Whisper
John arranged the furniture of the sitting room a bit. He drew both of their armchairs to a corner, and Sherlock opened the fridge to make sure they were stocked.
It was Christmas, and they both had decorated the tree a day before.
They were expecting guests in the evening.
Just when John sat down on the sofa for a moment, the door of their flat barged open.
"Hoo hoo! Come on in, everyone!"
Mrs Hudson had entered the flat and had stepped aside to let Harry and Molly in.
John had invited Harry to their flat this time, instead of going to her place alone, like he usually did.
Another tall, blonde woman - about Harry's height - stepped in and was looking at her expectantly. Probably waiting for Harry to introduce her to everyone.
Harry's girlfriend, John deduced immediately. Three years of relationship with Sherlock had started to rub off on him.
"John," Harry began, looking at both him and Sherlock simultaneously. "This is my girlfriend, Denise."
Denise nodded at John with a polite smile. She was pretty. Harry had told him about her over texts, and the two of them must have been together for almost six months or so, but John had never seen her photos.
"Hello!" Molly said to everyone in the room, but particularly to Harry and Denise as she took off her coat and walked towards the fireplace.
Harry led Denise to the sofa and they sat down together. Close and comfortable. "Merry Christmas!" Denise greeted, looking at Molly.
Everyone exchanged the usual Christmas greetings with each other and the atmosphere had become cosy after a while.
Sherlock was not rolling his eyes at the general socialisation. Surprising. His gaze was just fixed on the fireplace with his face pensive.
John glanced at Harry and Denise once more and smiled.
John walked to the kitchen, opened the fridge, and took out some nice alcohol that he and Sherlock had bought together.
Sherlock had come to the kitchen too. He was taking out the glasses and anything else they all might need from the topmost cabinet.
Sherlock smirked at John with a teasing look in his eyes.
John knew this was another opportunity for his short-height jokes and scoffed. He lightly punched Sherlock's arm and made his way back to the sitting room, breathing deeply with some strange nervousness.
As John placed the bottles on the coffee table, the door of the flat opened again and Lestrade came in.
John exchanged a smile with him and they shook hands as everyone shared the Christmas greetings with him too.
"I was stuck with some paper work in the Yard. I didn't mean to be this late," he said. John waved it off.
Greg walked over to the other corner of the sitting room where Molly was standing. They were so close that their arms were touching.
John turned around to look at Sherlock - who was placing the glasses and other things on the table - with his eyebrows raised.
Sherlock looked up at John and nodded, to acknowledge that whatever he was thinking at the moment was right.
After a few minutes, everyone was helping themselves with the drinks.
Mrs Hudson walked across the room to approach Sherlock and John, who were standing in a corner now, mostly quiet and holding hands.
"Were you two able to manage the dinner?" she asked in a low voice. "Or I can bring something from my flat."
John smiled at the concerned tone and shook his head as he took a sip from his beer bottle.
"We picked something from a shop down the street for everyone. You can stop being nosy tonight," said Sherlock, and John could not help but snort.
Mrs Hudson clapped her hand on his shoulder and walked off with a smile.
"Why don't you play the violin?" John had interlocked his left arm with Sherlock's.
Sherlock pursed his lips as he thought about something. He turned to look at John and nodded. "All right. I'm bored already. Can't wait for the flat to be empty."
"We invited them," said John and chuckled. "Plus you're brilliant at it. Well, you're brilliant at everything you do, but-"
"Yeah, okay," Sherlock cut him off and cleared his throat. John could not possibly get enough of the sight of a flustered Sherlock. He smiled to himself as Sherlock freed his arm and went to the bedroom to get his violin.
John reached for his jeans pocket and felt for a small cubical box, which was still safe.
He and Sherlock had been flatmates for ages, and after a lot of tumbling here and there, they were finally able to have a relationship together.
Three years of being together as a couple was more than enough for John to decide that it was time they made it something permanent.
A week ago, John had gone to a jewelry shop to buy an engagement ring for Sherlock. It was a platinum band and it looked beautiful. Perfect for Sherlock. He had decided to propose to him on Christmas at that time.
Now, John swallowed a bit and his hand jerked with nervousness. John had wanted to propose on a special day, but he had not wanted to do it in front of everyone. This was private, and besides he wouldn't want Sherlock to feel pressured over anything.
He knew this evening was the perfect time, but he was now looking for the right moment to make it discreet and subtle.
