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Sherlock looks at the mug in front of him and then looks up at John and Rosie. John flashes his fond smile, holding his daughter as she plays with the collar of her father's shirt.
"For me ?" Sherlock asks, incredulous.
John nods. "From Rosie." Explains the doctor. "I mean, I was the one who bought it, but she was the one who chose it. Isn't that right Rosie ?" His daughter replied with random vowels before she went back to playing with the shirt collar.
To mark Sherlock's first birthday with his niece, John had taken Rosie with him to pick out a present for her. She was only eight months old, so it was up to him to choose the present, but ideas were running out. He was about to give up after five shops when, as he passed a shop window, Rosie started to fidget. John thought something was wrong and it took several minutes to realise that she was pointing as best she could to one of the objects on display behind the glass. It was a simple black mug, a thin white line forming the outline of a cat. He didn't hesitate and went into the shop to buy the item in question.
Sherlock took the mug gently in his hands, afraid of breaking it by clumsiness, and analysed it. John watched adoringly.
"Happy birthday, Sherlock !" Said John happily.
Sherlock looked up from his present to smile slightly at the two people who had been filling him with happiness since their return to Baker Street. He walked over to them and placed a kiss on Rosie's blonde hair. "Thank you, Watson." He says simply and then kisses John in turn. The latter doesn't have time to respond to the kiss as Sherlock returns to his mug and looks at John with a look the doctor knows well.
John smiles before setting Rosie down in her chair and begins to make tea for the detective to test the mug.
***
Whenever possible, Sherlock takes him for a drink, be it tea, coffee, milk or water. John knows he would have taken it to a crime scene if he hadn't said no.
It was while watching him take his mug everywhere he went in the flat that John got the idea. He waited until Sherlock's back was turned before taking out his phone and taking a picture of it. Too focused on what he was doing, Sherlock didn't notice and John smiled as he resumed what he was doing.
Every time the detective is with his mug and doesn't notice, John pulls out his phone and discreetly takes a picture of him. He continues this for a year, until Sherlock's next birthday.
***
"Happy birthday !" John and Rosie say in unison, although what Rosie says sounds more like "Happy bir’day".
Sherlock is startled, so immersed in his experience that he hasn't heard them approach. The two Watsons hand him a package wrapped in gift paper with deer on it, left over from last Christmas. He cleared some space on the table and placed his gift on top.
"The weight is quite common for a birthday present, as is the shape. No sound indicates it's something fragile..." Sherlock began to deduce.
John smiles tenderly at him. "Just open it, git."
Sherlock doesn't wait and unwraps it, discovering a simple photo album. The cover is black with "Sherlock and John, and Cie" written in white in the middle.
The album is divided into several chapters, each representing different periods of their lives since they first met. Each important period is represented by photos John has collected from his old phones, from their entourage and even from newspapers. Greg had been happy to send everything he had on them.
So the album begins in their early days as roommates.
"You look young in this picture."
"Hey, are you implying that I look like a grandfather ?" John exclaimed indignantly and gently slapped his arm.
"Don't worry John, you're an attractive grandfather." Says Sherlock in a playful tone. John winks at him with a seductive smile, which makes his detective smile. John kisses his forehead as Sherlock resumes reading and puts an arm around his shoulders.
There are other parts, some happy (their investigations with Greg's photos), some sad (after Sherlock's death), or more nostalgic (with Mary), and even sentimental (their life as a three people, and the beginning of their relationship).
Sherlock looks at all the photos carefully. He comments on the photos of the investigations, John laughing with him. He doesn't say anything and shakes John's hand on his shoulder at the photos of his "death". He smiles when he sees the photo John took when he first held Rosie in his arms at the maternity ward, eyes wide with uncertainty, looking completely lost in front of the crying little human (thankfully John had been there to calm her down and show him how to hold her properly and the next photo shows a more serene Sherlock, smiling tenderly at a calmer Rosie). He turns back to John when he comes across a photo of them intertwined on the sofa lovingly, fast asleep, with Rosie in the pram next to him, John kissing him chastely on the lips and whispering "I love you", which made Sherlock smile.
The photos he'd taken over the past year with the mug were also grouped together and Sherlock looked at him surprised. He hadn't even noticed him taking the picture and John smiled, proud to have surprised his genius.
In the last section, the pages are completely empty of photos, with only the title marked.
Our wedding.
Sherlock frowns. "John, why did you..." He stopped short as he turned to see John on his knees, a box with a ring inside presented before him, a resplendent smile on his lips.
"Sherlock Holmes, will you marry me ?"
Sherlock says nothing and looks at the ring, his eyes and mouth open in surprise. He is speechless.
Worried at Sherlock's reaction, Rosie walks up to him and tugs on the sleeve of his jacket. "'Lock ?"
Sherlock snapped out of his stupor to fall into his niece's worried gaze. When she reaches for him, Sherlock understands and picks her up to put her on his legs. "Uncle sad ?"
Sherlock smiled tenderly at him as he tucked a blonde lock back behind his ear. "No, Watson. I'm just surprised. I know, it's rare, but your dad has a way of surprising me again and again." Said Sherlock, speaking to John, even though he was still looking at Rosie.
Unable to express herself as she would like, she simply nods. John looks at them fondly, still on his knees with the ring in front of him.
He turned his attention back to John, the latter still waiting patiently for his answer.
"I always said Sherlock Watson would work." Sherlock said simply.
John gave him his biggest smile, one that could light up an entire darkened room. Sherlock held out his hand and John slipped the ring into it, a simple silver ring, discreet and simple. John kissed the finger where the ring rests and whispered "my fiancé", making Sherlock smile. He pulled him to kiss him.
"What's that ?" Rosie asked as she discovered the ring.
Sherlock breaks away from his fiancé to show her the ring. "That, my dear Watson, is the proof that your father has succeeded in making me sentimental, and that I like it in spite of myself." John, kneeling on the floor beside him, laughed.
Rosie looked at him completely lost, her big, curious eyes -she got that from Sherlock- staring at him.
"To rephrase, this is formal proof that your daddy loves me very much and so do I."
Rosie managed to just about understand, and smiled at them, copying their blissful smile and happy mood.
After putting Rosie to bed that evening, they allow themselves to do more than kiss chastely when John separates a few inches to catch his breath.
"I have one last gift for you."
Sherlock looked at him, still surprised. What could he possibly have that was better than what he just had ?
John fetched a simple envelope and handed it to him. Sherlock took it and opened it. Inside were pictures of the afternoon's events: John on his knees, the ring in front of him, Sherlock sitting on the seat, surprise on his face, and Rosie on his knees, looking worried. The second picture shows all three of them looking at the ring on Sherlock's finger, John next to him, one hand resting tenderly on the back of his neck. From the angle of the photo, Sherlock deduces that the person who has improvised as photographer is none other than Mrs. Hudson. He is surprised that their landlady has managed to restrain herself from coming to congratulate them just afterwards or later in the day.
When he looks up, John hands him the photo album. Sherlock knew what he was asking him to do and took it, opening it to the last page. He placed the two pictures underneath "our wedding" before placing the photo album proudly on the mantelpiece. John arrived at his side, putting an arm around his waist.
"Thank you." Sherlock whispers.
John smiles back and pulls him in for another kiss. Sherlock wants to keep his bees with his doctor reading in the sunshine of the English countryside, Rosie visiting their safe haven, with her partner or children (if she has any). But first they have to say yes for life, and continue the photo album.