An Hallooooo my lovely smogs (don't question it, it's a nickname I use for anyone I like, I just like the sound of it). It be me, again. I hope you are all having a wonderful existence right now, sending you love if you aren't 💛💛. The next but will contain spoilers for this story so don't read it if you don't want to know if this ends happy or sad.

This is fluff, I do not write angst so don't worry my friends, despite what the title suggests, this does end happily. You'll see:) right, on with the story.

Word count: 3700 (I know I know, its massively long but I was really enjoying writing it so there you are.)

Third person pov

John had been thinking. Despite what Sherlock said he was actually quite good at thinking. And what he had been thinking was this: does Sherlock like me? It was a simple question but it had been bugging him for a while now. Does Sherlock love me? He wasn't sure. He hoped that maybe he did but then again, Sherlock didn't seem to love much so maybe it was an impossibility. The fact he didn't have a conclusive answer to this question was annoying John Watson. In fact, it was almost all he thought about. He was fed up with not knowing and so he made a decision. He was going to find out if Sherlock loved him once and for all, even if it killed him. But how on earth was he going to do that? It's not as though Sherlock is obvious about his emotions. Just then, John received a text and his face lit up with delight. He had just had an idea.

A week went by and now John was ready. This was going to work, he was sure of it. He was sat in his chair, typing in his blog and Sherlock was in the kitchen setting something on fire. John didn't want to know what that thing was, the acrid smell of it was making him feel queasy enough.
"Hey Sherlock?" Sherlock didn't look up from his experiment and just made a humming sound in response.
"Can I talk to you?"
"If you want." Sherlock still wasn't looking at John who was closing his laptop. He stood up and walked over to his flatmate. He put his hand on his shoulder and looked with gruesome interest at the flaming mass of  of of, whatever it had been, it didn't look like that anymore.

"Hello." Sherlock was looking at John now.
"Hello."
"What do you want to talk about?"
"It's nothing really. I just need your help with something." Sherlock smiled, he loved helping John with things, it made him feel useful and happy.
"What do you need?"
"We are doing a study at work and I wondered if you could take part for me?" Sherlock was looking curious
"What is it?"
"We are just trying to collect data on the effects of sleep on every day activities. I thought you would be an interesting study as your sleep schedule is all over the place." Sherlock raised his eyebrows at this and John laughed.
"Go on then, I don't see why not. What would I need to do exactly?" Sherlock was very willing and eager to help.
"Well I would just need you to wear this all the time." John pulled out a white box and presented it to Sherlock.
"What is it?" Sherlock already knew what it was. It didn't take much deducting as it said on the box but he was starting to learn conversational etiquette and he knew that was probably the appropriate question.

"It's an apple watch. It will measure your sleeping habits, your step count, activity levels and heart rate throughout the day and night. It is not the most accurate way to collect data but it's very useful for studies of every day activities." John opened the box and drew out a black watch.
"I've already set it up and everything, all I need you to do is wear it for a few weeks." Seeing as this seemed like very minimal effort and would make John happy, Sherlock nodded and held out his wrist for John to put the watch on him.
"Ok then Doctor Watson, I think I can manage that." John smiled widely.
"Excellent, thanks." He fastened the watch around his friend's thin wrist, enjoying the feeling of his cold skin beneath his fingertips.
"There you are." He smiled at Sherlock as he drew his hands away. Sherlock twisted his wrist around a few times, experimentally looking at this new gadget.
"Oh and Sherlock."
"Yes John?"
"Please try not to set it on fire, they are quite expensive you know."
Sherlock sighed but nodded.
"Ok, ok. I'll try. You're lucky I had just finished with this." He gestured at the smouldering pile of gunk in front of him.
"I see you are wearing one too, I take it you are also collecting data on yourself." John smiled
"But of course, can't let a perfectly good volunteer go to waste."

With that, John turned around and walked back to his chair, smiling to himself as he sunk into it. He looked at his watch and smiled. A friend of his worked in an electrical repair shop and he had gotten him to snazz things up a bit. His watch and Sherlock's were paired up and all of Sherlock's data instantly showed up on John's tiny screen. Now it was time to start the true experiment, could he raise his best friend's heart rate?

The next day was Monday and they had just finished breakfast when Sherlock's phone began to ring.
"Hello Graham, how can I help? Have you got a case for us?"
John could hear the inspectors voice faintly through the phone as he responded.
"Hello Sherlock, yes I do. And it's Greg by the way."
"What is?"
"My name is Greg."
"Who said it wasn't?"
"Oh nevermind, can you come over to piccadilly right away, we've got a triple homicide here and no idea what could have happened." At the mention of triple homicide, John glanced at his watched and saw that Sherlock's heart rate was significantly increased.
"Excellent, we will be there in a few minutes Geoff."
As Sherlock hung up, John heard the inspector begin to say "It's Greg you idiot" before he was cut off.
"Right then, shall we go?"
"Absolutley, grab your coat John, the game is afoot."

