Both Sherlock and Penelope were in the back of a different taxi, the detective scanned the streets and the signs for clues as to where they could be heading. While Penelope shut her eyes and tried to get rid of the building excitement in her stomach.
She hadn't told Sherlock of the real reason why they were going to, where they were going.
Partly because she needed to focus.
In the midst of this... Focusing however, she managed to remember something.
"Stop the taxi!" Sherlock snapped back into reality sharply when the girl beside him demanded the taxi be stopped.
"Penelope?" He questioned snapping into his deducing skills, to see if he could analyse what was wrong.
Full blown pupils
Heavy breathing
Panicked expression
"What's wrong?" his enquiry furthers as she refuses to answer.
"Back to Baker Street, quickly! I need something!" Penelope was acting rather strange, but her request was acknowledged and performed by the cabbie; much against Sherlocks wishes.
The moment the car pulled up to Baker Street Penelope jumped out immediately, leaving Sherlock to pay for the fair.
His exasperation with the girl was growing thicker by the second. He thanked the man and slipped through the front door just in time to have a head pop through Mrs Hudson's door.
"Was that Penelope?" The old lady asks slightly bewildered.
"Yes, she seems to be in a severe state of panic. For what reason I have no idea."
A loud noise drew Sherlock attentions to down the hall from where it had obviously come from Penelope's flat.
"Go on then love, she might be hurting herself down there!" Sherlock would have usually denied such a request, justifying his refusal as Penelope being able to take care of herself.
But right now he felt inclined and if he admitted it, curious. Something was happening to his Penelope and he didn't know what.
He followed his instincts and went to the girls flat to demand what was going on. When he made it to the living room where he could hear her rummaging, what he saw was not what he had expected to see.
The girl had removed her top, now shirtless he was face to face with a lacy blue bra and plenty of boob.
He should really turn around.
Penelope looks up at him and frowns.
Sherlock meets her eyes yet doesn't utter a single word, it's almost painful the intense heat behind the stare. It carries on until Penelope shrugs and mutters a quick 'why not?' under her breath.
Sherlock's intrigue causes him to immediately perk up.
"Why not what?" Brown eyes meet oceans once more as the girl looks up.
"You can dress up too if you'd like." Sherlock blinks dumbfounded as Penelope gives him a grin that makes his stomach twist slightly.
"W-why would I want to do that?"
"Because it's fun silly and where we're going you'll need to be inconspicuous, which I'm afraid my dear detective-" She tugs on one of his shirts buttons as she finishes her sentence. "You are simply not."
He watches her hand fall from his shirt and can't help but revisit the earlier movement of her thumb gently stroking his cheek. A warm feeling protrudes his belly and he resists the urge to jolt when Penelope takes his hand and shows him into the living room. Quickly she ushers him to sit down, taking his coat off his shoulders and draping it on the back of the sofa when he let's her. Finally when he does sit- in the armchair which is far too comfortable- she tells him to stay put while she sorts out the outfits.
'It's ok to be afraid Sherlock.' The sickly figure of Jim Moriarty croons in his ear as he sits there helpless. He knows it's foolish to be afraid of the man, knows that the voice is just his imagination playing tricks on him. The mastermind was not really here.
'She was afraid, the woman.' This imposter laughs and the sound echoes through the seemingly endless abyss playing with Sherlock's every wakening fear. 'Look what happened to her'.
'No I saved her, she's safe.' His reaction seems to only spur his rendition of Moriarty on, as if the struggling against his sanity pleases the thing beyond belief.
'Oh Sherly...'That man hovers close, so close that Sherlock can feel the sickening warm heat on his neck. Then the man is sneering. 'You killed her!'
The detective seems to be having some form of nightmare when Penelope finally returns into the room after 3 hours. She admits it did take a long while to get ready and find stuff for Sherlock to wear but she was back now and seeing Sherlock in such a relaxed state was cute at first but then he started stirring. Which was unsettling to say the least.
"No." He mumbles lowly under his breath making Penelope lower what she carried in onto the sofa next to them, his breathing quickens and just as she's about to tap him he stirs harshly enough to wake himself from his horror.
His pupils are blown wide as she looks down on him, chest rising and falling in seconds and Penelope feels the immediate need to comfort him.
"Hey it's ok, you're in my flat." The detective glares at her for a moment trying to piece it together but when he sees her face recognition as to what has happened strikes him.
He takes in the world through his deductions for a second to gain some form of control.
The sun has gone down from when he last saw it, the rooms bathed in the streetlamp light from outside. Penelope hasn't turned on the light, judging from the looks of things it's approximately 8 something pm. Meaning she's been gone for a couple hours and...
