the photo of them was deleted and john had that company hanging off a very thin line because they sent it to neighboring companys, but once they heard that john was threatening to take them to court, they deleted it. when sherlock left, john stayed with sherlock for two weeks in november, then went back to norwich. they spoke every day and john planned to visit london the first week of december, then go back to norwich, then he would come back for christmas and him and sherlock would go to norwich for new years. it was a bit odd, especially since john hadn't divorced mary yet. he never wore his ring and they completly forgot about her. john blocked mary out of his life and he couldn't contact her in any way unless it was through their lawyer, and she never did.

john walked up to the familiar flat and got hit with the scent of mrs hudson's sugar cookies and the sweet sound of sherlock playing christmas carols on his violin. he felt at home here. he left his suit case at the door and shreaded his winter layers, hanging them up before walking over to sherlock and hugging him from behind. sherlock's violin made a sour note as john hugged him, making him let out a little yelp as he got scared. john smiled and kissed his cheek. "merry christmas, love." he said softly.

sherlock set his violin in his chair and turned around, giving john a kiss. "merry christmas," he smiled.

john smiled. "i smell cookies."

sherlock laughed softly. "mrs hudson helped me make a batch before she went caroling."

"have you decorated them?" john asked, quirking and eyebrow.

sherlock shook his head. "not yet. would you like to?" he asked and smiled.

"i'd love too." john said and kissed sherlock again, placing his hands on the boy's hips.

"come on then." sherlock said and grabbed john's hand, pulling him to the kitchen table where the cookies were laid out.

john picked up a cookie and took a bite out it. "i don't beleive you made these."

"i said mrs hudson helped." sherlock said, smiling, as he grabbed the tube of frosting and the sprinkles.

john laughed softly and kissed sherlock's cheek before grabbing the other tube of frosting.

after they decorated the cookies, they had to clean themselves up because they had a tiny frosting war. they went to the bathroom, laughing and giggling because john was tickling sherlock and the more sherlock squirmed, the more frosting from john's face got in his hair. they cleaned each others faces off, then john left sherlock alone so he could take a shower and get all the frosting out of his hair. meanwhile, john cleaned up the mess in the kitchen. he put away the cookies then cleaned the frosting, cleaning the table and counters too. by the time he finished, sherlock came back out to the kitchen, going to the living room and sitting in his black leather chair.

"what're you doing?" sherlock asked as he watched john pull out the chicken from the fridge that mrs hudson had bought.

"it's christmas eve." john said as he set the chicken on the counter. "i told mrs hudson i was making dinner and she bought what i needed."

"chirstmas dinner is overrated." sherlock muttered as he brought his knees up to his chest, resting his hands under his chin. "chirstmas is overrated."

john chuckled lightly at the boy's comment. "everything is overrated with you."

sherlock grinned slightly. "and it's wonderful because i don't have to deal with ordinary people."

"but you deal with me." john said and shot a glance at sherlock.

"because you're tolorable."

"am i now?" john asked, ammused with the boy.

sherlock hummed, "yes."

john laughed and went back to preparing dinner, not seeing sherlock smile. while cooking, sherlock disappeared into his mind palace, leaving the conversation he was having with john. john was annoyed by the scilence, so he turned on his abnoxious 80s music according to sherlock. sherlock left hiss mind palace and john was still cooking, dancing around to his music. the boy smiled at his lover and took out his phone, recording him for a bit before getting up and going over to him.

mrs hudson got home the time john finished cooking. they all sat at the table in the kitchen that for once wasn't covered in sherlock's chemistry equipment and exprirements. they had a nice dinner. they were all smiling and laughing and after dinner, sherlock played his violin while mrs hudson and john got dessert ready. mrs hudson stayed to help clean up, taking some of the left over food downstairs with her. once everything was cleaned up, john sat in the red chair that was across from sherlock's, watching the boy sway softly as he played his violin. he smiled and relaxed into the chiar, taking a swig of his beer as he closed his eyes. sherlock switched from christmas carols to something he was composing. he turned and looked over then doctor in the chair, playing what he felt. he smiled as he played, the chords coming out joyful and forming into a calming song. sherlock stopped playing to write down the chords and john's smile turned into a frown.

"why'd you stop?" he asked and watched the boy.

"i've got to write this down." sherlock smiled and glanced back at john.

john smiled back at him. he set his beer down then stood up when sherlock turned back around, going up behind him and wrapping his arms around the thin boy. "you should come to bed with me." john said as he took the pen out of sherlock's hand.

"should i?" sherlock asked and reached for the pen, but john put it behind his back, causing sherlock to turn around.

"yes you should." john said.

sherlock smirked and stepped closer to john. "give me my pen and i'll think about it." he said.

"hmmm, no." john said then tossed the pen behind him, landing some where in the kitchen.

"you really want me in bed, don't you?" sherlock asked as he rested his arms on john's shoulders, leaning in closer.

john nodded. he grabbed the collar of sherlock's shirt and pulled him down, letting their lips collide. the kiss was sweet and soft, lasting a while before they pulled away panting. they both went back in for more, this time the kiss was lustful and deep. john hoisted the boy up and sherlock wrapped his legs around the man's waist, smiling against the kiss as he carried him to the bedroom.

in the morning, they both stayed in bed until they felt like getting up. it was christmas morning, but they really didn't care for it. this was the first time in years john took off work for christmas and had someone to spend it with. they both agreed on getting each other nothing and instead they'd just go out to dinner that night, so that's what they did. they spent the day lounging about the flat, having lunch with mrs hudson and taking pictures in the jumpers she had made them, then they went back upstairs and cuddled on the couch, watching some christmas movie that was playing. they went to a semi formal restaurant that sherlock had chose and they had fun. they talked all night, laughing and smiling at each other's stories and sherlock was done with john and his terrible jokes, but that didn't stop john. they decided to walk around a bit, covered in their heavy coats as they walked through the show. they loved it. there weren't many words exchanged, but they didn't care. they just cared that the other was there, holding their hand and walking close to them. when they got back to sherlock's flat, they took off their coats and then sherlock disappeared. he came back a few minutes later with his comforter and a all his blankets, putting them in front of the fireplace. john pushed the chairs back a bit while sherlock made a birds nest out of the blankets. john started a fire then crawled into the nest with sherlock, laying down with him. he spooned the boy as he watched the fire, feeling the boy slowly fall asleep, and he wasn't too far behind. john didn't know what, but there was somethinf about the boy that made him feel... different. he wasn't sure what it was, but was pretty sure it was love.