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musicprincess1990 · 4 years

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Warmth and Home

For Sherlolly Appreciation Week, day 6: Huddling for warmth.

I almost went smutty with this one, but it didn’t suit my mood. So I went for fluff instead. There’s always room for more fluff. This also ended up being way longer than intended, so there’s a nice “keep reading” so you don’t have to sit and scroll and scroll and scroll, unless you want to.

***

The door closed with an echoing clang, and both Molly and Sherlock whipped around to stare in horror. They shared a look, and bolted for the door at the same time, but of course, Sherlock was there first (damn him and his long legs and cat-like agility). He tried the latch to no avail, and sighed.

“Locked?” Molly asked.

He nodded. “No way to unlock from inside.”

The reality of their situation dawned on them, and their gaze met a second time, lingering a bit. They were locked in the freezer of a popular restaurant, having been there investigating a trail of deaths whose only link was this place. They’d just found some crucial evidence when the door had shut, and locked. The temperature was uncomfortable already. Soon, the hypothermia would set in, then the grogginess, then they would drift off to sleep... permanently.

“What do we do?” she hissed, trying not to panic.

Sherlock pulled out his phone, then growled low in his throat. “No service.”

“Brilliant,” Molly deadpanned.

He dragged a hand across his face. “Well... John at least knew where we were headed, and he does have a tendency to overreact when he can’t reach me. There’s a decent chance he’ll come looking for us.”

“A ‘decent chance’?”

“It’s the best I can do at the moment,” he sighed. “In the meantime, we may as well get comfortable.” He sat on the floor, opening his coat, and looked at her expectantly.

“What are you doing?”

He rolled his eyes. “Obviously we’ll have a better chance if we share body heat.”

“Oh,” she breathed, heat blossoming beneath her cheeks. She inched over and sat beside him, letting him envelop her in the warmth of his Belstaff. Molly grit her teeth as a heavenly smell surrounded her, the smell of him. This was not good for her sanity.

It wasn’t long before they were both shivering, the shared heat only doing so much. Molly closed her eyes, trying to force herself to breathe evenly, without success. The panic was beginning to set in, making her tremble all the more.

“Molly, stop,” Sherlock said in her ear, his voice and his nearness causing an entirely different sort of shiver. “There’s no need to panic.”

“We’re going to freeze to death, I think that’s a damn good reason to panic.”

“We’re not going to—”

“Don’t finish that sentence. Don’t lie to me.”

He huffed in exasperation. “I’m trying to be optimistic.”

“You?” she scoffed. “Ever the realist, and now you decide the glass is half full?”

“If it gets you to calm down, yes.”

“It’s not working.”

Sherlock huffed again, then abruptly grabbed her by the waist, turning her to face him, and settling her on his lap. Straddling his lap, more accurately. Well, that was one way to warm her up. She gasped at the flash of heat and desire, avoiding his eyes for fear of what he might find in hers.

Of course, he had nothing of the sort on his mind. He pulled her more snugly against him, folding his coat around them both. Molly’s arms went around his torso, and her head found its way tucked under his chin. It did seem a bit warmer, she supposed. And despite her reaction just moments ago, being with him like this put her quickly at ease. She could feel his pulse in his carotid artery against her cheek, the steady rhythm a welcome reminder that he was still alive and well. After all he’d been through, she couldn’t help but be grateful to have him, in any capacity.

“Molly?” he murmured, his lips buried in her hair.

“Mm?”

There was a pause, then he took a deep breath, and...

Footsteps.

She felt him tense in the same moment that she did, and they held their breath, listening to the sound. Molly swallowed thickly, hovering between hope and fear. One of Sherlock’s hands drifted from her waist, exposing part of her back to the cold air, making her shiver against him. Then she heard the unmistakable sound of a cocked gun. Oh, God...

The door opened as loudly as it had shut, and she felt Sherlock relax. “John,” he greeted, and Molly sagged against him in relief.

***

It was nearly an hour before Molly made it home. Greg had turned up not long after John, along with the rest of NSY, and Sherlock had jumped into action, providing details and deductions as per usual. At one point, she had attempted to leave, but Sherlock insisted, for whatever reason, that he would see her home when he was finished.

