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Sherlock thinks John might actually punch him this time. His flat mate is so angry that he is passed his usual loud screaming and is now hissing to Sherlock in a very low, controlled voice, dripping with fury. The detective was applying his usual careless, disregarding manner of response to John's anger, but inside his empty stomach is now twisting and he feels like he will choke with every breath. He hates it when John is this angry. He hates to see how the soldier in his friend takes over and has to keep him calm when he knows very well that all John wants to do right now is hit him.
John had hit him once before (without Sherlock asking him to do so). It was the evening of Sherlock's return, about a year ago. John was sitting alone in a fancy restaurant, waiting for a date, when Sherlock simply walked in. Sherlock kept his eyes fixed on John while one of the waiters helped the detective out of his coat.
The reunion did not go as he had planned, to say the least.
Admittedly, he had expected John to be a bit upset with him, but not like this… As soon as John saw Sherlock and realized he had lied to him, unknown anger seemed to take over his friend. The unconcealed fury of the doctor radiated from his body while he yelled at a stunned and slightly embarrassed Sherlock.
The detective told him he was ranting like a child and that 'people would talk' which usually shut John up, but not this time. Instead he dropped his voice making that low threatening hissing sound that had carried his anger even better than the screaming. Sherlock was slightly intimidated and he was sure his friend would take a swing at him.
However, John refused to hear anything the detective had to say and he stormed out of the restaurant, leaving a puzzled Sherlock behind. But less than a minute later John marched back in and Sherlock started to say: 'Ah good, I knew you'd come around!' But he had no chance to get out more than the first two words because the doctor walked up to him, hit him hard in the face, turned around and left again.
'John?' Sherlock had yelled after him.
'Welcome home Sherlock.' John had yelled back without looking at him.
Home. John had wanted him to come home. So he did.
The whole first week of their renewed flat-mate-ship John had stamped around the house angry, cursing, calling Sherlock names, and refusing to hear any explanation.
Sherlock endured it. At first he thought John might want him to leave, but every night and every morning the doctor threw a plate of food and a cup of tea in front of Sherlock, giving him a stern look which obviously demanded him to eat. And Sherlock did, hoping it would lighten John's mood, but it didn't. Nothing did. After a week Sherlock gave up trying to talk to John and went to see Lestrade to work on a case. He came home late. When he closed the front door behind him he heard John coming down from the stairs. Angry, as usual.
'Where the hell have you been?' He hissed. There was anger, Sherlock noticed, but there was also something else…. Concern? Worry?
'The Yard.' Sherlock said while hanging up his coat. He heard John come down the last steps of the stairs and the detective turned to face him, prepared for yet another argument. But instead, John came up to him and pulled Sherlock into a hug.
A hug.
It was very uncomfortable for Sherlock, who generally despises physical contact, but he decided to endure it, for John, and slowly wrapped his arms around the smaller body of his friend. It felt better than expected. After all, intimacy with John is not like intimacy with anyone else. They stood like that for a few seconds, until John slowly pulled away, his eyes avoiding Sherlock's and clearing his throat.
'Tea?' He asked hoarsely.
Sherlock just nodded.
Things were better after that moment. Over tea Sherlock finally got to explain to his friend what exactly had happened between Moriarty and himself. John's anger was gone and he stopped hissing and calling Sherlock names. It had mystified Sherlock. If all John needed was a hug why hadn't he done that in the restaurant?!
Back to the present where John is still hissing in his extremely angry voice at Sherlock, who stares at his friend, incomprehensively. He honestly doesn't understand why John is so terribly upset, but it is very annoying. Determined to make things better Sherlock grabs Johns' arm when he turns to leave.
'What Sherlock?' John snaps angrily.
Sherlock pulls his friend in his arms and hugs him tightly. Their bodies are pressed together and Sherlock expects John to lean in and hug back.
But no such thing happens….
John struggles out of the embrace and stares at the detective, stunned but still flushed with anger.
'What the bloody hell was that.'
Sherlock is now even more confused. 'But… that… A hug…..Are-are you still angry?'
'Yes of course I am still angry, you sodding idiot!' But now John is yelling again.
Yelling. Loudly. Now longer the low frightening hiss.
Good. It worked.
Sherlock smiles. 'Tea?'
But John just yells: 'Oh shut up, Sherlock!'
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