Holidaysat221b prompt of the day by shadowyqueenbeard: Sherlock proposes to Molly in a romantic setting, offering her an antique engagement ring from the Holmes family vault. Unfortunately, Molly wishes he had left it there. She doesn't want to hurt his feelings after he made sure to set up a beautiful proposal, but she just doesn't like the ring. How does she hide her disappointment?
Rated K
Molly eyed the elaborate Edwardian ring Sherlock was holding out to her, still down on one knee on the wet pavement outside Bart's and waiting patiently for her answer. "Um, Sherlock, of course the answer is yes, you know it is, but, um, don't you think this ring might be a bit…much? For me to wear to work, that is?" she added hastily as she saw his expression start to morph into his trademark Disappointed Pout.
"Of course you can't wear it to work!" he exclaimed, whipping out another ring from his other pocket and holding it up to her. She gasped, this time not in shock, but in pure adoration at the beautiful, much smaller, sapphire-and-diamond band he now held up to her. "The big ring is a family heirloom, yes, but it's just for the wedding ceremony, family get-togethers that we're forced into attending, that sort of thing. Places where everyone in the Holmes clan can see it from a mile away." He finally stood up, grinning down at her as she allowed him to slip the smaller ring onto her finger. "This one is just for us."
"Since when do you care about showing off for your family?" Molly asked suspiciously as he slipped the more ostentatious ring back into his pocket.
He shrugged. "I don't." Then he tilted his head so he was smirking directly up into the CCTV camera under which he'd proposed to her. "I just wanted to get to use it so Mycroft wouldn't when he proposes to Lady Smallwood."
Molly rolled her eyes in exasperation, but allowed Sherlock to sweep her into a most satisfying kiss. After all, if she was going to marry into this family, then she'd have to get used to the way Sherlock and Mycroft always tried to one-up one another.