Great word today, from floppybelly
"Incredible!"
"I know."
"You figured it out in three minutes."
"That's what I do."
"And the Yarders had been puzzling over it all week."
"Yes, well, you know that collectively their brain power still doesn't begin to rival mine."
"Mm, nope. You are pretty spectacular."
They lounge on the sofa for a bit, Sherlock basking in the glow of John's effusive praise. His eyes droop closed, but John can tell he's thinking, not sleeping.
"John, why do you do it?"
"Hm? Do what?" John looks up, perplexed.
"Flatter me like that? Encourage me. Most people would have told me off by now."
"Yes, well, I'm not most people."
At this, Sherlock rewards John with one of his rare, genuine grins.
"No, and thank goodness for that. We both know how I feel about most people."
John chuckles. "In all honesty though, you deserve it. For all your cockiness, all your gigantic ego, I think sometimes you do forget that what you do is vitally important to the Met. It's like you get caught up in preening, rather than actually admitting to yourself that you're doing good work here."
John flushes a bit, Sherlock's penetrating gaze fixed on him and making him slightly uncomfortable.
"And besides, you seem to thrive on it. I think you'd explode if I didn't let you boast."