Author's Note: Slight NSFW towards the end of chapter.
John thought for a minute. "How about something to lift your spirits a little? I know! You and I...bubble bath." John tried to smile a little, hoping his idea would brighten Sherlock's mood a little bit.
Sherlock looked at him, wide eyed; he had never had a bubble bath before, let alone with another person, not even Mycroft when they were younger. Oh, how he wanted to say yes, but he was nervous about his body and John's seeing it. "I...I would love to John." he said blushing a deep red at what he just implied, the two of them naked in a tub, alone, was all he could think of besides the fact John would have to see his ugly scars.
John smiled warmly and took Sherlock's hand, helping him up off the cold hardwood floor. He led Sherlock into the bathroom and started running the faucet. He grabbed some soap for the bubbles from under the sink and poured it into the steaming hot water.
Sherlock walked into the bathroom unsurely. John, noticing his uneasiness, asked "Sherlock why don't you wait in the bedroom while I draw the bath?" He offered softly. Sherlock was grateful for this intrusion as he could collect himself mentally for their next step in the relationship. He heard shuffling from the other side of the closed door and was immediately curious. A moment later, John emerged from the bathroom with a love struck smile across his face. The doctor extended a hand to Sherlock, which the detective took eagerly. John swung open the door for Sherlock to see what he had done. Sherlock stood awe struck in the door frame taking in the scene. The bathtub was steaming with warm water, the bubbled atop of it crackling softly in the background. He could see the steam come off of the bath allowing the alluring scent of the bubble bath, which smelt of honey and apricot fill the air. John had placed eleven candles around the bathroom, all light, to give a romantic but slightly private look to it. The shadows of the various objects in room were being cast behind themselves. His doctor had also had the clever idea to set up an old radio that was playing soft, comforting, classical music in the background to fill the air. Sherlock was shocked; no one had ever done anything of this magnitude to make him feel better before. He starred at John not knowing what to say, his mouth partially agape as he was bewildered by the man knows as John Watson.
John giggled a little at the look of awe on Sherlock's face. He figured no one had done anything of this nature for him. "Well, what do you think? Do you like it?" He closed the door to the bathroom, sealing this private moment between him and Sherlock.
Sherlock smiled genuinely at John, "I love it John, I love..." He blushed and covered his mouth he was about to say 'I love you.' but that would mean that if this didn't work out, it would be harder to get out. "I love it." he finished lamely. He stepped forward into John's space, and lowered his head to place a soft innocent kiss to John's full lips. After a moment, he pulled back just enough to ghost his hot breath of John's now wet lips, "thank you." he said softly as if it were a secret. He stepped back a small step so that they could have some space to undress. He noticed John eagerly got out of his clothes and fold them up like his pants on the mantle. John pulled off his trousers and folded them on the counter. John was stark naked in front of him, completely at ease before he eyed the detective up and down. Sherlock blushed a deep red at John's rashness, how was he supposed to do this? He was so ashamed at what he did to himself two days prior. "John ca- could you maybe get in first? And…uh…close your eyes too." he squeaked out completely embarrassed by the way he was acting. He heard John chuckle warmly before the sound of water moving was filling the room with the music. He looked around to check that he was in fact closing his eyes, sighing before slowly removing his clothes. Taking his pants off first and they pooled around his feet before he stepped out of them fully. Next was his shirt, he painstakingly took his time undoing each button, dread filling him with each passing moment. Once all unbuttoned, he looked ahead and let his shirt drop to the ground, the small buttons clicking as they hit the floor.
When John got in the bathtub, he sighed at the warmth and shut his eyes to obey Sherlock's wishes for some privacy. He waited until he felt and heard the water around him shift. Sherlock had slid into the tub carefully, trying to cover up most of his body embarrassingly. "You don't need to be embarrassed, Sherlock. I recall I saw you half-naked at Buckingham Palace a while ago." He chuckled deeply and blushed a bright red.
"I'm just not used to this," he said softly, looking at the bubbles around him instead of at John. He had brought his legs up to his stomach, trying to hide the words that stared back at him and also to hide his nether region, as he knew John hadn't seen them before nor had anyone else. He swallowed thickly as he was very nervous, the warm scent around him and music helped though, along with the hot water that seeped into his tried bones from his panic attack.
"There's no need to be embarrassed, you know," John said in a sweet voice. "Everybody has their little imperfections." He pointed to the scar on his shoulder. "Not many people get to see this. I try to keep it away from the eyes of others. I'm a bit ashamed of it, I must say. It was my fault. But just because it might have been my fault, doesn't mean that I never forgave myself for what I had done." He looked into Sherlock's sad eyes. "Accepting and forgiving are the first steps to understanding your mistake. I might add, that my mistake saved many men in the long run. Men who were able to return home to their wives and children. I saved them by taking a bullet to the shoulder. A scar for many men to live." He took Sherlock's hand and outstretched the man's arm. "These scars are merely nothing. What caused those scars was pain, sure I'll give you that. But do you have any idea how many lives you saved? That sniper would have killed me. And those other men that were after Mrs. Hudson and Lestrade, they could've killed them. You came home to find me miserable, but I was alive. Along with the others. Was your mistake a mistake? Not in my eyes. And then you swooped back in to save me. You saved my life, Sherlock. And for that I can never repay you."
