I don't know about you guys, but I personally, am sensing a theme. All recognisable content belongs to its respective owners.
Note: This chapter has been reedited a bit, and John's memory of his first New Year's Eve with Sherlock as a couple, back before their engagement, has been added in. Some reviewers might have read it before as it was a review bonus fic, though it is now just a tad reworked. I got slightly nostalgic, truth be told, and felt like reminiscing. I hope you like it; enjoy!
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Violet Holmes had decided to have a somewhat bigger New year's gathering this year, staying all week at the estate, and John found himself enoying the decision as he unpacked their things in a large, welcoming room, listening with half an ear to the two brothers Holmes arguing in the room next door.
He was just about finished when Mummy Holmes herself came in through the door with a benevolent smile, briefly shaking her head as she no doubt heard her boys through the half-open door. "Absolutely hopeless, those two" she grumbled, but smiling at John. "I was hoping to speak to you, John, about the wedding arrangements. I understood that you wanted to get married here, on the grounds?" "Yes" John suddenly felt lightly nervous, though he didn't know why, as the woman clearly approved of him. "We were hoping to, if that is alright?"
"Oh, it will be splendid, I'm sure" she spread her hands out a little bit, almost in hight with her own shoulders, as if to say "not to worry". "What kind of a wedding would you two like? It is high time to start planning, you know" "oh, eh... I haven't really thought about it". Sherlock rather thought that John looked perfectly sheepish to match the jumper he was wearing, as he and his brother entered the room. "We have a few ideas, mother, but I think otherwise we are willing to leave it to your discretion. John?" "Yes? Ah, yes, that'd be fine".
"That's settled then. John" Mycroft decided and with a nod to the doctor went towards the door, exiting merely with a "mummy" in acknowledgement. Sherlock went to throw himself sulkily at the bed after the "discussion" with his brother, and Violet Holmes winked at the doctor and went to follow her eldest son with an almost mischevious "I'll leave you to it".
Smiling for himself as he watched Sherlock submit to sulking, John sat down in the windowsill, remembering last year with a fond smile. Obviously, Sherlock had been sulking then as well, but that was pretty much a given; especially when there were people involved, or Mycroft, and this had both, to be fair.
Allowing his detective to finish his sulk in peace, John allowed himself to drift away in thought, watching the beautiful grounds outside.
John felt lightly uncomfortable. This was no doubt one of the most exclusive New Year's Eve parties he had ever been to. Very few were here and he suspected that at least half of them had some kind of title. Mycroft was not even the best dressed guest! As a doctor and military man, he was hardly a bum, but he did feel like a bit of an odd one out here.
He leaned against the wall, gently stroking a long, lean hand of his consulting genius, who stood tensely and looked out a window, obviously not happy at all at a social gathering, not even a small one at his parents' house. But he had come, as John had asked him to. The doctor felt lightly guilty, but tried to reassure his genius by the soft touches, hoping it would help Sherlock relax.
An older woman, with white hair and many pearls, suddenly approached them, smiling at John "well hello there, dear. I haven't seen you before, I am certain. How do you know Violet and Siger?" John smiled at her "we have a loved-one in common" he stretched out his free hand to shake hers, offering "I am John Watson". "Cordelia McHamish" she smiled back, shaking it "a loved-one, dear? And who would that be?"
Here Violet suddenly appeared, cutting in with a large smile "why, Cordelia, John is Sherlock's partner! They work and live together since many years, and are now officially a couple as well" she beamed, giving John an approving look. "John is a doctor, and he is very good for our Sherlock, why, he even made him gain weight!" John smiled, though he thought that was perhaps being a little dramatic. However, Violet's friend looked suitably impressed.
Later that night, John stood looking out of a snowy window in a very cozy attic room - not Sherlock's childhood bedroom, he had been told - when the genius in question came up behind him and hugged him thoroughly from behind "do you miss London?" he asked. John shaked his head "not at all. I love it out here. I would love to see this part of England in the summer". Absorbed with watching the pittoresque snowfall outside the slanting attic window and with the feeling of his lover's arms around him John did not notice the distinct signs of a plan starting to form in Sherlock's head, before the genius whispered "John, I love you". John smiled, merely whispering back, feeling so content in that moment "I love you too, Sherlock, more than anything". And he lightly stroked his arm, glad to be here together.
As the darkness fell fully, they watched the snow fall outside together and then retreated to their bed, overlooking the fire together, entangled, until late.