No Conditions (Johnlock)

John

The house is filled with a million wonderful smells. John's mom has taken Christmas week off of work and she is baking and cooking and decorating. The only thing that manages to get the boys out of bed is the announcement of a new batch of cookies, or other types of food or drink. 

They crawl down the stairs wrapped in blankets and hoodies with empty mugs in their hands, ready to be filled again with some sort of Christmas tea, coffee, or hot chocolate.

"Can you believe it's Christmas Eve already?" John's mom exclaims when they walk into the kitchen after an announcement of gingerbread men.

"Nope." John says and Sherlock shakes his head, taking a cookie and biting off the head.

'What have you boys been doing upstairs this last week? You two are awfully secluded."

Sherlock tries to hide a smile and John stifles a laugh as they remember the events of the past week. Laying in bed, being in bed, but not laying, laying, but not in bed. Since they finished their TV series, so they had nothing to do. Except... be in bed, and that led to more... And more and more. 

Just thinking about it makes John want it, so he has to wrap the blanket around his bottom half, which almost causes Sherlock to burst out laughing.

Their mom turns around from the oven and shakes her head. "I'll never understand boys." She's been so much happier since their dad left, and John is grateful for her cheery attitude. Especially around Christmas. This is the first Christmas without Harry, and John hates to admit it, but this is the best Christmas holiday he's had in years. 

They wander with a plate of cookies to the living room, where a fake tree is covered in cheap ornaments, and there is tinsel droppings all around the tree. Along with a few presents, one of which John wrapped for Sherlock and another which they did together for their mom. There are 2 packages with John and Sherlock's name on them, but no package from Sherlock for John. John shrugs it off, and turns on the TV, the two of them cuddled under the big blanket. They watch Christmas special after Christmas special on the telly, until it's dark out and the streetlamps illuminate the falling snow.

John falls asleep, his head resting on Sherlock's chest, and their mom bids Sherlock goodnight as she turns off the kitchen light and walks up the stairs. When the water stops running, and the bedsprings creak, Sherlock removes the blanket from them and scoops John up effortlessly in his arms. He walks up the stairs, and lays John in their bed, pulling the covers up over him, then moving into the bed himself.

John, half asleep, turns and cuddles up to Sherlock, his head on his chest and arms around his torso.

"I love you John Watson."

Groggily, John responds.. "I love you too Sherlock Holmes."

They fall asleep, and wake up the next morning, slightly confused but then wish each other a Merry Christmas. John leans in and kisses Sherlock. Sherlock kisses back and John pulls the covers around them tighter, keeping the warm air in. 

"Does your mom know about us?" Sherlock asks quietly and John shakes his head.

"She probably assumes but we haven't told her yet."

Sherlock nods and kisses John again. "Should we go downstairs?"

John nods and pulls on flannel pajama pants before leaving the room. It smells like pancakes and bacon, and when they go downstairs, John mom welcomes them with hugs and hearty, "Merry Christmas!"'s.

"This is amazing!" Sherlock says, looking at all the food spread before them.

"Mom, you know there's only 3 of us right?" John laughs as he forks some pancakes, bacon and fruit onto his plate.

She just laughs and takes some food as well. "Why don't we eat in the living room? I want to give you your presents."

John feels a jump inside, and he suddenly feels as if his gift for Sherlock isn't enough.

Mrs. Watson sits cross legged in front of the tree and pulls 2 presents from the bottom, handing one to John and one to Sherlock.

John's is a handknit maroon jumper, with a big 'J' on the front. John puts it up to his chest to see how it fits and he smiles. "Mom, I have no idea when you had the time to make this, but it's wonderful! Thank you."

Sherlock's is sky blue with a big 'SH' printed on front and is also hand knit. He slips it over his head, over the T-shirt he's wearing and smiles. "Thank you Mrs. Watson!"

"How many times do I have to tell you Sherlock? Call me Mary!"

Sherlock smiles a shy smile and look at his hands, running his finger over his tattoos.

John reaches under the tree to grab the present they wrapped together for John's mom. "This is from both of us." She opens it and is delighted to see the oversized mug and packages of specialty teas.

"Thank you both!" She gives them hugs, then sits expectantly. Probably waiting to see them exchange gifts.

"Me first?" John says, and reaches under the tree to get his present for Sherlock.

He unwraps it, and looks confused at the historic novel, giving John a quizzical glance.

"I thought we'd read it together over the break."

Sherlock nods and smiles. "That sounds like a great idea." He places the novel aside and his face lights up when he sees the science book. He excitedly flips through it, wonder on his face, until he remembers and climbs over to hug John.

They almost swear that they hear a soft 'awe' from Mrs. Watson, but she denies that the sound came from her.

Sherlock smiles and climbs over John, reaching behind the tree to grab a small, long, rectangular package and hands it to John. He unties the red ribbon that's tied around the greyish silver box, and then pulls it open.

He can't believe his eyes! It's a silver chain, identical to the one that Sherlock always wears!

"Oh my god, Sherlock!" He feels tears coming to his eyes, and he crawls toward Sherlock, hesitating a second before placing his lips on his boyfriend's. Sherlock's hand comes to John's hair and they stop when they remember that there's a mom in the room.

Looking to where she was sitting, she's no longer on the ground, but on her feet, and prancing around like a doe. "I knew it!" She squeals. "I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!"

John shakes his head, and Sherlock helps him fasten the chain around his neck, and John touches it lightly, watching it shimmer in the red and white Christmas lights on the tree.

"I'm going to go make tea." Their mom says quietly when John places his lips on Sherlock's again. She leaves the room and Sherlock takes the opportunity to deepen the kiss, nothing to interrupt them, and nothing to hinder the kiss.

Minutes later, they hear the kettle screaming from the kitchen, so they break apart and move to the couch, draping a blanket over the 2 of them. When Mrs. Watson comes in with 2 mugs of steaming hot chocolate, she also brings a plate of cookies, then leaves to go upstairs. Probably napping or reading.

Sherlock and John do the same.

"'1876, Dubois Wyoming. She pulls the wounded warrior off her horse, dragging him in the dust to the saloon...'" John looks up to see snow drifting outside, feels the steaming mug in his hands, and the soft crunch of his boyfriend eating a gingerbread cookie next to him. The soft, worn pages of the book, the fuzzy blanket overtop both of them and the hand of his boyfriend on his leg. Looking at the words on the book, he doesn't stop reading until it's too dark to see the words, and John's voice is croaky.

He smiles as Sherlock yawns next to him and lays on his chest. John puts the book on the coffee table and transitions to laying on the couch. He feels the silver chain around his neck.

"Sherlock?" He asks quietly.

"Yes, John?"

"This was the best Christmas I've had in years."

"Me too John." Sherlock leans up to kiss his boyfriend and he kisses back. They kiss until they fall asleep, the snow silencing the world. The world that is perfect, joyous, and the best world that either boy has ever lived in.