As they walked to the taxi, John gently brushed his hand against Sherlock. His face showed no sign of surprise but when John glanced at his watch, he saw his heart was beating very fast.
"You ok darling?" This time, Sherlock's face showed obvious shock but he quickly covered it up, perhaps he had misheard.
"Umm, fine. Thanks John." Yes, his heart rate was definitely increasing. John smiled to himself. This was looking promising.

They sat in silence in the taxi and when they reached the crime scene, Sherlock quickly bounded off to find the victims, leaving John to pay the cabbie as usual. Something about his actions were hastier than usual and John smiled. It was working.

When he rejoined Sherlock at the entrance to the crime scene, he made a very obvious show of checking him out. Sherlock coughed and gave him a very funny look. John wasn't sure if the increase in his heart rate was from pleasure or embarrassment.
"You look good in that scarf Sherlock. It brings out your eyes."
"Umm, thanks?" Sherlock looked slightly uncomfortable. Just then, he spotted Lestrade walking towards them and Sherlock breathed a sigh of relief that he wouldn't have to come up with an appropriate response to that.

"Nice to see you two. This is a good one. Three victims, a wife her husband and his brother we would really appreciate your input here." They all walked into the crime scene and were greeted by Donovan.
"Hello freak, John." Nodded in his direction.
"There is no sign of a struggle and no visible Marks on any of the bodies, this could be a hard one."
John leaned closer towards Sherlock and whispered "I could make you a hard one.". He winked at him as he moved away again.
"Excuse me?" Sherlock looked slightly horrified. John was disappointed to see that it had not had the desired effect as Sherlock's heart rate remained pretty much steady apart from a quick increase in shock.
"I said that this could be a hard one." Donovan repeated her statement looking quizzically at Sherlock's horrified countenance. John was looking at Sherlock too and felt his heart sink to see that uncomfortable look on his face. Maybe he was wrong after all and Sherlock didn't like him like that. But then again the other two experiments had worked. He decided to keep going before drawing any conclusions.

Eventually, after a few exciting hours of Sherlock rushing about to solve the case, they finally clambered into a cab and ordered it to take them home. On the way there, John leaned his head against Sherlock's chest and closed his eyes. He didn't need to check his watch to know that Sherlock's heart beat was raised as he could feel it through his shirt. He felt as his breath hitched when he first pit his head there and then relax and breathe deeply and calmly. Sherlock put his hand on John's shoulder and gave it a squeeze.
"Are you tired Watson?"
"Hmmm." John just hummed and nuzzled further into Sherlock's chest. Sherlock wasn't sure what was going on with John today. He was even more clingy and weird than usual. Not that he minded. He was quite enjoying it actually. He smiled absentley the whole ride home.

When they reached Baker street a short while later, John was pretty much asleep. Sherlock wasn't sure what he was supposed to do about this and opted for gently poking him in the ribs.
"John." There was no reply.
"John." A slight noise of protest.
"John!!" Sherlock spoke louder this time and the sleeping man on his chest looked up, startled.

"Wha? Wazz goin on?" His voice was thick with tiredness as he rubbed his eyes.
"We are back and I would appreciate it if you could bring yourself back to the realm of the living so we can both go to bed preferably sooner rather than later so we avoid the pain of an extortionate fare." The cabbie chuckled slightly at this.
"Boyfriends huh? You love them but God can they be a pain." Sherlock spluttered at this and looked taken aback.
"He's not, we're not. I mean..." This was one of the rare occasions that Sherlock was taken aback and he struggled to form a coherent response. John was more awake now and was sitting up, trying to pat down his disarrangeed hair that currently made him look alarmingly like a hedgehog.
"Well this one sure is. A pain I mean," he yawned, "but he's very cute so I'll let him off." Sherlock looked like he had forgotten how to move so John reached into his pocket to pay the driver.
"Thanks mate, come on then babe, let's get to bed. I, for one, am exhausted."
The driver smiled, "aww, aren't you two sweet, enjoy your night lads." By this time Sherlock had shook himself from his shocked stupor and clambered out of the cab with John and the cabbie gave them one last smile before he drove off into the night.

