A.N: You guys have absolutely NO IDEA how sorry I am at how late this update is. No really, I've been feeling like shit for so long because I've had NO time to write more. I've just started grade 12, and I've been feeling worse mentally than I ever have. I really do apologise, and genuinely beg for your forgiveness! 3
This is only a tiny chapter, with little to no development and a touch of fluff. I just thought to post SOMETHING to let you know I'm not missing.
Thanks for being so understanding 3 3 3

Chapter 18

Neither man knew exactly what to do. Sherlock stood still, as if lost in his thoughts. John began pacing a little, drumming his hands on his legs.

Sherlock finally broke the silence. "Well, what now?" he asked.

John shrugged, perching himself on the arm of his chair. "I don't know. What do you think?" he responded, stretching out his injured leg which was growing more painful by the minute.

"Well, if I knew, I wouldn't have asked you. What usually happens? You seem to do this often enough," Sherlock stopped for a second, "Yes; you do do this often…"

John picked up on exactly what Sherlock was thinking. "No, Sherlock, don't think like that. I just, well. Whatever happens next is up to you, I guess, so yeah," he watched Sherlock sit down by the window. He wondered for a moment if Sherlock had ever been in this situation before.

Sherlock leaned forward in the chair, looking at John, trying to deduce him. It was obvious that his blonde haired companion was slightly nervous, showing signs of tiredness. Apart from that, he could find nothing that he didn't already know.
"Why only my decision? Aren't people supposed to work together in a relationship?" he asked, a confused and slightly innocent tone to his baritone voice.

"What? Oh, we've skipped right ahead to a relationship have we? Okay, yep, that's err, that's good," John stammered, surprised. He was sure that Sherlock would brush it off now that it was out there. It did startle him that the seemingly cold-hearted super detective would want to initiate a romantic relationship. The thought that such a brilliant man would want a relationship with somebody like him made his heart flutter a bit.

Sherlock raised an eyebrow. "So, does this make us boyfriends, or whatever you call it?" he asked curiously, dragging out the word boyfriend as if it was sour on his tongue.

"No, god, don't use that word. It sounds so childish. Just stick with partners I guess," John replied. There was a strange feeling of pride being able to call himself Sherlock Holmes' partner. A small smile conquered his mouth, growing wider when Sherlock looked at him. All of a sudden, he was overwhelmed by tiredness.

John's eyes went blurry and Sherlock jumped up to catch him before he fell. "You need sleep," Sherlock said matter-of-factly. He helped John walk to Sherlock's bedroom, setting the doctor down on the bed. John laid back on the bed as Sherlock fetched a hot water bottle from the bathroom.

"Take this, it should help," Sherlock said, giving the bottle to John, who was trying to crawl under the blankets. John closed his eyes, drifting off. A weight on the opposite side of the bed made him wake. He rolled over to find Sherlock sitting on the bed, his back against the headboard and his legs stretched out in front of him.

"Uhh," John started.

"Just in case you have another nightmare," Sherlock replied.

John smiled a bit. "Are you going to sleep?"

"Highly unlikely, it's only afternoon. I've got a case to think over," the taller man responded.

John shrugged and moved closer, until he was practically leaning on the detective. Sherlock looked down for a moment and placed his arm around John. He smiled to himself and closed his eyes.
Maybe he would sleep tonight? The most he knew was that he wasn't leaving John's side. He waited until the doctor was fast asleep before shuffling down and bowing his head to quickly kiss John's forehead. With that, he closed his eyes and tried his hardest to fall asleep.

John slept better than he'd done in years.