I just. I think this is one of the biggest signs of how deeply Sherlock cares about John, how deeply he’s in love with him. Sherlock, who could easily starve himself to death when distracted by a case, always, always makes sure that John is fed. Without fail. Even at the start of their many adventures, when they’re in Angelo’s restaurant, Sherlock says that John “might as well eat,” since they’re on stakeout. Even though Sherlock isn’t interested in eating, himself.
Sherlock does that again and again – taking John to restaurant after restaurant, making sure that John orders something and eats it, even when Sherlock’s busy scribbling notes or hypothesizing about a case. (Just look at that bottom-left GIF. Case in point.) The message? JOHN MUST EAT, even if Sherlock does not.
And this is Sherlock, folks. A cold and asocial man who doesn’t give a rat’s arse about other people, normally. But John is the only one whose bloody eating habits Sherlock cares about, with a compulsive, clockwork attentiveness that borders on (hell, is) domestic. That level of concern is not something even average people would feel for mere ‘friends’, let alone Sherlock, who cares little enough about other people’s fiddly feelings and fiddly needs, in the first place.
Sherlock feeds John. And watches out for John, not only in the epic life-saving way, but also in the day-to-day, make-sure-John-gets-fed way.
This pattern repeats throughout canon.
Which is why I love this GIF-set.
Because it’s true.
Not so much because of the girlfriend angle, but because Sherlock is always painfully aware of John, of John’s wellbeing, his health and his happiness. Sherlock is absolutely fucking devoted. And it shows.