Finally, with all questions answered and all reports given, Sherlock steered Molly toward a waiting cab. He slid in beside her and gave the cabbie her address, and they were on their way.

“You really didn’t have to see me home, Sherlock.”

“Bit late for that,” he countered.

He had a point. “Well... thank you. For this, and for calming me down earlier.”

Sherlock didn’t answer for several moments, only speaking when she had given up waiting for a response. “Did I ever tell you why I chose your flat as one of my boltholes?”

Molly frowned, puzzled by the change in topic. “I... don’t know if you did.”

He kept his eyes trained ahead as he spoke. “Sometimes, even I need a break from the noise and the confusion. Sometimes, I need a place where, if only for a short while, I can turn my mind off. A place of... peace,” he finished, his brow furrowing, as if that weren’t quite the right word for it. Then his head turned, and his eyes met hers across the dark cab. “And for me, that place... is with you.”

His words settled over her, and she blinked rapidly as the tears threatened. “Oh,” she managed weakly.

Sherlock smiled almost shyly. “I suppose it’s selfish of me to wish that I could be the same for you... but then, I am selfish.”

Feeling suddenly brave, Molly scooted closer to him, keeping her eyes on his as she moved. She threaded her fingers with his, delighted to feel him return the gesture. “I think home is the word you were looking for. And mine has always been wherever you are.”

Their hands remained entwined for the remainder of the cab ride, and Sherlock refused to let go as they went inside her flat. They silently made their way into her bedroom, shrugging out of their coats and taking off their shoes, before climbing into bed together. Sherlock immediately wound his arms around her, pulling her flush against him, and her arms encircled his torso for the second time that night. And there they stayed, huddled in the warmth of home, until sleep and dreams of each other claimed them.

#sherlollyweek2020 #sherlolly appreciation week #trapped together #sharing body heat #love both of these tropes #just one day left #makes me sad

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yeehawsimulator · 5 years

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A Long Lost Love

Arthur Morgan x Female Reader (3/?)

Part 3 of my long Red Dead Fix-It~

You do some mingling around the campsite, getting to know them better, and Arthur has a drunken confession to make

No warnings

Requests for one-shots always welcome :)

•

“Ah there she is, how’d it go?” “Got the little fuck, Arthur’s dealing with the money” “Get him to do the boring work, aha” Sean laughed, making you throw him a nasty look. “Watch it irish man”

“So what about the bank? Any good?” “Was just like you said, very well guarded at the moment, but it should be doable now that we have you back” Dutch replied. “We should wait it out until we wrapped up business here in Valentine, things can always go south so we should be able to leave immediately when it does” Hosea added.

“Well here’s a start of our great adventure into riches” Arthur’s voice sounded as he walked up to the table, smacking the fifty dollars down in front of Dutch. “Seems like we might be able to go to Tahiti after all”

“You guys up for a round of poker?” Charles asked, everyone but you and John agreeing and leaving the table.

“So, Abigail and Jack, a lot has happened since I was gone hm?” “Sure has, he’s a great kid but god, Abigail is going to end up killing me over the fact that I don’t spend enough time with him. She’s been saying Arthur’s been more of a father to the boy than I’ve ever been, and goddamn her for being right” “It ain’t a competition John, you’re his dad, no one else. I can already tell how much Jack loves ya by the way he looks at you, you just can’t see it yourself because you listen to Abigail too much. Arthur taking him fishing every once in a while doesn’t make him any better than you” You told him, making John sigh at the truth of your words. “Thanks Y/N, I ah, I needed to hear that”

“Shall we head back to camp? Wanna do some catching up with you, and those boys aren’t planning on leaving anytime soon” Dutch spoke as he walked over to you, John standing up as well. “Yeah sounds good, I’ll catch up with you outside” You replied, John and Dutching heading to their horses.

“Hey Arthur!” “Oh you’re leavin’? Let me-“ “No it’s fine, stay, I’m going back with Dutch. Just don’t dare wake me up when you get back” You laughed before waving him off, pushing open the doors and getting up on your horse.

