John felt fear grip his heart. He got up and asked, firmer than he felt, "What do you /want/?"

"Anything but to be rejected by you when it's too late. What people have said to me doesn't matter because I don't care about them, but to hear it from you…I don't think I could live with that. You're used to experienced people you classify as 'beautiful' – people who can understand feelings and emotions and have been through it all before. And as for me, apart from my talents and my work, I have nothing. Can't you see that I could never be what you're looking for?"

John stepped around his friend, looking him in the eye. "You are all I want, Sherlock Holmes. Can you name anyone else who knows me better than you? Who cares more about me than you?" He tilted his head. "You are amazing, Sherlock, and I love you. I know I do, and I want no one else."

It took Sherlock a few seconds to quell the inner consuming ocean of questions, doubts, problems, worries and past experiences that threatened to pull him in. In the end, he just pulled John close and kissed him again.

John kissed him back, managing to keep it chaste. When he pulled away, he smiled at Sherlock, his eyes filled with love. "Erm, Lockie?"

"Yes, John?" he answered softly, tilting his head.

John grinned a bit shyly. "Just so I know... Do you wanna be my boyfriend?"

Sherlock chuckled a bit, pressing his lips to John's ear. "I would /love/ to be your boyfriend, John," he whispered.

John grinned happily and kissed Sherlock's nose. "Awesome. Shall we go on a date tomorrow?"

"Sounds good, John." He nodded, still not quite believing that this was happening.

John grinned and was almost whooping, so happy was he. "Lucky me," he said laughing. "This is brilliant. I'm taking Sherlock on a date."

"Don't be patronising, I'm not a celebrity." He gently pulled John flush against him, looking deep down into his eyes. His piercing gaze seemed to take him apart with love and comprehension.

John felt his cheeks burn the longer Sherlock stared down at him. His mouth went dry and his own gaze turned a bit shy. It was nice too, though, being the sole centre of Sherlock's attention. "Er…like what you see?" John asked hoarsely.

Sherlock nodded silently, his hand cupping the other's cheek with delicacy. He stroked his skin with a warm, gentle thumb, his lips inches from the other's. "I should've known," he whispered, but more to himself.

John tilted his head a bit and pressed a soft kiss to the soft hollow of his boyfriend's throat. "Yes, you should," he whispered back, "You were very unobservant."

He chuckled a bit at that, pulling him closer and wrapping his arms tightly around him. "I love you John. I really do."

John leaned close against him, relaxing completely. "That's the best thing I've ever heard, Sherlock, and I want you to know that I love you too." He smiled widely and closed his eyes.

He smiled down at him in answer, pressing a kiss in his hair. He guided them over to sit on the sofa, placing John gently in his lap.

John sighed happily and snuggled close, tilting his head up for another kiss.

Sherlock granted it, memories flooding back of the times long ago when he had so wanted to do this. Often, he would be sleeping over at John's place, and the two of them would always stay up late and read or watch TV. Those had been the moments, curled up on a couch or bed with his best friend, during which Sherlock had most longed to share a kiss with him.

John gently pulled away and smiled kindly, wiping at Sherlock's cheeks. "You're crying," he said softly. "Are you alright?"

The young detective simply nodded, his throat lumpy. "Yes. Yes, fine." He managed at last, smiling at him. "Just fine, now."

"Happy tears?" John asked softly, before pecking his lips, running a hand through his silky curls.

"Mostly, yes," he answered, giving him a slow, loving kiss in return. "Thanks, Johnny."

John laughed softly, "Thank you too, Lockie." He kissed his nose and sank against his chest. "Lockie, my boyfriend."

"And my dear little soldier is finally really mine." He answered, nuzzling his hair.

"Indeed I am," John said smiling. "Just don't call me little. I am strong and tough, and really cool."

"Ooh, and feisty as well, I see. Won't call you little anymore then. What a shame…I had so many adorable baby petnames…"

John laughed and kissed his cheek. "Pray do tell?"

"Sure you won't punch me?"

John laughed and nodded. "Yeah, but only this once."

"Okay, little one," Sherlock grinned impishly, "I was thinking of my little Shetland pony, and mini doctor, and chubbykins."

John looked appalled. "Have you been reading those stupid books again? Chubbykins..."

Sherlock burst into laughter at his expression. "Oh lighten up, John! I was just kidding!"

John's lips quirked up into a smile. "Good, because that was dreadful."

He smirked back deviously, pulling him closer for a kiss. "So, chubbykins, where shall we go for our date?"

John smirked right back. "I have an idea, curly locks, but I am not telling you. You just wait and see."

Sherlock lay down on the sofa and pulled John into his arms atop him. "A clue?"

John sighed happily and rested his ear over Sherlock's heart. "Nope."