Sherlock looked up, tears of happiness filling in his eyes, and one thing on his mind. John. How could he get anymore perfect? Always knowing what to say to make him feel better. He pulled himself closer to the other so that he was sitting in between John's outstretched legs. He looked up at John, his face softened as he held John's gaze. "I...John, thank you." He couldn't keep it from the other any longer. He bit his lip out of nervousness before taking a deep breath ready to admit what needed to be said; "John. I love you," he said a smiling playing at his lips. "I love you," he repeated, only softer.
John flushed and smiled. He didn't think it before, that Sherlock loved him. He knew Sherlock felt something and that he was too afraid to say anything too serious or anything that he might regret later, but now that the truth was revealed, he was left feeling fluttery inside. Sherlock Holmes truly did love him. John took both of the pale man's hands into his own. "I love you too, Sherlock Holmes. With every beat of my heart." John smiled more brightly than he ever had. From Sherlock, it was almost like he had asked him to marry him. "I love you too." They shared a beautiful moment of staring into each other's loving eyes. Finally, John spoke up softly. "I want to kiss and wash away your scars. Will that be okay with you?"
Sherlock nodded softy not ever breaking the spell between them. "Yes that's okay, but will you wash my..." He blushed; was he really asking for this? He had dreamed of this request for ages, always on his mind even on the best of cases. "…My locks?" he asked quietly, looking guilty.
John giggled a little. "You want me to wash your hair?" Sherlock nodded again, which made John giggle even more. "Why yes I'd be glad to." He reached over and grabbed a washcloth sitting on the edge of the bathtub. He extended Sherlock's arm again, and wet the cloth. He hovered the cloth over to wounds. "It's going to sting a little bit. I promise I won't hurt you."
Sherlock nodded, he trusted John that he wasn't going to hurt him. He watched fascinated as the good doctor set to work on his wounds, taking his time in caressing them gently. On one particular one he cringed, it was deeper and rawer then he once thought. He pulled back a moment out reflex but after wards crawled right back to John so that he could resume.
John carefully cleansed each of the wounds on Sherlock's body, giving all of them that special doctor's touch. Once he had finished he asked, "So now you want me to wash your hair?" He giggled and pulled over the shampoo and conditioner from the side of the tub.
Sherlock eagerly nodded, eyes glinting in anticipation. He turned around so that his back was resting upon John's broad chest, still nestled in between his legs. He felt his nerves pick up as his guilty pleasure was about to become true. His hair was sensitive, overly so, the slightest movement of his curls could have him painfully aroused if not careful in the way it was touched. But he wanted John to run his hands through it; he yearned for John's touch.
John dipped Sherlock's hair slowly into the warm water, and massaged his scalp. He let his fingers circle around in various locations on Sherlock's head. Soft moaning came from the taller man as John carefully touched his hair. John brought Sherlock's head up, lathered his hands with shampoo and rubbed it in carefully to his luscious locks.
Sherlock moaned softly as John thoroughly massaged his curls, pulling them up and wrapping them around his fingers to fall back down again. He then felt the doctor make small circular motions on the back of his head, making him whimper and tremble. Passion and pleasure began to flow though him, blood traveling straight to his groins. He could feel himself grow harder with each movement of the other, lust traveling from the top of his head down his spine. After a few minutes of whimpers and moans from him he was throbbing painfully, he couldn't fix it at the moment or John would know about his problem. It was embarrassing enough that by the simple act of a hair massage he was very aroused, let alone have John know of his problem. At least the layer of bubbles had covered his lower half relatively well he thought.
John rinsed Sherlock's hair in the water, making sure to get all the soap out. Once his locks were free of soap, John lathered his hands with conditioner to make Sherlock's soft curls even softer. His fingers caressed Sherlock's scalp, dancing lightly along the roots of his hair, curling the tips around his fingers slightly. A louder eruption of moans came from Sherlock's mouth. John didn't really know if this was a normal thing or not. He calmly and quietly asked, "Are you alright, love?"
Sherlock froze; he hadn't meant to be so loud, but John's hands in his hair was beyond erotic. He bit his lip roughly as his erection twitched from John now massaging counter clockwise. It was likely he would come soon without even having to be touched. After all it hadn't helped to think that they were in a bathtub together stark naked with romantic music and candlelight. Sherlock gripped the sides of the bathtub in order to keep some composure, could he tell John? Of course he could, but the real problem would be what would he think about him then? "I uh..." he mumbled out, ashamed. "I don't know if I should say," he said in a breathless whisper, voice hoarse from lust.
John looked a bit confused at first, but then noticed the head of Sherlock's erection poking out of the bubbles. "Oh..." He giggled a little embarrassingly. "That's what you were afraid to tell me about." John tipped Sherlock's hair back into the water, rinsing the conditioner out. When he brought Sherlock's head back up out of the water, he asked, "Now, what are we going to do about that?" He chuckled and kissed the middle of Sherlock's forehead.