+5: Wrapped Around Your Finger - 5 Seconds of Summer [REQUEST]
Request from @lolmikey
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The room was filled to the brim with people. Catching up. Chatting. Remembering their school years. Laughing with old friends like no time had passed at all. Alcohol was passed around like water on a hike, everyone poisoning themselves in search of a good time.
Jim hadn't missed a single one of his school peers. But he'd come with his boyfriend anyway just because he wasn't going to be that one person that didn't show. He wasn't ashamed of where he was in life now and he didn't much care if the people he had to share a school with cared about his chain of four star restaurants or not. He'd had a few people approach him, saying things like 'oh my god, I love going to a Moriarty's' and 'I wish there was one closer to where I live'.
He couldn't care less about them. He was here for one person (and he was only pretending that person was his boyfriend). He was really here for Sherlock Holmes, the one that got away.
They'd been friends for most of their school years and when the time came for them to part ways for university, Jim made a move on the boy. There had been tension between them for a long time and Jim didn't want to let Sherlock go without even kissing him. They ended up having one night together and then after that Jim never heard a word from the curly haired heart throb. He avoided him for that last week of school and was soon off to university.
Jim moved to Cardiff, where he got lucky and kick started his business. It was small at first but over the years they became more and more popular and now there was a Moriarty's in most parts of the UK.
He moved again, to London, where he heard all about the famous detective Sherlock Holmes. London was also were Jim met his boyfriend, Adam, but if he was being honest he stayed with Adam because he was a pretty boy and Adam stayed with him because he was rich. It was far from a relationship filled with love.
Despite hearing all about Sherlock, Jim never ran into the other man. He followed everything that happened to Sherlock (the stuff that got revealed to the public, anyway). It was almost obsessive the way he did it.
Jim had cried when he read about the Richenbach Hero jumping to his death. He didn't believe for one second that Sherlock was a fake. Jim had bitterly sneered that he probably did it for that 'John' he was always with and that Moran forced him to do it all.
When Sherlock returned from the dead and announced to the world he'd survived, Jim's heart had almost burst out of his chest and he'd jumped for joy. It was the happiest he'd been in years.
After his return, there was some coverage of a few cases but not as much as before. Things had been quiet for almost six months.
This party.. Well, it was Jim's only hope of seeing Sherlock again.
It was a long shot that he'd show up though. He wasn't the type to mingle when they were younger.. but he'd always been the type to boast and show-off. Jim hoped that would bring the detective here. That he'd turn up just to show-off how great he is and was doing now.
All Jim could do was hope.
While he waits, Jim has a few drinks and tries to decide what to do if he does see Sherlock. Does he go up to him? Or does he wait to see if Sherlock will come up to him? And then, which ever way it goes, what does he say?
He'd considered a number of different approaches. From 'long time, no see' to 'my hotel isn't far from here'.
Turning to the table full of drinks again, Jim looks towards the door (it was a habit now) and he froze. Sherlock stood there, looking flawless in a dark grey suit and deep purple shirt. His hair was perfect, his curls longer than when they were younger but exactly how Jim had seen them in his newspaper pictures.
There was a man with him. One with grey hair. Jim recognised him vaguely but it was hard to keep his eyes off Sherlock long enough to even start trying to remember where he recognised the man from.
They two men spoke, Sherlock looking around the room like every person inside was scum. Jim was pleased to note the space between Sherlock and whoever was with him.
Then, Sherlock raises a hand and points to the other side of the room. Jim follows his gaze to see a woman. She had red hair and a deep red dress to match, dressed to the nines.
Jim looks back to Sherlock to find both him and the grey haired man speeding through the crowds towards the woman.
She sees them coming and Sherlock shouts "Lestrade! Get down!"
Hearing the panic in his voice, half the people within hearing distance duck to the floor. The Lestrade guy does too and a bullet goes flying through the crowd, making everyone (including Jim) panic and drop to the floor.
The music had stopped, the DJ having disappeared. Sherlock and Lestrade were the only two standing, other than the red woman. There wasn't a single soul in the room that wasn't watching the scene.
Jim stared in awe, completely blown away by everything that was his Sherlock Holmes. Yes, his.
"Didn't think you'd show" Red laughs, sneering at Sherlock.
The detective frowns. "You were expecting me?"
