Sorry, once again, for such a late update. Work is awful, schools is terrible, and I'm actually getting things ready so I can go to college (Yay on that one!). Well, I hope you enjoy. *Mwah*

Just a few days into the new phase of their relationship, and John discovered that Sherlock can, in fact, be physically affectionate. Such a normal characteristic and it applies to the absolutely insane Sherlock Holmes. However, anything that seems remotely normal when applied to Sherlock is bound to become abnormal.

Although moderately affectionate in day-to-day activities (a kiss on the temple in the mornings, hand holding in cabs, and secret smiles across crime scenes) Sherlock becomes the very definition of clingy whenever he is in a strop. It would normally smother John with how close Sherlock becomes in these times if it were not for the fact that it makes up for all the time Sherlock distances himself.

Today is one of the days that Sherlock has entered into his clingy mode.

They had had a row. Well, it was a one-sided row. And by one-sided, it was Sherlock spouting out his frustrations while John sat good-naturedly on the sofa and listened as Sherlock emptied out his problems.

Sherlock was upset because a client had fired Sherlock from his services. The woman had proved to be even more impatient than the consulting detective, which had scared John just a teensy bit. Sherlock had been on the aristocrat's case for no more than three days when she had proclaimed that it was taking entirely too long to be solved. She had sniffed her displeasure and announced that she was making her way to Scotland Yard because maybe the professionals could handle her case.

To say that John was a bit scared of the woman's impatience, he was, in no small way, absolutely fearful to be around Sherlock after the woman's departure.

Sherlock's face showed zero emotion, but John knew better. Sherlock turned on his heel and began pacing the living room. After a few minutes of silence -tense on John's part for awaiting the tsunami of seething hatred to flow from the internally livid man- Sherlock finally turned to face John and commended speaking his mind.

"Who does she think she is? Go to Scotland Yard? The professionals? Doesn't she know who I am?..."

And on and on he prattled, John waiting on the sofa for Sherlock to finally calm down, if he decided to calm down.

After about three more minutes of complaining aloud, Sherlock made his way into his bedroom and slammed the door shut behind him. John, used to Sherlock's antics, didn't blink an eye at the outburst. Instead, he reached beside him for his laptop with a sigh and reclined on the sofa, stretching out his legs in front of him, laptop on his chest.

John had been reading up on a new and interesting medical procedure when Sherlock reemerged from his room. Instead of proceeding to the kitchen to do something horrid to some poor soul's limb like John expected, Sherlock flopped down on top of John, almost upending the laptop onto the floor.

"Oof! Sherlock? What are you doing?" John asks, highly confused.

Sherlock didn't answer. At least not with words. He just moaned and placed his head on John's shoulder facing the back of the sofa.

"What's wrong, huh?" John questioned, rubbing his hand up and down Sherlock's back, trying to placate the obviously upset man.

Again Sherlock didn't answer with words. He burrowed his head deeper into John's body between his neck and the sofa cushion beneath. Then he slung his arm around John's middle, right under his armpit.

John conceded that he would not get anything verbal out of Sherlock and resumed browsing the Internet, situating the computer on the other side of Sherlock's possessive arm.

Once John has finished the medical article and checking his email, he set his laptop on the coffee table. With his arms now free, he wrapped them comfortingly around an unnaturally passive Sherlock. He resumed the back-rubbing, contemplating this new side of himself that Sherlock had revealed.

It was nice. Really nice. Great, actually. John has always been one for cuddling. He didn't find it necessary for all his relationships, and had thought that he would never do it again with the cool and professional Sherlock Holmes, but it looks like if Sherlock gets upset enough, he turns into a giant child in need of physical comfort and affection. That is something John will willing offer his help with.