john took a minute to breathe before getting up from the bed and reaching for his clothes.

"where are you going?" sherlock asked and propped himself up on his elbows, watching john.

"no strings attached, remember?" he asked as he pulled on his shirt.

"right." sherlock said softly then laid down again.

john watched him. "look, i know you want to be something, but it's just not going to work." he sat on the bed again.

sherlock looked at him. "why can't we just try?"

john sighed and looked into his lap, "it's three years in afghanistan. god knows it won't work and we'll end up ending it over skype or some shit and i just don't want that to happen." he said and looked at sherlock again.

"what about when you get back?" sherlock asked and sat up. "can we try then?"

john chuckled. "will you still be into me after three years?"

"i'll be into you, but i'll also be in you," he grinned.

john scoffed and pushed him back down then got up. "i'll see you tonight then? seven?" he asked as he grabbed his shoes.

"i'm picking you up and dress nice," he said as he got up. "jeans and graphic tees are not allowed." he said as he walked to the bathroom.

"are we going some where nice?" john asked and grinned at him.

"you'll find out at seven." he said and started the shower.

"bye." john said awkwardly then left.

sherlock picked john up at seven sharp, standing outside his apartment complex next to a shining black jaguar dressed in black slacks a dark purple button down shirt with a blazer over it. he smiled at john when he came out, watching him laugh softly. john looked good, his clothes fit him well and he had that bright smile on that sherlock loved seeing.

"where's you're truck? and did you cut your hair?" he asked as he walked up to sherlock, looking at his normal length hair.

sherlock chuckled and pulled john's hands out of his hair. "i cut it a bit and it's my brother's car." he said and looked at john.

john smiled. "is this his suit too? 'cause i've seen your closet."

sherlock smiled and opened the passenger side door for john, letting him get in then closing the door. he got in the drivers side then pulled out.

"so, where are we going?" john asked as he looked around the car.

"it's a surprise." sherlock grinned. "just relax and no more questions." he said and glanced at john before keeping his focus on the road.

john relaxed in his seat and watched out the window. their date wednesday wad dinner and a movie and then sherlock's place for sex. this night was going different. john knew the route and they were on their way into the city and to a nice restaurant. it was john's last night and sherlock wanted to do something special, but john didn't really want to go to some high class restaurant where a meal cost as much as his rent. he just wanted to spend it with sherlock and do something laid back. john unbuttoned his blazer, taking it off and keeping it in his lap.

"can we do strings attached, just for tonight?" sherlock asked after minutes of silence. "just for tonight then we can go back to no strings." he said and glanced at john quickly with a pleading look.

john held sherlock's hand, kissing the back of his hand. "tomorrow we go back to no strings." he said and smiled at sherlock.

sherlock smiled softly and intertwined their fingers, putting his focus back on the road again.

they arrived in the city after an hour of driving and to a very nice restaurant like john had predicted. from there, a valet took the car and sherlock lead john into the building, giving the matrie d' his last name then she directed them to the window table. sherlock pulled the chair out for john then sat in the chair across from him, smiling slightly. the waiter came buy and set menus in front of them. sherlock said something to him that john couldn't hear then the waiter nodded, going away.

"can i ask this one question?" john asked as he looked around, amazed that sherlock could afford this place.

"you just did." sherlock retorted.

john looked at him with that face. "don't be like that." 

sherlock smiled and laughed softly. "ask the question." he said and rested his chin in his hand.

"no offense, but how can you afford this and why are we here?" john asked and watched the brunette across from him.

"no offense taken and my brother is frequent here and he said i could use his name and i'd just pay him back later and we are here because it's your last night here and you'll be eating the shittiest of meals for the next three years." sherlock said.

john chuckled. "it's very nice, thank you."

sherlock took john's hand and kissed his knuckles, making him blush. "it's not a problem."

the waiter came back with a bottle of wine, pouring their glasses them leaving the bottle. they took a few minutes to look over the menu, sherlock giving john recommendations about what he thought he'd like, then they ordered. while waiting, they talked. they talked like an actual couple on a date and it wasn't awkward like wednesdays date. that was just a mess because neither of them knew what to do since they weren't getting attached. they talked until the food came, then they ate. sherlock shared his with john and john shared his with sherlock like a normal couple. after eating, they talked a bit more then john decided he wanted dessert, so sherlock flagged the waiter down and ordered john and him some dessert. 