"Come on Sherlock, let's go to bed."
"Right, yes. Sleep is important to maintain the function of the brain and allow it to perform at its maximum potential. We should definitely go and do that." John gave him a look and wondered if he was going to mention what had just happened. Instead of doing that, Sherlock turned and hurtled through the door John had just opened, bounded up the stairs two at a time and disappeared into his room. John sighed and looked at his watch. 12:28. Definitely time for bed. He also noted that Sherlock's heart rate was at 150 beats per minute. Did that mean he was excited by the prospect of being John's boyfriend? Or angry about it? Or maybe he was just out of breath from leaping up the stairs so quickly. John shook his head and sighed. This was going to be more difficult than he had originally anticipated.

The next day

"Morning Sherlock!" John was cheery as he strolled into the living room.
"Hello John." Sherlock greeted him without looking up from his newspaper.
"Tea?"
"Earl grey, no sugar, not much milk. Thanks."
John went into the kitchen and busied himself with the tea making, picking a few eyeballs out of the mugs before he poured tea into them.
"Why were there eyeballs in our mugs Sherlock?" He asked as he rendered the living room, holding two steaming cups of tea.
"Were there? I must have put them there and forgot about them." Sherlock looked up as John placed down his tea beside him.
"John?" Sherlock's voice was casual.
"Yes Sherlock?" The doctor responded innocently.
"You seem to have forgotten to put a top on today." This was just a statement of fact and held no emotion.
"So I have, oops. What a scatyerbrain I am!" John was surprised at his flatmates lack of reaction and checked his watch surreptitiously. Sherlock's heart rate was completely normal. This was not what he wanted, not what he wanted at all.

Sherlock was lounging languidly on the sofa with his long legs stretched out in front of him. John sat down beside him and looked at the article Sherlock was reading over his shoulder while he pulled a shirt on that he had left on the arm of the sofa.
"Anything interesting?" His tone was even and as normal but he shuffled closer to Sherlock as he asked it. Sherlock coughed and rearranged himself slightly.
"Nothing much, a few robberies but not much more than that." John nodded but reached over to take the newspaper from Sherlock anyway, placing his hand on his thigh to steady himself as he did so.
"May I?" Sherlock handed it to him and John settled down to scan through its pages. He didn't move his hand though. Sherlock looked at where it lay on his leg and coughed. Then he looked pointedly at John.
"John."
"Yes?"
"Why is your hand on my thigh?" John had the good grace to look slightly embarrassed as he apologised and retracted it. The number on his screen that he quickly checked remained steady: 70 beats per minute. Not raised, just a normal resting heart beat. God, this man was difficult to read. Watson shuffled slightly then rearranged himself entirely so that he was lying on the detectives lap with his legs over the sofa arm. The numbers on his watch shot up: 165. This was so confusing.
"What are you doing?"
"Just making myself comfortable."
"Oh, ok." Sherlock didn't say anything more and instead started to gently run his fingers through his best friend's hair. John was very confused now. He felt like there were definite mixed signals here. This was getting ridiculous, he made up his mind that he was just going to ask him outright.
"Sherlock?"
"Yes John." Sherlock's voice was gentle and he looked lovingly into the eyes of the man on his lap. At least, John was pretty sure it was lovingly, he still wasn't at all sure.
"Do you like me?"
"Of course I do, you're my best friend." John shook his head gently against Sherlock's lap.
"No I don't mean like that." Sherlock's fingers paused in their movement through John's hair.
"What do you mean then?" John sat up and angled his body so he was facing the other man.
"I mean do you like like me?" Sherlock looked incredibly confused.
"I really don't think I follow, what on earth are you talking about?" John sighed, why was nothing ever easy with Sherlock?
"What I'm trying to say is, are you attracted to me?"
Sherlock paused to consider for a minute. His voice was decisive when he spoke.
"Yes and no."
"It's one or the other Sherlock. Why can't you ever give a straight answer?"
Sherlock was silent, watching John.
"For gods sake Sherl, this shouldn't be difficult! I've been tracking your bloody heart rate for 24 hours now and sometimes it goes up when I do something like when I didn't tell the cabbie you weren't my boyfriend and when I lay in your lap just now which suggests you are attracted to me. But then, other times, you don't react at all like when I tried flirting with you using a dirty joke and when you saw me without a top on which makes me think maybe you don't like me after all! I don't  understand you at all Sherlock Holmes, why can't you just give me a simple answer to anything?"

