Lily was to discover how true this was when Sherlock came round, at eleven on the dot. She answered still half asleep and her hair in disarray.
"You're not ready but never mind we can do it with you dressed like that." He marched past her and into the kitchen. Lily shut the door and hurried after him, watching bewildered as he started making them both tea.
"It'll only take me a few minutes to get dressed."
"No." He pulled two mugs out of the cupboard, "we need to make sure you are completely at ease with me when the night arrives. And what better way to get over inhibitions by starting off in barely any clothes. Now that's any idea."
Sherlock had already removed his long coat but shrugged off his jacket and started to unbutton his shirt. Lily spun around, a blush creeping over the bridge of her nose.
"What are you doing?"
"I believe it is quite obvious as to what I am doing but if you want to know why I'm doing it, then it only seems fair that we are both in a small state of clothing." Lily heard a zip being pulled down and she shut her eyes tightly and then clasped her hand over her ears.
"Nobody needs to be undressed! This is ridiculous!" She shrieked then her body tensed suddenly, "Oh god, I think the cameras on. Mark will never let me live this down." She jumped when she felt warm air at the back of her neck; she twirled round and was met with the sight of Sherlock's chest. Lily honestly couldn't believe she could go any redder. She forced her eyes to stay on Sherlock's face, which was showing every sign of amusement.
"This isn't funny," she scowled.
Sherlock moved back to the counter and carried on making the tea. Lily slumped down on one of the chairs and leant her elbows on the table. Then, despite at first being quite embarrassed, she eyed Sherlock's body. Slim and pale, everything she figured was right, but the one thing she wasn't expecting was the lithe muscles that were hiding beneath the suits. He obviously ran, a lot, but there was something else, she cocked her head slightly, trying to remember where she had seen bodies like that before. It was like a cross between a dancers and someone trained in martial arts.
"Fencing, mainly." Sherlock placed a mug in front of her and sat down in a chair opposite her, "The school that I attended believed that learning to fence would install discipline in us. I however have on found it useful when it came up during a case." He took a sip of his tea and smiled at Lily's confounded expression,
"You were thinking how my body looks the way it does. Yes, mainly running, and yes I do know some forms of martial arts, but fencing is the start of it."
Lily gave a quick nod and poured all of her interest into her tea. Did that mug always have a chip in it? Must have been there for quite a while, it was smooth, so not recent. She really ought to go shopping.
"Lily." She fought not to look at him and then conceded her blue eyes meeting his pale ones. He was assessing her, she could tell that much yet he seemed confused. Could it be that Lily had actually proved a mystery to Sherlock Holmes?
"You're embarrassed in showing your body to strangers and possibly even those who are close to you." Perhaps not then. Lily took a swig of her tea,
"Go on then, what's made you come to that conclusion?"
"You workout, that is obvious, you having nothing that would make the average woman uncomfortable about showing her body. You are toned, no cellulite, no stretch marks, no unwanted body hair," Lily spluttered on her tea and hastily pulled the hem of her t-shirt further down.
"Most people don't take care of their bodies unless they intend on showing them yet you do have one thing that people may question upon seeing. Your scars."
Lily eyed Sherlock coldly,
"They ask too many questions; questions that they don't need to know the answer to, at least not so soon in the relationship." He nodded in agreement.
"Yes people do. For example," he stretched out his long arms and lining the delicate skin were track marks. Lily moved as though to run a hand over them but pulled back, clasping her hands around her mug of tea.
"Yes, I took drugs. I will freely admit that yet people still want to know, what did I take? Why did I take them? What was my first hit like? Do I have diseases? Was it to do with my family? Did I sell myself to get them?" His eyes had gone cold and dark, "They had no reason to know such things."
He pulled his arms back,
"Lily, I will not pry into any part of your life that you do not want me in. I merely ask you try this with me. Capturing a killer depends on this going right." Sherlock looked genuinely sincere that Lily couldn't help but to nod,
"Ok, I'm with you."
The rest of the day was spent with Lily still in her pyjamas and Sherlock in his boxers, although as it got colder he did accept a t-shirt from Lily. They traded small stories, made up a story as to how they met so if anyone asked they could reply with ease. They borrowed things from previous relationships, mainly from Lily's so it would ring true. Lily revealed she was ambidextrous and what her tattoos meant to her. Sherlock told her of his first experiment and when he first realised he wasn't like other children.
When it came for him to leave, Sherlock and Lily held hands, he noticed that if he stroked her palm with his thumb her breathing seemed to become ever so slightly shallower. They walked to the front door and stood there for a while, facing each other.
"I'll come around again, tomorrow. We'll go through what to do at the restaurant; I'll teach you all the exits ok?"
