Disclaimer: I own nothing!…
BFN= Best female friend's name
E/C=eye color
H/C= hair color
F/N= first name
L/N= last name
…
Life has been interesting this past week, to say the least.
Now,you can successfully state that you are a college graduate. It all happened very fast over the years, and you got your credits out of the way a few months early, much to your surprise. A year or so ago, you were given an internship by a team of scientists to study marine biology, led by your physics professor, Will Oaks. You hadn't seriously considered the major at first, but you needed the money, so you took up your professor's offer. Over the past year, you loved studying the many species of beautiful fish and plant life- it was exhilarating.
After celebrating your 21st birthday party, you got a surprising offer from your internship; they wanted to give you a job! The only catch was that youwould have to move to London, which you had mixed feelings about. On one hand, you were ecstatic to travel that far. On the other, you wouldn't know anyone at all. You almost declined when you heard about your best friend (BFN) also moving to London to be close to her makeup company's headquarters( she was an advertising executive), and to follow her dream of being a model.
You decided to look for a flat together and settled on one of the last good places you had found, one on Baker Street. It was Friday; the day of your big move. You had met the sweet landlady, Mrs. Hudson. She gave you each a key to your flat, and told you that it was 222 B. You had opened up the door to your flat, cringing at an out of tune violin being played in the room next to you; 221 B.
"Fantastic" You mumbled, tossing your (H/C) hair behind you.
You walked over to ask them politely to quiet down, when (BFN) grabbed your hand.
"No. Let's not cause conflict." She warned.
You went inside your flat to set down the last few boxes before a look around the flat, your (E/C) eyes processing; the living room contained menial sofas and tacky wallpaper. The only trace of décor that was on the wall was a simple mirror above the fireplace. The kitchen was marble and small, but usable. There was a guest bathroom, two identical bedrooms, and a larger bathroom next to a small coat closet.
"What do you think?" She asked, (E/C) eyes shining hopefully.
"Not bad. Could use some love. What are these? Holes in the wall?" You asked.
You heard gunshots this time, cracking the mirror atop the fireplace. You rolled up your sleeves."
"BORED!" said a male voice through the wall.
"SHERLOCK! What are you doing? What if someone had been on the other side of that wall?"
"Oh, please, John. Don't be ridiculous. That flat has been abandoned since Mrs. Hudson first…"
"Ahem!" You cleared your throat authoritatively, opening the cracked door to 221 B. The softer voice belonged to a blond man, who was looking up from his laptop, and the other man, a tall brunet, stood with a gun to his side, staring intently but calmly.
Your roommate came up behind you cheerfully, placing her hands on your tense shoulders as a mother would to her child.
"We are your new neighbors!" She squealed.
The blond man walked up to her.
"Dr. John Watson." He said, shaking her hand.
"(BFN)" She said flirtatiously.
You stepped up to him, glancing up to his….brother? Lover? Flatmate? The brunet was gazing thoughtfully out of a window. You looked back to the blond.
"(F/N) (L/N). Nice to meet you, Dr. Watson." You answered.
He glanced over to the man, concerned.
"This is Sherlock. Sherlock Holmes." Watson indicated to (BFN) and you.
"Pleasure." He said, not removing himself from the window.
"Sherlock! Come meet our neighbors! You almost shot them after all!" Watson called.
Sherlock caved in, walking slowly towards you.
"Sherlock Holmes." He said shaking your hand. He glanced around your body, momentarily making you feel uncomfortable.
"You were on a diet for a while, as I can tell by the loose fabric of your jeans. However, maybe you cheated on the diet, as a receipt from Sonic is in your right pocket- I guess it wasn't so important after all. You also appear to be right-handed, since the nail polish is significantly more damaged than your left fingernails. You don't smoke because all you have is your phone and the receipt in your pockets, besides your wallet. Ah, and a box cutter. You have just moved, and have not unpacked everything yet. You are unmarried and not in a relationship, as judging by your lack of a wedding band or jewelry that would suggest otherwise, and willingness to move away. You also are a marine biologist, as I can tell by the logo on your hoodie, slight tan lines, sun-bleached hair strands, and the callous on your right hand from documenting and studying, which is probably the reason you moved here from that long distance from home, judging by your accent. Am I wrong?"
