JOHN POV
John taps his fingers impatiently against the tea table. Sherlock said he wanted to meet at the flat at 6pm and looking at the watch it is now half past. John sighs deciding that either he got pranked, Sherlock is playing mind games, or he forgot. Of course, he had resigned himself to these options a long time ago so it's not that much of a surprise.
He stands up, coat in hand, and heads for the door when some commotion below alerts the soldier in him. But before he can think more about it a person runs into him, slamming him down on the ground, followed by six gun shots. John automatically reaches for his gun when he realizes it's not there. This isn't Afghanistan nor is he on a case with Sherlock. It's then that he realizes the person who threw him to the ground is still on top of him. That person being Sherlock.
"John! Are you alright? Did you get shot? Are you hurt?" Sherlock asks frantically touching him down but not moving off of him.
"I'm fine Sherlock, I'm fine." John says placatingly.
Sherlock briefly leans his forehead against John's, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. John doesn't move an inch not used to the closeness. Sherlock raises his head back up but not too high and the sun manages to shine down on his locks in such an angle that John would think his friend was an angel or a saint with a halo. He gapes and unconsciously reaches out to put his fingers through some of those curls. Sherlock doesn't stop him but John doesn't think he would have heard. Instead the sunshine, the hair and Sherlock's caring face has him completely entranced.
"You saved me." John whispers.
"I will always save you John." Sherlock whispers back and reaches out to caress his cheek. John is surprised at the movement but doesn't stop him. It feels…good.
"A friend told me once that I should just risk it…but I don't know if I can." Sherlock suddenly says.
"Hm?" John says not completely in this world as he's still playing with Sherlock's hair.
"You look worried." John says and frowns. He gently traces Sherlock's face with his right fingers.
"I…" Sherlock begins and closes his eyes. It's a sight John wants to commit to his memory forever.
SHERLOCK POV
"You can tell me, it's okay." John says and Sherlock shudders at the sensory overload of John's caress and soft tone of voice.
"It is not so easy John. I fear that I may lose my only friend if I tell you this. And I don't want that. I have already lost you many times before—" Sherlock begins but John places his finger on Sherlock's lips. It takes all of Sherlock's power to not kiss the finger right then and there.
"Sherlock. I've already told you that nothing can take you away from my life and I don't want it to. No matter your strange…ways, I care for you a lot. Whatever you have to say, I will not judge." John says.
It was supposed to be encouraging but it really wasn't.
Sherlock wonders whether he should get off of John before he says what he does. Either to give John the space to take it in, or run away, or punch him if he must. But he can't quite bring his body to lift up so he stays there inches away from John's face.
"Perhaps I will using actions rather than words." Sherlock says and John just waits.
Finally, Sherlock gathers enough courage to place his lips to John's. He would watch John's reaction but is too afraid of the rejection he knows is coming so he closes his eyes. Somehow it makes John's lips that much sweeter. But before he knows it he's being pushed off of John. Sherlock's heart crumbles but he tries not to let it show.
"How could you do this to me Sherlock?! Do you think this is a joke?" John yells. On the inside Sherlock curls in on himself, on the outside he pretends none of this is affecting him.
"No, I do not think this a joke. Perhaps I should have asked before." Sherlock hangs his had.
"You can't just toy with people's feelings. What experiment is this for, hm?" John asks bitterly.
"What?" Sherlock asks in confusion.
"People have actual feelings in this world. And somehow you've figured out mine, but you can't just play around with my feelings…'oh let's see what makes John tick'. It's not fair and definitely not something a friend would do." John says turns around to leave.
"John! I…this wasn't me playing with your feelings…I wouldn't do that…I'm confused…what did you think that was?" Sherlock asks, desperately not wanting John to leave but at the same time unable to bear the hurt rejection anymore.
John doesn't answer.
"There are better ways you could have rejected me Doctor Watson." Sherlock just says and turns around to the window.
JOHN POV
John's heart is burning inside of him. His lips are still burning from the wonderful kiss Sherlock had given him even if it was all for manipulation or some stupid experiment.
But what Sherlock just said stops him in his tracks.
"What?" John asks turning back to see Sherlock standing facing the window. His tall back is hunched, his hair messed, and his head hanging low.
"Nevermind. Perhaps you should go, I have…a case I need to work on." Sherlock says and John knows he's lying because he just finished the case.
"Sherlock, I need you to tell me exactly what all…that was." John says pointing to the ground whilst attempting to turn Sherlock around. Sherlock's stubbornness doesn't allow that so the doctor decides to stand in front of his friend instead.
"Why does it matter John?" Sherlock looking out the window and avoiding John's eyes.
"Because maybe I really am as stupid as you like to insult me as." John says.
"Is this some new form of torture? Make me explain myself, Watson?"
"No, it's not. I just…perhaps I misread…everything." John says looking away in embarrassment.
"I was merely showing my affection towards you. How I felt. But it is obvious to me that you do not feel the same way, and that is alright. But I have—" John stops Sherlock mid sentence by kissing him.
He can't believe how stupid he was and he hurt Sherlock by reacting the way he did.
"I am so sorry Sherlock. I didn't realize…I thought…I am so sorry. I feel the same way about you."John says blushing at the last part.
Sherlock returns the kiss ardently. Every once in a while they stop for air or Sherlock's remark on various statistics on how long a person can kiss.
Before long Sherlock's coat has been shed and so have their respective shirts. John tries not to comment on all the scars on Sherlock's body. He knows there will be time later to talk about that though he has a feeling Sherlock will be less than willing. But maybe he can use Sherlock's new-found weakness, sucking on his earlobes, against him.
John never realized how big Sherlock's hands were but he does as they roam across John's chest and face as if he was trying to commit this tactile sensation to his Mind Palace. Somehow the two of them find themselves lying back down on the ground where all this started. Sherlock peppers John's face, neck and chest with little butterfly kisses that make John feel like he can fly.
"Finally." Mrs. Hudson says from the door and walks into the kitchen shaking her head. The two men break apart as fast as they came together. They stand up and search for their shirts.
Mrs. Hudson looks at the two and laughs.
"Oh don't mind me, I just came to make some tea. My kettle broke." She says and pours the water in as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening.
John wants to be angry at her for interrupting their heated moment but something she said caught his attention.
"Um…Mrs. Hudson, did you say…finally?" John asks.
"Yes. Honestly, you call yourselves detectives but you couldn't even see what's right in front of you. Unfortunately, thanks to that thickness of yours I lost a hundred quid." She says.
The men raise their eyebrows in question.
"Some of us have been putting down bets on whether or not you two would finally get together, and then how long it would take you. I had put my bet on three years ago so I definitely lost. But I believe Detective Inspector Lestrade is the winner…or is it Mycroft Holmes? I can't quite remember."
"You had a betting pool Mrs. Hudson? This is ridiculous."
"Not as ridiculous as us not realizing…all of this." Sherlock points vaguely in the air.
"Perhaps." John smiles widely.