Sherlock X Reader One Shots || 𝐹𝐿𝑈𝐹𝐹 + 𝑆𝑀𝑈𝑇

What Happened In Room 32 (Part 2)

Electing to ignore that thought (it was easy to ignore because---Y/N realised---she'd known it deep down for some time), Y/N broke the silence half-heartedly, "If you say so. Hey, it was nice of John to let us sit sort-of by ourselves. Do you think he did it on purpose because he knew we wouldn't know anyone here?"

"He probably did it so I don't say anything I shouldn't to his friends and family," Sherlock replied bluntly.

"It's not your fault people are intimidated by intelligence." Y/N didn't see the happy smile that lit up Sherlock's face at her compliment because she'd turned in her chair to look around the room. Most of the seats were occupied now by the other guests and an anticipative hum of conversation buzzed around the high-ceiling like bees caught in a net. They were wondering if the buffet was open or if the bride and groom had to declare the party officially started before they could eat. Y/N knew because she was also wondering the same thing.

As if he could sense her thoughts, Sherlock said: "What are we supposed to do now? Like, what happens next?"

Turning back to face him: "Not much. People just eat food, drink, and later dance a bit. Have you never been to a wedding before?"

"No. One of my cousins got married when I was eleven but I didn't go."

"I envy you. I've been to so many recently I'm going to be picking confetti out of my hair until 2045."

Sherlock chuckled, and it made Y/N's whole day. She continued:

"It seems like all my friends are getting married at the moment. I guess we're just at that age. It's like they're all following some instinct that all of a sudden demands they have a ring on their finger. I don't feel it, personally. Maybe I would if I was with someone, but I just don't have that urge to go out and meet anyone if I'm honest." Y/N left out the reason why she didn't want to meet someone: because she had eyes only for the man sitting across from her. And meeting someone else would mean eventually moving out and away from him---which she really didn't want to do, to the extent of being willing to turn down a romantic relationship even if a guy literally threw himself at her feet.

She had been talking to herself, really, musing aloud, but Sherlock seemed surprisingly engaged in what she'd been saying.

"I think I've felt like that my whole life. At primary school, everyone cared about video games and stuff, but I didn't. Then in high school and college, it was just first relationships and exams, and I didn't care about those either. The curious thing is, you don't seem to mind being out of the loop, but I have always felt like everyone else is inside a really nice house and I'm trapped outside staring wistfully in the window." He had finished fiddling with the sequins so moved on to examining the vase of flowers set between them, selecting various stems and inspecting them dispassionately, just as something to do.

"Yeah?" These moments were some of Y/N's favourites. During long drives, or when he had no cases, Sherlock and Y/N would have interesting conversations to keep their minds busy, and this one was well on its way to becoming just that. In the few years that Y/N had known Sherlock Holmes, he had never once mentioned the fact that he didn't really enjoy being an outsider. Y/N had always been under the impression that he revels in his differences, enjoying his eccentricity. It was quickly becoming apparent that she'd been quite wrong.

"Yeah. Like...video games are stupid, but people seem to have a lot of fun while playing them and I guess I just wanted to be a part of that, you know? I think it's been like that for as long as I can remember. Like at university, my classmates would go to parties. I never wanted to go, but I kind of wished I did because they seemed to have fun."