Sherlock

"I'm Bored, John". The John in question froze, and stared absent minded at the newspaper in his hands.

"I said... I'm bored, John" the voice said again. John peered over the top of the newspaper at his flatmate who sprawling over the sofa opposite with his eyes closed, who would appear to be asleep to anyone who didn't know him. But John Watson knew him far too well and was secretly plotting his escape route from the apartment.

"I heard you the first time Sherlock, now can you please be quiet?" he muttered back.

Without bothering to move more than his head, Sherlock looked over at the man who was staring at the wall opposite, the tiny holes in it reminders of the last time Sherlock got bored. John pulled his newspaper back to in front of his eyes pretending to be engrossed in it.

"You're not really reading that John", Sherlock announced closing his eyes again. John lowered he paper slightly resting it in his lap. He turned the page as slowly as he dared.

"Yes I am Sherlock. Now will you please leave me alone" he said obviously less than enthused with the conversation he was having.

Sherlock smirked. He pushed himself up and sat feet on the floor, his elbows resting on his hands and his face in his hand.

"Right now remember I'm watching you John... I will give you £50 if you can tell me what the story is on the page you're reading right now" he said clearly enthralled with the predicament he had put his roommate in.

Oh sod it! John thought. Whilst he had been contemplating whether the jump from the window would kill him he had turned to one of the ad pages in the back of the newspaper. Come on John think, what's one of the news stories lately. Chilean miners trapped? Yes that'll have to do!

"Ummm... there's some Chilean miners trapped. They reckon they'll be trapped till Christmas, can you imagine that?" he murmured as coolly as he could manage.

Sherlock smiled triumphantly.

"You owe me £50 John. You could have just said that you were looking for a new car. Not that I would have believed you... but even still" he said getting to his feet.

John looked at him flabbergasted as he crossed the room into the kitchen.

"How the- hell did..." John stammered, immediately regretting it as Sherlock turned on him.

"Simple. You have already read most of that paper today meaning that when you picked it up a few moments ago... clearly trying to avoid engaging in conversation with me, it means that you would have gone straight towards the pieces that you didn't manage to read the first time round. That would leave around 10 pages until you would reach the advertisement section. Of course when I stated that I was bored mere minutes ago you began to flip through the pages clearly not noticing what you were actually looking at, which did in fact leave you on the advertisement section." Sherlock said walking towards John who had placed his head in his hands to avoid looking at the man. Couldn't stop him hearing Sherlock, however.

"Add on the fact that the holiday advertisements are normally in bright colours to try and mask how truly horrible they actually are and the fact that you have a large smudge of black ink on your thumb I deduced that you were on the advertisements for vehicles, cars most likely due to the fact that the smudge contained slight hints of blue and red... Auto-trader correct?" he said leaning over John's shoulder. John subconsciously moved the paper away from Sherlock's prying eyes causing the lankier man to smirk once again, this time with glee.

"Go away Sherlock, I'll give you the rest later" John murmured, fishing in his pocket knowing full well he didn't have £50 on him. He found a twenty and placed it in Sherlock's waiting hand.

"Right then... I'm off. Lestrade wanted to see me." he said bounding down the stair, in a uncharacteristically happy voice. John groaned and flopped backwards realising that he had just given Sherlock his last twenty, for a bet, which it was obvious he would lose... that he didn't even really make in the first place.