The Exception // SHERLOCK x READER //

Chapter 6

1st Person

The next morning, I got up and dressed, ready to get started with my day. I wanted to thank Sherlock for lending a hand yesterday. He was rather quiet most of the time we worked, only talking to me if there was a question about where to put what. Still, I appreciated the company even if it seemed he didn't want to be there.

Either way, whether he wanted to be there or not, the point was that he helped. I had planned on baking a sweet treat in thanks for his kindness, so I began gathering the ingredients to make a cake. It wasn't a big one, nothing too fancy, but just enough to enjoy. Though, I did question whether he would like it or not; he seems to be the kind of person to say that he hates cake or desserts. But, I went with my gut instinct that 'everybody loves cake'.

It took an hour or so to get it done with its finishing touches. It was a simple red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting with an iced 'Thank you! <3' in red on top. For extra visual points, I quickly made a fondant rose to place on the side.

"Whew!" I said aloud, standing back to admire the work I had done. "It's done! It looks good, but will he actually like it?" I shrugged and washed my hands before hanging up my apron on the kitchen hook. "Guess I'll find out."

3rd Person

Sherlock sat there on the couch reading the newspaper to see if anything would catch his eye. Unfortunately, there was nothing interesting to spend any precious thought upon. He would catch himself drifting off in thought over where John had been and what he was doing. It was only the third day since he'd been gone, but it felt longer than that. They had discussed before his departure he'd be away to rest on his own for at most a week.

He sighed and shut his eyes, trying to clear his mind. There wasn't even a case to be solved at the moment, adding to the dullness he found in his day-to-day life. Then, after wondering about John, someone else came to his mind: (Y/n).

She was nothing but ordinary it seemed. She had the brightest smile he had ever seen; soft and genuine. As he noted before, her eyes told something she wouldn't say herself, but what was it? (Y/n) visually appeared to look perfect in every way, humble and sweet, kind but assertive. He wanted to use his talent of deduction to analyze (Y/n) further since she lacked any obvious reading.

In fact, she always wore long sleeves or sweaters; never anything too revealing. 'What is it she could be hiding?' he thought. 'Can it be that she really is a wholesome baker who loves to read that showed up out of the blue alone in London?' He then began to wonder what did (Y/n) hide behind that brilliant smile of hers, under those wool sweaters that she apparently loved so much? Did she have and tattoos that she was too ashamed to show? Would it break the good-girl persona she desperately wanted to portray?

'No, no, no, stop thinking right now!' Sherlock thought, scrunching his eyes shut and shaking his head. 'She's just another Molly; plain, meek, and a push-over – an nuisance!'

Knock, knock

"Hello, it's just me, (Y/n)."

Sherlock nearly jumped in his seat by the sudden interruption. Though he was actually glad to be stripped away from his thoughts this time. He disliked dwelling on others; it only made him feel weak and vulnerable. Without responding, he tossed the newspaper in his grasp onto the coffee table and walked over to open the door. There stood a smaller (Y/n) holding a box in her delicate hands.

Her smile crinkled her eyes as she looked up to see his face. "Hello, just thought I bring over some cake as a way of saying thanks for yesterday." She held up the box that enclosed a cake to prove what she said was true.