Your eyes were widened. You looked over to (BFN), who returned the look.
"No. You were dead on." You answered.
Watson glared at Sherlock.
"Do you need help with the move?" Watson asked (BFN).
"Nah. We're okay. Thank you." She said.
"I'm sorry for…" Watson began, scanning the bullet holes in the wall.
"Don't mention it." (BFN) said.
(BFN)had turned to leave when you followed her. Watson tapped on her shoulder.
"I could take you to the diner…if you'd like of course." He asked hesitantly.
"I'd love to." (BFN) glanced at you, smiling.
Watson looked at Sherlock.
"Would you and (F/N) like to go?" He asked, looking back and forth between the two of you.
"I have to go to my mind palace." Sherlock answered seriously.
"Um…thanks, John. But I really have a lot of work to do. You two have fun." You answered.
And so, you walked back to your flat, taking your clothes out of a box and hanging them in your small bedroom closet.
"Mind palace? What is a mind palace?" You asked out loud to yourself. You jumped like a startled cat when you heard a deep voice behind you.
"It's a thinking technique, really. You think of a place, like this room, and you think clearly and effectively that way. You left your door open." Sherlock placed his hands in his coat and sat on your bed unceremoniously.
"I…thought you had work to do." You said.
"The case is solved. The butler did it."
"So you're a detective?" You asked, hanging up your last shirt.
"The world's only consulting detective." You sat down beside him as he spoke.
"Fascinating." You tilted your head while looking at his face. Something was familiar about it. A light bulb went off in your head.
"Oh! I've read Watson's blog a few times. I didn't recognize you without your hat!"
"I hate that hat." He answered.
"You look better without it."You answered without thinking.
He raised his eyebrows. You changed the subject.
"Would you like some tea?" You asked.
" Your cooking supplies aren't unpacked yet." Sherlock said.
"Oh, right…." You trailed off.
"We can go back to my place for some tea, and come back here to help you to unpack." He said with a slight grin on his face. He held an arm out to lift you off of the bed.
…
"That sounds great. I said I didn't need help, though." You said, sipping your tea.
"You were just being polite. Anyways, I don't want your first impression of me to be your crazy neighbor with the shotgun." He said warmly. You stifled a giggle.
"I had many back home. Especially on the Fourth." You both laughed uncontrollably.
You two talked all night about your jobs, roommates, and flats while unpacking until (BFN)and Watson came back from their dinner date.
Sherlock was putting on his overcoat, about to leave when he grabbed your wrist.
"(F/N), if you're interested, I had a case come up. Something about shark attacks at Camber Sands. Would you be willing to come check it out with me?" His eyes looked sad and hopeful all at once.
"Well, sure, anything you need." You answered.
"Great." He said, giving you a quick hug, which caused a surprised look from Watson.
"Bye!" Called (BFN).
The door to your flat closed, (BFN) rushing to see you.
"Wow, (F/N)! Everything is unpacked! How did you manage?"
"I had some help from Sherlock." You slipped a nightgown over your head.
She smirked mischievously.
"How was the date? You get lucky?"You asked jokingly.
"Fantastic! We mostly talked about you two."
"Uh-oh." You said jokingly.
"He was a doctor in Afghanistan, (F/N)! And he is just adorable!"
"Wow." You answered, taking your socks off.
"And he has a blog and everything! He works at the hospital just down the…."Your best friend's voice faded as you lay your head on the pillow on your bed.
The night went quickly by as you drifted off into a deep slumber, exhausted but still excited for tomorrow.
….
The door to 221 B closed.
"What was all that about?" Watson asked Sherlock, who was in a robe on the couch, reading a newspaper.
"I helped our new neighbors move, and made us some tea." Sherlock said, not glancing up from his newspaper.
"No, not that! The…the hug!" Watson said.
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Sherlock responded.
…