The American Dream - For pocketwatson

[consulting_det]

"The American Dream"
Who: Sherlock and John (pocketwatson )
When: John heeds the words of Sherlock's mother and convinces Sherlock to leave England.  Now in New York, it's time to unleash Sherlock on America!

"Oh fuck you!"

Sherlock has been getting this response a lot today and that's because he's cranky.  Very cranky.  He doesn't like New York.  He doesn't like

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[pocketwatson]

John abandons his purchase for the third time today. He apologizes to the man at the register, who's currently muttering something about pretentious British fags, and John is glad that Sherlock's not there to get into an argument about the proper meaning of fag.

Outside, he just lets out a bit of a sigh. All the excitement he's had his whole life about coming to New York has left him within hours. Sherlock is being petulant and John is miserable. Having lost patience about an hour ago, he gives up.

"Let's just go back to the hotel," he mutters, starting back toward it. There's no point in seeing the city if he's not going to get to enjoy it. He may as well get smashed in the hotel's lounge.

[consulting_det]

Sherlo k is not so far gone to realize when he's made a pretty grave mistake. His amusement during the boring moments of such mundane activities as shopping has angered John. Once upon a time, Sherlock would simply be surprised at John's disappointment.

Now, he was really quite aware of the damange it is causing.

"Let's get something to eat. You've been eyeing those horrid hot dog stands."

[pocketwatson]

"I'm sorry if I have a metabolism," he murmurs, as if feeling like now Sherlock's picking at John's need to eat.

He puts his hands in his pockets, pressing his lips together as he looks at Sherlock. The man seems at least vaguely honest with the suggetion.

"How about we find a cafe or something. Maybe try one of the museums." Because hopefully a museum should hold Sherlock's interest.

[consulting_det]

Oh museums. Filled with preteniois people that only pretend to be interested in what they're looking at...

Sherlock notes John's look and immediately agrees. "And we'll try those hot dogs on the way back to the room."

John wants the hot dogs. Sherlock wants John to have them if only so that he'll smile again. John without one, even a grim one, is terrible.

"And ice cream."

Sherlock is trying way too hard.

[pocketwatson]

Sherlock is trying too hard. On any other day, John would just let out a large sigh, shake his head, and laugh about it. Then he'd tell Sherlock to stop trying. Today, however, he's feeling ever so slightly entitled. John is shamelessly more than content to have Sherlock put in some effort.

"I think there was a little place a few blocks from here that looked like they'd serve a decent lunch."

Heading off down the street, John glances over his shoulder to make sure that Sherlock's following.

[consulting_det]

Sherlock never follows. John follows him. He's broken this rule once before, rushing to get to the barracks before John was shipped off. Every other time he's assumed John was bait.

Following him now, however, is a sort of wake up call for the other man. He needs to go and do this because John deserves a little humility. And Sherlock really has been terrible today.

"All right."

[pocketwatson]

When Sherlock is near, John falls in step beside him. His strides don't quite match the detective's, but he keeps the pace. Besides, he has a feeling that Sherlock won't leave him behind on this particular occasion.

By the time they've walked a block or two, John's mood is lifting, and he slips his hand into Sherlock's.

"I'm not even really all that hungry," he admits, with a slight shrug. "I think I ate something off at breakfast."

[consulting_det]

Sherlock has always been fond of John's small hands with their thick fingers. No one really looks at them strangely, not with the crowds on the streets. Holding hands keeps them together and from getting lost. John is right. Sherlock really doesn't want to lose him here.

Even if it might be interesting to try and locate the other man. Sherlock needs his games. He needs solidity and the best way to achieve that is through entertainment. Not that Sherlock can be entertained in the usual ways.

"The butter here is actually partially hydrogenated soybean oil in solid form. Likely your system isn't use to plant based fats."

[pocketwatson]

"Thank you, Dr. Holmes," he muses, squeezing Sherlock's hand.

Though it's probably right. American food is ... Quite different than the food he's used to. And John is quite meticulous with what goes into his body. Apart from all the take-away, but even when they order that, it's from a place they're familiar with. He compensates for the take-away by having the next few meals be made from better foods. It's very likely his stomach is adjusting to the junk it's suddenly getting.

John still plans on eating a hot dog and ice cream, though.

[consulting_det]

"Maybe I ought to have stayed for the title," he muses, sometimes leading John when a space in from of him opens up, sometimes allowing John to lead him.

The museum is far more interesting than the shops John has been spending all of their time in. Of course, Sherlock is only marginally well behaved, loudly contradicting several plaques and drawing the eyes of nearly every teenage girl in the place once they hear his voice.

[pocketwatson]

"That's all we need. You waving your doctorate around."

At the museum, John doesn't mind so much if Sherlock is a bit vocal. In fact, he feels a little proud about it. More than once, John runs his hand down Sherlock's arm or across his back, just as a quick way of being close.

That is, until John's peering closely at an exhibit and turns around to find that Sherlock's moved on, thinking John was with him. Frowning, he heads into the next room, and the next, an unable to find Sherlock, John realizes that he's lost him somewhere within the museum and sighs.

[consulting_det]

Sherlock's hubris makes him believe that John was right beside him as be moved off into the atrium. Of course he is! John never let's him go too far and never out of sight. So when Sherlock finds himself in a gift shop without John, he immediately pulls out his mobile.

No signal. Not in a place like this it seemed. He grunted to himself and headed off again.

What did a person do when they lost someone in a place like this? Hope for the best?

[pocketwatson]

John isn't sure what a person does in this situation. He's already tried his phone and has even gone so far as to ask a few people if they've seen him. All that did was lead him around in a circle, and when he's finally lost his bearings, he runs a hand down his face.

If he were Sherlock, where would he go?

Possibly looking for John.

Excellent.

With nothing else to do, John makes his way back to the entrance. He can wait it out there and eventually Sherlock will have to come by.

[consulting_det]

John isn't quite so lucky as to be found. Ten minutes later, there's a call over the museum's intercom system. "Will guest John Watson please return to his party at the information desk? John Watson to the information desk." There's a pause before the broadcast resumes, this time slightly more exasperated. "Excuse me. Will doctor John Watson please return to his party at the information desk."

When John follows the instructions, he'll find Sherlock with a grin on his face. He's in full "fake Sherlock" mode, passing himself off as mostly normal and flirting with the woman at the desk.

[pocketwatson]

He nearly rolls his eyes, but instead he just smiles and shakes his head. When he finally finds the information desk, John does roll his eyes - fondly - and is about to go over to Sherlock when he figures, what the hell. Play a little himself.

It's not that John is jealous. Well, perhaps a little, even when he knows it's just Sherlock acting, but he likes people knowing he's got this man.

"Darling, there you are," John says, heaving a relieved sigh as he walks over. He tucks himself up neatly under Sherlock's arm and circles his arms around Sherlock's waist, and as he leans into the detective, he smiles at the girl at the desk. She looks as though she's trying very hard not to blush. "Have to keep my eyes on this one, haven't I? One moment he's there, the next he's gone off to flirt with the American girls."

[consulting_det]

Sherlock is surprised. John doesn't usually greet him like this. There's something wrong with the water. John's been drugged-- But no, his pupils are fine, his skin is neither too cold nor too warm.

He's playing.

Sherlock drops his head and, affectionately (because he is playing too), he nuzzles his nose against John's temple. All right, perhaps he's not playing. He's just relieved. "You ought to stay close then."

Two lovely British men cuddling is just about too much for their poor, unfortunate victim. She's about to blush to death.