Through sickness and health

Chapter 3

Sherlock purrs and snuggles closer to John's torso. He shivers from the cold and from John's tender touch. Sherlock smiles despite feeling horrible and coughs, shaking both of their bodies. "John I don't want to get you sick." Sherlock says though he doesn't want him to leave. John strokes his head more and says, "I'm a doctor I don't get sick." Sherlock hums a reply and nuzzled deeper into John's warm jumper.

John makes Sherlock drink some water after his coughing fit and pulls him closer to his chest then pulls the blankets tighter around him to keep him warm and stop his shivers. Sherlock shamelessly snuggles into John's chest, clutching John's jumper in his fist like a small child would. "I don't think you'll be working at the Yard tomorrow." John mumbles into Sherlock's hair. Sherlock grunts in response and sleepily tries to bury further into John's chest. John smiles slightly at this and risks a soft kiss on the detectives forehead.

Sherlock lays as still as possible, hopefully convincing John that he was asleep. Sherlock's heart flips at the doctors tiny kiss. He Wass met with a strange thought that he would want more of those kisses from John. But maybe when Sherlock feels better he'd experiment with the sentiment stirring in his stomach. He falls asleep, wondering how he was ever able to before without John holding him.

Sherlock falls asleep wrapped around John and John begins to trace his fingers lightly up and down Sherlock's side beginning to feel sleepy himself. He knows he needs to get up and pay Mrs Hudson this months rent and do the dishes from the night before and do the paperwork sent home with him from work and clean up the mess Sherlock made under the kitchen table with one of his crazy experiments. But he can't bare to tear himself away from Sherlock. He can't tear himself from the warmth and safety and love he feels in this moment. Minutes pass as John decides whether or not to get up and do his chores and he ends up falling asleep deciding. In their sleep they both unconsciously hold each other tighter.

- - - - -

Sherlock fever dreams of him and John going on a dangerous case. Him and Watson stand in an abandoned wearhouse, gun in hand, searching for a killer. Suddenly a bullet rip past Sherlock and finds its mark on John. His John. Fear and anger run through Sherlock's body as he grabs John's falling body. Sherlock's eyes swell with tears as he tries to apply pressure to John's wound but nothing works and bloody oozes quickly out of his body. John places a hand over Sherlock's and smiles through his emence pain up the the detective. He smiles and brushes John's hair away from his face and kisses him as tears slide down his cheeks. John smiles and Sherlock watches s the once bright flame flickers and goes dark. Sherlock shakes himself awake and finds actual tears on his cheeks. He rubs his face against his pillow and realises it's a sleeping John. He clings to his warm jumper and tries to fall back asleep but can't.

John stirs in his sleep and slowly wakes to Sherlock crying quietly into his jumper, trying to hide his face. "Sherlock?" John says a hand rubbing Sherlock's back comfortingly. John looks over at the clock that reads 6:14a.m. which means they successfully slept through the night. "Sherlock what's wrong?" He says tilting Sherlock's chin up to see his face. "It's nothing. I'm fine." Sherlock mumbles not looking at John's face. "Sherlock look at me." John soothes. Reluctantly Sherlock meets John's eyes and John sees his eyes bloodshot from crying. "Your not fine," John says, "tell me what's wrong." "It was just a bad dream, it's okay." Sherlock mumbles then buries his face into John's neck. "Do you want to talk about it?" Sherlock shakes his head and tightens his arms around John. John understands, he has nightmares himself and would prefer not to talk about them. So he doesn't push Sherlock, just slowly presses his lips to Sherlock's forehead a second time.

Sherlock feels his cheeks heat again as John's lips touch his forehead. Sherlock made a mental note to get sick more often. He feels weak. John saw him cry about him. The detective could never imagine his life without John. His John. Sherlock hopes he'll never have to and snuggles closer to John and tries to stifle his tears. He never knew John to be so sweet and caring. Sherlock saw John date girl after girl but never showing this much affection. It made Sherlock feel like he actually mattered. "I'm sorry I'm ruining you jumper John. I know how much they mean to you." Sherlock laughed at his own joke. John smiles. "That's quite alright Sherlock. I've got plenty." John pushes a stray curl behind Sherlock's ear and traces his fingers down the sharp shape of his cheek bone.