In Which a Questionable Decision is (Hopefully) Made {for elementrymydear}

[thewomanswit]

It was only a handful of months after the true circumstances of Sherlock Holmes' fate at Reichenbach Falls was revealed to all that Irene Adler moved into the address of 221B Baker Street

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[thewomanswit]

Irene stared at Holmes.

She stared at Holmes for a long time.

A very long time.

"Oh," she said, after moments had passed.

If Holmes had been, in any way, hoping to throw Irene for a loop, he had succeeded tremendously.

"I must admit," she continued, "I have received a number of proposals in my time, Mister Holmes, only one of which has swayed me to action in the past. However, I cannot deny your very logical analysis of our 'unique' situation."

Her tone carried a certain distance to it; not one without humour, but she still wasn't sure if this was some kind of prank on the part of Holmes' overactive mind. She didn't think him without a sense a humour, but she wasn't entirely sure how it would manifest itself when she finally found it.

"As you are more than well aware, I have already one failed marriage to my name." She glanced down at her lap, only then realizing she had been twisting her fingers together in an unnerving fashion. She stilled them, and set her eyes squarely upon Holmes'. "I have no intention of once again revisiting such an experience. So I am sure you can understand the importance of thinking through the details of this... arrangement."

[elementrymydear]

"I have no intention of embroiling you in a doomed marriage. I do think our lifestyles are entirely, how do you say? Complementary." Holmes had risen to his feet, hands clasped behind his back, as he paced towards the window. "But I can understand, of course, your reservations." He turned sharply on his heels to face her, settling against the sill. "Very well, then, let us hash through the details, as you say. What particular questions would you like to have addressed?"

[thewomanswit]

Irene had gone from completely confused to utterly speechless in such a short amount of time that is actually took her a few solid moments to regain her bearings.

She stood up, rounding herself around the chair so she could continue to stay at eye level with her housemate. Companion. Betrothed? No, far too soon for that label.

"Of course, we should begin with the expectations that our change of lifestyle would most influence," Irene said, her voice taking on a certain level of professionalism. Much as if she were speaking to solicitor, rather than a potential lover. "Our comings and goings, for one, which I daresay would not serve us to be too drastically changed, considering our hobbies and choices of employment. I would think we should be expected to take meals together, on the occasions in which it would not infringe upon my previous statement. Then of course..." Humour seeped into her voice once again, and she averted her eyes from Holmes' gaze for an instant. "There is the matter of our living and sleeping arrangements. As you may be aware, it is traditional within a marriage that those matters be more regularly adjoined."

[elementrymydear]

Holmes was actually relieved that she wasn't looking directly at him, as there was the tiniest twitch of his facial muscles at her final comment, betraying some kind of reaction, which he immediately suppressed with a low cough, eyeballing the floor himself.

"Yes, well, it is, as you say, customary. I trust that will not prove to be a point of contention?" he asked, in his own roundabout manner attempting to feel out how she felt about the possibility. "And as for comings and goings, I should not attempt to limit yours, and would expect the same in kind."

[thewomanswit]

Irene couldn't be sure, but the warmth that suddenly flooded her skin suggested to her that, for the first time during this entirely unexpected conversation, she had actually blushed.

She pulled her eyes away from him once more, clearing her throat clumsily and running her fingers across the back of the chair.

"I certainly do not find reason to contest either matter," she admitted, embarrassed that her voice seem to ever so slightly tremble. Attempting to collect herself, she took a breath and stepped closer to Holmes, her gaze lifting upwards once again to meet his. "In fact, I think we would find an embrace of certain martial customs to be rather fulfilling."

Her lips curled into a sly smile. "However, I must also insist you do not expect of me to cook all of your meals. I think it hardly fair for our arrangement to infringe on Mrs. Hudson's usual responsibilities, don't you agree?"

[elementrymydear]

Holmes' eyes remained averted until he heard the note of tension in her voice, at which case, he cast a look of curious regard her way, as she stepped closer. He was more surprised than he cared to admit at the strange effect her proclamation had on him (and his breathing, in particular), and he was equally surprised at his relief when she quickly changed the subject.

"Of course," he said quickly. "I shouldn't think of infringing upon her territory, or asking you to do so. I think she quite enjoys her duties."

It sunk in that Irene actually seemed to be agreeing to this, yet he still felt the need to clarify, in case she was simply humoring him. It was, after all, not a conversation to take entirely lightly, however much the both of them might be treating it as if it were.

"So, were there any other matters you feel the need to discuss, before delivering an answer, one way or another?"

[thewomanswit]

Glancing away again, Irene felt the edge of her lip catch between her teeth in a coy (and painfully flirtatious) manner that even she slightly reviled. She hitched her breath and launched herself a few more resolute steps in Holmes' direction, until she stood no more than a foot away from him.