Jim chuckles silently. Typical. He didn't even know that this was his school reunion.
Red gestures behind her to where a large banner with their school's name and logo sat, the word 'REUNION' and their class printed in large letters. Sherlock's eyes flicker over the sign, frowning more as he realised where he was.
"My school reunion?"
"What?" That was Lestrade.
Red nods before she steadies her gun, aiming at Sherlock's head. Lestrade responds by lifting his own gun and aiming at Red, mouth pressed into a thin line. Red smirks at him, winking too, before looking at Sherlock again.
"Where's John?" She clicks her tongue after she'd said it, her red lipstick shining in the lights.
"Busy." is all Sherlock says.
Red hums and repositions her finger on the trigger of the gun. Lestrade clears his throat, stepping closer and shaking his head.
"Don't bother."
Red laughs. "Oh, you think I care if you shoot me or arrest me for killing him? Or any of the others?"
It's then that Jim realises who Red is. Jenny or Demi or something. She'd been in his Trig class. She'd been really nerdy and was kind of a loner. She looked totally different now.. She'd done well for herself. Minus the murdering thing, obviously.
Lestrade goes to pull the trigger but Red sees it, twirling and firing at his foot. The man falls to the floor, crying out. When Red turns back to aim at Sherlock, the detective has his own gun in hand and is aiming at her. There's a small smile on his lips.
And Jim really shouldn't be thinking that Sherlock is sexy with a gun but he is.
When Lestrade stops wailing, he reaches for his dropped gun and aims at her. He doesn't try to shoot. Not again.
Sherlock starts talking again, reeling off about the people she'd murdered and why. He tells her that she hates them all for being mean to her in school and that she hates him for turning her down when she shyly asked him to prom (which Sherlock didn't bother going to - running off and investigating shoes instead). His tone throughout the whole thing suggested he thought the whole thing childish. Red was in tears.
She drops the gun, falling to her knees and Sherlock sighs, clearly having expected more.
"Next time, get Sally to deal with the over emotional women" Sherlock says to Lestrade, moving forward and collecting Red's gun.
"Haha. Where the hell is John?"
John appears then, at the door, and Jim can't help glaring at the man. For some time, he'd been living with Sherlock and he was his best friend (like Jim used to be) and Jim hated him for it.
The short man curses and rushes to help the injured Lestrade. Police suddenly start swarming the building, reassuring the drunks at the party as they put Red in cuffs and drag her away from the scene.
The music reappears and the police all but disappear. But Sherlock and John remain, talking to one another as Sherlock points at the banner Red pointed out earlier. Jim can't take his eyes off the man he'd known so many years ago.
Just as Jim starts towards the two, Sherlock turns and leaves the building.
Jim's heart is pounding, panic flooding through his veins. He can hear Alex calling his name in the distance.
He doesn't think. He just acts.
Pushing himself forward and knocking people aside, Jim runs out of the building and shouts Sherlock's name into the darkness before he can even see him.
The detective is half way in a cab, John stood by his side and waiting, Sherlock stops and turns, his eyes searching. Jim continues until he knew Sherlock could see him and even then, he keeps walking/running.
He stops a few metres away from Sherlock. Their eyes are fixed on each other, oblivious to every and any thing else.
"I.. I've missed you." Jim hadn't planned on saying that but it passed his lips without permission.
Sherlock opens his mouth, searching for the right words. He glances at John, who steps back so Sherlock could step away from the cab. They exchange one more look before John climbs into the waiting cab and drives off, leaving Jim and Sherlock alone.
It's silent for a long time and Jim knows he's going to have to speak up first. He racks his brain for something to say. Maybe the hotel thing. Maybe the missing him thing again. Anything to get him to stay.
"So.. You forgot about the reunion?" Jim asks, sounding as awkward as they both felt.
"Hm. Yeah." Sherlock shrugs.
More silence.
Jim shivers, wrapping his arms around himself in an attempt to keep warm. Sherlock was staring at him and Jim could see he was debating something.
"Do you... Would you like some coffee? I know a place not far from here.."
Jim beams and nods. "Yeah. Sounds good."
Sherlock smiles back before he turns and starts leading the way. Jim hurries to keep up with those stupidly long legs.
"God damn it! You're still bloody tall!" Jim huffs, feeling like one of his steps was worth two of Sherlock's - even though it was no where near that much.
