anonymous asked: Hey there! A million thanks for finding my fic earlier (godparents)! I saw on AO3 that AU prompts are accepted, so here I am dropping a little plot bunny. Basically sibling related AUs will do, e.g. on alouettesque's list: "Oh so you're the camp counselor my little sibling keeps talking about", "Our little siblings are on rival sports teams and I've made it my life goal to cheer louder than you". Cheers!
Going with the first prompt, sorry it's taken me so long. Enjoy this uni!lock (aged) Sherlolly ficlet.
"Oh, so you're the one!" Molly blurted out without meaning to, then turned beet red in mortification. "Sorry, I didn't mean anything by that, it wasn't an insult, I just wasn't expecting, that is to say…you really are cu–uh, currently…here. At camp. And not…somewhere else," she finished lamely.
The Really Cute Counselor her younger sister Tabitha "Toby" Hooper had been gushing over all summer simply lifted an eyebrow as Molly floundered and eventually clamped her lips shut. After the silence had stretched out for almost ten excruciating seconds he finally spoke. "You must be Molly Hooper, the older sister Toby's always gushing about. The smart, sophisticated college student who has her act together and knows what she wants to do with her life already and is way too good for the likes of you, Curly Fu," he said in a more-than-passable imitation of Toby's speech patterns when she was on a tear.
"She, um, didn't tell me you knew the nickname she'd given you," Molly said weakly. "She heard that the Chinese press had given that nickname to some actor and she insisted it fit you better but I just assumed she'd actually kept that to herself." Shut up, Molly, she advised herself. Stop making yourself look like an even bigger idiot than you already have. Why do gorgeous men always make you feel so awkward?
Instead of laughing at her or making one of the staggeringly accurate deductions Toby insisted he did all the time, even when Mrs. Hudson and Head Counselor Lestrade told him to knock it off, he smiled. Not a mean smile and not a cold, fake smile (Toby said he could do those too…come to think of it, Toby said a LOT about Counselor Curly Fu, now that Molly thought about it)…she completely lost her train of thought at that smile, reaching out dazedly to take the hand he extended. "Sherlock Holmes, although I suppose you can call me Curly Fu if you'd like. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable, it's just that…well, Toby's talked you up quite a bit and I was expecting someone a bit more intimidating, to be honest."
"Um, well, she also talked you up quite a bit and I thought you would be, too. More intimidating. I mean, well, you are, actually, a bit, but not because you're…it's just that you're really gorgeous and fit and I have never ever in my life been able to talk to gorgeous, fit blokes and oh lord just bury me now," she groaned, trying to take her hand back so she could cover her face. Which was currently hot enough to bake an excellent Christmas pudding on.
"Good," Sherlock said, not letting go of her hand. "Because I've always been rubbish at talking to girls - women now, I suppose since I can actually talk to girls or I'd be the worst camp counselor ever, if I could only talk to the boys."
There was a hint of pink in his cheeks, Molly noted when she dared to raise her eyes back to his face, and his speech had become almost as flustered as his own. That gave her the confidence to meet his smile with one of her own. "Maybe we should start over?" she suggested tentatively.
His grip on her hand tightened before he pulled it away. "Excellent idea." Taking a deep breath, he said, "Hi, I'm Sherlock Holmes, one of the counselors here at Camp Sherwood. You must be Molly Hooper, Toby's sister. Very pleased to meet you." He held out his hand again.
She smiled and shook it firmly. "Hi, yes, I'm Molly. So lovely to finally meet you. Sorry our parents couldn't be here but they're actually at a country line dancing festival in the US right now - Georgia, I think."
"The Hotlanta Line Dance Jam*?" Sherlock asked.
Molly stared at him. "Um, yeah, how did you…"
"My parents love country line dancing, they practically live in the US," he replied, rolling his eyes. "I, er, guess Toby wasn't kidding when she said we'd have a lot in common."
"You know it, Counselor Curly Fu!"
She and Sherlock both turned at the sound of Toby's smug voice. The twelve-year-old who was a miniature version of her nineteen-year-old sister was grinning widely. "Hi Molly!" She hugged her sister tightly and was hugged just as tightly in return. Sherlock started to move away to give them some privacy, but Toby quickly grabbed his wrist. "I have to go to archery practice, you have to show Molly around and then we can get lunch and you can tell her how awesome I am at everything, 'kay? Laters!"
With that she darted off to join a group of other kids, grabbing up a quiver of arrows and a bow on her way.
Molly and Sherlock both stared after the diminutive Hurricane Hooper, then turned back to face one another. "Sooo…care for a tour?" Sherlock asked, crooking his arm as if they were at a Victorian ball.
"Delighted," Molly replied, resting her hand lightly on his elbow. "And while you point out the sights, feel free to share your opinion on cowboy boots."
"Hate 'em," he replied promptly. "And the hats too. Did your parents make you wear them for family photos?"
Molly shuddered. "No, thank God, but don't get me started on the fringed vests…and the chaps, dear GOD the horror of the chaps!"
oOo
"Told you they'd be perfect for each other," Toby said smugly to her best friend at camp.
Rosie Watson grinned. "Now we just have to find someone for Head Counselor Lestrade, and the summer will be perfect!"
Giggling, the two pre-teens hoisted their quivers of arrows onto their shoulders and hurried to join the rest of the group.
After all, they needed to maintain their reputation as Junior Cupids in more ways than one!
