as he slid it onto his ring finger. He then looked back up at Sherlock.
"I'm going to marry you." There was wonder in his voice. Sherlock smiled.
"I suppose you are. Why? I may never know."
"Oh, shut up."
John seized him by the lapel and forced their lips together. A chuckle rumbled low in Sherlock's chest.
They knew they couldn't just continue snogging there in the window of a restaurant, and so they left as quickly as was socially acceptable, and arrived back at 221B Baker Street within five minutes.
They did get married, altar and all, with a small assembly of mostly people from the police force, including Lestrade, Sally, and even Anderson. Molly and Sarah even showed up. Mycroft was in the front row. He cried.
AN: Thus ends my story. It was originally meant to be a one-shot. Another failed experiment...? Hahaha. :) Thanks to the two of you who reviewed already (Jamie - Love you! :D) and to anyone else who feels like reviewing, I certainly won't try to stop you. (OHMYGOD PLEASE REVIEW THIS, I AM DYING. I NEED FEEDBACK.)