Wonder boy (A Sherlock love story)

Introductions part II

"So. America?" John awkwardly offered into the tender silence in the back of their London cab. Somewhere along the way of the three hopping a previously designated cab and leaving the airport, tensions had grown thick and means of conversation, thin.

"Well... Yeah." Jack answered gladly. She was all too aware of the ever-growing sensation of her two legs pressed rather unceremoniously against John's and the right-side door.

"Oh, John, don't be relatable." Sherlock was quick to scoff at such behavior.

"I'm sorry, Sherlock. Is there something that you would rather me entertain Jack, here with this evening?"

"The weather? Mrs. Hudson's odd- smelling ankle cream? Police violence? For God's sake, your blog, even. Just please, John. No nation- relative jibber- jabber." John waited a beat before responding with a small, amused smile.

"Okay. Say, Jack. How about the weather at Standford?"

"Oh just stop it." Sherlock interrupted. In the midst of the new silence Sherlock had just implemented, Jack nudged John.

"I got this." She mouthed to him.

"So Sherlock."

"What?" Sherlock jumped.

"Are you always this concerned about how John talks to people? Women, in particular."

"Jack!" John almost choked. Sherlock's breath hitched as he turned as well as he could, towards Jack.

"What, John? It's an honest question!" Jack justified, laughing. "Hey. I'm new. I'm allowed to ask questions."

"Yes. Honest ones. Not those types of vulgar questions, only directed towards the hope of an uncharacteristic response from me."

"But it is an honest question." Jack leaned over John just enough so that she could look into Sherlock's serious blue eyes with her calm, curious,  greens. Sherlock held her stare for reasons he couldn't place and sighed. He leaned back, somehow, frustratingly unwilling to break her gaze. "Well?" Jack pressed on quietly.

"Well..." Sherlock began. "Yes. I am always quite particular about the way in which John and anyone in my general vicinity converse, especially those who I deem valuable to me.  For I firstly, have quite a reputation to uphold and I secondly,  perhaps most presently, hate triviality." He finished breathlessly.  Jack blinked a few times. 

"Nutcase." She thought aloud. John gave her a surprised but overall disapproving look. "Oh no. Wait.  Sorry. I didn't actually mean it. " Sherlock scrunched up his face as if to tell her that it didn't matter. "Really."

"Mm- mm." Sherlock shook his head.

"I just think out loud sometimes. "

"Same here."

"Being a psychology major, and all-"

"No fowl. " Sherlock assured her quietly. Jack sighed.

"Sorry. " The cab once again,  fell silent.  John let out air he had no idea he'd been holding in his lungs as the other two passengers awkwardly gazed out of either window, eager to take tensions off of one another.

"Erm.. I don't mean to interrupt anything." A very animated voice said as the cab driver turned around. "But, you do realize that we've stopped moving." He watched Sherlock and Jack with his expectant hazel eyes.

"Yes. So? You're the cabbie. Take us where we wish to be taken. Don't waste our time." Sherlock countered argumentatively. The cab driver turned back around and laughed. "There's hardly anything funny about the situation."

"I'm sorry, mate. But you told me to take you to 221 Bakerstreet, yeah?" Jack caught the cab driver's hazel stare in the rear view mirror.

"Yes. It doesn't surprise me how you didn't hear that the first time." Sherlock nonchalantly included. The cab driver never faltered.

"Well, we're here." He said politely, his hazels squinting so that Jack could tell he was smiling like a fool.

"What do you mean, "We're here"?" Sherlock began to become impatient.

"Um.. Sherlock..." Jack addressed him questioningly. Sherlock's head snapped towards her, his eyes immediately changing. Somewhat softening. "221 Bakerstreet?" Sherlock's shoulders dropped as he nodded. Jack looked out of the window. She pointed to the flat on her right side. "That it?"

Sherlock rolled his eyes and turned so that he was facing the familiar flat. Wordlessly, Sherlock inhaled deeply,  pulling his key out of his pocket, opened the door,  and poured out into the street towards 221. Trenchcoat cutting through the air like a kite.

John covered his face with his hands and puffed air through his nostrils. He was absolutely.. Well... What was the opposite of thrilled? Whatever it was,  he was definitely that.

"Hey- John-" Jack started to tap John on the shoulder, but was cut off by her own unbearable snickers which led to a complete fit of giggles. John looked up from his position to witness Jack's manic decent into blissful,  temporary madness. Also catching the delight of the hazel- eyed man who drove the cab,  John turned away. Blushing madly, John joined the laughter, after a beat, making eye-contact with Jack as she lay on the verge of crying.

~~~John's POV~~~

I slid a hand over my face as Sherlock idiotically vacated the cab.

That Sherlock. He was... exquisite, if I were to put a word to it. A word differing from the usual lot- weird,  stupid,  introverted, psychopathic, etc.

"Hey- John -" Jack lightly tapped at my shoulder before she suddenly erupted with an enormous fit of untamed laughter. I watched her laugh,  as somehow, she exuberated such a brilliant electricity when she did so.

The cabbie and I, myself were no match for her magnificent radiance.  Catching the cabbie's glance,  I looked away.  Her spirit was of all things,  contagious, and I found myself longing to know more of it, as I caught the gaze of this unprecedented woman.

The laughter soon after died,  and the cabbie made a move towards me.

"He wasn't paying me, was he?" He stuck his thumb up behind him in reference to the tall idiot we'd been laughing after.

"No, mate.  Of course not. " I smiled and fished him the money from my pocket.

"You have a lovely evening, you lovely young lady."  The cabbie said as he took the money from my hands and watched Jack try to tow all of her things out of the car.

"Thanks. She'll keep your blessings." I grabbed her bags and spoke for her. Something simply drove me to. I'd only met Ms. Jacqueline Flourence hours ago, but I was already in line for her fan club, and I wasn't the only one.