Work Text:
A Day’s Perspective
Sherlock had been quite insufferable for the past week refusing to eat, lying despondently on the couch and answering John’s concerned questions in monosyllables.
When coming home to a darkened flat because of the window coverings having been drawn in the middle of the afternoon John’s perspective shifted from annoyed with Sherlock’s overly dramatic tendencies to an honest concern for the continued health of his best friend. While Sherlock could at times be very vocal about his displeasure the times when he turned his focus inwards and subsequently ended up in one of his black moods worried John.
Deciding to try to break Sherlock out of his downwards spiral was easy, but how to actually go about it was less easy. In the end he decided to drag his friend out into the city reasoning that the change of venue might do him some good. This decided he went about his business of finding shoes and a jacket suitable for wandering about outside, for, while the Sun was shining and the spring flowers were starting to come up in the gardens and parks around the city, it was still not what he’d call warm by a long stretch.
Next thing on the agenda was getting Sherlock off the couch and out the door. After much cajoling and threatening to carry him bodily Sherlock stood with a longsuffering sigh and donned his coat , scarf and shoes looking all the while like he should be considered for sainthood for suffering John’s outrageous whims and unreasonable demands. Having expected this outcome John just opened the door and together they left the flat.
Wandering aimlessly around the city looking at people and traffic seemed to soothe Sherlock at least to the point that he no longer complained about being dragged outside. Nearing a park they passed a little café and, at John’s insistence, went inside to get tea in disposable paper cups to bring with them. Finding a bench in the park was easy and luckily they found one in a spot sheltered by trees where the Sun could warm them while sitting and drinking their tea.
After a while Sherlock smiled crookedly at John and asked if he was aware that he should probably be expecting a kidnapping by Mycroft in the near future for taking Sherlock on a Valentine’s Day’s date. At John’s slack jawed expression Sherlock burst out laughing.
“You really didn’t realize today was Valentine’s Day or that this could look like a date to an observer? I know it’s not but...”
Here John interrupted and said; “I’d actually like it to be, so Sherlock, will you be my platonic Valentine’s date? I’ve always understood the whole purpose of the day is to show the most important person in your life that you love them so what do you say?”
“How could I turn away from such an offer? Of course I’ll spend the day with you, but let’s start walking again because I’m starting to get hungry and by the time we get home I’ll be famished.”
That said they ambled along until they passed the Chinese restaurant they’d visited the night of their first joint case.
Picking up take away and returning to Baker Street in companionable silence until John remarked that this was actually one of the most successful Valentine’s Days he’d ever had since no one had argued and he was pleasantly assured that there’s be dinner soon with scintillating company. Quirking a smile at Sherlock, he unlocked the front door, leading the way up the seventeen steps to their shared flat and the warmth inside.
Plating up the food and settling in for the evening in front of the telly Sherlock was surprised to find that the day had actually been very good despite the first half and that perhaps tomorrow would be bearable too as long as he had John by his side.