One, two three:
Girl who counts to me,
Do you want to go out for coffee?
Thus read the card tucked into the bouquet of wildflowers that Sherlock Holmes was extending nervously towards Molly Hooper. None other than Sherlock Holmes was asking her out, and what's more he appeared to be actually nervous about doing so.
What was she supposed to say now? What did she do? Accept the flowers, first off, of course.
Smiling brilliantly as her shock abated, Molly took the flowers from Sherlock, saying, "They're lovely. Thank you."
Still appearing uncharacteristically unsure of himself, Sherlock pointed at the slip of paper to which Molly's eyes had first been drawn, murmuring, "There's a card. It's, ah, rather important."
Molly looked obligingly to the note – double-checking that it did, in fact, say what she thought it did – before her eyes darted back up to meet Sherlock's gaze.
His sharp blue eyes had been watching her intently, and when she looked back up at him, he spoke, admitting, "I feel I ought to apologize to you."
"For what?" Molly asked, her expression pinching with confusion.
"All those years ago, when you first asked me if I'd like to go for coffee…" Sherlock began, looking rather ashamed of himself. "I'm not as obtuse as my answer would lead you to believe. I knew what you were asking after, but I panicked, and so I ignored what you really meant. But now – after everything we've been through with this job, and everything you've helped me through – I feel there's no reason for me to shy away from the idea of becoming closer to you. Before, I was afraid you might be hurt by my enemies if you associated to closely with me, or even get your feelings hurt simply by my own emotional and social ineptness. I see how stupid that was now. Now I realize that you're a strong woman who is entirely capable of handling whatever you're thrown and whoever throws it. So… I'd like to take you out. If you're willing, that is."
"Sherlock…" Molly's smile widened. "Of course I'm willing to have a coffee with you."
"Wonderful," Sherlock replied, finally cracking a smile of his own. "Shall I pick you up at your place after you're through here this evening?"
"Ah," Molly paused only momentarily to be surprised at the suddenness of all of this before she agreed, "Alright."
Sherlock nodded, saying, "I suppose I'd best let you get back to your work, then," before he gave her a shy kiss on the cheek and turned towards the morgue door.
"You know," Molly's teasingly lilting voice stopped him right before he stepped out. "I should probably be angry with you for how you handled my inviting you to coffee."
"Probably," Sherlock agreed, looking at her over his shoulder. "But we have that coffee date set now. Better late than never, correct?"
He walked out the door without waiting for her to answer, and Molly just smiled as she went to find something to put her bouquet in.
Hopefully you enjoyed this! What do you guys think of a continuation of it...? Either way, reviews would make my day! Thanks!:)