"Please?" he whispered in his ear, his fingers carding through the other's hair.

"Nope," John repeated, "Though your fingers feel rather perfect." He bit his lip and all but purred.

Sherlock grinned at the compliment, massaging his head lightly. "And you feel rather perfect all over. Please?"

"Thank you. And no, just you wait." He kissed the hollow of Sherlock's throat again, licking and sucking gently.

Sherlock's eyes fell closed, and he enjoyed the feeling entirely. "Flirt."

John laughed and gently bit down. "Behave, Mr. Holmes. Thou shalt not call thy boyfriend a flirt."

"Apologies, sir," he raised an eyebrow in response, nipping the other's ear playfully in return.

John giggled and nuzzled Sherlock's cheek. "You are quite brilliant."

"Me? What about you?" he gently rubbed the back of the other's thigh which rested upon his own.

John smiled and kissed Sherlock's throat. "I am not brilliant, Lockie. I am merely handsome." He smirked and glanced up at his boyfriend.

"I beg to differ. You are very handsome and undeniably brilliant."

"Oh, shush," John chided, "Silly man." He gave him a soft kiss on the mouth, though. "I love you, madman."

"And I love you in return, chubbykins." He dodged the playful punch, grinning. "What do you plan for tomorrow, before you see Mary? We still have some time together in the morning, right?"

Oh, bugger. Mary. John had completely forgotten about her. "I'm not going to Mary," John decided right away. "I only want you."

Sherlock looked confused. "But…but you liked her, you said…?"

"I did, still do, actually, but not... now that I have you, Lockie, how can anyone top that?" John pushed himself up, stroking Sherlock's angular face. "You are all I want. That, and being safe for you when I have to go back."

Sherlock bit his lip and looked away. He really didn't want to talk about that as yet. They had a relatively extensive few days left together before…before John needed to leave again. "You don't need to give her up for me, John, I don't expect so much. I don't mind if you still want to see her."

John planted a gentle kiss on his lips. "I don't want that, Sherlock. It wouldn't feel right."

He kissed him back tenderly. "Positive?"

"Yes, positive," John said softly. "I'm yours."

Sherlock's eyes lit up with joy and disbelief, and he rolled over so that John was beneath him.

John gasped softly and stared up at Sherlock, his cheeks flushed. "Erm..."

Sherlock looked him over with interest, analytical in his movements. "Now, now, now…I wonder what he likes…" he began experimentally licking and nipping at his neck.

John moaned softly and bared his neck. "Oh, Sherlock..." His fingers dug in Sherlock's back, and he squirmed lightly under his friend.

Sherlock smirked down in triumph, moving to lick playfully over the other's ear. "Not so hard after all…"

John arched up against his friend, showing him that yes, he was quite hard, thank you very much. He grinned up at Sherlock, but his smirk turned shy when he placed his hands on narrow hips, tugging lightly at the purple shirt.

Sherlock let John untuck said shirt, smiling lovingly. "I was actually talking about the technique…" he mumbled, "but I think you're beautiful and very sensitive."

John chuckled softly and opened his eyes, looking up into bright grey eyes. "Thank you, Lockie," he whispered, smiling. "That was quite romantic, you know."

Sherlock grinned at him, a blush tinting his cheeks. "You think so? I thought it was quite honest."

Yup, John really thought so, and he showed it with a kiss that took Sherlock's breath away.

Sherlock gasped happily as he pulled away for air a moment later, grinning down at John.

John grinned up at Sherlock and pressed his hands against Sherlock's bare skin, under his shirt. "Hey handsome," he said, "you are an excellent kisser."

He flushed an endearing shade of pink. "And you, a classic romanticist, but I adore it."

John ran a light finger down Sherlock's cheek. "Shall we go to bed, handsome?" he asked, "It's been a long day."

Sherlock's insides fluttered at the word 'we', and his blush deepened considerably. He pressed a gentle kiss to the other's nose. "It has, and I would like nothing more than to kiss you to sleep."

"I expect you would be more comfortable in your own bed," he pointed out, slipping off the couch and offering John his hand to help him up.

John took the offered hand and laughed when he was tugged to his feet. "I suppose. But will you, Lockie? I can sleep anywhere."

"I'll be fine," he promised, "besides, the room will remind me of you, and that's comforting. Especially when…" Remembering that he had promised not to talk about that, he bit his lip. "Sorry."

John tenderly kissed his forehead. "It's okay, Lockie, you can talk about it, okay? I actually want you to, you can talk to me about anything."

Sherlock nodded, leading him upstairs to their room, smiling a little. "You mean it?"

John nodded, "Of course, Sherlock. I want to be the one you share everything with. I want to know how you feel, if you are happy or angry, at me or someone else. I want to be... I want to be yours, completely."

