OPEN POST; [ HERLOCK SHOLMES / TGAA ]

[retroductions]

(( hold you in my dreams ))

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[spelljam]

[ murmured against his lips, ] And Ms Sholmes.

[ not "Vaux". not here, not today, not with him. it's the first time she has ever uttered this aloud, and her heart beats frantically fast. ]

[retroductions]

[And naturally, it's the first he's heard it uttered, too, and Sholmes' smile brightens even more. It brings even a tinge of red to his cheeks, rosy and warm.]

A name that suits you, though perhaps I'm biased!

[Ehe. Maybe he really is suited to married life — he just needed the right partner.

What a terrible shame it is to pull away so that he can gather up both suitcases and trundle out the cab, leaving the door open for her to follow, but they have all the time in the world to make up for it later.]

Alley-oop! Here we are, 221B!

[The outer facade of the building is well-kept and welcoming, not at all resembling the chaos it often keeps sequestered within.]

I hope it'll be to your liking.

[spelljam]

[ his approval is like a bomb going off inside her. devastating. she will never recover from the joy of it. cups his cheek until he climbs from the cab, then she gathers up her yellow skirts and disembarks.

a door is just a door. somehow she hadn't pictured it to be set into a townhome. ]

Oh, I am being many worse places.

[retroductions]

Oh, but you've not set foot in my flat! [Er, wait.] ...I have heard it called a place of unbridled chaos, though I'm sure I needn't worry. You and I both know that genius resides buried within chaos!

[These are the usual excuses for a messy room, it would seem.

At any rate, Sholmes takes the time to pay the cab driver with a thanks. There's a brief, baffled exchange in which the older gentleman inquires about his status: Wherever and wherever did you get married, Mr Sholmes? I thought I would've read about such an event in the paper!

And Sholmes responds perhaps too honestly: Years ago, and in prison! Ha! And you know I'm not the sort to do anything with pomp, circumstance, or aplomb, my good man!

Since when.

Anyway, this only leaves more confusion in its wake as the driver is given another round of thanks and left to his questions as Sholmes returns to the task at hand; unlocking the door, letting Sprezzatura in first, and then following behind with their suitcases in hand.

The lower floor is nothing special. Very Victorian. Clean and neat. Clearly not where Sholmes resides. He hurries up the steps.]

This way, my love, this way!

[spelljam]

[ years ago, in prison.

she follows with the uncertain, faltering steps of a woman who isn't sure whether the ground is still under her or not. the train had been surreal, and so had the platform, but now it all seems to drop away.

Herlock calling her "my love" and bounding up the stairs. she's never seen him where he belongs before. brings one hand up to brush cruelly across her eyes as she ascends behind him. ]

Don't trip!

[retroductions]

[The luggage in tow probably knocks against the bannisters precariously on the way up, so boxy in comparison to Sholmes' lean frame that one wouldn't be blamed for thinking they might send him careening off balance. However, what Sholmes declares seems true enough, because he certainly bounds up without issue-]

Trip? Nothing so dramatic, even in my haste! I could rush up and down these steps in my sleep.

[He laughs, clearly in good spirits. When they reach the top, he swings the door awaiting them open with vigor, stepping back to let her in first.]

Here we are! Home sweet home.

[Welcome to 221B!]

[spelljam]

[ her eyes alight on two things at once: the phonograph. the violin.

home. ]

Herlock...

[retroductions]

[And a million other baubles and books and doodads, a veritable mess, proof of genius.]

Hm? What do you think?

[spelljam]

[ this is the place the empty hole in her heart has been crying out for all this time ]

I could stay here forever.

[retroductions]

[Sprezzatura 🥺😭]

And you are more than welcome to stay as long as you want, glad as I am to hear it.

[He flushes warmly, pleased. Utterly happy to have her approval. She could indeed stay here forever, and who would stop her? Certainly not her husband.]

Come, come! [In they go, and he closes the door behind them once they're in the flat, putting their suitcases down.] Let me change into something more suited for company; Iris is out on an errand for now, so the duties of host fall to me until she returns. Sit wherever you like!

