Work Text:
Sherlock was composing. This happened quite often, though this time his composition was different it had a purpose. Whereas most of the songs Sherlock composed were just that, songs, this one was the Waltz for John and Mary. It would play while they danced. It was just right for them, bouncy and fun with dark undertones that meant the world. Learning and examining and deducting. John and Mary, Mary and John.
As John was writing down some things for the blog until a whisper drifted through his mind “I don’t know how to waltz,” he mumbled before he knew what he was saying. He heard the violin stop abruptly.
“Hmm?” Sherlock’s rumbly tone asked without any real words.
“I don’t know how to waltz,” John had already said it once and Sherlock probably just needed confirmation as to what he was saying. What John didn’t expect was for him to walk over and close the doctor’s computer.
“C’mon,” Sherlock said, John raised an eyebrow at him.
“C’mon what?”
“I’m going to teach you how to waltz,” Sherlock said simply, taking John’s hand and bringing him up to stand in the middle of the room. He put his hand on John’s shoulder, “take my waist,”
“What?” John asked, he raised his other eyebrow and his eyes widened.
“You heard me,” Sherlock took John’s left hand and put it on his own waist. John’s face was now slightly pink. Sherlock suddenly found he liked the color pink. And John found that he suddenly liked to waltz.
“Right,” John said softly, Sherlock took John’s other hand and clasped it, intertwining the fingers and holding it aloft.
“Now,” Sherlock said, John’s knees felt weak, then Sherlock started to move, he took a step back and quietly said “Follow my steps,” he hooked John’s leg and moved it with his foot, then put that foot back, “ just don’t step on my feet,”
John’s face turned slightly more pink and he followed Sherlock’s steps, it was simple, until sherlock added in a turn. But he got the hang of that quick enough. They had found a groove and even though they were in silence the sound of shoes clacking on the floor was comforting. After a while, John subconsciously let his head fall onto the taller man’s shoulder. Sherlock let out a small gasp, then rested his head on John’s.
They were there for a moment, dancing slowly. Then they heard a chuckle. John was snapped out of the trance and he pushed away from Sherlock. He looked to the door and saw the figure of the landlady leaning against the doorframe. “Mrs. Hudson!” He said.
She just smiled and walked back downstairs, chuckling all the way. John looked away from the door and accidentally locked eyes with Sherlock. “So…” he murmured.
“So…” for once Sherlock seemed at a loss for words. John smiled at him and sat back down at the desk.
“Uhm… thank you for teaching me,” he whispered, Sherlock nodded.
“It was my pleasure.” Sherlock responded, he went back to his violin. “Anytime,” he whispered before he started playing again.
***
Three days before the wedding, John was heading over to Baker st. When he got to the door he smiled and pushed it open he heard Sherlock playing and just stood there for a moment. Embraced by the music. Then he headed upstairs. When he got a look into 221B he saw Sherlock. The tall man’s eyes were closed and he was waltzing by himself.
John’s face turned slightly pink. And then he noticed the lonely expression on Sherlock’s face. That wouldn’t do, he stepped into the flat unnoticed. When Sherlock made a turn he slipped himself into Sherlock’s grip and started stepping to the waltz. Sherlock however, stopped.
His eyes flew open and then locked on John’s. “Wh… what?”
“Need a partner?” John asked, smiling. Sherlock hesitated for a moment, then nodded, and he stepped to the music. They stayed like that again for a while. Just like the time before, eventually John rested his head on Sherlock’s shoulder, who rested his head on John’s.
After a while the music stopped but they didn’t. John heard footsteps and said, “Go away Mrs. Hudson,”
“Oh I’m not Mrs. Hudson,” the voice on the stairs called, before John could react, Mary was leaning in the doorway smiling. “You two look comfy.”
Just like last time, John pushed lightly away from Sherlock and blush creeped up his neck, “we uh…” He started, but there was no way for him to finish. He looked at Sherlock, which made his heart flutter, and then at Mary and all of those fluttery feelings went away. What was happening to him?
Mary cocked her head and looked at both of them. She sighed and said, “John,”
“Yes,” John responded, looking back up at her and willing his heart to flutter, but it wouldn’t. He glanced at Sherlock again. The brown haired man smiled and his gaze softened. That never happened.
“Would you like to have a little chat?” She asked her head slightly tilting to Sherlock, who had gone into the kitchen and was probably looking at case things.
John nodded and called out to Sherlock, “Hey we’re going home, see you soon.” This got an ‘okay’ out of Sherlock.
John smiled and started his way downstairs, his hands felt clammy so he didn’t take Mary’s. They walked outside and John pulled the door closed by the knocker, like he had always done. Mary called a cab and they got in.
“So,” she said, when they had started driving, “what was that?” She hesitated for a moment after, then saying, “sorry that sounded bad, you…— you understand what I was saying though.”
John nodded, “I don’t really know what that was,” he looked out of the window, then back at Mary, “I don’t know… when I look at Sherlock I get butterflies sometimes. And the thrill of being on a case with him is overpowering, and he’s just… perfect.”
He paused and looked at Mary, “Oh John,” she murmured. Her head went to his neck and she kissed his forehead.
“But…” John whispered, “I’m…— I’m not gay,” he felt tears welling up in his eyes.
“And you don’t have to be,” Mary smiled, “but you don’t love me like you love him.” She shook her head, “I know you love me, but you love him more, don’t try to deny it.”
John looked at her. His eyes softened and he pressed a kiss to her lips, probably the final kiss they would share. After a moment he pulled away and said, “Thank you… for everything, I’m sorry,”
“It’s okay, go get your man,” She turned to the cab driver and asked for them to turn around, they nodded and turned around, John and Mary rode in silence and then the can stopped at building 221.
“Goodbye,” John said. He hugged Mary and paid the driver for the driving done so far. “Thank you Mary,”
“of course John,” She smiled and waved him off. He nodded and turned around, he slowly stepped up to the door. Then he pushed it open and ran up the stairs, when he saw Sherlock who was surprised to see him. He hesitated for half a second then took a breath and pulled Sherlock into a kiss by his lapels, then he moved his hands up to the taller man’s cheeks, running his thumb over to sharp bones.
He stood up on his tip-toes and felt a hand go back to the back of his head at the base of his neck and another hand go to his waist. They stayed there for who knows how long until Sherlock heard a gasp.
“Mrs. Hudson!” John said, pulling his lips away from Sherlock’s for a moment.
“Sorry boys,” She said, she smiled at them and then went down stairs calling out “Oh how I love what a waltz can do to people,”