John took a deep breath as he gazed fondly at Sherlock emerging from the bedroom, with the violin case in his hand.
"Ooh, look at you! What are you going to play for us, then?" asked Mrs Hudson, making everyone else fall silent and turn to look at Sherlock.
Sherlock took out his violin and bow and walked over to the sitting room window. His preferred spot to play, with or without people listening to him.
Without a word, Sherlock closed his eyes and began to play. He'd started with a carol. Everyone smiled and began to hum with him.
Sherlock always looked gorgeous - even in an old T-shirt and worn out pyjamas.
But watching him play the violin - it was something else. The moonlight from outside hit his face, illuminated it, and once again, John wondered if this was a dream.
Three years of being together and John still could not believe his luck.
John's lips spread slowly to form a smile on his face, his heart swelling up with love.
After a while, that carol was over and everyone in the room clapped with appreciation.
Sherlock turned a bit and looked directly at John for a moment. Facing the window again, he began to play another tune.
John realised it was a Bach's piece. His favourite one, as he had told Sherlock a long time ago. They were not even a couple back then.
John's heart filled up with warmth as he found himself walking across the room to approach Sherlock. Physically drawn to him, as usual.
That was when John knew that it was the right moment.
John stood beside Sherlock, patiently waiting for the violin piece to finish.
Everything was beautiful that night: the night sky as John watched from the window, the Bach's piece that Sherlock was playing, Sherlock himself, and just everything else.
When that piece came to an end, everyone was clapping and cheering for Sherlock again.
Sherlock finally faced everyone in the room and bowed before keeping his violin back in the case.
Within a few moments, people had begun chatting among themselves, and that was it. It was now or never, John thought.
John took out the box from his pocket and made sure nobody looked at him.
Sherlock was on his way to the bedroom. John reached out to him and caught his wrist in his hand, making Sherlock stop in his tracks.
He turned to face John. "What is it?"
John slipped the small box in his hand, away from everyone's eyes.
Sherlock looked down and his jaw dropped a little. He let out a small gasp before checking that no one was paying attention to them.
John grabbed his shoulder and whispered in his ear, "I'd like to marry you. If that's okay."
Sherlock blinked rapidly at first and nodded. John had never seen him nod so eagerly at anything before.
John's face would have split in half with the way he was smiling.
They exchanged a look and wordlessly decided it would be better if they went out for a short walk.
John went to Mrs Hudson, who was talking to Molly at the moment.
"Mrs Hudson, we're going out for a while. We'll be back shortly. Could you please..."
Mrs Hudson must have sensed the urgency, so she held up her hand and waved him off with a nod.
She took John aside, away from everyone's earshot. "I saw the ring, you know," she whispered with a smile.
John flushed up and began to stutter. "I - I'll tell you everything tomorrow. Promise. But I need to go!"
She laughed and let go of his arm before going to Molly again to continue with the chatting.
*
They were out of the flat and climbing down the stairs now, without looking at each other.
Sherlock held the door open for John and they were out in the street.
Finding an obscure alley, John pulled Sherlock by his hand and backed him against the wall.
Sherlock pulled John close by a fistful of his jumper and now they were kissing.
John placed a hand on his waist and grabbed at Sherlock's curls to feel their softness. Sherlock's arms were wrapped tightly around John's back as their lips connected again magnetically.
John poured all his feelings - love, care, devotion, everything - into his kisses and Sherlock was kissing him back with equal passion.
They pulled away after some time to catch their breath.
Sherlock pulled out the box again and put on the engagement ring in front of John. It fitted like a glove. Beautiful.
Sherlock looked up at John again with his striking eyes. "Yes, I'd like that too. Obviously."
John pulled him close and they kissed again.
A moment later, John pulled away finally. "Let's go back," he said and held Sherlock's hand in his own.
"Do we have to?" Sherlock's nose was scrunched.
John laughed. "Yes, we do."
So, Sherlock and John walked back to the flat again, hand in hand, looking forward to the rest of their life.
***
Sherlock September Challenge.
Prompt: Whisper by @onesmallfamily
Tags: @helloliriels @topsyturvy-turtely @gaylilsherlock @lisbeth-kk @keirgreeneyes @a-victorian-girl @peanitbear @lookingforlifeoutthere @missdeliadili @calaisreno @kettykika78 @safedistancefrombeingsmart @totallysilvergirl @curlyjohnlock
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