Sherlock laughs and that relaxes them both, the awkwardness drifting away slowly.
They find themselves laughing and smiling more than they had in a long time as they walk, remembering old times. It was almost like no time had passed and they were back to being best friends, closer than anything.
Sherlock takes him to a small café and buys them a coffee each. He smiles at Jim again as he settles in the seat across from Jim, placing both of the cups on the table.
Jim returns the smile and pulls the cup towards him, fingers fiddling with the cup. "Thanks"
Sherlock nods to Jim's hands. "Still fiddling with everything, I see"
"Oh, baby, you have no idea" Jim laughs, winking.
Sherlock chuckles too, grinning. He was more than comfortable with Jim flirting with him and that sent Jim's heart crazy inside his chest. He didn't want to get his hopes up, but they were steadily rising.
They have many coffees, the time flying passed with the two of them exchanging flirty comments and winks and smiles and looks. Jim loved it. Somewhere between the second and third coffee, Jim had moved to the same side on the booth as Sherlock.
The detective had just grinned when Jim pressed against him, their thighs touching completely and hands brushing every now and then.
"I missed you too.." Sherlock smiles, wide and with teeth.
Jim's hope metre was soaring, the arrow going crazy and breaking. "Really?"
Sherlock nods. "Yeah. I.. er.. that night. It was... great."
The blush that covered Sherlock's cheeks was easily the most adorable thing Jim had ever seen.
"I agree." Jim says, voice soft. His links his hand through Sherlock's under the table, squeezing.
Sherlock doesn't say anything else, his eyes locked onto Jim's own. Neither even realised they were leaning closer to one another until they were a centimetre or two away from each other.
Jim could feel Sherlock's breath on his lips as the detective swallowed nervously. Jim squeezes his hand again, encouraging him.
Sherlock's just about to duck down and Jim knew he was... when music blares from Jim's pocket, his phone going off and causing them to flinch. They're foreheads smack together. Jim winces and giggles, seeing Sherlock rubbing his forehead as he too laughed.
Jim pulls his phone out, reading the Caller ID.
Alex flashes across the screen, along with a picture of Jim and Alex standing in front of fountain, leaning into each other and looking genuinely happier than ever. The photo seemed so fake to Jim.
But to Sherlock, who had no concept of privacy and was peering over Jim's shoulder, it seemed horrifyingly and painfully real.
"Who's that?" Sherlock asks, voice quiet and maybe even hurt.
Jim looks at him, guilty written all over his face. And not because he was about to cheat on his boyfriend, but because he was hurting Sherlock and he should have explained the situation with Alex to Sherlock before.
"My boyfriend." He answers, sounding guilty as sin.
"Right. Let me out." Sherlock's tone was sharp this time, his icy (guarded) eyes locked onto Jim in a glare.
Jim doesn't move, not letting Sherlock out from the booth. "I--"
"Jim, let me out." Somehow Sherlock's voice was impossibly sharper and ten times more harsh.
Shrinking back, Jim slides out and lets Sherlock out of the booth.
Sherlock stands, eyes meeting Jim's. Jim tried with all his might to tell Sherlock with his eyes that if he stopped and listened, Jim could explains that they weren't properly together. Nines times out of ten Alex wouldn't even see Jim for more than three days a week. He only showed up when Jim was going out to an event or he felt like having sex.
And Jim went along with it because he was lonely and he only really wanted Sherlock in his arms.
But he knew that was no excuse. Alex was his boyfriend, no matter how bad their relationship was.
"You want to explain." Sherlock states. "But, Jim, I don't want to hear it. Just., go back to your boyfriend. Maybe try to give a shit about him and.. and leave me alone. I'm fine as I am... No boyfriend, no girlfriend, just the work."
Before Jim can even open his mouth, Sherlock is out of the door in a blur of navy and grey.
Jim falls back into the seat, one elbow on the table. He rests his cheek on his hand, staring ahead of him, trying to stop his lip trembling.
His phone starts blaring again, Alex's name flashing and Jim can't stop it, he crumbles in on himself and starts to cry.
He'd lost Sherlock. Again.
They had that one night.. That one wonderful night. And Jim didn't know how to say goodbye, how to just let go of all the feelings he had for Sherlock and move on with his life.
He wasn't even sure how he dragged himself home that night.