Want to bet on it? (John/Moriarty)

John frowned when his friend dismissed him so quickly. It was always like that when he tried to go any deeper, Sherlock would shut him out. He wasn't going to argue though, not now at least.
"Very well," he said, standing up, moving towards his bedroom.

"Good night, Sherlock," he muttered, silently wondering if the fact Sherlock had refused to reply to his request of support was something he should worry about.

He took out his phone and couldn't help the smile when he read Jim's text.
Brilliant. Will see you later. -JW


((Sounds good! Yes yes! How about we get Jim and John alone for a while so they can be all romantic together and then bam comes Sherlock ruining everything? We can skip to that by the way))

((Yes! My thoughts exactly. Skipping there in this post! Shall I keep doing Sherlock, or do you want to move him around as well? ))

The next day Sherlock was up early, well in fact he had never went to bed. He'd been thinking and worked out a perfect plan. It might be a bit risky, but it was worth the try. For the rest of the day he noticed John avoiding him a little bit. Sherlock was sitting on the kitchen table, busy trying to prove one of the most famous scientists wrong. So far he was succeeding.

Once evening arrived he started to notice the small nervous habits John had. He was constantly checking his phone, touching the back of his head occasionally. Doubting his clothes. Sherlock could only roll his eyes at it. "John." He called out and hopped off the chair once he saw John putting his coat on. They hadn't spoken much, just one work conversations. "You want dinner." "No." "Are you going to be doing this all day?" "Yes." that was all. "John." He repeated, swallowing loud. "At least try to keep my words in the back of your mind." He said, making sure he kept their conversation fresh in his flatmate's mind. That being said he let John leave.

Once he saw him stop a taxi, he took his phone. "On his way. -SH" He text to a few people in his homeless network. It wouldn't take them long to tell Sherlock where John would get out.

--

James woke up, reading John's text. He had decided not to answer it since he did not want to come across too greedy. After a few meetings James returned home to take a shower and get dressed. The nerves were already taking their part. He laughed at his own feelings, after meeting up with some dangerous criminals earlier, he was now nervous to meet his ex boyfriend.

Dressed casually but stylish he took one last look at himself in the mirror. White V neck shirt and black trousers. Worked perfect. His hand brushed over his hair once more, now he was ready to go.

The pub wasn't that far away. 15 minutes if the traffic wasn't being a pain. Somehow he hoped John had not arrived just yet, he never liked being second. James entered the pub, eyes scanning for that one familiar face. John wasn't there yet. Good.

James ordered a drink already, as he sat down in the left corner of the pub. The table was a bit out of sight, he couldn't stand snoops. His hands tapped down on the wooden table while his eyes were fixed on the door. Every time it opened he hoped it would be John. After the 4th time, the face he'd been waiting for turned up, automatically making him smile. Wow, John looked so good.

((I like your Sherlock ^^ but if you need help I can move him a bit as well ^^ ))

"I always consider what you tell me," he answered Sherlock, trying not to sound annoyed. He checked himself one last time in the mirror before finally going away, he wasn't going to get handsome just because he wanted to, so he gave up, hurrying to get a cab.

When he got to the pub he felt butterflies burst in his stomach in anticipation. Sherlock's words came back to him, but he knew there was nothing he could do to change what he was feeling now.
No matter how much he told himself not to rush into things, his heart skipped a beat when he met Jim's eyes.

He was beautiful. He was sexy. He was even more of what John remembered.

"Hello there," he said, moving closer, failing miserably when he tried to sound confident.
"You are killing me with this... you look even better than yesterday..." he tried to joke.

John stood up to welcome John. Should they shake hands? Kiss on the cheek? He felt both would lead into something very awkward, so he banned those thoughts and decided to let his instinct take over.

His cheeks flushed red at John's comment and he could easily tell his ex lover the same. "Hey eh, thanks." He said, scanning his eyes over John. "You're looking gorgeous." He complimented the man. He hadn't sound this gay in ages, though he did not care about it.

James went sitting down again, subtly shoving his chair a bit closer to John's.
"I'm glad you came.. I though you might perhaps second guessed things." He admitted, trying to get some sort of conversation starting. "You want a drink? They're on me tonight." He said already raising his hand to call the waitress.

John looked at him strangely at the compliment, he just wasn't used to getting any, he knew his looks were rather ordinary. He wasn't going to question Jim's kindness though. "Thank you," he said simply, sitting down, noticing how the other man moved his chair closer and grinning.

"Not at all, I was looking forward to it... Even if it turns out being awkward at the end, I think it will be worth it," he muttered amiably. "I have been thinking about where you might be for years..." He admitted honestly.