Sherlock smiled tenderly at that, and brought John in for a smooth, slow kiss. "You are," he promised, "and I am yours. I always have been, if only you noticed."

John had closed his eyes and kissed him back slowly, hands already automatically disappearing in soft, black curls. "Yeah, I should have noticed, shouldn't I?" he asked softly. "We could have been so happy already."

Sherlock melted into the touch, walking backwards up the stairs without breaking the kiss, pulling John along with him. "Doesn't matter…happy now…" he mumbled between their kisses.

John hummed, pressing his lips against Sherlock's and gently pressing him against the door. "Me too, Lockie. Me too."

Sherlock only pulled away from the kiss when he was desperate for air, panting slightly and reaching for the door handle. "Do you plan on going in, at all?" he grinned mischievously.

John smirked. "Dunno, should I? We are having fun here now, aren't we?" He brought up one hand to lightly stroke down Sherlock's cheek. His teasing expression slowly turned into something softer, and he smiled. "I love you, Sherlock Holmes." He brought his other hand up too and cupped his other cheek, before slowly pulling him into another kiss.

"And I love you, John Watson," Sherlock whispered back, wrapping his arms around his waist and pulling the shorter man flush against him. He looked him over with adoring eyes, "You don't seem tired at all, now," he grinned, gently sucking on his lower lip, "what about a nightcap and another round of your addictive kisses…?"

John nodded, and opened the door so he could push his friend inside, on the bed. "I love you," he whispered, gently kissing him again as he hovered over him.

Sherlock let out a small moan against his lips, smiling up at him. "Me too," he grinned, running his fingers through John's sandy hair.

John chuckled and teasingly brushed his lips over Sherlock's adam's apple. "You...love yourself too?" he asked, running one hand down Sherlock's side. "Narcissus."

"I love /you/ too," he clarified, pouting playfully for a moment, but it was wiped off and replaced by an expression of pleasure. "Oh John…how do you do that?"

John chuckled and sucked a light mark on a pale neck. "Master secret, darling, I won't tell."

"Such unhygienic things have no right to feel so good…" he groaned softly, closing his eyes.

"Unhygienic?" John repeated, repeating the action on the other side of a long, pale neck. "You are such a genius sometimes, eh?" His hand slithered down, under Sherlock's purple shirt. "Oh, there's so much I can do to you..."

John's tone and touch got a physical reaction out of him, and Sherlock shivered, moaning out in pleasure and closing his eyes. "John…?"

John slid his hand higher, brushing over his chest. "Yeah…?"

He let out a soft breath. He had never, ever experienced anything like this before, "A-am I supposed to be feeling this uncomfortable?"

John smiled a little as he glanced down at him and his…problem, and then looked back up at Sherlock's face. "We can stop, if you want?"

"I never said that," he clarified, chuckling and shaking his head, "but you didn't answer my question." He rubbed John's back, under his shirt.

John made a soft, pleased sound. "Oh, Lockie... yes, you are supposed to. Surely you know how the body works?"

"I'm learning now. It's more fun this way…hands on experience..." his hand dipped into the back of the other's jeans.

John pushed his behind up, grinning widely. "Good, Lock. Now…what do you want?"

Sherlock shrugged, looking up at him with innocent eyes. "I don't know…"

John realised Sherlock was honest, and gave him a comforting kiss. "Don't worry, Lock. I'll take care of you, yes? But if I do something you don't like, you have to say it."

Sherlock bit his lip nervously, and nodded. Personally, he would have liked to take it a bit slower than this, but John had finally agreed to them being a couple and Sherlock's wasn't going to open his mouth and jeopardise that.

John was taking a good look at Sherlock's face, and lightly stroked his cheek. "Ooor... not?" He asked, smiling a bit. "It's okay, if you don't want to, Lockie, but you have to say it. I can... see it in your face."

Sherlock shook his head, leaning into the touch before bringing his hand to his lips to give it a kiss. "It's fine, John. You're reading too much into things."

"Okay, then..." John leaned in for a soft kiss and then brought his hands to Sherlock's jeans.

The detective smiled up at him with a nod, kissing a stray lock of hair on his forehead.

Author's Note: SherlockedSherlockian

Dear readers,

I am fully aware that each and every one of you wishes to turn me into shoes. However, you see, this thing came up – this worrying, stressful thing which comes annually to cause insomnia and anxiety. It's called exams. I shall say no more, other than that it has taken me a month to fully recover from this time period.

Once again, thank you for EVERYTHING, each and EVERY ONE OF YOU!
Please review and if you wish to nag me into faster updates, remember to leave a comment to the effect of:
'ASAP! PRONTO! LOL!'

Shout Outs:

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As always, I am yours sincerely,
SherlockedSherlockian.