Chapter Text
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The wind whips past his face as he runs, tears in the corners of his eyes sting from the cold. The only thing on his mind was finding him. He had no idea what his reaction could be but he doesn’t want to take any chance of losing him at all.
He runs and runs and runs, losing breath ever so often and having to stop to catch it until he sees a tall figure sitting on a bench just staring out into the distance thinking…
“Oh Sherlock! I’m so glad I found you, I’ve been running around everywhere looking for you..” John says bent over trying to catch his breath.
“I know. Mrs Hudson called screaming at me to find you since she said you called her.” Sherlock says not looking at John and just staring
“Sherlock, I need to talk to you about something” John says to Sherlock in a panic
“Okay. Tell me then” Sherlock says unimpressed and not looking at John
“Sherlock, it’s kind of…private?.. Can we go back to baker street to talk?..Please?” John says his words quivering and it’s obvious to everyone he is anxious.
Sherlock turns to John seeing his tears flow down his face. He’s never seen John this vulnerable before and dealing with someone else’s sadness is new to him, especially someone he’s extremely close with.
“Fine, let’s go” He says standing up from the creaky bench he was sitting on.
As they walk back to Baker Street it’s as silent as a mouse, the only thing you can hear are the sounds of cars, wind, and children yelling as they play in the near by park.
John and Sherlock return to Baker Street and Sherlock unlocks the door. As they walk in a mysterious figure rushes and grabs both of them into a tight hug.
“Oh boys!! Where have you two been!! You both had me worried sick!!” Mrs. Hudson says as she tugged on their earlobes.
“Now you two have lots of talking to do. Go upstairs and work whatever this is out. I can already tell by the tension you haven’t yet” Mrs. Hudson demands as she points up the stairs.
Sherlock and John look at each other and walk upstairs. As soon as they get into the apartment, Sherlock collapses into his usual chair and gestures John to sit in the one facing him with the Union Jack pillow.
“Alright, now what did you have to tell me” Sherlock says his hands intertwined into a fist covering his mouth. You can tell it’s been eating him alive all day.
John stands in front of the chair to anxious to sit down, making direct eye contact with Sherlock’s piecing blue eyes.
“So uh..um.” John stutters tears forming in his eyes, he’s never cried like this before it’s like the tears wouldn’t stop they would just spill out from his face without him even trying.
John breaths out and then takes a deep breath in steadying and grounding himself.
“So what I wanted to say was- uh so what I was saying is-“ John stutters out
“Oh just spit it out already!!!” Sherlock says launching himself and grabbing John’s shoulders shaking him around a bit. John has never seen Sherlock so stumped on trying to figure out something not even in a case.
“Sherlock. Ever since I’ve met you I’ve felt..different. I always felt the need to chase something to get that thrill in my life. What I never put together until recently was that the thing I was always chasing was- was you. You always put the thrill in the chase. Trying to guess what you are thinking about is just part of the experience and actually solving stuff was so rewarding. Basically what I’m trying to say is- I like you Sherlock. Not I just a friend way; in you know..” John says tears swelling up into his eyes.
Sherlock sits there his eyes moving around quicker than a bullet trying to fit the pieces together. He would have never thought that was eating John alive was..him
John patiently waits for Sherlock’s response getting more anxious the more he waits. John’s hands clenched in a fist gritting his teeth as Sherlock thinks..and thinks..
John continues to tap his fingers together impatiently waiting but this sort of thing is normal for Sherlock but this time John wasn’t having it.
“Sherlock. I-“ John said before interrupted by Sherlock
“Shhhhhh John I’m thinking…” Sherlock says his eyes closed and he’s sitting there…thinking..
20 minutes go by, John impatiently taps his foot while sitting.
“So what you’re saying is.. you like me?” Sherlock says puzzled
“Y-yes Sherlock” John says stuttering because he wasn’t expecting a response
“Me? You like me?” Sherlock says in disbelief. He’s never had someone interested in him before unless it was Irene but he had very little romantic attraction to her.
“Yes Sherlock I like YOU, Y-O-U” John says fed up with Sherlock at the moment
“I know how to spell “You” John, but I believe I might enjoy your company as-well…” Sherlock says twiddling his fingers looking down at his brown loafer shoes.
John stands there stunned on what Sherlock had just said, absolutely flabbergasted at the idea that he might share the same feelings.
“Sherlock…you like me too?” John says with disbelief in his voice
“I suppose that would be a possibility..” Sherlock says his cheeks turning a light shade of pink, obviously embarrassed. John has never seen Sherlock this vulnerable before, It made John feel..special.
“So uh..what do we do now?” John says twiddling his fingers in his hands, trying not to cry for admitting he is gay and in love with his best friend.
Sherlock sat there in silence, processing everything that just happened. Sherlock has admitted to John before he’s never been in a romantic relationship before, and he never understood why before. He always thought he was “broken” or possibly Aromatic but Sherlock’s problem wasn’t that he wasn’t attracted to anyone it’s just he hadn’t met John Watson yet.
Sherlock makes eye contact with John, staring at his dark eyes. He never had noticed how beautiful they actually are. He stares at him, watching John tremble and play with his fingers obviously anxious. He looks at John, noticing his worn down shoes, his un buttoned collar, his brown leather jacks with Sherlock’s jacket overtop. He never really stopped to take a look at John but he realized this is what made John, “John”
Sherlock gets up and pulls John up aswell; They stare into each other’s eyes, close enough where he could feel John’s trembling breath on himself.
John, utterly confused mumbles, “Sherlock, what are you doi-“ as Sherlock wraps him in a tight hug. It was a hug where you can tell the person really needed it.
They stood there for 5 minutes, both enjoying each other’s embrace, Sherlock hugging John and John reciprocating, obviously seeing how much Sherlock needed that and not letting go till Sherlock did. Both of them radiating so much warmth it was like a radiator.
After the five minutes Sherlock finally lets go and sits back down in complete silence, nervous what to say next. He’s never opened up to anyone before, not even Mycroft, so to open up to someone so fast is jarring for him.
“So uh-“ Sherlock started to speak before an alarm on John’s watch interrupted.
“Oh shit! It’s almost 5:30, We have that press meeting to get to!” John says wiping his face of tears and puffiness
“Do we have to go to that?” Sherlock groans as he looks at John rushing around to get ready.
“Yes Sherlock, We were invited by Lestrade and Sergeant Donovan. They expect us to be there, plus how are they supposed to have a press meeting without the person who solved the case?” John says as he rushes upstairs to put better clothes on, Sherlock following him.
“Maybe if they were smart enough they’d learn how to clone by now” Sherlock says snarkly as he grabs a suit and tie from his closet.
They both get changed pretty fast, Sherlock helping John with his tie again. They walk down the stairs and Sherlock and John grab their coats.
“Do you think it’s unprofessional of us to be wearing our going out jackets?” John says to Sherlock as he locks the door of the flat because Sherlock never does.
“Nah, I think it gives us a bit of a ‘brand’ you know?”
They walk outside and Sherlock grabs quietly grabs John’s hand. He intertwines his fingers with his. John immediately turns bright red but this time he doesn’t have to hide it. They walk down the street excited for this new beginning to be starting for the both of them (and I guess everyone else around them)….