Chapter 3: December
It started to grow cold and colder it got the busier Sherlock seemed to be. John could hardly find to be with his friend. John still showed up every Monday at 6:30 without fail. On Monday December 2ed at 7:45 John receives an ominous text. An unknown number merely texts him that him: Hello, John Hamish Watson. John responds immediately, knowing that he tells no one his middle name.
John: Who is this?
07745352515: Mycroft Holmes.
John: Sherlock's brother right?
Mycroft: Yes that would be me. I was simply wondering how my brother is doing?
John looks through the window at Sherlock who is standing in the center doing something he vaguely remembers being called a tour-de-something.
John: How'd you get my number?
Mycroft: It was quite simple.
John: So you text me to see if I will tell you how your brother is?
Mycroft: I worry about him, constantly.
John: He's well.
Mycroft: Are you with him now?
John: Kinda.
Mycroft: He's at dance class right now, isn't he?
John: You know about that? He said no one else knew.
Mycroft: He spends too much time there for me not to know.
John: Okay. I'm going to go now.
Sherlock comes out of class 15 minutes after Mycroft messages John. "Your brother texted me." He says as he sits down next to Sherlock on a bench as Sherlock takes his shoes off.
"Took him long enough."
"What?"
"Oh nothing. What'd he want to know?"
"He asked me how you were?" Sherlock scoffs. "Why doesn't he ask you?"
"Because... what'd you say?"
"Oh nothing really. How did he even get my number?"
"Nothing is really secret."
"About secrets. He knows about the dancing thing." This takes Sherlock back.
"University must be boring him." John is confused at this response so Sherlock elaborates while slipping a proper shirt on. "He clearly doesn't have to divert much energy to studying if he has time to meddle in my life."
"This is a sibling thing!" Exclaims John. "It's a sibling thing and I am going to become the middle man... oh great."
One of the girls from Sherlock's earlier class come up to him, "Are your parents coming to any of the shows this year?"
"No." Speaks Sherlock sharply.
"Oh come on! You're the lead they have to come!"
"Well, they're not."
"Well, John you're at least going to be there, right?"
John glances to Sherlock before saying, "I don't see why not."
"That's good. I have to go buy tickets now, so bye!" The girl bounces off.
"How many shows are there?" asks John to Sherlock.
"Four."
"I am going to see the same show four times." Thinks John outloud.
"You don't have to come to all of the performances."
"Nope. There is going to be a person there for you at each of those shows. If it is only going to be me, then bring on the dun-dun-dunnun-dun-dun-duuun..." Ends John with singing the Party Scene music.
"Shut up." Sherlock would never tell John this but he was grateful for what he was going. He also would never admit to John how much he truly likes him.
John had the unique pleasure of listening to Sherlock complain all day Tuesday about about how his brother would be returning home for Christmas today and how in Sherlock's eyes it was the end of the world. "Sherlock," tries John in an attempt to calm him down, "It can't be that bad. Hell, you can hang at my house if you want."
"Really?"
"Yeah, but won't you be busy with dress rehearsals all this weekend?"
"Lighting on Friday, dress on Saturday."
"Exactly what I said."
"Not really."
"Sherlock, I just offered to let you hang at my place for the rest of the month, don't correct me." Sherlock nods before reaching into his bag a pulling out The Origins of Parliament, the book for the first day John met Sherlock. "You're still reading that?"
"I'm rereading it."
"It must be quite fascinating."
"It is."
"I bet it's secretly porn or something." Says John trying to spite Sherlock.
"Nope." Sherlock setting the book down. John often marveled at Sherlock's body but he noticed something different when Sherlock turns away to but his book back in his bag. He finds himself staring at Sherlock. John quickly pulls his eyes away.
"What?" Inquires Sherlock sitting back up.
"Nothing."
John was leaving his house Tuesday night to go meet Sherlock when a well-dressed man was sitting on the front steps to his house.
"Off to see Sherlock, I suppose." Speaks the man startling John.
"Excuse me, who are you?"
"I am Mycroft Holmes-"
"Sherlock's brother. So you have my address now too?"
"Nothing is to hard to find out."
"Sherlock said something like that?"
"He is at class right now isn't he?"
"Like he is every night. Tell me you are going to the Nutcracker."
"The what?" inquires Mycroft confused.
"The Nutcracker. They're performing it in a week. Four shows. His family should come to at least one of them."
"I really don't think that is necessary. Sherlock wouldn't want me to."
"He would. Trust me."
"I'll think about it." John then ran off to meet Sherlock.
John was able to get himself into many things closed to parents but dress rehearsal was not one. Starting Friday afternoon and lasting until Saturday evening John found himself without Sherlock and perpetually bored. Sherlock is more than just a friend he is someone who, as John quickly learned, he needed to function. Sherlock is his other half. John spent this Friday night not making funny faces at Sherlock through the mirror in tap class trying and failing at making him mess up, but laying on his back in bed looking up at the ceiling thinking about the boy with dark curls.
Dress rehearsal seems endless without John. Sherlock wonders how he survived these in the past. Despite, having some part in almost every scene, Sherlock finds himself missing John. Thinking about him when he sits on a bench while the sweets dance. Sherlock walks home from rehearsal alone, preparing himself to avoid Mycroft and text John.
Sherlock: I have finished for tonight.
John: about time
Sherlock: I wasn't that long.
John: How horrible was it without me?
Sherlock: It was torturous.
John: Good. I want you to be as miserable as I am bored.
Sherlock: Such a nice friend.
John: I am.
