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It was stupid really. The wall had all sorts of writing on it, sexual confessions, love notes, dark secrets, no one was likely to even notice the tiny scribble that Sherlock was adding to it. But, that was rather the point wasn’t it? He didn’t actually want anyone to find it, but there was a part of him that needed to tell someone and since he didn’t have friends to gush about it with, the wall would have to do. Sherlock finished his note and capped his marker, sighing as he looked at his own handwriting that now seemed to be taunting him. His secret was out there for the world to see now, but he doubted that anyone would even pay it any mind.
What Sherlock did not know though, was that every Friday the rugby team would hang out behind the wall and joke around, reading some of the fresh ink. And it just so happened that only an hour after Sherlock had left, Mike Stamford discovered the tiny scribble.
“Hey, guys! Come look at this!” Mike called out to the team. The young men gathered around where Mike was pointing to see, fine letters that read ‘I’m gay and hopelessly in love with the rugby captain.’ “We have to find him.” Stamford insisted.
“Watson isn’t even here to see this, how do we know he wants to find the bloke?”
Mike rolled his eyes, “John just came out at bisexual, it wouldn’t hurt to find the bloke who is -how did he word it?- ’hopelessly in love’ with him.” Mike pulled out his cell phone and snapped a few pictures before zooming it in to enlarge the writing. “This handwriting is really unique, surely someone’s ought to recognize it.”
***
The next day as John was arriving at school he received a text message from Mike Stamford. The rugby captain looked at it for several moments trying to understand what he meant. ‘You’re Welcome’ was all that it said. John quickly tapped out a response before grabbing his bag and heading into the school.
Thank you? -JW
When he walked through the doors everyone was looking at him, something he had become relatively used to lately as a side effect of his social status and openness of his sexuality, but this time it was different.
“Hey, John,” a student came to stand near him as he spoke, John thought his name was Jeff, but honestly he wasn’t sure. “Did you make these?” The boy handed John a flier that had a large image of what appeared to be the confession wall, but it was the writing in the photograph that caught John’s attention. Underneath the photograph someone had typed ‘If this is you or you know who this is, please contact Mike Stamford. Information will be rewarded.’
John sighed, “Mike. Of course it was Mike.” John took the flier and ran down the hall to Mike’s locker, looking for the boy with murder on his mind. When he finally found him John shouted, “Mike! Why on Earth would you do this without talking to me?”
The other boy’s eyes went wide, he hadn’t expected the anger. “I-I just thought that you would want to know.”
The rugby captain pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, Mike I didn’t mean to yell. I just… I kinda… I have feelings for someone already,” John rubbed the back of his neck, one of his frequent nervous ticks.
“Oh!” Mike suddenly understood. “Well why didn’t you tell us? Who is it?”
John blushed, a rare reaction for the boy, and Mike smiled, John must have it pretty bad if even the thought was making him blush. “It doesn’t matter. I don’t think he’s interested.”
“Of course it matters! You’re John Watson for crying out loud! If he’s attracted to men, there’s no way he isn’t interested in you!” Mike’s volume was becoming embarrassing, at this point students were glancing their way from all areas of the hallway -more so than they already had been- to see what all the fuss was about.
“That’s the thing Mike, I don’t even know if he fancies blokes,” John whispered.
“Ah,” Mike gave his friend a small smile and grabbed his shoulder. “Well, does it hurt to know all of your options mate? Maybe that fella is the one who wrote the message.”
John gave his friend a small smile, “Yeah, maybe.” But he knew it couldn’t be true. There was no way that Sherlock Holmes was in love with him.
***
John had always enjoyed science, in fact he intended to pursue a medical degree in University, so it came as no surprise that John was always excited to go to biology class on lab days. Except it wasn’t his favorite class because of the academics, but rather the fact whom his lab partner was.
Sherlock Holmes was a wonderful lab partner, smarter than any of the other students in the class, John included, but he never insisted on doing the lab himself. In fact, Sherlock seemed to even value John’s opinion sometimes, even when he was entirely wrong.
“Hey, partner,” John smiled as he sat down next to the dark haired boy. Sherlock simply nodded his response without turning his head and John frowned, had he done something wrong? “Everything okay?”
“Fine,” Sherlock looked up at him this time and John saw why Sherlock had been unwilling to turn his head previously. It looked as though the boy had been crying.
“Sherlock, are y-” John spoke softly before being cut off.
“If you value your life you will not finish that sentence, Watson.” Sherlock bit out.
John flinched a little at the threat, it wasn’t like Sherlock to be so hostile. “Sorry, I was trying to be a good person. I’ll just stop then,” John snapped before rising from the desk to gather the materials for the lab and remained silent.
