Gray Castles
One
He stood just outside the London City Airport with his hands jammed in his pockets. It had been two years since he'd last seen the woman he was waiting for. He was about to dig his phone out and call her to see if she'd missed her flight when he heard her voice.
"John!" His eyes fell upon a raven-haired woman who was now in front of him. She gently embraced him and kissed his cheek.
"Have you got everything, Aria?" He asked, looking suspiciously at her three bags.
"Yes, of course." She said, waving her hand in the air.
In the car, with the radio on but quiet, Aria and John conversed.
"So you're really moving back to London? Not just a visit this time?"
"Yeah. I've got a job, I'm just looking for a place, maybe a flat."
"You could stay with Sherlock, if you like." John offered with a shrug. "Just until you finally find your own place."
"Sherlock? Would he be okay with that?"
"'Course he would!" John said, trying to convince himself of this as well.
Thirty minutes later, John and Aria were going up the stairs of 221B Baker street with her bags in tow, and Sherlock lounged on the couch, paying them no mind as they dropped the luggage in John's old room. John left her to unpack as he went to talk to Sherlock.
"You'll make sure she's not late for work?"
"Yes."
"That she eats? And-"
"John, I'm certain your sister can do all of this herself."
John sighed and left Sherlock to his thoughts.
"You'll be all right?" He asked her at the door.
"Go home to Mary and Hamish."
After John left, Aria retreated to her room with her laptop, fighting a bout of writer's block. Later on, a soft knock preceded Sherlock's entrance into the room.
"Would you...like to join me for tea?" He asked. She closed her laptop and shoved it under her pillow, an old habit, and rose to join him in the living room. He poured her a cup of tea and she accepted it gratefully.
Moments later, Aria spoke. "You're awfully quiet over there, watching me. What have you deduced about me so far, Mr.Holmes?"
Sherlock stayed silent, not having deduced much useful information at all.
"Would you like me to tell you what I've deduced about you?"
"If you must."
"You are the youngest of two. You have a brother. Mind you, this part was not deduced but common knowledge. Now, you enjoy games. Most would assume chess, but I think something with a little more...excitement, is to your liking, correct?"
"You're very good at this, Miss Gray."
"Detective Gray, if you please. If you're not going to call me by my given name, that is."
Sherlock snorted and took a sip of his tea, uncrossing his legs and standing. He set the cup on the table and disappeared into his room for a moment, then reappeared with a box that had obviously seen some wear. When Aria saw what was in it, she grinned.
"Fancy a game of Operation, Detective?" Sherlock asked, raising a brow and smirking.
"John!" His eyes fell upon a raven-haired woman who was now in front of him. She gently embraced him and kissed his cheek.
"Have you got everything, Aria?" He asked, looking suspiciously at her three bags.
"Yes, of course." She said, waving her hand in the air.
In the car, with the radio on but quiet, Aria and John conversed.
"So you're really moving back to London? Not just a visit this time?"
"Yeah. I've got a job, I'm just looking for a place, maybe a flat."
"You could stay with Sherlock, if you like." John offered with a shrug. "Just until you finally find your own place."
"Sherlock? Would he be okay with that?"
"'Course he would!" John said, trying to convince himself of this as well.
Thirty minutes later, John and Aria were going up the stairs of 221B Baker street with her bags in tow, and Sherlock lounged on the couch, paying them no mind as they dropped the luggage in John's old room. John left her to unpack as he went to talk to Sherlock.
"You'll make sure she's not late for work?"
"Yes."
"That she eats? And-"
"John, I'm certain your sister can do all of this herself."
John sighed and left Sherlock to his thoughts.
"You'll be all right?" He asked her at the door.
"Go home to Mary and Hamish."
After John left, Aria retreated to her room with her laptop, fighting a bout of writer's block. Later on, a soft knock preceded Sherlock's entrance into the room.
"Would you...like to join me for tea?" He asked. She closed her laptop and shoved it under her pillow, an old habit, and rose to join him in the living room. He poured her a cup of tea and she accepted it gratefully.
Moments later, Aria spoke. "You're awfully quiet over there, watching me. What have you deduced about me so far, Mr.Holmes?"
Sherlock stayed silent, not having deduced much useful information at all.
"Would you like me to tell you what I've deduced about you?"
"If you must."
"You are the youngest of two. You have a brother. Mind you, this part was not deduced but common knowledge. Now, you enjoy games. Most would assume chess, but I think something with a little more...excitement, is to your liking, correct?"
"You're very good at this, Miss Gray."
"Detective Gray, if you please. If you're not going to call me by my given name, that is."
Sherlock snorted and took a sip of his tea, uncrossing his legs and standing. He set the cup on the table and disappeared into his room for a moment, then reappeared with a box that had obviously seen some wear. When Aria saw what was in it, she grinned.
"Fancy a game of Operation, Detective?" Sherlock asked, raising a brow and smirking.