"It is a bit weird, isn't it? Meeting after so long... It's nostalgic..." He laughed a bit. "Also you paying for my drinks feels rather nostalgic... I work now though, I can afford buying my own," he muttered amused.

"How about sharing a bottle of wine?" He suggested, even though it felt a lot like a date-thing to do

James just smiled towards John. The same all low self esteem when it came down to his looks. James never understood, John was fit. No, do not think about that now. No no.. Damn it, James.

"It doesn't have to be awkward. Just old friends catching up." He tried to make it sound less odd then it probably did. "Well.. I went to Ireland." He nodded, agreeing on his own words. "Family business fell apart. After I decided to..." What should he tell John? He decided to murder everyone who got in his way? "Travel the world." He continued. At least he was not lying, he did travel the world, just not with the same purpose most people would.

"I'm sorry. Old habits never die I guess." He joked as John turned his offer to pay for the drinks down. "But whine sounds just fine." He agreed, ordering one just a few seconds later.

"So.. Work? You're a lab assistant?" He asked as if he did not know who Sherlock was and what John's part in the detective's life was. Though, James had always thought they were just colleagues, nothing more.

--

At Baker Street Sherlock was impatiently twirling his phone. What was taking them so lo- *beep beep* Ah, perfect timing!

Eagerly Sherlock opened the new text message showing him the exact pub John and his ex boyfriend had decided to meet up. Marvelous. Sherlock hated pubs, crowded pubs, pubs where he did not know the owner. But it was all worth it.

Already he was putting his coat and scarf on, skipping down the stairs and calling a cab as soon as he got outside.

Old friends catching up
He couldn't help looking at Jim when he said that, his cheeks burning red without his control, of course, this was /not/ a date, they were going to be friends, but somehow it was not all, at least not for John. Even though he had been the one suggesting it.
He already wanted Jim.

"Of course, yes, shouldn't be awkward," he mumbled, even though he knew it would be if he kept acting like a teenager in love. Jim surely wouldn't take that well.

"Your family business fell apart?" He looked at him surprised, forgetting his insecurities for a while. "But I can tell you are still well off just by your clothes..." He muttered, and then blinked surprised at his question.

"No, actually, I am a... well... a doctor... The army paid for my degree, I got injured in Afghanistan..." He leaned on the table, smiling at Jim. "Now I help Sherlock sometimes... I am sure Molly told you all about him..."

And then he remembered. "Mm... Molly's your girlfriend?" He blurted out, even though he knew he had no right to ask. "I know it's none of my business..." He added sheepishly.

James sighed loud, he didn't feel like talking about his family at all. "Yea... I went to university and got myself a good job. Management function." That was all he wanted to say.

"A doctor? Waw.. I would have never guessed." He said, approving on the fact John had managed to get so far even though he had been struggling so hard. " Injured?" A sudden wave of panic hit him even though he could tell John was okay. "Are you okay now?" He did not wanted to come across as nosy, so he skipped asking what happened. Beside, he did not wanted to talk about the past all of the time. His hand rested on the wooden table, itching to grab the other's one. But he could fight off the inappropriate feeling.

James laughed when John asked what was up between and Molly, looking down at his own lap for a second. "No, no not at all." He assured John, flattered about the little edge of jealousy he could detect. "I ... You know, this will sound obsessed." He said, still laughing slightly. "I needed someone to get close to you. I did not want to force you into meeting me again. That's why I tried it that way. And Molly..." He shrugged, still smiling. "She couldn't keep her mouth shut about Sherlock."

At that point the wine arrived and the waitress poured them both a glass. James picked his one up and held it in front of him. "To us." He said, only realizing he had said /us/ after he had actually said it.

John could tell Jim wasn't keen on talking about his family, he had never met them, even back then, but he knew they had a big company who used own half their native town. It didn't matter though, there was no reason to annoy Jim with questions.

"I know, who would have known right?" he said, and grinned, it was something he was actually very proud of. "I was such a messed up teenager, had no idea I would become so ordinary and proper growing up... well, the army did have a lot to do with that..." he said with a shrug.

He noticed the worry in the other's eyes, and shook his head. "It's nothing... I mean... it was rather bad then, I got shot to the shoulder... again the shoulder, can you believe it?" he laughed a bit, thinking about his accident with his sister, the one only Jim knew about now that both his parents were dead. "And then when I was at the hospital the wound got infected, I was weak and delusional with fever for months, they thought I was going to die..." he explained, even though he didn't take it too seriously now. "Clearly, I didn't die... my leg is still bad at times, but it's all in my head... just like back then..."

He saw the other's hand twitch, he wished he could touch it, but he knew it was way too early for that, and he was scared Jim wouldn't want that at all.