After the teacher had given the lesson and they were left to complete the lab procedures Sherlock spoke again, “I didn’t mean to snap at you, John, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I didn’t mean to pry or be rude. I guess I’ve just had a long day,” John sighed, thankful Sherlock had broken the tension.
“You? A long day? You’re captain of the rugby team, the most popular boy in school, tons of friends, and evidently a secret admirer,” Sherlock scoffed, but listened intently for the blonde’s response. He had been horrified to walk into school and find his confession taped up on every wall, but was thankful at least that no one knew, he supposed there were some perks to not having anyone to tell his secrets to so long as he didn’t have to worry about them being revealed. But he was curious of what John must think of this whole situation. Had he asked Mike Stamford to make the fliers?
“It is possible to have bad days regardless of popularity,” John smirked. “And as for the secret admirer fiasco, I had no idea about any of that until I walked into school today. I really wish Mike hadn’t done that.”
Sherlock’s heart sank a little, “I suppose you must find it rather unsettling to know someone wrote that about you.”
John laughed a little, “Unsettling? No, not at all.” John paused for a moment and pulled his head back from the microscope to allow Sherlock a turn. When Sherlock was no longer looking at him John gathered the courage to finish his thought. “I just feel bad for the bloke because I already have feelings for someone else.”
Sherlock froze momentarily as his throat tightened. He knew there was no possible way that John Watson would ever want him, but to hear him say he had feelings for another still hurt. Sherlock recovered quickly though, feeling his lab partner’s eyes on him. “Why haven’t you told her? Given your social status I find it unlikely for anyone to deny your advances.”
John was shocked at this response, “I just don’t think that’s as true as you may think it is.”
Sherlock peeked up from the microscope momentarily, “What, is she lesbian?”
John chuckled again, “Actually, I don’t know how he identifies.”
Sherlock gasped just quiet enough that John hadn’t noticed. He knew John identified as bisexual, hell the whole school knew, but for some reason he hadn’t considered the possibility of the object of the boy’s desires being male. “Well, why don’t you just ask him?”
John paused momentarily. He couldn’t very well just ask Sherlock after that comment. What if Sherlock turned out to be straight? It would completely ruin this small friendship -was it a friendship?- that they had formed. “Well if it’s that simple a question, why don’t you answer it?” That would work, not too obvious.
Sherlock stood straight again, removing his gaze from the microscope and turning toward his lab partner. “I happen to be gay, John.”
“Oh, well thank you for your honesty, Sherlock,” John’s heart was racing and his thoughts were all over the place. The pair continued mostly in silence for the rest of the class, speaking only to discuss their findings. When they finished and they were released from class Sherlock and John exited class side by side. John turned right out of the door, following Sherlock even though they both knew his locker was to the left.
“Where are you going?” Sherlock asked curiously.
“I just wanted to ask you something and I didn’t want to do it in class,” John cleared his throat awkwardly. This was it. Be brave, Watson. “Sherlock, I- the person I have feelings for-” John kept his eyes to the ground unable to look the dark haired boy in the eyes.
“Yes?” Sherlock asked, trying desperately to not let the anxiety and hope show in his voice.
John forced his eyes up from his feet to look at Sherlock’s glass blue ones and it gave him all of the courage he needed. “It’s you, Sherlock.”
Sherlock’s eyes went wide and his lips fell open slightly. “John,” he whispered softly.
John’s heart sank, clearly Sherlock didn’t feel the same. He had made a fool of himself. He knew he should have kept it to himself, “It’s okay that you don’t feel the same, Sherlock. I just wanted to tell you. I-uh, I need to go to practice.”
John turned to leave but Sherlock grabbed his hand and pulled him back towards him and led him down the hall and into the abandoned auditorium, Sherlock turned back to him and grabbed the blonde’s face between his hands. The next thing John knew, his lips were pressed to the softest lips he had ever felt and his hands were around Sherlock’s small waist, holding him close.
It was several minutes later when Sherlock finally pulled away, “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.”
“Sherlock, I-” John stopped short unsure what to say.
“The writing on the confession wall,” Sherlock began, his face turning bright red. “It was me.”
Now it was John’s turn to look surprised. “Oh?" His lips curved into a wide smile, "you’re the one who’s ‘hopelessly in love with the rugby captain’?” John teased.
Sherlock hid his face in John’s neck to hide the blush that that was so present it was travelling down his neck, “Maybe.”
John shifted back and brought a hand to the younger boy's high cheekbone, looking into those beautiful blue eyes. "It’s okay, Sherlock. Because rumor has it the rugby captain is hopelessly in love with you too.”