FILL: Past and Present (4b/5)yalublyutebyaOctober 7 2011, 12:02:11 UTC
“Don’t be ridiculous, Greg,” Sherlock answered instantly, the lack of hesitation telling, “John is my friend. And, in any case, he’s straight.”
Greg couldn’t hold back his laugh at that and Sherlock pushed himself up, swivelling to face him with a bewildered expression.
“Sherlock,” he said, trying to school his expression into seriousness, “Even if he were straight, which I’m pretty sure he’s not by the way, that’s not a very good defence on your part.”
Sherlock went to protest but Greg held up a hand, silencing him.
“I know you. I’ve seen you, for Christ’s sake, the way you look at him.”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Sherlock,” he said softly, “Just tell him.”
“I don’t -”
“You do. And so does he.”
“What?!”
“I’ve seen the way he looks at you too. I wish you’d just pull your fingers out and shag already.”
Sherlock blinked at him once, twice, and Greg smiled - it was nice to occasionally find a way to silence Sherlock Holmes.
“You don’t...” Sherlock started, cleared his throat and looked away, then continued hesitantly, “You don’t think he’s straight?”
“He’s got a date with Gregson next Tuesday.”
“Gregson?!” Sherlock exclaimed angrily, “When did he -”
Sherlock cut himself off and Greg could see him going through their last crime scene in his head, knew the moment he remembered seeing John and Gregson together. Sherlock had been so wrapped up in his own brilliance he hadn’t even noticed the flirting, the exchange of numbers - and John’s brief, tortured look in Sherlock’s direction as he slipped Gregson’s number into his pocket.
“I think he got tired of waiting, Sherlock,” Greg said sympathetically.
Sherlock looked momentarily lost and Greg squeezed his arm, affection for this ridiculous man overtaking him.
“But he was so shocked by the idea of us being married,” Sherlock murmured, his mind still visibly processing data, memories.
“Sherlock, have you shown any interest in anyone since he moved in with you? Have you been on a date? Have you even flirted with anyone - and I don’t mean as part of an act.”
“No.”
“You’re not the easiest person to read, Sherlock, especially when it comes to things like relationships.”
Sherlock considered this for a moment and then he dropped his somewhat sheepish gaze to the couch. “I may also have told him I was married to my work, and I, err, I may have made my sexual orientation somewhat...ambiguous.”
Greg laughed and Sherlock gave him a crooked smile.
“I haven’t seen you like this in a while,” Greg commented in a low tone, “I was worried about you. I thought you might just cut yourself off completely, focus only on the work.”
Sherlock held his gaze and Greg smiled softly, squeezing Sherlock’s arm once more and releasing it.
“He’s good for you.”
Sherlock watched him for several more moments, before speaking up.
“Thank you.”
Sherlock leaned forward and brushed a chaste kiss over his lips, before turning and pushing himself to his feet. He stopped at the end of the couch and their gazes met and held for a long moment, before Sherlock finally left with a tiny smile.
Greg couldn’t hold back his laugh at that and Sherlock pushed himself up, swivelling to face him with a bewildered expression.
“Sherlock,” he said, trying to school his expression into seriousness, “Even if he were straight, which I’m pretty sure he’s not by the way, that’s not a very good defence on your part.”
Sherlock went to protest but Greg held up a hand, silencing him.
“I know you. I’ve seen you, for Christ’s sake, the way you look at him.”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Sherlock,” he said softly, “Just tell him.”
“I don’t -”
“You do. And so does he.”
“What?!”
“I’ve seen the way he looks at you too. I wish you’d just pull your fingers out and shag already.”
Sherlock blinked at him once, twice, and Greg smiled - it was nice to occasionally find a way to silence Sherlock Holmes.
“You don’t...” Sherlock started, cleared his throat and looked away, then continued hesitantly, “You don’t think he’s straight?”
“He’s got a date with Gregson next Tuesday.”
“Gregson?!” Sherlock exclaimed angrily, “When did he -”
Sherlock cut himself off and Greg could see him going through their last crime scene in his head, knew the moment he remembered seeing John and Gregson together. Sherlock had been so wrapped up in his own brilliance he hadn’t even noticed the flirting, the exchange of numbers - and John’s brief, tortured look in Sherlock’s direction as he slipped Gregson’s number into his pocket.
“I think he got tired of waiting, Sherlock,” Greg said sympathetically.
Sherlock looked momentarily lost and Greg squeezed his arm, affection for this ridiculous man overtaking him.
“But he was so shocked by the idea of us being married,” Sherlock murmured, his mind still visibly processing data, memories.
“Sherlock, have you shown any interest in anyone since he moved in with you? Have you been on a date? Have you even flirted with anyone - and I don’t mean as part of an act.”
“No.”
“You’re not the easiest person to read, Sherlock, especially when it comes to things like relationships.”
Sherlock considered this for a moment and then he dropped his somewhat sheepish gaze to the couch. “I may also have told him I was married to my work, and I, err, I may have made my sexual orientation somewhat...ambiguous.”
Greg laughed and Sherlock gave him a crooked smile.
“I haven’t seen you like this in a while,” Greg commented in a low tone, “I was worried about you. I thought you might just cut yourself off completely, focus only on the work.”
Sherlock held his gaze and Greg smiled softly, squeezing Sherlock’s arm once more and releasing it.
“He’s good for you.”
Sherlock watched him for several more moments, before speaking up.
“Thank you.”
Sherlock leaned forward and brushed a chaste kiss over his lips, before turning and pushing himself to his feet. He stopped at the end of the couch and their gazes met and held for a long moment, before Sherlock finally left with a tiny smile.
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