Chapter Text
Truth is, Sherlock became quite the normal teenager after John went to London, it’s to say, nothing extraordinary happened to him. His high school experience actually took a turn for the better. He had friends for life. A smart girl that didn’t take shit from anybody and her boyfriend, a rugby player who looked strong and tough but was actually the nicest guy alive.
And even better, luck was on his side. Not only did he actually have friends, but in the years that followed Sherlock grew out of his awkward and scrawny children’s body. He grew even taller, in sixth form he was one of the tallest kids in school even though he was younger than most of the others. He was still skinny but more so lean than just skin and bones. The thing is, he didn’t have any fat, his eating habits were still very unusual, but he had a healthy amount of muscles instead. Heaven knows how he managed to grow some muscles, he despised sports, but the muscles were there all the same.
It was in sixth form as well that he gathered he wasn’t an ugly duckling. The exact moment he realised was on a Thursday afternoon at around 5pm. He was in the checkout line at Tesco’s, patiently awaiting his turn when the person behind him started talking to him. He remained friendly but distant – what any normal British person would do – when all of a sudden Sherlock understood, the girl was flirting with him. It was the second person that week and the 5th person that month. That’s when the penny dropped.
Before, he always thought people were nice to him because they needed something from him. Like that girl from English who he previously supposed wanted to be his project partner because Sherlock was the best student, and she really wasn’t. He had agreed, he preferred working alone of course, but most teachers wouldn’t let him. So if anyone asked he would gladly take them up on that in stead of working with someone that wouldn’t want him as a partner. The girl however was quite useless. The only thing she did was blush, stare and blink her eyes way too much. But now Sherlock recognised it for what it was: ridiculous flirtation techniques.
When he looked in the mirror however he just saw an unusual face. It was long and pale, his cheekbones were too sharp, his nose was odd-looking, he had cold, silvery eyes and his hair was still a mess. He had decided to ask Molly about it. Her answer went something like this: “Sherlock, of course you’re handsome, remember how I had a big ol’ crush on you three years ago?”
He always forgot Molly used to be as awkward as he was, when he looked back to that day and age he’s always surprised at how much they have changed. It was amazing how much they still talked. Molly had graduated last year and was also attending Uni in London now but they regularly spoke. She frequently came home to visit her family and Sherlock and her would always go to Mrs Hudson’s bakery to catch up. Most of the time though, Sherlock would ask her millions of questions about college applications and living on your own. One day, Mrs Hudson overheard them talking and suggested they should become roommates.
That’s how the ball went rolling. The more they had talked about it the more logical it seemed that they should move in together. It would reduce the costs, Molly’s parents liked that that Molly wouldn’t be living by herself or with strangers and Sherlock’s mother was happy that Sherlock wouldn’t be by himself as well. And so they began searching for apartments.
The august after Sherlock turned 17 he had started packing up his possessions and three weeks later he was standing in a small living room in an apartment on the second floor of a tall building with Molly by his right side.
“Ok, I think we’re officially moved in.” Molly said.
“Seems so.” Sherlock answered, looking around the flat once more. “What do we do now?”
“Celebrate? Go out? Go to a pub? There’s one on the corner of the street.”
“Mm, rather not.”
“Ok, diner then? I’m not really in the mood for cooking after today.”
“Dito. What about take out? I look a mess, and frankly, so do you. No one would have to look at us if we stay inside…” Sherlock was in no mood to get out of their new flat today.
“Ok, first of all, thanks. Second, I could eat Thai.”
“I’ll look for a Thai place nearby.” Sherlock fished his phone out of his pocket and started searching the Internet for a Thai place that would deliver.
Almost an hour later they were eating from those white carton containers on the couch while they were watching TV. Well, the TV was on, but neither one of them was actually watching the show. Molly was texting Greg, that relationship was still going strong, and Sherlock was exploring their new neighbourhood on Google Maps.
“How’s Greg?”
“Mhm?”
“Greg, you’re texting him, right? How is he doing?”
“He’s fine. Says he wants to come visit, but I told him he shouldn’t come over tonight. Tonight is us-time.”
“What-time?”
“Us-time, you and me, new roommates and all.”
“And what does this us-time entail then? Each of us doing separate things while sitting on the couch? Tell him he can come over. I really don’t mind.”
“Actually, this reminds me, we should make up a list of rules.”
“Excuse me, this isn’t kindergarten, is it?” Sherlock turned his head around frantically, his curls whipping about to hard they were almost hitting him in the face.
“Don’t be ridiculous. No just a set of rules like, who should cook when, when is company allowed, when cleaning day is... You know, just things like that. I think that if there are a couple of rules that we might avoid having a domestic in the future. You see where I’m going with this?”
“Yes, okay, very well. We’ll do that then, will it take a long time, because I have important stuff to do.”
Molly rolled her eyes but stood up from the couch to step over to their small table. “No, it won’t take long. I’ll tell Greg he can come over. He’ll be here within the hour, I’m sure we’ll be done by then.”
She sat down and opened a Word document on her laptop.
Forty minutes later they were done and the document was rolling out of the printer.
Sherlock stood up to retrieve it. “Ugh, Molly, pink and with kittens? Really?” He was looking over the list of rules they had made up and the calendar which Molly added to make it all a bit more structured. She had done a great job but the finishing touches were so Molly-like that Sherlock could not hold a straight face, slight disgust was painted over his features. He picked the paper up and walked over to the kitchen to hang it on the refrigerator with a small magnet, also a kitten.
Molly came and stood next to him. “Well, it fits nicely with the magnet.” They shared a smile and Molly continued, “if we just stick to this I think we might survive the first month conflict free.” She looked at Sherlock and said “Promise me you’ll try your best.”
Sherlock returned her look and solemnly said “I promise”.
