ethereality| a sherlock fanfiction

.5

2000

"See me after school."

The grimy words were clipped, ashamed even, as the paper was slammed down into the veneer of Simone's desk. As usual: the mark was far under average, and Simone came to the conclusion that Professor Moodle truly had gone mad. Her lips hurled a small sigh as she hauled her bag up onto her shoulder, right as the bell rang. Crumpled test in hand, she walked out of the classroom-- but not before throwing the damned paper away in the bin in front of Moodle's desk.

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Her hands sighed in content as the lukewarm tap water washed over the frigid nerves. Comfort climbed onto Simone's shoulder, rivaled only by a tense feeling latching onto her heart's conscience. She shut off the tap and shivered, hoisting her bag up onto her shoulder and leaving the washroom-- but not before stealing a glance at the mirror next to the door. This action was not to be mistaken with one of vanity, but one of experimentation: a study, really, of why the girls would crowd around this very surface to roll up their plaid skirts, touch up their makeup and pass around the talk of the town. Her most recent hypothesis was that humans naturally wanted to feel better about themselves, being the dark little things they were. She smiled slightly and left the washroom to wander the halls, her eye on a particular door at the back of the building. The raven haired girl's lips curled further as she sauntered down the hall into the only sanctuary she felt safe in this prison of a school: the lab.

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Simone was greedy, and she knew it. If she wanted something, she would get it-- unless it was anything regarding the topic of money.

So when she saw a curly haired, lanky little asshole taking up her lab space, she was not happy.

"What are you doing here?" Simone's words bounced across the expanse of the room, and the boy lifted his head from the beakers-- her beakers, but only slightly.

His response was dismissive, cheeky: "It's an experiment." Simone might've respected his words if she wasn't on the receiving end.

Now, however, she merely thought this annoying, a hinderance, really, to her day. A small exasperated sigh escaped her lips before she replied, "Aren't you supposed to be in class?"

"Aren't you?"

"This is my space." 

"Oh? I wasn't aware that this space was reserved for one ignorant idiot."

Simone crossed her arms in amusement. "I am far from ignorance, and I am definitely not an idiot--"

"Prove it."

That snapped the rest of Simone's scarce patience. "Alright, if that's what it takes to have you leave," she groaned. What a waste of time.

The silence that followed was deafening as Simone roamed her eyes over the boy's hunched figure.

"How's the brother?"

The messy mop of curls stiffened. "Excuse me?"

"Oh, you must've been humiliated big time to be here today." Simone's eyes gleamed, lips pulled back into a sneer. "Itsy bitsy spider, you are. I can see it. Your posture, the way you handle things", she strode up to the boy and plucked the beaker from his still hands and waved it in his face. "Your hands were shaking."

His silence was her answer, and she smirked. "Excuse me for asking when I know your answer, but do you believe me now?"

Only did when the boy's head raise, and when his eyes met hers did she understand. Two figures stood in the room.

A queen and a knight.

The game begins.

A/N: yeet first chapter! 1 should come up after a few days. A very important note: This book will undergo lots of time and POV jumps, so make sure you look closely for indicators when that happens. My chapters will consist of two parts: past and present (that's why I have .5 for this chapter and 1 for the next). also PAY ATTENTION TO THE AUTHOR NOTES GUYS IM NOT SAYING THIS AGAIN.