"Alright, class, remember that your reading buddy could easily become your best friend, so be nice," the teacher told the youngest group of children in the school. Victor Holmes listened as students were paired up with second year children.
"Victor Holmes," the teacher called out. He stood, waiting for his assigned reading buddy. "Your partner is Rosamund Watson."
"Hey Vic!" Rosie greeted him, her wavy blonde hair cascading over her shoulders.
"R-Rosie, hi," Victor replied bashfully. "What are we reading?"
"I was thinking one of the Nancy Drew books," Rosie suggested. "They're mysteries!"
"Really?" Victor's eyes lit up. "I do like a good mystery!"
Footsteps were heard coming up the stairs. Sherlock ceased his composing as his wife and son came through the door.
"Daddy!" Victor Holmes exclaimed, running towards Sherlock who lifted his son up in his arms.
"How was your first day of school?" he asked with a smile.
"It was so fun!" the little Holmes replied.
"Tell Daddy about Rosie," Molly encouraged. At this, Victor's face flushed.
"What about Rosie, Victor?" Sherlock's eyebrow rose up.
"Nothing!" Victor said in a panic, scurrying off to his room with embarrassment.
"It seems he has a bit of a crush on Rosie," Molly provided.
"Is that so?" Sherlock asked. "John's going to kill me."
"He's not going to kill you just because our son likes his daughter," Molly rolled her eyes at her husband's dramatics. "It's not like they're getting married."
"Don't be so sure, Molly," Sherlock told her. "No one can resist the charm of a Holmes."
"No one?" Molly asked skeptically.
"No one," he spoke softly before pressing his lips to hers.
Ten Years Later
Now as they were both teenagers, Victor decided he waited long enough. He planned to ask Rosie out, but was definitely terrified of the prospect. She was seventeen and a senior…why would she want a scrawny, fifteen year old sophomore? He knew what he needed to do.
"Dad?" he called out. Sherlock was typing away on his laptop.
"What is it, Victor?" he asked.
"How did you capture Mum's affection?" Victor flushed. Sherlock straightened up in his chair.
"This is about Rosie," Sherlock confirmed. "To answer your question, I don't really know, myself. Your mum was the last thing my heart expected."
"But how did you finally make that transition from just being friends?" Victor inquired.
"Well, you already know about what your Aunt Eurus did to us years ago," Sherlock began. "The truth is, I was just honest with your mum; about how I felt and even about how afraid I was of taking that leap."
"You were afraid? To be with mum?" Victor couldn't believe it. His father—Sherlock Holmes—afraid?
"I was, but your mum had enough strength for both of us, as it wasn't the most ideal situation we went through to get to that point. It's okay to be afraid, Victor. Emotions are okay. Show them to her. It took me a long time to realise that, myself," Sherlock finished.
"Thanks dad," Victor smiled with a newfound bravery from his dad's words.
Twenty Years Later
"I present to you for the first time, Victor and Rosamund Holmes." The family and friends of the newlyweds cheered. Molly thought back on when both children were still so young and Victor had come home with a crush on Rosie.
"It's not like they're getting married," Sherlock quoted his wife from those years ago.
"Oh, hush you!" she laughed.
"We really should have seen this coming," John remarked, tears in his eyes.
"Mary probably did," Sherlock added, making his wife and best friend laugh. And it was true…Mary always knew.
Author's Note: I am aware that the UK doesn't use the terms freshman, sophomore, junior and senior for high school, but I just wanted to use them lol.