Chapter 7

John quickly returned downstairs, wearing jeans and his softest beige jumper. He put on the kettle and started to make preparations for spaghetti. "So, how was the case?" he asked as he poured the tea.

Sherlock felt bad about having lied to John, but he couldn't bring himself to admit how moronic he had handled himself, these past days. He shrugged as he answered: "Very boring."

"What had happened? Mycroft told me about something abroad, but as usual he didn't give any details."

Why wouldn't John let this go? Sherlock shifted uncomfortably in the chair. "It was... personal," he answered. This was, strictly speaking, not a lie, but vague enough that John would, hopefully, misunderstand and respect Mycroft's privacy.

"Oh. Alright." Perhaps Mycroft just hadn't allowed Sherlock to bring John along, then. John liked the idea. For a while he worked on the food in silence, then he put two steaming plates on the table.

For once Sherlock actually had an appetite. He smiled at John: "This is really good."

"Thank you," John smirked. He laid a foot on one of Sherlock's without looking up from his food.

Sherlock smiled and gently stroked John's ankle with his other foot.

"By the way, are you feeling better? You were still sick when you left," John said.

"I'm fine. It was just a cold I think." He chuckled. "According to Mycroft, I always turn into a baby when I'm ill."

"Not just when you're ill, you're always a sulky little child," John grinned.

"Thank you very much." Sherlock pouted and playfully kicked John under the table.

"You're just proving my point!" John smiled radiantly.

Sherlock returned the smile. "But you still love me."

"Yes, you'd wonder why," John sighed, grinning. "Come on, you'll help doing the washing-up for once."

Sherlock almost looked offended.

"Washing-up means you can cuddle me while you're waiting to dry the dishes, as long as you keep my hands free," John clarified.

Sherlock supposed he could live with that. In fact he ended up doing a lot more cuddling than drying. A little tickling too, and quite a lot of kissing every part of John he could get at without actually getting in the way.

John hummed happily. As he put the last plate away, Sherlock following like a tall, cuddly backpack, he tilted his head backwards against Sherlock's shoulder and kissed his jaw.

Sherlock spun John around so they were facing each other, pushed him gently against the counter and kissed him hungrily.

John kissed back, just as greedy, both hands gently stroking the sides of Sherlock's neck.

Sherlock sighed against John's lips. "I love you," he whispered without breaking the kiss.

John kept kissing him, gradually slower and more tender rather than hungry. Eventually he pulled back and looked into Sherlock's eyes. "I love you too."

Sherlock beamed at him. And then his face turned into a puzzled frown. "Have you ever loved anyone? Like this? Before?"

John had to think for a few moments. "I... Actually, no, I don't think so. I've had girlfriends I really, really liked, but not... There never was a bond like we have." He looked a bit confused at the realization himself.

"Oh," Sherlock thought about this for a moment, then he smiled, suddenly looking incredibly shy.

John looked up at him and smiled. "You look adorable when you're this uncertain about something. You're always so smug, but this just really is a new area for you, huh?" He ghosted his lips over Sherlock's.

Sherlock nodded. "I have no clue what I'm doing," he admitted.

"It's a nice change," John smirked. He entwined his fingers with Sherlock's.

"So," Sherlock looked at their hands. "What happens now?"

"Um. What do you want?" John asked.

"I don't know," Sherlock thought for a while. "You?"

"We could go to bed," John said, keeping his eyes on their joined hands.

"Hmmmm," Sherlock smiled. "That sounds nice."

"And we could also be naked, and nothing has to happen, but I'd just like to... feel your skin," John added quickly, blushing.

Sherlock just looked at him for a very long time. Then he nodded. "I'd like that too."

"Okay," John said, taking a deep breath in relief. He cleared his throat and pulled Sherlock along to his bedroom.

As Sherlock followed, he felt lightheaded and giddy. And just a little scared. This was wonderful, but it was happening very fast. When did they change from being friends to... to this?

John closed the door behind them and let go of Sherlock's hand. "Just, um," he said, feeling a bit awkward. It had seemed a more natural step in his head than it did now, with Sherlock looking at him. It felt as if he was asking too much at once. "We don't have to be naked immediately. We can just, we can just cuddle like always and we'll see."

Sherlock looked at him. "How about we just take it a bit slow?" He raised his hands and began unbuttoning his shirt.

"Yes. Yes, that's fine." He licked his lips and followed Sherlock's hands with his eyes, before he remembered that he was supposed to undress as well, not wanting to make Sherlock feel uncomfortable being the only one half naked, and he pulled his jumper over his head.

