A/N: Real life has been stressing me out lately, but my pain is your gain, because I deal with stress by writing Molly and Mycroft being cute. I give you the Tumblr OTP Challenge, now featuring MollCroft! These chapters will not be in the same universe as each other (or anything else I've written), so feel free to jump around. I don't own these characters, Moffat/Gatiss and Conan Doyle do. As always, I love reviews and the people who post them.
The first time it happened, it was just for show. They'd been sitting in the coffee shop near Bart's when a pack of women walked in and Molly immediately ducked her head. Mycroft took a moment to study them. (Acute physicians at Bart's, all in their late twenties, designer handbags, wearing stilettos despite the fact that they are on their feet all day, spend at least twenty minutes each morning on makeup, frequent manicures. Pressuring their husbands to make more money. Consider themselves the "Queen Bees" of the hospital.) From the expression on Molly's face, Mycroft deduced that when they deigned to speak to her, their words were not kind.
The diplomat decided that if anyone deserved a moment of triumph, it was the woman who helped to save his brother's life. When the Queen Bees looked over at Molly, he gently reached across the table and took her hand, running his thumb over her dainty wrist. The pathologist blushed and smiled at him, and he smiled back. The Queen Bees stared over at Molly and her very posh "date" for a moment, then began whispering to each other in jealous tones.
Glancing at his watch, he told Molly he hoped they could do this again, and then kissed her hand before departing. As he stepped into his car, he wasn't sure which was the most interesting fact about holding Molly's hand: that her pulse elevated, or that his did.