A/N: Based on a prompt from welcometonightcourt: "writer/editor au."


They were in her office, in the middle of one of their usual debates over his manuscript and her edits.

"You do know what spell-check is for, right?" Molly Hooper asked, annoyed, as she found yet another misspelled word.

Sherlock Holmes huffed in annoyance. "I get my point across."

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, once I've corrected, finessed, and reorganized everything you've written." She scowled then circled a multi-hyphenated word cluster in red ink. "This needs commas, not hyphens."

He glanced at the page. "'Cocksucking-arsekissing-bootlicking-turd' is one word."

Molly raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, if you're twelve."

"Ahem," said an amused female voice from the doorway.

Both of them looked up to see Irene Adler, Molly's boss and the owner of TWH Publishing, standing there, smirking.

"Sorry to interrupt," she said, though it was plain from her tone and grin that she wasn't sorry at all, "but I need to steal Sherlock for a photo shoot."

Another one? Molly thought. He's an author, not an actor. "We're in the middle of a chapter, Irene. Can't it wait?"

"Nope, sorry." Irene's grin widened. "Come along, Sherlock. We mustn't disappoint your fans."

Sherlock shot Molly a grin that was truly apologetic as he stood up. "Duty calls. Same time tomorrow?"

Molly stood up. "Sure. Maybe by quitting time we'll be done with Chapter Two."

He chuckled. "That's the spirit." Sherlock grabbed his Belstaff. "Laters." He left and Molly willed herself not to check out his bum.

Two hours later, Irene came back alone and looking quite pleased with herself. "Mmm, it was such a good idea of mine to put his photo on the back covers. Sales went up 25% when that started, you know."

"I know," Molly reminded her. "Really, Irene, did you have to grab him just then? We were making headway."

"Strike while the iron is hot, I always say. He looked particularly delicious today, I knew it would be perfect." She sat down in the chair Sherlock had occupied, grinning. "I'm toying with the idea of asking him to model for one of the romance novel covers. With me as the female lead, of course."

"Of course," Molly muttered, rolling her eyes. "I really should get back to these edits."

"You don't meet many men like him," Irene continued. "Gorgeous, intelligent."

"Prickly."

Irene smirked. "If by 'prickly,' you mean 'has a big prick,' then yes."

Molly rolled her eyes again. "Like you'd know. He's turned you down every time you've asked him out."

"It never hurts to keep trying. I'll wear him down eventually." She grinned wickedly. "Then I'll wear him out."

Molly ignored the jealousy that sprang up over the idea of Irene and Sherlock shagging. "I seriously doubt he'd agree to be a cover model. He won't even do book signings."

Irene snapped her fingers. "I knew there was something I wanted to talk to you about. His fans are clamoring for a tour."

"I can safely say he'd see that as his own personal hell."

"Doesn't matter, sales go up whenever an author goes on a book signing tour. Do whatever you have to, but you need to convince him. I'll make all the arrangements."

"Irene…"

"If you don't, I can always find someone else to edit Sherlock's books. Anderson in particular is clamoring for your position."

"Anderson doesn't know an interrobang from a hole in the ground. Sherlock would eat him alive."

Irene smirked. "Then you'd better get Sherlock to agree."


The next day, they were having lunch in Molly's office when she approached the subject. "Sherlock … Irene wants you to go on a book signing tour."

Sherlock rolled his eyes. "Can't I just do another podcast or something?"

She smiled sympathetically. "Sorry, the fans want more. It's just a couple of, um, weeks. In the States. With Irene."

"Absolutely not."

Molly couldn't help smirking. "Which part?"

"All of it. I'm not spending a fortnight doing something I hate so far from … London with a person I despise."

"Irene's not that bad."

Sherlock raised an eyebrow. "You can speak freely, you know – I doubt she bugged your office."

"Fine. Irene's trouble but she knows what she's doing. You're the most popular detective novelist alive. While that's mostly because your talent, you have to admit she knows how to market you."

"You and I both know this is just one more chance for her to … compromise my virtue."

Molly raised an eyebrow. "When did you start reading romance novels? Anyway, she promised me she's booking you separate rooms."

"I don't trust her."

Smart man. "Then why are you still with us? TWH is far from the only publishing house in London."

"Let's just say that it's not only my contract that's keeping me here." Before she could parse what he meant by that, he added with a smirk, "Besides, it seems I have a reputation for being 'difficult.'"

"Can't imagine where anyone would get that idea," she said, smirking back. "I'm asking you to do this as a personal favor to me."

Sherlock's eyes lit up as he grinned. "And I may ask a favor in return at some point?"

"Of course, that's how favors work."

"Very well."

Molly wondered what her favorite author had up his sleeve, but she decided she'd rather watch from the sidelines.