If You Love Me, Get Clean

Chapter Eighteen

November 2014

And the funny thing is
I would've married you
If you'd have stuck around

Alice slips her knickers back on as Sherlock curls his arms around her middle, brushing her hair to sweep over one shoulder, pressing his lips to the side of her exposed neck. "Can I please tell John?"

"No."

"But I want to see the look on his face."

"You interrupted their engagement, Sherlock. Allow them their moment, for Christ's sake."

"It'd be so funny."

"Sherlock."

"He might even try to punch me again."

"Exactly. Best not spoil the mood."

"But it'd be funny."

"Will, for the sake of my sanity, wait another few days. It might be better if I do it, anyway."

He hums, the sensation vibrating across her skin. "I like it when you call me Will."

Alice smiles, turning in his arms, fiddling with the lapel of his suit jacket. "Oh yeah?"

"Oh yeah," he pecks her sweetly on the lips. "But if you tell John I want to be there."

Alice rolls her eyes, struggling out of his viper grip around her waist. "You're a menace," she checks herself over in the mirror on his wardrobe door, making sure she's not too wrinkled after being pinned to his bed with his head between her thighs. "They'll be here soon. I need to get the champagne out the fridge."

"You're beautiful," he tells her, stepping into the reflection behind her. "Stop fussing."

"I wouldn't need to fuss if you hadn't decided to have an afternoon... snack."

Sherlock Holmes has a wicked tongue. Though most people assume all his mouth is good for is spouting off deductions and cutting people down, it's actually incredibly skilled at a manner of other things.

He smirks, tickling his fingertips along her arm. "What can I say? I was ravenous."

Alice squeaks, her face hot and bright pink. "Stop it."

"Or what?"

"Or I'll... I'll tell John we're back together without you."

He huffs. "Mean."

Sherlock steps back to allow her free, and it's a great relief to Alice, who was a mere ten seconds away from pushing him back onto the bed and riding him like any good cowgirl should.

"Are your parents still coming?"

"Yes."

"Hmm."

Alice wrings her hands out in front of her. "Are you alright with that?"

Sherlock shrugs.

She feels awful. This is his flat, his home, and her family was going to be embarking on them within the hour. It wasn't her idea, it was John's. She didn't even know until two days ago. This afternoons plans were Sherlock's idea, mini pre celebration for John and Mary while simultaneously getting the press off his back with a small meeting outside 221b, but her family, John's family, coming was not something he was prepared for.

"I can tell them to meet me at my flat instead? John can come back with me after all this–"

"No, don't be ridiculous," he waves his hand in the air. "I've spent the last two years as a field agent, I'm sure I can manage a small gathering. It's fine. It has to happen eventually, we're together, your family is my family."