The morning found Sherlock alone and naked in bed. The gray light of the morning dancing across the lids of his eyes. He fought with waking, but the scent of tea was rousing. He stood slowly, wrapping the bed sheet around himself.
Walking out of their bedroom he rubbed his eyes and yawned. "Jawn?" he said sleepily. That was when Sherlock first heard voices coming from the living room. He stood and listened for a moment before letting a scowl settle on his face, how could he not recognize those voices?
"Sherlock!" A woman's voice exclaimed as Sherlock entered the room. "Oh, Sherlock you really should get dressed before coming out to greet company." The woman speaking was petite, with short cropped white hair, and though it was obvious that she had many years behind her, she was still stunningly beautiful. She wore a sleek black dress that stopped at her knees, her legs were covered in black stockings, she wore high black heels, and she was wrapped in a white fur stole. Sherlock assumed that the fur was fake, but it was done well enough that it appeared quite real.
"Well mummy," Sherlock said, still scowling. "Had I known you were coming for a visit, I could have prepared." Sherlock glared at his mother at which point John emerged from the kitchen.
"Good morning, you didn't tell me your parents were coming out for a visit." John had a tray in hand with several cups, a bowl of sugar, and a small pitcher of milk. "Tea will be out in just a moment. I'm just happy we actually have milk today." John shot a smile in Sherlock's direction, but Sherlock went on scowling.
"Cheer up Sher!" Said the man sitting on the couch next to Mummy Holmes.
Sherlock cringed at the truncation of his name.
"Sherlock?" John asked, trying to break some of the tension in the Holmes family. "Could you help me in the kitchen for a moment?"
Normally, Sherlock would have rolled his eyes and said "dull" or "boring" or something else to the effect, but at the moment, all he wanted to do was escape Mummy and Daddy.
Sherlock followed John into the kitchen.
"Why didn't you tell me your parents were coming for a visit?" John asked.
"Do you think that if I knew they were planning on coming that I wouldn't have made sure to be out of the country?"
John raised a single brow. "They're not that bad Sherlock."
"They're just so..."
"Ordinary? I'm ordinary you know."
"No you're not," Sherlock said immediately. "You're the most extraordinary person I've ever met."
John smiled shyly and looked up at his lover. "By the way... Have you told them...about us I mean?"
"Should I have?"
"Um...not necessarily, I just wondered if you wanted them to know."
Sherlock could see John's uncertainty, it happened every once and awhile when John seemed to wonder if Sherlock was ashamed of him. "Yes," Sherlock said decisively. "Let's tell them. Now sounds like a good time doesn't it?"
Before John could say anything, Sherlock was walking out of the kitchen and back into the living room. Luckily, John caught his hand at the very last second, and yanked him back in. "Uh Sherlock, maybe you should get dressed first."
"Oh...right, of course. I'll be back in a few."
Sherlock rejoined the group in the living room a few moments later, as promised, in a sleek black suit with a white button down shirt. He sat down in his usual chair, and took up his cup of tea.
"Glad to see you up and around," Sherlock's father said, sending a smile Sherlock's way.
"Yes," Mummy Holmes agreed, "John was just telling us you had a long night out last night. A Christmas party wasn't it?"
"I suppose party would be an acceptable word choice for last night's event," Sherlock responded.
"It was quite fun really," John butted in. "Our friend is the Detective Inspector of New Scotland Yard, and he invited us personally. We had a good time. Don't let Sherlock's sour disposition fool you."
Mummy Holmes laughed as did her husband.
"I'm sorry dear, I just love that you've finally found someone who can give your sass right back to you," Mummy Holmes beamed John's way.
"By the way," Sherlock began, his voice slightly timid. "I have...we have something to tell you." John placed a supportive hand on Sherlock's knee, giving a gentle squeeze to remind Sherlock he would have his back no matter how this went down. "John and I...We've been...seeing each other..." It sounds so odd when put that way. Oh God, they're not saying anything. What if Mummy starts to cry...Say something!
It was Sherlock's father who spoke first, "So you're saying that you're...gay?"
Sherlock took a small breath and nodded firmly.
"Aha!" Mummy exclaimed. "I told you! I believe you owe me 50 quid dear."
"Damn..."
Sherlock and John looked at each other then at Sherlock's parents then back at each other again.
"What?" Sherlock finally said. "You were betting on my sexual orientation?" The idea of such a thing made Sherlock's skin crawl, he wanted to retreat into his mind palace and ignore everyone.
"No no no dear," his mother soothed. "You're father just didn't seem to think that you would ever go in for that sort of thing, you know, with anyone. But I told him you'd find someone eventually, and well look at you, you have. You've gone and found yourself a doctor. Can you believe it, my son's dating a doctor! Isn't it wonderful?"
Sherlock looked confused, and John was sitting, timidly in his chair avoiding eye contact with everyone. "So, you're not angry?" Sherlock asked, his voice low.
"Angry? Why ever would we be love? We love you no matter what. We're your parents, if you're happy then we're happy. Plus we love John." Mummy was smiling from ear to ear and it was infectious. Soon the whole group was smiling and chatting away. Sherlock could not remember the last time that he had talked to his parents like this, so easy and effortless.
Several hours later, Mr. and Mrs. Holmes announced that they had to leave, they had to go to visit with Mycroft now. For the first time in his life, Sherlock actually wished his parents could stay longer. What is John doing to me?
"Happy Christmas love," Mrs. Holmes said before hugging her son. "I love you very much."
"I...I love you too mummy," Sherlock said softly, and meant it.
Mrs. Holmes felt her eyes beginning to tear up at the first time she'd heard her boy tell her he loved her in years. She wrapped her arms around her baby boy and hugged him hard for a long time, and though it took a second, Sherlock hugged her back. Finally she broke away from him with tears streaking her cheeks. She then turned to hug John, and whispered "Thank you," into his ear.
John and Sherlock gave one last wave as the cab pulled away, before turning to go back into their flat.
Authors Note:
So, sorry about my hiatuses. Here we have Sherlock's "coming out." Hopefully you all enjoyed it. This is a short chapter, but hopefully I'll have the next one done soon.
Also, I've started a second story. It's called I Choose You and it's a Sherlock Pokemon crossover. And yes, it will have Johnlock. I'd love for you to check it out.
As always, thanks for reading.
-Padfoot333