Sherlock looked at him again and then spoke in very level tones.
"Go in then, ask me questions and I will answer simply and truthfully with yes or no but you have to be more specific than do you like me."
John sighed and ran his hands through his hair and licked his lips.
"Ok then, we will do it your way, as usual." He paused then said, "Are you attracted to me in a physical way?"
"No" Sherlock's voice was emotionless.
John's heart dropped.
"Oh, I guess that's the end of that then."
"Why do you think that? Physical attraction isn't everything John. Don't give up before you've even begun. Go on, ask me more questions."
"What else can I ask?" Sherlock didn't reply but just looked directly into John's eyes.
"Ok. Ok. Umm, let me think. Oh, I've got it. Do you like me romantically then?"
Sherlock smiled. "There you go, now that's the right question." John looked relieved.
"So do you then? Like me romantically?"
"Yes." The number on his watch had gone up and John's own heart rate sped up too as Sherlock said this.
"Keep going." He encouraged. John kicked his lips again then asked another question.
"Do you want to be with me?"
"I need more than that." John tried again.
"Do you want to be with me sexually?"
"No."
John was beginning to cotton on now.
"Do you want to be with me romantically?"
"Yes."
"Ok, so we're getting somewhere now."
"Keep going."
"Ok. Do you want to sleep with me?"
"No."
"Do you want to spend the rest of your life with me?"
"Yes." John smiled at this.
"Ok, can I ask some questions that require more extended answers now?"
"Ok then, go ahead."
"What do you feel when you are around me?"
"I feel.. I feel.." sherlock paused for a moment, he was not used to talking about his feelings. But then he knew exactly what to say.
"I feel happy and warm and joyful all at the same time. I want to hug you and kiss you and spend every second with you. I want to tell you all my secrets and I want you to tell me all of yours. I want to watch crappy rom coms with you as we cuddle on the sofa. I want to watch shooting stars with you and wish that we will spend the rest of our lives together on every one. I want to be near you all the time. I never want to let you go. I want to hold your hand and dance around to cheesy music like idiots with you. I just want to be with you."
John looked taken aback by this long outpouring of emotion from Sherlock. It was the most he had ever heard Sherlock say about his own feelings.
"Is that enough for you?"
"Yes, absolutely yes. I want all of that too."
"Good."
There was a silence as John built up the courage to ask his next question.
"Why aren't you physically attracted to me though Sherlock? Is there something wrong with me? Am I not good enough for you?" John looked down at himself as he spoke, trying to find the imperfection Sherlock clearly saw.
"No, no! God no! You are perfect John, absolutely perfect in every way it's just that that's not a possibility for me."
Sherlock could almost see the cogs turning in John's head.
"What do you mean, not a possibility for you?"
Sherlock sighed.

"I'm asexual John. When you look at a pretty girl or handsome man, you feel something. A pull towards them just because of their appearance. You think 'isn't she gorgeous' or 'I would definitely" Sherlock paused and coughed delicately, "do him' I don't have that John. I look at a person and see someone the same as all the other people with arms and legs and a head but nothing more. Of course, I know when someone is conventionally attractive but I don't see it myself. I look at you and think 'John Watson, my John Watson who is kind and sweet and funny and the kindest person I have ever met.' I look at you and see every memory we've made worked into every fibre of your being. I see the first time we met, "Afghanistan or Iraq?" In your shoulder. I see the man you killed to save me in your hand. I see the first time you called me your best friend in your lips. I see your loyalty and love and wonderfulness in your chest and in your voice and in your eyes and in my heart. That's what I see when I look at someone I like. The person I love. Not a body. Not an attractive smile. Not a fine figure but as memories and emotion. I love you, John Watson, not because of the way you look or the way you move but for the way you feel."

When Sherlock stopped speaking, tears were rolling down John's cheeks. Sherlock reached over to gently wipe them away.
"I.. I love you too Sherlock." John managed to choke out.
"You don't mind about the lack of sexual attraction bit?"
"Well I would be lying if I said it wasn't slightly disappointing but I would happily give up sex for you Sherlock." Sherlock laughed at this.
"I'm a sex positive asexual so you never know."
"What's a?" John began and then stopped himself. "Nevermind. It's not important right now, we can talk about it later."
"What do you want to do now then?" Sherlocks voice was uncertain, he wasn't at all sure how relationships were supposed to work.
"Am I your boyfriend now?"
"Absafuckinglutley!!" John exclaimed.
"Does that mean I can kiss you now?" Sherlock looked hopeful as he looked into his boyfriend's eyes. Instead of answering, John just leaned forward and caught his lips with his own. Sherlock wasn't sure what to do at first but soon he melted into it and kissed him back, melting into it. It was soft and gentle and filled with love. It was absolutely perfect, just like John  thought Sherlock and just like Sherlock, thought John.

The end:)