[spelljam]

[ the sound of the suitcases hitting the floor is like a little lightning bolt up her spine. she brushes her wrist across her eyes once more, as subtly as she can when her very husband (husband! husband!) is Herlock Sholmes.

and turns, eyes drifting from him in his ridiculous old lady outfit, to her suitcase, and back. ]

Iris isn't here?

[ she'll tell him where she'd like to sit—— ]

[retroductions]

[i bet she would—]

She’ll be back shortly, I’m sure of it. Hm…

[He steps forward, gesturing at her.]

There’s no need to hide your emotions, my love. [Of course he noted her scrubbing at her eyes; just as he noted it before.] It’s only natural to feel overwhelmed, setting foot in a strange world. Not having seen someone in so, so long.

[spelljam]

[ my love, my love, my love, my love, my love, my love ]

I went through so much to get here. Mammon, will you please be changing out of your old woman clothes—

[retroductions]

Very well, very well! I am long overdue in greeting you as a great detective rather than a great geriatric.

[Which means! He takes his suitcase, fwumps it down on the chaise, and pops it open. His "normal" clothes lie folded messily within; yes, he brought his change of clothes along with him, because you never know.

Fusses with taking off the nightgown first, pulling it over his head.]

Truly, though, you might poke around if you wish. Make yourself quite comfortable in the meanwhile.

/2

[velluminous]

[ Sprezzatura inner mind theatre, checking what he's wearing underneath... ]

[spelljam]

[ perches with one hip against the chaise arm. arms crossed. letting him fumble. ]

I am comfortable.

[retroductions]

[With these long arms, he certainly does fumble. Or rather, get himself briefly stuck in the long fabric as he pulls it over his head, his reply slightly muffled-]

I should offer you-

[Pullllllls and it finally slides off, leaving his hair in a state of disarray, his wig now completely sliding off. Sprezzatura doesn’t have to imagine much longer: what exists now is just a bare-chested Sholmes wearing a pair of bloomers to spare him from complete nakedness. Yes, bloomers. Might as well, to play the part.]

-a drink, at least?

[spelljam]

[ BLOOMERS?

barks out a sudden laugh, that low and hoarse laugh, and tweaks a nipple. ]

You are going about without your brassiere? [ spake the woman who never wears a brassiere ] Scandal.

[retroductions]

[What's so funny, huh! Sholmes starts a little when she gives him a tweak.]

Ah! Now, Mrs Minicle has no need, not being very well-endowed. Much like myself; quite convenient!

[Sholmes: not endowed at all.]

Unlike, say, Ms Adler. Who needs the utmost care when it comes to dressing!

[spelljam]

How rude to Mrs Minicle. [ the slightest twitch of her lips when he says that name: Ms Adler ] And wouldn't it be simpler for you if all your women were hardly endowed at all?

[ still looking at his face, she bends lower and plucks his blouse from the suitcase and holds it open for him. ]

[retroductions]

[Are you perhaps bending lower like that on purpose, Sprezzatura--

He quirks his smile and takes it from her, an eyebrow arching.]

And does a detective utilize all the tools available to him by opting for "simpler"? [Leans in a bit-] Besides, I thought Ms Adler being so buxom was one of the reasons why you liked her so much.

[He's teasing.]

[spelljam]

[ you know how well Ms Vaux responds to teasing. if she had a tail right now, this is when it would flick—or perhaps wend around her ankle to keep her out of trouble. ]

She is being someone close to you. And to introduce her as you did was so intimate and unveiling. I like her for that.

[retroductions]

[Ah, yes. As novel (and still beautiful) as she looks like this, it is a shame that she's missing a fraction of her tells, he thinks. Her tail was such a giveaway.]

And because she is a lady of class and grace?

[And also very buxom?]

[spelljam]

Was she?

[retroductions]

[At some point he had begun dressing his top half in a dress shirt, plain and white, when she asks that. (Yes he’s still wearing bloomers, what of it.) He fumbles with the button and sputters—]

Well, yes! Of course! What do you mean, “was she”?