"The Great Mouse Detective"

Me and Basil had a fight and he let me cry into his chest. (‼️/❣️)

{221 1/2 Baker Street}

{Florence's POV}

Finally, after hours of Basil wasting his time, patience, and breath on me, we could go home. Dawson went to the guest room to read, Olivia and Mr. Flaversham went home, and me and Basil were downstairs. As I was told to by both the nurse and Basil, I was sitting down in the green chair across from Basil's chair, I decided to make something for Basil as a present and an apology.

After a long while, Basil came over to me with a cup of tea and a scone. My favourite kind, too, white chocolate and raspberry.. I took a bite of the scone and smiled a little as Basil sighed heavily. I didn't pay enough attention to that, but I had a feeling that I should. I see him sit down across from me as I take a sip of the Earl Grey tea before me, I picked up my sewing needle afterwards and went back to sewing his gift.

He clears his throat a few times, I look up at him and he's staring at me with an almost.. Familiar shine in his eyes, and not in a good way either. "Miss Chamberlain.." "Mister Basil?" "...Why did you do that?" I raised an eyebrow at him, "Do what, exactly?" He hesitated for a moment, "You.. You injured yourself for me. Why is that?" I hesitated for a moment as well, "...Well, I knew that you mattered." "To who? The air I breathe?" "No, to that little girl. And to Dawson, to Flaversham, to.. To me, Basil."

He clenched his fists, "So, you'd die for me?" "I'd die doing what's right." "But if you just-" "If I just what, if I just let you get permanent scars in your back because I was a damsel in distress and you were not??"

"No! Dash it all, Florence, if you just- Just thought yourself to be worthy of protection and me 'wasting my breath', you'd be in a much better place than here!" I froze for a moment before snapping back, "Well, I don't have your name! Your flat, your mindset, your backstory, your- Your titles and goals! I was never fit for things like this and people like you, never!" "And yet, you're still here, are you not? Admit it, Florence!" "Admit what?! That I don't care about my thoughts and feelings because you have your whole life ahead of you and I'm still right where you had left me?!" "Yes!!"

"Well, I won't! Even if I did, I still wouldn't explain why! It's unfair to you to have to deal with my problems because you already dealt with yours and you can't understand why I won't let you help me!" "Well, why won't you?!"

He'd never asked why I wouldn't open up before. He must have really changed, or I'm not talking to Basil. "...What?" He asked again, "Why won't you??" "...It'd hurt you too much, I can't do that to you, I just can't." He nagged me more, "Why can't you? Why can't you hurt me?" {I can't just keep my mouth shut, can I?}

"Confound it, Basil, I love you too much!!"

That sentence seemed to strike something in him, like I'd said that before. Because I have, he just didn't remember until I said it. {I'd seen this before, and I didn't like how it ended.} He looks like he's about to cry, and I know why, "Flor..?" "Basil?" "...Please don't lie to me." "I'm not!"

"Then why can't I believe you??" He was desperate for answers, and I wanted nothing more than to give him all the answers I can give him, "Basil, you can't believe me because you've never heard me speak!" "Then speak, and be honest!" I snapped.

"You want honesty?! You'll get honesty!! Goddamn it, Basil, I can't believe that you, one of the most significant mice in my life, refuses to accept that someone can love you for you and not for the mouse you try to be! You, Basil of Baker Street, are the most significant, powerful, influential, and- And handsome mouse I've ever met! The way those green eyes look in the sunlight, the way you smile when something seemingly insignificant is significant to one of your cases, your charms- All of your charms, fucking everything!! You mean the world to me, and I will not sit here and pretend that isn't true!!"

He was stunned. I'd never seen him so stunned, and yet, I've also never seen him so close to crying before.. But here we are, I suppose. I'd never cursed at him once in this lifetime, I think that's what made him immediately stand up and get his pipe before sitting back down, "Keep going." I raised an eyebrow at him, "What?" "I want to hear more. Keep going."

So, I told him everything. How I felt when we first met all those years ago, how I still feel, the way the smell of tobacco always brings me back to him somehow, how I felt about leaving so soon.. All of it. All the things I regretted and would say and do again if given the chance. That look in those emerald green eyes of his.. It moved me somehow.

After fifteen minutes, Basil finally shushed me before I could start crying, "Shhh.. Okay, I understand. Now.." "Now what? What is it?" He goes over to me and kneels down in front of me, taking my hands in his, "You may rest assured that I feel the same. You can rest now." I didn't know what to say in that moment, he didn't understand how long I've waited for that. But, he kept going.

"Flor, you don't know how hard it was not to send a letter. I was desperate for an update, a sign of life, something. I've never seen you be so emotional before, and it hurts my heart to know that I hurt you so deeply. I'm sorry for what I said that day, I'll do anything to make sure that you never experience this again. For now, however.."

He stands up and helps me out of my chair, putting my project on the seat and holding me close.

"You can cry as much as you need to. I'm staying right here, and I won't go anywhere."

With those words, I hugged him tightly and once the tears started, they wouldn't stop. I held onto his shirt like it was the last time I would see him, "Oh, Basil!" "Shhh, shhh, shhh.. I know, Flor.. I know." I sobbed heavily, I couldn't help myself, "I'm so, so sorry for going away! I- I know I made you worried, and I-" "It's quite all right. I'm glad you could open up like this. Please, don't say anything more.." I nod a little and bury my face into his chest as he held me tighter.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A while later, him and I went up to his room, he helped me up the stairs and let me go into bed first, "Do you want me to go downstairs? I'll sleep in my chair if you need me to." I guess my silence was taken as a yes, because I had to take him by the hand to stop him from leaving, "No, stay." He looks at me, and I couldn't resist looking him in the eyes. "What?" "Don't go. Stay here. Please."

He chuckles lightly and takes his hand away from me, going into the other side of the bed and pulling me in by the waist, "As you wish, Madam." I smile a little and sigh, "Thank you." "For what?" "Hearing me out." He kisses my hair, "It's quite hard not to, you do know that, don't you?" "Well, it seems I do."

I rolled over and lightly kissed the tip of his nose, he cupped my face and smiled softly. I sighed, "I'm sorry for being a mess earlier.. It was quite unintentional, I assure you." He shakes his head and smiled slightly wider. "No. I think that made you even more beautiful.." I couldn't help but chuckle at that, but he continued, "I mean that. Beauty isn't just your physical appearance, Flor, it's everything else you have to offer." I felt him move my hair out of the way and kiss me on the forehead. I moved closer to him, and I could have sworn he mumbled something about treating me as I should be. I fell asleep rather quickly, so I wasn't quite sure.

{...I slept well that night.}

{To be continued.}