"do you care if we take a detour home?" sherlock asked as he opened the passenger door for john.

john shook his head and got in. "not at all," he smiled.

sherlock grinned and closed the door, tipping the valet then getting into the car. they took the scenic route home and stopped some where. sherlock was grinning from ear to ear as he got out of the car then went over to john's side, opening the door for him.

"where are we?" john asked as he looked at the view, seeing the ocean. 

"fun first, questions later. "sherlock said and took his blazer off, tossing it in the back seat then grabbing something. he closed the door then locked it. "ready?" sherlock asked, turning on the flash light.

john nodded. "yeah."

sherlock grinned and started jogging. "come on then!" he shouted back at john. john smiled and ran after sherlock. the climbed down the steep drop off, down onto the private beach. john wasn't sure about being down there, but sherlock seemed to be having the time of his life, so he went along with it. they walked around a huge rock wall, going through a shallow part of the sound, leaving their shoes and socks on the beach, to a u-shaped area that was completely secluded from the bare eye. sherlock took john by the hand and put him in front of him, giving him instructions to climb up the narrow rock way. he did what sherlock said and they ended up on a small rock platform that went back into a small cave. 

"what are you doing?" john asked sherlock as he watched him unbutton his shirt. 

"fun first, questions later." sherlock said and tossed his shirt onto the ground, going for his trousers next. once he was just in his boxers, he got a running start then jumped into the water below them. 

john watched him pop up from the water. "you're mad!" he shouted, smiling.

"you're the one going on tour for three years! now get your arse in here cadet!" sherlock shouted back.

john laughed and started to undress, jumping in once he was just in his boxers. he popped up from the water and looked for sherlock, swimming over to him. once he got to sherlock, he grabbed him and pulled him to his chest. john smiled up at him and sherlock smiled back, resting his forehead against his. they stayed like that for a minute or two, enjoying the closeness and the feeling between them. 

"i really want to get attached." sherlock said softly. "please, john." he begged.

john pulled away then stepped away slightly. "we've discussed this." he said and looked up at sherlock. 

"i know, but i want to. it'll work." sherlock said and took john's hands in his. "please, love."

john sighed and rested his head on sherlock's shoulder. "i just can't," he said softly, shaking his head. "i wish i could, but it's just too hard, ya know?" he asked.

sherlock nodded and hugged john. "i know." 

they swam a bit, the old mood leaving and a happier one rolling in, then sherlock climbed back up to the ledge and got their clothes and the flash light, then came back down to john. the walked back to their shoes and socks and collected those then raced to the car. john won, as he was more trained than sherlock and his prize was a sweet kiss from sherlock. sherlock opened the boot of the car and tossed one of his sweaters to john then put on a pair of shorts and a tee shirt. he put their old clothes in the boot then unlocked the car, sherlock opening the door for john again. the ride back home, john had fallen asleep, so sherlock just took him to his place. he carried john inside then to his bedroom, setting him on the bed, putting the blankets over him. sherlock knew john was getting an early flight, so he got john's trousers and dug out his apartment keys, going to his apartment. he snuck into his apartment then went to what he thought was john's room, grabbing the army pack off the bed and the uniform hanging up, then leaving quickly. he drove back home and set john's pack on the couch then hung up his uniform in his closet, then got in bed with john, holding him close.

in the morning, not much was said between them except john asking for a ride to the airport and sherlock saying yes. that was it. john took a shower then changed into his uniform, checking himself in the mirror before going out to the living room and grabbing his pack. sherlock saw him from the kitchen and took that as a sign that he was ready so he got up from the table and grabbed his keys, going out to his truck. john tossed his pack into the bed of the truck then got in, sitting quietly. when they got to the airport, sherlock parked then looked at john who was staring right back at him. john scooted closer to sherlock and kissed him eagerly, sherlock kissing back and pulling him closer. john panted and pulled away, keeping his face close to sherlock's.

