I am venturing into unknown territory. It feels foreign, and frankly... a little bit traitorous.
I am writing my first Mollstrade. Yes, the beautiful Molly Hooper and the gorgeous, underrated Greg Lestrade. I have always been a dedicated Sherlolly shipper, and that has absolutely NOT changed, but this one wouldn't leave me alone. I thought about the affection that is shared between Molly and Sherlock and wondered what might happen if Sherlock were to recognize not only his own feelings for Molly, but his own limitations, and in order to preserve some of her happiness, to orchestrate something unheard of - a matchmaking between the woman he loves, and a man he has come to admire and consider to be a close friend?
"Sherlock?"
John Watson knew his best friend well.
There was the Sherlock who was deep in thought, even deep enough to be thoroughly entrenched in his mind palace, completely oblivious to anything and everything around him.
But then there was the Sherlock who was troubled.
Sherlock remained silent for what seemed like about 30 minutes, after John had spoken his name in an attempt to capture his attention. In reality, John realized, it was probably more like 30 seconds. He was used to a somewhat delayed reaction from Sherlock Holmes. But then, as expectedly unexpected as pressing a needle into a balloon… knowing the result but still gasping with surprise when it actually exploded, Sherlock spoke.
"What do you do if you love someone, and you've admitted it, more or less… okay, so you've full out admitted it but still not acted on it. But, you know you can't make them happy. If you know that your true nature, that thing you can never fully escape, will only end up preventing you from giving them what they need the most in an emotional way, and you know you will only be… at the very least depriving them… or at the worst, dooming the relationship and wounding them in the end?"
John thought about it a moment. It was rare enough for Sherlock Holmes to ask him for advice, so the fact that he was doing just that about romantic entanglements – or rather, his desire to avoid one - right now was a bit… not unsettling, exactly. John couldn't find a word for it really.
"Well," John said, thoughtfully. "I suppose you let them go, and if you have it in you after you've managed that, you guide them towards that which can give them what you feel certain you can't."
Sherlock slowly turned his gaze up to John.
"Yes," he finally said, a smile slowly morphing. "It's obvious. Of course, it's so obvious now. And now, let's just suppose, it will make not one, but two people you care about happy?"
John shrugged, giving Sherlock a half smile.
"Then, more's the better, I suppose."
Sherlock averted his gaze for a few moments, thinking, pondering. Then he turned it back to John.
"Yes," he repeated. "I know exactly what I should do."
John searched Sherlock's face for some sort of clue, but all he saw was a sparkle of determined intention in the blue-green eyes.