His thoughts were suddenly halted by the revelation of what was behind Molly and Jim's relationship.
"What?" he couldn't help exclaim. "You mean... you..." his eyes moved on the other's face for a while. "You looked for me? Now? After 15 years?" he couldn't believe his ears.

He felt his heart beat faster, he gripped the glass with the wine in his hand, feeling chastened by the presence of the waitress.
He turned towards him after she was gone.
"You thought I wouldn't want to see you again?" he muttered, not even noticing the awkwardness of cheering to 'us'.
He just repeated it softly, clinking his glass with Jim's and then sipping his wine, waiting for the answer to his many questions.

"Seems like your shoulder is a beloved target." He tried to brush of the heaviness of John's story. There was no need to unnecessarily drag both their moods down. "I'm glad you're okay now." He said.

James felt a bit caught in the act and turned as red as their wine, though he wasn't going to let his voice give it away completely. "I did indeed." He said confident. "I never stopped looking for you." he said a bit softer.

"I entertained the possibility of you not wanting to see me again." He had to admit. If John had turned him down on this one, the consequences were all his. James sipped his wine in order to keep more confessions from coming out. He'd end up confessing his still strong love for this man if he kept going on like he was.

"I am glad to still be here myself," he said with a grin, knowing very well it hadn't always been like that. "It had been hard for a while, especially after the war... but I met Sherlock, and things turned to the best," he explained as if it was the easiest thing in the world.

John's eyes widened, he really couldn't believe his ears. Could it be true? "I had no idea," he muttered, wondering what would have happened had they found each other sooner. "I... admire your dedication..." he couldn't help but wonder whether it meant something else.
Why would Jim track him down?

"Why would you think that? I mean... I was the one who left you that night, I... disappeared suddenly... you should be the one who doesn't want to have anything to do with me! You have every right to hate me!" he protested, his heart beating painfully in his chest.

James blushed even more. "Yea well." He then shrugged, trying to brush of the fact he had been this obsessed.

"That's exactly why, John." He replied. "You walked out on me for a reason. I thought you might of kept onto it. I thought you might have build up an entire life and I would ruin in by appearing again." Unaware his hand had now moved over to John's laying on top of it.

Once he noticed he retrieved it quickly. "Oh dear. i'm sorry, I didn't mean to.."

"I've regretted walking away from you ever since that night, Jim," he whispered before he could control himself, and he was swallowing hard. "I do have a different life now... I... grew up... I am nothing like the boy you used to know..." And that was probably enough to keep them apart. "But that doesn't mean I don't want to be your friend..."

He couldn't help the hope that burst in his chest though when he felt the other's hand on his. "It's okay... I keep feeling the need to touch you myself... I can't seem to convince myself that you are really here..." he admitted, trying not to make a big deal out of it.

"We both aren't what we used to be." He replied nervously. "I don't know what it is, John. I can't get you out of my head." He admitted, he had to get it off his chest. "All those years..." He sipped his wine again, looking John straight in the eyes.

--

Sherlock arrived at the pub and threw some money towards the cabbie. His eyes scanned the environment, such a typical place for people to go and have a drink. He did not like it.
In a fast pace he walked over to the pub John was supposed to be in, slowly pushing the door open.
Once inside his eyes scanned through the area, deducing some people along the way. "Cheating on wife, drinking away his sorrows, on a date with-... wait a minute." In the corner he spotted John and James, his eyes narrowed at the sight. Wine, sitting close, James leaning slightly forward. This was not good. Sherlock walked over to the bar, he wasn't interrupting just yet, he wanted to interfere at the point he felt one of them, especially James would cross the line.

John had completely forgotten about the wine glass in his hand, his eyes were fixed on Jim's face and his heart was beating loudly in his ears.
He wanted to say that it was just the fact that they had parted so abruptly that they felt this connection now, that they had thought about each other so much, but it felt like a lie in that moment.
In that moment it felt like true love was what had brought them together again.
Just like a fairytale.
How bloody silly.

"I... I don't want you to get me out of your head at all..." he breathed out, suddenly nervous, he didn't want Jim to ever stop thinking about him. "I was so scared you forgot about me..." He probably had said it already, he didn't know, his whole mind was in a nervous and emotional mess.

"I thought the same." James admitted in a low voice, his eyes locking with John's. God, they were so beautiful, he could get lost in them, he /was/ lost in them.

"I missed you, John." If they were admitting things anyway, this could add up to the list.

--

Sherlock kept the both of them in the corner of his eye, while he had ordered himself a drink and sat there. So far he was okay with it, even though he could notice the tension whey he saw them look in each other eyes. It made a warm feeling bubble up in his chest.