"I think we have exhausted the matters of importance," she said. "I have no doubt anything else of concern will be easily addressed when they arise."

She had certainly noticed the burn on her cheeks refusing to fade, and her heart seemed to race faster with every inch she edged towards the man in front of her. She gulped at air as inconspicuously as she could, looking up at Holmes, her voice dropping to a moderate whisper. "With that said," she told him, "I do think I would like to accept your offer to become your wife."

[elementrymydear]

Her sudden proximity had an apparently unsettling effect on the detective, who found it simultaneously difficult to hold her gaze, and to even consider not holding it.

Despite the fact that he'd made the offer in all seriousness, he realized now that he'd never quite expected her to actually agree. For a moment, he was at a loss as to what to say, before he cleared his throat again, a smile flicking at the corner of his lip, though remaining somewhat elusive.

"Excellent," he said, as it was the first word that popped to his mind. "I imagine a ... small civil service should be appropriate enough." There was an edge of humor to his voice, and a spark in his eyes at the suggestion: he, after all, remembered quite vividly her last wedding.

[thewomanswit]

Irene felt awkward, stood in front of Holmes after accepting a rather unexpected martial proposal, and the truth of the matter was, she didn't entirely know what to do next. When Godfrey had proposed, it had ended with an awkward kiss that had made him blush a rather unsettling hue (So noble, Godfrey Norton), but, the circumstances of his proposal had most certainly been different. Like this, it had been the next logical step in their relationship, but for many different reasons.

She shifted, deciding to just stick with talking. It seemed safe enough.

"I think that would do," Irene agreed, mimicking his humour with a roll of her eyes. "Hardly a need a for a large production, is there? Although we must sort out witnesses. Your friend the doctor, perhaps? And I am sure Mrs. Hudson would be quite offended if she were not invited. I'm sure it will quell her spirits to know there will be no more scandal surrounding either of our living here."

[elementrymydear]

"I'm quite certain that Watson would be willing to serve in that capacity, yes," Holmes said, grateful that she broke eye contact first. "So we have two guests on my side, and none on yours? Though I presume that is how you would prefer it." He kept the banter present, because it was much easier than attempting to take this moment too seriously.

"And there is, of course, the question of when."

[thewomanswit]

Irene raised her eyebrows. "Well, I certainly think Mrs. Hudson could serve as a witness on my account as she could yours. However, you are still correct; I have no family to call upon, and am quite content in keeping this between the family that you have acquired over the years."

Snapping her eyes back to his gaze, Irene decided to take this situation a small step further. She started with a literal step, infringing quite blatantly on Holmes' space, and she toyed playfully with the collar of his shirt. "As for when, I would think as soon as possible, seeing as we have discussed the arrangements of this situation so thoroughly. I think it would be best to make it official quickly, lest we fall back into our own routines and simply find it would, eventually, be more of an inconvenience."

[elementrymydear]

Holmes noticeably stiffened when she so casually made contact with his collar, looking down at her with an expression that was almost comically bewildered.

"You'll find that I very rarely change my mind, as I don't settle on any conclusion without being convinced of the facts," he managed to say, though not without some small show of difficulty.

[thewomanswit]

Irene sensed his discomfort, and it almost seemed to fuel her. She let her hand begin to slide casually down his chest, knowing that her lips lingered just inches from his neck, aware that her breath most certainly tickled hotly against his skin.

And with that, she stepped away, turning aloofly to stare at the plate on his desk.

"It's settled, then. I am sure you will want to inform Doctor Watson of our intentions? I think this weekend will do, and it should give us time to make preparations. Hopefully the weather will hold; it would be a shame to have rain on our wedding day. Shall I take your plate? I do hope the dinner was to your satisfaction."

She spoke quickly, almost primly, but she continued to hold Holmes' form in her gaze from where she stood.

[elementrymydear]

Holmes knew that Irene was testing the boundaries on purpose, and he refused to flinch against the challenge, though the contact obviously caused him to be uncomfortable. The room seemed remarkably warm suddenly, until she turned and walked away, leaving him fixing his collar, in an attempt to cover his flush.

"I shall tell Watson immediately to make certain he can be in attendance," he said, a slight cough into his fist preluding his speech. "And dinner was... quite satisfactory, I must say."

[thewomanswit]

Irene placed a playful gaze upon Holmes, as if gauging his fidgets to deem whether or not her test had been successful.

She was, more or less, pleased with the result.

Gathering the tray and subsequent plates and flatware, she moved towards the door, turning back to look at him. "Do pass my respects onto the dear doctor if you would, darling," she stressed, that playful glint still in her eyes. "I really have enjoyed this rather surprising discussion. I shall look forward to our next one."

[elementrymydear]

Holmes stared after her with a difficult to read expression, almost equally challenging now.

"Until then. Miss Adler," he stressed, with the tiniest quirk of his lip. The title would, after all, be short lived.