Sherlolly Oneshots

The Saplings

Tfw you haven't updated in weeks and now have to slowly build up a stable fan base because everybody has lost all hope in you.

Sorry about that, my last few weeks have been terrible and hectic. Terribly hectic. Also I have just LOST all inspiration to write and every time I force myself to it comes out all weird.

So sorry if you can tell it's forced. I did my best.

It's a gardening au that was sort of thrown at me by megsfry . I did a lot of plant research. I'm also pretty sure my plant research was for naught cause this is complete bungholio.

Enjoy it if you can, sorry about the whole not updating thing. I'll try to be better.

•••

The sun beat down on the back of Molly Hooper as she sat, crouching over a plot of dirt and comforted only by the cool breeze that swished her braid. She looked up at the sky, squinting and pulling her floppy hat lower on her face.

She knew it was one of the first sunny days they'd had in July and she should take the opportunity to finally get some planting done, but the urge to go back into the air conditioning gnawed at her as she pat the soil down around the three foot sapling.

She sighed, beginning to stand, when a voice interrupted her from behind.

"A new hobby, then?" Molly startled, turning around on her knees only to face a familiar detective.

"Oh, Sherlock. Hello."

"I didn't know you gardened," Sherlock noted. Molly blinked when she noticed his outfit.

"I just picked it up. Aren't you hot in long sleeves?" Sherlock looked down and shrugged.

"Well I'd get arrested if I just came out in a blanket. Anyway, I need you to help me on a case." Molly let out a relieved sigh and stood up.

"Oh thank goodness, gardening is incredibly boring. What's the case? Something exciting I hope?"

Sherlock nodded, "quite. What we're dealing with is-"

He suddenly cut off, his eyes focused on the ground by Molly's feet. The pathologist raised an eyebrow.

"Uh, Sherlock?" When she didn't get a reply she turned around and looked at the ground, following the detectives icy gaze. She almost was startled when he finally spoke thirty seconds later.

"Acer Griseum."

"Sorry?"

"That sapling. That's an Acer Griseum. A Paperbark Maple. They're rare." Sherlock turned to Molly, his eyes wide.

"Are they? Goodness, I had no clue. I thought it was an oak or something." Sherlock let out a small, incredulous laugh, though quickly covered it off for a cough when Molly looked at him.

"No. Not an oak," he mumbled, "where did you get it?"

"Oh I was walking through the city a few weeks ago and there was a man with a cart advertising rare and exotic seeds and saplings for an outrageous price. I'd been meaning to try my hand at gardening so I went and bought some, arguing it down to fifteen dollars for a whole bunch when he realized that was probably about as good as he'd get since there were no other customers."

Sherlock listened with wide eyes, "and you had no clue what these seeds and saplings were?"

"I didn't believe that they were rare and exotic, I figured they were normal trees but I bought it anyway."