Sherlock takes his glove off to shake John’s hand. He didn’t do that when he met him at the flat.
And look how John hesitates.
Look at how John looks. He’s almost affronted at the offer of a mere handshake. Look at him clenching his fist, the tremor in his left hand, the tight swallow, the clench of his jaw!
John had to at least have had an inkling that Sherlock’s ‘joke’ of a moment before was an aborted love confession. And now this.
Because John had hoped for more. He wants more. Just look at him!
But, John darlin’, that gap there between you—that’s one you are going to have to close.
Sherlock’s taken off his glove. Pure, warm, living, human contact—skin-on-skin. He knows (or at least thinks he knows) that this sort of thing is hard for you. That you would be horribly uncomfortable with love confessions and more physical contact that this. It’s hard for you—this stuff. And he wants to leave you on a high note, with as pleasant a memory as possible—shared laughter, a smile, a handshake, his hand, warm and naked around yours. So Sherlock is giving you what he can, and what he thinks you want.
If you want more, then you have to find your courage and close that gap. You have to take his hand, and pull him close into an embrace. You have to tell him all the things you’ve always wanted to and never have. This is your part of the journey now.
BLESS THIS CLOSE-UP GIF. This has changed my entire understanding of this scene. And thank you for this heart-breaking commentary,
, this is truly what has to happen for the next part of the story to unfold.