Chapter Text
John woke up with a headache blooming behind his eyes –he’d gone out for drinks with Greg, Sally and Mike after his divorce was finalized. He refused to open his eyes knowing that the light would only increase his suffering, so instead he tried to remember where he was and how he got there. John recalled Sherlock being away on a case, so he wasn’t at Baker Street, and the soft bed he was laying on definitely wasn’t Mike’s lumpy couch. The doctor attempted to open his eyes but hissed and reclosed them as they first touched the light. While he reopened them, slowly this time, he remembered Molly picking up Greg and decides he must be in Sally’s guest room. However once his eyes adjusted to the blinding brightness, he spotted a familiar watch on the nightstand across from him.
John bolted upright, which caused the pounding in his head to worsen beyond imagination, and he picked up the watch while repeating one phrase in his mind.
Nononononononono
As he flipped over the watch and read the inscription, John felt the contents of his stomach rush into his mouth. He glanced around with wide eyes before spotting a trashcan in the corner. Kneeling over it, John let himself heave bile and beer out of his system.
How could he have been so stupid?! John berated himself silently.
He went back to re-examine the watch and this time he noticed the pain reliever and glass of water that had been placed beside it. With little hesitation he took the pill and chugged back the water, which helped to wash away the taste of vomit from his mouth. After a few deep breaths John sat on the bed and looked at the engraving once more.
The beginning of forever
xoxo, John
Either someone was playing a cruel joke or John was about to have another person come back from the dead.
The sound of dishes clattering outside the room, followed by light footsteps, interrupted his thoughts. John became aware that he was only in his pants and a t-shirt and he contemplated wrapping himself in the sheet. Before he could decide, the smell of toast and coffee flooded the room as the door opened.
“You’re awake.”
“You’re alive,” John replied.
Jim chuckled and put a tray of food on the nightstand on the opposite side of the bed, “Surprise, Johnny-boy.”
John jumped up, only to be reminded of his hangover. He sat back down and glared up at the Irishman, “You took a bullet to the face.”
“Yes and Sherly jumped off a building.”
“You strapped a bomb to me!”
Jim crossed his arms and scowled, “You broke up with me.”
“You told me my new flatmate was your enemy and that you were the mastermind behind the world’s most dangerous criminal enterprise.”
“You wouldn’t move in with me once you realized you couldn’t afford more than that shite room the military gave you!” Jim was yelling and his nostrils were flaring.
“I didn’t want to overwhelm you.”
“I wanted you to! John, I needed you to.”
John opened his mouth to respond but Jim cut him off with a raised hand, “Let’s not fight. Just have breakfast with me, please.”
If Jim said please, John knew it was important to the man. He felt the fight drain out of him and so John nodded and relaxed into a sitting position on the bed. Jim moved to sit beside him and soon the pair were sitting close enough that John could feel the body heat radiate off the man despite making no actual contact.
“Coffee for me, black, and tea for you, milk but no sugar. Oatmeal and fruit for me, eggs and toast for you,” Jim beamed as he handed John a plate and a mug.
“Jim, you have an eidetic memory. It’s not impressive that you remember how I take my tea,” John teased, the smile on his face giving away that he wasn’t serious.
The two ate in silence and sipped at their drinks. John desperately wanted to say something but Jim was being very agreeable and he didn’t want to spark a fight. In the past, before John knew the truth about Jim, the doctor never feared upsetting the Irishman. They’d bicker and Jim would go for a walk for an hour then return and they’d talk out whatever problems they were having. However, now John wondered how many people died because he had made the criminal angry.
“Congratulations.”
“I’m sorry?”
“Your divorce,” Jim explained, “I didn’t like you being with such an unpredictably dangerous person.”
John snorted, “As opposed to you?”
Jim put down his drink and stared straight at John, “I only have one predictability and that is that I will always protect you from the world.”
The doctor held his tongue and took a long sip of his tea before eating the last bit of toast.
“Are you moving back into Baker Street?” Jim attempted to sound casual but John could hear the bitterness.
“Perhaps. Not fit for a child though so there’s that. Don’t want Beth getting hurt when it’s my weekend for her.”
“My flat is easily childproofed.”
John only hummed in acknowledgement before he glanced around and spotted his clothes folded on a chair, “You undressed me?”
“Not as much as I wanted to.”
The blond stood out of the bed, mindful that Jim was blatantly eyeing his arse, and moved to put on his clothes.
“Will you not stay?”
With a sigh, the fully dressed man turned to the criminal lounging in bed, “You said you’d protect me from the world, but who will protect me from you?”
Jim’s mouth flattened into a line as he grimaced and watched John leave.