John adjusts his jacket and glances back at Sherlock in the mirror. They lock eyes for a fraction of a second before Sherlock looks away, and John sighs.
He's gone back to straightening his tie when Sherlock looks up again. "John," he whispers.
John tilts up his eyes, but doesn't hold Sherlock's gaze. "Hmm?"
Sherlock stops. "John, look at me."
John sighs again, deeply this time. When he fully raises his head, Sherlock has moved right behind him.
That towering height, John can't help but see it.
"It'll be fine," Sherlock murmurs, placing both hands on John's shoulders. The touch is surprisingly intimate, but comforting nonetheless.
"Isn't that my line?" John asks, a nervous smirk on his lips. "You're the one who has to stand up there."
Their eyes hold each other's steadily. One, two beats of silence pass.
"Yes, I am," Sherlock says. He slides his hands down to fold over a crease in the knot of John's tie.
And then he's swept away by his own feet, leaving John confused and alone in front of the mirror.
"You ready?" John asks, a hand already on the door.
Sherlock nods once, firmly. "Yes."
John still pauses a beat before opening their door to the chaos outside.
Their eyes meet over the roof of the car, and in John's eyes Sherlock can see a steadiness he didn't catch upstairs in front of the mirror. Calm within the storm. He figures it's because there was no storm, not before. John is allowed to be afraid before, but never during.
In Sherlock's eyes, John sees a degree of pleading. Please, just let this go smoothly. Let these idiotic people grow tired of us and leave us be. And yes, that was definitely an us.
"Remember—"
"Yes," Sherlock interrupts.
"Remember—"
"Yes."
John sighs. "Remember what they told you," he says quickly. "Don't try to be clever—"
Sherlock mutters a noncommittal "No."
"And, please, just keep it simple and brief," John finishes with a soft exhale.
"God forbid the star witness in the trial should come across as intelligent," Sherlock scoffs.
"Intelligent, fine," John nods. "Let's give smartarse a wide berth."
There's a pause. "I'll just be myself," Sherlock says innocently.
John glares. "Are you listening to me?"
Sherlock half-glances in John's direction, and John sinks further into his seat, looking away from Sherlock and back out the window.
John's nervousness is creeping back, Sherlock notices. The 'before' is always the worst part.
A/N: Just an idea I had. Some is canon, and some is my own invention/imagination. Let me know what you think?