AN: So to make up for not posting for awhile I am posting this minish chapter and then a really long chapter of the Stakeout, I'm almost done with it and it will be here by the end of the day. Thank you for being patient and just for reading it. As always please review! Love you all, have a nice holiday - Eleora ^.^
Thursday Night
"Sherlock you're going to get us killed with those disguises!" Eliza laughed, pushing the box of clothes away. Homeless people? I thought you were a genius! she thought shaking her head at his grouchy and surprised expression. He hadn't even bothered taking off his new leather jacket, which was soaking wet from the rainy onslaught terrorizing the outdoors. "I went out and bought these for you! Out in the open, exposed!" he pouted, irritably pushing wet blond locks out of his face and she could see him practically itching for a place to put his feet up. "Oh please! I know you've been out before, and plenty of times. With the punching bag and microphones and we haven't had anything from the investigators in weeks so don't pull the little 'I've put myself at risk' routine with me." she said with a huff, rising to dispose of her empty mug. "Besides neither of those points make any sort of argument on behalf of these disguises." she continued, waving in a nonchalant manner towards the inferences costumes behind her. "You're used to having to get in, to blend in. Which is good if you need to get into an art auction or whatever, but there aren't going to be many people roaming about an English suburb from 7 to 10 at night! We are most likely going to be spotted-" she said, suddenly cut off by the increasingly annoyed and uncomfortable ex-consulting detective. "Are yousuggesting we call the whole thing off then?" he interrupted with snarky sarcasm. "No, I'm suggesting you take my advice. When faced with the probability of being noticed you need only disguise your defining features. If you wear glasses it's less likely they will remember the color of your eyes, an odd tattoo will make it hard to remember other features, a crazy mustache will distract from the shape of your lips." she came back to him with a pleased spark in her eyes as she could he knew she was right. He nodded slightly and stood, "I know just the place." he said and then they were out the door.
"Welcome to Camp Costume!" a particularly enthusiastic middle-aged employee shouted in greeting, the owner probably- the only ones genuinely pleased to help customers. Eliza looked at Sherlock with an eyebrow raised in question, it seemed like just an average party store. Sherlock evidently ignored her as he headed straight to the faux hair, and started inquiring about the mustaches. Eliza turned away and started scouring through the glasses, she soon found a particularly bright green pair of cat-eyes and put them on with a grin. She quickly refound Sherlock's brown leather jacket and called to him with an excited grin "What do you think?" Sherlock turned to her and they both burst out laughing, he adorned long mutton chops and a bushy mustache that was both bizarre and realistic. "It's perfect! They will never recognize you!" she laughed as he scrunched his face, obviously annoyed with the bristly accessories. Eliza walked up beside him to inspect the disguise close when the owner -Tom by the looks of his name tag- turned to her and asked cheerily "What exactly do you two need these for anyway?" Eliza quickly nudged Sherlock in a seemingly clumsy manner to the innocent manager before leaning in to him and saying in a manner that resembled a gossiping teenager "You have to promise not to tell anyone!" Sherlock gave her an annoyed but curious look as Tom enthusiastically replied "Of course!", eager for excitement. Eliza flipped her hair "You see his fiance, my best friend from college, flew me and my twin brother out for her wedding. It was going great until I decided to grab her for a surprise girl's night out and found her in bed with my brother!" she continued angrily, clenching her fists as Sherlock had slunk away, making sure to act angry and sad as he shopped. "No!" Tom exclaimed and Eliza blinked back tears as she nodded. "We both feel so betrayed! So we are going to go trash their apartment and decided to get disguises in case there are security cameras or something, but not to elaborate that we alarm the neighbors, you know?" She went on a bit more calmly but sounding more devious than ever. The shop owner grinned "Stealthy, I get it. Well best of luck chaps. Give those bloody back-stabbers what they deserve!" he said as Sherlock came back with the rest of their merchandise. Tom rang it all up and gave them an employee discount "Get them good." was all he said before Eliza and Sherlock departed back into the pouring rain.
"That was brilliant! I mean, a bit unbelievable but he obviously fell for it and it was quick thinking." Sherlock exclaimed after they were out of range of the store. To any passerby they looked like a happy couple, all smiles and him shielding her from the watery onslaught with his umbrella. "Did you just compliment me? What's next, admitting that I was right about our disguises?" Eliza teased, with a questioning eyebrow raise. As they got to their block he rolled his eyes to distract her from his suppressed grin as he responded "I suppose you had the right idea with that as well..." She bumped her elbow into his side as she muttered "Whatever" and fished the keys out of her pocket before letting them in. She set her stuff on the table and he set their bags down as well before peeling off his jacket and gloves. All the while he watched her out of the corner of his eye, she had a mesmerizing cadence to her movements, as if she were going in time to a song only she could hear. He wanted to say something more than just a compliment, he needed her to know something more. Eliza realized he was frozen and thinking he only wanted something asked "Do you want a cup of tea before bed?" I want you! his mind screamed but instead he managed "No, that won't be necessary" and then strode up to his room, missing her hauntingly solemn whisper; "Goodnight."