And there Sherlock goes, being absolutely daft again, enough that John thinks he warrants another punch to the face. The only reason he's not doing it is because he has a bit more sense not to now, and because that nose is already in a bad enough state. Still needs to have a better look at it, just in case, even if he knows Sherlock is quite capable of making sure a nose isn't broken.

Just in case.

But that isn't important, not right now. What's important is all the nonsense Sherlock is spouting.

"Doesn't matter?" he repeats, in utter disbelief, and raises a finger. "No. No. It matters. It matters that you think I don't... That you think I don't care. That's not what it's about. I don't know if I can explain it but. I haven't really been... I should have asked, I'll admit that. But just because I haven't doesn't mean I don't care, and don't you dare come and tell me you know that better because you don't, all right? And it's not fine. It's not fine that you actually think all this. You don't... You don't need to settle, or whatever I'm supposed to call this, Sherlock, just because you have nowhere to go. That's not how it works."