The first performance is on Friday at 7:00. Sherlock spends the time before the show at John's house where John helps him stretch in his living room. John sits on the couch and clicks the TV on. Sherlock sits with his legs spread apart on the floor. He pushes his legs back farther,so they make a straight line. "Now your just showing off!" exclaims John looking at how flexible Sherlock is.
"No. I'm not."
"Yes you are. What's next putting your leg behind your head?" Sherlock pulls his legs in before taking his left one and using both hands to put it up behind his head. "We are going to have to work on this showing off thing."
"Fine I'll just sit here."
"No more contortion tricks?"
"It's not contortion."
"Really because I've seen people do the same things you are doing on Britain's Got Talent."
"Is that what you do when your not with me? Watch tv?"
"Yep."
"That's boring."
"Don't you have maker up to do or something?" Teases John.
"Yes, but-"
"You should do it."
"Fine." Sherlock stands up grabs his bag and walks towards John's bathroom.
A few minutes later Sherlock emerges. "Ready?" asks John noticing the unitard straps peaking out from under Sherlock's collar.
"Yes. There is still an hour until doors open you don't have to come now."
"I'll wait outside."
John does wait outside and is one of the first inside. He sits in a seat in the sixth row on the right-hand side. He plays on his phone until curtain. Each app is more boring than the last, grateful when the lights finally dim.
Sherlock straightens his jacket before heading onto stage for the party scene. The whole company is in this scene so the wings are quite packed. Dancers begin to enter the stage in small groups and the cluster thins out. The Christmas tree is set up on stage. It is quite large and made out of sturdy wood. Presents wrap around the base of the tree. The children enter the stage. John instantly recognizes the girl playing Clara from rehearsal. He was shocked to learn that the girl playing Clara is much older than the character. She just looks young. Entering from the back wing of stage right is Sherlock's lanky figure. John's eyes latch onto him immediately. He also notices that Sherlock is wearing a black jacket in this number in place of his red Nutcracker one. He dances with a girl in a number they rehearse on Monday and Tuesday nights. There is such beauty in Sherlock's moves. It draws John in like magic. He finds himself missing Sherlock when he leaves the stage.
Sherlock runs off stage and makes a beeline for the dressing room. he quickly changes, slipping on white tights over his tan ones and a red military jacket. He finishes with a red and gold cap. There is a quick look in the mirror before heading for the left wing. Several girls wish him luck while he dashes for the stage.
Sherlock hangs behind the sight lines while he waits for his cue. The battle scene is just starting. Sherlock remembers all the steps from last year and runs them through his head. A brute guy named Charlie is the Mouse King this year. The music crashes and Sherlock runs on to rescue Clara. John's eyes never leave Sherlock until intermission.
When the overhead announcer says that there will now be a 10 minute break John gets up from this seat and heads to grab a soda. He is waiting patiently in line when a voice behind him speaks. "I cannot believe this is what Sherlock has been doing all this time. We were starting to worry about where he ran off to weren't we dear?" John whips his head around so fast that he is surprised not to of given himself whiplash. Standing behind him is Mycroft Holmes and two people who John assumes is Sherlock's parents.
"Hello John." says the familiar Mycroft kindly.
"You came."
"Excuse me," introjects an older woman with dark hair. She was the voice that was speaking earlier. " Who are you?"
"John Watson. I'm a friend of Sherlock's."
"We've never actually meet a friend of Sherlock's. I assume you knew about this whole dancing thing."
"Yeah. I did."
"I think it is wonderful! I wish he didn't hide it from us. He is fantastic."
"He is." The line moves and John buys his soda before saying goodbye and returning to his seat. As the second act beings John finds himself admiring the way the costume sits on Sherlock's shoulders. Then he realizes that he is in love with Sherlock Holmes.
The show ends successfully. John's head still reeling from his revelation. Part of him is surprised it took him this long to realize it. Another part wonders if Sherlock feels the same way. John leaves the seat as soon as the finale finishes and he hurries to the backstage door. A few girls with hair in high buns are already trickling out . John leans against the wall next to the door. Eventually the dark curls, now combed back and hardened by hairspray walk out the door. Acting on pure impulse and new ideas John surprises Sherlock by twisting him around and pushing him up against the wall. John then presses his lips onto Sherlock's. Sherlock's eyes widen with surprise and then his body melts into John. The world around them is gone and it is only those two. They kiss until air becomes unattainable. When the world returns, they notice a small crowd around them. They are all the girls from Sherlock's class. They are all grinning. Someone one from the back of the crowd cries out, "Kaylee won the bet!" There are grunts of disappointment. John turns and asks "What bet?" to the closest girl, whose name he remembered was Ruby.
"On when you two will get together." She says matter-a-factly.
"Oh right. We should go though." states John, before speaking only to Sherlock, "Mycroft brought your parents."
"I'm going to kill him." whispers Sherlock as the couple walks away from the door.
The thing with Sherlock's parents went over quite well and Sherlock talked them out of going to all his next performances, and only the show on Saturday night. John was still going to every one, and didn't mind at all. After the last show on Sunday night Sherlock and John take a walk through a local park and find themselves holding hands on a bench together. "John," asks Sherlock quietly, "That book I was reading about Parliament It was about ballet. I switched the book jacket."
"I knew it!" Answers John before continuing quietly, "has everything worked out, Sherlock?"
"Everything is perfect," answers Sherlock kissing John lightly on the cheek.
FIN
This story is over. I had ton of fun writing it and I hope you had as much fun reading. Please let me know what you thought, and thanks!