"Umm, Sherlock?" Soft thumbs rub his cheek gently. "You're ok now, it's ok?" Apples invaded his senses as she pulls back to stand straight still watching over him.
"I know," Roughly Sherlock wipes his face all the while looking at the funny girl. His attentions focus almost immediately when he takes in what she's wearing.
A lace black bodysuit heightens her curvy body figure, it's long sleeves that cover the smooth skin beneath contrasts to the legless bottom which show off her seemingly endless limbs.
She's got cat eyes on which silhouette the brown pupil and her red lipstick. Whilst her hair is in a nice up do, stray curls falling into her eyes here and there effortlessly. Suddenly he can't seem to formulate any words to say.
Almost immediately she notices this.
A grin. "You like?" Her twirl is teasing and although he knows this he can't help but gulp.
Should he nod his head?
Say yes or no, maybe?
"I-it's nice, you look um nice?" She nods gratefully. Then gets this look in her eyes which means she's remembered something. She grabs a piece of clothing from the couch and hands it to him.
"Your costume sir." As he takes it in he realises that she's still glancing at him with an air of worry, stupid night terrors. Instead of addressing the shaking hands he takes the clothes with, the detective silently watches Penelope as she makes no move to leave or turn around in the slightest. For a second both stand absolutely still just observing the other slightly.
It's not an awkward or even uncomfortable stare just one of testing or experimentation he should say.
He clears his throat while staring at her own, "Turn around then." His baritone almost scares her as it breaks the silence immediately catching her attention. Easily however Penelope disguises her jump as she turns around with a muttered 'right' passed over her shoulder.
Sherlock can't help but let his eyes wander, when he slides his blazer down the length of his arms he curses inwardly at his futile attempt to concentrate on anything but the relaxed breaths Penelope is taking. The shirt is next to go and he realises just how close to naked he's becoming in a matter of seconds and she didn't even have to flirt with him or bat her lashes to accomplish such a thing. Simply the promise of the unknown was enough for him to trust her.
He just didn't know why on earth that was.
When at last he's down to nothing but his boxers he takes a moment to assess the clothes he's been given, it's definitely something he could pull off. The white dress shirt which he tucks into the black trousers is finished off perfectly with the black velvet jacket. Momentarily it disturbs him to know how well the suit fits him and why Penelope even has a mans suit in her possession.
He won't bring it up for now.
"So," She turns to face him again. "How do I look?" Penelope smiles along with his wide closed lipped grin and nods her head approvingly.
"It's good velvet suits you, however it's not quite finished yet." To further prove her point the puzzling girl bounced over to a box in the corner of the room and pulled out three items.
A smaller box.
A bigger box.
Then a bowtie!
She placed all items on the armchair he'd once sat in and started with the bowtie.
"May I?" Sherlock sighs with a roll of his eyes, despite the rudeness of his actions she could only laugh at them. "Bowties are cool." After the thing is clasped around his neck snugly she moves on to the smaller box and pulls out cufflinks. They're a golden circle resembling a shield of sorts in it's centre were small spirals of silver, obviously they must've been expensive.
"They're real gold." He deduced and he couldn't help but notice the small tilt of her lips as she hummed softly not removing her concentration from his arms.
At last it had come to unveil the last item, in barely concealed excitement she opened the box lid to reveal what hid beneath. Inside lay two masquerade ball masks, both highlighted the other in a significant way yet weren't the same. The one intended for him was a black half faced one, it's decoration had one of the eyes painted in a metallic silver which stopped just above the right cheekbone. The other side only had the decoration at the top and the rest was gone to be replaced with his face. The thing was stunning truly as was her own which kept a simple structure with silver jewels here and there.
"After you." Penny giggled and took her own giving it to him to place on her, he blinked but accepted. As he steps in closer to tie it up the smell of her hair bombards him. The apple scent is stronger now so much that he can almost taste it.
So she's washed it.
"Umm Sherlock?" Harsh blink back into reality.
"Yes."
"Pretty sure you can let go of my shoulders now." Right you idiot his conscience belittles him and he must do what it says because even though he may not want to Penelope is too intriguing to freak out. He apologises softly and lets Penelope do up his mask. When both are ready they gaze at the other.
This is becoming a habit. Penelope thinks to herself yet does nothing to stop their actions.
This was going to be one heck of a night.
.
The link is for the masks, I know my description was vague I apologise I had no idea how to describe them. I thought the idea was cute however to have a short moment between Sherlock and Penelope showing the growing tension I guess. More John in the next chapter I swear, can't forget about our favourite hedgehog now can I. Hopefully the next chapter is longer too. xx btw I updated this chapter because I found various mistakes when I looked back at it.