Sherlock got frustratingly cryptic when he got ill. It was a symptom of his petulance and his need to spread his misery.

For instance, once when Sherlock was too weak from the flu to make it off the sofa, John massaged his feet and subjected him to a Harry Potter marathon. When John went to the kitchen to make him toast for lunch, Sherlock didn't waste time arguing about eating, but instead insisted it must be cut like Floo powder or he would not touch it.

John set the bread aside immediately and moved into the sitting room.

"Sherlock, are you all right?" John put his head on Sherlock's forehead. The man was still feverish, but he didn't feel like he was burning up enough to be delirious. Sherlock tossed his head to dislodge John's hand. The doctor resolved to assault Sherlock with a thermometer.

"Floo powder, John. Toast."

"I don't know what that means, love."

"And tea." Sherlock made a sort of hmphing motion as if that were the end of the conversation.

"Floo powder. Dusted with sugar?" John guessed.

"No, John. Harry Potter. You love those movies. They go about in chimneys with Floo powder."

"Yes, I know, but what on earth does that have to do with toast? You're just being difficult."

"Floo powder!" Sherlock hollered, ineffectually trying to bombard John with used tissues. Thankfully, they didn't fly very far. John began to grumble but headed back to the kitchen. He stared at the buttered toast. Floo powder. What the hell could that mean? When the answer came to him, he laughed. They took the powder to Diagon Alley, but Harry had said 'diagonally,' hadn't he? John delivered the properly cut toast to Sherlock's blanket mountain on the sofa.

"Please try to eat, Sherlock."

"Not moving."

"I'll feed you then, shall I?"

Sherlock rolled his eyes and said, "Wales."

"Oh, just eat your damn toast." John picked a triangle up at random and shoved it past Sherlock's lips. Sherlock peered at the other three triangles on the plate and saw that John had grabbed the correct quarter, though mainly due to his being left-handed. He chewed obediently.