When Luck Runs Out

No One Likes John

"Sherlock, where have you been?" Mrs. Hudson hissed. She was standing on the sidewalk, looking around for me, obviously.
"Am I needed?" I asked. But the sound of Molly's voice over the microphone answered that question for me, because if they wanted to hear from Molly then they obviously wanted to hear from me. So as I walked onto the stage the stylists all mobbed around me, plucking the stray grass from my pants and the goat hairs from my jacket and brushing back my slightly windblown hair, so that when I stepped onto the bright stage, right in front of the thousands of people who were lined up to see me. As soon as I got out there the crowd exploded, as if I were the only person they so dearly wanted to meet. I smiled sarcastically, trying to look pleasant enough for the audience but also miserable enough for the people who know me to not be fooled. Although I was really not in the mood to be in front of a crowd, John looked really relieved to have company other than Molly on the stage, so I walked right over to him and stood close, not holding hands in case someone would judge us. As if they didn't already know the truth.
"Here he is now, our fellow Victor Sherlock Holmes!" Molly announced, and cheered along with the rest of the crowd.
"Yes, I know, I'm so exciting..." I muttered, making John chuckle beside me.
"Well, it's, um, certainly a pleasure to be here." I lied. I looked at Molly uncertainly, obviously I hadn't read my cards and I had no intention of doing so, so I had no idea what to do next.
"Question and Answer?" Molly whispered. I nodded, and John seemed only too happy to get this over with.
"Alright, we'll take questions now, I guess." John decided, speaking into the microphone very closely, as if worried it wouldn't pick his voice up from a short distance. Immediately the people raised their hands excitedly, like we were the most interesting people in the world.
"You pick first John." I decided. He looked over the sea of hands with slight intimidation; he was obviously quite overwhelmed with the choices, but picked one particularly ambitious person, jumping up and down in the middle of the crowd.
"Are you and Sherlock planning on getting married anytime soon?" it was a teenage girl, what a shock. John and I shared a small glance, as if deciding on how to answer that.
"We're taking it slow, I mean, it's just a ring." John shrugged.
"Far too busy." I added. John nodded, pointing to me as if he was too lazy to repeat my words.
"If there is one, you're bound to know." Molly added. The girl seemed satisfied, squealing to her friend next to her as if that were the best thirty seconds of her life.
"You next Sherlock." John decided. I picked a shy looking older man, knowing he wouldn't be pestering us about our relationship status. Seriously, how do so many people care about our personal life, we were just two normal people with a semi normal relationship status.
"Do you have any idea what the upcoming Quarter Quell will be?" the man asked.
"I know about as much as you all do, which is nothing." I shrugged.
"Even if we knew, I don't know if we'd be allow to share it." Molly pointed out.
"I'd probably forget anyway." I shrugged.
"You'll know soon enough." John assured. We took many more questions, plenty for each of us and even some for all of us, but finally, when we decided we've had enough attention for a while we were excused from the stage to thunderous applause. I'd say we did a pretty good job; I actually smiled and answered questions this time, very unlike my last visit to the Districts. We headed back to the train, thankful to change back into normal clothes and get back to the highly perfumed train cars. The intoxicating scent of roses beat the smell of animal death by a million. We ate a quick dinner (I wasn't all that hungry, considering I knew where most of the food came from now), and John ad I retreated to the back car, where there were large glass windows that we could see the passing forest through. I guess they decided they didn't want to be late for another district, so we were on the move as soon as the doors closed. I was feeling very peaceful, lying on the long, curved couch. John lay on the other end, so that the top of our heads touched ever so slightly. It was very relaxing, hearing the train breaking through the wind and the wheels ever so slightly running along the rails. Molly claimed the train was silent, but if you were very silent and very close to the tracks you could hear the wheels sliding around down there, propelling our little bullet train along to the next District.
"So, ready for nine?" I asked.
"I don't even know what nine does." John admitted.
"Grain. I only know that because last year I wanted to go run through the wheat and hide so that they'd never find me. By this point I was so done I'd rather be fertilizer than something people oh and awe at." I shrugged.
"I know how you feel." John agreed.
"No you don't." I insisted.
"True." John sighed.
"You've got it good John, you've got me, I had no one, I wasn't even very close to Molly or Mrs. Hudson back then. I was so lonely." I admitted.
"Well maybe it's good that you're going on another one, just to show that it's not all as terrible as I'm sure you thought it was." John decided.
"I don't know, it's pretty crappy." I insisted.
"You've always got such a positive outlook on things don't you?" John laughed, trying to ruffle my hair but instead slapping me in the face since we were lying opposite each other. I just laughed though, slapping his arm away.
"Always John." I agreed.
"Has Molly ever had a boyfriend?" John asked.
"Not that I know of. She's a bit of a lone ranger if you ask me, married to her work and schedules." I decided.
"I thought you said she fancied you." John pointed out.
"I was under that impression yes, she claims that it's a lie, I'm still not convinced." I decided.
"Well, I hope she knows she's got no chance." John insisted.
"Oh, so you think you're the one for me do you?" I laughed.
"I thought you were as straight as your hair." John pointed out.
"Well, I suppose you're right. But even if I was into women I would never go out with Molly, she's more of a sister than anything." I decided.
"Good." John decided.
"There is absolutely no competition for you John, not to worry." I assured.
"And neither for you." John agreed.
"Honestly I think the only reason we would have to split apart is the Capital." I decided.
"What do you mean?" John asked.
"Well, say Snow is homophobic? Or his grandmother insists that we're sinning, or the people start rising up against him because it seems like we're making a statement, that you could just do anything you want without punishment. Then Snow would get involved and pry us apart like a crow bar." I pointed out.
"Like that would actually work." John laughed.
"Of course it won't, but I'm just saying they might try." I pointed out.
"Just know that even if Snow locks up in cells on different planets, there is absolutely no way I'm ever going to stop loving you." John insisted.
"Oh stop it you." I muttered, blushing even though it was a legitimate complement. It just felt good to hear someone say that, he'd never leave me; he'd always love me, no matter what I did.
"If you tried to shoot me I'd clean the gun, load the bullets, and aim it for you." I agreed.
"That was a horrible metaphor Sherlock, why would I ever shoot you?" John asked.
"I don't know." I laughed. "I mean that even if you completely turn your back on me that I'd let you do it, because I would never deny you anything, even if it meant my own demise." I decided.
"You are one failed romantic." John decided.
"Oh come on, that's sweet!" I defended.
"You had to explain it!" John laughed.
"Oh stop being so difficult." I groaned. John just sighed, and I just stared at the ceiling with a goofy smile on my face, so glad to have such an idiot as a boyfriend, so happy that even me and my failed romance was enough to make him laugh, that I wouldn't get in trouble for not buying him chocolate or a big diamond. See, if I were with some girl she'd already be trying to pick out baby names. Not John though, he wanted to go nice and slow, just like me, let me ease into this new concept of having a relationship, not doing anything I was uncomfortable with, understanding that the only relationship I've ever had was with my parents, and that didn't really turn out well. John and I were soul mates, it was undeniable, and the fact that we happen to meet when both of our times were in dire need, that was just magical.