𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 | 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐬

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐎𝐟 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 | 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐧𝐞

I inhaled deeply. I could feel my cheeks burning and my chest tightening- nerves were expected, mandatory, even. My breathing was shaky, giving away the concern. But as Mrs Hudson walked over, gently holding the long dress, I plastered a large smile on my face.

"It's okay dear, it's perfectly normal to be nervous. I was too, you know. And we didn't even love each other as much as you two do." Mrs Hudson smiled, squeezing my arm. "You ready to put it on now?"

Controlling my breathing, I nodded and stepped down from the stall. I glanced in the mirror quickly, gazing at my bare body, covered only by silky white undergarments. Mrs Hudson bent down and unzipped the bag, causing the soft lacy material to flow out like a waterfall of ivory.

She carefully placed it at my bare feet, holding it open for me to slip into. I gingerly stepped my left foot in first, then followed with the right and tilted my head back, squeezing my eyes shut. As I felt Mrs Hudson slowly pull the silky material up, my mind drifted to the event that had led us to this moment.

It had been late December, the 25th to be exact. Over the previous evening, a heavy snow had fallen, allowing for a delicate white blanket to cover London. Little flusters had continued to slowly drift to the ground all through the day. 221B Baker Street was quiet- John had taken his four-year old daughter, Rosie, out to the country for a Christmas with family, Mrs Hudson was with her great-nieces and their children, Lestrade and Mycroft were in Bermuda and Molly was with her fiancé's family. So that had left Sherlock and I alone, for our second Christmas as boyfriend and girlfriend.

It had been eight o'clock in the evening, the sky was a rich, deep blue and the stars were big and bright, twinkling lovingly. There were next to no cars. London, for the first time in a very long time, was quiet. I remembered every detail of the outside world on that day, at that moment, because I had been stood, wrapped in the arms of Mr Holmes, gazing out of the icy window. We had been slowly swaying to the quiet violin Sherlock had previously recorded. I had never been happier. And that's when Sherlock had loosened his arms and whispered,

"Y/n, there is something that I must tell you." I had spun expectantly, smiling in my knee-length crimson dress. "Y/n, we've been together for two years now," he continued, "and without a doubt, they have been the best years of my life. But...we're going into a new year- our third year, as boyfriend and girlfriend. But...I don't want that." My heart had sunken, filling with pain. I pulled away from him, staring into his eyes. "Y/n, I don't want to be your boyfriend anymore. And I don't want you to be Y/n Y/l/n, my girlfriend." Tears had begun to fill my eyes. The words I never thought I would ever have to hear were being said.

"Y/n. I want to be your husband. And I want you to be Y/n Holmes, my wife." And that's when Sherlock, smiling, had gotten down on one knee, taken my hand as the tears rolled down my cheeks. We were both grinning, so much so that our faces were aching. Sherlock pulled out a small blue velvet box and opened it. Sat firmly in satin, there was a beautiful silver ring, round-cut with a twisting band, inlaid with small sapphires and diamonds.

And now this ring sat on my finger. I snapped back and realised that I was smiling widely, no longer forcing it.

I felt the zip go up at my back, pulling the lacy material firmly around my delicate body. 

It really was a beautiful dress- I had fallen in love with it the moment my crystal eyes fell upon it. Elegant, intricate. It pulled in my waist, accentuating my figure, with lacy illusion sleeves that sat just below the shoulders. It had a sweeping silhouette that flowed into a long, detailed train.

I looked up and into the mirror. For the first time, I really did feel beautiful.

"Mrs Hudson?" I smiled, looking slightly concerned as I had noticed the tears that were pooling in my landlady's eyes.

"Oh, dear, I'm just being silly old me. You just look so beautiful. I never thought this day would come for Sherlock. I thank my lucky stars every day for you, y/n. He really is the luckiest man in the world."

I smiled, laughing and desperately tried not to let the tears fall- my make up had just been done. It was just simple; a pale pink matte lip, mascara and nude soft smokey eye.

Mrs Hudson squeezed my shoulder, "I suppose we better get your shoes and veil on then."

She fluttered off, her deep blue dress swishing as she went. Quickly, she returned clasping three boxes, the large one for the veil, the medium for the shoes and a teeny tiny box, that contained something I did not know of. Mrs Hudson grabbed the shoe box first, coming to kneel down beside me.

"Left foot first, dear," Mrs Hudson ordered, to which I obliged, gently lifting the soft lace to allow movement. They were beautiful shoes, a gentle white with a low heel and two small sapphires studded on the straps. The colour scheme was deep blue and silver, matching the delicate ring.

I straightened up after putting the shoes on, unable to contain my smile.

Mrs Hudson carefully unfolded the large veil from the box and brought it over, readying the placement.

"So, we want it just above the chignon, don't we," she muttered, almost to herself.  I had chosen a simple curled chignon, so my dark hair had been beautifully twisted at the nape of my neck, with the shorter strands strategically left loose around my face. I felt Mrs Hudson gently press the chapel-length veil into my hair; as the landlady let go, the soft tulle fell against my bare shoulders, reaching all the way down to the floor and past the train of the dress. I sighed happily, gazing into the mirror.

"I'm ready to go then."

"Almost," Mrs Hudson replied grinning, as she reached for the smallest box. "I've been keeping these for a very long time, hoping to pass them onto my daughters but I never had any. But I can proudly say that you are like my daughter and so," she paused to wipe her eyes, "I'm passing them on to you. They can be your something borrowed, your something new and your something blue!" She lifted the lid to reveal two earrings- a sapphire stud with a small little pearl attached.

I gasped, smiling more than ever before, welling up. "Oh, Mrs Hudson! Gosh, they really are perfect." We were both giggling and sniffling as Mrs Hudson gently clasped them to my ears. She stepped back like a painter admiring a masterpiece,

"Now you're ready to go."