"Ok, goodnight." Lily went to step back when Sherlock pulled her towards him and gave her a quick kiss on the lips.
"We're a couple remember. Goodnight Lily."
She stood there on the front step for a good few minutes after he left staring into the darkness in shock. She shook herself slightly then went back into the house. She picked up the two mugs when she noticed the vase of lilies was' no longer on the front window sill. Her heart pounded in her chest as she spun around the room trying to look for them, when a flash of white caught her eye. They were hiding behind the armchair. Frowning she placed them back where they were. Did Sherlock place them there? Oh god he knows!
"Don't be stupid. If he did he would have said something," she hissed quietly. She gave the lilies one last look before making her way back to the kitchen, wondering what tomorrow would bring.
The following day Lily was ready for Sherlock, clothed in simple skinnies and t-shirt she felt ready for whatever he would bring. At least she thought she was until when she let him he was waving a tape measure in her face.
"I need to measure you. You need a dress for the night and this restaurant is very particular about its dress code."
"I have dresses!" Sherlock pulled the footstool to the middle of the lounge floor; then flung his coat on the sofa.
"A proper evening dress? Most likely long in length, designer?"
"I'll buy one," she declared and marched to the kitchen to make the tea,
"Nonsense," Sherlock grabbed her by the arm and pulled her on to the stool, "You need a proper dress, trust me, we need to look as though we fit in there, so we don't warn the killer too early."
He whipped the measuring tape around her and jotted down the measurements on a scrap piece of paper. Yet Lily very nearly fell of the stool when he measured her chest, staring intently at the number on the tape.
"A little warning would have been nice," she grumbled as she stepped down.
"I doubt there is a nice way to warn someone that you are going to measure their breasts. If it's any help you have a very nice chest. Now, you were making tea?"
For the next three hours Lily had the entire outlay of the restaurants drilled into her head until she could list back all exits and tell Sherlock exactly where the kitchen was right down to where the upper store rooms were. She rubbed at her temples she could feel a headache starting.
"You don't need to know etiquette; you come from such a family that you would know that already. Now silk or cotton?"
"What?"
"For your dress Lily, do keep up." Lily let out what must have been her tenth groan of the day.
"Cotton I guess." Sherlock eyed at the sketches he had been making and shook his head,
"No, silk, it would look much better in silk."
"Are you determined to the decided on the opposite of what I decide?" Sherlock threw her a dashing smirk, till earlier today Lily hadn't known that smirks could be dashing.
"You look very adorable when you get riled up." Once again a groan filled the kitchen and Lily rested her head on the table,
"You don't need to flirt with me yet Sherlock."
"Yes I do, I need the practice, unlike you." Lily's head shot back up,
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"
The use of her swear word caused Sherlock to glance back up at her,
"As I revealed to you yesterday I have not had many relationships and I only flirt when it comes to a case. So I need to practice when I can so it sounds naturally. I was not implying to that you give yourself away regularly." Lily snorted,
"Never heard it put that way before. You're forgiven then."
"Good," Sherlock pushed one of his sketches over to her, "What about this one?" Lily eyed the sketch thoughtfully. She had so far turned down all of his designs yet this one seemed to tick all the boxes. It was strapless but from what Lily could tell the neckline did not come down that low, the top layer of the skirt would be pinned up by Lily's hip and styled to look like a rose.
"I like it. This one definitely."
"Thank god for that. I figured we would be here for ages." Sherlock folded the sketch and placed it in his inner jacket pocket. "You have the back for it too." He pulled on his coat as Lily stared at him puzzled,
"I have the back for it?" A look of understanding came over her, "Is that dress bloody backless?" Sherlock started for the door,
"No time to talk about dresses Lily, things to be done. Same time again tomorrow, ok? Goodbye."
"Sherlock! Get your bloody arse back here!" The door slammed shut and Lily was left glaring at the place where he once sat.
"I'm going to bloody kill him I swear."
At that precise moment Sherlock was indeed thinking about doing the same thing, to himself. While he had done many cases which involved some flirting, going on an actual date was one thing he had never found himself in a position to do. He was quite out of his depth and did not have any data to fall back on. He needed John, which was how the poor doctor found himself being interrogated on his entire love life.
"Why would you bring someone flowers to a date? They would have no where to put them during the dinner."
"As I said Sherlock you would give them to her before you went to the restaurant giving her the time to place the flowers in a vase. I need a bloody cup of tea."
"Make mine a coffee," Sherlock skimmed down the list he had made, underlining certain things while crossing other stuff out.
"Ok, how about this?" he twirled the pen around his fingers, he wouldn't look out of place in film noir gangster movie mused John.