John's heart was beating in his throat, he couldn't move his eyes away from the other man, and he felt compelled to move closer. He leaned on the table, his blood too fast in his veins for things to be clear in his head.
"I missed you too..." he whispered, "Always..."

He bit on his lower lip, hesitating for a second. "I... I don't think this is going to work, Jim... the friendship part I mean..." he confessed, his fingers nervous on the table. "I feel like I am on a date, and I want this to be a date..."

James doubts and fears of John not wanting contact ever again all dropped. 15 years of angst about this moment were washed away by a few simple words. [I] I missed you too..always..[I]

He smiled wide and leaned just as close on the table, licking his lips. "I think I feel exact the same thing." He nodded while his hand moved back over the table towards John's.

--

What was happening? Sherlock found himself on the edge of his seat already. He could barely find the strength to keep himself seated.

John had no idea how it happened, but he was rather sure it was his fault, his hand brushed against Jim's, and then he was letting his fingers entangle with the other man's as he smiled at him.

"I hope you are realize it's quite insane," he said, even though he was clearly unphazed by it. He couldn't let his mind rule over his heart, not about this. "It's been 15 years after all..."

James felt a wave of warmth wash over him when their fingers met. His cheeks flushed red and he smiled towards John.

"We don't need to go on from where we have left off. We should focus on who we're now, built things up from here on." He swallowed loud. This felt as if he was asking John out. His heart throbbing insane fast.

--

That was it, Sherlock needed to do something. Anything to interrupt this now. Just walking up to them wouldn't be a good idea, John would never forgive him. Slowly he stood up, walking over to the bathroom. His eyes scanning the walls... Ah, there. With a grin on his face his pale, tall fingers moved closer and pressed the button. "FIIREE" he then screamed while the alarm painfully loud went off. "Morons" He muttered to himself, leaving by using the fire exit on the toilet.

John couldn't help but think that Jim looked even more beautiful with his cheeks slightly red, or maybe it was just because they were incredibly close now. "True... we can take it slowly..." he whispered, ready to agree, even though he knew that slow wasn't exactly something that applied well to him. He always wanted everything right away.

His thoughts were interrupted suddenly by the loud noise of the alarm, he jumped to his feet, worry etched on his face.
"Let's go," he said, grabbing Jim's hand tigheter and following the mass of people that moved to the fire exits, soon they were filing in the street beside the pub.
He thought he could see Sherlock in the crowd for a moment, but he reasoned it couldn't be.

"What the hell?" James said clearly annoyed at the situation. His own and gripping just as tight around the other's as they walked outside. The cold of the winter hit him in no time. "Probably the kitchen." He explained to John.

After about 10 minutes standing on the sidewalk James got even more annoyed. "Hey eh, how about we continue this at my place?" He asked carefully. The moment ago he claimed things should be going slow, though standing here was not going to help the progress.

--

Sherlock kept himself out of sight as good as possible. Just when he saw John and James were about to leave he decided it was time to show up after all.

"John?" "JOOHN?" He yelled as he walked towards them in a fast pace.

John really wanted to be strong and tell Jim that it was better they chose another restaurant instead, because if he ended up at his place, he would surely try to get in his pants.
It was definitely too fast, not what they had agreed on, but he wanted him, he wanted to know how it would feel like to have him back in his arms.

So he was nodding, letting Jim pull him towards the main street, when he heard a familiar voice calling his name.
He turned around, indeed Sherlock was there. Instinctively he let go of Jim's hand, trying to hide the implications of being seen with him.
"What happened?" he asked the detective as soon as he was close, wondering if it was a case.

James turned around and could not believe his eyes. What was he doing here? This just couldn't be coincidence, perhaps to John it might of seemed like it, but not to James. Waaayyy to obvious. He gazed at their hands when John suddenly let go. "John?" He asked, pulling on a confused face as if he didn't knew what was going on.

--

"Homeless network contacted me with possible fire. Spotting your face so I came to see if you were okay." He explained sounding very convincing. His eyes traveled over to James for a few seconds, giving him one of those looks that only Sherlock could give, letting him know he looked right through him.

John looked at Sherlock suspiciously, it didn't sound quite right, but he reckoned he couldn't possibly accuse his friend of stalking him, especially not in front of Jim, so he settled for a nod.
Why would Sherlock want to do something like that anyway?

He looked at Jim apologetically for letting go of his hand, but he really didn't need to give Sherlock any ground to lecture him again about relationships. "Jim, mm, you remember Sherlock, right?" he said, as a feeble attempt at introductions.
"I am fine, Sherlock, don't worry... it was probably a false alarm..."