“Okay, good. That’s settled then.”
Sherlock left her behind in their kitchen and sat himself at Molly’s laptop doing God knows what. Molly however went over to their door and started putting some clothes on.
“Where are you going? I thought Greg was coming over?”
“He is, I just realised we don’t have anything to drink except tap water and tea. I’m going to Tesco’s real quick. Would you like something to nibble on?”
“Pop corn sounds nice.”
“You got it.”
A couple of seconds later Sherlock heard the door slam shut. Sherlock was just about to post an extraordinary mean comment on a relative’s Facebook page about their new boyfriend when he heard the doorbell ring.
He let out a big sigh before standing up. He opened the door without really looking up, assuming it was Molly.
“First time you leave and you already forget your keys? Molly, please, I expected more from you.”
By the time he finished his little rant of annoyance he was already sitting down in front of the laptop that wasn’t his. He heard the door slam shut again but noticed the hesitation there. So maybe it wasn’t Molly?
He looked up just in time to hear Greg say, “well, if you bothered to look at the person in front of your door you might notice that it isn’t actually your beautiful flatmate.”
There was a quirky smile on Greg’s face and when he noticed Sherlock’s slightly taken aback expression his smile turned into a giggle.
“I assume Molly’s out then? I thought she told me to come here?” He took out his phone to check for any missed messages but didn’t see anything.
“She went out to get you something to drink. I assume some cheap brand of beer.”
“Right, just us then.”
Sherlock wasn’t really paying attention anymore because he had noticed something else about his cousin’s new boyfriend. That boy was full of secrets. Greg, however, didn’t really mind that he was being ignored, he knew about Sherlock’s strange and anti-social quirks so without actually waiting for an invitation to come in he did so anyways and started looking around the newly furnished flat.
“This is nice. It’s very cosy.” Greg said, without really expecting a reply.
“Mhmmm.”
Greg wandered further into the kitchen and noticed their newly thought up rule system.
“What’s this all about?”
“Mhm?” Sherlock still wasn’t really paying attention.
“These rules. What’s up with those?” Sherlock looked up from Molly’s laptop.
“Oh, yeah, Molly’s idea. Just some rules to avoid any fights we might have.”
“That’s pretty smart of my girl, you know, considering…” He looked over at Sherlock, saw his face, challenging him to finish his thoughts, but stopped talking mid sentence.
“So, no sex then?”
“Read it again please, rule nr. 8 clearly states that sex is allowed, just not in common areas, and preferably quiet. I’m sure you can understand, I don’t want to see or hear you two going at it and I’m sure the same applies to you.”
Greg burst out a single ‘HA’. “I can’t imagine that ever happening.”
“Excuse you?”
“You know, you and a girlfriend.”
“Yes, well, that seems very unlikely.”
“Oh, sorry, boyfriend?”
“More likely, yes. Actually I’ve been thinking about it quite a lot. You know, college and experimenting and all that. I think it’s time for me to see what’s out there, see what I like or don’t like. I think I’ve got the basics down, you know, no girls, just boys. But then, then there is so much more to try and learn. I think I might like oral sex a lot. But what about penetrative sex? I’m sure I’d like topping, but I read that bottoming might also be very satisfactory with the prostate stimulation and …”
The more he talked the more he saw Greg’s face turn red until he just burst out: “Whoa, Sherlock, too much information. Stop talking please. I get it and you’re right. I do not need to see or hear it. I stand by rule nr. 8.”
He had walked over to their couch and dropped into it just as they heard the rattling of keys and then the door swung open. Molly wobbled inside with in one hand a six-pack of not very expensive beers and a bag in her other hand.
Greg shot up from the couch to help his girlfriend. She handed him the six-pack of beer, stood on her tippy toes and pursed her lips, waiting for Greg to cross the space. Greg gave her a big sloppy kiss and turned to put the beers into the fridge. Molly peered after her boyfriend with a big scowl on her face.
“Why are you blushing?”
“Umh, uh, nothing, I’m not blushing!” Molly’s face turned into a full on frown. “Sherlock, what did you do?”
“I didn’t do anything. I was just telling him about my plan.”
“What plan?” She asked with a slight worry in her voice.
“My sexual experiment plan.”
Now Molly’s face showed pure shock. She quickly looked at Greg, trying to get support from him but he just shrugged his shoulders and said “I wouldn’t really ask about it or he’ll start a full-on ramble about oral and penetrative sexual experiences. It’s all things you don’t want to hear, Molls, I can assure you. Just be glad rule 8 is implemented and that you won’t ever have to see it.”
Molly was still shocked. “Sherlock, tell me you won’t treat this as just another experiment. You’re talking about other people here. Not just you and some chemical products. People might get hurt. You might get hurt.”
“Don’t make a big deal out of it, please. I haven’t even decided what to do yet, it’s just an idea.”
“Okay. Just be careful, and if you ever have questions or concerns you can always come to me,” she hesitated for a second and then added, "or Greg".
She looked over at Greg begging for his support, which he showed by nodding slightly.
“What? Because you’re so experienced after dating the same person for three years? You’ll be quite surprised to know I know all there is to know, thank you very much. Virgins can watch porn too, you know.”
Molly still couldn’t quite believe they’d been talking about sex for the last five minutes but now she was completely shocked, so shocked even that she didn’t know what to say. After a small pause, in which neither Greg nor Molly knew how to react Sherlock just continued.
“Thanks for your concern but sex really doesn’t alarm me. And, Molly, if there ever is anything you’ll be the first I’d come to for advice, you know that, you’re the only person I trust.”
With that statement he closed Molly’s laptop, stood up and went into his bedroom. Right before he closed the door he spoke, “enjoy the movie and remember rule nr. 8”.