(This is actually a roleplay I did and I loved it so much that I had to write it down here. So the credit also goes to the wonderful person I roleplayed with.
And I can neither roleplay or write anything happy so don't complain because of feels ._. )
Sherlock stood in the corner among the other guests who were dancing and watched John being happier than he had ever been. Happier than all those years while chasing down criminals and solving the most thrilling cases.
She was supposed to be with the other guests, enjoying herself , dancing, drinking, but she had been faking a smile all night and she was just exhausted and all she wanted was to go home and curl up in her bed and bury herself in some cases over the next few weeks.
She slipped into her coat and hoped that no one saw her leave, walking across the yard and sat on a bench, wiping at her wet eyes. It was quite chilly for May and she was freezing in her short lilac dress. The woman was deep in thought as someone approached her so she didn't notice that he had been followed.
Archie had been watching the detective the whole time. The genius. Clutched in his hand was pictures of a beheaded nun which Sherlock had given to him earlier that day and he was so proud of the picture that he had shown everyone but they had just wrinkled their noses or they had told him to get lost. Stupid people.
Sherlock was the only one who understood him and she made him so happy.
But she looked so sad that it made him sad as well.
Was it because no one would dance with her, he wondered and so he had followed her and tapped on her shoulder, making her flinch. He apologized and looked at her with a small frown.
Miss Holmes..." Archie said softly , looking at her with big bright eyes. "Why did you leave?"
Sherlock blinked and looked up at the boy, smiling a little through her tears. Archie had been the last person she had expected. She was glad though that it was him and not John or even worse - Mrs Hudson.
"I just needed some fresh air. I hate being around so many people..." she said and looked at the picture in his hands.
"So you still have that picture..."
Archie nodded, and he reached for her hand, holding onto it tightly.
"I'm going to put it up in my room so I'm always reminded of you and my dream of becoming a detective like you." he told her happily what made Sherlock smile as well. He reminded her so much of herself as a little girl. Maybe that was why she liked him so much.
"I want you to dance with me." he demanded, making his eyes big and pleading. "If you don't like being with so many people, dance out here with me."
She swallowed and quickly wiped away some more tears, giving his hand a soft squeeze.
"I'd love to dance with you." she said and placed one hand on his shoulder while she held the other one.
It looked ridiculous as he was much shorter than her, but it actually managed to distract her.
Suddenly, Archie tugged her down and he stood on his tiptoes so he could kiss her on the cheek.
"My mum does that for me when I come home and tell her about being excluded at school," Archie told her softly.
"I think I probably looked the same as you do now."
Sherlock let out a watery laugh and smiled at him.
"My mother used to do that for me, too. Or I hugged my dog, Redbeard, until I felt better again." she said, slowly dancing with him while she hummed Pachelbel's Canon to herself while she couldn't help the few tears running down her cheeks.
Archie pursed his lips worriedly, dancing with her in the courtyard.
"Why are you crying, Miss Holmes?" Archie asked, squeezing her hand. "The wedding's over...everyone is laughing and happy."
"I'm just a little sad," she shrugged and smiled at him. "Adults have that sometimes, you know..they get sad without a reason." she whispered, not wanting to bother the little boy with her problems.
He was too young and innocent to actually understand what love could do to someone.
"Are you in love?" Archie asked her, feeling fiercely protective of her already. "Did someone break your heart Miss Holmes? Should I beat them up?"
"Yes I am in love. I have always been. And no...you shouldn't beat him up. He is happy with someone else...and he deserves to be happy." she said, biting her lip "Because I've made them sad a long time ago and he finally learned to love and smile again. I don't want to take that away from him." she explained.
The boy nodded, understanding.
"You're in love with the groom, aren't you?" he asked, before extending his arms up, wanting to give her a hug, wanting to do something to make it better.
He hated seeing people sad, especially the woman he admired so much.
Sherlock smiled sadly, letting out a deep sigh.
"Yes...he's my best friend." she almost whispered and sat down on a bench, letting him hug her. It felt nice and he really made her feel better. But after a while she got worried.
"Your parents might wonder where you are." she said to him.
"Then we'll go back soon," Archie murmured, wrapping his arms gently around her neck. "They don't need anyone to give them a hug right now. Do you want to go back inside and dance when your tears have dried?" he asked and received a nod from her.
