He's thoughtful and steady and doesn't flip the hell out, and it's just lovely.

As I was writing this, someone said that John was strong and steady, and I love that description. Because John does have a temper, does occasional flare up and want to yell, but in general, he's the most down-to-earth, accepting (and on occasion long-suffering) guy. He's loyal and dependable, and frequently thinks beyond expectations or social assumptions. It's this funny combination of thinking before he responds and trusting his instincts hwen it comes to Sherlock (trusting Sherlock, caring for Sherlock rather than giving a damn about what anyone else might think).

He is, in short, awesome.

I was thinking this morning that this entire story builds -- right from the start -- up to that moment of final reveal. Waiting for Sherlock to provide the truth is a ticking timebomb, but in the end, it doesn't explode. Instead, John steadily defuses it, turning what could emotionally blow them skyhigh back into ordinary bits and pieces. Because, as I said, John is awesome.