Chapter 8

John did his best not to let Sherlock out of his sight after his admission of using Cocaine, but Sherlock was still a live wire and did as he pleased. On Friday, John asked if Sherlock wanted to stay in with him, but Sherlock simply said he was working on something as he left the common room. John was left alone, feeling anxious, it felt like Sherlock was slipping away from him, his thoughts were interrupted

"John, you alright" he looked up and saw Greg

"Fine, yeah"

"Tell your face then" he teased "I haven't seen you in ages, you've always been with Sherlock"

"Yeah, I guess I have. It's not like you can complain, it means you've got the girls all to yourself"

"True. I'm taking them out to the club later if you wanna join us" John thought about it for a minute, he wasn't yet eighteen but like most he had a fake ID, and he missed hanging out with his old friends

"Sure, I'll be there"

John, Greg, Sally and Molly got into the club around eleven, it was already comfortably full as they proceeded to order their first round plus several shots. Once they were comfortably buzzed, they proceeded to the dance floor which by this time was packed. As they casually danced around, John felt like he was missing something, what was the phrase Sherlock used; you see but you don't observe. Then he saw it, or rather them. In the corner, John saw James up against the wall, frantically kissing some tall boy with dark curled hair 'please don't be him, please don't be him' John hoped to himself, but James looked up and stared directly at him, smiling smugly like some cheesy villain, then the boy he was kissing turned around, it was Sherlock. John wanted to throw up there and then, instead he stood there staring at them both before taking off out of the club.

"John wait, it's not what it looks like" Sherlock yelled after his boyfriend.

"Oh, yeah, you tell me to observe" John turned around "well you've been behaving weirdly for weeks, and now i see you with him..." John was lost for words, he couldn't comprehend what he had just seen, so he simply walked away, wondering how they'd even got into this state

John woke the next morning with a hangover from hell, he checked the time on his phone 10:36, also on the screen 9missed calls and 6texts from Sherlock. He simply rolled over in his bed wishing he was back asleep and the events of the previous night were nothing but a bad dream. Unfortunately, this plan was ruined by a knock on the door.

Sherlock stood on the doorstep, he looked a mess quite frankly, he was wearing the same clothes as last night, his hair was scruffy and his face pale, and he looked at John in desperation "Please just listen to me" he begged

"I always listen to you, but this...seriously how can you come to my house after cheating on me with the boy that made your life hell?"

"It's complicated , please just let me in and I'll explain"

"What is it? I'm not out of the closet so you find someone who is?!" I can't deal with this right now!" John went to slam the door, but Sherlock put his hand up to stop it

"He's my dealer John!"

"What?"

"He's my dealer"

"Oh, so that makes it all ok" John snapped sarcastically

"He gives me drugs, but only if I sleep with him"

"What kind of perverse deal is that?"

"He's a master of manipulation, John, he's the one that got me addicted in the first place, somehow he made my life hell at school, that gave me means of pleasure for after. I know how wrong it was...is.., but I couldn't help it, he ruined me, please don't let him ruin us, please" Sherlock finally broke down into tears, John would have to have a heart of stone not to feel for him.

"Come in" he said quietly "I'm not going to pretend that I'm ok with any of this, because this has got to stop; but I think you know that right" Sherlock nodded "but I can't lose you Sherlock, I appreciate your brilliance, it's not your fault the people before me haven't , but I wanna help you, so I can have the best of you. So, you're going cold turkey; no drugs, no James, and I'm gonna be here, whatever happens. Do we have a deal?"

"Of course...I'm so sorry John. I got it so so wrong"

"It's ok, now you can make it so so right" John smiled as he brought the poor boy into his arms. He could cope with anything if Sherlock was with him, even if the problem was Sherlock himself