Nicotine (Sheriarty)

41

Moriarty

On Christmas morning, Jim and Sherlock stayed in bed for longer than they usually would. They were both awake but neither of them said anything.

Jim felt safe next to Sherlock, who had pulled him by his side and wrapped his arms around him as soon as he realised that he was awake. Placing his head on Sherlock's shoulder, Moriarty decided that he wanted to stay there forever. To forget about the world outside and to relax for once.

Jim felt a lump in his throat suddenly. A single tear fell onto the bed sheet but Jim didn't feel it fall. He knew the tears were his but he didn't know why. He wasn't sad... Was he?

Sherlock clearly noticed the water droplet but said nothing. Instead, he trailed his hand down Jim's arm reassuringly.

"Sherlock..." Jim managed to whisper.

"Mmm?"

The man suddenly realised the meaning behind his tear. He was spending his first proper Christmas with the man he loved. It was a happy tear. He was happy. That must be the reason. It had to be.

"Merry Christmas."

"Is it really Christmas?"

Jim nodded slightly.

"When did Christmas stop feeling like Christmas?" Asked Sherlock.

Jim fell silent so Sherlock continued.

"Now Christmas is just another day with no meaning. Why do people focus on Christmas presents and not Christmas presence?"

"Christmas presence?"

"The people you're with. We only get one life on this planet, Jim. One short life," Sherlock paused to sigh, "The main end goal is to have kids but the time in between our death and our birth is ours to control. To me, Christmas is just another day but it's another day I'm still alive on this planet. I see occasions such as this as markers. Checkpoints, even. This will be my 39th Christmas or you could see it as my 39th year on earth."

"When did you become so clever?"

Sherlock just smirked and lightly kissed Jim on the forehead.

"It passes the time."

~

Sherlock sat at the dinning table waiting for the guests to arrive for Christmas dinner. Jim loitered in the doorway wondering how to tell him.

"Sherlock..."

"They're not coming... Are they?"

"No..."

"Oh..."

Jim walked over to where Sherlock was sat and leant on the table.

The truth was, everyone had turned Jim down. Somehow John had managed to persuade everyone that Jim was using Sherlock. Even Mycroft was persuaded by John's lies. Frankly, he was surprised that Mrs Hudson hadn't kicked him out yet.

"Hey, Sherl?" Sherlock didn't look up. Jim placed his thumb on Sherlock's chin and raised his head until their eyes met, "Sherlock. We don't need them, okay? We are going to have the best Christmas without them."

Sherlock kissed Jim's knuckles softly, "Thank you." He whispered into his hands.

"Come on then. Let's go open presents." Jim muttered kissing Sherlock. The man swore he could feel his husbands lips curling into a smile.

As Jim turned to walk away, Sherlock smacked Jim's butt playfully.

"Oh! Cheeky Sherly's come out to play." Jim teased.

As Moriarty grabbed the detectives collar, Sherlock stood up. Jim began to use the collar to direct the man towards the presents.

"You know," Jim stopped suddenly, "this would be a lot easier if you wore a tie."

Sherlock spotted some leftover tinsel on the side and proceeded to drape it around his neck.

Jim smirked and used the tinsel to drag Sherlock into the lounge.

"See how much easier that is?" Jim muttered, licking his lips.

"Would you look at that?" Sherlock whispered looking up at the pathetic stick dangling from the roof, "mistletoe."

Jim wrapped his arms around Sherlock's neck whilst Sherlock snaked his arms around Jim's waist.

"Merry Christmas, Sherl."

"And here's to a happy New Year, Jimmy."

With that, the men kissed under the mistletoe.

~

Sherlock

Jim opened his Christmas present first. He opened the golden wrapping paper to reveal a new suit. He thanked his husband but seemed like he was more excited in Sherlock opening his present.

When he looked, Sherlock found no present under the tree except a card addressed to him.

The man opened the card cautiously. Inside was a pretty generic Christmas card.

"Jim... I..." Sherlock muttered after reading the contents of the card.

"Alright, so I talked to Mrs Hudson and she said it would be fine. I was going to choose you one myself but I thought you should be the one to do it." Jim extended his hand expecting for his husband to take it. "Come on. The shop shuts at 2."

Sherlock looked down at his watch: 1:26. "Which shop?"

Jim rolled his eyes, "the pet shop. C'mon."

~

Moriarty

The men left the pet shop with a few bags full of general pet stuff.

"He's perfect." Sherlock exclaimed like a little kid, kneeling down to pet the animal.

Jim couldn't help but laugh at how cute his husband was, "What are you going to call him then?"

Sherlock thought for a while before finally replying, "Watson."

Jim smiled sadly, "Watson the dog... I like it."

The men stood and looked down at their new pet.

"I love you, Sherlock." Jim whispered under his breath. It needed saying.

"I'm sorry" he added in his head.

~

"Goodnight, Jim." Sherlock muttered, turning off the lamp by his bed.

Jim led in bed for a while, thoughts running round in his head. When he couldn't take it any longer, Jim leant over Holmes and switched the lamp back on.

"Jim? What are you -"

"Don't say goodnight like that." Jim whispered as if he didn't want anyone else to hear.

Sherlock simply gave him a puzzled look.

"Don't say it like you normally say it. Say it as if you won't wake up tomorrow. Like I won't wake up."

"Don't talk like that." Sherlock interrupted.

Moriarty moved so that he was now straddling his husband. He cupped Sherlock's face softly.

"I love you, Sherlock." Jim muttered, hugging Holmes tightly.

"I love you too, Jim." Sherlock replied, trailing his hands up the ex-criminals back.

They stayed this way for a while before returning to their original positions and turning off the lamp once more.

Jim lay in the darkness waiting for his husband's breathing to even out before whispering his final goodbye.

A/N

Merry Christmas (or any other holiday you celebrate) everyone!

-A