"i have to go," he said softly, "but i can't." he sniffled.

sherlock cupped john's cheeks and wiped his tears away with his thumbs. "it's what you want. i'll be here when you get back." 

john nodded and kissed sherlock softly, wanting it to last. "no strings attached." he reminded himself as he pulled away. he moved back to his seat then got out, grabbing his pack. he looked at sherlock and smiled sadly. "june third. i'll be back june third."

sherlock watched him. "i'll be here." sherlock said and smiled sadly back at him.

john nodded and closed the door, using all his man power to move away and to the airport. he didn't look back at sherlock, but he felt his eyes on him. he felt those beautiful eyes burning holes into the back of his head until he got into the airport. from there he kept a picture of sherlock in his mind as he went through customs then to gate  45, giving the woman his ticket then boarding the plane. it hurt him with every step he took to just leave sherlock. what ever they had was going on for a week, but it felt longer. he didn't want it to end, but he knew it would. he knew sherlock wouldn't be here waiting for him in three years on june third. he'd have to face the truth and right now he didn't want to believe it. so he didn't. he focused on the lies and was happy with them.

june third sherlock sat in the airport, watching the gate. over the course of three years, they sent letters back and forth, just talking about how they were and stuff like that.  they stopped for a few months and sherlock didn't know why, but they just did. then he got a letter from john apologizing for not writing back and that they were ambushed at camp and he was busy. sherlock was just glad he was okay and wasn't dead. they talked about getting attached once and that was it because john put a stop to it, not wanting to talk about it. sherlock stood up when people started to flood out of the gate, looking for john. he spotted the blond and the blond spotted him. for a second the world around them stopped. sherlock got a good look at john. he was so much more buff and built then when he left and more tan. reality came back, hitting them like a truck, then john sprinted to sherlock, tossing his pack down and latching onto sherlock. sherlock hugged him tightly, keeping him close.

"i love you." john said muffled into his shoulder, holding onto sherlock tightly.

sherlock smiled and kissed his head. "i love you, too."

john pulled away from the hug and smiled up at sherlock, kissing him deeply, getting a kiss back. they pulled apart and smiled at each other. "ready to go?" sherlock asked.

john nodded and grabbed his pack. "lead the way."

sherlock grinned and grabbed john's hand, pulling him put of the air port and out to the parking lot. they got to his truck and john smiled, seeing he hadn't changed it. he tossed his pack into the back then got in on the passengers side, surprised sherlock didn't open it for him. the drive back to sherlock's place, john rolled the window down and stuck his head out a bit, getting the sweet scent of the salty water. he had missed it. when they reached sherlock's house, john got out quickly then ran around the house and to the back, where the beach was. sherlock followed him then stood behind him, hugging him from behind. 

"did you miss it?" sherlock asked.

john nodded. "i missed it and you." he hummed and turned around in sherlock's hold.

sherlock smirked and started backing up to his house. "did you now?" he asked and raised a brow.

john nodded and bit his lip. "come on." he said and pulled himself out of sherlock's arms and ran onto the porch, pushing the door open then flopping down onto sherlock's bed. he sat up as sherlock entered and took his boot off. he removed his shirt as sherlock started to crawl on top of him, laying back again. sherlock kissed john as he grinded down on him, getting a small moan from the boy underneath him. 

there wasn't time wasted before clothes were thrown all over the place and sherlock was settled between john's legs, pushing into him slowly. they both moaned in relief when sherlock was fully inside of john, then they couldn't wait. sherlock burried his face in the crook of john's neck and startes to thrust deep and fast, getting amazing noises from the boy underneath him.

john panted as he sat up, reaching over the side of the bed and grabbing a discarded sweater, smelling it to make sure it was clean before putting it on. "what's that?" sherlock asked as he sat up, rubbing the back of john's shoulder were a fresh scar was settling.

"it's nothing." john said and pulled the sweater on quickly, standing up. 

"john, i know it's something. what is it?" sherlock asked and watched him.

john sighed and laid down again. "i got shot." he said softly. "and please don't freak out. that's why i didn't reply to your letters for a while. base didn't get ambushed."

sherlock rolled john over and pushed the sweater up, kissing the scar. "i'm just glad you're okay." he said and pulled the sweater down again.

john rolled onto his back again and looked up at sherlock, wrapping his arms around his neck. "so, strings attached?" he asked.

sherlock smiled down at him then pecked his lips once. "strings attached." 

"how about some night swimming?" john asked with a grin.

"i say yes." sherlock said and got off of john, watching him run out the porch doors and out onto the beach. he was happy. they were happy.

y'all i wrote this in one day and it's currently 00.03 and i just saw love, simon for the second time and now i'm really tired. hope ya enjoyed it:)