"You have to promise me not to tell him. Or anyone." she said and rested her head against his shoulder. "No one can ever find out, it's my secret..and now it's also yours to keep." she said, giving him a stern look.
"I promise," Archie breathed, being excited at the thought of having a secret that only the two of them shared. "Anything for you, Miss Holmes."
"You're so sweet." Sherlock smiled at him and ruffled the boy's hair before drying her eyes and quickly applying some more makeup.
"Ready?" she asked and stood up, straightening her skirt and extended her hand.
Archie nodded eagerly, taking her hand again and leading her back inside and to the dance floor taking both of her hands, ready to dance with her.
Sherlock glanced over to John and Mary and took a deep breath, looking down at Archie again.
"Can you dance waltz?" she asked and Archie nodded.
"Not used to dancing with someone as tall as you but I can do the steps!" he told her with a grin.
"I can't wait until I'm taller than you!"
"Good. Oh and that might take a while." she said and danced with him once more that evening, not realising that most people were watching them and that they all noticed how sad the detective looked.
Her friends (except John) knew what was going on, mostly because Mrs Hudson had told them but the others were only speculating about it.
Archie spun with her, carefull not to miss one step.
"Can you deduce people, Miss Holmes?" he asked her. "Or are you tired?"
"I can always deduce people." she smiled and quirked an eyebrow."Why? Do you want me to deduce someone for you?" she was quite surprised that Archie knew so well how to cheer someone up but she was grateful nevertheless.
"Anyone!" Archie pleaded grinning. "Please, Miss Holmes?"
"Let's play a game, then" she said and looked around, searching the room for someone she could observe..
"I deduce with my little eye...a divorced mother of two with a severe alcohol problem and an unhealthy obsession with cats. Furthermore I deduce...that she smokes though she tries to hide it from her new husband who is definitely cheating on her. With...three other women..huh..what an idiot." she said and looked at him. "Now you have to guess who I've been deducing."
Archie looked around very, very carefully, and then pointed out the woman in question, confident in his choice. "She's got yellow round her fingernails," he said "My old granny smoked, and her hands looked the same way! Is that the woman?" he asked, hoping not to disappoint the woman.
"She is. You should become a detective as well...maybe you could even become the second consulting detective in the world." she said.
"Would you train me, Miss Holmes?" Archie asked, eyes sparkling and his smile enormous. "Pleeeease?"
"Of course I would. But I'm afraid you'll have to finish school first." she told him.
"I'm nearly done with primary school!" Archie said proudly, grinning up at her.
"Can we start soon?"
"I think we can, yes." she chuckled after thinking for a moment and ruffled his hair again.
"You're really good at cheering people up, as well. You remind me of John a little...and of me. That's odd." she murmured.
Archie hugged her again, whispering into her ear. "But John's an idiot, Miss Holmes. You're beautiful and amazing and brilliant."
"He's not...I was just..too late, I suppose." she said, blushing at his compliments even though they came from a six-year-old. "If you were 20 years older I might ask you for a date." she had to grin.
"I'll marry you one day, Miss Holmes!" Archie insisted, grinning. "The minute I grow up!"
"I wouldn't mind at all." she winked and looked up as Archie's mother approached them.
"Archie, it's late..we really have to go home." she told him and smiled at Sherlock. "Evening."
Archie shook his head. "I'm not tired!" he moaned, hugging Sherlock tighter. "And I don't want Miss Holmes to be alone tonight!"
"I'm sure Miss Holmes would like some peace after this party." she sighed but Sherlock shook her head.
"It's fine...I don't mind at all. He's fantastic." she said.
"Yeah but he can be so clingy sometimes." his mother rolled her eyes. "Come now, Archie."
Archie pouted and he took Sherlock's hand, giving it a kiss, just like a perfect little gentleman.
"I'll see you soon, Miss Holmes!" he whispered before giving her a tight hug round the waist.
"Good night, detective. And thank you for cheering me up." she said and hugged him back, reluctantly letting go of him and felt somewhat lonely again.
Archie left, watching her until he couldn't see her anymore. No one deserved to feel lonely. Not her.
Sherlock looked around again, waving John and Mary before she left the building once again, kicking off her shoes that were hurting her as she made her way home barefoot, hoping that she would see Archie again soon so he would cheer her up once more.
