Work Text:
"Sherlock, did you see this?"
Molly was standing in the door to the chem lab, clutching a book in both hands. No, not just a book - the yearbook. Sherlock had reluctantly suffered through having his picture taken because his parents had insisted on it - "You'll be glad you did when you're older, William," had been his mother's exact words, while his dad had just nodded and given him The Look over his mother's shoulder.
"It's the yearbook, Molly, of course I've seen it, people keep trying to get me to sign it for some reason," he replied, turning back to the experiment he was working on. The one Molly was supposed to be helping him with instead of following the rest of the sheep and mucking around with a stupid book he personally intended to toss in the rubbish bin as soon as he'd shown his parents that yes, he'd brought one home.
He heard her footsteps as she approached him, uncharacteristically hesitant, and that made him look up at her in surprise. Molly hadn't been hesitant around him since they were twelve, why was she so reluctant now? Oh no, was it something to do with the stupid yearbook? Had her picture come out awful or something? Or worse, had someone written something mean about her in it?
That thought brought a sudden flash of anger; he hated when people were mean to Molly, the nicest, sweetest girl in the entire sodding school. Especially if they were mean to her because of her friendship with him. John Watson could and had defended himself with words and fists from time to time, but Molly was far too nice for her own good. Oh, she'd defend HIM, he'd heard her do so more than once, especially if the word 'freak' was used, but when it came to herself, she just...shrugged it off. Or tried to, but he knew the words that didn't bother him - when applied to himself - actually hurt her.
"Show me," he demanded, reaching for the yearbook, seeing how her finger was slid between the covers, clearly marking a specific page. "And whoever did it, don't worry, Molly, I'll make sure whatever dirty little secret they're hiding gets out."
Molly's brow was furrowed in confusion, but she allowed him to take the book. So maybe it was just a bad snap, then, rather than someone being insulting? As he opened the volume, setting in on the lab counter, he felt his own brow wrinkling. The picture that was clearly the source of Molly's consternation was a good one, at least of her; he looked like a gawky otter or something, even if he was smiling for a change. He didn't even remember that picture being taken - hmm, chem club meeting, just after the Christmas holidays, he and Molly had won a prize at the nationals and were holding the trophy together, grinning at each other, her brown eyes crinkled at the corners as she gazed up at him rather than at whoever was taking the picture, just as he was looking at her.
"Right," Sherlock said, clearing his throat of a sudden obstruction he refused to identify as a surge of positive emotion. "So. The picture of us after we won the top prize at the nationals. What's wrong with..."
"Read the caption, Sherlock," Molly interrupted him, a slight tremble in her voice. Sherlock's eyes obediently moved down to the words written beneath the picture, and he went very, very still, face blank, as two of them leapt out at him.
'Cutest Couple.'
He and Molly had been voted 'Cutest Couple' - and they weren't even a couple.
"I suppose someone on the yearbook staff thought they were being funny, putting our names up for the vote, I'm so sorry, Sherlock, John's threatened to thump whoever did it, and Mary swears she'll shoot whoever thinks this is funny - I mean, not that she actually will, even if her dad is in the army and has a gun, she wouldn't actually shoot anyone, at least I don't think she would, and I-I told her it would be a really bad idea and..."
Molly was silenced by two things: utter shock, and Sherlock's lips on hers, not in that order. Her eyes fluttered shut, her hands fell onto his shoulders, and his arms encircled her waist, pulling her closer to his seated form. When the kiss ended, she kept her eyes shut as she softly said, "Sherlock, what was that?"
"Our first kiss," he replied firmly. "To celebrate our new status."
She opened her eyes at that, frowning uncertainly. "Our new status as...?"
"Cutest couple," he replied, even more firmly. "Just to make it clear," he added with a grin, "I like you, Molly Hooper, and not just as a friend. Fancy some chips? I know a fantastic fish shop just off Marleybone Road, the owner always gives me extra portions."
Molly’s wide grin was all the answer he needed. He jumped to his feet and took her hand in his, the yearbook lying forgotten on the lab counter as they hurried out of the room.
Needless to say, no one was surprised when Molly Hooper and Sherlock Holmes remained 'Cutest Couple' for the rest of the school year - and well after that, if you asked their best friends John and Mary, who were happy to be First Runners Up in that category!