Sherlock enjoys sexual activity up until the point of orgasm, because when he has an orgasm, it's so intense that he can't handle it. It completely floors him, taking away his control and the sensation is so intense that it spans past pleasure and into a not-so-good territory.
So he rarely indulges in masturbation, and never, ever sex, because the end is never pleasant. As time goes on, he starts to see this as an asset to the Work.
But when he meets John, desire sparks, but he restrains himself because of his issue and because of the Work. Except then they start getting closer and edge towards intimacy.
And that's where things get complicated. Sherlock enjoys what they do, up until the whole orgasm deal. To Sherlock's shock, John never pressures him once he learns what the problem is, and together, they gradually work through the problem so that orgasming is a more pleasurable experience for Sherlock, though from time to time, he still has orgasms that are too intense for him to handle. When they do happen, John soothes him.
Sherlock has remained celibate because his orgasms are too intense
So he rarely indulges in masturbation, and never, ever sex, because the end is never pleasant. As time goes on, he starts to see this as an asset to the Work.
But when he meets John, desire sparks, but he restrains himself because of his issue and because of the Work. Except then they start getting closer and edge towards intimacy.
And that's where things get complicated. Sherlock enjoys what they do, up until the whole orgasm deal. To Sherlock's shock, John never pressures him once he learns what the problem is, and together, they gradually work through the problem so that orgasming is a more pleasurable experience for Sherlock, though from time to time, he still has orgasms that are too intense for him to handle. When they do happen, John soothes him.