These Days

Thank God for Hippo Speciality

                  

John POV. John was watching Hamish play around in the yard for a while, longing on the lawn chairs on the deck trying to enjoy the outdoors as much as his sun did. Unfortunately the sun wasn't shining as brightly as it had during the summer, and he couldn't properly relax without a jacket and jeans. John's small little paradise was ruined when Mary came home from wherever she was, driving their stupid van up the driveway and walking out onto the deck. Her pink scarf was tied around her neck her purse was dangling securely from her arm.
"Hello dear." She said happily, swooping down and placing a kiss on John's cheek. He tried his best not to cringe.
"Hi Mary." John muttered, almost with a sigh.
"Have you been out here all day?" she asked.
"How could you tell?" John asked.
"I couldn't, I was just guessing." Mary shrugged.
"Well, I have been. Hamish has been playing around so I decided to join him from afar." John sighed, wishing she would just go away and not bother him anymore.
"Well, I'm going to go start dinner; you and Hamish can join me when you're ready." Mary decided. John nodded stiffly, letting her leave him and finally retreat back into the house. John sighed, but with relief this time as Mary left his presence. He wanted to be with Sherlock instead, to have him by his side, or maybe even playing in the yard with Hamish. John was sure Sherlock would be the world's most pathetic soccer player, but just the fact that he was there would be enough to brighten his day. Hamish was now trying to head butt the soccer ball into the net, either missing terribly or just hitting himself in the face each time. John wondered what Sherlock was doing now, probably just sitting at home, talking to his land lady perhaps, or just staring at a wall. Sherlock seemed to be the type to just sit in a chair and stare at a wall. But right now John wished he had that luxury, to be able to be alone, unjudged and unquestioned and just be with his thoughts. Because if he were alone in his life, he and Sherlock would already be proper partners, maybe even moved in together, but no, Mary was in the way. A solid brick wall with a pink scarf, smiling innocently but making sure John had no happiness in his life.
"You should probably get into your costume soon." Mary said to Hamish as he poked at the broccoli on his plate. He looked up hopefully.
"So I can leave?" he asked excitedly.
"Not until you finish you food." Mary pointed out.
"But I'm not hungry, and I'll have plenty of food later." Hamish defended.
"Eat your vegetables Hamish." John insisted. Hamish groaned, but stuffed the broccoli down his throat and ran to get changed. It was trick or treat night, how on Earth could he forget?
"Am I on candy duty then?" John asked.
"Unless you want to take him around the street." Mary insisted.
"No, no I'll stay here, I hope you stocked up though, remember last year?" John asked, remembering the time they ran out. There were kids waiting at their door all night, banging on it until John just threw them some leftover chicken from the windows.
"You could've just explained to them that you were out." Mary pointed out.
"They were ravenous; they were going to kill me if I showed my face." John insisted. Mary just laughed, taking the plates and carrying them to the sink.
"So did you see any of Hamish's art when you went down with Mr. Holmes?" Mary asked, scraping the excess food off of Hamish's plate.
"Kind of, they didn't hang everything up. But he drew a dragon, which was kind of good I suppose, for a second grader." John shrugged.
"If they didn't hang everything up what took you so long?" Mary asked. John tried his best to look innocent and not to blush.
"Oh, you know, just talking." John shrugged.
"You and that teacher have become pretty good pals I guess." Mary decided.
"Ya, well, he's a pretty cool guy once you get over all of the..."
"Creepiness?" Mary finished.
"You could say that." John sighed. Sherlock really wasn't creepy, he was the most innocent and beautiful man John had ever seen. Maybe he was awkward, but Mary was just being biased.
"Are you at least going to dress up?" Mary asked.
"Um, no." John laughed.
"Hamish would love it." Mary insisted.
"Well, that's his fault. I wore it to the school, that's where I draw the line with public humiliation." John decided.
"Well then, suit yourself, I'm wearing mine though." Mary decided.
"You do that." John muttered, handing her the rest of the dishes and disappearing to go fill up the candy bowl. Trick or treat night was spent sitting on the couch, getting up every other second to go smile and give out candy to all the dressed up kids. They were plenty annoying; all of those stupid plastic masks, taking handfuls of candy each, in the end he was running low once more, but Mary said there was a backup bag in the closet. The parents smiled and the kids just ran away without thanks, their capes or dresses flourishing behind them in the darkness. Finally the crowd slowed down, and John was able to watch TV for a full fifteen minutes before another straggler knocked on the door. Finally Mary and Hamish came home, and the minute they walked into the door John shut off the porch light and hid the bowl of candy, hoping that no other hopeful little children came knocking down his door at this hour. When Mary and Hamish got changed back into normal clothes John was finally able to lay down and get some well-deserved sleep. Sunday passed uneventfully, nothing happened and John was just lost in his thoughts of Sherlock to care about anything else in the world. He was outside on the porch most often, where Mary was least likely to bother him.  And when Monday came he drove Hamish to school, waving at the beauty god on the sidewalk and feeling his face burst into an embarrassing blush.