Title prompt fic

"That was an impressive observation, Molly," Sherlock said with a little half smile. "It's almost a waste hiding you away at Bart's!"

Mary had to press her lips together and look away to avoid showing her obviously amused expression. She and John had stopped by Baker St to pick up Lizzie from Mrs. Hudson, and Molly was there assisting Sherlock with a couple experiments. John was still downstairs collecting some of Lizzie's things while Mary popped up to say hello.

Just then, Sherlock left the room as he got a call on his mobile. Mary stepped aside after he was out of earshot and spoke to Molly under her breath. "He is so in love with you that it's practically obscene."

Molly looked at Mary and snorted out a little laugh. "Oh, I know," she said casually.

Mary did a little double take. "Y-you do? I thought for sure you were about to shoot that down."

Molly shook her head, still chuckling. "Of course not! I mean, I know him well enough that it's pretty clear to me."

"But he hasn't said anything to you, has he?"

"Nope." Molly shrugged. "I can tell he's still sort of…fighting it. You know, like those little children who are dead tired and desperately need a nap, but they've still convinced themselves that sleep is the very last thing they'll agree to!"

Mary began giggling uncontrollably at the comparison. Oh how familiar she was that scenario! And it certainly fit. She took a deep breath and wiped the tears of mirth from her eyes. "Well, I hope he gives in soon!"

Molly bit her lip and smiled. "Mm, I don't really feel like waiting."

Mary'd brows lifted. "Oh really?"

"Absolutely," Molly whispered as she watched Sherlock walk back into the room. She looked back at Mary and winked.

THE NEXT DAY

Sherlock strolled into Bart's lab. "Molly! Here to check those cultures I texted you about. Hopefully an idiot intern won't get in my way this time."

Molly turned from the laptop she was working at and sauntered over to him. "No, don't worry. No interns today," she said sweetly. "I made sure they weren't around."

Sherlock's eyes became saucers as she ran a hand down his arm while she passed by. He was statue still for a brief moment, clearly unsure if she'd really just done that or if it was in his head. Molly smiled to herself as he cleared his throat and came over to the table.

"Yes, um, so anyway, those experiments…" Sherlock began nervously as he pulled his scarf off.

"Oh you mean these?" Molly asked as she took out two trays of the cultures he'd been working on. "I um, made some charts and graphs. Hope you don't mind." She slid some papers over on the table.

Sherlock frowned in surprise and picked them up to read. "These are…extraordinary. You tracked the progress exactly like-"

"Exactly like you would?" Molly finished with a smile as she stepped over closer to him. "I think I know how you like to do things after all these years." She gently grasped one of the lapels on his coat, making his eyes widen again.

"Yes, you seem to…" Sherlock swallowed thickly. "Know quite a lot."

"Mm, I do," she said confidently. Then she jumped a bit. "Oh! I almost forgot! Before you leave today, I've got a couple of hands that I saved for you in the freezer downstairs."

"Hands?" he asked incredulously, his eyes brightening.

"Yeah," Molly said with a shrug. "Well I knew I could easily spare them in this case, and of course I thought of you right away." She reached up and gave his cheek a little pat, which triggered another momentary buffering face on the overwhelmed man.

"You're being awfully...helpful," Sherlock said, his voice cracking a bit.

Molly gave him a playful smile. "Well I like doing nice things for you when I can...obviously."

Sherlock quirked an eyebrow. "Obviously?"

"Mm, obviously," Molly repeated. "That's what you do when you..." She leaned in a little closer to him and dropped her voice lower. "Feel so deeply for someone."

Sherlock stared her down, frozen for a moment, but then he suddenly dropped the charts he'd been holding and grabbed her face...crashing his lips into hers. After Molly had a chance to catch up, there followed a minute of mutual and very intense snogging in the middle of Bart's lab. By the time they came up for air, hair was in disarray, faces were flushed, and breathing was ragged.

"Picked up on my hints, did you?" Molly gasped out with a laugh.

"Was it possible to miss them?" he asked, trying to catch his own breath as he gazed at her adoringly. "It seems you had a very specific agenda today, Molly Hooper...moving me to action."

"Well," Molly said with a smirk as she tugged him back toward her lips that were already feeling lonely. "Someone had to hit you over the head with your own feelings."

I do so love an assertive Molly from time to time. ;)