Title: Patron Saint
Summary:  Flash fiction for Valentine's Day.  Schmoopy-ness has been kept to a minimum. :)
Rating: PG
Pairing: S/J


February 14th.  John had always had issue with the date mostly because he had never been in a serious relationship over the holiday that corresponded.  He'd once been dumped on the 13th (a Friday, no less!) and had never really gotten over it.  

This being the first time that he was in a long-standing relationship over Valentine's Day, he was at a bit of a loss.  It was Sherlock, after all.  Had he deleted it?  Would he find any sort of sentiment out of line?  Roll his eyes and call John petty and stupid?

The day of, Sherlock didn't mention it at all.  He didn't treat John differently than any other day, so John went along with it, figuring that a bit song and dance wasn't exactly Sherlock's style anyways.

Over dinner, (since it had been a couple days since Sherlock ate, so it was time) John casually slid a small cardboard box to Sherlock's side of the table.

"What's this?"

"A gift, obviously."  John replied.  "Just open it."

Sherlock looked him over for a clue.  Finding none, he pulled the top off of the box.  Inside lay a necklace - a pendant with Saint Valentine on it strung on a silver chain.

"A Valentine's Day present, John?"

"Before you get defensive, you should know a few things about Saint Valentine."  

Sherlock sat back in his seat, the necklace still in hand, and nodded him on.

"It's not all about lovers and couples.  He's also the patron saint of epilepsy, the plague-"

"I do hope you don't wish that on me."

"-greetings, travelers, young people-"

"None of which I am or plan to be or do."

"-and bee keepers."

Sherlock stopped then.  "…Say that again?"

John smiled. "Bee keepers.  Your retirement profession has a patron saint.  I thought you'd appreciate that."

It took Sherlock a moment to process that.  Then, a smile crept across his lips.

"Who's the patron saint of detectives?"

John giggled.  "Saint Michael.  He's on the other side of the pendant.  But you're the only consulting detective in the world, so I can't say there's a saint for that."  He took Sherlock's hand.  "And, no offense, but you're no saint."

"Nor would you want me to be."

"Definitely not."

~Fin


A/N: I found out that bee keeping had a patron saint and I just couldn't pass it up!  Happy Valentine's Day all!  :D  And le gasp! my first slash!fic in a LONG time!

Also, you get extra points if you got the "on the side of the angels" thing that I sort of kind of snuck in at the end. XD Couldn't help myself.