When Sherlock's shirt was open, he let it slide off his shoulders and then reached out and pulled John close, gasping at the sensation of their naked chests pressed against each other. He bent down and kissed John.

"Yes, this, that's what I meant," John whispered against Sherlock's mouth before deepening the kiss. He let his hands wander over Sherlock's back, taking in the softness of the skin against his fingertips.

Sherlock hummed in delight and followed John's example, letting his hands explore.

After a while John just kept his face close to Sherlock's so they were breathing the same air and he stroked the taller man's shoulders and arms. "You are beautiful," he said quietly.

"Thank you," Sherlock whispered, his arms wrapped around John. "So are you."

John smiled. "I'm not, really. But you look so perfect." His eyes kept roaming over Sherlock, admiring. "I never even thought men could be attractive to me and then there's you."

Sherlock blushed, feeling a little exposed under John's close scrutiny. He supposed this was how people felt when he was 'reading' them.

John realized that he was staring for too long and pressed a line of kisses over Sherlock's right collar bone.

Sherlock closed his eyes and tilted back his head. This was an incredible feeling. Being so close to John, seeing and feeling so much of him.

John moved on to Sherlock's neck, gently licking and nibbling.

Sherlock shivered. "John," he moaned. "That's... wonderful."

John smiled against his skin and continued what he was doing, while one hand was stroking the back of Sherlock's neck and the other was playing with his shoulder-blade.

Sherlock bent down and nudged John's head away, so he could get at his neck. He kissed his way down from behind John's ear to his collarbone and then along the shoulder.

John hummed and gave Sherlock more room, his head resting against the other man's shoulder.

Sherlock was enjoying himself surprisingly much, as he started working his way down John's chest. When he reached a nipple he experimentally flicked it with his tongue before kissing it.

"Sherlock." It was supposed to sound warning, but it came out more like an encouragement and John moaned as Sherlock paid more attention to his nipple, awakening erectile tissue on more than one spot on John's body.

Sherlock chuckled at John's response. He was definitely enjoying this.

"Sherlock, stop." He gently pushed the detective's head away from his chest, his heart beating far too fast. "Give me a second to breathe." He held Sherlock's hands, not wanting to break contact completely.

Sherlock looked at him, puzzled. "Not good?"

John laughed. "Too good." He reached up to kiss Sherlock.

Sherlock leaned into the kiss, holding John against him again, trying to get as much contact between their bodies as possible.

John lowered his hands to Sherlock's waist, softly stroking his sides there.

Sherlock gently pushed John towards the bed with a small twitch of his eyebrows, as if asking 'okay?'.

John gave a small nod and pulled Sherlock on top of him.

Sherlock raised himself up on his arms, and took a long time to study John lying beneath him. "You are beautiful" he said before lowering himself down to kiss him again.

"You almost sound surprised," John grinned, before allowing himself to be carried away in the kiss.

"I am surprised," Sherlock answered. "Every time I look at you, I am surprised."

John grinned. "What's so surprising about me, then? The grade of idiocy?"

"No," Sherlock laughed. "Though right now, you are being kind of an idiot. I am surprised at how wonderful and beautiful and absolutely perfect you are." Sherlock blushed at his own words, not sure how John would take it.

John giggled. "Sentimental after all." He kissed Sherlock's cheek and smiled up at him.

"I'll give you sentimental," Sherlock growled threateningly. Then he grinned wickedly, and started tickling John mercilessly with one hand, while holding him down with the other.

"That's not fair!" John laughed, squirming. He decided to distract the other by kissing him, giggling into his mouth.

It was very hard to tickle and kiss at the same time, so Sherlock gave up. Kissing was by far the most preferable of the two. John smirked at his victory and placed a hand on the back of Sherlock's neck to keep him in place.

Sherlock took hold of John's shoulder and pulled him along as he rolled on to his side, not breaking the kiss. He then moved his hand slowly down John's back enjoying every inch of smooth skin beneath his fingers. John kept kissing him and shifted a little closer, playing with Sherlock's hair on the back of his head. When Sherlock's hand reached the edge of John's trousers, it stopped for a moment, then started moving along it round to settle on John's hip, the tip of a single finger snaking inside, caressing.

John softly kissed Sherlock's bottom lip. "You can get them off if you want to," he mumbled against it.

Sherlock pulled his head back and looked at John. He considered before answering. "I'm not sure..." He hesitated, afraid of hurting John's feelings. "Maybe," he continued, "this is enough... for now?"

"That's fine," John said, smiling reassuringly and nuzzling Sherlock's cheek. "I was just saying that you were allowed to." He snuggled into Sherlock's chest and closed his eyes, contentedly.

(Always enjoying working together on this)