A/N: More or less just an excuse to expose my two weird forth-wall busting headcanons – that there is a cult following for Sherlock who writes fan fiction that is very much like us (though nerdier, if possible, since they're writing about an actual real guy in this case…) and also that John has a thing for Sherlock/Lestrade as long as it's purely fictional because it would be super hot. (If you were wondering, the headcanon goes both ways – Lestrade ships Johnlock like there's no tomorrow in my headverse.) Anyway, uh, I guess two chapters today, more or less (though I'm not sure this even COUNTS as a chapter) because I don't think I'm going to be updating at all anytime soon because I'm going to Jamacia for vacation and there's no wifi in the area where we'll be going. SO. That's that. Enjoy…?

Word Count: 577

Pairing(s): John/Sherlock; mentions of mostly-fictitious other pairings; semi-bashing of Holmescest, but I'm only poking fun, I promise I'm not a hater or nothin'. I HAVE read Filling In For The Skull… if you've read it, you know what I'm talking about… (It's by Damagoed, if not.)

Warning(s): Compensatory forth-wall fic. Extensive talk of fanfictions and fangirls. Immensely cracky, random, pointless, ect. Mentions of incest and drinking one's problems away. Also, there's a really long Author's Note that's pretty irritating...

A Rational Display of Appreciation

"John, are you aware that there is… fan fiction of us?"

The day had come.

John sighed wearily and looked up from his laptop. Sherlock was crouched over his own, face scrunched in concentration. "Yeah," said John. "I know. I told you, we're practically famous at this point. Some of our fans are, um… enthusiastic. Why?"

Sherlock's eyebrows scrunched. "What is 'slash'?"

John blanched. "Um, you know," he said. Sherlock's blank look suggested otherwise. John cleared his throat. "Like, couples. Gay ones." He sighed. "Why, did you find the Johnlock?"

"John Locke?" Sherlock frowned for a moment, then brightened. "Oh! Johnlock. A mix of our names, correct?" His eyes danced. "How innovative."

"Don't look so pleased over it."

Sherlock continued grinning. "A lot of this is near pornographic!"

"Again with the pleased expression…"

"Did you know that they 'ship' my brother with DI Lestrade?" Sherlock actually made the quote signs with his hands this time.

John chuckled, though the irritation still seeped through his expression. "Yeah. It's a little obnoxious."

Sherlock arched an eyebrow. "You wrote Spock and Kirk when you were in Uni, if I recall."

"…That's different."

"Of course it is."

It appeared that Sherlock had no intentions from moving away from the topic. John sighed, resigned to his own fate, and scooted into place beside him. The Blog Of John Watson external forum sat happily on the screen, list upon list of various fan made content littering its contents. Sherlock scrolled through the summaries with a never ceasing grin. "People are remarkable, John."

John peered at the content list, wary. The most-used subject on the forum besides just "fanfic" was "Johnlock." For one reason or another, he was proud, but only for a second. Mostly it was just creepy. Before he could make any sort of response Sherlock went pale (or, well, paler) and abruptly seemed to second that emotion. John quirked an eyebrow. "What?"

"John…" he said, slowly. "What is a… Holmescest?"

Oh. Oh. John had almost forgotten.

Fighting a smirk, he replied, "Well, Sherlock, it includes Mycroft… and you... doing... things. Like, you know-"

"No. No, do not continue. I'll delete it soon. Just… They know we're brothers, right?"

"It doesn't seem to matter to them."

Sherlock shuddered. A brief thought that Sherlock and Mycroft would actually be really hot crossed John's mind for a moment before being quickly sprayed out with mental holy water. Fucking height kink.

"What's Sherstrade? Lestrade and I, I assume?" Sherlock asked, eager to change the subject.

John… blushed. Severely. "Um, yeah. Yup. At least, I think. I don't keep up on such things."

"Hmm?" Sherlock frowned and gave John an odd look. "What are you red-faced for?"

"Uh. No reason." Definitely not that he'd read half of the Sherlock archive or anything. Nope. That would just be weird. I mean, this was his closest (and, at this point, only) "bro" left to speak of and the love of his life he was talking about. Why would he read fan fiction about that? No, he definitely didn't do that. Not John Watson. John Watson was normal.

Sherlock stared at him for a long, severely awkward moment before slowly turning back to the laptop. "What's a Sherliarty? It sounds like a fruit drink."

John sighed. "Might as well be."

"I'm going to ignore your pointed jab at my non-existent flamboyant nature and inquire-" Sherlock poked the screen with a frown. "What's a 'Johlly'?"

"Um?" John leaned over Sherlock's shoulder to peek, then huffed. "Oh, Molly and I. I'm not really sure where that one came from. You see the Sherolly yet?"

"Yes. Wholly uninteresting." Sherlock looked up at John with stern eyes. "They seem to widely believe I have an army fetish. Why do they think that?"

"Because you do?"

"Is it really that obvious, though?"

"Yes."

"Ah." Sherlock turned to the screen again, lips pressed together for a moment. Then, "What's a 'PWP?'"

"Ugh." John got heavily to his feet; this conversation was getting the better of him. "We can have this conversation after I get a beer."

"Tea for me, thanks. Oh! Did you know there's fan art?"

Ah, okay. Screw the beer. Whiskey it was.

It was going to be a long night.

Reviews are beautiful. ALSO: are alerts not working again? I didn't get the composite alert for my own story earlier today, so, yeah.

On a completely unrelated note, my History teacher loves talking about John Locke and I love listening about it, although he always looks at me when I snicker…