Sentiment || Sherlock Holmes

Spycroft

"Right, click the picture of the gear." Evelyn directed as her mother peered at her phone. "Okay, now scroll down...there. Click on text and display."

Mrs. Hudson sighed, pushing the device into her daughter's hand. "Oh, I don't even remember why I bought this silly thing."

Less than a minute later, the text size on Mrs. Hudson's phone was at its largest setting. Mrs. Hudson grinned and pressed a kiss to her daughter's forehead.

"My little muffin is a technological genius!"

A scoff drew both women's attention. "Hardly. She's proficient at chemistry, I suppose. Saying that she's a 'technological genius' is just a lie, Mrs. Hudson."

"Well hello to you too, Sherlock." Evelyn greeted.

"Upstairs. Now." Sherlock replied, turning on his heel and walking to the stairs.

Curiosity won over her annoyance at his demands. Eve made sure her mother's phone was all set before following the tall detective into 221B.

He was in the kitchen, stirring an alarmingly orange mixture in a souvenir mug. The table was covered in beakers, petri dishes, a microscope, and multiple books. It looked like a STEM program exploded all over the room. Evelyn crossed her arms and observed from the doorway.

"Hold this." Sherlock shoved the mug into her hands.

"May I ask why you're mixing orange soda, baby powder, and," Eve grimaced into the cup. "some kind of meat together?"

"It's an experiment." He replied simply.

"I'm never one to turn down an experiment. What, pray tell, are we testing?" Evelyn asked.

Sherlock studied her for a moment. He walked over to her and stood close, tracing her face with his gaze.

"The effect of possible corrosive elements on mammal flesh." He explained, taking the cup back from her.

"Diverting. Have you read an article about this very topic by my former professor, Oliver Keets? It was published a few years ago in Forensics Monthly." Eve said, wandering farther into the makeshift lab and inspecting Sherlock's samples.

"I am modifying a few of his designs, yes." Sherlock acted unfazed by the display of knowledge.

"Lovely. Are we both going to stand here and continue to pretend you actually needed me to act as a human cup holder or are you going to admit you want to know more about me?" Eve asked point blank.

Sherlock returned her stare before a smile broke out across his features. "The curiosity must be mutual then, Evelyn. Who else would willingly follow a psychopath without explanation?"

"Highly functioning sociopath. I would have thought you read up on your definitions, Mr. Holmes." She teased.

They stood there for a moment in silence, challenging one another with just their gazes. The stand-off was broken when Dr. Watson's footsteps sounded on the staircase. John gave a start at seeing Evelyn.

"Eve...what are you-?"

"Experiment." Sherlock waved off.

"Concluded experiment." Evelyn corrected.

She walked over and gave John a hug. "How have you been?"

"Alright." He replied. "Yourself?"

"A bit busy, I'll admit. Anderson," They heard Sherlock scoff at the name. "Has me back on little cases. There are quite a lot of those I'm afraid."

"Surely Lestrade can pull some strings." John suggested.

"There haven't been any particularly difficult cases, so there's no point in pissing Philip off, really. Hopefully I'll have another chance to show my expertise on the next big case."

John nodded in agreement. A loud crashing noise from the kitchen/lab signified her cue to leave.

"I should be getting back to the yard now. I only have an hour for lunch and I just came over to visit mum." Eve excused herself.

---------------

"Isn't he just brilliant?" Molly asked, gazing dreamily into her coffee.

"Molly," Evelyn reasoned with her friend. "Brilliant he may be, but he is all too aware of his own capabilities. It makes him treat you like a doormat. You're just going to get hurt."

"But he's so...handsome." Molly argued.

Eve shrugged, unable to deny the truth of that statement.

"Let's talk about something else, yeah? How is work coming along?" Evelyn asked.

"It can be a bit of a deadweight sometimes." Molly said before giving a sort of snort/giggle.

Eve laughed. "I'm glad you're able to bring a sense of humor to the job."

Molly nodded. "I really do appreciate our lunches though, Eve. I'm glad to have you around to talk to now. I was really rather lonely before."

Evelyn reached over and squeezed her friend's hand. "I'm happy to have made a friend as well. It has been so wonderful to have both you and Lestrade to help me navigate my newness here."

"And Sherlock." Molly grumbled. "He seems to have taken quite the interest in you."

Eve sighed. "Molly...he's just competitive because I'm smarter than him." They both laughed at that. Evelyn could tell Molly was still a little jealous though by the way she was glaring at her napkin as though it had wounded her.

"Sherlock doesn't deserve you, Molly. He's too...absent. You'd never be happy. I think you need someone better."

"You're probably right..." Molly admitted.

"When you're ready, I might have someone in mind. He's a lot like Sherlock, but in a more Molly-compatible way. He lives down the hall from me. When you've gotten over Sherlock I can set you guys up." Evelyn offered.

"Thank you, Eve. What's his name?" Molly asked, still not convinced.

"Tom."

-----------------

Evelyn was curled up on the couch, taking advantage of her small amount of free time for a little Netflix. The movie was just reaching an intense climactic scene when her phone buzzed. The number was shown, but wasn't listed as a contact on her phone.

Come outside.

She rolled her eyes before typing out a response.

Are you always this dramatic?

The phone buzzed again almost immediately.

She dies in a car crash at the end. Come outside.

Eve groaned, but got up and put on her shoes. She trudged down the stairs and flung open the front door to the building her flat was in.

"What, Mycroft?" She demanded.

"I have made an amendment to my original offer. I will now only pay you if you want in exchange for you keeping an eye on him, and informing me of any imminent danger." Mycroft said.

Evelyn held a hand to her heart. "Oh how sweet! I love the brotherly affection."

Mycroft frowned. "I would also like to treat you to a meal every once in awhile to discuss any matter that you find pressing. No need to reveal any detail you feel uncomfortable with, of course."

Eve thought for a moment. "Deal. Any money you would have paid me has to go the homeless, or a charity though."

Mycroft smiled as they shook hands. After he disappeared in his shiny black car, Evelyn put his number in her phone under 'Spycroft.'