"A small bouquet of selectively chosen flowers and a piece of jewellery."
"Yeah, that sounds fine. But jewellery? Isn't that a little bit too much?"
"Nonsense!" Sherlock stood up, flinging the pen and list on to the sofa, and grabbed his coat, "On Father's first date with Mummy he bought her a broach; it shows what sort of taste the man has and reveals his income without being too forward."
"Sherlock, you're going on a single date for a case, not to start off a serious relationship."
Sherlock spun round to face a very confused and exasperated John,
"To maintain this facade I must do things as realistic as possible, so if that means buying Lily an expensive piece of jewellery then I shall do so. The killer may be watching her and she needs to go about her life as normal, and what is more normal then her new boyfriend taking her out on a date and buying her something. Now wipe that look of your face John, just because you find everything confusing doesn't mean you have to show it constantly." Sherlock had to hand it John, his reflexes and aim was still very much on form. He peeled the soaking dish cloth of his face and rubbed the water from his eyes,
"Very mature John."
The next couple of days felt like a week to Lily, multiple fittings for her new dress were fitted in every three hours, Sherlock would be sending texts, quizzing her on certain aspects and she had a hair and makeup appointment before the date began. Lily had never felt so rushed off her feet, so when Anthea arrived with a large coffee she practically jumped her. Anthea would freely admit later that was the first time she had been near to feeling surprised.
Two hours later and one hour before Sherlock was due to arrive Lily was waving the hair and makeup team goodbye and listened intently to some minute advice from Anthea before she too left. Lily slipped off the dressing gown that had kept the dress covered and finally allowed herself a look in her full length mirror. Her makeup was artfully done, they'd played up her eyes making them look large and doe like. Her hair was pinned up with a few delicate curls left loose, showing off the beautifully tailored backless dress to perfection. Lily had never felt so unlike herself. The doorbell shook her out of her reverie.
She managed the stairs in her heels and felt quite elegant as she walked towards the door. She pulled the door open and felt her breath leave her. Sherlock stood before her dressed in tailored black suit and a deep red silk shirt. The colour of the shirt brought out the ivory pallor of his skin and seemed to emphasise the shadows of his collar bone. Lily blinked startled when she wondered what he would taste like. She coughed, clearing her throat,
"My, and I thought I was looking ok."
"Lily, you are looking more than ok, you are looking divine." He leant forward and gave her the softest kisses on her cheek.
Lily gently moved to the side and allowed Sherlock entry, and grinned when he gave her a large bouquet of flowers with a dramatic flourish,
"Well this is unexpected," she gratefully took the flowers and let Sherlock close the door as she went to find a vase. She stared thoughtfully at the flowers and gently stroked one of the petals,
"An unusual mix of flowers," she mused. Glancing over her shoulder she saw Sherlock give her a small smirk,
"Indeed. Ever heard of floriography?" Lily smiled and finished off placing the flowers within the vase before turning back to Sherlock. She placed the vase on the table and pointed to one of the flowers,
"Double daisy, means enjoyment; amethyst violet means admiration; snowdrop means a friend in adversity, and this one here, bronze chrysanthemum, means trust me."
Sherlock watched as Lily came to stand before him, sat on the arm of the sofa he was eye level with her and wondered why he hadn't noticed before how her blue eyes seemed to change shade.
"I enjoy your company too, I'm glad you see me as a friend and I admire you too. I also trust you." Sherlock's face broke into a grin,
"You Miss Harley, I am very pleased to say, are full of surprises."
"I promise not to reveal that."
"Thank you. It would ruin my reputation if it were to be found out,"
"Ok. But I'm still going to blackmail with you it."
Sherlock shook himself visibly as though a thrill had passed through him,
"Life will get even more exiting with you around." Lily replied with a small smirk before turning round to reach for her wrap.
"Guess we ought to get going, table is booked for 6.30, right?" She pulled the cashmere wrap around her shoulders when a black velvet box came into her line of sight. Her eyes widened as she took in the sight and they flicked back to Sherlock.
"What's this?"
"Open it."
Still held in Sherlock's hands, Lily gently opened the lid to reveal a delicate charm in the shape of a crescent moon on a silver chain.
"Oh Sherlock, it's beautiful." The surface off the moon was carved with Celtic knot-work and a lone diamond lay in its centre. Sherlock pulled the necklace from its resting place,
"Allow me." Lily turned her back to him and watched as the charm came into view as he fastened the necklace.
"Thank you." With a small smile Sherlock offered her his arm,
"Shall we?"
I hope people are still enjoying this and I will get to hear any suggestions, or tips that you may have for me!
This story was betaed by the lovely CraZyPshyChoLadY