“John already went ahead” “I feel bad for him, he almost sounds like Arthur, the way he’s talking down about himself” You spoke as you rode out of town. “Abigail’s giving everyone a hard time at camp, but she’s even worse to John. Yet those two couldn’t live without each other.” Dutch told you, making you chuckle as you shook your head.

“So what about you and Arthur? Was a nasty situation he left you in” “What we had is long in the past Dutch, I ain’t sure I can even forgive him for what he did, even though I understand why he did it” “He never told me you lived on that farm, Hosea and I would’ve visited you as soon as we could” “I know” You sighed, running a hand through your hair as you readjusted yourself on the saddle.

“But the gang, holy hell what a difference to when it was just the five of us doing some small jobs” “Yeah, we’ve come quite a long way. Seems like I inspire some faith into folk after all” “You already were good in that” You laughed as you got off your horse, hitching it before wishing Dutch a goodnight, heading off to speak with the girls.

“Oh there she is, the lady of the night” Tilly laughed as you joined them at their caravan. “Please don’t take anything they’ve said of me serious, you know how dramatic Dutch can be” You told them. “So how did y’all get joined up with the gang? Dutch never was one to put women in danger” You continued, listening to the stories all of them had to tell. “Hey, could we- could we talk alone for a moment? Want to ask ya somethin’” Sadie asked, the other girls too deep in conversation with each other to notice. “Of course, c’mon”

“I didn’t dare ask Dutch about this, cause I’ve only been with ‘em for a few weeks. But could I join you when you ride out sometime? Working here just ain’t for me.” “I.. I don’t know Sadie, Dutch only allows it because I’m as good with guns as any of ‘em” “Trust me I can handle myself, my husband and I always rode together until.. until those goddamn O’driscolls murdered him”

You sighed as you averted your eyes from Sadie, shaking your head before agreeing. “Okay then, sure. I don’t see why not. I’m going to have to tell Dutch though, don’t want him kicking my ass for taking you with me.” “Thank you Y/N” “Javier and I were planning to rob a stagecoach tomorrow, some guy in Valentine apparently tracks ‘em. You can come along if you want?” “Yes! Yes, I’d love to” Sadie told you, the two of you wishing each other goodnight as you walked over to Dutch and Molly’s tent.

“Dutch you up?” “What is it?” “Sadie asked to ride with me and Javier tomorrow, woman seems to be able to handle herself quite well so I’m taking her with me” “She was already complaining about being bored at camp. But sure, just don’t come to me if she gets herself shot” “Always the optimist mister van der Linde” You laughed before walking back to Arthur’s tent.

“Oh shut your mouth Lenny!” Arthur’s loud voice sounded, making you jolt upright with a sigh, hearing other people complaining about the noise the men were making when they came back to camp.

You pushed herself off your bed, walking over to the commotion to see Arthur stumble drunkenly with his arm wrapped around Javier’s shoulder. “I’ll take him from you Javier, thanks for bringing him back safe” “It’s no bother Y/N, good luck with trying to sleep tonight” Javier laughed before walking to his own tent.

“Come on, let’s get you to bed” You sighed under Arthur’s weight now leaning on you. “Do you-, Do you know how beautiful you are? God, I love you” Arthur slurred as you carried him to his tent, making you sigh at his drunken words. “How drunk are you? Jesus”

“Whaddaya mean? Not at all..” He mumbled as he pulled you against him, his arms wrapping tightly around your waist. “Arthur..” “I’m so sorry, I-I never.. never should’ve left ya”

You let out another sigh as you wrapped your arms around his neck, Arthur burying his face into your shoulder. “You either will forget about everything you said tomorrow or regret it immensely, I’d just stop talking if I were you” “I know, I know.. I mean it though”

Arthur let go of you but held his hands on your arms, leaning down to press a kiss on your cheek before sitting down on his bed. You wanted to help him take his jacket off but he had already fallen asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. You chuckled as soft snores started to leave him, running your fingers through his hair, “Goodnight”

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